Readings: Isaiah
43:16-21, John 12:1-8
Now you may not want to know this but for
me, I often have my epiphany moments when I am taking a shower. A time when all the bits that are floating
around in my mind actually come together and, it is hoped mostly, make some
sense. And so it happened this
week. I was thinking about Rod, his
journey of life and faith, my Mum, her almost equally long journey, the
beatitudes that we have been looking at this Lenten time, the story of the
woman pouring out perfume over Jesus shortly before his cruel death, the youth
that are part of this service today and the moment in time that is the last
Sunday of Lent, before Jesus enters Jerusalem and all that awaits.
And somehow it seemed to me that it would
be good to gather the threads into a picture, a visual creation that might
speak to each of us in very different ways but which would invite all of us to
consider our own lives, our journeys of faith whatever they might look like and
how much is before or behind us as we move toward the Easter moment again this
year – a moment of death and of new life.
So I am going to ask the youth to help me
and we are going to create a symbolic garden made up of the many parts of who
we are in faith and in life.
So let us start, simply because we have to
have a foundation, with the sand – or the earth we could call it. What is it that is so integral to our lives
that we barely notice it – it is just there and informs and influences our very
souls? What is your river, your
mountain, your whanau that makes you who you are? It might be land, family, values, community,
and, for many of us it is our relationship with the living God.....
Take time to consider as we shape some of
the sand.
Then we place some stones in the sand –
stones to symbolise the anchors that hold you throughout your life, the places
or beliefs or people who guide your life choices and to whom you turn when all
else fails, who are the voice of truth and strength for you. It may be a piece of poetry, a moment in
time, a scripture, a fleeting encounter, a constant companion, a vision for the
world. Think on this as we add some
stones to the garden.
Whether we are young or old, jaded or
enthusiastic, tired or energetic, we are on this earth to learn and to grow –
all throughout our lives. It happens in
different ways for different people but who we are is something that never
stays still (unless of course we choose to shut down and allow no-one in). I could honestly say I have just come through
a time of intense growth as I began my ministry journey. What is a time of learning that you can think
of that has had a profound influence on who you are now? While you do that we will place ferns into
the garden – the most beautiful of symbols for our growing and unfurling into
the person God looks for us to be.
What about the challenges of life and how
we have stayed afloat in the midst of them.
Throughout our growing – from youth to old age – we expect to be
challenged, to have major doubts and sometimes significant regrets, to see
things in a different way than we might have a couple of years or a couple of
decades ago. Our values, the way of life
we hold dear, our understandings of God, when challenged, can make us feel
extremely vulnerable. Yet there is a
sense in which those challenges are the very source of our growth in ourselves,
in our relationship with each other and with God and so it will be of no
surprise that the symbol chosen for this is water. Water which cleanses, surprises, sweeps away
impediments, waters our soil and accompanies us in its flow. So we add water to our garden.
I think this garden needs some colour
yes? Let’s us call this part our joys
and let us mark these with flowers. The
times when we just couldn’t stop smiling, the celebrations, the quiet moments
of certainty and the belly aching laughter that just wouldn’t stop. Our joys at love received and given, at gifts
given and received and at generous sharing of what we have with each
other. Remember the story of a few weeks
back of the Palestinian Christians exuberantly celebrating the coming of the
Christ child, amongst the poverty and hardship of everyday life. It is in our relationships with God, with
each other, with this creation that joy is to be experienced. So let’s plant some flowers, recognising that
which colours our lives with joy.
Just two more for this garden: next we add
that which has inspired us, has spoken to our creative self, has encouraged our
knowledge and our imaginations, and continues to feed us with all things
new. Music, poetry, prose, scripture,
garden, bush, sea, mountain, art, silence, crafts, seekers of truths, doers of
great deeds, great questions and tricky answers, people who inspire and times
of prayer and worship and community. We
add some blank pieces of paper – to symbolise that which is still to be
written.
And now at the last we add the light of
faith – whatever that might mean for each of you. As Christians we know Jesus Christ as the
light of the world – shining grace and mercy and the hope of new life to all
who walk in his way, but we remember too that Christ asks more of us than just
receiving blessings– we are to be that light, to express and live those
blessings into our community and our world.
The gift of God’s justice and compassion and mercy and love to us is the
gift of the light that we are to carry in and through our lives and our
relationships with each other. Blessed
indeed are those who live in and of the light of Christ – and so we light these
candles of faith.
Whether we are at the beginning, end or
middle of our journey of life and faith maybe this time of Lent – almost into
Easter – is a time to reflect on who we are, what we have been and who we can
be in Christ. Young – we imagine who we
can be recognising that our roots and anchors are already being formed and will
help us get through and grow from all the challenges and questions and choices
that face us throughout our lives. Old –
we remember our lives so far, the people and events that have shaped us and the
love and compassion that have held us in times of need, the ups and downs,
challenges laid down, joys celebrated, wisdom shared.
All of us – we reflect on our journey of
faith with a Christ who asks us to face whatever might be our Jerusalems with
courage and faithfulness, knowing that in the living of our lives in grace and
mercy, we are never alone. Let us be
like the woman who poured out the perfume, offering generous and compassionate
love to all in need. Amen
Margaret Garland as we
celebrate with Rod Madill the 70 years since his ordination as Presbyterian Minister.
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