Day 27: Who is Jesus?

The lectionary is a set of readings for each Sunday of the year.  During the season of lent, the gospel lesson focuses on the heart of Christian faith as the season initially was a period for new believers to learn the faith in preparation for baptism at the Easter vigil.

I've come to love this ancient tradition and have baptised each of my boys at Easter using lent as a period to reassess my faith and come back to the basics.

Who is Jesus? What did he teach? Who or what is God? How does Jesus relate to God? What does this mean for my life?

This year's Lenten readings are my favorite.  To me,  they best illustrate the heart of Jesus and the essence of Christian faith. In each story, Jesus meets someone. One on one. Alone. In the midst of their reality and invites them to a fundamental change. 

Nicodemus, a religious teacher comes at night with deep questions about faith.  Jesus says let go of what you think you know and start over with your assumptions.  

An outcast woman comes with a broken life.  Jesus says God accepts you, find wholeness.  

A blind man comes as an object lesson in how God punishes people by causing misery.  Jesus says God cannot be nailed down and grace is bigger then human wisdom. 

Lazarus sisters come with tears that thier brother has died.  Jesus says God is bigger than death.

Here's what I've learned about Jesus:

Jesus hangs out with people that no one likes. Jesus makes a point of punching holes in stereotypes. He is clear that there is a chair at the table for everyone.

But his way is not easy. He cuts to the heart of what you will and won't let go of in life and asks you trust him as he leads you completely out of your comfort zone. Following Jesus means being ready to make sacrifices.  Jesus walked the road of sacrifice and ultimately love had the final say. 

Jesus is difficult and confusing. 

There is a veil that separates us from fully understanding God. Jesus is perhaps our best window into the heart of God. We wrestle with Jesus hoping to find a way to pin down God.  But God cannot be pinned down. God is unknowable. 

Faith is coming back again and again to be reshaped by our encounters with God trusting that our limited vision will someday be made complete.