A lot can happen in three days. The world can change in just three days. I’ve been thinking about the three days we are walking through at the end of this Holy Week – three days traditionally called the Triduum in the church. Here’s a definition: “Triduum”, the period of three days that begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with evening prayer on Easter Sunday. You may know these three days by more familiar terms: beginning at dusk on Maundy Thursday these 72 hours extend through Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. They are three days that changed the course of history and perhaps the trajectory of your life. Continue reading
Category Archives: Christian Faith
Lifted Up
There are three places in the Gospel of John where “lifted up” sayings appear. Each of these are quotes from Jesus. Here they are:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” – John 3:14
“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.” – John 8:28
“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” – John 12:32
This “lifted up” wording may sound strange to us, but Jesus and his contemporaries knew exactly what he meant. In first century Palestine the primary way a person was “lifted up” was by crucifixion. Jesus is forecasting his death, and the means by which he will die, in these sayings. Continue reading
Filed under Christian Faith, Holy Days, Ministry, Uncategorized
Ask, Search, Knock
Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. – Jesus (Mt 7:7 NRSV)
Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 are very familiar to me. Mostly I know them as part of a chorus we used to play and sing at church camp. When sung in parts and with the descant, that simple little chorus could transform a campfire experience into something special.
It’s funny how such familiar words can be found fresh again. At least that was my experience early this week, when in the course of reading Matthew 7 I stopped to consider the words anew. I no longer hear them as a teenager or young adult camp counselor. I hear them as a middle-aged pastor, husband, father, and recently new granddad, who has been wrestling with God in prayer for the past several months. Continue reading
Filed under Christian Faith, Family, Ministry, Uncategorized
A Pastoral Response
In the aftermath of yet another school shooting, which has ricocheted into multiple copycat threats throughout the nation – including our local community, I would offer the following pastoral reflection. In doing so I realize that not all will agree with me, and it is not my intent to pick a fight or cause more division. However, there are times in life when, as a pastor, you feel something of a kinship in grief with the things that grieve the very heart of God. I have felt this burden for our homeland, it’s current state of political discord, and the spillover of all such things into the life of the church, for quite some time now. Perhaps the events of recent days have served as something of a tipping point for me.
So, what’s a Christ follower to do? What’s a Christ follower to think? How do we respond? I offer the following as a contribution to dialogue, thoughtful discourse and prayerful action: Continue reading
Filed under Christian Faith, Leadership, Ministry, Pastors, Uncategorized
Embracing the Lenten Season
This Wednesday, February 14th, in addition to being Valentine’s Day, is Ash Wednesday. This day marks the beginning of the Lenten Season – a period of 40 days, plus 7 Sundays that ends with Easter. The 40 days are modeled after Jesus’ 40 days of temptation in the wilderness (see Mark 1:12-13). The 7 Sundays are intended to be 7 “little Easters” along the way – a respite of worship and celebration in the midst of our otherwise sober companionship of Jesus through his 40 day trial.
I did not grow up in a Christian tradition that emphasized Ash Wednesday or Lent in any fashion. My first exposure to this season of the church year was during my seminary days as I served on the staff of a congregation that did observe the liturgical, or church, year. I only attended my first Ash Wednesday service as a 35+ year old adult, and I’ve only led a very few Ash Wednesday services as a pastor. (Being Baptist we often exert our “freedoms” when it comes to all things liturgical!)
Still, I find this day, and this season, to be increasingly important and significant in my faith – and I hope you might as well (no matter your faith heritage). Continue reading
Filed under Christian Faith, Holy Days, Spiritual Formation, Uncategorized
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