Faithful Conversations #12

Note to readers: Remember to read through the entire set of readings, in whatever fashion you are doing that. I include the text of one of the readings, or perhaps parts of several here, for easy reference while reading the reflection. This week I am focusing on the reading from Acts and parts of the Gospel.     

Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Easter:

Acts 7:55-60 (Below)
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14

The First Reading: Acts 7: 55-60: The Stoning of Stephen 
⁵⁵ But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ⁵⁷ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸ Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. ( ¹ And Saul approved of their killing him). 

The Gospel Reading: John 14: 1-10: Jesus the Way to the Father
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² 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? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. ¹² 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, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the first reading and a portion of the Gospel)
Grappling with the lectionary week to week reminds me of the line attributed to Albert Einstein: “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” Someone told  me once that grasping the scriptures is like being handed a small cup and being told to move Lake Michigan — seems apt. Anyway, I’m reading a book right now that is causing me to “think anew” — a good process. The book is A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way (2021) by Canadian theologian Bradley Jersak. In a nutshell, the “Emmaus Way” of exploring the Bible focuses on what is known as the Christotelic view, meaning reading all of scripture as pointing to Christ (“telos” refers to the end or completion of something). Keep that concept in mind for the next few moments.

So, what is going on in this gruesome story from Acts 7? As always, context is key. Stephen, one of seven men chosen as deacons to aid the disciples in their work, comes under suspicion by members of one of the various Jewish sects in Jerusalem, and is arrested. His speech in chapter 7, the longest among the various speeches recorded in Acts,  provides a Christotelic interpretation of Jewish history, harshly calling out the leaders of the Sanhedrin (elders) who have charged him — I especially like the part where they cover their ears! (verse 57) In turn, they call for his death by stoning (verse 58). Stephen is dragged “out of the city” and put to death (verse 58). At a moment of high drama, he gazes into heaven and asks God to forgive his executioners (verse 60). And, in one of the chilling moments in all of scripture, Saul (later Paul), the great persecutor of the early Christians, approves of Stephen’s death (Chapter 8:1). The death of Stephen, by the way, is one of three executions recorded in the New Testament. The other two are John the Baptist and Christ.

What are we to make of all this? Stephen is known as the first Christian martyr (protomartyr) and his arrest, trial, and execution mirror the crucifixion of Christ, including his call for mercy on his executioners. Much has been made of his gaze into heaven, his singular fixation on God at the moment of his death. The renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt, in fact, highlighted this gaze in his first painting in 1625 (I have included the image here, but if you want to see it in greater detail, click on the image).

 

 

A bit of research on this painting proved enlightening. First, note that the face of Stephen and the face of Paul are the same (Paul is seated in the top center of the painting). The artist seems to be foreshadowing Paul’s conversion to Christianity, as documented in Acts 9. In addition, Rembrandt included a self-portrait in the scene, placing himself within the story (he is peeking out from behind the man who is ready to strike Stephen). The painful expression on his face suggests to me that the artist was implicating humanity in our unwillingness to confront injustice in our world. Just a thought. You may have other ideas.

But, back to Stephen’s gaze and what it symbolizes. I’m intrigued that at the moment of his death, he did not fixate on those who were about to kill him. Instead, he focused on God. Further, he has a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God (verse 56). One commentator I read emphasized in a compelling way, that Christ’s posture of “standing” and not sitting, indicated his willingness to “stand with us,” as opposed to sitting in judgement.

And, here seems to be a clear link between the story of the first Christian martyr and this week’s Gospel from John. In an intriguing exchange with Thomas and Phillip, Jesus utters those famous words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14: 6-7). Clearly, Christ identifies himself as “the way” (remember that those first generation Christians were called “People of the Way”). Our gaze needs to remain fixed on him. All scripture points to him (Christotelic). In the world of 2023, a world filled with so much division, hatred, violence, and despair, we need to hear this. This is the message we are compelled to share in our community and in our world. We have a powerful God who loves us, who gazes into our hearts, restores our souls, and fills us with hope.   

