“And Yet.” 
 
Scripture:
There came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. - Matthew 27:57-60
Holy anticipation:
Today we reflect on Jesus’ final act of humanity: being laid lovingly in Joseph’s family plot. Wrapped in cloths and placed in a niche carved into the stone to protect his body from scavengers. Just the way people there had been doing for tens of thousands of years. Just the way they had been doing since they were people.  And then, after this loving act over Jesus' body -  Joseph from Arimathea 'went away'.  What did he do next?  What did Mary do next?  What did the disciples do next?  Yes, they grieved - but they also waited.
Holy Saturday is a day of waiting.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote: 
To be sure, it was not Easter Sunday but Holy Saturday, but, the more I reflect on it, the more this seems to be fitting for the nature of our human life: we are still awaiting Easter; we are not yet standing in the full light but walking toward it full of trust.― Pope Benedict XVI  

Are you still waiting for Easter?
Are you still waiting for God to change the world?
Or, are you walking toward the full light, full of trust, and doing your part to be the change that God wants?

Spiritual Practice
As you wait in Holy Anticipation this day, take time to make a list of things that you will do  as new life surges.

Is there someone that you can actively befriend with maybe as little as a phone call a week?
Could you buy a couple of extra cans of food each time you shop to give to a foodbank?
Could you volunteer to clean up someone's garden?
Could you clean your closets and donate clothes to a thrift store?
Could you make a donation to a charity?
Could you volunteer somewhere?

As you make your list, reflect on the words from this song based on the words of St Teresa of Avila  Video: Christ has no body now but yours.

In this day of Holy Anticipation, we know the end of the story - so why are we still waiting for Easter?  Let us move toward the light full of trust.
Peace, Rev. Gail

“And Yet.” 
 
Scripture: (click on the link) Hebrews 12:1-4

Sorrow
“Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners,
so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.”
– Hebrew 12:3
Jesus endured the cross. 
Yes, it is sad. 
 
Everyone has reasons to be sad.
And yet.
That is why we are here.
We feel our own existence deeply. 
And yet.
We seek to be present to all who suffer. 
 
When your sorrow is genuine 
it is a deep and holy longing. 
And yet.
You bear its intensity. 
This powerful godly sorrow
equips the soul to receive the joy
that remains,
even if they kill you.
 
Jesus endured the cross.
And yet.
Even this is held in God. 
 
We linger here.
At the cross, at the cross. 
​
Spiritual Practice
Take some time on this Holy morning and be still with God.
Breathe slowly in and say aloud Be Still and Know that I am God, then breathe slowly out.  Take a moment of silence.
A second time,  breathe slowly in and say aloud Be Still and Know that I am, then breathe slowly out.  Take a moment of silence.
A third time, breathe slowly in and say aloud Be Still and Know, then breathe slowly out.  Take a moment of silence.
A fourth time, breathe slowly in and say aloud Be Still, then breathe slowly out.  Take a moment of silence.
A final time, breathe slowly in and say aloud Be, then breathe slowly out.  Take a moment of silence.
Take time to be with God this morning.

Prayer
Where there is sadness, loneliness, and pain
Let there by company.
Where there is dying, leaving, and letting go
Let there be balm.
Where there is violence, betrayal, and hatred
Let there be action. 
Where there is covid, cholera and waterborne disease 
Let there be vaccine for all. 
Where there is washed away crops, diminishing food
Let there be aid. 
Where there is war and missiles, nuclear threat 
Let there be peace.
Where there is racism, the hidden bodies of Indigenous children
Let there be sight.
Where there is climate fear and environmental impact
Let there be hope.
There where God is sorrowing
May we be also. 

Please join us to walk with Jesus at our Good Friday service at 10.30 this morning.
Peace, Rev. Gail

​“And Yet.” 
Scripture: (click on link to read scripture) -  Matthew 26:17-56

Are You Willing to Wake Up? 
“Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:40-41
Throughout Lent I begin my day by asking, “Am I willing to wake up?” I don’t mean yawn, stretch, and get out of bed. I mean, am I willing to meet this day by inhabiting whatever fruit of the Spirit is mine to share in the unfolding circumstances of the day. Am I willing to confront with goodness whatever habits and behaviours make me less than who I can be? 
Every. Single. Day. Indeed, like the disciples, every hour we are practicing staying awake. We are willing our spiritual hearts to wake up and pay attention. We are losing our little self so we can find something so much more.  
Inner awakening is the work of transformation. We awaken to the Divine flowing in all things. We awaken to the true core of our Self that looks in the inner mirror and knows itself as beloved. We awaken to the part of us that isn’t tarnished and never dies. 
Awake, we drink from the Cup of deepest forgiveness, awakening joy.
Awake, we taste the Bread of utter brokenness, awakening compassion. 
We linger in the Garden waiting, the tune of hymns haunting us with hope.  
 
