Good Friday reflection at St Michael's Horton today.
What do we make of Jesus on this
Good Friday? Let's stand with 3 people who had to make up their minds about him
on that first Good Friday: Caiaphas the Chief Priest, Pontius Pilate the Roman
Governor, and Herod King of Galilee…
Caiaphas says:
What am I to make of you Jesus? You are a threat! You
come marching into my city as if you own the place! Saying you're David's Son –
It was David's Son Solomon who founded my Temple! So sure enough, you march
into my Temple too. You throw out the money changers – that's my livelihood you
are messing with there. You sit down and teach the people – teaching them is
our job, not yours! You couldn't make it plainer that you are taking over – you
even say it's "Your Father's House." Well I'm telling you it's ours,
we're in charge here. And then you insult us, call us hypocrites, in front of
everybody. Well, what did you expect? You're a threat! I have no choice but to
get rid of you.
So what about us?
What do we
make of Jesus? Are we threatened when he asserts his sovereignty? To be our Master
and Lord? To be our judge? To take charge of our lives? To demand that we take
up our cross? Is Jesus a threat to us?
Pilate says:
What am I to make of you Jesus? You are an
embarrassment! Why don't you realise what an impossible situation you've put me
in? I don't want to kill you – my wife had a terrible dream about you, and I
have a horrible suspicion in my heart that you might just be who you say you
are. But I have so many people to please. I can't upset the priests – without
their influence Jerusalem would be ungovernable. I can't risk the crowds
rioting either – they all seem to want you for their King – or do they? And I
certainly can't upset my bosses in Rome. If law and order break down here,
that's the end of my career. Which lot do I please? You are an embarrassment
Jesus!
So what about us?
What do we
make of Jesus? Is he an embarrassment? Would we sooner our friends didn't know
we follow him? Will they think I'm a fool? Or weak, needing a crutch? Are we
caught between one world, where Jesus reigns, and another? Wanting to follow,
but frightened to be seen to follow? Keep him somewhere safe! Lock him up in
church all week where no-one can see and just fetch him out on Sundays. Is
Jesus an embarrassment to us?
Herod says:
What am I to make of you Jesus? I expected some
entertainment from you. I've heard about your miracles – so when it came down
to it, why won't you do one for me? You could at least have had a cosy
theological chat with me, like the ones I had with your cousin John – pity
about him. Then again, come to think of it, he was a bit on the dull side. But
you – you won't even say anything! Where's your amazing teaching suddenly got
to? Well I'm bored. As far as I am concerned Pilate and the priests can do what
they like with you.
So what about us?
What do we
make of Jesus? Is he just there for our entertainment? To make us feel better
when the enormous questions about life, death and eternity come too close for
comfort? Have we got used to him, picking out the bits we like and ignoring the
inconvenient bits? Is he just one more experience among many - and after a bit we move on to the next experience? What about our worship – is he at the centre? Or are we just
entertaining ourselves with the hymn tunes we like, the preacher who says what
we want to hear, the people who we feel are our sort? Is Jesus really just
there for our entertainment?
But the central person, as ever in
the Gospel story, is Jesus.
What do you make of us, Lord Jesus?
As you
stand there quietly, head bowed, we desperately try to fill the silence with
our volume of empty words: "Don't threaten my way of life! Don't challenge
me! Don't embarrass me in front of my friends! Don't ask me to take up my
cross! Don't bore me! Gave me a safe, comfortable easy life…"
And I
wonder as our words come rattling out before you, who is judging who? Our words
tumble fruitless into the vast serenity of your silence. They seem so petty
before your nobility, your compassion, your patient suffering, your amazing
gift of love.
What do you make of us, Lord Jesus?
2 comments:
Thanks for this, food for thought. Sorry I was away for the Easter services - I went to catholic mass yesterday - that was an experience!
Thanks for this, food for thought. Sorry I was away for the Easter services - I went to catholic mass yesterday - that was an experience!
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