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Grace and Peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.
“How quickly things change! Just a few weeks ago, we gathered for our Ash Wednesday service, to hear familiar readings, to be marked with the ashes from palms we had used on Palm Sunday in previous years, and to be reminded of our mortality, with the familiar and strangely comforting, ‘from dust you came; to dust you shall return.’ Then, most of us went home that night, scrubbed the smudges off our heads or the backs of our hands, had our snack, turned on the television, and finally crawled into our beds.
And now? Now we are learning to live Lent in a completely different way, perhaps to finally realize what Lent is all about – that journey with Jesus towards his death; a reminder that the journey we began the day we were born takes us toward our death. Now, we are seeking to discover if we have that same trust, that same courage, that same obedience as Jesus did, to follow God as we journey down the dusty roads and dark valleys of life .
We now are struggling to learn to live in a completely different way. Compelled by our hopes to stay healthy, as well as encouraged by wise authorities to do so, we are spending far more time at home than we ever did before. Seeing everyday routines overturned, and discovering that even the simple chore of wanting to go to the store to get a few things offers major challenges. All those things that we took for granted just a few weeks ago, now cause us to ask, is it worth the risk? Are we willing to take the risk and continue to live a life of faith?
Our scripture readings speak to people living in such times, struggling to discover how to live in risky times, seeking to discern where our God is in such moments, in such days as which we are living.
So how are we to live in such days as these? That author from long ago says that we do so by seeking to do good, to do what is right (just as we know what is right to do), and to do what is true? We are to live in such a way that pleases God. What does that mean? Well, we will not hoard hope, anymore than we will toilet paper; we will not buy up all the water, any more than we will grab up all the grace; we will not cling to life, the way we cling to false promises. We will be children of light. We will take the risk of faith being a possibility for these times, as we share life, grace, hope with all around us.
And as we do, we can even take words of hope and comfort from those ancient words that may be the most familiar from all of Scripture – the beloved 23rd Psalm. Usually we use or hear them at the time of the death of a loved one. Yet, we know as we have walked the journey of life, there are many different kinds of death and we have walked through many dark valleys. We have now entered another valley of the shadow. Are we willing to take a risk on the possibility of faith? Are we willing, in these anxious times, to rest in God’s cradling arms? Are we willing to drink deeply from the waters of life, and not the brackish water of panic? Are we willing to be led by the hands of hope and grace into the sure future God has for us? This psalm is all about faith, the possibility of placing our times, our hearts, our love in the hands of the One who sustains us in every moment.” Amen. With gratitude to Thom Schuman.
“How quickly things change! Just a few weeks ago, we gathered for our Ash Wednesday service, to hear familiar readings, to be marked with the ashes from palms we had used on Palm Sunday in previous years, and to be reminded of our mortality, with the familiar and strangely comforting, ‘from dust you came; to dust you shall return.’ Then, most of us went home that night, scrubbed the smudges off our heads or the backs of our hands, had our snack, turned on the television, and finally crawled into our beds.
And now? Now we are learning to live Lent in a completely different way, perhaps to finally realize what Lent is all about – that journey with Jesus towards his death; a reminder that the journey we began the day we were born takes us toward our death. Now, we are seeking to discover if we have that same trust, that same courage, that same obedience as Jesus did, to follow God as we journey down the dusty roads and dark valleys of life .
We now are struggling to learn to live in a completely different way. Compelled by our hopes to stay healthy, as well as encouraged by wise authorities to do so, we are spending far more time at home than we ever did before. Seeing everyday routines overturned, and discovering that even the simple chore of wanting to go to the store to get a few things offers major challenges. All those things that we took for granted just a few weeks ago, now cause us to ask, is it worth the risk? Are we willing to take the risk and continue to live a life of faith?
Our scripture readings speak to people living in such times, struggling to discover how to live in risky times, seeking to discern where our God is in such moments, in such days as which we are living.
So how are we to live in such days as these? That author from long ago says that we do so by seeking to do good, to do what is right (just as we know what is right to do), and to do what is true? We are to live in such a way that pleases God. What does that mean? Well, we will not hoard hope, anymore than we will toilet paper; we will not buy up all the water, any more than we will grab up all the grace; we will not cling to life, the way we cling to false promises. We will be children of light. We will take the risk of faith being a possibility for these times, as we share life, grace, hope with all around us.
And as we do, we can even take words of hope and comfort from those ancient words that may be the most familiar from all of Scripture – the beloved 23rd Psalm. Usually we use or hear them at the time of the death of a loved one. Yet, we know as we have walked the journey of life, there are many different kinds of death and we have walked through many dark valleys. We have now entered another valley of the shadow. Are we willing to take a risk on the possibility of faith? Are we willing, in these anxious times, to rest in God’s cradling arms? Are we willing to drink deeply from the waters of life, and not the brackish water of panic? Are we willing to be led by the hands of hope and grace into the sure future God has for us? This psalm is all about faith, the possibility of placing our times, our hearts, our love in the hands of the One who sustains us in every moment.” Amen. With gratitude to Thom Schuman.
Peace
Pastor Kurt+
Pastor Kurt+
