Holden Evening Prayer Homily

Lenten Mid-week homily

March 25, 2020

Psalm46

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen. 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am. 

Be still and know. 

Be still.

Be. 

So much of Psalm 46 speaks to me this night.  From God being our refuge and strength – and being reminded that we will not fear. 

That God is in the midst of the city, God will help it when the morning dawns. 

The reminder that the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob our stronghold. 

This psalm speaks to those who are in turbulent times, for nations in uproars, in warring nations, as a reminder that God is in it.  All of it: From the trembling mountains to the roaring seas.  God is in it.  God is present. 

And in the middle of all of it…and several times in this psalm alone, we hear the word selah.  It’s a Hebrew word that may mean forever.  But often times it is placed within scripture, primarily psalms, as a direction.  And the direction it gives?  It is a direction to stop. 

Yup, you heard me correctly, it’s a direction to stop. 

It’s a direction for the reader or chanter or listener of the psalm to stop.

To pause. 

To breathe.

To take in that moment before taking the next step. 

Selah, as Glennon Doyle describes it, "is the holy silence when the recipient of transformational words and music pauses long enough to be changed forever. "(Untamed, p136)

I love that.  It’s holy silence. 

The holy silence when we are invited to listen more closely, or dive into our hearts more deeply. 

It’s the holy silence where God says, hey beautiful, it’s okay, I’m with you. 

It’s the holy silence when just for one second of one moment we (you, me) do not have to do ANYTHING. 

It’s the holy silence when our senses are heightened and we are able to see, hear, smell and feel God’s presence surrounding you, filling you and letting you be free from anything else in that given moment. 

When have you paused lately? 

Or rather, when has God reached out to you and said, selah, stop, child, listen, be, I am here with you. 

Life has changed drastically for many of us in the past few weeks.  It may feel like you were on the treadmill and the incline shot up, and the speed got faster and you are doing your best just to keep up.  

Others of us were not even on the treadmill when it started, and we’ve been dropped on it…not even knowing how this thing works.  You know, like George Jetson, yelling to his wife Jane, get me off this crazy thing!!

In any event. I like to think of selah as God pulling the emergency stop key out of the treadmill.  It causes it to stop – yes, suddenly – but it makes it stop.  So that you must stop. 

In the midst of all the things happening right now, it seems that maybe, just maybe, God wants us to stop.  To be.  To feel and experience God’s presence here and now.  To know that the Lord of hosts is with us and that the God of Jacob is our refuge. 

I began tonight’s homily with a way that helps me enter into the holy pause. 

I often repeat this verse from this psalm to help find that holy pause. 

I invite you to use this when you need that pause. 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am. 

Be still and know. 

Be still.

Be. 

Amen.   

 

Tuesday's Noon Devotion

Live stream devotion

Tuesday, March 24

Hebrews 12:1-2

Good afternoon and welcome to our noontime devotion. 

A reading from Hebrews,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

I can only imagine for some folks, maybe even you, that it’s tough to be at home.  My mother-in-law, Mama Maria, she is a mover and a shaker.  She thrives on being out and about and connecting with people, being with people, especially sharing meals with people.  This is tough time for her, and others like her who thrive in groups, being with others, and even being outside the house. 

As I sat at my desk yesterday, I was thinking about what it is like to be in one place, especially on your own and even with family.  But I got to thinking, who surrounds you.  The letter to the Hebrews reminds us that we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses….who are those witnesses. 

As I looked around my office I realized that I have reminders of the great cloud of witnesses in my life.  (This is where I showed the lovely faces that grace my office every day.) 😊

From Billy, to my family, to so many friends, especially girlfriends…there is a  great cloud of witnesses that surround me in all that I do and say. 

Who is surrounding you right now? 

If you live alone or are part of a small family, it may be tough to see the bigger company of saints that surrounds you. 

I hope, that as you connect here, you see the cloud of witnesses that gather in this time and space to listen, love and support one another. 

But I would encourage you, to look around your home. 

Who are the saints that surround you there? 

Who is surrounding you right now? 

Where are the pictures in your houses of the great cloud of witnesses who surround you? 

