“Shalom!”  You have all heard that word.  Many of you even say it.  You recognize it as that Hebrew word that Jewish people use both to say hello and to say goodbye.  Most often the word “shalom” is translated into English with the word “peace.”  And that’s not bad.  But the word in Hebrew is more complex than that.  According to one Hebrew dictionary, “shalom” can mean all of the following:  completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, safety, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquility, contentment, security, and friendship. 

The Service of Darkness centers on a series of lessons, psalms, and liturgical texts that reflect on the Lord’s crucifixion and our repentance.  As the service progresses, the candles of a sevenfold candelabrum are extinguished until only one remains.  This candle is not extinguished but is removed from the chancel, leaving the church in darkness.  The service is closed by a loud noise (known as the strepitus) that foreshadows the rending of Jesus’ tomb on Easter.  After the strepitus, the last candle, still burning, is returned to the chancel.  It thus anticipates the light of the paschal candle.  The service ends without a benediction.  We exit in silence to reassemble on the Festival.

Our text for this morning puts before us the starting line of a race.  Let’s think marathon.  The runners are gathered at the starting line.  They are limbering and loosening up.  The road is lined with spectators, people who have gathered to cheer the runners on.

Can you picture it?  Good!  Because you are the one in the race! 

Our text this morning finds Jesus in Jerusalem during Holy Week.  He is there, as we well know, to celebrate the Passover, and die.  But early in the week, the event of our text takes place.  There are some Greeks in Jerusalem for the Passover.  These would have been non-Jews who had come to faith in Israel’s God and now worshiped just like the Jews according to the laws of the Old Testament.  But there is something interesting about these Greeks.  They are drawn to Jesus.