Reading the Gospels for Lent

 

Read ~ John 1 ~ And the Word became flesh and lived among us ~ John 1:14

During the season of Lent, I invite you on an adventure through the Gospels.  Some of you just thought, “Hmm, sounds intriguing, tell me more.”  Some of you just thought, “Boy, would you look at the time, I really need to go…somewhere!”  Wait.  My prayer is for this invitation to be expansive and elastic to embrace everyone.  For some, you will find meaning in opening your Bible, reading the assigned passage, and then my reflection.  For others, reading my reflection will be enough.  For still others, you may want to read one of the gospels slowly and prayerfully.  Finally, I realize some who read these morning meditations are already reading the Bible in a year.  For my brothers and sisters doing this, please don’t feel like you need to read more.  You can file these reflections away for when we get to the gospels in the coming months.  There are as many ways to read the gospels as there are people reading this meditation right now.  There is no “right” way or “correct” answer. 

 

At this point, maybe you have found your Bible on the shelf, opened it up to the Gospel of John and are thinking, why are we starting in John?  Matthew comes first out of the four, shouldn’t we start at the beginning of the New Testament?  Great question!  The reason is that I find John 1 to be one of the most powerful and profound poems of faith written.  John borrows the words of Genesis 1 where in the beginning God surfed the surging chaos calming singing to all that chaotic sloshing stew of inkiness until the chaos collaborates with God in bringing forth creation.  John says, not only did God do that, but the Word (Jesus, God’s love in the flesh) was right there riding the waves with the wind in Christ’s face too.  This love song was not a solo of God, but a duet that soon chaos itself formed a choir to join in the holy hymn that we still hear when we are out in creation.  Go outside today and listen.  Leave your phone inside and go for a walk around your neighborhood or sit on your lanai.  What are five things you see, four things you hear, three things you feel on your skin, two things you can smell, and one thing you taste? 

Where do you need God to surf into the chaos of your life today with a holy presence?

 

John says that the holy lives among us, moves into our neighborhood – right next door to you.  God, as we learned in Exodus, camps with us amid our lives.  God takes on flesh and breath and bone ~ the full human experience infused with the divine ~ to show us life.  This is the gospel or good news.  One quick historical/Bible nerd fact ~ the Gospel writers are being very political to use the word “Gospel” here.  Caesar ~ as in leader of the Roman Empire ~ had a gospel.  When he conquered your land, one of his minions came and read a pronouncement that was supposed to be “good news”.  It went something like, “Hear ye, hear ye.  Congratulations, you are conquered by Rome.  You’ve won the right to pay taxes, worship Caesar as a god, and as long as you don’t color outside the lines there is peace (called the Pax Roma).  But, if you decide to question our authority, well, we have a whole army to squish you like a bug.  Long live Caesar!”  Eek! 

 

The gospel of John says that Caesar’s gospel doesn’t bring life (I dare say there are many gospels around us – politically and socially and religiously – that still sound more Roman than like Jesus).  John preaches and proclaims that Jesus is the light of the world, Son of God, Prince of Peace who brings good news that sets us free.  That is what we are doing in Lent.  We are dwelling in the Word…so the Word (or good news) can dwell in us.  We are letting Jesus have the first, middle, and last word on the way to Easter Sunday.  When we read the gospels, like the disciples in John 1:39, we wonder, “Where is Christ abiding or residing right now?”  We curiously follow Jesus to see what we see.  This is the invitation to engage and encounter the Word that show us a way to life so that we may live the Easter truth every day of life this year.  What are you looking for, Jesus asked in John 1:38.  Hold that question today, what are you looking for/yearning or striving or praying for this Lent?  Even if you do not know an exact answer right now, this Lent we join the disciples in each gospel following the One who is God’s collaborator in creativity still to this day.  I pray this reading of the Gospels will awaken you to the good news amid the other gospels circulating today.   Amen.