Story of Emmaus

Adaptation of the Story of Emmaus from Luke 24:13-35

Encountering Strange(r) Jesus on the Road to Emmaus: Reflecting on Luke 24:13-35

The first Sunday after Easter in my local Church tradition in India has always been observed as ‘women’s Sunday’ to celebrate the first appearance of risen Jesus to Mary Magdalene. Picking from that analogy, I have always called the second Sunday after Easter as ‘discipleship Sunday,’ to celebrate the later appearances of the risen Jesus to the rest of the disciples, to the frightened disciples, to Thomas and to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. The present context of COVID crisis has uncovered the fractures within society, laying bare the inequity and intersecting of injustices with racialised and discriminatory responses to fear, disproportionately affecting the marginalised communities. In such a context how do we understand Christian discipleship, or to put it other way what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ at a time like this today?

At a time when John Wesley was struggling in his faith with a growing misery to decide giving up ministry, he reluctantly attended a Moravian prayer meeting in Aldersgate in 1738, where he heard the reading of Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to Romans. When the speaker was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith, Wesley felt “his heart strangely warmed,” and found an assurance in the words of Christ. Many years ago, in the first century, as recorded in Luke 24:13-35, there is yet another incident where people felt their hearts burning, that was when the risen Jesus came as a stranger to the two people on their way to Emmaus interpreting to them the scriptures, their “hearts burned when Jesus was talking and opening scriptures to them” (32v). One of the experiences of encountering the risen Jesus is not only to have our hearts strangely warmed/burned, but also to be warmed/burned by a stranger. In the case of Wesley, he experienced his ‘heart strangely warmed’ not at his usual site of ministry but the then ‘other’ site of a Moravian Bible Study group. For the disciples on their road to Emmaus, it was a strange(r), the unrecognised risen Jesus who interpreted scriptures and they felt their hearts burning. As readers of this text since we already knew that it was the risen Jesus, who is this stranger here, we take for granted to understand that Jesus as a living Word is interpreting the text and so it will certainly end in something spectacular, in this case ‘burning of hearts.’ But for those two disciples, who were running away in fear, the risen Jesus remained to be a stranger till the very end of that day, till they received the broken bread from Jesus (31v). These two disciples were not taking a walk on the road to Emmaus as a leisure walk or a pleasure walk or as a fitness walk or as a reflective walk that most of us assume. They were walking in fear hurriedly to flee away from the Roman empire, perhaps thinking it will be their turn to be killed after their leader and also would have assumed that they might be blamed for stealing the dead body of Jesus, which was not found in the tomb on that Easter morning according to their women disciples.

I remember as a child, walking past a tamarind tree in our community at my home town in India, was one of the frightening experiences, for there were some stories that went around saying, phantoms lived on that tree. Everyone from an adult to the child walked either in groups or walked saying prayers aloud when crossing that tree. There were several terrifying stories that we have heard about that tree. Out of fear, when crossing that tree, we walked very fast, sometimes closing our eyes, only to praise God on knowing that we have crossed that tree. In that walk filled with fear, we hardly would have engaged in a conversation with any known neighbour crossing by, leave alone talking to a stranger. With that experience in the back of my mind, as I read our present text, I notice that the two disciples in this text were walking in fear and I can imagine the kind of speed with which they would have walked, for both of them are not walking in fear of a phantom, but in fear of a real-time monster, the empire, who are brutal in killing anyone that speak against them.  

To such frightened disciples, who are walking with a highest speed possible, walking away to save their lives, that this stranger join. To beat the fear out, both these disciples talk with each other, discussing with one another the things that have happened, as a strategy to distract them from their fear. When their hearts were filled with fear, they did not recognise who this stranger was and their eyes failed to recognise the risen Jesus (16v). Mind you, it is not me who calls this risen Jesus as stranger, but Cleopas, one of the disciples in this text who calls Jesus, “are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” (18v). Jesus was called as a stranger because, the two disciples assumed that Jesus is the only one that did not know the things that has happened there. Jesus was called a stranger because they assumed that Jesus did not know the story that they knew or the rest of their town knew. It is interesting to note how could these disciples who were walking in fear, in a hurry, could accommodate a stranger to join with them and engage in a conversation with them. Perhaps, that quality characterises who a disciple of Jesus is, the one who accommodates and engages in a conversation with a stranger, even when he/she is walking in fear.

Then, we see Jesus, the stranger, listening to all the disciples known-story about the things that has happened. On hearing their perspectives and reflections on what has happened till then, Jesus, the stranger, now exposes their slowness at heart in believing and understanding of the texts they have read and heard about (25,26v). Jesus, the stranger then interprets to them starting from Moses to all the prophets about himself in all the scriptures (27v). It is important to note that the disciples who were walking in fear allowed a stranger to interpret their scriptures to them. Isn’t this strange? How can a stranger interpret their texts and point about himself (a stranger) in their texts? The disciples who spent their time in ministry with Jesus, listening to his words and parables, learnt generosity in listening to the perspectives of the ‘other.’ Jesus, the stranger, shared his interpretations of their religious texts and the hearts of these disciples burned on hearing from Jesus, the stranger. Discipleship calls for an openness to listen to a stranger, for the divine word of God can come from a stranger. To put it other way, discipleship is a call to locate and recognise the divine in a stranger.

