Contemporary Reading

 

Voice 1:


Asleep in a boat
that was sliding through a storm,
the water crashing in:
“Master, Master,”
they shouted to waken him,
“we are going to perish!”
The Kingdom:
interrupted
by human fear.

Voice 2:
Is this not what we need:
our sacred moments,
broken into,
reminding us of the place the gospel lives?


Voice 1:
In Jericho,
Blind Bartimaeus shouts:
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Hushed out of sight by the disciples,
but not out of hearing from Jesus
who opened his eyes and the disciples.
The Kingdom,
interrupted
by human trouble.

Voice 2:
Is this not what we need:
our religious protectionism,
broken into,
reminding us what that religion is for?


Voice 1:


In the morning darkness,
Jesus’ secret prayer place
was hunted down by Simon:
“Everyone is searching for you!”
“Then let us go and proclaim and heal!”
said Jesus.
The Kingdom:
interrupted
by human demand.

Voice 2:


Is this not what we need:
our sacred rituals,
broken into,
reminding us what those rituals are for.


Voice 1:
Peter and John off to pray
when a man, lame from birth,
caught their eye and stared.
“I have no silver or gold,”
said Peter,
“but stand up and walk!”
The Kingdom
interrupted
by human fragility.

Voice 2:
Is this not what we need:
our worship patterns,
broken into,
reminding us what our worship is for.


Voice 1:
Dawn,
early.
The stone already rolled
and the grave clothes folded.
“He is not here!”
sang the angel.
Death,
interrupted
by resurrection.

Voice 2:
Is this not what we need:
our assumptions,
broken into,
reminding us what love does for us all.