Over the next four weeks the gospel readings come from John, and show Jesus engaging with specific individuals. This Sunday, we will hear the interaction of Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3. Next Sunday we will hear Jesus engaging the woman at the well. Then, we will hear of Jesus’ healing, and subsequent engagement with, a man born blind. Finally, on the fifth Sunday in Lent, we will hear the story of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead.
 
This group of people is wildly diverse. Nicodemus is a religious leader, the woman at the well a person of ill repute – and a Samaritan, no less. The man born blind, and his family, were thought by most to be sinners, and Lazarus was Jesus’ dear friend.
 
As we meditate on how Jesus engaged with people, we can learn a lot about him. And as we do, my hope is that the way might become more and more open for us to engage with Jesus, no matter who we are, where we are from, or what we have done. Inevitably, as we do this, we become aware of Jesus’ deep desire to be in relationship not only with us, but also with those around us – religious leaders like Nicodemus, outsiders with a bad reputation like the woman at the well, misunderstood and marginalized people like the man born blind, and, finally, dear friends like Lazarus.
 
This Lent, may we become more and more aware of God’s desire to be inrelationship with us, and with those around us.
 
Peace,
 
Chris