Easter Sunday
What have we been looking for this whole Lent? Light, life, hope- something to heal our minds, hearts and souls. Struggling and fasting, failing and getting up again to journey on we have finally come to the place where mercy meets power. Here, at the tomb sin, death and hopelessness are shattered and we are set free.
May we continue to search for Him, to walk in the light of His presence and know joy.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen." John 20:15; Luke 23:5, 6
Sunday, March 31, 2013
PAID IN FULL
Holy Saturday
"Our birth would have been no gain, had we not been redeemed. O wonder of your humble care for us! O love. O charity beyond all telling, to ransom a slave you gave away your Son! O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault, that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!"
The Easter Exultet
I am set free from sin and death, I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; we sing these phrases and the depth of their meaning finds their culmination on a cross. May we truly live the redemption and freedom bought with so great a cost.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as a cloak." Psalm 104:1, 2
"Our birth would have been no gain, had we not been redeemed. O wonder of your humble care for us! O love. O charity beyond all telling, to ransom a slave you gave away your Son! O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault, that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!"
The Easter Exultet
I am set free from sin and death, I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; we sing these phrases and the depth of their meaning finds their culmination on a cross. May we truly live the redemption and freedom bought with so great a cost.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as a cloak." Psalm 104:1, 2
Friday, March 29, 2013
SPRING CLEANING
Good Friday
Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7
"Later, knowing that all was now completed and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus' lips." John 19:28-30
The hyssop that framed the doorposts in Egypt leading to the freedom of God's people(Exodus 12:22) now touches Jesus' lips and cleanses me. Sweet is the kiss of mercy found on that stalk that cleanses my soul.
"It is finished." John 19:30
Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7
"Later, knowing that all was now completed and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant and lifted it to Jesus' lips." John 19:28-30
The hyssop that framed the doorposts in Egypt leading to the freedom of God's people(Exodus 12:22) now touches Jesus' lips and cleanses me. Sweet is the kiss of mercy found on that stalk that cleanses my soul.
"It is finished." John 19:30
Thursday, March 28, 2013
SUPPER
Holy Thursday
The words shrouded in mystery hold the healing of nations, families and people. He reclines at table awaiting His betrayal, He waits in the garden for Judas's kiss, He touches the servant of the high priest and heals him; He willingly carries our sorrows, takes up our infirmities, is crushed for our iniquity and by His wounds we are healed. ~Isaiah 53~
The Good Shepherd becomes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
May we give Him entrance into our hearts and dine with Him.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Luke 22:14
The words shrouded in mystery hold the healing of nations, families and people. He reclines at table awaiting His betrayal, He waits in the garden for Judas's kiss, He touches the servant of the high priest and heals him; He willingly carries our sorrows, takes up our infirmities, is crushed for our iniquity and by His wounds we are healed. ~Isaiah 53~
The Good Shepherd becomes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
May we give Him entrance into our hearts and dine with Him.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Luke 22:14
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
TRADITION
Wednesday of Holy Week
Today has been a tutorial in paska making; my third grade teacher and I have been friends for 40 years and for the first time I am making her Russian Easter bread alone. Numerous phone calls and careful instruction have yielded eight beautiful loaves.
Three trips to the store for golden raisins, flour and bread crumbs, piles of dishes and painstaking work have been fruitful. Making something new is messy; in our spiritual lives we have been busy in Lent asking God to clean our hearts through prayer, confession, fasting and almsgiving. We want souls open to God's love and mercy.
What is God creating in you this Lent?
Medicine from Sacred Writings:
"Little children who go daily to their teachers receive their lessons, and repeat them, and never cease from this kind of acquisition. For the same reason also we divide to you in portions what is written in Scripture, that you may take pains to remember them all, as to be able exactly to repeat them to others yourselves, unless anyone be sleepy and dull, and more idle than a child." St Chrysostom Homilies on St. John Homily XXV.1 NPNF1; 14.87
Today has been a tutorial in paska making; my third grade teacher and I have been friends for 40 years and for the first time I am making her Russian Easter bread alone. Numerous phone calls and careful instruction have yielded eight beautiful loaves.
Three trips to the store for golden raisins, flour and bread crumbs, piles of dishes and painstaking work have been fruitful. Making something new is messy; in our spiritual lives we have been busy in Lent asking God to clean our hearts through prayer, confession, fasting and almsgiving. We want souls open to God's love and mercy.
What is God creating in you this Lent?
Medicine from Sacred Writings:
"Little children who go daily to their teachers receive their lessons, and repeat them, and never cease from this kind of acquisition. For the same reason also we divide to you in portions what is written in Scripture, that you may take pains to remember them all, as to be able exactly to repeat them to others yourselves, unless anyone be sleepy and dull, and more idle than a child." St Chrysostom Homilies on St. John Homily XXV.1 NPNF1; 14.87
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
WHERE AM I AND WHERE ARE YOU?
Tuesday of Holy Week
Fumbling in the dark, tracing the edge of the bed in an unfamiliar room, I tried to find my way without switching on the lights. I couldn't recall the details of the day's tour through the house. Where was I? It is not so in the spiritual life- when we can't see we can trust. It isn't easy, but there is One who watches the sparrow fall- did you catch that? He knows when a little bird falls and always they fall, just as we stumble in the dark; eventually we will struggle, but we can rely on Someone to help us.
Have you asked Him to hold you and give you faith to trust?
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the Name of the Lord and rely on His God." Isaiah 50:10
Fumbling in the dark, tracing the edge of the bed in an unfamiliar room, I tried to find my way without switching on the lights. I couldn't recall the details of the day's tour through the house. Where was I? It is not so in the spiritual life- when we can't see we can trust. It isn't easy, but there is One who watches the sparrow fall- did you catch that? He knows when a little bird falls and always they fall, just as we stumble in the dark; eventually we will struggle, but we can rely on Someone to help us.
Have you asked Him to hold you and give you faith to trust?
Medicine from Sacred Scripture:
"Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the Name of the Lord and rely on His God." Isaiah 50:10
Monday, March 25, 2013
SEEING LIGHT
Monday of Holy Week
Might Lent be about extinguishing the light we rely on, to reveal the darkness within and ensure our rescue? Isaiah 59:9 paints a tragic picture of sin, "We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows." Sin's shadows are subtle: pride, self-reliance, judgement and arrogance. My list- what is yours?
I want to walk in God's light that I might truly see.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture;
"With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." Psalm 36:9
Might Lent be about extinguishing the light we rely on, to reveal the darkness within and ensure our rescue? Isaiah 59:9 paints a tragic picture of sin, "We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows." Sin's shadows are subtle: pride, self-reliance, judgement and arrogance. My list- what is yours?
I want to walk in God's light that I might truly see.
Medicine from Sacred Scripture;
"With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light." Psalm 36:9
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