When the two disciples heard the strange(r) Jesus interpreting all the things in their scriptures about a stranger (himself at this point), as an indicator of their ‘hearts burning’ experience, they offered hospitality to the stranger Jesus to stay at their home (29v). In that act of strange(r) hospitality to a stranger who they found on their walk, the disciples provided the stranger Jesus accommodation and food at their table. Only on receiving the broken bread given by this stranger Jesus, that their eyes were opened and they recognised that it was risen Jesus. The moment they recognised it was risen Jesus, he vanished from their sight (31v). The sudden disappearance of risen Jesus from their sight is illustrative to explain that Jesus is constantly on the move to be present with people who are walking in fear, doubt, and everything in between. According to Paul Jesus appeared to more than 500 people (I Cor15:6), and I think the risen Jesus would have gone to journey with the rest of the people who are walking in fear and doubt. This is a reassurance to each of us to realise that Jesus is journeying with us in these our times of uncertainty and anxiety, and is willing to work with us in caring for everyone equally. The mission of the risen Jesus is in allowing his disciples to recognise the divine in a stranger and to offer hospitality to a stranger, for in such acts the risen Jesus comes alive. It was their actions of accepting the stranger to interpret their scriptures and in offering hospitality to the stranger that the disciples read back in retrospect to recognise that their ‘hearts were burning’ (32v). Actions of hospitality to strangers precedes burning of hearts experience.

As I read this text in the context of present COVID crisis, it is important to recognise that this stranger Jesus is coming to us in opening our eyes and hearts to truly see the reality around us. Outbreaks often create fear, and fear is one of the key factors for xenophobia (fear of stranger) and racism to thrive and spread. COVID is not merely a medical issue, it is a racial justice issue requiring justice solutions, which begins by overcoming the ‘othering’ by offering hospitality. Infectious diseases in history have been associated with ‘othering.’ In the recent past, discrimination on Chinese people have increased, (mis)branding and othering them as the cause of this pandemic is very unsolicited. (Mis)branding Muslim community as the ones spreading the virus in India is very unfortunate and inhuman. Black and Asian Ethnic Minority communities are more vulnerable to severe illness to COVID because they are more likely to be among the poorest socioeconomic groups, living in insecure and overcrowded housing and in low paid and precarious essential work.

These stranger communities today need the disciples of Jesus to stand with them in overcoming ‘othering’. These stranger communities lament that the pain of this virus is not shared equally, and call us as they need the disciples of Jesus Christ whose hearts are burning with a commitment in offering hospitality to the strangers. In the context of lockdown at our own homes, Christian discipleship calls us to support those stranger communities who are homeless and poor through initiatives like New Pantry Friendship Scheme to avert food shortages of the Church Action on Poverty. It is time to build Easter communities, where othering the stranger is overcome by building friendships and love. Gospel comes from the stranger communities, and we are called to celebrate the contributions of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority groups, by being open to their perspectives, their reflections and their actions of love for our multicultural society today. The divine is around us in and among our stranger communities, may we experience the ’burning of our hearts’ by welcoming and offering hospitality to the stranger communities today. Hospitality today is in respecting the stranger communities’ contributions, in advocating for adequate housing, employment and health care and in supporting communities on lower income groups. Hospitality today is in joining the Debt Jubilee campaign of the Christian Aid in voicing for debt cancellations to poorer countries who can then spend it on public health and protection of their people. Hospitality today is voicing for global cease fire, for communities in conflict are at increased risk from this virus whilst war continues. By such acts of hospitality, we can experience ‘the burning of our hearts’ today.

By the way, you might be wondering what has happened to the tamarind tree at my home town, which I mentioned earlier on. This tamarind tree, which once frightened us, fell to the ground in the recent past due to a cyclone, and people now walk fearlessly and in more confidence in walking together.                                

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta, 

23^rd April 2020

Pics courtesy: 

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/428264245794836524/

https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/and-he-disappeared-out-their-sight-23637

The Risen Lord 2020 - Peace be with you

Relevance of Resurrection in the context of COVID: Easter 2020

This image drawn by Rev. Caroline Beckett[1] captures the Good Friday moments of 2020, which I have called it as “Crucified COVID Christ.” Here we see Jesus as a COVID infected person on ventilators lying in an intensive care hospital bed. Caroline has drawn this image so well, that she recognises that the world we live in today is an infectious space and captures this image of Covid Christ on the Cross, bringing in the relevance of Jesus’ crucifixion for our times. She also has drawn two women with their masks on, with social distancing to one another, weeping at the foot of this COVID cross, weeping and grieving for the dying Covid Christ. Many thanks to Caroline for this powerful public contextual Christological imaging, making Jesus relevant for our times today in 2020.

As I meditate on this image on this Holy Saturday, which I call better Saturday (as it is interspersed between Good Friday and Best Sunday, Easter Day), for there is silence behind and hope ahead, the resurrection of Jesus Christ becomes so meaningful and relevant for us. Allow me to stretch this image of Caroline to imagine that this Crucified Covid Christ died on Good Friday and was buried, and laid in the tomb on this better Saturday, for God raised this Christ back to life on the Easter day. The message of Easter is a message of hope to the entire creation today. That by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the sting of death was broken, the root of Coronavirus is addressed and the lockdown is unlocked, calling the creation for a celebration of hope, new life and a new creation. God raised this crucified Christ as a first fruit (I Cor 15:20), promising resurrection to everyone after him.

