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Title: Renewal that is… a CELEBRATION, CALAMITY, CERTAINTY
[_00-a_] My brother was recently waiting – somewhat anxiously, with uncertainty – for the renewal of his U.S. Passport because he was supposed to travel to Ireland and Europe.
And, the passport renewal was delayed
and made it his home less than a week before his actual departure.
Fortunately, he obtained his passport
in time, but there was no guarantee.
Along the way, he kept comparing notes
with me, because I had renewed my passport recently and he was trying to
calculate if he would get his in time, based on my experience and timeline
I don’t know why his took so long.
Renewing something – a driver’s license, a financial account, a passport – can
be complicated and subject to delays and to individual experience and bumps in
the road.
So, with only four days to go before
his departure, a package arrived at his home on Monday. Then, he was able to
leave the following Friday. That was the good news, for him.
[_00-b_] Renewal is the Good News of the Gospel. Renewal is the essence of our forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
I’d like to touch on this RENEWAL, as
one that we read about that is …
At 1st – CELEBRATED
Then (apparently) a
CALAMITY
Finally – a CERTAINTY
Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem is
celebrated; he is treated as a celebrity.
Now, when we hear the word celebrity, we may immediately think of a spoiled brat who has way too much time on his or her hands, and always gets into trouble. That's one way to look at a celebrity. But more generally, a celebrity is somebody who is celebrated, and possibly somebody set apart, perhaps for specially treated, sometimes for good reasons.
Celebrities are known to get special
treatment wherever they go, including special tables.
While Jesus does not come to Jerusalem
for the fame and fortune and riches, he does come for a special table, really
the altar and so that he might celebrate the Passover – at table with his
disciples.
He goes in private to share that he
will lay down his life for his disciples, and for you and me.
He also reminding us that whatever
possessions we have or wealth, the greatest gift we can give is that of
ourselves to others.
Also, he reminds us that what God
really wants us to give ourselves away in ways that do NOT attract attention. “Do
not let your left hand know what right is doing.” (Matthew, Chapter 6)
While Jesus arrives as “celebrity”, he
gives an example of sacrifice to follow that we can all follow.
[_00-c_] Renewal
is the Good News of the Gospel and this renewal – which is at first celebrated
– seems to be a CALAMITY, a DISASTER.
Soon after the celebration, Jesus is
arrested thrown in jail.
And it's no surprise that this fire Pharisees
and scribes had been waiting for some time to trap Jesus, they have a plan.
Jesus the celebrity becomes now Jesus, the
criminal or conspirator, and they're going to take Jesus down. What takes Jesus
down? It's not just because the Pharisees and scribes get together and plot his
downfall.
It's not because Judas Iscariot betrays him
or Peter denies him 3x. What takes Jesus
down is that Jesus willingly takes the fall for you and me in being punished
for our sinfulness.
His calamity, is our currency that his
calamity is profitable for you and me, his loss is our gain. Jesus's loss is
our profit.
Sometimes in a calamity, good things can
happen.
In Ukraine right now, there are devastating
calamities, disastrous outcomes, injuries and deaths of many people, but are
they're not also new, renewed examples of courage and bravery and charity,
which will be remembered long after the war. Have you ever had to face down an
adversary to yourself or to your family? Have you ever had to stand up to a
bully? This can be a calamity. Have you ever had to fight fair when someone
else was fighting? unfairly or unjustly?
All of these are examples of sharing in the
cross of Jesus, it's not easy to pick up our cross a new each day is sometimes
feels like a calamity or disaster.
St. Paul expressed in the 2nd
reading last Sunday, that he regards all his possessions as “loss” because of
what he gains by surrendering them to God.
On a human level, I suggest we already do
this with some intention. That is, parents give up conveniences so that they
can see their children prosper.
And, doctors and nurses and medical
professionals and firefighters and police officers and paramedics of all kind
will place themselves in harm’s way for the good of a patient.
And there, there are moments in a disaster when we just have to pray, Lord, help me to see you so that I can see you along the way of the cross. So first, there's Jesus the celebrity then there's Jesus, the calamity.
[_00-d_] Jesus
comes to renew us in the Gospel with a certainty, a certainty that if we unite
our sufferings to his, we can gain something greater.
St. Paul wrote in 1st
Corinthians that the cross and suffering appear to be foolish to those who are
not being saved, but those who are being saved, there is wisdom in suffering.
This does not mean that God wishes to
inflict punishment on you or on me…or that we should go out seek to be punished
or beat ourselves up due to our own perception of our faults.
There is also not a lot of use in
comparing the timeline for “salvation” for someone else to yourself. My brother
was trying to figure out whether he would get his passport, based on when I got
mine. You cannot figure out governmental efficiency that way…you also cannot
figure out God that way.
Rather, the certainty is that Jesus
has died for your sins ..which are different than my sins… and wishes to raise
you up with him. You and I hope to reach
the same destination – heaven – but there will be different path, different
struggles for everyone in this church and beyond….
Jesus is not simply a celebrity with an
endorsement and a “following”… and his death was not a disaster or calamity.
His death and resurrection are a certainty that we have an identity even longer lasting than a passport and a home with him beyond this life where there is more suffering and dying. [_fin_]
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