Proclaiming Death Until....
Maundy Thursday, Exodus 12:1-14; I Corinthians 11:23-26 and John 13:1-17, 31b-35
I worry. Sometimes I worry about our future – as a human race, on this planet. These are not ill placed worries. We are at risk – through our own action and through our inaction, our resistance to change.
I worry. Sometimes I worry about our kids – and many kids – aged from new born to in their 40's. I worry about whether they know whom to trust – whom they can count on no matter what. Sometimes I worry about whether most of us – realize what really matters – that it's not how much "we have" or what "we have" – not at all. Such realities can all be gone in an instant. Without them we can more than "survive" . Rather, I worry about whether we know whom we can trust. If we do know whom we can actually count on, through everything, are we actually doing that?
Which brings us to these 3 days – the Great Triduum. (Trih doo um)
Our Jewish brothers and sisters have often wrestled with whom they can trust. If any of us had managed to live through the Holocaust we might know the gravity of their struggle. Tonight we are allowed to eavesdrop into some of the dialogue God has with their forefathers and foremothers, our ancestors in faith. The beginning of time as they are to know it is this incredible Passover meal. They are to know, to remember and to proclaim that the One God is the One whom they can trust. This God is the Only One who can and will deliver them through whatever trials and tribulations may come. So they are to celebrate the Passover on the first of the months, by which they will tell time Furthermore, no one is to be left out. All are to have a place at the Passover table, so that all may hear and know that God is the One who can and will lead them from slavery to freedom, from the reign and power of death to the privilege, promise and responsibility of life.
Nor is this something they can do for themselves. It's not their blood marking their doorposts. But as they do that, as the doorposts are marked with the lamb's blood and as they eat and drink, they are to be ready. They must be ready to be on the move at any moment as God directs. Who knows when God will act? Such trusting involves movement, risk, being opened to new possibilities.
So... here we are in the midst of "our" traditions – we "faithful" few. We listen as Paul passes on what has been handed over to him, "that on the night of his betrayal Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
We are so familiar with Jesus' words. They have been handed over to us by Paul and by so many others. But have you ever wondered, "Why is it important to proclaim the Lord's death until he comes?"
Why, indeed in the midst of a culture that although viewing sex and violence on our tv's, tabloids and pcs incessantly if not obsessively, we seem completely incapable of dealing with, facing up to, acknowledging the reality and power of death?
Can't we just take a pill or something – or do an infomercial? NO!!!
So, once again I ask, whom do we trust? Who can empower us to actually be with those we are called to love, as the various forms of death raise their ugly heads? Don't we see that death is all around us? Death manifests itself in hatred, disease, the loss of friendship, marriage and life itself. Who can enable us, empower us in the midst of such realities to be present, to live with hope not denial, to experience forgiveness and love, rather than resentment, bitterness or cynicism?
As we proclaim Christ's death until he comes – we acknowledge the power of death in all its forms. But we also proclaim that God is not absent from such realities but instead enters fully into them. God is no stranger to death. Instead, God's own Son embraces death – as horrific, as powerful, as life-sucking as it is.
This is why we attempt to proclaim Christ's death even as we eat and drink, broken people that we are. Jesus eats with his disciples on the night that one (if not all) betray him. Nevertheless, through his death he offers them new life.
Are we open to new possibilities – that include serving others, that are marked by personally and collectively asking God what God is calling us to do? Are we open to letting go of our worry? These are living questions on this Thursday night before the darkest Friday that somehow becomes good.
Be careful whom we trust! Unfortunately many friends come and go. Even our families – blessings that they frequently are, pass away. But God wills to deliver us – not necessarily from pain and death but through pain and death. In Jesus Christ and the waters of Baptism we are washed, drowned and joined to Christ. On the cross Christ dies so that we may see and experience the power of death. But we are not alone! Even now may God wash us anew freeing us to love and trust the One whom is trustworthy through all forms of death to new life.
May we, broken as we are, pass this living reality on to others by the way we live, move and have our being - for Christ's sake and by His grace. Amen.