Thursday, May 8, 2014

The Hour is Now Here

 

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’
 John 4:23-26

Today is the feast day of Julian of Norwich. It also finds me in Cambridge, MA where later today I will be preaching at Evensong in my seminary chapel. Julian is often quoted as saying, "all shall be well, and all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well." As I struggle to imagine how to preach to this distinguished group gathered at prayer, I am comforted by her words, reaching through the centuries with a hand on my shoulder.

Jesus encountered the woman at the well. She was the kind of woman a good Jewish man shouldn't be hanging around with. And yet, it was to this woman that he revealed the most intimate nature of his relationship with God. She too, saw Jesus for who he was. He tells her the hour  is now and that he is the Messiah, the one who is to come. He's arrived, and is seeking those who will worship God with honesty and integrity. There is no distance between God and us through Christ. And through Christ, we are bound together in love with all people everywhere.

Today I ask God to give the strength to carry the message of this divine presence and love. May we trust in everything that God is with us and that all indeed shall be well. May we live today trusting that the time is now for us to dwell as people in love with God and one another.

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