Soli Deo Gloria

Today’s Prayer (from the Book of Common Prayer, Church of England)
“Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no Secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Finally, on a personal note today . . .
My father was a consummate teacher, and it is impossible for me to read Acts 7 and not be reminded that Unk (his nickname) named me (Paul Stephen) for this passage of scripture (such is the life of a PK — preacher’s kid!). He first explained this to me around the time of my confirmation in the early 1970s. “I want you to be reminded of the power of conversion,” he said. He affirmed this in a conversation I had with him two weeks before he died in 2013. We were talking about names, and I asked him for permission to add his first name (Thorwald) as a second middle name. He laughed and said, “Are you sure you want to do that?” I said yes, and I did. 

Have a great week!

 

 

 

Faithful Conversations #11

Note to readers: Take the time to read through the four readings in full so you can see the connections — sometimes they are clear, other times not. I include the text of one of the readings, or perhaps parts of several here, for easy reference while reading the reflection. This week, I am focusing primarily on the reading from Acts and utilizing the 23rd Psalm as a prayer.    

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Easter:

Acts 2: 42-47
1 Peter 2: 19-25
Psalm 23
John 10: 1-10

The First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47: Life Among the Believers
⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the reading from Acts)

As Christians, how do we balance the three time dimensions — past, present, and future — in a healthy way? This question has been on my mind this week. Let me explain.

For more than 40 years, I have been engaged in teaching history — I spend much time journeying into the past. That said, history can be perilous, particularly if we get stuck there. For example, wallowing in the dark chapters of yesteryear, individually or collectively, often prevents us from moving forward with our lives. Instead of a liberating source of knowledge providing context for our present reality, history becomes a crushing burden. In addition, looking back often prompts feelings of nostalgia, a painful homesickness for a “better time” when life seemed simpler (you may want to look up the derivation of that word — nostalgia). While some nostalgia is fun, it can be debilitating. In either case, it seems to me, history may prevent us from meeting life head on in our present circumstances. The converse is also true, of course. How many times do we experience fears and anxiety about the future? Fear of what is lurking around the corner, especially in light of the challenges humanity is facing in 2023, can produce a sense of cynicism and, if unchecked, despair. 

As I read (and reread) the passage from Acts this week, the line day by day (which appears twice) jumped out at me. Among other things, it took me back to high school days (1973) and the movie, “Godspell.” Perhaps you remember it. It was a contemporary take on the story of the first Christians, wrapped in the vibe of the early 70s counter-culture movement. (“Godspell,” by the way is where we get the term “gospel,” and it means “good news” or “good story”).  The third song in the movie, and most memorable to me, is “Day by Day” (linked below). The lyric clearly references this week’s passage from Acts and, so I learned, also the “Prayer of Saint Richard of Chichester” (1197-1253), the patron saint of the sick, lepers, and travelers (note the picture on the right). The relevant portion of Saint Richard’s prayer is this:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; ³ he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. ⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Amen. 

Soli Deo Gloria.

 

And, a bit of history for you today regarding the worship space at ELC:

The chapel off the sanctuary, I have learned, was originally called the “Pioneer Chapel,” a nod to the original Norwegian settlers in Jackson County that established the parish (originally, Little Norway). The statue and altar are from the original church structure, built in 1876, that was located east of the Courthouse on Third Street, at least that is the best information I have on it now.  In 1953, ELC moved up the hill to its present location. 

Faithful Conversations #10

Readings for the Third Sunday in Easter:

Acts 2: 14a, 36-41
Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19
1 Peter 1: 17-23
Luke 24: 13-35 (Below)

Sunday’s Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35 (On the Road to Emmaus)

¹³ Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” ¹⁹ He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. ²¹ But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ²² Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. ²⁴ Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” ²⁵ Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” ²⁷ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

²⁸ As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. ³² They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” ³³ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. ³⁴ They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵ Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the Gospel)

Those of you that have been following the Lectionary Blog for a few weeks realize that I am intrigued with artistic interpretations of Biblical stories. Today’s Gospel, the encounter between Cleopas and an unnamed disciple and Jesus in that seven mile walk between Jerusalem and the village of Emmaus, remains one of my favorite passages in scripture. In part, this is due to an 1877 painting by the Swiss artist Robert Zund.  This beautiful piece of artwork hung in one of the parishes my father served in his more than 50 years of ministry — Faith Lutheran Church in West Fargo, North Dakota. I’ll circle back to the painting.