As a risen Christ, he comes first to Mary consoling her as she was weeping and worrying, and in that encounter when she hears the voice of the Lord in her calling the name, she turns her fears to wonder and witness. Mary Magdalene represents all those weeping for the loss of their dear ones due to this virus and finds solace and comfort on hearing the voice of the risen Christ, inviting us to seek such comfort in the risen Lord. In asking Mary, why are you weeping? Jesus in a way was conveying to Mary when I have taken the virus on me, why are you still weeping? The risen Jesus Christ appeared to Mary as a counter-infectious risen Lord, for she went and told the men disciples that “I have seen the Lord.” In the context of Covid, when Mary recognises the voice of Jesus, for me that risen Jesus was a counter-infectious Lord, for he joins with the rest of the community in creating a new creation. By counter-infectious i mean to say that God in Jesus is working along with the Easter community in countering the infection to transform the world by offering hope, care, peace and love. 

It is instructive here to realise that God is not trying to fix the world through this pandemic, and this can be further understood when Keller invokes the togetherness of all in the community to transform this given situation. Keller says, “But each, only in our all-togetherness — human, animal, vegetable, mineral. That togetherness takes on new meanings now, in all the layers of planetary interdependence, deadly or benign, oppressive or just, at home or in public. Now, as we learn that social distance does not mean separation, right in the midst of catastrophe, that Spirit might turn you, turn me, turn us together — into catalysts of transformation. We might not fix much that is already too badly broken. But in a new, dark hopefulness, might we become creative collaborators? Even with the Creator, the one who triggers the simplest matter and the subtlest minds to new creation? This is not a story of top-down creating. This new creation comes as we cooperate with each other and with the divine source of every other.” [2] On encountering the risen Jesus, Mary became a channel of carrying that counter-infection of hope, in collaborating with Jesus in sharing that news with the rest of the disciples. This counter-infectious hope that risen Jesus shared became viral and infectious that several people in history and in our world today join in transforming our world.

This counter-infectious risen Jesus then appears to the men disciples who have been under lock down at their home due to the fear of the Empire. These bunch of men disciples today represent all those who have been isolated and are living under lock down situations due to this Coronavirus, for this risen Jesus appears to them and proclaims at three times “peace be with you,” which conveys that these disciples are in need of peace to that extent. In our self-isolations, the risen Lord appears at our own homes to share his peace, a counter-infectious resurrection peace. Isn’t this a message of hope for us today?

This counter-infectious risen Jesus appears to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus, who have been walking frustrated and disappointed with the happenings at Jerusalem on the Good Friday. These two disciples represent today those frustrated and disappointed people who are not finding hope amidst this virus, as they are not able to do things that they have normally would have done. This risen Jesus appears to them and opens their hearts, eyes and minds to the hope in Christ, and joins them in eating with them, offering hope and comfort.

This counter-infectious risen Jesus appears to Thomas, who was doubting and questioning, inviting him after that imposed social-distancing to touch his wounds to find that the virus is defeated. Thomas represents for me those people, despite social-distancing have to touch the wounds of people in treating them, in nursing them and in caring for them. On touching this counter-infectious risen Jesus Christ in the infected person, they like Thomas are exclaiming ‘My Lord and my God,’ testifying to the healing of people.  

In the context of this virus, there are many stories of positivity that are being shared as counter-infectious stories of hope. After being tested positive for this virus and living in quarantine, there are many people who have shared their stories of recovery and healing, in such acts I see the relevance of resurrection today, as a counter-infectious act. Communities are today forming as groups to support one another, specially the vulnerable and there has been an increased neighbourliness among people, in which acts I see the relevance of resurrection as a countering the infection together as communities. Doctors, nurses, carers, cleaners, people working at super markets and all other key workers who are risking their lives and are striving to save the lives of the people today, in such acts I see the relevance of resurrection today, for the counter-infectious risen Christ comes alive in their actions. Out of their lockdowns and isolations, when people are trying to be creative with their walking, singing, playing music, cooking different recipes, pitching tents in their gardens, paintings, calling one another by phones, gatherings on zoom, online prayers, participating in virtual faith spaces and discussions, sending e-greeting cards, street whats-app groups, partying on zoom etc., the relevance of resurrection comes alive today, for people are trying to overcome the virus by creating counter-infectious spaces at their own places. In short, the relevance of resurrection today is for us as communities to be and becoming counter-infectious spaces, offering hope like the risen Jesus, sharing peace, collaborating with risen Jesus and by caring for one another. Resurrection of Jesus Christ is real, and all who join with such a counter-infected risen Jesus can offer real hope to this world living in hopelessness.

If Caroline has to draw the image of a counter-infectious risen Jesus, I am sure she would draw it with risen Jesus in collaboration with others striving to heal and share peace with one another. This is just a thought (from my own subjectivity of subalternity), she might again surprise us with a more relevant image. We will wait for that image of the counter-infectious risen Jesus Christ.

