Lent Continues

Lent continues its march onward into April. We have been journeying together through Lent, continually reflecting on the death of our Lord. Why did He die for us? Why do I deserve such grace? And while Lent seems very depressing and remorseful, we know that it is a season of love.

In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” Lent being the season reflecting on how Jesus has laid down His life for us, from this we know love. It is unreal love. It is love that is sacrificing. What love do you know that would put someone in the place of death for another? I think ideally we would see loved ones saving their loved ones. But what about complete strangers? What about enemies? We continually hear about enemies in the news. People who violently take lives, people who are incredibly hateful, and others whose motivations are just unknowable. Would you die for them? We see the mercy of God in that while we were all still sinners, while none of us deserved it, while we were all enemies of God, Christ died for us. And through that death we are forgiven.

But we have another celebration this April. Beginning in Holy Week, we will journey with our God to the cross. We will see His last supper, His betrayal, His trial, and His execution. We will hold a vigil for Him, remembering our Lord and our baptisms. But then on that Sunday morning, as we greet the sun, we shall also find a tomb empty with an angel declaring that this dead Man has risen to life. Alleluia.