The sentence given by this angel to the women who went looking for Jesus’ body is directed not to the women, but to the disciples – and particularly Peter. The last time Peter saw Jesus he heard a rooster crow. When Peter hears these words, will they seem like a promise of good news or scheduled condemnation?

The only way we can predict future behavior is by examining past behavior.

For Peter, he had a lot of past behavior to anticipate what this angel was saying. He had witnessed Jesus heal his mother in law. He had witnessed Jesus cure a women who had suffered bleeding issue for 12 years. He saw a young girl raised from the dead. He was there when compassion led Jesus to feed thousands of people with minimal resources. The list goes on and on – in fact, there is precious little evidence of Jesus condemning anyone – except for those who put rules over relationships.

Jesus did not have a lot of time for the religious leaders who sought ways of keeping some people away from God’s grace and mercy while others were granted free access. He used the word “hypocrite” to describe them.

So, even if Peter could trust Jesus’ past behavior as an indicator that meeting him in Galilee would be GOOD NEWS, perhaps Peter didn’t trust himself. Perhaps Peter thought of himself as a hypocrite.

Here’s the thing – can any of us say that we are not hypocritical? Can ANY of us say that we haven’t set up walls that limit God’s love? That God’s love CERTAINLY can’t include “those” people – whoever that might be.

What Peter – and the rest of us – have yet to learn is that Jesus’ promise to meet us where he promised is not dependent upon our words – or our actions – or our inaction.

In fact, Jesus’ promise to be with us is dependent ONLY upon what God has already DONE, through Jesus.

People – Jesus promise to meet Peter, and all of the disciples in Galilee is the same promise that Jesus makes to us. For Peter and the disciples, Galilee was familiar. It was home.
I don’t know what your Galilee is – that place that feels familiar, that place that feels safe – that is the place where Jesus promises to meet you.

It is a promise you can trust – not simply a set of words. You simply need to look around and see all the times that Jesus has met you in your life and know that this promise is one that will continue to give you hope and comfort.

Let us pray,
Dearest Jesus, thank you for meeting us in our deepest needs. Open our eyes to see the many ways you meet us – and all people – every day. May this promise of your presence give us strength and hope. In Jesus name, Amen.

 

I remember living in Los Angeles as a director of an Early Childhood program. We took the students on a field trip to see Rose Parade floats being built. The group was filled with 4 year olds and the tour guide had an expectation that that they understand directions intended for adults.

Raise your hand if you wish to speak.
Don’t touch the floats.
Please don’t shout.

None of the students were able to follow those rules, naturally, except for Matthew. Matthew raised his hand. Matthew stayed where he was supposed to – and most importantly, Matthew listened. He heard every word that tour guide said.

So – when we came to the float with a WORKING roller coaster Matthew raised his hand and asked, “can we see it work?”

The guide was charmed, but said no. “The person who runs the roller coaster isn’t here today.”

Without skipping a beat, Matthew raised his hand again: “Can we come back tomorrow?”

I had a difficult time not laughing out loud! The tour guide, however, was silent. It took him a minute to figure out that, in fact, the whole building was closed on that day – so, no. But for a split second a 4 year old had bested an adult in a discussion.

Now, any parent or teacher will be able to tell you that this is not a unique story – it happens all the time. What it requires is what children do naturally – they are present in the moment. They are not worried about what was just said – they aren’t planning their next second. They are in the moment.

I think that the 26 words in the verse from Mark 16 have always disappointed me – and many others – because we expect more. We are looking to hear the words of Jesus directly. Or perhaps we want to hear the reaction of the other disciples.

But, if we remain in the moment and hear what the angel is saying – “don’t keep this good news to yourself, tell others and go find Jesus in the places he said he would be” – then this is a pretty amazing statement.

Tell others that you have seen the risen Lord in the lives of people who find hope in the midst of hopeless situations.

Tell others that you have seen the risen Lord in the lives of people who find joy in the midst of the most horrific pain.

Tell others that you have seen the risen Lord in the laughter of friends, family and “framily”.

Tell others that you have seen the risen Lord in the shared tears when we grieve together.

The point is – go – and tell others that the tomb is empty and Jesus is here!

