Good morning everyone,
We are now in the middle of Holy Week. As we move toward Easter, what part of the Passion story of Jesus do you reflect on? Do you go to the dinner, where Jesus says many things, offers his friends a meal, and where he washes the feet of his disciples. If you had a seat at the dinner table, where would you be seated, and what sort of question would you have asked Jesus?
Or your thoughts might go to the events after the dinner is over, and Jesus is arrested, put on trial and finally, is put on a cross to die? Jesus is tortured, spit on, and made fun of during that night before he is raised on the cross. As you think of what Jesus went through for the world, is it important for your faith that Jesus’ suffering is remembered during Holy Week?
In the end, Jesus dies on the cross. In our worship space, we have an empty cross. Is this important for you, to move to the resurrection and not have Jesus on the cross? Jesus’ life is all about love. Where do you experience the love of God in the whole story from dinner to the empty tomb?
As we move to our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, may you find yourself in the story in new ways. With the passing of Earl Wideman, the story might change for us, as it does every time someone we love passes away. Our faith changes when death arrives to us, just as Jesus’ death changes everything in our faith.
Pray for us all, as we re-live the events that are essential to our faith.
Shalom and strength for our faith and life.
Fred