Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Both readings today speak of God’s desire to gather into one all that has been torn apart. This unification comes after suffering, sin and a rejection of God. The prophets of the Old Testament speak of this promise, and Jesus becomes the person whose life, death and resurrection fulfill the covenant that God has offered. As followers of Jesus, we are called to imitate Jesus by our lives of sacrifice and love so all may be one.
In today’s first reading, Ezekiel proclaims the good news of God to the children of Israel. God wants to “gather them from all sides.” God promises them, “I will be their God and they shall be my people.” God will cleanse them of their sins, and make with them a “covenant of peace.” This commitment is everlasting, and God will be with them always. I can only imagine the joy and hope that these words brought to the Israelites after many years of division, war and desolation.
The gospel reading from John recounts the story of the chief priests and the Pharisees and their growing anxiety related to Jesus and His many signs. They were concerned that Jesus’ increasing popularity may cause the Roman authority to come and take away both their land and their nation. Caiaphas remarks that it is “better that one man should die instead of the people.” John comments that Caiaphas prophesied as the high priest that Jesus not only would die for the nation but “to gather into one the dispersed children of God.” Jesus’ life, death and resurrection proclaims the great love of God for all people. The ability for Jesus to accept his passion and death reveals God’s great love for us. Jesus points us toward “a primal solidarity with the very suffering of God and thus all of creation.” (Fr. Richard Rohr) Jesus shows us that “salvation is more about at-one-ment from God’s side” (Fr.Richard Rohr), or God’s desire to gather all together into one. Jesus accepts His passion and death to show God’s children that God is with us in our suffering and God’s love for us is immeasurable. We are not to fear God, but to seek union with God because of God’s love for us. The resurrection of Jesus proves that God’s love conquers all evil- even death. Through submission and trust in God’s love, the pain and suffering of Jesus is transformed into new life in the risen Christ.
As disciples, we are called to follow Jesus. What does this mean for a person living in 2021? Division, sin and evil continue to pervade our nation and our world. Yet, Jesus calls us to “gather into one” those around us. I need to look to Jesus to recognize how I am called to live out my discipleship. Jesus’ life flows from love and humility. Jesus purposefully seeks those who are on the margins and cast aside. Jesus learns this language of inclusion from God who even in the Old Testament speaks of the necessity for the Israelites to welcome the orphan, widow and the foreigner. Throughout God’s continual revelation there is a theme of love, mercy, and drawing all together. I believe that this is how we are called to follow. Choosing to include those that are different, excluded, or on the margins requires humility. We need to recognize that we are all created in God’s likeness and image. In some ways, we will be called to “die to ourselves” when we choose to work towards community and understanding instead of remaining caught in our views of judgment and prejudice. This will not be easy, but we are not alone. God is with us, and Jesus shows us the way. Just as Jesus’ shows us the power of love in His passion and death, we too can bring healing and transformation to our world as we participate in the building of God’s kingdom.
This past year in the midst of a pandemic we have been driven into places of isolation, which has contributed further to division and hate. As the pandemic slowly begins to lessen, could this be a time that God is calling us to return with a renewed commitment to love and communion with one another? May we turn to Jesus and follow Him as God beckons to gather all of us together as one.
Loving God, Jesus shows the immensity of Your love and desire for all to be One in You. Send down Your Spirit, so we can return to lives filled with compassion, love and mercy as we reconnect with our brothers and sisters. May our lives of love and service bring the world a step closer to being One in You. We pray this in Christ’s name. AMEN.
Marylynn Herchline