We are in the throes of Holy Week, 2012. This Thursday we will gather at 7 pm to praise God and remember the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion, as Jesus charged us to when he did it. Thursday of Holy Week is called Maundy Thursday, 'maundy' from the Latin 'mandate' which means "do it!" "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME!" That's what he said on the night before he died.
On Friday, the darkest day of the Christian year, we will gather at 7 pm once again to remember when and how he died with the ancient Tennebrae service of darkness and light. This year we are blessed to be joined by the choirs and members of Wylie First UMC and Cornerstone UMC, our neighbor churches.
In these worship times, we are brought to the very heart of our Christian faith -- by living into the story of how Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, suffered, died and was buried that we might might learn to live in his name. His death on a cross, by our understanding, means the full measure of "Emmanuel," or "GOD WITH US." It means that sin, suffering and even death itself does not get the last word in our lives -- God does.
On Easter Sunday morning, we celebrate that good news! Christ is alive, risen and present . . . and calls us each as His own to arise from sin, endure suffering with his strength and witness, and not to fear even death itself.
Easter is not a concept, it is a way of life! When he came out of that empty tomb, the entire course of humanity was changed forever. God's power and might overcomes all that we have to face in this world, even and including our willful turning away from God in sin.
For Christians, as I have said many times (echoing St. Paul), if we don't have the cross and resurrection, we got nothin'. Nothin'!
But, because we do have God with us, through the worst of life, in Christ we can claim the BEST of life and life abundantly, and life eternally.
Praise be to God for the gift of life! Praise be to God for the gift of Christ! Praise be to God for the reality that Easter is for each of us. Let us live it accordingly.
He is risen! He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Allelulia! Allelulia! Allelulia!
a.