There are eight instances of Christ appearing to people in the forty days after his resurrection recorded in scripture, eight times where people on this earth saw and, in some cases, directly interacted with him. In this week’s Gospel reading, we are walking along a road with Cleopas and his friend, both of whom are feeling dejected and without hope (verse 21). It is Sunday evening, three days after the crucifixion,  and they are headed out of Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. They are attempting to sort out the climactic events of the past several days and we sense their despondency. Versed in the tradition of Judaism, they expected a different sort of Messiah. Jesus’ death, and the fact that they had not seen him, (though some had spoken of his miraculous resurrection) leaves them puzzled and without hope. Suddenly Jesus appears and joins them on the path, though they fail to recognize him. In fact, they are taken aback that this “stranger” has not heard about the dramatic events of recent days. Jesus listens. Then he confronts them with a powerful interpretation of the Hebrew prophecies, clearly identifying himself as the promised Messiah, but they still don’t get it (verses 25-27). As they reach their destination, they invite the stranger to join them since it is late. And, in one of the truly powerful moments in the post-resurrection period, Jesus breaks bread with them, then vanishes. They suddenly realize WHO he is (verse 31) and in their excitement, they rush back to Jerusalem and recount their experience to the eleven disciples. I suspect they covered that seven miles in a hurry!

Now, back to Robert Zund’s interpretative artwork. Many commentators note that he got the flora and fauna all wrong here. Instead of a Middle Eastern scene, the road to Emmaus is set in what appears to be the countryside of Switzerland, his home. It is a gorgeous setting, and , in fact, resembles the place that you and I live. Perhaps the artist did this with intent. Encounters with Christ can happen anywhere and he meets people, often unexpectedly,  wherever they are. (As a sidebar, I have talked with Native American people who have recounted stories of Christ appearing to their ancestors in North America, something that seems entirely plausible to me).

Beyond that, the special appeal of this painting for me is that we are witnessing Christ as teacher. We learn that Cleopas and his unnamed companion do not recognize him (verse 16). Cleopas, by the way, is identified in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions as the brother of Joseph, which adds an interesting dimension to the story — he is Jesus’ uncle! And, as my father once suggested to me, his companion remains unnamed, perhaps to invite us into the story. He represents us. Christ patiently joins their conversation and gradually leads them to the doorstep of a greater understanding. I’m reminded of that line from Zen philosophy, “When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear.”

What lessons can we draw from the Emmaus story? Let me suggest three. First, as we walk the path of our lives, encounters with Christ may happen “out of the blue” and we need to be open to them. Second, such encounters happen when we explore and seek understanding of God’s word (remember, Jesus explained the Jewish prophecies) and when we experience Communion on Sunday mornings (remember, Jesus broke bread with them and their eyes were opened!). And third, encounters with Jesus motivate action. Like Cleopas and his friend, we need to share the story with those we encounter! Our eyes have been opened!

Prayer (inspired by 1 Peter 1: 17-23)
Heavenly Father, You are present in our world and have been since even before creation. You have shown us the path for trusting in God — it is clear. We thank you for the gift of faith and our new birth in Christ, and we pray for the insight and motivation to share your abiding love within our community and the wider world. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Faithful Conversations #9

Readings FOR the 2nd sunday of easter:
acts 2:14a, 22-32
Psalm 16
1 peter 1:3-9
john 20:19-31 (Below)

** Note:  We have experienced the climactic events of Holy Week and the dust has settled. The readings from Acts and 1 Peter both provide a summary and commentary of the events of Jesus’ death and resurrection, while the Gospel picks up the post-resurrection story.   

