On this Fifth Sunday in Lent, our readings focus our attention to a God who transforms even the very darkest of places and events of our lives. This God is even able and willing to reach into the darkness of tombs in order to make the glory of God even more brilliant.

The psalmist declares that with God there is power to redeem, and calls upon Israel to hope in God even in the deepest woe. (Psalm 130) Then Ezekiel writes about his vision of dried out bones being hung with new sinew and muscle, as God breathes new breath into them. It is a vision of Israel, and a promise of restoration. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Paul writes more about death and life as realms either of the body or of the spirit. More important than the dualism of Paul’s language is the tenet that a spirited, spiritual life is made possible and set free by the new life made known in a resurrected Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:6-11)

Finally, the Gospel reading is the familiar tale of Jesus visiting his friends Mary and Martha after Lazarus has died. They learn that even their friendship with Jesus did not mean he would come in time to prevent the deep sorrow of death. But when Jesus calls Lazarus forth from the darkness of the tomb, they discover the power of God in a new, unfathomable way. (John 11:1-45) Oh, if only we had such dramatic experiences and signs.

Perhaps we have had our own Lazarus episodes, either in epic ways or small ones. When the unexpected glimmer of hope happens, or we are surprised by something new, or we discover that something long lost and gone isn’t lost and gone after all, what meaning do we give them? Is it a lucky break? Coincidence? A mere anomaly?

Or is it the gift of God, who comes to visit us again, perhaps a little later than we wished, but who comes nonetheless to make something new, just for us? And can it be another sign that the promises of God are trustworthy, and that we can continue to dare, out of the deepest places, to cry unto God?

Choral Music:

• Chancel Choir: “Out of the Deep” – John Rutter — From his Requiem comes this setting of Psalm 130. The piece begins with a cello solo in the low, low registers of the instrument, and at the bottom of the organ’s scale. Rutter “sings the blues” a bit, as the cello’s motifs and the choir’s harmonies sound not unlike the Blues. The setting brightens in the middle, as the singers express the virtues of God’s forgiveness, and it climaxes with the assertion that in God is hope. The piece then closes by receding back to the depths, with a quiet plea to God to hear our voice..
• Chancel Choir: “Your Hands, O Lord, in Days of Old” – Carson Cooman — The text is Edward Plumptre’s old hymn, extolling the healing acts of Christ, with a plea that such healing and enlightenment would still come to us. Cooman sets the text to a new melody, with descant.

Organ Music:

• Prelude: “Out of the Depths” – Georg Böhm — From the 16th century chorale “Aus tiefer Not,” Böhm sets the ornamented cantus firmus (melody) under two voices that move along in surprisingly jaunty movement. The piece suggests to me that faith permits us to move along through our lives in a quiet kind of confidence and joy, rather than getting bogged down in the sadness of our deep, dark experiences. Bach’s setting of the chorale introduces Böhm’s setting.
  
• Offertory: “Spirit of Gentleness” – Karl Osterlund — This setting of our opening hymn also has a spritely counterpoint to the simple expression of the melody. The hymn is selected because of the role of the Spirit in Ezekiel, in breathing new life into the lifeless bones of the valley.
• Postlude: “Kyrie” – Francois Couperin — This is the second movement of his Mass for the Parishes, and is selected to close our Lenten season with this suitable plea: Lord, have mercy.

April 9th, 2011 Subscribe to the RSS feed!