Episcopal

This past Sunday, Palm Sunday, my message centered on the path we have taken with Jesus since Christmas.  I reminded us that we were with him at his birth (where we created a ‘manger in our heart’ for him), we have walked the path with him to Jerusalem waiving our palms in celebration and we have experienced the pain and suffering of his crucifixion and death in the Passion readings, which we read on Palm Sunday.  All of this has led us to Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday  and then  Good Friday, (see other post on our home page about our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services), Good Friday being by far the most difficult day of our 40 day journey of Lent leading to Easter.  Thursday lets us celebrate with a meal together.  Friday is a hard, hard day for us as we sit in darkness and silence contemplating all he did for us on the cross.

But as we experience this hard day, Friday, we are reminded that Sunday is coming. Yes we sit in painful silence on Good Friday as we commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross…but we remember also, that Sunday is coming.  Oh yes, Sunday is indeed coming.

And on Sunday we will shout  He is risen!    He is risen!  And Friday will be a long-ago experienced painful day in our past.

Jesus’ rising is our rising, if we are intentional about it.  Heck, Jesus’ life is our life if we work at it.  After all he calls us to be like him, doesn’t he.  He asks that we love one another as he has loved us, the message behind Maundy Thursday-Mandatum or mandate  Thursday-when he gave us the new commandment that in my mind almost supersedes all the rest  or at least encompasses all the rest-‘love one another as I have loved you,’ he says to us (present tense).  If we love one another, we will follow all his other commandments automatically.  We will feed the hungry, we will clothe the naked, visit those in prison, welcome aliens, because that’s what people who love do…we need make no special arrangements if we follow Jesus’ great commandment.  The others follow naturally.

I pray that all who see in Jesus the fulfillment not only of God’s plan for the universe but also God’s plan for us, have a good Holy Week and a glorious Easter Sunday.  I know those who come to Christ Church will feel that love he calls us to and will offer that love back to others…even on those bad ‘Friday days’ in our lives.  Because we will be reminded, Sunday is coming…

Kurt