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Collect

Risen Christ,
you prepare a place for us,
in the home of the Mother-and-Father of us all.
Draw us more deeply into yourself,
through scripture read,
water splashed,
bread broken,
wine poured,
so that when our hearts are troubled,
we will know you more completely
as the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.

Readings

Acts 7:55-60

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 1

Peter 2:2-10

John 14:1-14

Quite often when we hear stories from Jesus they are confusing. Sometimes I wonder if he had a bit of a weird sense of humour when he tells stories and answers questions with other questions. This doesn’t always reassure us that we have completely understood what he has been saying.

Just imagine what we can do, believing in Jesus, taking time to listen to his voice before reacting and following The Way.

In our first few words in our Gospel story for the week we have Jesus saying “Do not let your hearts be troubled”: We have to back up a bit to what was happening before this part in the Gospel. He had just told his disciples that he would be crucified; that one would betray him; and one would deny him. Just put yourself in the disciples’ sandals and you might understand why they might be troubled. So here we have Jesus reassuring them that it will be okay. It would probably have given them a bit of a relief that he was going to explain and reassure them a bit.

If we use these words for us, here in this time, gives us the idea or assurance that we have control over our lives and how we respond to our burdens, having Jesus within us.

Our next line is “Believe in God, believe in me also.” This makes sense, easy enough. Not that we can’t get lost in our beliefs but the sentence is clear enough.

The next two lines are clear as well and reassuring (especially for us who know how Jesus’ life ends and continues within us). “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you”. So Thanks to Jesus, our ‘room’ will be ready for us when we get there.

Then it gets a bit trickier, when Jesus says you know the way to the place where I am going. Bravo to Thomas for being brave enough to say that they didn’t know where he was going and how could they know the way. Jesus response is to say that he is the way and the truth and the life. No ones comes to the Father except through me. If you were listening last week, you might be thinking back to the words Jesus said that he was the gate. We all have to go through Jesus, through the gate, because only there will you find God.

Jesus talks about being the way… He is way to an abundant life. His way (through life) is the only way we should be following.

About truth…He is the true God, truly a man and taught the way of God in truth.

I am life…. In Jesus we always have life even though we have died.

I once again applaud Philip for saying that if Jesus would just show him and the others, the Father, they would be satisfied. Jesus then goes onto explain that God is in him.

How many of us feel God in us? I have quite often told someone that the sermon they gave or a letter that they wrote to me, was extremely powerful and that the words meant so much, to get a response like ‘I just listened to what God told me, it actually came from him’.

I never realized that Jesus said something very similar, “The words I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in my does his work.” I never really connected this line to us as well.

Jesus is within us, always, but how many times have we not listened. Like we heard last week, we know his voice or we should know his voice. It is one of peace and love, not hatred or meanness. I know, that in some cases I speak too quickly and definitely don’t listen to that voice. Verse 12 which states ‘Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these’.

Just imagine what we can do, believing in Jesus, taking time to listen to his voice before reacting and following The Way.

Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.
Thanks Be To God!

Collect

Holy Shepherd,
you know your sheep by name
and lead us to safety through the valleys of death. Guide us by your voice,
that we may walk in certainty and security
to the joyous feast prepared in your house,
where we celebrate with you forever. Amen.

Readings

Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 23

1 Peter 2:19-25

John 10:1-10

Throughout John’s gospel Jesus makes many “I am” statements. John writes this way to help his readers understand Jesus on a deeper basis then as a prophet, healer and teacher, in these statements John is directly connecting Jesus with Yahweh, the name that God is called by all people of Israel. In the book of Exodus, God (Yahweh) has a conversation with Moses from a burning bush. God commands Moses to lead God’s people from slavery to freedom and life in the Promised land. Moses asks God what name he should use when telling the Israelites what God has commanded them and God replies, ‘I am who i am.’ He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I am has sent me to you.” ’ God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”: This is my name for ever, and this my title for all generations.‘ (Exodus 3:14-15). John’s I am statements that Jesus makes throughout his gospel are meant to link Jesus directly to Yahweh the God they have always known and worshipped.

Right at the start John wants his readers to understand that Jesus IS God and the I AM statements which follow throughout his gospel not only iterate that message but also help us to understand what that means in our understanding of Jesus and of God.

The ‘I am’ statements go a bit further than that though as they also help the reader understand God (Yahweh) now through their relationship with and the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. In today’s reading Jesus says ‘I am’ the gate. Specifically, the gate to the sheepfold and we are the sheep. Jesus is the path that we follow in order to enter into the rest, peace and refreshment that are offered in Psalm 23 that the Good Shepherd brings us to. Jesus is the one who has created a gateway through sin and death. Sin and death are no longer a closed door, an end to hope, to life, to rebirth and second chances as Jesus has become the gate which allows us passage through.

John begins his gospel with the statement, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ Right at the start John wants his readers to understand that Jesus is God and the I am statements which follow throughout his gospel not only iterate that message but also help us to understand what that means in our understanding of Jesus and of God. Jesus comes to bring about the plan of salvation which was set in place from the creation of the world, the plan to ensure that the darkness and death is not the final outcome of our lives but rather we walk through the gate which is Jesus into pleasant places of peace and rest. Amen.

Collect by St. Thomas More

Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest.
Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humour to maintain it.
Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good
and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil,
but rather finds the means to put things back in their place.
Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments,
nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.”
Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humour.
Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy,
and to be able to share it with others. Amen.

Readings

Genesis 18:1-15

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

Proverbs 17:22

John 2:1-11

For some unknown reason, and without checking the lectionary, I was certain the Gospel for this week was based on John 20, the story of Thomas and his questions (note the Gospel does not call him Doubting Thomas) Then I thought perhaps I should check that this is the Gospel for Easter 2, for the first Sunday after Easter.

