| April 8, 200l Isaiah 50:4-7 + Philippians 2:6-11 + Luke 22:14-23:56 |
| The words of the Prophet Isaiah today must be the words of the church, and perhaps never more so than this week for the Church in Oklahoma as we “speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.” (Isaiah 50:4-7) The prophet urges us to be resolute and unyielding in our faith as he says. “I have set my face like flint knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” |
| This world is weary and so is this city We are weary of violence, abuse, and rage: from roads to airports, from homes and schools to our offices and stores, from Serbia to Oklahoma City there is rage, abuse, and violence. In the midst of it, we stand to proclaim to that world and this city a gospel of hope, healing, and peace; a Gospel of reconciliation and forgiveness. In a week we call “Holy” we shall gather our strength to celebrate the week we call “Easter” During that week this year, we shall, in this city, inevitably be taken back to that day in the same week when our innocense and isolation was shattered by a bomb at 9:02 in the morning. |
| This year we shall have it all before us again. Some will insist that what happens in Terre Haute is what they call “Justice” Some will speak of closure and tease us to think that somehow another death will bring us healing. When in fact and in faith only one death brought healing, the death we shall observe on Friday of this week. As we tell the story of that death again today, we are reminded of those who died beside Jesus. the two criminals. In them we see ourselves: set in our ways and unrepentant, or touched by grace and acknowledged by mercy |
| Another death will not bring healing where it has not been accepted and acknowledged through the one death that teaches us forgiveness. Another death in Indiana will not satisfy the needs of justice. It is greater than one man and one deed. When he is dead, we shall still remember, we shall still see that comer of our city, we shall still hear the sounds of sirens and smell the smoke. We shall still grieve the loss and feel the pain. |
| We have in faith our own memorial on the comer opposite the site of the Murrah building. There stands Jesus who wept over Jerusalem. At that moment, Luke records for us these words: “If you too had only recognized on this day the way to peace.” The prophet and the Savior speak to us today as we begin our procession into Holy and Easter Weeks. They would have us recognize the way that leads to peace, and they would have us speak of that peace to the weary “Forgiveness” is name of the road that leads to peace and healing. It is the only way to get there. It is what he taught us as he lay down to be nailed to the cross. It is what he spoke of in mercy to the man hanging beside him who recognized the folly of his other way It is the best and the Gospel way to rouse the weary, and we must never tire of saying so nor tire of behaving so. |