Lent 5
It was quite the tableau.
Different than Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of the Last Supper;
an event that lay in the immediate future.
But, a snapshot of the soon to emerge Church none the less. All the characters are there, gathered
around the dinner table. Martha, the
servant. Lazarus, who had been brought
back from the grave. Mary, the
devoted. Judas, the betrayer. The
rest of the disciples are missing from the picture. Present through their absence. I wonder, where are they?
The portrait John paints looks like most of the churches I
have been associated with over the years.
The characters are strikingly similar.
We love to gather around tables.
Don’t we? There are the tables
where we share our casseroles and salads and fried chicken, the tables around
which we meet and study, and the Table of grace which stands at the center of
our worship life. Martha is there most
Sundays. Serving. She is one of those faithful folk who lead
the church, take care of the building, plan the ministry and run the food
pantry. Lazarus still sits and watches,
but doesn’t get involved. He is trying
to figure out this new life he’s been given, and is not exactly sure where he
fits in. Mary is there too. Every church has people like her who are
examples of faithful generosity. They’re
ones who pray, and visit the sick, and show up for bible studies and mentor the
newcomers and give of their time and talents and treasures. The ones who sit at Jesus’ feet and pour
themselves out in love for him. And yes,
Judas is there too. Every church I’ve
ever known has had its curmudgeons.
Those people who are opposed. To
everything. Those people who seem to be
able to steal the life out of every new idea or proposed change that would take
the church into the world. Finally,
there are the silent ones. The missing
disciples. Those sheep who are not in
the sheepfold, but are out in the world someplace, searching, seeking, and suffering. People who wonder if they have a place at the
table, or who don’t even know they’ve been invited.
But, Martha, Mary, Lazarus, Judas and the silent disciples
do not stand at the center of this tableau.
Jesus does. Jesus, who is the
guest of honor at the dinner party, and the host at the table. Jesus who Martha serves, and Mary prepares
for burial, and Judas betrays and the wary world watches. Jesus, the embodiment of God’s love for the
world -- the whole world -- yes, even for Judas and all of us who have ever
betrayed him.
Jesus died for the messy, mixed bag of folks we call “the
Church,” and then rose again on the third day to give us all life. Thank God.
Peace,
Bishop Mike
Thanks for reading.
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