By sharing our faith/owning our faith we can bring the light of God into a world of darkness. That is why it is okay to identify with Thomas, the doubter—the questioner.

I discovered three things: Firstly, John 20 was not the Gospel appointed for the day; secondly, this Sunday’s Gospel is the story of the wedding at Cana when Jesus turns water into wine; and finally, this Sunday is now referred to as Holy Humour Sunday on the worksheet that guides those who preach, reflect or read in Church.

The joke seems to have been on me..

Holy Humour Sunday is the recovery of an ancient tradition that saw the followers of Jesus host parties, and laugh, and have joyful celebrations for a whole week starting the day after Easter. I know from Sunday mornings that Sheila has a talent for finding humour and joy in what we do on Sundays. I thought it is best to leave the “Holy Humour” for her sermon.

I, for my part, will proceed with a modified reflection based on Questioning Thomas (please note that the use of the word ‘Questioning’ here is a somewhat weak pun to honour humour. Is Thomas questioning or is he being questioned?).

I like to think of Thomas as the patron saint of whose who would like to ask questions; questions about God, Jesus, a life of faith, faith as action not just intellectual ascent to ancient credal formulas, the purpose of the church and so on. One could ask “why is there so much evil in the world?” or “why aren’t my prayers answered?” or “Does God control things like hurricanes, typhoons and volcanoes?”

Many within church communities likely have some (or even all) of these topics as questions. The problem seems to be that we may be uncomfortable asking the questions because most of us have not been taught to ask. We might find the questions unsettling or the answers vague and confusing. We need to be aware that all of our discussions about God and creation are stuck with the limits of our language and perception. We also need to be aware that many thinkers (theologians) might present a variety of opinions on the same topic.

Many of you will remember the slogan used by the parish for a lot of communications: “Come and have your answers questioned”. This slogan is also used widely in the Episcopal Church of the USA. It recognizes that within the Anglican Communion authority rests among scripture, tradition, and reason. We have been blessed with memory, reason and skill which we can use to grow in faith and our understanding in the world around us.

This problem of answers, questions, answers and more questions is likely even greater for many who have left the church and many who have not explored the church as being relevant and life giving. Do these people know that they can ask their questions in a safe place? Have these people experienced love as our neighbours? Do they see the church as life affirming and relevant to today’s world or do they view the church as judgmental, rule oriented and restrictive?

There are two critical parts to this question/answer process. We need to connect with someone whom we can ask. We need be comfortable/brave enough to ask the questions. I think that this is a task that those of us who are members of this faith community can respond to, whether we are a questioner or an answerer or both.

The task is much more difficult with those do not participate in this community.

I think we have to listen carefully to find opportunities to invite people to question, perhaps by introducing topics with a ‘What do you think of…?’ or ‘why to people think that…?

By sharing our faith/owning our faith we can bring the light of God into a world of darkness. That is why it is okay to identify with Thomas, the doubter—the questioner. If those around us know that we have big questions and doubts it is also necessary to recognize the limits of what we can and cannot know with certainty.

You may remember the old adage ‘Talk about anything you like except politics and religion’. I say that given the problems of poverty and homelessness, war, climate change and a fragile economy, that politics and religion may be the topics most worthy of our time and consideration.

Collect

Resurrecting God,
you conquered death
and opened the gates of life everlasting.
In the power of the Holy Spirit,
raise us with Christ
that we, too, may proclaim
healing and peace to the nations. Amen

Readings

Acts 10:34-43

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

Colossians 3:1-4

John 20:1-18

Alleluia! Easter is here, the reminder of God’s love for us and for all of creation, the promise that our life is so much more then we can ask or imagine. The sign that good triumphs over evil, that life and light are more powerful then death and darkness, that God who created all things, created them for good, for joy, for peace and for beauty. These are all the thoughts that swirl through our heads at this Easter season. For us who live in this part of the world Easter is further enhanced by the signs of spring, of new life and rebirth that surrounds us. As the dark days of winter give way to the brightness of spring and the drab winter colours move aside for the abundant colour and beauty of the plants coming to life around us.

Jesus walks with us through our sorrow and pain, and we are invited to join Jesus in his walk through death into new life. This does not happen at the end of our physical life but in the here and now, in the midst of the messy, difficult lives we live, there is hope, there is new life, there is Jesus.

The story of Easter which begins at the birth of Jesus, reaches it’s zenith during Holy week as we walk with Jesus through the sham trial he endures, the violence inflicted on him, the abandonment of his friends and followers and ultimately to his shame filled death on the cross. In this we see the pain and the violence, the grief and betrayal that is echoed throughout the world around us. We know what Jesus endures just as Jesus knows what we do and when our heads are bowed with grief and sorrow, our hearts and bodies are hurting from the pain inflicted on them, we remember Easter. We remember that pain, sorrow, fear, and hopelessness are not eternal, but love is. Life is. God is. We are.

Jesus walks with us through our sorrow and pain, and we are invited to join Jesus in his walk through death into new life. This does not happen at the end of our physical life but in the here and now, in the midst of the messy, difficult lives we live, there is hope, there is new life, there is Jesus. Some days its harder to remember that that’s why belonging to a church is so needed. We need to come together to worship, and we need to be surrounded by people who will remind us of the love of God when we’ve forgotten, who will pray for us when we can’t, who will encourage us in our walk with Jesus, just as we encourage, and remind and pray for them when they aren’t able to. For the gift of Jesus, for the gift of life, for the gift of the church we open our hearts in gratitude and say, thanks be to God!