Where can you put those faces/pictures so you know they are surrounding you right now. 

I believe Miss Logan has pictures of her people up on her bedroom wall, at least she used to. 

Sometimes she looks through the directory to see the faces of those she loves. 

I think now is a great time, as individuals or families, to look around your house for those pictures, look through albums, pull some pictures out to put on your fridge, or in a collage so that you can all be together at this time. 

You may do an entire family collage, or individual members may do their own, so they can be placed in bedrooms or in common spaces to see those saints, those witnesses here and now. 

Take some time today, to gather those saints, those witnesses together. 

Be reminded of the saints that surround you each and every day. 

You are not alone. 

You are loved.

You are prepared for this time and place because of the amazing generations of saints who have gone before you, who have taught you and loved you so that you may live and love this very day. 

You, we, are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. 

Make them visible in your home, feel their presence, love and support this day and all days.  And let all God’s people say, amen.   

And now for a few announcements:

Thank you for joining us today.  It is good for us to gather together. 

Our noon devotions continue Monday-Friday, please invite people to watch them with you. 

As you join us for Holden Evening Prayer tomorrow at 7:30pm, you are invited to light a candle in your home to be reminded of the light of Christ as we worship together. 

Sarah’s choir will be live on Facebook Thursday night at 6:15, tune in for some singing, dancing, joy and prayer time with our littles. 

Worship this weekend will be live on Facebook at 9am similar to last week with music, scripture, a sermon, a visit from Holy Cow and time to pray together. 

Please be in touch with the church office with any needs or prayer requests during this time.  We are here for you. 

Let us close our time together in prayer,

Dear God, thank you for loving us.  Thank you for the many ways we have already seen you and will continue to see you this day.  Thank you for this time to come together, to hear your word, to connect to the Body of Christ and be reminded of all the saints that surround us.  Hold us in your care this day and all days.  Remember us in your kingdom as you have taught us to pray, Our Father…

Receive God’s blessing: 

May the God of all steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another…

May you depart from evil and do good. 

May you seek peace and pursue it. 

May you go from this gathering wrapped in God’s grace now and forever. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

Friday's Devotional aka PJ's top 9, I mean 10.

Good afternoon and welcome to our noon devotional.  

Today’s reading is from Romans,

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen.  

True confessions:  This message is slightly adapted from a sermon I gave a while back.  

Truer confessions:  I think it still speaks to us in a new way.  You’ll notice some differences, even if you heard the original.  😊

Also, special thanks to Chris Pratt.  

Okay, so sometime last year, Chris Pratt was awarded the MTV Our Generational Award.  In his acceptance speech he talked about the 9 Rules from Chris Pratt.  I was inspired by his 9 rules and when I was chaplain at Bear Creek Camp last summer I attempted to come up with P-Jen’s top 10.  Well, I could only come up with 9 things, but just as they were important then, they are even more important now.  

So, without further ado, PJ’s top 9.  

Number 1 – Breathe.  Okay, I stole that directly from Chris Pratt.  But seriously.  If you do anything today, breathe.  You need to.  Your live depends upon it.  Just breathe.  It will help you through the rest of the day.  

Number 2 – Stay Connected.  Especially now.  How are you reaching out to others who may be home alone?  Phone calls?  Text messages?  One of Trinity’s youth, Emma, reached out to me this week to say they were making postcards, did I know of some folks who would could receive them.  What a clever way to stay connected, right? 

Number 3 – Serve others.  Even in times of remaining home, we are still able to serve others.  Check in on neighbors, offer to drop off a porch meal, offer to do a trip to the grocery store, make a donation to a church or charity that is currently serving its community.  Work through the hands and feet already in place to reach out to those in need at this time.  

Number 4 – You’re not perfect.  You’re not.  Accept that and continue to be the amazing person that God created you and calls you to be right now.  

Because Number 5- You are made in God’s image.  You are beautiful, holy, strong, wise, creative, brave and needed in our world right now, just as you are.  

