It began in God (Easter 2020)

This can be listened to here

It began in God

Who is love

It began when the Eternal Word

Came among us

As one of us

To remind us that we are made

In the image of love

To be honest who knows when it began

That part of the story is very hazy

And no-one thought it important enough to

even report on it.

It began with a carpenter’s son

Walking and teaching in the footsteps

of John the Baptizer

Preaching and healing in Galilee

One man

Alone

But soon people noticed

crowds gathered

disciples were called

It gathered pace

Became a movement of sorts

It began with a report

A new flu in Wuhan

One death

Alone

And then there were more.

We heard of a man

A doctor chastened for raising a flag

We heard of his death

and the news took notice

we took notice of events

in faraway China

as the number of deaths rose

and the lock-down began

Those were heady days.

He embodied God’s love

for all who crossed his path

even Samaritans.

He lived the kingdom of God

here on earth

in the here and now.

People touched by compassion,

God’s generosity there for all.

God’s promises lived out.

God’s covenant to Israel fulfilled.

We touched

earth renewed

and hoped.

Those were strange days

Life carried on

Plans were made

Overseas travel was booked

Events were organised

At first with only the smallest of doubts

But each night brought

more news of death

And then

The red dots appeared outside

First ones and twos

Flown there

Taking hold

And still life carried on.

The shadow was upon us before

we knew what was happening

One day in the sunlight of being palmed

Down into the Kidron.

Maybe now the great exile would end.

Maybe now the glory of God

lost to Babylon

would be returned.

Maybe now the peace of God would be restored.

Into the chill of Jerusalem

We rode.

No cheering here.

Just cold indifference.

Our small group

passed through the gate

under Rome’s careful eye.

Surrounded with bemusement

we trekked up into

deadly fear and loathing

as the temple

loomed on our path.

That shadow never left.

The threat grew darker.

The sun dimmed

until on Friday

he was stripped of his humanity.

The powers nailed him to that cross.

The gods of war and wealth,

the idols of power and fame,

the spirits that destroyed communities,

devastating lives

using God as their justification

crucified the one who named

their shame and selfishness.

They wrapped him tight in their hate

crushing him

and all our hopes.

As the darkness drowned us

they danced their eternal victory

those false gods.

We watched and prayed in silence

while Jesus breathed his last.

God defeated!

We were caught in the unknowing

Of what will come

and how to be.

It seemed the end.

The shadow was upon before

we knew what was happening.

As cases and deaths exploded

In Europe

First Italy

Then Spain and beyond

It was only a matter of time

Flights were cancelled

Borders closed

Plans in doubt

Then on hold

Only to be cancelled.

Fear grew as the dots came closer

Journalists and others called for more

While others called for less

Self-isolation required on arrival

Although not all took that so seriously

Large gatherings were stopped

Social distancing become a thing

And in a week

We had gone from what might be

To full lockdown

Church apart

Watching from our homes

As the world seemed to come to a stop

And the economic meltdown began

We are watching and praying

Caught in the unknowing

Of what will come and how to be.

It seems the end

We huddled

Numb

Exhausted

Stuck

Filled with grief

Filled with guilt

Disbelieving

Desperate

Overwhelmed by darkness,

and death

We waited

Powerless

Angry

Afraid

Hopeless

Helpless

Unsure

Uncertain

Where is God in all this?

Why has God forsaken us?

Wanting to bury the crucified one

We disciples,

Men and women

Wait

Are waiting

The night never seems to end

We are numb

Exhausted

Huddled in our fear

Stuck in our homes

Sometimes filled with grief

Sometimes with guilt

Disbelieving

Desperate

Overwhelmed by darkness, 
and death
We too feel powerless

afraid

angry

Hopeless

Helpless

Unsure

Uncertain

Where is God in all of this?

Why has God forsaken us?

We wait

Are waiting

The night never seems to end.

Some women

Walk in the dark

To say goodbye

To bury their dead

One final hopeless act….

In the gloom

The stone has gone

He has gone!!!

Who has done this?

Even this last act of despair

Of love
Even this denied!

Who to turn to?

Who to help?

Who to turn to?

In the darkness

When the dawn never seems to come

Who are our “they’s?”

Who is to blame?

What are our stones in the gloom?

That deny our acts of love?

And who will help us?

They come

Peter the leader

and the beloved

each see the neat tomb

one believes

and neither understand

They see

They hope the impossible

And leave

Still helpless

Still unsure

Still uncertain

Where is God in all this?

And who will help?

But Mary waits

Patiently

Alone

Silently weeping

At all that is lost

Dawn breaks quietly

No blinding light

No fanfare

Just a gardener

“Woman

why do you weep?

Who are you looking for?”

“Sir

if you have taken him away

tell me

tell me where you have laid him

and I will care for him?”

Such gentle love

Such despair

Blinds her

to Jesus

who simply says her name

Quietly in the dawn

a single word

“Mary”

changes her world

And in that moment

She is drawn into God’s love

The love of our Father and Mother

Source of all Being

In whom is heaven

“Mary”

She is anchored by love

As she is held

She knows that

the covenant is renewed

The promise upheld

Creation is rekindled

Humanity restored

Her darkness is shredded

the dawn warms her from the inside out

alive

freed

Filled with joy

She trusts and believes

Overwhelmed by light, love and life

She goes

Boldly

To tell the men

To tell the world

She has seen the Lord

At peace

courageous

Hopeful

Sure and certain

God has said her name.

God has not forsaken her.

God has not forsaken us!

The crucified one does not need to be buried

The waiting is over

The night has ended

But here we are still in lockdown

The night has not ended

The waiting is not over for us

The uncertainty holds

As we struggle in our bubbles

Who do we look for?

What do we look for?

What do we hope for?

And yet this day

Christ has said our name

Christ is risen in our world

The promise holds

We are not forsaken

Our darkness is shredded

And in its place

Is joy

Hope

Peace

Love

Quietly in the dawn

a single word

has changed our world

We are freed

What does that mean for us this year?

What changes for us in this moment?

Let us give thanks

To the God

Met in the resurrected Jesus

Who says our name

And invites us to live

not in dark and sin and death

But overwhelmed in God’s light, love and life

For everything begins today.

We have seen the Lord

Hope is reborn

Compassion renewed

Justice announced

Love reigns.

With this empty tomb

the revolution begins.

God is not defeated

Even in lock-down.