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5th Sunday in Lent

Returning, journeying into God’s purpose with the help of God’s ever-present faithfulness and provision forms our lessons for this fifth week in Lent. The lessons combine to provide us with rich images of God and our homeward journey. Included in the returning motif are the themes of reconciliation and restoration.

ISAIAH 43:16-21-RESTORATION AND RECONCILIATION

The brief chastisements which precede our lesson (42:28-25) abruptly give place to the hope-inspired themes that 2nd Isaiah is noted for-restoration and reconciliation. God personally promises to be present with Israel through all of their suffering. God is their Creator and thus, is the one who originally shaped them into a nation and who marks them with identity. God will again restore them again to be the people of God. Most readers familiar with the Hebrew narrative will no doubt recall the story of the Exodus when the water obeys the staff of Moses so that Israel is able to pass through walls of water safely while destroying their pursuers. Such an image is now used to infuse an exiled people with renewed hope for a better future.

PSALM 126-RETURNING HOME

Though Psalm 126 is far from a return-from-battle psalm, the image of returning exiles recall for me a scene right out of the film, Rob Roy when the unimaginable happens: a clan leader returns having survived a duel against an evil and more skillful foe. As he comes over the hill, his wife is as one who dreams, yet the dream soon turns to laugher and shouts of joy as she realizes that he has returned. This is a communal psalm of thanksgiving (vv. 1-3) shifts to petition for help (vv. 4-5) and finally ends in a promise of blessing (v. 6).

PHILIPPIANS 3:4b-14-STATUS AND STATURE

We stop at Philippians 3 relatively often in view of the brevity of this Pauline epistle. Here Paul enumerates his credentials and qualifications for high status among his religious peers. Yet this posturing is turned on its head as Paul compares the incomparable with his former prized status. Next to the calling of God in Christ, Paul’s status rises to the stature of cow mature. We still must strive, Paul teaches, but what now drives our energies and passion has been completely changed from personal status and righteousness to "the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of god in Christ Jesus" (v. 14).

JOHN 12:1-8-MARY ANOINTS JESUS

The Lazarus story (chapter 11) provides the narrative context for this lesson. Jesus is anointed by a woman in all four Gospels. In Mark, Matthew, and John, as here in Luke’s telling, the anointing of Jesus is associated with his impending death. In view of the recent release of Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ, this piece is especially poignant with foreboding and drama mixed with devotion and love.