Torn, broken, alone

Beyond the imagining, beyond the horror and tears and pain is the desert of grief: that wrenching apart, the severing of community, the deformed lives that are left in the wake of the unthinkable.

Like teutonic plates capable of raising mountains or opening deep chasms, this moment of death has shifted the world.  It is not the same.  It never will be.

"Beneath the cross of Jesus..."

Forgiveness.....the beginning

Begin with yourself.

Even if it means making a list of all the things for which you need forgiveness: not being smart enough, yelling at the children, really, really not liking your next door neighbor, not working up to your potential, driving too recklessly, resenting the needy who never seem to go away, envying the successful. 

Go ahead.  Listen to that nasty, belittling, demanding voice in your head and write it all down.

Now forgive yourself.  You, child of God, forgive yourself.  Breathe deeply, and begin again at the beginning.

This is the gift God gives to you through Jesus.  Until this moment, you probably didn't know how much you needed it.

Expectation v. gift

from artist He Qi:  women at the tomb

They lugged the spices with them because they were expecting a dead body.

What they received was a gift - the gift that is visible only after the death.

That is God's way.  Let it go and it will come to you.

What is truth?

That's Pilate's question, "What is truth?"  You are not really clear to whom he is speaking....Jesus, or the world in general.

The world in general has a bundle of answers to this question (like 'statistics don't lie' or 'the one who dies with the most toys, wins') and it would have you believe that anything which you believe sincerely enough qualifies as truth.  This eliminates the possibility that you could be 'sincerely' wrong or deluded or mired in denial.

Christians believe that Jesus is truth; we believe that Jesus' forgiveness is true forgiveness and his promises of life upon life are trustworthy.  Jesus is truly God and truly loves the world for its own sake. 

If that sounds complex it is because nothing which is connected directly to the Divine can be simple. Pilate figured that much out, but, in the end he decided that washing his hands of the whole question would rid him of its demands in his life.  He was deluded in that as well.  Many of us are too. John18

Dinner with Friends

An evening spent sharing a meal with our closest friends brings more than joy; it creates a particular sense of belonging to one another.

At his last supper with his friends, Jesus offered us an insight into the fellowship of his coming kingdom. Sharing that meal with him were Judas who would betray him into the hands of his killers and Peter who would deny ever knowing him.

When we are invited to be a part of the Lord's supper, perfection isn't an entry requirement.

Passion: a whole new meaning

We know what the world means by 'passion.'  It is what gets a PG-13 movie rated R.  It's what gets your teenager into trouble....well, maybe it gets folks of every age into trouble.

That's not the kind of passion we are talking about this week.  Holy Week is about a passion rooted in deep love and linked to suffering: a pouring out, a hard to imagine sacrifice, and a gift for the world.

Jesus' mission in this world was to love it into life.  It took death to accomplish this.   Jesus also understood that death is a reality we will all face; now we can face it in trust and expectation.  But just like Jesus, the glory of God lies just on the other side of the ending we call death.  God calls it a new beginning.  Blessed Holy Week.

OR

Which do you have?  Which are you looking for?

 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you....

Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."  John14.27