Hey, It’s Friday and that has to make you smile. I am heading out of town for a Church trip today to hang out with fellow Episcopalians, which should be fun. Let’s have a great weekend, everyone. Love and peace to us all.
Ashes are a sign of mortality and repentance. Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return. The season of Lent has begun. May those who observe have a time of reflection, renewal of spirit and self-denial. Peace to all in this time.
This morning at Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church in the St. Elmo community of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Lovely church, holy service, good people. It was a good visit.
This morning, church was held in our fellowship hall because the air conditioning was down in the sanctuary, and it was cooler downstairs. Sometimes you gotta roll with the punches, and Christ was still front and center. There were plenty of warm-hearted people on this Pentecost Sunday.
Today is a day we recognize the resurrection of Jesus, as we have done in years past. However, in light of all the chaos we are seeing in the world, perhaps it’s necessary to be mindful that extravagant and sacrificial love that was shown three days earlier was for everyone, everywhere, throughout time and memorial.
Jesus was about liberation, love, and life everlasting. Jesus was about liberation, love, and life everlasting. He also lived for and loved the immigrant, the LGBTQ person, the person working two jobs to make ends meet, the veteran with scars we cannot see, the visitors, the huddled masses yearning for freedom, the sick, the widow, the orphan, the student, and many more.
I believe that the power of Jesus is about the power of love born from sacrifice and death, which no longer has sting. It’s never been about power or privilege, it’s always about loving our neighbors as ourselves and doing it the best we can as long as we can.
Today is Good Friday and it’s a day of political violence that somehow feels relevant today. It’s remembering a bloody day where one man gave everything for everyone then, now and forever.
The violence inflicted upon Jesus was brutal. It doesn’t make sense, none of it does. Jesus was fulfilling his mission and the greatest act of love he could give for humanity.
I think the power of love that we see on Good Friday is what Christ wants us to reflect. It’s not about power over people it’s about liberation and giving extravagantly to a hurting world that needs it most.
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