Number 6 – Become friends with someone different than you.  I know, now is not the time to go out and shake hands and spend close time with a new group of people, but now is a good time to scope out your social media feed.  Are you following people who look just like you, agree with everything you say and offer no diversity?  Friends, the Body of Christ is diverse and beautiful.  Look at the people that you follow on social media and be sure that they feed your soul, inspire you and encourage you to see beyond your own view.  

Number 7 – Love God, Love All.  Keep on living out of God’s love in whatever way that takes shape in your daily life.  How does this current life situation help you to mend and strengthen relationships in love?  

Number 8 – Be kind.  I know, that seems like a given, but it needs to be said.  The snarky comments on social media, the posts shared that put down others, not needed friends.  That is not building up the Body of Christ.  Be kind to those in your home, to those you follow on social media and to those who follow you on social media.  

Number 9 – God loves you, no matter what!  It needs to be said, over and over again, that no matter who you are and what you have done or haven’t done, God loves you, no matter what, so deal with it!  

And number 10 – (I just realized I have one more to add.)  I know that this is a great way for us to stay connected.  I love seeing comments and seeing the ways these feeds are connecting us.  But, also, and I may be talking more to myself than anyone else, unplug.  Power down your devices every day….so you are not even tempted to look at it.  Then go and do something else.  Read a book.  Walk outside.  Try a new recipe.  Prayer.  De-clutter a nook in the house.  Write a note to someone.  Play with your dog.  Watch your cat sleep.  It doesn’t matter what it is, but do it unplugged!  I recommend that if you are in a house with more than one person that you all unplug at the same time.  Maybe it’s dinnertime, maybe it’s mid afternoon after school and work is done.  Make the time.  Unplug.  

And now may the peace which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.  

And now for a few announcements.  

A reminder to call the church office if you are able to help others at this time.  We are creating a good list of folks and are thankful for their time.  

Hershey Park Tickets orders are due to the church office by March 23.  

Sermon and prayers will be live on Trinity’s Instagram feed on Saturday at 5pm.  

We will be live on Sunday morning at 9am including prayers, a hymn, scripture, a sermon and a visit from Holy Cow.  

And now receive God’s blessing,

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

May the Lord’s face shine upon you with grace and mercy, 

The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.

Amen.  

Tuesday's Devotional

Hey friends,
During the pandemic, TrinityLutheran, Robesonia on Facebook is streaming live at noon (Monday-Friday) with a brief devotional and daily announcements.  
Wishing you moments of peace and hope this day.  
Here is my devotional from today: 

A reading from Esther,

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, ‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden sceptre to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.’ When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.’ Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’ Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Mordicai says to Esther, perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this. 

For just such a time as this. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I’m ready for what is happening right now.  It seems like different guidelines and protocols are being enacted daily. 

Different announcements that have happened are deeply impacting our communities and individuals.  I, myself, cannot imagine what it is like to be a high school senior and not know what happens come graduation. 

I cannot imagine what it is like to be a college senior and not know if graduation will happen or how I would feel if I heard it would be canceled. 

As I ran around the high school track this morning, I prayed for students.  For those who do not know what the spring will bring.  For athletes who were looking forward to the spring season, which may have been their senior season.  I prayed for the students who sit in those stands and their families and this community that loves them and supports them. 

I cannot imagine what it is like to be dependent upon a week to week paycheck hearing that your employer must shut the doors for the next week or two. 

I cannot imagine balancing working from home and monitoring school work for one, two or more kids in the house. 

That’s the truth.  I do not know what everyone is going through. 

I do not know how families are balancing and learning and living and loving. 

But I do know this.  We are ready to face these changes and how we live into this new current reality will shape who we are as individuals, families, communities, a nation and our greater world. 

Living out of the love of Christ, in care and compassion for our neighbor, we will do the best we can in this new situation. 

Our living, learning and loving through this will shape our lives and our future in an unseen and unimagined way. 

You are here in this place for such a time as this. 

You are a member of the body of Christ, marked by the sign of the cross and washed in the waters of baptism, for this very day…

To share and show God’s love. 

To build relationships with God and with one another. 

And to show care and compassion by honoring the guidelines set up to keep our communities safe and help our healthcare providers to care for those in the greatest need. 

