A Grain of Wheat (partial reblog)

I posted this monologue based on John 12: 20-28 earlier in the year as part of our Holy Week reflections, but I'm posting it again as we head into Harvest Season - we'll be using it this morning as we meet for communion in the light of some difficult news I have to share with the congregation - more on that in due course...

I’ve followed him from the day when John the Baptizer pointed him out to us… Following him has never been straightforward… But things recently have just been plain confusing… When we entered into Jerusalem it seemed as if everything was coming together… Some said it seemed as if the whole world was at his feet… though that was probably stretching it a bit… But then some Greek speaking Jews asked to meet with him and we realized that this was now bigger than we had ever imagined…
But he didn’t seem to see it that way… yes he seemed to think it was important… But he started to talk sowing seeds and reaping more… I suppose with it being the harvest season it brought it to mind… and it brought me back to my childhood days… sowing seed and following the plough… but it then became clear that he was talking about death and dying… and how we who were following him should be ready to die if we are expecting any eternal rewards…
When I started following him it was because I thought that he was the one who would make all things right… Take away the sin of the world, as John had said…
Now? I’m not so sure. How could his death, or ours make a difference? What good could grow from such a seed?

Selah

Comments

A Woman of no Distinction

Don't often post other people's stuff here... But I found this so powerful that I thought I should. It's a performance poem based on John 4: 4-30, and I have attached the original YouTube video below. A word for women, and men, everywhere... "to be known is to be loved, and to be loved is to be known." I am a woman of no distinction of little importance. I am a women of no reputation save that which is bad. You whisper as I pass by and cast judgmental glances, Though you don’t really take the time to look at me, Or even get to know me. For to be known is to be loved, And to be loved is to be known. Otherwise what’s the point in doing either one of them in the first place? I WANT TO BE KNOWN. I want someone to look at my face And not just see two eyes, a nose, a mouth and two ears; But to see all that I am, and could be all my hopes, loves and fears. But that’s too much to hope for, to wish for, or pray for So I don’t, not anymore. Now I keep to myself And by that

Psalm for Harvest Sunday

A short responsive psalm for us as a call to worship on Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday, and given that it was pouring with rain as I headed into church this morning the first line is an important remembrance that the rain we moan about is an important component of the fruitfulness of the land we live in: You tend the land and water it And the earth produces its abundance. You crown each year with your bounty, and our storehouses overflow with your goodness. The mountain meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are filled with corn; Your people celebrate your boundless grace They shout for joy and sing. from Psalm 65

Anointed

There has been a lot of chatter on social media among some of my colleagues and others about the liturgical and socio-political niceties of Saturday's coronation and attendant festivities, especially the shielding of the anointing with the pictured spoon - the oldest and perhaps strangest of the coronation artefacts. Personally I thought that was at least an improvement on the cloth of gold canopy used in the previous coronation, but (pointless) debates are raging as to whether this is an ancient practice or was simply introduced in the previous service to shield the Queen from the TV cameras, not for purposes of sacredness, but understandable coyness, if she actually had to bare her breast bone in puritan 1950s Britain. But as any church leader knows, anything performed twice in a church becomes a tradition. All this goes to show that I did actually watch it, while doing other things - the whole shooting match from the pre-service concert with yer wumman in that lemon-

Virtual Methodist

Search This Blog