Lent Two - Learning to See

There are many stories about Jesus physically healing those who are blind and there are also many teaching moments about spiritual blindness – often aimed at the disciples or in this case the learned Pharisee, Nicodemus. (Lent Two. John 3:1-17)

Sentence:

“Jesus answered him. ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ ” John 3:3

Collect:

You who made everything and everyone and saw that it was good.

Your beloved Son knew our flawed hearts and called us to follow into the fullness of life;

Help us to flourish and to learn to see as he does,

that we may recognise your kingdom and see our place and others as neighbours.

Fill us with the desire to establish your way here on earth now. Amen.

Reflection:

If we understand Lent to be about the journey of Jesus from formation in the wilderness for his ministry to us and his death and resurrection, as well as about the soul’s journey for all of us, then what is the story of Nicodemus telling us? In the first week of Lent we accompanied Jesus into the wilderness and saw him struggle in order to become clear about his priorities and purpose as his heart and mind were tempered by struggle. Maybe we were encouraged and challenged by this to understand that sometimes the hard times in life are instrumental in our formation and development of spiritual character. And this week maybe we are being challenged about how we see things, or not see things?

You may like to consider what I have previously written about being born again.

Being Born Again

Fundamentally how we perceive things is at least as important as what and who we look at. And Jesus is suggesting that the religious Nicodemus is not yet able to see what is important! Which is very humbling for us – the religious and moral one in the story is not able to perceive clearly what is of most importance!? Is this us too sometimes? Surely – Yes!

This story suggests that when we approach things from a purely religious or theological, or moral perspective we are not able to see beyond the obvious or surface of things – we are not able to perceive the kingdom! Perceiving the kingdom, God’s eye view of the world, is so different that is can only be likened to the need to be born again!

Throughout Jesus’ ministry his own disciples (and certainly the mainstream religious) were surprised by how he saw things. Jesus did not turn up in the world as one may have expected – remember how radical incarnation is! Jesus reached out to those you might not expect – those on the edge. And his very worldview - as shared through parables and the beatitudes - are shockingly different to conventional religious views of his time about holiness and merit. And still now - despite having been a Christian nation for centuries – we often find the teachings of Jesus very difficult to accept. We tend to concentrate on believing in him rather than listening to what he taught!

In this teaching moment with Nicodemus Jesus says that his way of seeing things is so different that it is as though one has to be born again –  of spirit as well as of water. So, with Nicodemus we ask ‘How can this be?’ How might being born again inform our way of seeing?  I need to say that I do not think “being born again” is what a lot of Christians seem to think it is. (Please follow the link above if interested.) To be born again is to enter into the mind and heart of Jesus – to come to see and think as he does. Or at least to know that he sees and thinks differently and to seek to understand!

Maybe next time we are looking at someone or something, an intractable problem or someone we don’t understand, we can try focusing on them in the normal way and then, prayerfully, looking through a spiritual lens! An example is that when I was a social worker I would listen to people by listening for problems and what they had already tried, what they wanted as an outcome and measuring this against what I knew about resources and theories of growth and development. When I became a chaplain I heard the same sorts of things but I learnt to listen for stories of journeying, of seeking, of rupture and repair, of dark and light, of inklings or nudgings that might be the spirit, for signs of grace and renewal rather than self directed growth. Listening and looking at the same stories but with a different frame of reference and intention.

Maybe Lent is a time to reflect on ourselves and others knowing that the purpose of seeing is not to condemn but to see where healing is needed; to discern new green shoots of enthusiasm and gift; to identify opportunities for invitation and inclusion. And sometimes that means looking to see where there needs to be containment or struggle or lostness for a season so that old certainties and limitations can be surrendered so that the new spirit has room to reside. And such a way of looking is a sign of a new born different way of being and will change us as we go.

The challenge to be born again is not a formula for inclusion in some exclusive group that leaves others out, it is a process of following the One who saw the world differently and will change how we see things. It will disrupt and disturb us in the process most likely. And it will liberate us and make us free to love.

Intercessions:

Gracious Creator,

you have made everything good

and you have declared us the apple of your eye,

we pray for your created world knowing you care for everything and everyone.

We particularly pray for those parts of creation degraded by greed and flood and fire and famine …

We pray for all peoples who are displaced and oppressed …

And we pray protection and strengthening for all who seek to bring aid …

Creator God,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, Redeemer of the world,

You see through our delusions and disguises

and see who we are made to be and seek our company.

We pray for all who seek to keep a holy time of Lent or Ramadan or any discipline of reflection and service to others

We particularly pray for all leaders of religions and spiritual traditions …

may peace and love of neighbour be preached …

We pray for all who sick and struggling …

and for those who will die this season we pray peace and reconciliation …

Jesus our Redeemer,

Hear our prayer.

Spirit that sustains and enlivens,

As we pray, study, fast and reflect

let us glimpse your movement and follow your promptings

until we hear and see your wisdom as our desire.

Reveal how we are bound together and increase in us the desire to serve and share until we are truly one.

We particularly pray for your church this holy season that we see how to be beacons of hope in this broken world.

We entrust our Beloveds to your holy presence and pray they are at peace in you.

Spirit that sustains,

Hear our prayer.

Living God,

Creator, Redeemer of all, Spirit that Sustains,

We pray in the name of your Beloved Son, the Christ, who came among us and called us to follow and establish your kingdom in our time. Amen.

 This is my work informed by all that I have heard, read and experienced. I am indebted to the wisdom of others.