2012 lessons!

John 18:1-18

1 Jesus, having prayed, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it. 2 Judas, his betrayer, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples went there often. 3 So Judas led the way to the garden, and the Roman soldiers and police sent by the high priests and Pharisees followed. They arrived there with lanterns and torches and swords. 4 Jesus, knowing by now everything that was coming down on him, went out and met them. He said, "Who are you lookin for?" They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene." 5 6 He said, "I AM." The soldiers recoiled, totally taken aback. Judas, his betrayer, stood out like a sore thumb. 7 Jesus asked again, "Who are you looking for?" They answered, "Jesus the Nazarene." "I told you," said Jesus, "I AM. So if it's me you're after, let these others go." 9 (This validated the words in his prayer, "I didn't lose one of those you gave.") 10 Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name. 11 Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?" 12 Then the Roman soldiers under their commander, joined by the Jewish police, seized Jesus and tied him up. 13 They took him first to Annas, father- in- law of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. 16 Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. That other disciple was known to the Chief Priest, and so he went in with Jesus to the Chief Priest's courtyard. 16 Peter had to stay outside. Then the other disciple went out, spoke to the doorkeeper, and got Peter in. 17 The young woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I'm not." 18 The servants and police had made a fire because of the cold and were huddled there warming themselves. Peter stood with them, trying to get warm.

Food for end of year thought!

It is neither Holy Week nor the Passion of Jesus. It is 31st of December.  Although this reading comes from Good Friday’s Liturgy, it is what the Church has given us for the last day of 2012, and for a reason. Indeed, it will help us to wind up 2012 and to prepare for 2013.

I hope, between end of 2012 and beginning of 2013, you will find some time to go to the garden, alone with Jesus. You will not go there like Judas and the Roman soldiers and police that went in that garden to seize Jesus. No, we will go in there not to seize Jesus, but to be seized by Jesus. 

“Who are you looking for?” This is the question Jesus made to his captors; the same question he makes to you and me: Who are you looking for, in your life? In 2012, who did you look for? In 2013, who will you look for? Are you looking for Jesus the Nazarene." He said, "I AM." 

I want you to notice that in good grammar the word would have been, WHOM, not WHO are you looking for, as Jesus put it. The reason for this apparently wrong grammar is in the answer I AM. In life we are looking for I AM; we are always looking for the I AM. Whatever we do in life, we are looking for the I AM. This I AM is not someone out there (that’s why it is not WHOM are you looking for?); it is someone in you.

Did you notice that when the young girl asked Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples?" He said, "No, I'm not."? It is because this is not about Peter or Mary or You or Me; it is about Jesus. Life is about Jesus the Nazarene. He is the ultimate I AM. If you want to know your I AM know about Jesus; if you want to know yourself know Jesus. The road to your I AM goes through  Jesus’ I AM. You will never understand yourself without understanding Jesus.

If you want to understand the year 2012, look at it through Jesus; Jesus will enlighten all your  mysteries of 2012; he will make sense out of the nonsense of 2012. Write down the major life lessons you have learned in 2012 so you can share them with others. We should be grateful Solomon did this, because it gave us the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which are filled with practical lessons on living. 

Imagine how much needless frustration could be avoided if we learned from each other’s life lessons. Mature people develop the habit of extracting lessons from everyday experiences. I urge you to make a list of your life lessons in 2012. You haven’t really thought about them unless you have written them down. Here are a few questions to jog your memory and get you started:

In 2012,

What has God taught me from failure? 

What has God taught me from a lack of money? 

What has God taught me from pain or sorrow or depression? 

What has God taught me through waiting? 

What has God taught me through illness? 

What has God taught me from disappointment? 

What have I learned from my family, my church, my relationships, my small group, and my critics?