Let me conclude with the words of Caroline, “The Covid19 pandemic is a terrible thing. Unspeakable sorrows are playing out hour by hour across our world. But God has always brought light from darkness, faith from despair, life from lifelessness, good from wrong. Whatever this season is, it will pass and become another part of that long story of the people of God. It is not the end but a chapter for us to live well in love. Let’s do that.”[3] The final image I want to leave you with is from Caroline again, a relevant one for our Holy Saturday[4].

May the hope of Jesus resurrection grant us strength to be part of counter-infectious spaces in sharing peace, healing and love with our world today.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta

11^th April 2020

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[1] https://twitter.com/deaconsamtaylor/status/1248493636167143426

[2] Catherine Keller, A Letter from Catherine Keller,” https://medium.com/@dostlund_42808/a-letter-from-catherine-keller-1930029c4914

[3] https://workplayrestpray.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/easter-in-lockdown/

[4] https://twitter.com/RevCBeckett/status/1248683752223649795

Caroline writes this commentary for this image, “God. Died. Let that sink in. There's no depth of misery, fear, pain or darkness God has not known, lived, claimed, embraced & healed. God shrinks from no part of us. This is the length, breadth, depth & height of God's love for us. However dark your path, God is on it with you.”

Easter Telugu Song

https://youtu.be/1KfsaH1uqVs

Celebrating hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ as he is risen alive defeating death and darkness. He is risen to drive away the fears of people and to grant life to all those who are living in lifeless situations. Come join in celebrating the Risen Jesus to share hope in our world filled with hopelessness - This song is an invitation in joining with Jesus in sharing peace and hope to the world.

I Thirst - Reflection on Jesus' 5th Word on the Cross - 2020 - Raj Patta

Maundy Thursday in the context of COVID - Patta

Letting Go of our Complacency by Leaning on Crucified Christ

 Reflecting for Lent & Easter 2020 in the Context of Climate Change

At a time when climate is rapidly changing, with creation is groaning in pains due to the ecological imbalances, we as human beings are called to let go of our human greed and care for our creation by taking action to address climate change without any further ado. As we approach the season of Lent, Christians across the world take this time to reflect on the Cross of Jesus Christ and seek its relevance amidst the crucified communities of our times. Creation today is bruised and is bleeding due to humanity’s greed. In such a context, reading the words of Jesus from the Cross, particularly when the crucified Christ cries out, ‘I thirst,’ reverberates today with the cry of our creation and with the vulnerable communities who are bearing the brunt of climate change in majority world, calling the humanity to quench their thirst, by letting go of human dominance over the creation and powerful people’s power over the powerless communities.

In the context of Gnosticism, to which John addresses his gospel, divine was understood in the parameters of transcendence, being far away from all physical pain and needs. Towards the end of his gospel, when John records in 19:28, Jesus’ physical need of being thirsty, he provides a lead in breaking the grounds of stereotyping that Jesus was above the physical need. The divine logos crying out for a drink or water was path breaking to affirm that Jesus died on the cross thirsty. This shout for a drink bridges the gap between the divine logos and human Jesus. Jesus lets go his divine powers and identifies with all those thirsty people and a thirsty creation on his cross. 

To the audience of John, Jesus was already introduced as living waters and when they heard at the end from the Cross that Jesus thirsts, they would have been perplexed. Can a living spring be drained out? Can perennial waters dry away? Can the living Spirit of God, which hovered on the waters at the time of creation, shout for a drink? Can the creator of waters thirst? These would have been some of the questions that emerged to the audience of John as they heard that Jesus thirsts. But such a shout from the perspective of Jesus was to express that he is not complacent. If Jesus had been complacent thinking that there is no need of a pain or a thirst, his incarnation in flesh would be at risk. On the contrary Jesus expressed his need and countered the very idea of being complacent. Neither the sour vinegar offered by the crowd around the Cross nor the tears of heaven could quench Jesus’ thirst, which very well explains Jesus’ letting go of his complacency on the Cross. Jesus died on the Cross thirsty.

Jesus’ thirstiness is a solidarity cry with all those dry rivers, with all those waterless lives, with all those that are thirsty for life and with all those that are enduring drought and awaiting some showers in their lives. Thirstiness echoes the cry of death on one hand, and on the other it is the cry of those struggling to live. It is also a cry calling for affirmative action in quenching that thirst. Jesus when he says that he thirsts, he is warning death and drought that they will be defeated soon for showers of new life are to rain in his resurrection. Jesus when he says he thirsts; it is a call to the greedy people to repent, for such a thirst is created by them. Jesus breaks the grounds of thirstiness by crying ‘I thirst.’

In the context of climate emergency today, when the whole creation is groaning in pains of thirstiness, this cry of Jesus from the cross challenges us to address thirst and those that are thirsty. The call for us as Churches is to engage in breaking such grounds of thirstiness by caring for our creation. This season of Lent calls us today to repent of our human greed, letting go of our pride and save our creation.

