Goth Eucharist Talk - 14th Feb 2006 A Gothic Valentine

Theme: Love & Self-Sacrifice

Preacher: Linda Duckers

In preparation for this talk I decided to look up `gothic valentine' on the internet and came across a figure holding out her heart that was dripping with blood, and had a caption that said, "Please rip my heart out of my body and destroy it utterly."

The pain of broken relationships and unrequited love is particularly acute at this time of the year as we celebrate or commisserate `Valentine's Day'. Perhaps all of us have at times felt the pain and heart ache of a failed relationship, I certainly have. I remember well the feelings that I felt, the utter rejection, the asking `why?' and `why me?' It was exacerbated when many of my friends appeared to be happily `in love.' How could they possibly understand the pain and agony of my grief? I identified with the psalmist when he said `my tears have been my food day & night'. I remember not going out for weeks but sitting by the phone waiting...and waiting...surely he would phone...surely he would miss me eventually & want to see me...but I waited in vain. It felt as though the pain would never go away - I could identify with the girl on the website who wanted her heart ripped out - as that seemed the only way to get rid of the pain.

In some ways pain is a consequence of love & also of sacrifice. Love involves us investing ourselves in people or projects or causes. If it were not for this depth of commitment that we give - it would not hurt so much when things don't work out. But true love involves the giving of ourselves - sacrificing our time, energy, gifts and all that we are.

Love and self-sacrifice are themes that resonate with most of us and so frequently appear in poems, novels, art & films. For example in the Matrix Trilogy all of the main characters sacrifice their lives, against incredible odds, in some part of the trilogy. Trinity sacrifices herself for Neo, Neo sacrifices himself for Trinity, Morpheus for Neo, Trinity for Morpheus and ultimately Neo sacrifices his life to end the war and save Zion, the last human city. Sometimes they live, sometime they die but they were all willing to give their lives for love. Love for another, love for peace, love for the future of the human race. And there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend...

Of course the ultimate act of love and self-sacrifice is not found in a fantasy story like the Matrix - but in the historic reality of Jesus Christ coming to dwell among us, to share our humanity & to willingly lay down his life FOR US. That is true love. That God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.

But why? So that we might believe in Him and have eternal Life.

When Jesus showed us the extent of his self-sacrificial love by dying for us on the cross, it was not because He wanted us to continue in our pain, despair, misery and grief. No way! His death was not in vain - it was victorious - He conquered death, pain, sin & evil and of course He rose again.

He took OUR pain upon Himself that WE can be healed. He laid down HIS life, so that we may live life abundantly. He has made it possible for us to come into a relationship with God - to know the depths of his love & to exchange our pain, loneliness & sadness for his life, joy & love.

When I experienced the pain of a broken relationship I mentioned earlier, I was slow to come to God...I wanted to nurse my wounds (as if by doing so I could hurt the person who caused my pain)...but I realised that I needed God's help & healing, help to forgive & healing of my brokenness. As I spoke to God over the next few days, weeks & months I allowed God to absorb my pain & HE poured out his love into my fragile heart. And although the scars remained, the pain eventually disappeared and was replaced with God's love and joy.

Jesus can identify with our brokenness because he knew what it was like to feel abandoned by his Father as He absorbed the sin, evil & pain of the world on the cross. He can understand us. Also God's love is different to that of human love - He will never stop loving us, never reject us...& we can have confidence in Him as we wait for him...he will not disappoint us.

As we approach the altar in a few moments, and remember Jesus' body broken for us, why not take this as an opportunity to offer our broken hearts, our pain & sadness to God, and invite Him to transform us & heal us with the power of his love. That love that knows no bounds and which God is longing to pour out in abundance upon you and me.