Looking to Easter

     These comments can also be found in the Bible Study section.  In looking at Luke 4:14-15, we see that these two verses tell us about the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  He had a great sense of God's spirit and power as he returned to Galilee.  People started talking about him.  Jesus began teaching in the synagogues and Luke tells us that he was praised by everyone.

      A brief interlude before opposition began.  Jesus, of course, was always loved by more people than he was hated.  But those who disliked him had the power and the disposition to work for his death.  At this point, that is three years or so in the future. 

     As this is written, it is the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.  It seems strange to look back in his ministry and see a time before controversy, before any talk of opposition and crucifixion. 

     In the musical, Jesus Christ, Superstar, there is a haunting song that Mary Magdalene and the disciples sing after his arrest.  They ask the question, 'could we start again, please?'  No doubt, as the slow weary day after the crucifixion passed, their thoughts did turn back to the time when the reports were all good.  They considered the excitement of getting to know this remarkable man.  How amazing to think he wanted them as disciples!  They thought that, now, it had all come to this...his agonizing death upon a cross.  Judas, who might have found forgiveness for his actions, could only despair and take his life.  The rest of them hid in fear, depression and grief.

      But as it turns out...the good beginning was outshone by the glory of Easter.

Lent

     The word, Lent, comes from an Old English word, lencten, which simply means spring.  Historically, Lent was a somber time, penitence and grief being emotional hallmarks.  For this reason, purple is the traditional color for church altars.  While people speak of 40 days of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter is actually 46 days long.  The reason is because Sundays are not included in the count.  Lent is a somber time to focus upon the cross.  But Sundays have always had a celebratory nature--Christians never forgot that on the first day of the week, Jesus rose from death and lives eternally.  Every Sunday is, in a sense, an Easter. 
     Lent is a time of preparation.  In computer terms, we get a chance to check old files and try to clean them up.  We can hunt down viruses disrupting our functions.  We can explore aspects of our operating system that make our lives easier.  We don't have an undo button for our lives, but we can examine, offer the negatives up to God, and ask for help to start afresh (and God always speaks our language, is always available, and the number is local). 
     Blessings to you all.

Good Companions

     I was once told of a young woman who spent many hours screaming at construction workers starting a job with which she disagreed.  Afterwards she went in to nurse her baby and the child died.  It was the conviction of the person who told me the story that the woman's anger and hatred had somehow produced something toxic in her body, which affected her baby.  I don't know if that's possible, but I have seen hatred poison lives in other ways, and poison society as well. 
     Apathy isn't the answer.  Empathy, action, service and love point us in new directions with possible solutions.
      Paul wrote to the Philippians that if there is anything true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable...if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, we should think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)    Perhaps in other words it could be said that if we're going to give anything rental space in our brains and our hearts - it ought to be something worthy of spending time there.  If we spend enough time with such valuable companions, our lives will reflect it also.