Sermon for April 2, 2006 - St James’s, Cambridge What puts God’s love and God’s law on our hearts? Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 The Rev Judy Gay 1. How is God’s word written in our hearts? 1.1 In today’s gospel, as Jesus was trying to help his disciples understand that the hour for his death was approaching, he said: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. A Grain of Wheat is the title of one of the best African novels written in 1967 by James Ngugi now known as Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. Ngugi used Jesus’s image of the “grain of wheat” to refer to the early pioneers of the Kenyan independence struggle, men who gave their lives so that later generations of Kenyans could live in freedom. In 1968 in West Africa, I had the joy of introducing this wonderful East African novel about the Kenyan independence struggle into a Liberian English syllabus then dominated by British colonial literature. Two weeks ago here at Harvard, John and I listened to the same author, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, speaking about post-colonial literature and the tension between writing in English or his native Kikuyu language. He has done both, and his books have been translated into a dozen other languages around the world. But no matter what language they are written in, no matter what words his readers use, his central image of “a grain of wheat” remains as clear and comprehensible today in Kenya or China or America, as it was in Palestine 2000 years ago. A symbol like the Grain of Wheat has the power to transcend all language and cultures, and to enter into all of our hearts. Jesus spoke in the language of images, dramatic actions, parables which we can visualize, remember and put into practice -- ways by which God’s law is written in our hearts. 1.2 In today’s Old Testament reading from Jeremiah, God says: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts...” But how does God write the law in our hearts? Certainly not with a “magic marker” like the finger of God that is shown writing the words of the Ten Commandments on stone in Cecil B. DeMille’s classic Hollywood film. Of course, written WORDS and spoken WORDS are very important in helping us to know God’s ways and God’s will. - Like the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and the other teachings of Jesus, - like the words of scripture read in Church, preached, shared in Bible study groups; - like the words of the catechism, the creeds, the Prayer Book, the hymns we sing, - like the words of academic discourse, theological speculation, intellectual questioning Sure, written and spoken words are important. But for Christians, the Word is never separated from the incarnation. The Word was made flesh in Jesus. Personal, non-verbal, dramatic communication was central in the messages of the prophets and in the life and teachings of Jesus. I suspect that for most of us, our deepest religious knowledge, experience and conviction is connected with sight and sound and touch, not just word and thought. With art and music, drama and movement, food and drink, peace marches and Godly play – not just words. 1.3 In today’s gospel Jesus said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He meant of course, the time for him to face crucifixion, burial, and the promise of Easter. The time for that “Grain of Wheat” to die and be buried, in order to rise with new life. As we approach this high point of the church year, I urge us all to open our eyes and ears and hearts to - the dramatic power of the liturgy as we celebrate the events from Palm Sunday to Easter, - and to the beauty of this church in which we worship – particular its stained glass windows. 2. Let the Holy Week and Easter Liturgy speak to your hearts Next Sunday is called both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. It is called Palm Sunday because we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem where he was welcomed as king and messiah by the crowds waving palms and shouting “Hosanna”. Here at St James we will gather in the parish hall at 10:30 to receive our palms with which we will process around the church to enter the great front door shouting “Hosanna to the king of kings”. It is also called Passion Sunday because the joyous triumphal mood soon gives way to the solemn story of betrayal and suffering on the cross . I remember a lifetime of Palm Sunday processions through dusty West African villages, and South African urban slums, crowds waving freshly cut palm fronds and singing “All glory, laud and honor” in local languages. What do you remember from Palm Sundays past? Later that week we will celebrate Maundy Thursday -- the day that Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment to put love into practice, and gave them the sacrament of bread and wine as they ate their last supper together. On that Thursday we will all come together for supper in the parish hall. After supper we will re-enact Jesus’ new commandment to love, by washing one another’s feet, and re-enact his new commandment to share in the breaking of bread and the wine by having communion together around the tables. Then we will quietly enter the church, strip the altar bare, and spend some time in prayer, remembering how Jesus prayed through the night in the Garden of Gethsemane until he was betrayed and arrested. I remember Maundy Thursday, three years ago at St James, with Jodi Mikalachki (who was about to test her vocation as a nun) washing the feet of Elvira Sterling, who struggled up from her sickbed to attend that, her last church supper, just a few weeks before she died – passing on to the life eternal. What Maundy Thursdays do you remember? What examples of love are written on your heart? We will celebrate Good Friday together in the barren church with our solemn prayer book liturgy and quiet time for prayer at the foot of the cross, either at midday during the hours when Jesus was on the cross, or in the evening for liturgy, prayers and music. Will you be somewhere in prayer on Good Friday – in prayer with Jesus on the cross and with the loving God who still suffers with all who suffer from poverty, hunger, discrimination, AIDS, torture and war because of our sins and our indifference? And then, three days later comes the climax of our church year: Easter Sunday celebration of the resurrection in a church full of the beauty of Easter flowers and music and sunlight, welcoming the angels with the good news that “Christ is risen!” Every church, every tradition, every culture, celebrates the resurrection differently. Some of you may be traveling this Easter, but wherever you are on Easter Sunday, be sure that you join in celebrating the great good news of Easter - of Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and Jesus’ gift of new life, new hope, new vision at Easter. The drama and music of Holy Week and Easter services are powerful ways by which God puts his law and his love in our hearts. May God open your eyes and ears and come into your hearts anew this Easter. 