6 weeks ago we started an intentional journey to Easter.

For some of us, it’s been an enriching time of exposure to the work of members of our community here at Fairfield Uniting in places like Timore Leste, West Papua and Uganda.  Places where Uniting World is also working.  And we have also been taken on a confronting journey of truth into Jerusalem with John, to the lives of the Palestinian people who live there.

We have followed Jesus from the places of temptation, through questions at night if you can be born a new into the Kingdom: to blind receiving sight and today, we have a story of Jesus arrival in the city that will see him killed: with the hopes and dreams of the people who thought he’d liberate them, dashed.

For about 10 of us, we have been reading ‘Jesus Sophia’; Rev Dr. Sally Douglas’ book that reveals the presence of Woman Wisdom in Old Testament, inter-Testamental documents and her presence in the New Testament.  And considering the question ‘why did the writers of the New Testament place on the lips of Jesus the words of Woman Wisdom/”.  It’s confronting theology, liberating, and also leaves us with questions of how it informs our public worship and our relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Over the 6 weeks, some of you have been here week-by-week… some have been here once only during the season: maybe today is your first service in the season of Lent.  However we arrive at Palm Sunday and this start of Holy Week, the invitation remains open.  How can you prepare for Good Friday?  How can you prepare for Easter Day.  

The Paradigm of Christian Spirituality is death and resurrection; not a step-by-step ladder to higher planes.  Christian Hope means we fall down and we get up again.  Christian Spirituality means we lean into the Spirit to find our way.  We lean into Jesus to lead us.  

Who would have thought that in this Lenten season, the world would have changed so quickly… in such a short time?

Christians are people who have the mind of Christ: they do life in accordance with the Holy Spirit of Christ.  Christian Spirituality is seen in acts of love and kindness: generosity.  And Yes, it requires of us to do different things.  Praying, reading the Bible stories: fellowship: education: family time: friends time: listening: hospitality: resting in God and resting in nature: looking for the good in things: and in all we encounter.  And it’s done together.  This is a community Spirituality:  God is up to something with US: yes God is personal, but the Bible stories tell us a communal narrative.

In our Lenten reading of  ‘Jesus Sophia’, we have been reminded of Jesus calling his disciples friends.  Friendship as the basis of this Spiritual relationship.  A relationship based in friendship that can cross the divides of sex, gender, race, sage, economic status and access.  The early church were groups of people diametrically opposed to one another; people who never had social relationship with one another: (Galatians 3: 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.) whom, through the love of God in Christ, came together, formed community, and showed that there is and can be a bigger way of being than petty, exclusive and hateful.  Fear of difference is overcome in love.  In friendship.

So, in these last few days before Good Friday, what will you do to kindle the friendship you have with Jesus?  How will you nurture the Spirit within?  How will you pay attention for the Holy, Holy, Holy in your living?  There is still time so do that.  

You know, the Church as a family of friends, only comes together ONCE a year to listen to the story of Jesus Death.  Every other reference to Jesus’ death is one step removed.  Trauma Informed communities know that when we confront the horror of the human condition, we do it together: because it’s just too awful to do it alone.  W also prepare for listening to such a trauma filled story: we set the scene so we can manage it: we place song, liturgical actions, and silent space so we can manage it.  And we place that story in a pathway, so we know where we will end up.  Because we do end up in hope.  The Easter story leads us to an unimaginable hope.  And, we end up with divided people finding harmony together, overcoming differences and and finding the power to resist together political and societal and even religous oppression that dehumanises.  We find communities of former enemies, finding the wholeness of life together.

We are a local expression here in this Church Community:

and we will gather on Friday to hear the story of Jesus death, and we will hold it together.

It will undo us again. 

And it will also equip us for the work we have to do to bring the Grace to life in the world in our time and context.

So, whatever you were or were not able to do to prepare: we are here, together, to hear the story. 

Don’t avoid it.  At no other time in our world, does the Gentle power of the Gospel need us.

You are salt: you are light: you are leaven in the bread.

So, come together for one another on Good Friday.