Mediation- BCP

I was tempted to reflect on the readings. In the first reading and then in the Gospel of John we get mention of Judas. He hear of the field of blood, the choosing of Mathias (like General Convention?). In John we learn of his being chosen to betray Jesus. With the Gospel of Judas all over the news this Easter it seems the most interesting thing to discuss for a potential sermon.

However I am rarely ever able to escape any reading that deals with Exodus. I love the exodus. I can't really tell you why except that the book always helps me fill out my understanding of Christianity. As a Christian if there is a backstory to the Cross, betrayal of the Christ, and the adventure of Acts it is Exodus. One could argue that Christianity is the second exodus where God gives himself to all. In one of my favorite rationales as to why Jesus expands the covenant is that God wanted all to experience the love that God gave the Jews in the covenant.

And today's reading had me thinking of the consistency between it and Hebrews. Aaron as Priest is a vehicle of mediation. He is to deliver the peoples gifts and sins to God at the altar so that God may sanctify the people. In today's reading Aaron wears the names of the tribes upon his chest. He wears the stones and in doing so carries the judgment of the people. The man and priest Aaron "takes on" the judgment of the people by wearing the names of the tribes.

In Hebrews the sermon stresses the difficulty of any man to present the sin of another. This is compounded by the very sins the priest has (identify with this one). How could a sinner present to God the sins of another if the persons very sins have not been dealt with? In Hebrews we identify the only priest who is able to do so. That priest is Jesus who without sin can take on sin and in sacrificing himself on the altar thus mediates the sins of the people. A difficult idea to be sure. Like the priest Aaron, Jesus in his body takes on the judgment of the people not in his breastplate but through his very self.