3. Let the Stained Glass windows speak to your hearts And as you open your hearts to the drama and symbolism of the Easter liturgy, so I invite you to open your eyes to the beauty of this place of worship, especially to the wonderful stained glass windows which surround us. Take time during to look, study, and pray with these windows so that God can come into your hearts afresh through their images. Let me just share a few things I have discovered in this past week when I’ve spent a lot of time looking at these windows in the springtime sun, and reading and asking others who know them well. Our windows are not only beautiful, but they are unique because of the racial diversity and the number of women who are represented. The windows themselves represent the diversity and inclusivity we so cherish here at St James. Let’s begin with Asia. When you go out through the vestry, notice the lovely little window on the left, dedicated to A. Kaiming Chiu. He came from China to study at Harvard in 1925 and became the founding librarian of the Harvard-Yenching library, which has one of the best collections of Asian literature outside of China. Many of the Chinese visiting scholars who worship with us are Harvard-Yenching scholars and so are represented by the flower buds on that lovely window. Six clerestory windows high above us represent Barbados in “The Islands” - three sets of windows given in memory of members of the Maynard, Kendrix and Gaines families. - The two windows on the right portray Mary Magdalene with the risen Christ on Easter morning, and the Ascension of our Lord. - In the center you see Jesus with the women, including Eric Maynard’s late aunt among the three on the right, and Eric’s own grandmother as the grey-haired woman with Jesus on the left. - And on the left are two Pentecost windows showing the tongues of fire and rush of wind lifting the disciples up and sending them out to witness in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Christmas window over the south door: Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the shepherds and the 3 kings - Note the circle of trumpeting angels, and particularly the beautiful African-American angel whose picture was used on a St James Christmas card several years ago. - And when you look closely at the three kings you will see that one of them is actually not a king but an African queen, like the Queen of Sheba. Perhaps our next Christmas card. - Be sure to see our other Christmas card angel, one of three below a young child at prayer along the left side near the back, and at just the right height for children to look at. - Kids can also look for the window of young David with his harp on the same side. We also have a number of other windows representing women - The virgin Mary in the Nativity windows (South transept, and midway on the left.) - Anna in the window above the Paul Revere Bell. The elderly Anna, together with Simeon, recognized and proclaimed the baby Jesus as the messiah when he was brought to the temple to be circumcised. (Window in memory of Mary Longfellow Greenleaf) - Dorothea of Alexandria - Martha and Lazarus (a foretaste of the resurrection of Jesus) - Dorcas - who spent her time doing good deeds, helping the poor, and sewing clothes for those in need, as mentioned in Acts 9. Note the four evangelists near the back: John, Luke, Matthew, Mark Two of the 70 disciples Jesus sent out on mission are portrayed in a window given in memory of the two laymen who left the comfort of Christ Church in Harvard Square and came up to the rough-and-tumble railway stockyard area called Porter Square in order to found this mission church of St James in 1864. (Luke 10) Also in the back, on either side of the main door, you can see two windows by John La Farge: - Jesus the Good Shepherd, and - Jesus the Light of the World . Think of it, Jesus is bringing the light of the world to the door of your house, your heart. Jesus wants to write his law of love in your heart. Will you open and let him in, so that you can then let his light shine out through you to the world outside the church doors? As Easter approaches be sure to look up at our Resurrection windows above the chapel There you see the angel at the tomb on Easter morning telling the women and Peter: “fear not, for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here for he is risen as he said.” Whenever there is a baptism be sure to look at the windows showing Jesus receiving the children at the font, and the rich golden glow of the three windows on which are written Jesus final words: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” Above all, I want to focus our attention on the six windows which surround the high altar and invite you to join in praise to God as you come up for communion. Have you ever looked closely? The words painted on the walls and in the six stained glass windows are from the canticle or song of praise called the Te Deum in Latin. You can read it on page 7 of the Book of Common Prayer. When you come up to communion let these words be your words of praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, LORD GOD OF SABAOTH; HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE FULL OF THE MAJESTY OF THY GLORY And when you look at the six windows can join your praise with those portrayed: 1. To thee all Angels cry aloud, 2. To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry: 3...the goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee 4...the glorious company of the apostles praise thee (Notice St James with his fishing boats and scallop shell) 5...the noble army of martyrs praise thee (St Catherine of Alexandria) 6...the holy Church through all the world..... And six more angels, three on either side high above our own angelic choir Today (and every Sunday) as we walk into this church and then come up to kneel at the altar rail for communion, we are literally surrounded by the images and the memory of all who have shared in praising God throughout the ages, here and around the world. May we open our eyes and ears so that God’s law of love may be written on our hearts and we may join our voices with all who are pictured and remembered in this place to the praise of God and re-commitment to work for justice, peace and the service of God’s people.