By letting go his complacency and in breaking down the grounds of stereotypes, Jesus was granted a new life experience by God, and Easter brings that hope to discover new adventures and opportunities of sharing new life.  Though Jesus died thirsty on the cross, but God rose him back to life, granting a hope of sharing the gift of new streams to all those crucified and thirsty communities. The risen Jesus appeared to the disciples and invited them for a breakfast, and in that eating and drinking together he instilled hope and confidence to them. As a Church the call for us is to let go of our complacency and learn humility so that we can be channels of change in addressing issues like climate change, poverty, homelessness, patriarchy and castesim by building just and inclusive communities. We as a Church are called to become community hubs where vulnerable people find space and hope of hospitality. The relevance of our Churches as Easter communities is in being and becoming springs of new hope for all thirsty and crucified people around us. We can become a new creation only when the thirst of vulnerable communities are quenched and when our creation is cared for.

Towards that end of quenching the thirst of Jesus, of creation and those that are in thirstiness around us, let justice flows down like a never-ending stream, so clear, so pure and life giving. May we become the tributaries of justice and life to all those that are groaning in thirstiness. Jesus died thirsty, and many people are dying out of thirst, let us awake to be the showers of life. For the healing of nations, let us all become the waters of healing!

Letting go of our complacency often involves recognizing the many times we, too, have rejected the Saviour. We have all turned away from the redeemed hand of Jesus, assuming we could handle things on our own. Despite our pride and complacency Jesus still longs to draw us in. This Lent, let us reflect on ‘exchanging our complacency for his crucifixion,’ and strive to overcome complacency and follow Jesus Christ faithfully. Wishing you all a meaningful season of Lent and a blessed Easter.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta,

Presbyter,

United Stockport Methodist Circuit.

raj.patta@methodist.org.uk

17^th February 2020

(This article is written for Connexion Magazine of the Methodist Church for Lent 2020)

From worrying, weeping & waiting to wondering & witnessing: Celebrating hope in the Risen Lord in the context of COVID

Reflecting on John 20: 1-18

On the third day after Jesus’ death, in the early hours of Sunday, when Mary Magdalene arrived first at the tomb where Jesus was buried, she was worried to see the tomb wide open and the body of Jesus being stolen. She then informed her friends Peter and John and they too came to find that the body of Jesus was stolen. These men disciples did not understand the Scriptures (9v), and went home giving up their search for Jesus (10v), as they were living in fear. Mary, on the other hand did not give up her search for Jesus, stood there at the tomb waiting and weeping. She encounters two angels who enquire the reason for her weeping. Later the risen Jesus encounters Mary, but she in her worry and weeping mistook Jesus to be a gardener and enquires about the stolen body of Jesus. Only when the risen Jesus calls her by name and on listening that voice of the risen One, she recognises in wonder the risen Jesus, was filled with hope and travels to the men disciples to witness by announcing, “I have seen the Lord.” The story of Jesus’ resurrection is a story of hope, for Mary as a first testimony of resurrection was transformed from being worried to becoming a witness of hope to the rest of the world.

At a time, when Coronavirus has taken over the entire world, with the death toll scaling up every day, with fear and anxiety among people on the high, with a total lockdown of life on several fronts affecting the mental and social well-being of people, and with the business as usual coming to a standstill, the message of Easter is a message of hope, a message of a promise of new life, for God in Jesus has come victorious over death. Reading this text in such a context of ours, the voice of the risen Jesus comes crystal clear to us, breathing a sign of hope today, for Jesus is asking Mary, “Woman why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” The encounter of the risen Jesus to Mary has transformed her worrying, weeping and waiting to wondering and witnessing, for she returns as an ambassador of hope to the rest of frightened disciples. This is the second time in this text Mary is hearing such a question, first time from the two angels (13v), and now from Jesus, “Why are you weeping?” In this question we see risen Jesus’ concern to Mary, for he recognises Mary’s world at this time as a worrying space and as a frightened space, comes forward offering hope and comfort by calling her by name and by allowing her to recognise the risen Lord. In the context of COVID 19, our risen Jesus now recognises that our world today as an infected space, as a frightened space and comes forward to us to offer hope by calling us by name and by allowing us to recognise the risen Lord.

The risen Jesus is today calling us by our name when we are filled with fear and despair, is concerned about our worry and weeping and is asking us “whom are we looking for?” Our search, our gaze and our exploration at this time should be on the risen Jesus, for like Mary we will be filled with hope and joy. The risen Jesus is listening to the cries of the people infected by this virus, is listening to the worries of the vulnerable people, is concerned about all the key workers for their services, is journeying with people who are offering help, kindness and care to their neighbours, and is willing to answer people who are looking for proofs about God’s presence with us today. In our risen Lord there is hope for new life, for he is journeying with us in this infected world to offer healing and hope. This Easter, we are called like Mary to visit the empty tomb, listen to the voice of hope by listening to the voice of risen Jesus and go out into the world with wonder to witness that hope in Jesus with those people who have given up the search for hope like the men disciples, with those frightened disciples who have locked up at their homes, and with the wider world. Praying and sending you all Easter greetings for the risen Lord is offering hope by transforming our worrying, weeping and waiting to wondering and witnessing. The peace of the risen Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta,

Easter 2020   

Maundy Thursday in the Context of COVID: Reflecting on John 13:1-17, 31b-35

The scale of COVID is soaring high, with 1,444,942 recorded cases around the world, 83,110 of deaths recorded and 309, 113 cases of recovery as of 8^th April 2020. There are many others who are not on the statistics, losing lives or infected by this virus or with no medical facilities available and many others who are uncountable, struggling with issues of fear, anxiety, mental and social well-being these days. In such a context, what is the significance of Maundy Thursday for us today? To put it other way, when the world around us has become an infectious space, what is the message of Maundy Thursday?

