Other Worldly

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:36-37

Last weekend we took my Mom back to her home in Cape May Point. Since they are situated so close to the ocean, they usually have little or no snow during the winter. This year has been like none we have every seen before. We took a walk through our little town and saw snow piles up to the top of street signs, little cottages buried in snow, and snow piles so high the sunken ship was dwarfed. It felt as if we were in another world, as if we were walking on the far side of the moon. Everything that is so familiar became strange and curious. The light was different as it reflected off snow rather than the water, and many homes looked like frosting decorating a cake, since no one was there to plow or shovel. It was like falling into a story book. A glimpse of a completely different reality in a completely familiar place.

Today is Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. The day before Len begins and we sit on the cusp on one season as the next one take its place. We are in that liminal time on the edge, between two worlds almost, where what will will become is about to break forth. We hear in our Gospel the story of Jesus being interrogated by Pilate. We hear the edge, the almost but not yet completion of the Son of Man who was to face crucifixion and resurrection. We are sitting in the almost but not yet place in our Christian story. We are standing in that place we often find ourselves. We are emerging and yet we are not yet fully disclosed.

Today, I want to live fully in the awkward and thrilling space which is in-between and becoming. We are in motion, but ever so slightly and it might just seem we are standing still. And I want to trust God that we are all emerging, becoming new in the love of God and the truth of Christ's grace for all. May we all live today completely, knowing that as what we know passes away, God is making a new world, a place place, a new way forward for each and every one of us.