Go on your way
‘Neither do I condemn you. Go on your way and from now on, do not sin again.’
Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent, a word derived from the Latin meaning ‘spring’. The churchyard in my home village is a carpet of snowdrops, and daffodils are shooting up everywhere along the hedgerows and verges; the sticky buds on the tips of the horse chestnut trees are fat with the potential of fresh green leaves and sweetly scented blossom. The days are now noticeably longer - signs of light, new life and opportunity are emerging out of the grey dark damp days of winter.
In the life of the church, Lent reminds us of Jesus retreat into the wilderness for forty days immediately after his baptism and before the start of his public ministry. It was a time when he faced the demons of temptation - to find instant gratification and be spectacular and powerful. Strengthened and empowered through his deep and prayerful relationship with God whom he called ‘Father’, Jesus offered us a new vision in a life marked by trust in God, compassion, integrity and social justice. Then as now, these are the qualities that make for reconciliation and peace, qualities that can transform the lives of individuals, communities and ultimately the world. By virtue of our own baptism, we too are called to share in that work of transformation.
The prophet Isaiah challenges the people of Israel to look at themselves and think about what they are doing – they may well fast, but what good is that when they oppress their workers and continue to fight and quarrel. Faith in God revealed in our religious observance is worthless unless it is reflects both in personal relationships and communities the love, compassion and justice which is of God.
The Sunday before last, I was coming out of the hospital chapel heading for the wards when I literally walked in to Rita, a lady who has worked for many years in our catering department. She had just been delivering breakfasts to the ward next to the Chapel. Rita asked what time our service started, hoping that she might be able to attend, but it fell right in the middle of lunch preparation for the patients making it impossible for her to do so. She then went on to tell me how she was struggling at the moment. In recent years, her faith had become increasingly important to her resulting in her confirmation about five years ago. Last year, Rita retired from fulltime employment, but for a variety of reasons, found it necessary to return to work, albeit on a part-time basis. She was offered weekend work and gladly accepted it. However, some in the church community where Rita worshiped criticised her for working on a Sunday telling her it was wrong for a Christian to do so – no matter that there was a hospital full of patients and staff who cared for them, all who needed to be fed. Rita is feeling a sense of alienation that is painful and is a challenge to her faith.
Reflecting on that very beautiful and moving passage from St. John over the past few days, Rita kept popping into my mind. The writer draws us into the scene – it is early in the morning, probably very peaceful. Jesus is sitting in the temple, teaching the people who surround him. The peace is broken as the scribes and Pharisees suddenly burst in bringing with them a woman caught in adultery. This frightened woman is made to stand in the midst of her powerful accusers who are threatening to have her stoned. The scene is all the more frightening because she is being used – expendable for political and religious ends – they are interested in her well being, but are using her to trap Jesus into saying something that they can then use as political or religious dynamite. But there is a stillness in the centre – Jesus remains seated, bends over and begins to write in the dust – perhaps words or symbols of significance, perhaps he was just doodling, perhaps playing for time – we don’t really know. The woman’s life hung in the balance. In the face of anger and terror, how people respond is crucial. The accusers continued to provoke the stillness in the centre – they kept on and on with their questions. And then Jesus speaks – ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone’. The community of faith needs first to look at itself. He returns to his writing and stillness returns to the centre. Hoist with their own petard they gradually leave, first the elders who by tradition, would have thrown the first stone, followed by the others. In the stillness of the early morning, the woman and Jesus are alone. He doesn’t rise above her, but remains seated, looks up at her and asks ‘Where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one sir.’ ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way and from now on do not sin again.’ Power is revealed in stillness and compassion, gentleness and love. The community of faith experienced by Rita, on the other hand, is one of self-righteous indignation.
This season of Lent provides us with opportunities for new growth should we choose to grasp them; week by week we are invited to take time and reflect on what it means to be a community of faith gathered together; opportunities to reflect on our prayer; opportunities to identify and acknowledge the gifts that we have and can bring to the service of God; time to reflect on how we might live out our faith in service of the wider community in which we live and work. As spring is a time full of potential, of new and exciting possibilities, so may this season of Lent enable the transforming power of God’s love to be revealed in and through our lives individually and in community.
In concluding his book, Infinitely beloved, Brian Thorne poses a challenge to the church (and that means me, it means Dominic and all of us who are baptised). “For too long”, he says, “it has obscured the face of God through its power-mongering and guilt-inducing doctrines and practices……To the church in whose arms I have been held and by whose sacraments I have been nourished since childhood, I say:
· Reveal to humankind the God whose nature is infinite love.
· Lead us to the holy city within so that we may find Jesus enthroned in our own hearts
· Proclaim to men and women that they are infinitely beloved and show them that they have the capacity to love as God loves.
· Cease any effort to occupy the moral high ground for there lies the terrain of the hypocrites and the accusers.
· Honour the mystics and make known their passionate intensity so that praying becomes a love affair.
· Cherish those of other faiths and join with them in the search for that which gives life in abundance.
· Celebrate the gift of sexuality and let it permeate the offering of unconditional love in all its forms.
· Employ the consummate creativity of which human beings are capable so that through every form of art and liturgical beauty we may find ourselves repeatedly at the very gate of Heaven.
· Become a school of love where laughter is heard and intelligence is honoured.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
for the whole creation proclaims your marvellous work
and you have fashioned each one of us
in your own image.
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts,
that seeing each other with enlightened eyes
and knowing our proper value in your sight,
we may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect forgiveness and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Lesley McCormack, Ash Wednesday, 2008
