March 2024

Greetings,

Every Lent and Easter, Christians make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It is a deeply inspirational journey. Even though, for most of us, it is virtual. The palace and the praetorium, Golgotha and the grave, give us insights into Jesus and his Way of being. They comfort, encourage, and foster hope when our lives – or our world – turn scary.

The four Gospel writers do not present a unidimensional image of Jesus. Matthew and Mark portray a man abandoned by his friends and, seemingly, by God also. On the Cross, Jesus’ last words are a harrowing, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Luke’s passion narrative describes human and Divine support for Jesus. Support that gave him the strength to heal and forgive even in extremis. His final utterance was a prayer of trust and relinquishment: “Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.”

Capital punishment did not daunt John’s Jesus. He was confident in God and in himself. “I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do. And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor.” (The Message) At the moment of death, Jesus was grateful that his mission in life had been successfully completed. “Everything is done!” were his very last words. (C.E.V.)

Jesus’ mixed emotions in the face of suffering and struggle gives us hope.

He truly was like us! When life takes an unwelcome or unnerving turn, we too have varying responses. There are those moments when we cry in distress, “Where are you, God? Why did you abandon me?”

At other times, a painful situation prompts us to help others. We comfort another family in the ICU waiting room. We struggle out of bed to help our hospital roommate. We take a neighbour along to our favourite thrift store. Together, we can be fashion upcyclers! Housewares recyclers! Triumphant savers of the planet, rather than simply shoppers on tight budgets.

Life’s blows can knock the wind out of us. But with Jesus beside us, we will not despair. We shall not be defeated.

THAT is the message of Easter!

“Christ gives me the strength to face anything.”

Philippians 4:13, C.E.V.

May the Lenten and Easter Seasons fill you with blessings,

Brenda