In the Crowd

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.’ After saying this, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, ‘Where is he?’ And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, ‘He is a good man’, others were saying, ‘No, he is deceiving the crowd.’ Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews. John 7:1-13

Loving Creator who hides among the people

you join where your people sings and celebrate

too often we behave like we do not believe

yet you are still moving among the people.

We are impressed by the proud and scheming

and miss the holy as we walk blind daily

we sing the praises of the pretty and haughty

and miss the sacred in the humble on the road.

You did not avoid the gathering of nations

you drew close to the stranger and the outcast

With the eyes of love you see our hearts

and call us to walk with you and the least.

Help us, good Lord, to follow your call

make us your people of care and compassion

help us to see the sacred in the very ordinary

and your love shining through the humble. Amen.