Spiritual Practice
Today, set aside 5 minutes of intentional prayer.  Play this beautiful Gethsemane Meditation with the Taize chant 'Watch and Pray" Gethsemane Meditation 
And while you listen, repeat aloud these words:

Over and over, we fall asleep.
And yet.  
Love is always calling. 
Waking the longing in us. 
Over and over, we fall asleep.
And yet.  
Love is always present. 
Love never dies. 
 (You could also say your own chant or prayer)

Prayer
Lord Jesus, stay with us, 
for evening is at hand and the day is past; 
be our companion in the way, 
kindle our hearts and awaken hope, 
that we may know you as you are revealed in scripture 
and the breaking of bread. 
Grant this for the sake of your love.  -  (The Book of Common Prayer)

“And Yet.” 
Scripture: Matthew 21:12-17

Street Children
Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?” – Matthew 21:15
The buyers and the sellers aren’t welcome here. Not in this space, this is a place reserved for prayer. The children are playing here. They bring a smile to Jesus as he listens to their game. Perhaps they are the same street children who were with him when he entered the city. Perhaps they made a few shekels selling palm branches to the tourists.  
There is so much power threaded through this story. 
Jesus leads a temple demonstration with the force of his anger. 
The blind and the lame come to him. They have little power in this world. And yet, they seem to know healing power when they see it in Jesus. 
The chief priest and the scribes, who have a lot of power in this temple space, seem not so bothered by the blind and the lame. It is the street children who tip them into anger.
That’s strange.   
In this world, children were not important. They were owned by their fathers. They were invisible. They had even less agency than the blind and the lame.  
 It must have been something they said. 
“Hosanna to the Son of David,” they cry out, revealing Jesus to the world. They shout the truth. I wonder how often we miss the times when God uses children to show God’s Self to the world?
“Out of the mouth of babies and children,” says Jesus, quoting the Psalms. Out of the mouth of street children who praise the Divine. 

Spiritual Practice
On the path of conscious love, we embrace vulnerability. We let go of our desire for power and security. We change our adult mindset to that of a child playing in the place of prayer. 
It is a difficult practice, and yet, it empowers us to flow with life’s hardest challenges. 
The children sang 'Hosanna".  Take some time today to play like a child.  On a blank piece of paper, write the word "Hosanna'' and colour it in (or print off one of the attached colouring pages).  As you colour  - sing 'Hosanna', or play this video of the song.  Sing Hosanna video
If you really want to have some fun - you could make a Hosanna banner like the one in this video: Hosanna Banner
Prayer 
Loving parent, as your children, we yield to You. It is a gesture of love. We let go of our need for power, and come with childlike innocence. In our surrendering we look anew at the children around us, and we seek justice for them. Amen. ​

​“And Yet.” 
 
Scripture (click on link): John 12:1-7

Love in the World
Jesus said,
 “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
- John 12:7
Now. 
Now is the time.
 Jesus arrives at their door in Bethany. 
“He’s here.” Now. 
He’s here, braving the Passover crowds, braving the turmoil.
Martha serves. She hears the “now” of gathering around a table. God bless the Martha’s of our world. God bless the work of her hands. Her gift of hospitality creates Love in the world for the good of us all. 
Mary pours. She hears the “now” of retrieving that pure nard from the place where she saved it. She empties it on Jesus’ feet.  God bless the Mary’s of our world. God bless her tears. Her tenderness creates Love in the world for the good of us all. 
Even Judas. Was it greed that wanted for himself the profit the perfume would render? Or was he, perhaps, so deep in debt that he saw this extravagant gift, the perfume costing a labourer’s income for a year, as a way to put back in the purse what he had stolen and perhaps set things right? Perhaps his heart was in the right place. He knows what good this money can do. There is possibility here. We don’t know. God bless the Judas’ of our world, grievous in their actions.  And yet there is always hope. 
Jesus blesses. Love wastefully, he says. When your turn to love comes, love wastefully. Much is dying all around us. Much needs to die. The time is now. Love wastefully. Love like this matters. 

Spiritual Practice
Take time today to intentionally love in the world.
Reach out to 3 or 4 people and tell them, or send them a text/email telling them that you truly love them.
Take a moment of prayer to focus on the names of those that you know you need to love, but find it hard. 
The time is now. Love wastefully. Love like this matters. 

Prayer
WELLSPRING OF LIFE, it seems there is so little we can do in this world of ours, there is so much to grieve, so much that worries us, so much that is unfair, so much pain and violence. And yet. And yet, we let our love flow. Now.  Now is the time. We trust our loving actions are part of the healing, for the good of us all. Amen.
Peace, Rev. Gail

“And Yet.” 
 
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11  

Who is This?
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?”
- Matthew 21:10
Palm branches waving.
Loud hosannas ringing. 
Quiet hallelujahs humming.
Jesus comes.
A hero, they say.
Mighty in possibility.
Powerful in hope.
And yet. 
Not that kind of hero. 
Not that kind of hero.  
Not that kind of hero. 
That donkey is disquieting. That hero is all too mortal. That possibility is wrought through struggle. That hope is birthed through surrender. 

Spiritual practice
(Repeat aloud this phrase, with an emphasis on the bolded word.)
Who is this? 
Who is this?
Who is this?
(take a moments silence, and ask again the question inside yourself)
Who is this? 
Stop. Now. 
Go no further down the road of this week until you search your heart, and a response arises that you can live, and die with, this Holy Week. 
 Who is this?  
 
Prayer
Who am I?  HOLY ONE, even in this moment You are living fully. So, I rise. I rise humming even as the loud hosannas elude me this year. I rise humming. Amen.
​
Ponder this deeply. And rise. Humming. 
Peace, Rev. Gail