Wow, I can’t believe I’ve made it this far eating only once a week. More importantly, I’ve really prayed a lot during Lent. This is the last Tuesday of the fast, and I’m really grateful. My biggest concerns now are physically. I don’t want to be out of energy by the end of the week because it’s a busy week. Spiritually I feel pretty good. I missed vespers today (dinner time) due to my schedule, and it bugged me. I’ll do the compline tonight shortly before I go to bed. As I enter this last week of the fasting I realize I haven’t found any huge, miraculous theophanies. Rather, I feel my faith simply deepening. It’s not that I am completely holy and always have my mind where it needs to be, uttering prayers all the time. I’m more centered (maybe) – that could be a way to describe it.
I’m excited for Easter, but I’m also excited for worship on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I love Holy Week. I love telling and reliving the story. I love the heartrending story of the crucifixion and the amazing turn of events on Easter morning. I’m thankful we are in the midst of these celebrations. The stories we tell and live into shape us. These stories are central to the Christian people, my people.
I have a couple of links for you. First is the Palm Sunday sermon I gave last year. It’s a meditation on the passion that considers Mary, the mother of Jesus. It’s one of my favorites, and a good thing to think about this week. The second is by a friend named Joel Watson and it’s on his facebook account. I’m not sure if everyone can get it, if not let me know and I’ll find another way to get it to you. You can find the link here. It’s on the atonement and it raises some good questions about what the atoning work of Christ was, as well as what exactly it means for us to be sinners.