Jeremiah 31:31-34
Hebrews 5:5-10
John 12:20-33
This week as we acknowledge the anniversary of the first lockdown further details are emerging from the Scottish government about the easing of existing restrictions. As more and more people receive the vaccine in many ways the scene is being set for a post-covid life.
Our bible readings today share this theme of looking to the future and “setting the scene.”
In the Old Testament Jeremiah, in one of his more optimistic moods, looks to a time when the Lord will form a new covenant with his people.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah…….
I will be their God, and they will be my people……
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34
In the letter to the Hebrews the author sets the scene for Easter as he encourages people to look to Jesus as our source of eternal salvation. “Son of God though he was………. He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:8-9
Today the gospel also encourages us to look to the future. It starts with a simple request.
“Sir – we wish to see Jesus.”
It is quite clear that by this stage in his ministry Jesus was becoming very sought-after to the extent that many people were coming from far afield, much to the Pharisees’ dismay. “See this is getting us nowhere, look how the whole world has gone after him” John 12:19
We also have Greeks coming to see Jesus but what people didn’t realise when they came to see him was that they got more than they had bargained for. Jesus was more than just an interesting person, wherever he went he exceeded people’s expectations. There were so many examples of this throughout the gospels. In Mark’s gospel a man looks for healing, Jesus forgave his sins. On another occasion a woman who wanted to be healed touched Jesus, Jesus helped her see it was her faith that had healed her. In John’s gospel the disciples wanted to eat the Passover meal with Jesus, their master, Jesus washed their feet showing that he was also their servant.
And at the crucifixion the religious leaders wanted Jesus killed and got their wish, but Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus succeeds and surpasses all expectation, that is why so many people wanted to see him and two thousand years on people still seek him.
This Sunday is Passion Sunday, the day when we look towards Holy Week, The Cross and The Resurrection. Our encounter with Jesus becomes even more complex and more incredible as the scene is set for the forthcoming events.
In today’s gospel Jesus gives us a taste of this, of what is to come. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies it bears much fruit”
And so, from death comes life, a foretelling of the resurrection. There is a parallel, between the seed and the salmon. That is, in both the seed and the salmon, death is necessary for life.
St. Francis of Assisi understood this concept well when he wrote in his famous prayer for peace, “It is in giving that we receive; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
The church will be reopening for worship from Palm Sunday 28th March.
Holy Week and Easter Services in Church
Sunday 28th March Palm Sunday – 10am Sung Eucharist with the reading of the Passion
Thursday 1st April Maundy Thursday 10am Said Eucharist and Stripping of the Alter
Friday 2nd April Good Friday 2pm Devotional Service
Sunday 4th April Easter Day 10am Sung Eucharist for Easter
The format and covid safety procedures previously put in place for the pandemic will remain unchanged. I will record the services which will be available on YouTube via my emails.
This weeks’ Sunday Eucharist will be available at 11am online. You can access it on this link at that time. http://www.scotland.anglican.org/broadcast-sunday-worship/ Alternatively, you can access it by going straight onto the Scottish Episcopal Church website.
I will look forward to joining you all again via YouTube on Thursday for our morning Eucharist. Please feel free to telephone me at any time.
My love and prayers to you all as always
Andrea
The Collect for The Second Sunday in Lent
ALMIGHTY God, you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.