Good morning.
Today is Thursday,
April 1st,
2021.
It is Maundy Thursday in the Christian calendar.
Our reading today comes from John chapter 18.
After Jesus had said all this,
He left with his disciples.
There was a garden,
And Jesus and the disciples entered it.
Judas the traitor knew the place well,
Because Jesus often met there with his disciples.
Judas led the Roman cohort to the place,
Along with some temple guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees.
All were armed and carried lanterns and torches.
Then Jesus,
Aware of everything that was going to take place,
Stepped forward and said to them,
Who are you looking for?
Are you Jesus of Nazareth?
They asked.
Jesus said,
I am.
Now Judas was with them.
When Jesus said,
I am,
They all drew back and fell to the ground.
Again,
Jesus asked them,
Who are you looking for?
They replied,
Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus said,
I have already told you that I am the one you want.
If I am the one you're looking for,
Let the others go.
Simon Peter,
Who had a sword,
Drew it and struck the high priest's attendant,
Cutting off his right ear.
Jesus said to Peter,
Put your sword away.
Am I not to drink the cup Abba God has given me?
Then the cohort and its captain and the temple guards seized and bound Jesus.
They took him first to Annas,
Who was the father in law of Caiaphas,
Who was the high priest that year.
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus.
This disciple,
Who was known to the high priest,
Entered the courtyard with Jesus while Peter hung back at the gate.
The doorkeeper spoke to Peter.
Aren't you one of this guy's followers?
But Peter answered,
No,
I am not.
The night was cold.
So the attendants and guards had lit a charcoal fire and were warming themselves.
Peter was with them as well,
Keeping warm.
The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teachings.
Jesus said,
I have spoken publicly to everyone.
I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple area where the whole where all of the people congregate.
I have said nothing in secret.
So why do you question me?
Ask those who have heard me.
Ask them what I said to them.
They know what I said.
When Jesus said this,
One of the guards standing by slapped him and said,
Is this how you answer the high priest?
If I've said anything wrong,
Jesus replied,
Point it out.
But if I'm right in what I said,
Why do you strike me?
Then Annas sent Jesus still shackled to Caiaphas,
The high priest.
Meanwhile,
Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself.
Others asked him,
Aren't you one of his disciples?
But Peter denied it,
Saying,
I am not.
One of the attendants of the high priest,
A relative of the attendant whose ear Peter had severed,
Spoke up.
But didn't I see you in the garden with him again?
Peter denied it.
At that moment,
A rooster crowed.
At daybreak,
They led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the praetorium.
Temple authorities didn't enter because they would have become ritually unclean and unable to eat the Passover Seder.
So Pilate went out to them and asked,
What charges do you bring against this person?
They responded,
We wouldn't have brought him to you if you weren't a criminal.
Pilate told them,
Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.
The temple authorities replied,
We don't have the power to put anyone to death.
So Pilate re-entered the praetorium and summoned Jesus.
Are you the king of the Jews?
Asked Pilate.
Jesus answered,
Do you say this of your own accord or have others told you about me?
Pilate replied,
Am I Jewish?
It's your own people and the chief priests who handed you over to me.
What have you done?
Jesus answered,
My realm is not of this world.
If it belonged to this world,
My people would have fought to keep me out of the hands of the temple authorities.
No,
My realm is not of this world.
Pilate said,
So you are a king.
Jesus replied,
You say I am a king.
I was born and came into the world for one purpose,
To bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who seeks the truth hears my voice.
Truth?
What is truth?
Asked Pilate.
With that,
Pilate went out and spoke to the people.
I find no guilt in him,
He said.
But according to your custom,
I always release a prisoner at the Passover.
Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?
No,
They shouted,
Not him.
We want Barabbas.
Barabbas was a robber.
I invite you now into a moment of silence.
As we reflect on this scene.
As we prepare to enter.
Into this holy weekend.
Remembering Jesus' trial.
And crucifixion.
And burial.
And resurrection.
As we reflect on the words that you've heard.
And allow God's spirit to lead you wherever you need to go in this space.
This is called the courtyard scene,
And it was written by Ann Weems.
Over and over again,
We sit in our courtyards.
Our mouths speaking what our hearts are full of.
We do not know him.
Do not,
Do not,
Do not,
Do not know him.
Know him,
Know him,
Know him.
Echoes loudly.
Emphatically.
Filling time and space.
Heaven and earth.
And yet.
The saddest part.
Is when the cock crows.
We don't have the ears to hear.
To hear,
To hear,
To hear,
To hear,
To hear.
At least Peter.
Had the ears to hear.
And the heart.
To weep.
