2-15-2012
Someone once asked me; “Why does the Church keep repeating the same stuff? Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and then we do it all over again!” Well, my simple answer was: “I guess God thinks; until we get it right we better keep practicing!”
The fact is, too often we get into a rut and fly along on auto pilot. We miss the fine details, and we become very complacent. But sometimes we can have fun with our shortcomings. Like the bulletin announcement in ABC United Methodist Church, it read: RUMMAGE SALE – Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a good chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
Or, how about this one: SERVING OPPORTUNITY – We also need a few more volunteers to help with monthly potlucks due to the large members attending.
But let’s stay focused on practicing our Christianity. Life is all about preparation, and just as Advent prepares us for the Christmas Celebration, so too Lent prepares us for the Resurrection. Lent is the traditional season of 40 days, not counting Sundays, before Easter. It starts on Ash Wednesday and we celebrate it every spring. In fact, the Anglo-Saxon word “lecten” means spring.
During Lent we re-live the events of Jesus’ life that led to the cross and the tomb, and then the resurrection. It can be a difficult time for some, remembering the suffering and sacrifice Christ made for our sins, and acknowledging our role in His death. But, the joy and celebration of the Easter morning washes away all the pain and the sorrow. I guess you could say we walk through Lent with Jesus, and in the process we embrace His truth for our lives. We are able to understand what He meant when he said to Pilate: …I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice. What is truth? Pilate asked. John 18:37-38 (CEB)
So let’s get to practicing, so we can get better at living this life. And remember, we need God and an understanding of God, if we’re going to make it. That’s the prayer of one little boy, overheard by his mother. He prayed: Dear God, please take care of Daddy and Mommy and my sister and my brother and me. And please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we’re gonna be in a big mess. Amen.
SEE YA IN CHURCH! Jim
