Bishop’s Holy Week and Easter News: “Not my will, but yours be done.”
Greetings whānau, as we begin the Holy Week journey with Jesus to the cross and beyond. We kicked off last night with Chrism service at the Cathedral, and I’m looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible over the next two nights in the Wairarapa and Manawatu for our other two services. A spoiler alert: I’ll be talking about repentance, but don’t let that put you off.
I wanted to write just to reiterate two of the points around repentance that I feel God has placed on my heart to share with you, and leave them with you as I head off into sabbatical period.
The first point is the idea that struck me of how much energy Adam and Eve spent in the Garden of Eden, hiding their stuff-ups from God. It must have been exhausting. When we know deep within ourselves that we’re not enough, but forget how loved we are, we carry around with us the nervous energy of worrying that we will be found out and seen as wanting. We hide; we spend our energy in making whatever the metaphorical equivalent of clothing is that will cover our vulnerability. We do this both as individuals and as faith communities.
This is where the invitation to repentance comes in to heal us and set us straight again. Repentance isn’t a practice of self-abasement but the polar opposite – it’s a reminder for us that God’s image is on us; that we are of infinite value; that Jesus died for us. It’s a re-orientation and realignment to help us remember that who we are before God – truly loved.
Which brings me to my second point: I wonder if perhaps we find it hard to repent because we so often forget how loved we are. If we did, we would be less inclined to run and hide from God’s embrace. And we would probably be praying a whole lot more (and seeing God show up a whole lot more). When we realise who we are before God – loved, and in need of God – our natural inclination is only then to get down on our knees and pray. And our only natural prayer is “God, will your kingdom come” because we know we can’t do it on our own. I think this is the true prayer of repentance: God, may your kingdom come.
Later this week we will hear Jesus say: “Father, not my will, but yours be done.” May Jesus’ prayer also be ours.
May the blessing of our redeeming, creating and renewing God be with you, your communities, families and those you do life with this Holy Week and Easter. Looking forward to seeing you all again in August (and please pray for the Anglican Centre team who are worried I will come back with a million ideas!).
In Christ
+Justin
