Living Easter

If Easter were only a day marking the end of Lent,
if Easter were only a day a little out of the ordinary,
   we could pretend nothing had happened.
We could be concerned by the victory of the Cross.
But Easter marks my life since Easter is for me.
The victory of the Cross Becomes my victory.


You believe because you can see . . . 
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.

John 20:29

   Every year it happens:
   earth shakes her sleepy head,
   still a bit wintered and dull,
   and feels new life stirring.

   Every year cocoons give up their treasures,
   fresh shoots push through brown leaves,
   seemingly dead branches shine with green,
   and singing birds find their way home.

   Every year we hear the stories 

   empty tomb, surprised grievers,
   runners with news and revelation,
   unexpected encounters,
   conversations on the road,
   tales of nets filling with fish,
   and breakfast on a seashore.


   And every year the dull and dead in us
   meets our Easter challenge:
   to be open to the unexpected,
   to believe beyond our security,
   to welcome God in every form,
   and trust in our own greening.
Let us turn to the East.

In the East we honor the element of Air, and remember how Jesus climbed the Mount of Olives to be alone with his thoughts and his God. As Easter approaches, let us take time for silence and prayer in our own lives.

Let us turn to the South.

In the South we honour the element of Fire, and remember how Peter drew his sword and struck off a Roman soldier's ear when they came to take Jesus. As Easter approaches, let us direct our own inner fires away from violence and anger, and channel them instead as Jesus did into the warmth of a healing touch.

Let us turn to the West.

In the West we honour the element of Water, and remember how Jesus knelt before his disciples gently to wash their feet. As Easter approaches, let us cultivate humility and compassion in our hearts, and recreate ourselves as servants of humanity.

Let us turn to the North.

In the North we honour the element of Earth, and remember how Jesus' body was placed in a tomb, only to rise again. As Easter approaches, let us enter our inner places of darkness unafraid, so that we too may be transformed in the womb of the earth.

Let us turn to the Centre.

At the Centre we honour the element of Spirit, and remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the waving of palms and the shouts of the crowd. As Easter approaches, let us celebrate our lives fully though suffering may lie ahead. May we embrace both joy and sorrow without fear. And as we move through Holy Week this year, may we strive as always to embody the spirit of Christ in the world. Amen.

- Copyright   2002 by Christine Hoff Kraemer
 
There is no point in walking without a destination....

                                                     Lent is not pointless; 
                                                      it has an objective. 
                                                 But how do I reach you, Lord? 
                                                  And put my steps in yours? 
                                                 I risk becoming self-absorbed, 
                                                  or running after distractions. 
                                                      Renew in me today, 
                                                     the call of my baptism. 
                                              Orient my life towards the Easter sun 
                                                  which cuts through the fog, 
                                                    clearing all obstructions. 
                                                   May I receive your Word, 
                                               may it guide me, may it be my law. 
                                           
                                    Then I will walk as you would have me, 
                                                   to the step of your victory. 
                                                May I open myself to your love, 
                                             that it may carry me throughout my life.
Where are we walking?

                                       Our life has meaning and
                                                    there is One who tells us so. 
                                                   
                                                    Lent is a time to look at
                                                    ourselves, 
                                                    At our reasons to live. Jesus
                                                    offers us direction, which
                                                    we must discern each day. 
                                                   
                                                    Lent is a time for clear
                                                    thinking and effort, a
                                                    time for sustained
                                                    courage. 
                                                    Because at the beginning of
                                                    the journey, the sky holds no
                                                    surprises. We already know
                                                    that the choice is important,
                                                    love will bear fruit: it leads to
                                                    life. 
                                                   
                                                    Lent is a time to build
                                                    for the future. 
                                                    As we come to the end of the
                                                    road, holding the harvest in
                                                    our hands, we know there is
                                                    One who gathers the offering
                                                    and gives due reward to each
                                                    worker.
 
                                                    Lent is a time to think
                                                    of tomorrow and to be
                                                    of greater service on the
                                                    road to Christ. 
                                                    The people around us are not
                                       a nuisance; they give us the
                                                    strength to express love.
 
                                                    Lent is a time to learn to love. 
                                                    Serving our neighbour even
                                                    when the road becomes
                                                    difficult, we find ourselves
                                                    loving God himself.
 
                                       Lent is a time to come
                                                    closer to God. 
The Echo of Ashes... 

 “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” 

 The large brown bowl rests on a purple cloth,
its roundness holding ashes freshly burned,
black and ready for wearing. 

blackened thumbs press the ancient sign 
 upon the waiting foreheads. 