Let’s pray:
Gracious God, give us eyes to see you in surprising places – and then give us the words to tell others that you are here.
Amen.

My prayers are my way to speak to God whose love is big enough to discern my intentions in the midst of my bungled prayers.

The truth is, it simply feels good to share my worries, fears and joys with the One who is powerful enough to handle all of them – and more.

So, as a people committed to “going out to transform lives through Jesus Christ” I want to suggest an idea during this time of social distancing. What would it be like if we share the gift of prayer with our neighbors allowing the power of prayer to transform lives while we stay at a safe distance.

What would it be like if we all had a “prayer station” in our front yard?
Here are a couple of ideas for a prayer station – you might have your own idea!

• Have 3X5 cards and pens, clothes pins and a rope or string tied between tree branches. Have an instruction card clipped to the rope that invites people to write their prayers and add them to the rope.

• Have strips of cloth and sharpies on a table. Write out a couple of prayers on the clothes and tie them to a tree or bush or fence as examples. Leave an instruction card on the table that invites others to do the same.

• Make a plain cross out of a 2X4. Have sticky notes and pens on a table. Invite neighbors to write their prayers on the sticky notes and place them on the cross.

Get creative – find your own way to create a prayer station in your neighborhood that invites prayers from all people. Don’t worry about the form or the words. God will hear our hearts!

For tonight’s prayer we will use one of my favorites from Mother Theresa:

Let’s pray:
I used to pray that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now, O Lord, I pray that You will guide me to do whatever I’m supposed to do.
I used to pray for answers, but now, O God, I’m praying for strength.
I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now, O God I know that our prayers to You changes us and we change things. In Jesus Name, Amen

When I think of grief, I think of when I entered into the funeral home for Grandma Judy’s reviewal and saw her body in a casket. This primordial shriek came out of me. I have never heard that sound before, and I have no idea where it came from.

Or I think of the tears that came whenever I would hear “How Great Thou Art” because it would take me back to Grandma Bernice’s funeral service.

Or I think of the absolute numbness that I felt for months – maybe even years – after my late husband died.

I don’t feel any of those things now – how can this be grief?

Then I read an article published in the Harvard Business Review interviewing David Kessler, grief guru, on this time of global pandemic grief.
Kessler co-wrote a book on the stages of grief with Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. In the article he states:
• There’s denial, which we say a lot of early on: This virus won’t affect us.
• There’s anger: You’re making me stay home and taking away my activities.
• There’s bargaining: Okay, if I social distance for two weeks everything will be better, right?
• There’s sadness: I don’t know when this will end.
• And finally there’s acceptance. This is happening; I have to figure out how to proceed.

Ok, now I get it. I guess I am grieving. Truthfully, I think – in mass – WE ALL are grieving. We ALL are experiencing these same feelings of denial and anger, bargaining and sadness at the same time.

How do we, in the midst of this corporate grief, take care of each other?

There is really nothing left for us to lean on when everyone is in a state of grief but God.

That is ok, because, you see, God is bigger than our grief. God is bigger than our fear.

In 1 John 4:18 we hear the antidote to fear – the antidote to grief… it is perfect love.

God’s perfect love for creation assures us that, even when we face hardship and pain, we do not face it alone.

God’s perfect love flowing through us gives us the wisdom and strength to reach out beyond closed doors and quarantines to continue to care for our neighbor.

When we do that, church, we ease our own grief – and each other’s grief.

Let us pray:
Loving God, may your perfect love remind us that the troubles of this world will not have the last say. Your love, grace and peace will equip us to face whatever this unknown time may bring. Use us, Lord, to share your love in creative ways and to remind others that they are not alone.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.

But there are others who wonder where God is in this time of crisis. For those who have lost jobs and aren’t sure how to pay their bills and for those whose loved ones have become ill with this scary virus, God seems to either not care or too far away to help.

But you see people, God shows up in many ways. Yes, sometimes in ways we cannot understand – but most often God shows up in YOU!

Who is it in your life that is needing a reminder that God’s “appearing is as sure as the dawn”? How can you be the presence of God through your loving actions today? Keep your eyes open and your ears tuned to see and hear stories of others who are hurting. Going out into the community and serving your neighbor is not simply a “nice thing to do”, it is our job as followers of Jesus!

