Year A, Lent 4, 2020 – Ultraviolet Light
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Hey all! We suspect you are listening to this podcast being careful to keep a social distance from others. The spread of COVID-19 has caught many of us unprepared and is stressing our resources and sense of security. Introverts the world over may be happy to stay away from people while extroverts are itching to get back out to their people as soon as possible. In this episode, David and I spend a little time talking about what this means for worshipping communities in the weeks ahead and offer a prayer I found online. Technology can be a wonderful thing! We pray you are well and are finding this unexpected fast from everything this Lent to be a time for reflection and re-ordering priorities. May your lives be blessed.
Three years ago, we titled the podcast for this episode Seeing is Believing. Samuel saw one thing when he saw Jesse’s sons but maybe didn’t believe he had heard God right when each one was rejected as king. We explored the way humans respond to physical stature when looking for a leader. Paul tells the Ephesians that they’ve received light through Jesus, so go live like it. We found a lot of poetry in the passage! In John, we have another long narrative that we transformed into a Reader’s Theater. Which we mentioned again in this podcast, so go have a look at the script already written!
By the way, as we did last week, we recorded this “live,” as we call it. That means we are coming up with ideas while we are recording without as much preparation. It makes it a lively exercise, although it’s a little more chaotic. What do you think – Are we as creative and clever when we go live? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.
John 9:1-41 – [06:47]
This passage is one long drama – full of PEOPLE smart elements! We wrote a Reader’s Theatre script three years ago, so download it and see if you can get it to work for you. I ran across a fascinating essay by Barbara Brown Taylor (linked below) about a man’s experience with his own inner light after he lost his sight as a child. Is is possible we all have this? Jesus uses mud and saliva to heal the blind man’s vision which we talked about three years ago, as well. Is it possible there were some healing properties in each? Jesus tells the man that he is the light of the world before he applies this mixture. In this passage, the man knows he has received this light and his sight, but others are still in the dark about the whole thing. They can’t see the light, so does it exist? Break out some fluorescent markers and a black light (see Ephesians below) and explore what we can, can’t, and won’t see.
- BODY smart – commentary by Barbara Brown Taylor
Ephesians 5:8-14 – [19:42]
Paul spends most of these verses talking about light; it made me wonder if the author of John’s gospel – who uses light and dark throughout – had read any of Paul’s letters! In the podcast, we spent a lot of time talking about light and its forms. Paul’s light is spiritual and metaphorical but what about light in the spectrum? Light we cannot see because we don’t have those receptors in our retinas? Fortunately, we can see Jesus’ light when our eyes are transformed to receive it. Try the SELF smart recommendation for training your own eyes to see beyond sight as you live your daily life in light of the resurrection.
- EYE smart – ultra violet light and fluorescence
- MATH smart – what is ultraviolet light?
- MUSIC smart
- NATURE smart – explore bioluminescence!
Psalm 23 – [26:06]
This psalm doesn’t explicitly mention light, but it holds within it an assurance that is a lot like a nightlight in a child’s room. The presence of light (the shepherd) allows a frightened kid to relax and get some much needed rest (calm waters and green pastures). David talks about his own experience with this psalm the night his mother died. We offer an essay by Craig Barnes where he discusses his aggravation at being equated to an animal like a sheep – he’d rather be an eagle or a tiger! What did this psalm sound like to those listening to it in Hebrew? This psalm is most often heard at funerals which makes sense because of the comforting nature of the images. But it has a lot to say to us living NOW about the presence of God. Spend some time giving your people a chance to dwell in the images (SELF and EYE smart).
- WORD smart – reading this Psalm in the original Hebrew
- MUSIC smart – a presentation of Psalm 23
- NATURE smart – a commentary by Craig Barnes at The Christian Century
1 Samuel 16:1-13 – [37:06]
I think this is the passage where ultra violet light makes the closest connection. Samuel is still grieving over Saul and possibly his own role in the king’s downfall. He cannot see much beyond this disaster. God comes to him and tells him to move on; it’s time for action. Samuel agrees to God’s plan but has misgivings about how it will be received. God gives him some cover and Samuel goes off to Bethlehem. When he arrives, the plan goes into motion and Samuel looks at each of Jesse’s strong sons and hears God say, “Nope”. By the time we get through all seven (MATH smart) of them, we figure out that God is seeing something Samuel is not. Is it possible that David, the youngest and seemingly least likely of Jesse’s sons to be selected for anything, emits some kind of light not visible to Samuel’s eyes? Is it possible he cannot see it because he is stuck on past errors and paradigms? Is it possible that we are as well? May we learn in the days and weeks to come to see God’s light giving guidance through the valley of the shadow of death and to fear no evil, working toward the day when everything becomes visible in the Light of Christ.
- WORD/MUSIC smart – a poem written from Eliab’s perspective
- PEOPLE smart – an essay by Scot McKnight at The Christian Century
Image credit : melpomen at 123rf.com. Used by permission
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