All quotations from scripture come from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
“Previews of Coming Attractions”
The Rev. Nicholas S. Szobota
March 17, 2013
Christ Church , West River , Maryland
Fifth Sunday in Lent
Anyone who goes to a movie knows about the previews that come before the feature film. For years, the number of previews has grown. We now see previews for movies that will appear in theaters more than a year from now, not just movies coming in the next few months. Some enjoy seeing what’s to come, and some people find these previews an inconvenience.
Today’s gospel reading from John includes foreshadowing that gives us a preview of coming attractions. We learn that Judas Iscariot is about to betray Jesus. When Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with costly ointment and wipes the feet with her hair, Jesus responds to Judas’ complaint by saying she had purchased this ointment to prepare him for burial. This hints at Jesus’ death and burial, to come later in the gospel.
The beginning of today’s passage makes reference to Lazarus, Mary and Martha’s brother whom Jesus had raised from the dead. In John 11, Mary and Martha send a message to Jesus to tell him Lazarus is ill. Jesus does not come to Bethany
Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead provides a preview of Jesus’ own Resurrection. In John 20, Jesus appears to his disciples after he rises from the grave. Thomas is not there, and he does not believe his friends when they tell him that Jesus is alive. Perhaps he would have found believing possible if he thought about how Jesus had already demonstrated power over life and death by raising Lazarus from the grave.
These stories of new life provide a preview of coming attractions for God’s plan for each of us and for the world. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, each one of us will not disappear after the end of our mortal life. God has more planned for us than oblivion or non-existence. God will draw each of us into new, deeper life with God. Some suggest that God will not simply provide us with new life, but that God will also bring about a new creation for the entire world. This will conform the world more closely with what God intended in the first place.
Resurrection does not only occur at the end, though. Previews of coming attractions appear for communities and people as life progresses. The Roman Catholic Church elected a new Pope this week. For Roman Catholics, this represents a time of new life for their church. I have seen the same in The Episcopal Church when a new bishop gets consecrated, new people join a parish, or a new priest gets called to lead a congregation.
Resurrection can occur for us as we live our individual lives, too. Perhaps this will look different for each person, but Resurrection can provide new life in the places that seem most dead or most dark in our lives. One way to approach this involves looking at the places that seem most dead or dark and us and believing that something new can emerge from their, that God promises to transform what is dead into some kind of new life. This kind of hope connects us with what God intends, but of course some hopes do not match what God wants to do. I could hope that each one of us will receive one billion dollars after we leave church today, and if it is God’s will may that happen, but more likely God has some other way in mind for us to address financial difficulties. Perhaps this means taking better care with the resources we already possess, or perhaps it means seeking other ways to produce income.
Likewise, a person facing sickness might hope for a cure. If no cure comes, despite fervent prayer and the work of medical science, Resurrection can still happen. New life might emerge as a person learns to live with a chronic condition or illness and experience the fullest life possible under those circumstances.
We can also gain hope for new life in our lives by looking at the world around us. In the northern hemisphere, natural occurrences match with the anticipation of Resurrection in this season of the church year. The flowers emerge from the ground, birdsongs remind us that birds have returned after a time away, and other animals that have been absent become more active.
We might also see signs of new life in people who change their habits so that they live a more humane lifestyle. Sometimes this change brings these people to live a more content and hopeful life. When someone shows us this kind of change, part of us might react with envy or hatred that things go well for them. If that temptation comes, one might pay attention to an alternative way of feeling: We might see these changes in others’ lives as reasons to celebrate with them and as previews of coming attractions for change and Resurrection that can occur in our lives.
God gives us preview of coming attractions for God’s plan for the world and for us. Resurrection awaits us at the end of our mortal lives, but we see previews even now in the world, in the Church, in our communities, and in one another. One can greet these previews as inconveniences along the way toward final Resurrection, or one can greet them with hope and joy. May God grant us the grace to watch and experiences these previews with growing hope for the main feature yet to come. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment