Well, we have to leave the morning beach and its breakfast barbecue and head to Jerusalem in the dead of winter. Why? Because the Lectionary says so. The fourth Sunday in Eastertide always has as the appointed Gospel reading one of Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourses. One might think these comforting stories, but they have a rather dark and dangerous cast, showing Jesus at his most contentious. (If you want a more cuddly Good Shepherd story, read Jesus’ parable about the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to go find the one who’s lost. That’s very comforting – unless, perhaps, you happen to be among the 99… )
Why can’t we just stay with resurrection appearances for the whole seven weeks of Eastertide, or at least the 50 days that mark Jesus’ resurrection sojourn in this world? If we had more time to wrap our minds around resurrection life we might be more God-centered in this life. But maybe not – just as we proclaim life in the midst of death, it remains true, this side of glory, that we must contend with death the midst of life. So we go back in the story, back to before Jesus’ arrest and passion, death and glorious resurrection, to Jerusalem in the wintertime.
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
What is the Feast of Dedication, you ask? Well, I had to look it up – it is the eight-day remembrance of the Maccabean revolt that regained the temple from the defiling Seleucid rulers. Part of that festival recalls the miracle of the small quantity of unprofaned oil found in the temple that somehow lit the lamps for eight days until they could prepare and bless more. This is the festival we now know as Hanukkah. So that’s the “when” in this week’s story – a festival of light, a festival recalling the victory of God’s people over evil. Hmmm....
The “where” has significance as well – we are in Solomon’s Portico, “a many-pillared, three-aisled portico that ran the length of the eastern boundary of the court of Gentiles.” Perhaps I am making too much of this proximity to the area where Gentiles were permitted – but we will see in this encounter Jesus setting a clear distinction between his followers, those who “know my voice,” and those who do not. In the end, this divide would lead to the Good News being proclaimed not only to Jews but to Gentiles as well. This is the sacred geography in which Jesus proclaims his message of eternal life for those who believe in him.
This message has life for us as well, even if we have to leave our stories of happy discovery of the Risen Christ for a time. We now see all stories – those we find in the Bible, and those we encounter in our own lives – from the vantage point of Jesus’ resurrection.
Where are you being challenged to find new life in what seems like a sad story? Because Jesus rose, we can find new life in any story, especially our own. As we (at least in New England) try to coax spring from winter’s firm grip, maybe this winter’s tale will renew our faith in new life.
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