Diverse rhythms on Good Friday
Today I have had my usual Easter dilemma of writing sermons about hope and resurrection whilst at the same time dwelling in the shadow of the cross. On the one hand, I want to gaze fully at the cross as a symbol of sacrifice, costly love and the awful price of sin. On the other, I have two sermons on hope and faith to write for Easter Sunday. Is it possible to do both without descending into some kind of spiritual schizophrenia?
If I were to believe in reincarnation (which I don’t) , I would like to come back with a champion cyclist’s legs, and a jazz musician’s innate sense of rhythm. Jazz musicians, especially those who create their music on the fly, know all about syncopation – making beats and rhythms which don’t seem to belong to each other function together to make music which is captivating and full of life. I believe that we can do just that with the different rhythms of Easter – cross and grave; darkness and light, despair and hope – combine to make a music of such richness and depth that God is heard in every note. Of course we do it all the time, really – its just that it is highlighted on this Easter weekend.
How’s your jazz going today?