Maybe you were the one who felt that God was far away and then someone showed up and shared God’s love with you! If that is you, tell that story! Let others know the presence of God in your life through the love of other people!

Let’s pray:
Ever present God, may we see Your presence all around us and may that presence give us a sense of comfort in these days of chaos. By the power of your Holy Spirit, equip us and send us out to bring your healing and hope-filled presence into the lives of those who feel far from you.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen.

Fear of virus during this time of pandemic is a valid fear. It can lead us toward following CDC guidelines. STAYING in fear might cause us to isolate ourselves beyond what is necessary – cutting ourselves off from the people who love us. Operating out of fear – whether it’s fear of pandemic or fear of the unknown or any kind of fear – will always pull us away from community. We will draw in on ourselves, seeking out the company of only those with the same fear.

On the other hand, operating out of love does the exact opposite. We can use just enough of that fear to make choices that keep us, and the people around us safe – but then we leave that fear behind and make choices based on love. With that simple change in our mind set, we begin to see opportunities all around us to make the lives of our neighbor better. A simple smile and kind word to the cashier at Wal-Mart who has been dealing with grumpy people all day. Spend time sewing bits of fabric together to make face masks for residents and staff in a local nursing home. Offer to pick up fresh fruit for someone who cannot safely leave their home. Take only what we need when we shop, making sure there will be enough for the next person. All of these are ways that we share love with our neighbor. And, when we do this our worlds do not shrink in fear, but grow in love.

I feel like this is where we are. It has felt, for the last week, like it’s the end of the world as we know it. (ear worm alert)
Empty streets, empty restaurants, empty malls, empty parking lots, empty classrooms. There is no cultural reference for this – there is only this sense that we can’t get our balance.

Perhaps this lent, like none other, we have a sense of what the disciples felt like on that Good Friday through Easter Sunday. Life, the way they knew it, was gone. The One they identified as the Messiah was GONE. DEAD. BURIED in a tomb. What would happen now? Where was this kingdom that He spoke about?

But then, the stone was rolled away and He who once was dead was again walking among them. Death would forever look different! Death would never again have the last say. Resurrection was the new normal, not simply for that day 2000 years ago, but is the new normal for all time.

So – perhaps we have some new eyes with which to see this Resurrection reality in our environment. Skies and waters once murky and cloudy with pollution are clearing up. What once seemed impossible, the reality of climate change is slowing simply because people are staying home.

Now, I know that this is not the only story. Many of you are staying home because you have lost your job. Many of you would much rather be at your job than stuck at home. I get it. But it cannot be denied that there is an unexpected consequence of our reduced activity – an unexpected return of life where once there was death.

May we have eyes to see past the cocoons and towards the butterflies that come our way.

Let us pray,
Gracious God, give us eyes to see the life that sprouts all around us, especially when chaos and crisis abounds. Help us to share that life – and your love –with everyone we meet. No exceptions. Amen

Have you noticed the tone of social media has changed? There are still a few hold outs – a few political jabs at one side or the other – but where that used to be the vast majority, now I am seeing post after post – tweet after tweet of uplifting, hope filled messages of love.
There is power in unity. Jesus has been telling us this for 2000 years. He prayed for this – prayed for the people of God to know that unity does not mean uniformity. Each of us, created in God’s image – each with different personalities, different backgrounds, different cultural identities, different faith practices… each of us created in the image of the same God.
Unity, in Jesus’ prayer from John 17 is all about living lives that reflect Godly love. Love that directs us to worry as much about our neighbor as it does about ourselves.
Love that sees the best in other people – not the worst.
Love that prays for health and healing for all people, not just a select few.
This is the kind of love I’m seeing all over social media. From musicians hosting free, streamed concerts to lift the spirits of a house bound nation to religious leaders lifting up prayers for all people around the world – not just their own tribe.
May we add to the voices of love and hope – and may these voices unite to create a sense of peace around the world.
For our prayer, I want to use a tweet sent by Pope Francis on Wednesday, March 18th.
Let us Pray: Our God is near and asks us to be near to one another. Perhaps right now we cannot draw near physically to others for fear of contagion, but we can reawaken in ourselves a habit of drawing near to others through prayer and mutual help. Amen.