 I hear the message repeated until it haunts and hunts me down: 

 Remember, remember, remember 
you are dust, dust, only dust.
Someday only dust will remain. 

The echo of the Lent-stained ashes 
Speaks the truth of my humanity: 
The humbleness of my beginning, 
The simplicity of my departure. 

A few wise words echoing through Ash Wednesday urge me to deeper things: 

renewed dedication, 
constant compassion, 
and mindful awareness. 

I leave marveling at how simple and sublime 
is this envelope of the soul,
which one day returns 
to dust, dust, only dust.

TRUE LENTEN DICIPLINE

Lent should be more than a time of fasting. It should also be a joyous season of feasting. Lent is a time to fast from certain things and feast on others. It is a season in which we should:

FAST from judging others? FEAST on Christ dwelling in them.
FAST from emphasis on differences? FEAST on the unity of all life.
FAST from apparent darkness? FEAST on the reality of all light.
FAST from thoughts of illness? FEAST on the healing power of God.
FAST from words that pollute? FEAST on phrases that purify.
FAST from discontent? FEAST on gratitude.
FAST from anger? FEAST on patience.
FAST from pessimism? FEAST on optimism.
FAST from worry? FEAST on God’s providence.
FAST from complaining? FEAST on appreciation.
FAST from negatives? FEAST on affirmatives.
FAST from unrelenting pressures? FEAST on unceasing prayer.
FAST from hostility? FEAST on non-resistance.
FAST from bitterness? FEAST on forgiveness.
FAST from self-concern? FEAST on compassion for others.
FAST from personal anxiety? FEAST on eternal truth.
FAST from discouragement? FEAST on hope.
FAST from facts that depress? FEAST on verities that uplift.
FAST from lethargy? FEAST on enthusiasm.
FAST from suspicion? FEAST on truth.
FAST from thoughts that weaken? FEAST on promises that inspire.
FAST from shadows of sorrow? FEAST on the sunlight of serenity.
FAST from idle gossip? FEAST on purposeful silence.
FAST from problems that overwhelm? FEAST on prayer that sustains.

ORIENTATION

There is no point in walking without a destination. Lent is not pointless; it has an objective. But how do I reach you, Lord?
And put my steps in yours? I risk becoming self-absorbed, or running after distractions. Renew in me, today, the call of my baptism. Orient my life towards the Easter sun which cuts through the fog, clearing all obstruction. May I receive your Word, may it guide me, may it be my law. Then I will walk as you would have me, to the step of your victory. May I open myself to your love, that it may carry me throughout my life.


If we were knives, Lent would be a time to sharpen our cutting edges.
If we were cars, Lent would be a time for an oil change and a tune-up.
If we were gardens, Lent would be a time to fertilize our soil and dig out our weeds.
If we were carpets, Lent would be a time to get power-cleaned.
If we were computers, Lent would be a time to overhaul our disk drive.
If we were highways, Lent would be a time to repair our cracks and fill our potholes.
If we were silverware, Lent would be a time to clean away our tarnish.
If we were batteries, Lent would be a time to get recharged.
If we were seeds, Lent would be a time to germinate and reach for the sun.

But we are none of those things.

We are people who sometimes do wrong things; we need to atone for them.
We are people who sometimes get spiritually lazy; we need to get back into shape.
We are people who sometimes become selfish; we need to stretch out of our narrowness and begin giving again.
We are people who sometimes lose sight of our purpose on earth and the immense promise within us; we need to regain our vision.
And because we are also people who sometimes tend to put those things off, we need a special sort of official time to concentrate on doing them.

So we have Lent.


If your cup seems too bitter, if your burden seems too heavy, be sure that it is the wounded hand that is holding the cup, and He who carries the cross 'tis carrying the burden.

Holy One, desire of our souls, during this very special time of Lent, we pray that you will guide us as we search for you in whatever way that we choose, whether it is by fasting, rending our hearts or coming to you in more deliberate prayer time. If it is fasting, help us to find what best to give up that will be most pleasing to you. If it is through prayer, may our ardent prayers come from our heart and may we listen more carefully to you in ht e stillness. If it is through rending our hearts, may we be transformed so that we will be new people hearing afresh what you would have us do. We are aching, God, to find you at the center of our being. We long to know your indwelling presence. We yearn to discover an ongoing, ever-stronger, growing relationship with you, our Creator and beloved Shepherd. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

- Patricia Glore.

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