Sunday’s Gospel: John 20: 19-31
¹⁹ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” ²⁴ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” ²⁶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” ^{30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.}

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the Gospel)

Thomas Jefferson has been on my mind this week. Arguably one of the most brilliant Presidents in our history, the highly educated Jefferson was a complex individual. Among other things, the man who penned those stirring words in the Declaration of Independence — “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” — was a lifelong slaveowner, a puzzling contradiction. Jefferson’s religious views were controversial during his time in public life and remain so yet today. Raised in the Anglican Christian tradition, he believed in God but could never accept the divinity of Jesus Christ, nor the other miracles recounted in scripture. In fact, he literally “clipped” the miracles from the New Testament, creating what has been termed the “Jefferson Bible.” He admired Christ and studied him as a moral exemplar and nothing more. His rational and intelligent mind simply could not get past his doubts about Jesus as God.

In today’s Gospel, we resume the post-resurrection story and are offered an example of doubt. It’s Sunday night and the disciples have gathered in secret and are afraid for their own lives. As followers of Christ, perhaps they too felt threatened by the power of the Jewish religious authorities. And suddenly, Jesus appears to them. He shows them the marks of the nails in his hands and the wound in his side. He then breathes his Spirit into them, granting them the power of forgiveness. What must they have been thinking?

We are then introduced to Thomas who was not with them in the initial Sunday meeting (no explanation is given as to why he was not there). A week has passed and they inform him they have seen Jesus, but he is not convinced. He tells them that unless he can see Jesus and those wounds, he cannot accept the resurrection. Once again, Jesus appears and confronts Thomas, shows him the wounds and tells him to believe. What a moment that must have been!  Thomas then utters those five powerful words, “My Lord and my God!”

Curiously, the compelling story of “Doubting Thomas” is only found in John’s Gospel. I suspect he is there for a reason. Note Christ’s statement to him in verse 29. He does not scold or denigrate Thomas, but he makes the point that those that have NOT seen, yet believe, are blessed. That’s us! And this sentiment is voiced in the reading from 1 Peter today as well: “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” That’s us again! As Pastor Jen said in her Easter Sermon, as we look forward to the coming of God’s Kingdom, we are also assured that the Kingdom is already here. May we continue to journey forward in the light of that great and powerful gift of faith.

God’s Peace.

Prayer (inspired, in part, by the words of psalm 16)

Heavenly Father, you show us the path of life and instruct us in how to live. You are our refuge and our strength and because you are with us, we will not choose other gods or let the many distractions of this world turn us away from you. In your strong name we pray, Amen.

And, finally a bit of humor for us today — let’s hope that people can see our faith in action!  

PRAYER (inspired by Jeremiah 31: 1-6 and Acts  10:34-43)
Creator God, You assure us of your everlasting love and faithfulness over and over again. And, we know that this love is for all humanity. Grant us the courage to be your witnesses within our community and our world as we grow in faith. Help us to be an Easter people. Amen.  

POSTSCRIPT (prompted by a conversation with Rollie Lee at the Lunda Center. Rollie is a wealth of information regarding church history, among other things!)

This seems fitting for this week. A reminder why Protestant Churches, like the ELCA, primarily display the empty cross, while Roman Catholic Churches primarily display the Crucifix. Here is an explanation of that from “The Compass,” a publication of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay.

“Displaying the corpus of Jesus on the cross is a stark visual aid that helps us to more easily focus on the very real sacrifice Jesus offered for us for our salvation . . . Our brothers and sisters of mainline Protestant and non-denominational traditions typically display an empty cross in recognition that Jesus died once and for all for us, and is now risen from the dead. The cross, like the tomb, is empty. We should see these not as opposing viewpoints, but as complimentary emphasis.”

I appreciate that explanation and certainly both are powerful symbols for Christians! Both reflect the dynamic story of Holy Week and beyond and we utilize both in our home.

Have a joyous Easter!