The text for Maundy Thursday on our lectionary is from John, where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and gives them new commandment to love another just as Jesus has loved them. Jesus’ washing the feet of disciples is an epitome of a servant king’s characteristics, which Jesus has set as an example to follow. There are six pointers that we gather from the symbols used in this passage. Firstly, Jesus removes his outer garment (4v), which is an act of giving up his privilege, by which he is building that bond of friendship with his disciples. Secondly, Jesus ties a towel around his waist (4v), which is an act of identifying with the least, last and lost of the community, by which act Jesus instils confidence among his friends. Thirdly, Jesus poured water (5v), which is a symbol of a preparation invoking Holy Spirit for healing, for water cleanses the foot-steps of his disciples, an act of comfort for them. Fourthly, Jesus pours the waters in a basin (5v), which is a symbol for containing the waters of healing, representing spaces and places of hope. Fifthly, Jesus serving at the table, which is an act of hospitality challenging us to reflect on longer tables and lesser fences, for all are invited at Jesus’ table. Sixthly, Jesus’ supper, an invitation to join with him for tea/supper, emphasising on eating together, celebrating inclusion and friendship in that eating, and also challenging us to become bread of life like him to feed several hungry people around us.

When I reflect on this act of Jesus’ washing the feet of his disciples in the context of COVID, I see Jesus in the acts of our doctors, nurses, carers, people working at supermarkets, other key workers, who are washing the feet of several infected and affected people by serving them. In that act of nursing, in that act of caring, in that act of serving, Jesus’ story of washing the feet of his disciples comes alive. These key workers are not washing the feet of the suffering people as an act of ritual foot washing, nor as an act of a tradition, but as an act of saving lives. Jesus’ words to Peter as in verse 7, “you do not know realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand,” reverberate in the actions of all our key workers today. Like Jesus, these key workers are “washing the feet of the people” (serving people) voluntarily, as part of their call and vocation, as part of their love for humanity, even at the expense of risking their lives. For me, God in Jesus is at work through these key workers who are struggling and striving for healing to this our world today. So, then the question that arises is, what is it to those who are not key workers? Is not God working through them? Yes, God is working through others as well, by those who have a love for the entire humanity and who are willing to serve others during these crisis times. In a context when washing of hands is emphasised time and again during this COVID times, “washing the feet of others” can mean offering care to the creation and humanity.

It is here, that Jesus’ new commandment that he gave to his disciples in this text finds its relevance today, which is to love one another as Jesus has loved us. Many have asked me is the fear of death above the faith in God today? There is no easy and straight answer to it, but faith in God helps us to understand that God is journeying with us in our uncertainties and striving to heal this world. My faith is there is no place or situation where God’s presence is absent, for me God is present everywhere and every time, and God’s presence comes even more forcefully during these times of crisis. So, when we are asked to stay at home during these crisis times, that is an expression for us to show our love for our humanity and creation, so that the virus is contained and the chain of the virus is broken. I do understand the social and mental well-being issues linked up with such isolation, but even Jesus would have done the same and would have reached to people in his own different ways. So, love for one another at a time like this is to stay at home and help contain this virus. By not listening to such a call and by being careless is not following the commandment of Jesus.

Washing the feet and this new commandment of Jesus to love one another are so linked that serving other is love in action, and love for the other makes to serve the other.

In recognising that the world around us has become an infectious space, mere re-petitions of what we have always done, like foot-washing of other people at churches and now at homes and partaking in holy communion on Maundy Thursdays might not be sufficient, for by repeating the same rituals at a crisis like this as faith communities might put the relevance of the gospel of Jesus Christ at risk. By repeating things what we have always done, we are discounting the fact that the world around us is an infectious space.[1] When the world around is changing, should not our faith imaginations and interpretations change? Re-imagining the words and acts of Jesus for our times today, is a way forward to keep our faith in Jesus relevant for us. Jesus at this Maundy Thursday did not repeat the act of Passover exactly, but reimagined that meal relevant to their context, particularly on his journey to the Cross, by washing the feet of his disciples and giving new commandment of love.Jesus removed his outer garment, tied a towel to his waist, poured water in the basin, washed the feet of his disciples, served at the table and ate supper with his friends. This Maundy Thursday, perhaps it is time for us to take off the outer garment of rituals, tie a towel of humility, pout waters of healing, wash the feet as offering service to one another, serve the table by helping our neighbours and engage in eating with Jesus by trying to think and feed the homeless people through the various charities that are serving them.

Wishing you all a meaningful Maundy Thursday.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta

8^th April 2020

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[1] For more on this idea of the infectious space and social distancing, read Peter Scott’s reflection on COVID at http://lincolntheologicalinstitute.com/blog/covid-19-going-the-social-distance.html

Pic Courtesy: https://www.bedtimeshortstories.com/jesus-washes-the-disciples-feet

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession: 2nd Circuit Cyber Church 5th April 2020 - Palm Sunday

We gather here in your space O Lord, scattered yet united,

Offering praise and thanksgiving, for your steadfast love endures forever,

We gather here in your time O Lord, isolated yet interdependent,

Offering praise and thanksgiving for your steadfast love endures for ever,

We celebrate the arrival of Jesus on a donkey as a humble king and as a servant king,

We thank you Jesus for you have come to turn the world upside down, only to serve and not to be served,

We thank you for assuring us in Jesus your presence to be with us at all times and in all situations,

We thank you for the unheard hosannas today that we hear in our claps for our keyworkers,

We thank you Jesus, that you on that Palm Sunday parade to Jerusalem were silent amidst the shouts of the crowd, perhaps praying to God to hear the hosannas of the people and save them,

We thank you Jesus for inviting us to join with you in your journey for justice, dignity, liberation and salvation.

