Although the snow still fills the shadowed areas on lawns, fields and parks, the season of Lent has brought us to this day. As I walked in our community last week, I noticed water breaking through hard surfaces of packed snow and as it flowed, it collected more water - soon a stream opened the snow and forced it to the water's edge.
And today, we have this day of joy in Palm Sunday before we walk through Holy Week knowing in several days, we are thrust into Good Friday to grieve Jesus' death.
This morning, as a community of faith we prayed this confession: "I tell the truth to You, Holy God, together with my sisters and brothers. I have sinned against You and others, and it was my own fault. I have wronged by what I have thought, by what I have said, by what I have done, and what I have failed to do, but should have done. Brothers and sisters, pray with me. Merciful God, forgive me."
I was weakened with the words, 'and it was my own fault', yet I was strengthened to say them without thinking I had to somehow veil them behind phrases that in one way or another excused them. Perhaps these words will strengthen those who prayed them and offered them as living words.
Keeping them in the forefront of our mind we ride a roller-coaster journey through this next week and we know the dawn will break forth on Easter Sunday and bring forth our Hallelujahs'. And we, here in Elora United Church will stand on the banks of the Grand River to join in the chorus with others around the world. And as the fish fry on an open fire, and the bread is broken, we will shiver in
the dawn of the April morning and warm our souls by the words of scripture, knowing we are forgiven and empowered to live in the bountiful measure of God's love.
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5 comments:
We are forgiven. What a loving and merciful God we have.
Your lovely, pensive confessional meditation warms my heart and draws me into fellowship with you and your fellow pilgrim worshipers. What a beautiful anticipatory scene you paint of Resurrection Morning, shared by the banks of the Grand River! (I mustn't envy you, though.) Thanks Donna.~~+~~
Lovely. I like the thought of standing near the river, smelling the fish fry, feeling the warmth of the sun as it rises, and remembering again how we are forgiven and filled with resurrection power! What a beautiful reminder.
Pam Mytroen
Thank you for your comments. It is a lovely place by the river. A fast overflow of water causes quite a spray from the falls, making us realize that all of life goes by too fast and it is wise to make every moment count.
Rather than counting the days, it is much better to make the days count. This is a lovely reminder of that, Donna. Well said.
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