Rykken

Faithful Conversations #7

Readings: 

John 12: 12-19 (Procession with Palms)
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Matthew 27:11-54 (Passion Story)

Update on our Process
We are up to 61 members, and as my ancestors liked to say, “mange tak!” Our goal is to promote the spiritual practice of Bible reading through the Revised Common Lectionary — the series of readings for the church year followed by multiple Christian denominations. This statement is from the ELCA website:  “This lectionary provides a three-year series of readings for Sunday . . . three readings and a psalm are suggested and include: a Gospel reading, an Old Testament reading, and a New Testament reading.”  Note that the Lectionary is “suggested,” and therefore not mandated. There is flexibility for those leading worship regarding its use. For example, another option promoted by Luther Seminary is called the “Narrative Lectionary,” a four-year cycle of readings. Various “Preaching Series” are also offered as options for churches. If you want more information on these other approaches, you can visit the Luther Seminary website and go to the “Working Preacher” area (https://www.luthersem.edu/). In conversations with both Pastor Jen and Jerry Humphrey on Sunday, we agreed that reading the Lectionary texts PRIOR to Sunday worship ENHANCES the worship experience, and that really is the whole point! The readings provide context and details for the grand story that we are exploring together! 

And a special note about Sunday’s readings . . . 
Take a moment and look at the list of readings for Sunday (again), and note there are two passages from the Gospels listed. The first one (John 12:12-19) focuses on Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem (more on that in a minute). The second one (Matthew 27: 11-54) is the Passion Story and is repeated on Good Friday, starting with Pilate’s questioning of Jesus and ending with his death. Interestingly, if we traveled back to a Lutheran Church at some point before roughly 1970, the Passion Story would NOT have been included on Palm Sunday. Changes in the Lectionary that came out of something called “Vatican II” prompted this change in the late 1960s. If you want to explore that further, please do so! I won’t get into the details here. The bottom line is that both are included and prompt us to experience a range of emotions on Palm/Passion Sunday. One way to absorb these two readings is to place ourselves within the drama — imagine being in the crowd the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that donkey, and also among those who later witnessed his crucifixion!

TODAY’S REFLECTION (focusing on John 12: 12-19)

One of my history professors at Concordia College liked to say with emphasis, “the three most important words when studying history are context, context, and context!” His point, of course, was that we have to do our best to understand the time, place, and people we are studying through their eyes, their experiences. Recall that just prior to his entry into Jerusalem, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44). This dramatic miracle inspired an outpouring of adulation for Jesus among the common people, while invoking fear and foreboding among the Pharisees. The pious religious leaders simply did not know what to do with this young holy man. In fact, they even plotted the death of Lazarus (John 12:9-11) so as to diminish Jesus’ act among the people! One can sense their fear of Jesus and how the people reacted to him, and perhaps their jealousy of him. 

In that regard, it is good remind ourselves, again, that those people waving palm branches and yelling “Hosanna!” were Jewish and carried with them the Old Testament prophecy concerning this event. The “King of Glory” entered the city “humble and riding on a donkey” (see Psalm 24:7-10 and Zechariah 9:9). Their response, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,” came directly from Psalm 118: 26. This was the fulfillment of the prophecies they learned in their youth.   And yet, this Jesus came not as a warrior-conqueror on a gallant horse, as some expected, but rather in humility, riding a donkey (in the ancient world, donkeys were a symbol of peace). The symbolism is important, is crucial. It is also important to remember that they experienced this story first hand and DID NOT know its ending.

And that points us to that second reading — the Passion Story. The glorious entry into Jerusalem would be followed by the horrific betrayal and death of Christ, inflicted on him by Roman authorities at the behest of his own people. In John 12:19, we hear that chilling statement from the Pharisees: “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” We know that they had begun to plot the Lord’s death by this time (John 11:53).  What are we to make of this mysterious paradox? Listen to the words of Catholic theologian Bishop Robert Barron  (of Minnesota): “He (Christ) fought, of course, not in the conventional manner. Instead, he took all of the dysfunction of the world upon himself and swallowed it up in the ocean of divine mercy and forgiveness. He thereby dealt with the enemies of the nation and emerged as the properly constituted king of the world.” That phrase from Bishop Barron — the “dysfunction of the world” — hit me hard today. As I write this, we are experiencing yet another school shooting in our nation, this time in Nashville, Tennessee at a Christian school. We are a fallen and dysfunctional people, in need of God’s grace, and our world desperately needs to hear the powerful message of Jesus Christ in 2023!   