With that sense of gratitude, we also gather at your space to confess for our shortcomings and sins,

Lord Jesus, you have come into this world to show alternative kingship,

Forgive us when we become complacent, when change is difficult and we give up, - Hosanna save us

Merciful God, forgive us for we have over-emphasised on the shouts of hosanna and the processions for hosannas and not on the actions of hosanna, for it is actions of prayers and kindness that matters to you – Hosanna save us.

Creative God, forgive us for when our world around us has become an infected space due to the virus, we have repeated the same old ways of doing church and for not being bold in doing church differently. Help us to be a church relevant in our theology and practice for today – Hosanna save us.

Compassionate God, you came to meet us where we are. Forgive us, we don’t stand with each other through the pain and struggle. Help us to change the world by serving one another – Hosanna save us

Create in us a new vision for our churches at a time like this, create in us a new heart to receive the gospel in new ways, and restore unto us the joy of your salvation. Fill us with your love and with your grace – Hosanna save us.

Benediction:

As we leave this place, may we go in and with the peace of Jesus Christ,

a peace that grants healing to this world infected by Coronavirus,

a peace that grants strength to cope with our isolation and support in our physical and mental well-being,

a peace that grants compassion in caring for one another in prayer and in kindness,

a peace that helps to turn our shouts of hosannas to actions of hosannas

May the blessing of God our creator, God our healer and God our comforter be with us all today and grant us a meaningful time during this Holy Week. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving @Cyber Church when meeting on Zoom

Call to worship:

Come all people of God and worship our Triune God, the God of hope during these times of uncertainty

At whose space are we worshipping today? My place, your place, his place, her space, their space…none of our spaces yet all of our spaces, which is God’s space, for God is everywhere and God is present here.

Though we are scattered and are joining here from different locations, the Spirit of God is brooding over us,

Though we are isolated and joining on zoom from our own homes for this service, the grace of God is uniting us,

Though we are strangers to cyber church and are first-timers joining in worship, sitting at our own computer desks, we are the broken body of Christ,

Though we are new to seek spirituality in virtuality, we are all one in the spirit and in truth,

In that confidence, Come and worship the Lord with all our hearts, minds and spirits, for where two are three are self-isolated during these times, Jesus is still present among them and the Spirit of God is moving among us. Come and worship, for this is God’s space, holy space and comforting space…

Introduction to Hymn:

During these times of despair and fear, our hope is in Jesus Christ for God in Jesus is our Lord, the Lord in our present imperfections, the Lord who is journeying with us and our future is in our Lord. Come let us sing the hymn “Heaven shall not wait,” hymn no: 701 in Singing the Faith written by John Bell and Graham Maule. The words of this hymn will be shared on our screen, sing along as the music is played.

Prayers of Thanksgiving:

Our God, our refuge, our strength in times of trouble,

How are we to sign a song of praise during these difficult times,

How are we to sing a Lord’s song in these strange times?

We have experienced that in you is our hope and future.

We thank you for your constant presence,

We thank you for holding us and journeying with us,

We thank you for crying with us when we are hurting,

We thank you for weeping with us in our pain,

We thank you for speaking to us through your word,

We thank you for inviting us to do church differently,

We thank you for Jesus Christ, who self-isolated himself for 40 days into wilderness for prayer and fasting,

We thank you for Jesus Christ who comforted and healed those who lived in isolation due to their ritual practices,

We thank you for the risen Jesus who went and shared peace with those self-isolated frightened disciples who were locked up in their room,

We thank you for Holy Spirit who encountered Paul and Silas when they were isolated in prisons,

We thank you loving God for being present among us today

We thank you living God for inviting to be your loving embrace to our neighbours

We thank you listening God for choosing us to be ambassadors of hope,

We thank you God that you never let us down, that you always give us hope.

We give you thanks today and forever. Amen.

@rajpatta

Palm Sunday 2020 Hearing the unspoken Hosannas

Join with Jesus in instilling hope and courage: Hosanna – Save us!

Reflecting on Palm Sunday from Matthew 21:1-11

I fondly remember as a child, Palm Sunday was a huge celebration in my local Church in India. The preparations begin on a Saturday when our young people went to the woods to bring heaps of palm leaves to be distributed to all our children and to decorate our Church with palm leaves. Each child decorates a palm leaf with flowers, and as a Sunday School we went on a procession for about an hour or so singing hosannas on the streets of our town. It was a great event, with scented aroma all around, with shouts of praise all around and with some good food at the end of the procession, culminating in a Palm Sunday service. For our young people Palm Sunday is very special because in my Church tradition, Confirmations were given to young people on this day. I again remember my own Confirmation along with my cousins on Palm Sunday, which gave us a time to reflect what it means to accept and confirm our faith in Jesus Christ. Palm Sunday is truly a memorable day in the life of our Church, for it is an enactment of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, it was an opportunity for public witness on the streets singing praises to God and was a time of reflection as we were Confirmed in the faith of Jesus Christ. I really wish I can relive all those moments again today. As I write this, I am nostalgic of our good times at home at my local Church in my town in India, for I miss my community and family at home.

