2 Lent/Year B – February 25, 2024
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:22-30; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38
Opening Prayer: (written by Bishop Telmor Sartison)
God of compassion, the way of the cross is as much a mystery to us as it was to the immediate followers of Jesus. But we have heard how your grace is exercised in the journey of suffering and rejection experienced by Jesus. Help us to hear with ears inspired, to see with eyes opened to your ways, and to respond with lives committed to your service. Amen.
On this 2nd Sunday in Lent…I’m wondering if anything particular jumped out at you from any of the readings, as you were listening to them today?
Were there any words or images that were familiar and comforting to you?
Were there any words or images that are challenging you?
Were there any words or images that you just can’t get out of your mind?
I think this week’s lessons give us a little bit of everything…as do most of the readings you will be listening to throughout the season of Lent…
There were familiar and comforting and hopeful words in the Genesis reading in God’s covenant with Abraham…yet at the same time, those very words could be seen as challenging…almost impossible sounding to Abraham and us…and an image that I can’t get out of my mind from this reading…is how stunned Abraham must have been in hearing God proclaim his plans for his covenant with him…
In the reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans…the familiar and comforting words for me are the ones reflecting back to story of God’s covenant with Abraham…and his steadfast faith…and what Abraham’s steadfast faith has to teach us now…The challenge for me in reading this passage was to slow down to be able to grasp everything being said…the reading is a very “wordy” one, with long sentences…it felt like one very long sentence that kept going around and around…yet without a doubt, the image that I can’t get out of my mind…all centers on these three words… Hoping against hope…
The reading from Mark…surely is a familiar one to most of us and a challenging one, from start to finish…… beginning with Jesus teaching his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again…the interactions between Jesus and Peter felt intense and harsh…Jesus’ words to the crowds and disciples were one challenging teaching after teaching…Telling them that if any want to become one of his followers, that they need to deny themselves and take up their cross, and follow him, telling them that those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it….Telling them that those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Certainly, I think today’s gospel reading gives us several images and words that we probably can’t get out of our mind today…
But here’s the real challenge for us today…what are the comforting words or images that jumped out at you today in the hearing of today’s gospel?
Maybe nothing jumped out at you at first…I know that my practice is to read it more than once…and often, and in different translations…so just reading it once, and as a stand alone reading…can make it difficult to discern the good news embedded in today’s gospel…
So, here’s a few thoughts to ponder on finding comfort in today’s gospel reading…
As difficult as Jesus’ words were about his impending suffering and death…the teaching didn’t end there…it ended with the good news about his resurrection three days later…He was open and honest and truthful about what they should expect in the coming days…he was preparing them and giving them a glimpse of what was to come…
Peter didn’t want to hear this…he stopped listening when he heard the difficult words about Jesus’ suffering and death…he missed the good news about Jesus rising again in three days…and the hope that they could hold onto…
Jesus then tries to re-direct Peter’s focus on his good news message instead of getting pulled astray by the worldly temptations and limitations of our minds and the influence of evil one in the world…He tells Peter… you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.
He’s telling Peter…focus on the divine things…focus on God, focus on me…listen to what I am saying to you…trust me… “follow me”
Jesus tells the disciples if any want to become his followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross…but he doesn’t end there…he says follow me… I have more good news to teach you and show you…follow me…
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?
Jesus wants us to have an abundant life…not to forfeit our life…God desires an abundant life for every one of us...that is good news!
And Jesus’ invitation to follow him is a way of life, walking in love with God and one another, that can lead us to an abundant, joyful, hope-filled life..
I’d like to close this morning with a reflection that I shared with the vestry this past week…written by the Rev Scott Gunn… he invites us to consider some other good news found in today’s difficult gospel reading…
(“Dear friends in Christ, (Today’s) Gospel brings a challenging message from Jesus. Among other things, Jesus says, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?”
Wow. That’s rough. But it makes total sense. If all I worry about is protecting myself, I end up closing myself off from opportunities for God’s grace to work in my life and, through me, in the world. It makes everything about me. But if I can make everything about God’s grace and mercy, I begin to live a life that is steeped in gratitude and overflowing with love.
Jesus says we have to choose whether riches are more important to us than living an abundant, joyful life. If I spend my life chasing earthly things, I will almost certainly miss out on knowing heavenly things. Focusing on stuff leads me to lose my soul for the sake of… not much, really.
But when we make God’s grace and mercy the core of our being, we discover gratitude beyond our imagining. And we cannot help but spill over with mercy and grace for the world around us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly astounding.
This season of Lent offers us the gift of a time to focus on what’s important. Perhaps we first need a reminder, so we notice what’s important! And then we can try to live the life to which Jesus calls us—rooted in gratitude, grace, and mercy.)
As we begin the 2nd week of Lent…I invite you to read through today’s scripture readings again… And reflect on…
Any words or images that were familiar and comforting to you?
Any words or images that are challenging you?
Any words or images that you just can’t get out of your mind?
And with steadfast faith and hoping against hope…take up your cross and follow Jesus…in a way of love that can lead us to an abundant, joyful, hope-filled life for all of God’s people…
Prayer/Hymn: Where He Leads Me/ Lift Every Voice and Sing II, #144
1 I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow me.”
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.
2 I’ll go with Him through the garden,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. Refrain
3 I’ll go with Him through the judgement,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way. Refrain
4 He will give me grace and glory,
And go with me, with me all the way. Refrain
Rev Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, Alaska