Loving God, in your Son, Jesus, you entered the darkness of this world in order to bring your light and your love. Bring that same light and that same love to this place this evening, and open our hearts by the power of your Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In 1986 at a Lutheran Youth Gathering in Saskatoon, there was a visiting musical group from Sweden called "Fjedur." They had spent some time in South Africa while apartheid was the policy and Nelson Mandela was in prison. As they visited our youth gathering, they shared many of the songs they learned in South Africa as well as many stories of their experiences there. While they were in South Africa, they spent most of their time with those who were black and poor and oppressed. They told about some of the strange looks they got from people when they saw black and white sitting down at the same table to eat together. Yet, there were also expressions of longing - people who looked like they wanted to join them, but just couldn't bring themselves to do it.

In this particular situation, this group of young people from Sweden was being a sign of hope simply by being there and by sitting at the same table as those who were forcibly kept apart from the white people of South Africa. They were being a sign of hope by going and sharing the stories of the people whom they had met. They were working at being agents of healing and hope - letting their light shine in the midst of the darkness.

In many ways, that is what this service is all about this evening - being signs of healing and hope in the midst of a broken and messed up world. This is the message of the illustration that is on the front of our service booklets this evening, as well as the message of the readings that we have heard.

The illustration, in fact, includes many signs of brokenness and destruction. There are some of the signs associated with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, like the stones being toppled and the heavens being shaken and kingdom rising against kingdom. There are signs there of oppression and of the dry bones from Ezekiel and of the AIDS crisis which is decimating South Africa and many other nations. There are signs of both natural and national disasters, and of the broken hearts of those who seek healing. Yet, all around these signs of brokenness and destruction are the symbols of community, and the great big symbol which is right in the center is the leaves which are for the healing of the nations.

In the same way, there are many images of brokenness and destruction in the readings that we have heard today. Yet, in each reading there are also signs of hope. If you recall the passage that we heard from Luke 21:5-19, all kinds of scary signs are mentioned. There are wars and insurrections and famines and plagues and earthquakes and signs in the heavens. There is oppression and imprisonment and betrayal and persecution. Yet, in the midst of all of these things related to the destruction of the temple, there are promises and words of hope for all those who follow Jesus Christ. Yes, you will be in the midst of some terrible things, "but not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls" (Lk. 21:18-19).

In Ezekiel, too, we find a message of hope in the midst of death and destruction. An entire valley full of dry bones must have looked very hopeless indeed. In fact, this is how the people of Israel were feeling at the time: "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost" (Ezek. 37:11). Yet, God is quite capable of resurrection! Things were not nearly as hopeless as the people thought. Those bones only needed the Spirit of God - the breath of God - the ruach of God. And into a valley of death and hopelessness, the Spirit of God breathed life and resurrection!

Finally, we have the reading from Matthew 26:6-13, which also has signs of hope in the midst of the brokenness of this world - with Jesus himself as the sign of hope. It might be easily missed, but the very fact that Jesus is in the house of somebody who is described as "Simon the leper" is a real sign of hope. We can only presume that Simon must have been healed of his leprosy. Otherwise he would not have been in a house with Jesus, or with anybody else for that matter! And then there is the woman who comes and anoints Jesus in the same manner in which somebody would be anointed king - or perhaps, Messiah. Jesus is absolutely breaking down barriers between people simply by accepting this anointing. He knows that it is actually a sign of his coming burial rather than any earthly reign, and yet there is this "good news" that will be "proclaimed in the whole world" (Mt. 26:13).

And so all through these readings we have these signs of hope which are found in the midst of the signs of the brokenness and destruction in this world. In fact, we, too, can be signs of hope through the prayers that we offer on this day and the offerings that we bring and the actions that we take in order to be agents of healing and hope in this world.

Certainly, when we focus on the problems in our world, and even as we are made aware of some of the biggest prayer concerns for the people of South Africa, the needs can seem overwhelming. Yet, our God is a God of compassion and a God of power. Our God is a God of resurrection, especially when things seem most hopeless. Our God is a God of healing, as we can tell through the life and ministry of Jesus. Our God is a God who identifies with those who suffer and lifts up those who are bowed down.

As we go forth from this place today, may it be as people who are empowered by the Holy Spirit and who have hope because of our faith in Jesus Christ. May we go forth in order to be signs of hope in the midst of the darkness of this world. May we be like the mustard seed which, although so small, grows to become a tree (Lk. 13:18-19). May we be like the leaves which are for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22). May we be the light in the darkness, called to share the love of Christ in our world. Amen.

World Day of Prayer
March 3, 2006
St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore
? 2006 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved