Thursday, March 30, 2006
From AscensionNYC
Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent
Psalm 73
Exodus 1:6-22
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Mark 8:27 - 9:1
"Everything is connected through Christ." I kept coming back to this thought as I read today's lessons, especially the Gospel and the Epistle. In the Gospel, Jesus clearly foretells his death and resurrection to the disciples on the way to Caesarea Philippi, teaching them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be killed and after three days rise again. Six days after this, Jesus will indeed be transfigured and shine in glory before Peter, James and John, and they will hear God proclaim Jesus as his Son, the Beloved, in a story we hear each year on the last Sunday after the Epiphany. We must take up our cross to follow Christ, but Jesus tells us that there are some who are standing with him who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come.
I wondered what Jesus meant by this, then I thought about the reading from Corinthians. I love the image of many members that form one body as a metaphor for the church as a whole, and our congregation at Ascension in particular. I think we see the kingdom of God in each other as we gather from week to week to celebrate the Eucharist, and as we care for each other and suffer together and rejoice together, as St. Paul so beautifully tells us. We are connected to each other through Christ, and we can see the kingdom of God every time we come together.
As I was thinking about the Gospel, the hymn tune to "Take up Your Cross" was going through my mind (No. 675 in the 1982 Hymnal). I looked up the last verse, which I particularly like:
"Take up your cross, and follow Christ, nor think till death to lay it down; for only those who bear the cross may hope to wear the glorious crown."
Take a look at the beautiful image of the cross and the crown together in one of the stained glass windows in the entry to the church next time you go in the Fifth Avenue doors, and get ready to experience the kingdom of God!
Exodus 1:6-22
1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Mark 8:27 - 9:1
"Everything is connected through Christ." I kept coming back to this thought as I read today's lessons, especially the Gospel and the Epistle. In the Gospel, Jesus clearly foretells his death and resurrection to the disciples on the way to Caesarea Philippi, teaching them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be killed and after three days rise again. Six days after this, Jesus will indeed be transfigured and shine in glory before Peter, James and John, and they will hear God proclaim Jesus as his Son, the Beloved, in a story we hear each year on the last Sunday after the Epiphany. We must take up our cross to follow Christ, but Jesus tells us that there are some who are standing with him who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come.
I wondered what Jesus meant by this, then I thought about the reading from Corinthians. I love the image of many members that form one body as a metaphor for the church as a whole, and our congregation at Ascension in particular. I think we see the kingdom of God in each other as we gather from week to week to celebrate the Eucharist, and as we care for each other and suffer together and rejoice together, as St. Paul so beautifully tells us. We are connected to each other through Christ, and we can see the kingdom of God every time we come together.
As I was thinking about the Gospel, the hymn tune to "Take up Your Cross" was going through my mind (No. 675 in the 1982 Hymnal). I looked up the last verse, which I particularly like:
"Take up your cross, and follow Christ, nor think till death to lay it down; for only those who bear the cross may hope to wear the glorious crown."
Take a look at the beautiful image of the cross and the crown together in one of the stained glass windows in the entry to the church next time you go in the Fifth Avenue doors, and get ready to experience the kingdom of God!
John Grimes