PRAYER (inspired by Isaiah 50: 4-9)
Heavenly Father, As we journey through the mysteries of Holy Week, grant us insight into your word. Waken us each morning to listen as those who have been taught. Help us to sustain those who may be weary with a good word, to be your voice within our community and our broken world. We ask this in your strong and loving name. Amen.   

AND, FINALLY TODAY . . . . A CHALLENGE FOR YOU!
Today is the 30th day of the Lenten journey (40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not counting Sundays). Palm/Passion Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, a climactic moment in our church year. I have listed the Holy Week readings here and am suggesting that you take them on, especially focusing on the readings from John (as highlighted). You will receive the next installment of Faithful Conversations on Wednesday (5 April), and I will explore the “Three Days” (Easter Triduum) with you at that time, along with the readings for Easter Sunday.    

Holy Week Readings:

*Monday (3 April)
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 36: 11-15
Hebrews 9:11-15
John 12: 1-11

*Tuesday (4 April)
Isaiah 49:1-17
Psalm 71:1-14
1 Cor 1: 18-31
John 12:20-36

*Wednesday (5 April)
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 13:21-32

The Three Days: 

*Maundy Thursday (6 April)
Exodus 12: 1-14
Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13: 1-17, 31b-35

*Good Friday (7 April)
Isaiah 52: 13-53
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10: 16-25
John 18: 1 – 19:42 (Passion Story)

*Holy Saturday (8 April)
Job 14: 1-14
Psalm 31: 1-4, 15-16
1 Peter 4: 1-8
John 19: 38-42

Let me leave you with the quote from Martin Luther that Jerry Humphrey offered in the comments related to last week’s blog:

“Therefore the call is: Watch, study, attende lectoni (attend to reading). In truth, you cannot read too much in Scripture; and what you read you cannot read too carefully, and what you read carefully you cannot understand too well, and what you understand well you cannot teach too well, and what you teach well you cannot live too well.”

God’s Peace!

Faithful Conversations #5

Jesus and the Blind Man

Readings
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23 (5)
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41 (Below)

** Note: This week we pass the mid-point of the 40-day Lenten Journey (40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not counting Sundays). 

9 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, ⁷ saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸ The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am he.” ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” ¹² They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴ Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. ¹⁷ So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”

¹⁸ The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹ and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” ²⁰ His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, ²¹ but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

²⁴ So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶ They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” ²⁸ Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” ³⁰ The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ³² Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴ They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” ³⁸ He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. ³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see and those who do see may become blind.” ⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

REFLECTION

Born in East London in 1725, John Newton first went to sea at age 11 with his father and was “pressed” into harsh service in the Royal Navy in his teens. By 1743, young John joined the crew of a slave ship and for nearly 20 years, actively participated in capturing African people and profiting from their sale in the Americas. In a 1748 voyage, Newton and his crew nearly died in a horrific storm off the coast of Ireland. He claimed forever thereafter that his conversion to Christianity started at that frightening moment when he thought all was lost, and the evidence bears this out. Though he continued to profit from the slave trade for several years, by the mid-1750s Newton jointed the abolitionist movement and began serious religious studies, becoming an Anglican priest in 1767. In 1772, in part as an illustration for a sermon, Newton penned a poem titled,  “Faith’s Review and Expectation,” clearly based on his ongoing journey of conversion. We know that poem today because of its familiar first stanza:

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

The melody we sing with those words, by the way, did not arrive until 1835, long after Newton was dead. American composer William Walker, applied the words to the tune, “New Britain,” and the rest, as they say is history. The beloved hymn “Amazing Grace” resonates across time. (I have had the pleasure of sitting in front of Keith Brown during this hymn and he booms it out!) Conversion stories, like that of Newton’s, attest to God’s presence in our world and the reference to John 9:25 is plain to see. Newton’s eyes were opened on board that ship.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading recounts an exciting miracle and conversion. It is one of seven “signs” in John’s Gospel — miraculous moments in Jesus’ ministry that authenticate his true identity and encourage the various witnesses to believe in him. The healing of the blind man is the sixth such story (sandwiched between the feeding of the 5,000  in chapter 6 and the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11). In it, we witness Christ’s compassion for the blind beggar whose dismal life is forever changed by the encounter. We also observe the various reactions by those present. Some were astonished by what they saw (I love the presence of those children in the image I included today — check that out!), others were skeptical, and some were mortified . As was often the case, the religious leaders of the day were most appalled by the actions of Christ. Angry because Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath Day, a violation of their teaching — something he did seven times out of his more than thirty recorded miracles — Jewish authorities confronted Jesus in a tough exchange (verses 40-41).

