Lent IV

Photo by Mathilde AUDIAU (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0)

During this time of social isolation, we look for ways to share words of comfort and hope in the face of uncertainty and fear.  We encourage you to pray over the words that follow, and follow the song links within the liturgy.  Heather recorded them for us, and we are grateful.    

OPENING PRAYER

You are the vine, Lord, and we are the branches.
Though apart, we are connected–one to another–
by your presence: 
living vine
cup of blessing
shepherd of the sheep.
Draw our hearts together, Lord
so that even in these troubled times
we will share the love you give.
Speak to us, today:
Through word and song
prayer and praise.
We trust we are never far apart when we abide in your love. Amen.

HYMN OF PRAISE: Like the murmur of the dove’s song

Like the murmur of the dove’s song,
like the challenge of her flight,
like the vigour of the wind’s rush,
like the new flame’s eager might:
come, Holy Spirit, come.

To the members of Christ’s body,
to the branches of the Vine,
to the church in faith assembled,
to our midst as gift and sign:
come, Holy Spirit, come.

With the healing of division,
with the ceaseless voice of prayer,
with the power to love and witness,
with the peace beyond compare:
come, Holy Spirit, come.

Words and music by Daw/Cutts

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Hear us, God as we pray:
We confess we have too much of some things
and too little of others.
We could use less worry, less news, 
less judgement, less self-justification.
We could use more calm, more quiet,
more compassion, more understanding.
Help us find a balance,
help us find the middle path.
help as we pray. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

God visits us with love and mercy,
forgiving our shortcomings and leading us home.
These are words we can trust. Amen. 

Photo by salmonsalmon (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0)

FIRST LESSON: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: 
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; 
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: 
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me 
all the days of my life: 
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

SECOND LESSON: John 15.1-5, 9-12

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

REFLECTION

I’m trying to remember the moment the world changed.

For me, I’m going to suggest a week-ago-Friday, during a trip to the supermarket. The whole toilet paper thing was already a thing—I wasn’t expecting to find any—but that was just the beginning. The lot was full, the cart supply was low, and people were giving each other a wide berth. Then I saw the line: carts lined up to the rear of the store and beyond.

I guess we were practicing appropriate social distancing, but there was still lots of conversation. It turns out that the person ahead of me was the spouse of a local pastor, so we had lots to talk about. We compared some of the plans being made, some of the changes already happening, and why she was hoarding potato chips (she has teenagers and plans to trade snacks for chores).

Even then, this may not have been the moment of change. We did worship together on March 15, a time that now seems a month ago. And that’s the other feature of this new time we inhabit: time itself seems to have slowed to a near halt. Maybe it’s all the difficult news we have to digest, maybe it’s a bit of boredom, or maybe it’s adjusting to this new, less hectic, pace we have adopted.

The world has changed. New and frightening news each day, disruption on a scale we’ve never seen, and stress: worry about loved ones, our neighbours, the people we usually see day-by-day—and a variety of institutions and enterprises that are newly at risk. Our (new) main job is to manage this stress: for the sake of ourselves, for the people we live with, and for everyone we are in touch with.

One of the blessings we have received is our new phone tree. Many people offered to help, lists were assigned, more people offered to help, and now we have a network of care that includes everyone in the congregation. (Phone captain’s note: you may not know the number of the person calling, so please pick up.) In effect, we are recreating what happens on Sunday: checking in, expressing need, and extending kindness. Thanks again to all our callers.

And the phone tree is also a metaphor, the vine and branches that link us one-to-another. And that, of course, takes us to our reading:

4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John’s Gospel has been described in a variety of ways: a book of signs followed by a book of glory; a long passion narrative with an introductory section on Jesus’ ministry; an extended book of signs that all point to God’s glory. In John 15, we read part of the “farewell discourses,” words and prayers that share a vision of the passion, as well as the unique time that will follow this event. And the overall message of these discourses is simple: ‘remain in me and I will remain in you.’

Time and again the message is the same: “I will not leave you orphans” (14.18) and “I am going away and I am coming back to you” (14.28) and “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them.” (17.15) We may feel alone, but we are never alone: the Risen One walks beside us each day. We may feel isolated, but we are part of a larger fellowship, animated by the Holy Spirit.

Maybe I watch too many mystery programs, but one of things that comes to mind when I read this passage is “means, motive, and opportunity.” Usually that is a list of ingredients needed to solve a crime, but in this case it explains the image of the vine and branches.

Means: We are part of the same branch, and that means we are linked together and cannot be separated, regardless of what the world sends.

Motive: Jesus the True Vine asks only that we remain in his love—that is our motive. Our motive is not to create the fruit—the fruit comes from God—but simply to bear the fruit that follows when we remain in his love.

Opportunity: The time in which we find ourselves is the opportunity. We are called to remain in his love, to express his love in the way we care for one another, and in the way we care for our neighbours.

We have discovered in this new age that we are all connected, for good and for ill. But rather than separate ourselves, we need to draw together, and remain in the love of Christ that defines us. We need to ignore those who would seek to divide us—nation from nation—and see instead our common humanity. And so we pray: for health and healing, for an end to fear, and for a world made new. Amen.

HYMN: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness;
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

We shall not live by bread alone,
But by every word
That proceeds out from the mouth of God.
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

Music by Karen Lafferty (1971)

Photo by Abigail Batchelder (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

We prayed these words on March 15, but they bear repeating. They were written by our Moderator, the Rt. Rev. Richard Bott.

In this time of COVID-19, we pray:
When we aren’t sure, God,
help us be calm;
when information comes
from all sides, correct and not,
help us to discern;
when fear makes it hard to breathe,
and anxiety seems to be the order of the day,
slow us down, God;
help us to reach out with our hearts,
when we can’t touch with our hands;
help us to be socially connected,
when we have to be socially distant;
help us to love as perfectly as we can,
knowing that “perfect love casts out all fear.”

For the doctors, we pray,
for the nurses, we pray,
for the technicians and the janitors and the
aides and the caregivers, we pray,
for the researchers and theorists,
the epidemiologists and investigators,
for those who are sick,
and those who are grieving, we pray,
for all who are affected,
all around the world…
we pray
for safety,
for health,
for wholeness.

May we feed the hungry,
give drink to the thirsty,
clothe the naked and house those without homes;
may we walk with those who feel they are alone,
and may we do all that we can to heal
the sick—
in spite of the epidemic,
in spite of the fear.

Help us, O God,
that we might help each other.

In the love of the Creator,
in the name of the Healer,
in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all,
we pray.

May it be so.

BLESSING 

God’s goodness and mercy follow you.
Christ’s compassion surround you.
The Spirit dwell with you
–in the house of the Lord–
now and forever.
Amen.

SONG TO GO FORTH

God be with you till we meet again;
loving counsels guide, uphold you,
with a shepherd’s care enfold you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
unseen wings protecting hide you,
daily manna still provide you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
when life’s perils thick confound you,
put unfailing arms around you;
God be with you till we meet again.

God be with you till we meet again;
keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
smite death’s threatening wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.

Words and music by Rankin/Williams

Photo by Sheila Sund (Creative Commons BY 2.0)