Saturday 19 April 2014

The waiting...



Matthew 27:57-61
The Burial of Jesus
 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

Waiting
So often the hardest part
We who are doers
are not so good at waiting
And even now,
though we know the outcome
and know that it is good
we still want it to be over.
We want the tomb
to be burst open
so that we can celebrate
and then get on
with the rest of living.
We are impatient to tidy away
the vestiges of the wilderness
the Palm branches
the temple clutter
the oil of pure nard
the foot washing paraphernalia 
and the black draped cross.
We want to release the Alleluias
from their exile,
reclaim the space taken up
by the Labyrinth or the prayer garden
and restore our sanctuaries
to their usual order.
But, thankfully,
THANKFULLY
Easter will not allow that.
For Easter changes everything.
Two thousand years ago and now.
Easter seeps in with the slow light of dawn
and changes everything it touches
until we give up trying
to restore order.
The much anticipated Easter dawn 
promises yet more havoc.
But, for now, we wait...

Sunday 13 April 2014

The challenge!


Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of humility
Of taking our place up front
in the knowledge
that that is where we're called to be
not because we are God's gift.
but because of God's gift
Gods gift of love
about which we cannot be silent
Gods gift of love
that we have to model up front

Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of subversion
Finding ways to quietly
and peacefully
subvert what others perceive
as necessary evils
so that justice can prevail.
Quiet subversion
that brings love to the fore.

Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of humour
Finding humour 
even in our darkest moments
laughing with the God
who transforms
tears of sadness
or frustration
into belly laughs of joy

Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of uncertainty
Following even though
we do not know
how or when it is going to end
Following even when we do know
how or when it is going to end
because in all the uncertainty
is the promise
that God's love will be enough

Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of compassion
being so moved
as Jesus was
about the plight of the world
that we can do no other
than do whatever it takes
to make a difference

Following a donkey riding king
presents us with challenges
we may not have signed up for
The challenge of love
that makes us want to serve
And, in serving God and each other,
finding that love
really does change everything
and allows us
to meet all these challenges
head on
following our donkey riding king.

Liz Crumlish Palm Sunday 2013