Where do you find yourself in this encounter? It happened THEN, but Christ is speaking to us NOW! Like the blind man, Christ brings us from our spiritual darkness into the light of all that is “good and right and true.”  (Ephesians 5:8-9). Yes, conversion stories are exciting and attest to God’s presence in our world and we are invited into that story every day.

PRAYER (inspired by Ephesians 5: 8-14 and Psalm 23)
Heavenly Father, restore our souls when the valleys of this life overtake us. As we depend on your loving grace to uphold us, help us to walk as children of light in our community and within our relationships. Amen.

And, some humor for our day today (from the world of Charles Schultz):   

Faithful Conversations #4

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well

Readings
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95 (1)
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42 (Below)

5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” 30 They left the city and were on their way to him. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36 The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

REFLECTION
Long ago and far away, it remains a conversation that shines brightly in my memory. As Dr. Herman Larson, Concordia College history professor, entered his office, I was hesitant to even speak. In the course of a few minutes, he opened my eyes to history in a new way. Though forty-eight years past, I remember how he looked and spoke, where we were, what type of day it was outside, and mostly, the intensity of the exchange between this dignified elder and my eighteen year old self. Life’s chance encounters are on my mind this week as I explore the story of Jesus’ and the Samaritan woman.

Before getting into that, an observation about the Gospel of John. The style of John is dramatically different from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and focuses heavily on our “life in Christ” in a more personal way. This comes through a number of extended dialogues or conversations we observe between Jesus and individuals or groups — we get to observe those. Nicodemus (chapter 3) and the Samaritan woman (chapter 4) are two such dialogues.

Back to the Samaritan woman. Among Eastern Orthodox churches, she is called by the name Photini and, in fact, is numbered among the Great Martyrs (you may want to explore more about her fascinating story). Though not named in John’s Gospel, her identity as a Samaritan is significant. Jesus and his disciples are traveling from Judea to Galilee and they chose to take the direct route through Samaria. The backdrop here is that Jews and Samaritans, though distant cousins ethnically, were enemies for a variety of reasons, but most notably their differences over the proper place to worship God. Jews viewed Jerusalem as the center of worship, while Samaritans believed it was Mount Gerizim. This argument among spiritual ancestors seems perplexing to us, but it was critically important two thousand years ago.

That Jesus chose to engage the Samaritan woman in a lengthy dialogue, then, must be noted. In that environment, she had three strikes against her: she was a Samaritan, she was a woman, and one who had experienced a number of marriages, although we do not know the details. In fact, as Barbara Brown Taylor points out in an article titled, “Jesus Talks,” Jesus talked to this Samaritan woman longer than to anyone else in the Gospels and, in fact, she is the first person he reveals himself to as “Messiah” (note verse 26). Both facts are startling and should grab our attention!

As you read through the exchange (or reread it several times as I needed to do!), think about how this encounter with Jesus impacted this woman. Unlike Nicodemus, she is not a curious scholar seeking to understand Jesus, coming to him by night. She simply came to the well for water. Rather, Jesus SEEKS HER OUT and speaks to her in the light of day and in an eye-opening fashion — imagine how great this made her feel! Like Nicodemus, her life was dramatically changed by this chance meeting. In contrast, however, she immediately became an evangelist for Christ and shared her joy with the people of Sychar (verse 39) who proclaimed that Jesus was truly “the Savior of the World” (verse 42).

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, like the Samaritan woman help us to be open to chance encounters that provide a window into your loving grace.  During this time of Lent, strengthen our faith that we may do your work among your people, even those who may be considered “outsiders” in our culture. Amen.

The image included with this post is “Christ and the Samaritan Woman,” by Annibale Carracci (1560-1609), accessible through the Public Domain and Wikimedia Commons.  

