The beauty of the lilies

Last night, I sat and drank in the sweetness of our love for Jesus. At the children's service, I was fed by the honest curiosity of the children's questions about Jesus and their wide-eyed silence as I blessed their hands. At the later service, the haunting a capella anthems, the rough-voiced eloquence of our preacher's faith, and the understated devotion of a small band of disciples in prayer all brought God close enough to touch. I said with Jesus, "It is finished." It was truly a good Friday.

Through it all, the smell of the Easter lilies filled the church. Even as we said farewell, I could feel Jesus coming. A new day, a new life starts now.

In "April" from his book "A Child's Calendar," John Updike writes:

All things renew.
All things begin.
At church, they bring
the lilies in.

Walking away

In Ursula K. Le Guin's allegorical tale, the people of Omelas live in perfect happiness. When young people come of age, he or she is taken to a dark room to see the one broken individual who suffers for their sake. "This is necessary," the elders say. "Her suffering makes our happiness possible." Once they know the secret cost of their comforts, they are considered adults. Most find a way to live with what they have seen. A few decide that the price of happiness, this constant knowledge that they are the cause of another's pain, is too high to bear. They walk away.

On this holy day, we honor Jesus' loving sacrifice of his life on the cross. We take the time to remember exactly what he endured for his unwavering commitment to the truth of God's love. But I believe that Jesus does not want us just to look at him with tears and gratitude. He wants us to look through him and see in him all the people who hurt in this world. Let our grief and compassion be for them, the ones who endure pain because of our wrong choices and the ones who willingly bear hardships to make our lives better. Let us imagine a better way and change our lives to help create a world they will suffer and sacrifice no more. Let us walk away into the new hope of Easter.

April Fools

On this holy night, the disciples gather to eat the Passover meal. It is a time to celebrate freedom, as they thank God for leading their people out of slavery.

Very soon, however, their own freedom comes to an end. Jesus is arrested. His followers deny him and go into hiding to save themselves.

Sometimes life feels like a series of mean tricks, each success followed by a new crisis. Jesus asks us to believe that the trick is not on us but on the destructive forces of our world. Beyond every harsh reality, there will be an unexpected and beautiful surprise. After arrest, true freedom. After sin, forgiveness and love. After suffering, healing. After despair, boundless hope. After death, everlasting life.

To a cynical world, our faith may seem unrealistic. But it is founded on the deeper truth of God. Following Saint Paul, we are fools, but fools for Christ.