Having moved to live in UK, sharing of palm crosses with one another on a Palm Sunday made me think about the plights of farmers who grow on palm tree plantations, for I gathered that these palm crosses come from Africa as we fair-trade them, and reflect the passion of Jesus in light of the crucified communities today. Palm Sunday, an annual liturgical feature in the journey of faith, has always been special with lots of memories, thoughts and reflections.

None of us anticipated that Palm Sunday in 2020 will be very strange and different, where all the processions on a Palm Sunday are cancelled and sharing of palm crosses is not possible due to the Coronavirus outbreak across the world. At a time like this when we are all self-isolated/ quarantined/locked down at homes due to this virus what does singing hosanna means today? What does it mean to join with Jesus on his march for justice and salvation today? What is the message of Palm Sunday for us living in anxiety and despair? I now read Matthew 21:1-11.

Palm Sunday instils hope and courage:

Jesus journeyed on the streets of Jerusalem to instil hope and courage to those people living in fear. As we know the people of Palestine in Jesus’ time were living under occupation by Rome, and have been living in fear and despair for they have been exploited and oppressed by the Roman empire. It was a usual practice of the Roman army to conduct a military parade with horses on the streets of Jerusalem prior to the festival of Passover as a sign of their authoritarian power and rule, for their arms and weapons were at public display to frighten and threaten people who are subjective to them. Year after year, the occupied people have witnessed these military parades of the army in the streets and have been living in fear and hopelessness. Therefore, Jesus’s procession into the city is a march of counter-hegemony, contesting against the oppressive regimes, parading on a donkey with people holding palm branches, which was their yearning for the coming of an alternative kingdom as against the kingdom of Rome. Jesus was bold in leading this parade, for he wants to instil hope and courage among his community. To the surprise of everyone there, huge crowds turned up to this Jesus parade of hope singing shouts of praise on the streets of Jerusalem, which was heavily guarded by the Roman military. In our context today, when we live in fear, anxiety, hopelessness, frustration due to the Coronavirus outbreak all around the world, the message of Palm Sunday is that Jesus is on a journey instilling hope and courage to all people of the world, perhaps doing it in his alternative ways like journeying on a donkey and a colt. Did anyone think that salvation can come from a person journeying on a donkey?

Palm Sunday Moments today:

Last two Thursdays, we all came out on our street to clap and drum for the carers, for nurses, for doctors, for people working on super markets and for all those key workers. We as a family came out at 7.55pm thinking only we might be the ones clapping, but to our surprise as the clock ticked 7.57pm, lots of people came out from their homes, came out of self-isolation, each standing in front of their homes came out on our street to clap for the carers and cheering for their fantastic work, who are risking their lives in saving the lives of many people today. For me, that was the Palm Sunday moment when we all came out on the street, for those claps and sounds of the drums and plates were the unheard hosannas, for everyone on the street expressed their yearning and longing for healing by joining to clap for carers.

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a call to save the lives of the people affected by this virus now.

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a call to save our world from this pandemic

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a call to save our health system, our NHS

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a call to support one another by showing care

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a call to be united as a community in fighting this virus

I heard in those claps for carers – a hosanna – a cry of the farmers, a cry of the migrants, a cry of the refugees, a cry of people in Gaza, a cry of the homeless people, a cry of the creation to save them from death.

Palm Sunday in silence:

On the journey that Jesus lead to Jerusalem, except for the instructions he gave to his disciples prior to the parade, there is no record of Jesus’ words on the journey. In the cheering of the crowd and singing hosannas, why was Jesus silent? How do we understand the silence of Jesus on this journey? Jesus’ silence on a Palm Sunday parade might have been an expression of his solidarity with the anger of the people against the fear of Rome. Jesus’ silence might have been part of his alternative kingship that is not built on mere words, but on actions, an act of protest against the pompous shouts cheering the emperor. Jesus perhaps might be on a silent prayer asking God for God’s healing to the creation there amidst the shouts of the crowds. This parade at Jerusalem was interesting in many ways, for Jesus was travelling on a donkey and a colt and he was silent not provoking people to shout chants for his glory as a preparation in prayer asking God to save the creation from fear. For our times today, may be when we are living in isolation, we are called to join with Jesus in silence praying to save this our creation from this virus and choose humble acts of kindness in caring for one another.

It is not the shouts that matter, it is actions of prayer and kindness that matters;

it is not the processions that matter, it is calling on God in isolation and in silence that matters;

it is not mere repetitions that matter, it is recognising the act of God in our midst that matters.

May God in Jesus grant us all that hope and courage during these times and explore hosannas in our midst today and implore God’s action for us. Let our actions speak more louder than our words and shouts.

Have a meaningful Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta

3^rd April 2020

Pic courtesy: https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/18352808.millions-across-country-expected-take-part-second-clap-carers/