Watercolour by Jonathan Cressman
Overview
The depth we seek in our spiritual lives stems from our faith in who we believe God to be, and how we believe we are seen in God’s eyes. This has been the work of this series, to invite us deeper in our faith journey, deeper than our circumstances, deeper than our lived and learned experience. Into the place of mystery and faith, of trust, and wonder.
This morning we are again called into depth, deep into the Feast of God. We are invited through resurrection to examine more deeply the richness available to us in the gifts of God.
Scripture
Isaiah 25:6-9
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines,
of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on this mountain
the shroud that is cast over all peoples,
the sheet that is spread over all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.John 20:11-18
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Many: Deep calls to deep. We give thanks from the depths of our hearts!
One: Once weeping, now proclaiming: “I have seen the Lord!”
Many: Once famished, now feasting: “This is the God for whom we have waited!”
One: Once divided, now convicted: “Jesus Christ is Lord of all!”
Many: We shall not die but we shall live and keep telling the deeds of the Lord.
One: Deep calls to deep. You call to us from the depth of your love, O God. You have come to us in Jesus Christ.
Many: We answer your call to deep living!
Reflection Questions
1. What kind of “gift of the feast” will be saving good news to you this morning?
2. What have you felt called to throughout this Lenten season?
3. How has this years journey through lent been unique for you? What, if any, surpising gift has there been in the differentness of this year's Easter celebration?