Waiting for Easter

Today is Palm Sunday and I am definitely waiting for Easter.

I( know that Easter is going to be celebrated Next Sunday in some form or fashion.  Not with worship together as a church or Easter Egg hunts for grandchildren or  a big ham dinner for the family.  It will still be celebrated and that is good - wonderful, really.

The Easter - the resurrection - that I am waiting for is when we are no longer sheltering in place and back in community - sharing a room together, holding hands, hugging, touching.  YES.  That will be a resurrection.

In the meantime we go through Holy Week. This past week I spent time in Bible study of Matthew 26 and the preparation for the crucifixion.  These scriptures led me into pondering the great mystery of it all.:
 - The Lord's supper as Jesus shared bread and wine with his betrayer
 - The humanity and divinity of Jesus as he wept and prayed in the garden of Gethsemane
 - The continual lack of understanding of the disciples and  Peter's denial of Jesus
 - the forces of evil that conspired against him

In all of this we face the suffering of Jesus and the people who worked against him with  hate, violence, rejection and ultimately death.  We are everywhere in this story - because of course, we are capable of betrayal, denial and weakness.  (and hate, violence, rejection) Also we know about suffering.

As the world is living through a season of suffering, it is comforting to know that Jesus is here with us. He is the one who shows us the way of love - suffering love -  and in that I put my faith and hope.
On this Palm Sunday I know that the journey to his death was really beginning as he - astride a donkey - shows us an upside down version of a king.  A king who shows the way of humility, love, compassion, and trust in God.

So, my goal this week is to truly spend time with Jesus  as he suffered.  I read the paper this morning, I watch Sunday worship and I know that everyone is suffering. It breaks my heart as I read about what is happening in hospitals.  And I cannot imagine how many people are wondering how they will pay for rent, mortgage, groceries, medication etc etc as they lose jobs.  The suffering is world wide and right around the corner,  It is hard to live alone during this time and I know that it can be hard to live with family 24/7.  Our escape routes are gone and we are stuck with ourselves. 

But my faith tells me that Easter is coming, that "this too shall pass."  And my faith tells me that God continues to give me an invitation to spiritual growth in this circumstance.  And my faith tells me that the suffering Jesus is with me and all who are suffering at this time.

I will end with a prayer from Let Nothing Disturb You

Wtih St. Augustine I prayer fervently

"Give me what you have chosen for me,

and bring about in me what you desire for me."

For what am I without you?

What am I worth if I am not near you? 

If ever I should stray from you,

even a short distance,

how would I ever find myself?

But if I have you, God,

I will want for nothing.

You alone suffice.

Amen