Erl Purnell Sermon

cMaundy Thursday ~ April 5, 2007 ~ A homily preached by The Rev’d Erl G. Purnell at Old St. Andrew’s Church, Bloomfield, CT

Exodus 12.1-14a; Psalm 78.14-20, 23-25; 1 Corinthians 11.23-32; John 13.1-15

In the chill of night, they came. They took him away. Jesus, who had been teaching all week in the Temple, was found in a deserted place near the garden of Gethsemane. The throngs who had followed him and listened to him were asleep. Some of his disciples had fallen asleep, too. Judas comes. Armed guards from the Temple are with him. He kisses Jesus. The guards seize Jesus and take him away … in the chill of the night.

Where are you? With Jesus? With the Temple police? Asleep?

Jesus is questioned. Jesus is mocked. Jesus is blindfolded. Jesus is treated with contempt. Where are you?

“Are you the Son of God?” the chief priests ask. He said to them, “You say that I am.” Where are you?

Jesus is taken to Pilate. Pilate questions him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answers, “You say so.” Where are you?

Jesus is taken to Herod. Herod questions him, too. Jesus says nothing. Nothing. Where are you?

Jesus is stripped. Jesus is flogged. Jesus bleeds. The crowd cries, “Crucify! Crucify him!” Where are you? Pilate says, “Why, what evil has he done?” Where are you?

Jesus is sentenced by Pilate to die. Where are you? Barabbas is released. Where are you? Simon of Cyrene bears the cross timber to Golgotha. Where are you?

Jesus is crucified. And, where are you? Where are you when Jesus dies? Where are you that afternoon so long ago? Where are you now?

Amen.