Continue to be the people God calls you to be in this time and in this place. 

Pray for one another, call one another, write to one another, connect. 

And those of you wondering about the future?  Take it one day at a time….knowing that you are not alone in being impacted by these decisions, we are all adjusting and adapting and learning.  We will continue to be the church together through this time, loving, listening and supporting one another through all of this. 

And now may the peace which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen. 

And now for a few announcements: 

If you are willing to help run errands, please call the church so we can put you on a list. 

If you are willing to make phone calls to some of our home bound members, please call the church and we will pair you up with someone to check in with. 

Hershey Park ticket deadline is March 23, please send those forms with a payment into the church. 

Weekly offerings and donations may also be mailed to the church office.  

Next week: Everything midweek is canceled.  – meetings, Wednesday services, choir rehearsals. 

We will continue to reach out through live devotions at noon tomorrow, Thursday and Friday.  We will live stream Holden Evening Prayer at 7:30pm on Wednesday. 

Miss Sarah’s choir will be ‘live’ on Facebook this Thursday at 6:15pm. 

Sunday worship will be streamed at 9:00am. 

Thank you all for connecting this day. 

Please receive this blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again, until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hands.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.  

This weekend's sermon: in print.

Hey friends,
Many of you were able to live stream this sermon via Instagram or Facebook.  Thanks for joining me for the live proclamation.  If you didn't catch it live, check out Trinity Lutheran Robesonia on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.  Neither Pastor Bill nor myself have pastored in a Pandemic before, so we are learning as we go.  Trinity's social media accounts will continue to help people connect right now and my sermons will be uploaded here after I preach.
Thanks for reading, dear friends, and I hope you know of God's love and presence in your life this day and all days.  Air high five!

March 15, 2020

3^rd Sunday in Lent 

Exodus 17:1-7

Psalm 95

Romans 5:1-11

John 4:5-42

Please pray with me, 

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen.  

It was my first weekend serving at Trinity in Robesonia, but I wasn’t here.  I was knee deep in music, games, laughter, and worship at the Harrisburg YouthQuake.    Gosh, as I think about it, still, it was the best first weekends that I have ever had a at a job.  I remember sitting in the gathering space outside of the ballroom on Friday night saying to Katie Hammaker and Kayla Aulenbach, look, I’m new, like brand new, I’m trying to get to know everyone in our group, so please do me a favor.  If you see me mixing into another group, trying to get to know them, please just bring me back to the fold.  They nodded and agreed to help me out.  

On Sunday as we stopped at Chocolate World for lunch & milkshakes, I was on my own scoping out lunch options and saw one of our youth who looked a bit unsettled.  Aubrey, I said, are you okay?  She looked up and said, you know my name?  I said, yup, I’ve been working hard all weekend to get to know you all.  Is everything okay? 

It turns out she had misplaced her wallet and had no money for lunch.  We covered her lunch and the wallet was in another bag in the car, so it all worked out, but what sticks out for me is her reaction to knowing she was part of Trinity’s group and knowing her, by name.  

“For to be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known.”

In our gospel lesson today, we find ourselves side by side with Jesus at the well with the Samaritan woman.  Through a short conversation that shifts from personal information to a theological discussion, Jesus reveals himself to this woman…as the Messiah.  

When Jesus reveals details about the woman’s life, he shows her that he knows her….and in that knowing, Jesus reveals who he is, the savior, the Messiah.  Barbara Brown Taylor says this, “By telling the woman who she is, Jesus shows her who he is.  By confirming her true identity, he reveals his own, and that is how it still happens.  The Messiah is the one in whose presence you know who you really are – the good and bad of it, the all of it, the hope in it.”

When Aubrey realized I knew her, she knew something about me.  That I was an adult who knew her cared about her.  When Jesus says things about the woman at the well, he reveals his true self to her.  

It is in knowing one another that we reveal our true selves.  

I talked about this last week, that being fully known or being in the light can sometimes be a tricky or uncomfortable place to be., yet this week, as Jesus interacts with this woman, in broad daylight,  when her full self is revealed, and seen in his eyes she cannot help but tell the story.  She leavers her jar – at the well – to go and tell others to come and see.  

How incredible is that?!?! 

Transformed in a holy way through knowing Jesus and knowing that Jesus loves her, she runs away from the well, leaving her bucket – the only way to get water -  and shared the good news of Jesus!

For to be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known.  

This was the refrain of one of our speakers at the National Youth Gathering in Houston, and it kept resonating though my head and heart as I was preparing this sermon.  

For to be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known.

We are known by Christ and that shows Jesus’ love of us and for us.  

And, AND to be loved by Christ shows us that Jesus knows us, like REALLY knows us and that’s okay isn’t it.  It’s more than okay, really, its life changing, life transforming.  

And it’s a message that’s needed – I think more than ever – in our world today.  The deep desire that each of us has to be known and loved.  To be loved and known.  

That looks different for each and everyone of us.  But it’s the desire to be seen for who God created us and calls us to be (even if we ourselves are still trying to figure that out).  It is being seen and recognized.  

It is being called by name.  

It is being prayed for about a specific need or concern – and naming that need.  

---Okay, now here is the place where you can see that I wrote this sermon on Thursday, before we realized that worship would not be happening at Trinity this weekend. ---

Maybe today is a day, or this week is the week, to re-introduce yourself to someone or to pick someone and get to know them, or even follow up with someone you haven’t seen in a while.  And to take that opportunity to address someone by name, so that they know that they are known. 

****But here's the thing, especially when our situations mean we cannot get out and physically connect with others, we are called even more so to connect in new in different ways. Maybe it is through writing letters or notes to family or friends across the nation or across the county. Maybe is video chatting with family or recording happy birthday to send to birthday folks this week.  Maybe it is calling someone up, or sending them a text to remind them that they are known AND loved.  What does reaching out through God's love look like for you this week?****

It’s a powerful outreach.  

It’s a deep connection.  

It's the mission and call of Christ.  

The way Christ knows us and loves us is deep, and intimate, and holy and beautiful.  

We may not be ready to know one another that deeply, yet, but we can take those first steps.  

Being transformed by a God who loves us deeply and takes the time to be with us and know us intimately changes us and opens our hearts to reach out to others to share time with them and know them more fully.  

Here at Trinity we have an incredible opportunity to do this across a wide range of people.  We have the opportunity to cross economic lines generational divides, we can cross school districts and political differences.  

The one thing that draws us all in…the one thing we all have in common…is the love of God for each and every one of us which is God’s deep desire to know us and to love us.  

God wants us to know we are loved and known, known and loved.  

For to be known is to be loved and to be loved is to be known.  

You are loved.

You are known. 

You are known.  

You are loved.  

And now may the peace, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen.  

Sunday's sermon - darkness & light and forgiveness for all.

March 8, 2020

Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 12:1-4a

Psalm 121

Romans 4:1-5,13-17

John 3:1-17

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen. 

We are back in the gospel of John…the one that begins with the word became flesh and lived among us and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.  It is from this darkness that Nicodemus approaches Jesus in our gospel lesson today.  I have heard this gospel described as a one act play, where Jesus sits center stage, in the spotlight, even radiating the light that throughout the Gospel, people enter into the light with Jesus, and exit back into darkness. 

Nicodemus comes into Jesus’ presence to question his presence, his mission, his ministry, the reason God sent him into the world, and Jesus responds with a message that confuses Nicodemus and confounds many of us today.  That because God loved the world so greatly that God sent the only begotten Son into the world, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.  God did not send the Son into the world, that he might condemn or judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 

Isn’t that the message we all need to hear? 

That God didn’t send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but rather to save the world. 

We, well at least me, I need to hear this message…that we aren’t enough and like Nicodemus, we don’t understand this great love of God, yet it encompasses us ALL in forgiveness, grace and love.  It calls us into the light – a place we feel uncomfortable - uncomfortable you say?  Didn’t you begin the sermon by saying that Jesus was the light?  Wouldn’t we want to be in the light? 

Yes, I dare say we do want to be in the light. 