And, for those of us that grew up Lutheran in the 1950s and 60s . . . . a bit of humor for our day! (Thanks to Charles Schultz for these gems).

Faithful Conversations #3

Jesus’ First Encounter with Nicodemus

Readings:
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121 (1,2)
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17 (Below)

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with that person.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen, yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.

REFLECTION
The origin of place names is often fascinating. Founded in 1877 by freed slaves from Kentucky, Nicodemus, Kansas was named for the biblical character in today’s Gospel. They saw the community as a “new birth,” hence the name. Nicodemus is an intriguing character. He appears in John, but not the other three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). We meet him three times: the initial encounter with Jesus in John 3, the second time in John 7 when he defends Jesus among the Pharisees, and the third time in John 19 when he joins Joseph of Arimathea in taking Christ’s body to the tomb post crucifixion. Who was this guy and what should we know about him? 

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and therefore steeped in Jewish law and tradition. He came to visit Jesus at night, perhaps for fear of being seen with him. We must respect his desire to understand all the noise surrounding Jesus. He acknowledges Christ’s divine connection, but struggles with Jesus’ discussion of being “born again.” This idea does not fit with Nicodemus’ religious understanding and you can feel the tension that he is having throughout the exchange. Perhaps this is an example of how religion itself can become a form of idolatry. In a conversation with Pastor Jen this week, she put me on to the word “religiosity” — the idea that we can become excessively devoted to the outward trappings and practices of religion, so much so that they replace our authentic faith in God and distract us from focusing on Christ. Indeed, this may be one of the most common violations of the First Commandment (“You shall have no other gods”).

Nicodemus questioned the notion of being born again, in part, because it did not fit with his logical understanding of the world and his faith practices. Jesus, however, was ushering in a new reality and breaking the bonds of conventional Judaism. We know from the later references to Nicodemus that he was dramatically changed by this encounter and came to see Jesus as the Son of God. Perhaps we can see ourselves in him.

The most famous verse in this Gospel is John 3:16, one of the most often quoted verses from scripture. It seems straightforward — believe in Jesus and be saved. As Lutherans, however, we need to remember that we are saved by grace and not our own actions — it is not “up to us.” Indeed, we need to read 3:16 and 17 together, and verse 17 challenges us mightily every day! God entered humanity through his Son, not to condemn but to save “the world” — all of humanity. Jennifer Chrien, Senior Pastor at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Camarillo, California, puts it this way: God so loved the whole world—loved you, sitting in the pews today. Loved your family, your friends, your neighbors. Loved the people who used to come to church but don’t anymore. Loved the people who were hurt by the church or lost their faith. Loved the people who have never darkened the door of a church. Loved the people who are hungry, and the people who feed the hungry, and the people who don’t care about the hungry as much as they should. Loved our brothers and sisters who are Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or Sikh—and not on the provision that they accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. God loves all of it, all of us. 

Beautiful words and Amen!

One other personal note about this week’s readings: Psalm 121 is my favorite. It is known as the “The Traveler’s Psalm” and I commend it to your reading this week. My father requested this Psalm for his funeral. He liked to say of this life, “we’re all just traveling through.” I learned after his death, that it had been read at his father’s funeral as well. It is a “tie that binds.”

Rykken

PRAYER (inspired by Nicodemus)
Heavenly Father, In the story of Nicodemus you show us what it means to have a teachable spirit and open mind. We pray for that same attitude as we explore your word. Remind us that we need your guidance to achieve understanding and help us to stay the course. Amen.

The image here is “The Entombment with Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea” by Pietro Perugino, c. 1495 (source: Wikicommons).

 

 

And, a bit of Lutheran humor for you today. This comes from the book, “You Know You Are a Lutheran If . . .” by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann (Johnson) Nelson:

“You know you are a Lutheran if . . You wholeheartedly believe in the cardinal rule: Lutherans don’t sit in the front two pews!”

“You know you are Lutheran if . . . You still, under your breath, say ‘Holy Christian Church’ when the LBW clearly states ‘holy catholic church.'”

It’s good for us to laugh at ourselves!