Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Mesiah Comes as a “Light"

 

 

4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” 6Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. 

 

Numbers 21:4-9

 

 

Cathedral_Church_of_Saint_Patrick_%2528Charlotte%252C_North_Carolina%2529_-_stained_glass%252C_Christ_heals_a_blind_man.png

 

https://www.liturgytools.net/2017/03/pictures-4th-sunday-lent-year-a-jesus-heals-congenital-blind-man-samuel-anoints-david-open-eyes-recognise-christ.html

 

 

 

From Mount Hor the Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

Numbers 21:4-9

 

 

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Processional Cross

(with Serpent Motif)

Ethiopian (Artist)

15th Century (Solomanic)

Walters Art Museum

Baltimore, Maryland

United States

 

The exceptional quality of this cross demonstrates the high level of technical skill attained by the monastic artisans of the 15th century. Its multiple openings create a complicated pattern composed of nine interlocking circles enclosed within a quatrelobe frame. Intricate ribbon work fills the boundary between this frame and the circular shapes of the interior. Fine linear decoration completes the design and accentuates the delicate appearance of the composition. At the outside edges of the terminal points of the cross, intertwining lines end in serpentine curves. The snake-like forms assume a more distinct shape on either side of the looping brackets that secure the cross to its base. Such details possibly incorporate references to the brazen serpent of Moses as described in the Book of Numbers (21:4-9). In the wake of a devastating plague of poisonous snakes, God instructed the Israelites to erect a brass serpent upon a pole. Because gazing upon this object was believed to cure those bitten, Christians interpreted the brazen serpent as a prefiguration of the redemptive cross of Christ. The three large crosses at the terminal positions appear to emerge, plant-like, from the diamond-shaped supports that connect them to the frame. The organic shape of these details alludes to the sprouting leaves of the Tree of Paradise, an object with which the cross was often associated. The perforated crosses that flank the shaft would have secured the fabric with which the cross was "dressed" for processions. The intricate patterns and brilliant execution make this object one of the most important crosses to exist outside of Ethiopia.

https://art.thewalters.org/detail/4545/processional-cross/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry,

that is a sign that you are subconsciously

aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do.

~ Bertrand Russell

 

 

 

 

Civilizations should be measured by

the degree of diversity attained

and the degree of unity retained.

~ W.H. Auden

 

 

 

 

Look who came to visit!!!

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Carolyn Alesander, Kei Sakamoto (grandnephew)

 

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Dinner at Peyton Manning’s restaurant

Kei, Carolyn, Theresa Way, Charles Rose (Vicki’s nephew)

   

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Theresa, Charles

 

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Kei had to work most of the time he was here.

 

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We did have time to go to the Virtual Reality Space Astronaut Show!

 

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I had to hang onto Kei when we wore the goggles.

 

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Ice cream afterwards!

Kei had peanut butter and jelly ice cream.

 

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Harley deserted me.

He loved to hang out with Kei.

😢   🐾

 

 

 

 

Among those whom I like or admire,

I can find no common denominator,

But among those whom I love, I can:

All of them make me laugh.

~ W.H. Auden

 

 

 

 

 

March 10, 2024  Fourth Sunday of Lent Year B

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

     http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

  

1You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Ephesians 2:1-10

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

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Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

14“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

John 3:14-21

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Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

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From a different source, yet the symbol of the caduceus is also 

an emblem of healing.

 

 

image.tiff

 

https://www.liturgytools.net/2017/03/pictures-4th-sunday-lent-year-a-jesus-heals-congenital-blind-man-samuel-anoints-david-open-eyes-recognise-christ.html

 

 

Happy March 13th Birthday to …

 

John H. Alexander, Jr.

(Oakton, Virginia)

Happy 57th Birthday, JOHN!!!

 

Vicki L. Hall

(Heaven)

 

Henry K. Alexander

(Heaven)

 

 

May be an image of dog and text that says 'Changing the clocks does not change feeding time. Signed Dogs Every TREPAWSITOP'.jpeg

 

 

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LECTIONARY

Numbers 21:4–9 

Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22 

Ephesians 2:1–10 

John 3:14–21

 

“God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him . . . ”
John 3: 14-21

THE WORD:

Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a member of the ruling Sanhedrin.  Like so many others who heard Jesus, he is fascinated by this Worker of wonders.  So as not to attract undue attention, he arranges to meet Jesus at night.

In their meeting, Jesus tries to make Nicodemus understand the mission of the Messiah in a new light:

  • It is not Israel’s strict adherence to the ancient Law but the love of God that is the vehicle of salvation.  God is motivated by a love so great that he gives the world his only Son, not to destroy but to transform the world.  Redemption is initiated God; reconciliation and healing are God’s work, filled with possibilities that are as limitless as they are undeserved.
  • The God of Israel is not the God of condemnation and destruction but the God of forgiveness, mercy and reconciliation.  The Messiah comes as a “light” to enable humankind to realize the great love and mercy of God.
  • Contrary to the image Nicodemus and Judaism have of a powerful, triumphant Messiah who will restore Israel’s political fortunes, the real Messiah will suffer and die in order to conquer death and restore life.  Jesus invokes the image of Numbers 21: 4-9:  As Yahweh directs, Moses lifts up the image of a serpent on a pole to heal those who suffer from a deadly plague caused by the bite of serpents.  The crucified Messiah, too, will be “lifted up” to bring healing and wholeness to this hurting world.

HOMILY POINTS:                           

Like Nicodemus, we are all seekers and Christ has assured us of his company on our journey; like Nicodemus, we find ourselves coming to Jesus in the middle of our darkest nights, seeking hope and consolation, direction and comfort — and Jesus neither rejects us nor admonishes us, but welcomes us.  We discover the God that Nicodemus discovers: a God of light who transforms our despair into hope; a God of wisdom who enables us to re-create our Good Friday deaths into Easter resurrections; a God of compassion who heals our broken spirits into hearts made whole.  

Too often, we approach faith as a series of “thou shalt nots” – religion is equated with guilt, spirituality with that nagging little conscience in the depths of our souls that serves as a safety valve to stop us from becoming the wicked people we know we are capable of becoming.  Jesus challenges such a limited concept of faith: God is not a cosmic tyrant that revels in seeing us suffer; God has revealed himself as the loving Father of a perfect creation that has made itself imperfect in so many ways through sin.  

Despite our rejection of the ways of God, our demeaning of the values of God, God continues to call us and seek us out.  God loves his creation too much to write it off or condemn it; instead, God raises up his Son as a new light to illuminate our hearts, to make us see things as God sees them, to share God's hope for humanity's redemption.

https://connectionsmediaworks.com/sundaygospel.html#march10

 

 

 

First Reading Numbers 21:4-9

4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” 6Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. 

Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

1   O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; 
          for his steadfast love endures for ever. 
2   Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, 
          those he redeemed from trouble 
3   and gathered in from the lands, 
          from the east and from the west, 
          from the north and from the south.

17  Some were sick through their sinful ways, 
          and because of their iniquities endured affliction; 
18  they loathed any kind of food, 
          and they drew near to the gates of death. 
19  Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, 
          and he saved them from their distress; 
20  he sent out his word and healed them, 
          and delivered them from destruction. 
21  Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, 
          for his wonderful works to humankind. 
22  And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, 
          and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

Second Reading Ephesians 2:1-10

1You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Gospel John 3:14-21

14“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”