Yet it can be a place that is uncomfortable. 

Let me explain. When we step into the light, our whole selves are revealed.  Sometimes we cling to darkness, because we can hide the parts of ourselves we do not like, or do not want others to see.  It’s easier to hide in the dark, just ask any youth that has played flashlight tag in the basement…you want the lights on to find a good spot, but you want them off when someone is trying to find you. 

But even in our unworthiness, we are called into the light, to live, to love and to serve. 

But in the light we see our imperfections, our faults, our foibles, or more importantly we are able to see and notice and point out the imperfections of others.  Am I right?  It is far too easy to spot, call out or make mention of the mistakes and faults of others. 

Why?  Because it takes the eyes off of us…and puts the attention on someone else. 

Who doesn’t like to redirect the attention?  Especially when the attention is on your own faults…I do it, too, friends.  Ugh, and I get frustrated every time it happens. 

So here we have Nicodemus, in the light, in the spotlight, for all of us to see…and when he is there, he is mired in misunderstanding.  He is in the presence of Jesus – the word become flesh – and he doesn’t get it.  He is unable to see the savior in his midst and so he exits the spotlight, he leaves the light, enters back into the darkness on not just the night, but the darkness that is his questions, misunderstandings, and struggle to understand who this Jesus is. 

I want to shout at Nicodemus, no don’t leave…come back…it’s Jesus…the light who has come into the world, not to condemn the world, but rather that the world may be saved through him. 

But I’m shouting into the darkness. 

I’m shouting into my own darkness.  

Because just like Nicodemus, I have a really hard time wrapping my mind around a God who loves the whole world so much that in this way…through the life, death and resurrection of the only Son will show the world this great love. 

I can’t save the world, but if I could, I’m not so sure I would save it the way God does….

I’m still wrapping my mind around this amazing love and grace in our world today. 

In the season of Lent, I’m reading the Chronicles of Narnia.  My dad read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe aloud to me as a kid, and I’ve seen the old PBS production and the newer Disney version of it, but I’ve never read all seven of the books. 

As I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the most familiar story to me, I disliked the character Edmund from the beginning.  He is the one (spoiler alert) who is the big jerk in the story.  He toys with his sister Lucy’s emotions by not believing her experience in Narnia, he makes fun of her, even after having been to Narnia himself, and then he desserts his siblings to side with the White Witch. 

His faults are ever before him. 

And then Edmund is rescued by Aslan's cohort and brought back into the fold. 

That’s the part I want to share right now…

“When the other children woke up the next morning (the had been sleeping on piles of cushions in the pavilion) the first thing they heard – from Mrs. Beaver – was that their brother had been rescued and brought back into camp late last night; and was at that moment with Aslan.  As soon as they had breakfasted they all went out, and there they saw Aslan and Edmund walking together in the dewy grass, apart from the rest of the court. 

There is no need to tell you (and no one ever heard) what Aslan was saying but it was a conversation which Edmund never forgot.  As the others drew nearer Aslan turned to meet them bringing Edmund with him. ‘Here is your brother,’ he said ‘and – there is no need to talk to him about what is past.’” (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis, p. 135-136)

Here is your brother, and – there is no need to talk to him about what is past.

And when Aslan speaks, no one dares question…

But the forgiveness is there…it is gifted to Edmund because of Aslan’s great love.

That my friends, is the wideness in God’s mercy.  God’s mercy flows wider than we could possibly imagine and that is the joy and wonder found in Jesus Christ. 

And each time we question, struggle, wonder, or try to figure our why and where God’s mercy reaches then we’ve missed the point – and we’re right there with Nicodemus. 

But in those moments, in those spaces where God’s grace envelopes us and we are washed in forgiveness and grace and it breaks open our hearts to forgive and love others…well, that’s what it’s like living in the light.  That’s the holy moment of being washed in God’s light and love and face and letting it reveal to others and to ourselves that we are God’s beloved – chosen, called, claimed and sent to share this message in all that we say and do. 

Come, walk in the light…

Love in the light. 

Live in the light…

And now may the peace, which surpasses all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and let all God’s people say, amen.