Easter is a time to celebrate life and new birth in Jesus Christ. This Easter was especially joyful in our home this year. My “younger” brother (by about 15 minutes), Jeremy, and his wife, Heather, announced that they are expecting their first child in October! It was a complete surprise to us all. They’ve kept us guessing over the years. "Will they or won’t they have kids?” has been a hot topic of family debate for some time. Jeremy is the last of the three brothers to have kids. My wife and I were the first, with Zach and Erica. My “older” brother (by about 10 minutes), Josh, and his wife, Marty, were next, with Caroline. Now, finally, Jeremy and Heather!
I had my doubts about Jeremy and Heather. I didn’t think they would ever have kids. To tell you the truth, it never really mattered to me. I never understood the debate that always swarmed around them having kids. I thought they were happy and that’s all that mattered. Heather comes from a large family and wasn’t in a hurry to have children and neither was Jeremy. I knew they enjoyed their lifestyle—being able to drop everything and leave at a moments notice, having the extra money to have some nice things, going on relaxing vacations now and then. But, things change...people get older and the things we find important at one time in our lives don’t seem as important later in life. With Jeremy and Heather, it seems they were playin’ us all along! They’ve had it all planned out for some time.
In the end, we were the ones who were happily surprised—surprised by new life! Imagine that! Surprised by new life on Easter! Go figure! And it was planned all along.A Prayer by Joy CowleyLet us give thanks for the beauty we know, autumn colour and wet spring blossomnature pinging against our hearts, causing them to slow in awe,thanks for sunlight green in a wave, for diamond bright beaches and starry nights,thanks for the beauty in children's eyes.Let us give thanks for the loveliness that is concealed from us,the melting miracle of snowflakes, the geometry of crystals deep in the earthand colours dreaming in paua shells, or life under a microscope,hidden, yet when seen, so familiar it's as though our souls knew them long before we were born.Beauty seen and heard, beauty touched.Where does it come from, this delight, and what can be its function?Is a knowledge of beauty the gift of God's love that we bring into the world with us?Is it the secret mirror of our souls? Oh yes, my friends, oh yes!Let us give heartfelt thanks for beauty, God's reminder of what we really are.Amen.Thanks to St Matthew-in-the-City Anglican Church Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
joe harvey at 5:24 PM
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joe harvey at 3:33 PM
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The Seven Last Words of Christ from the CrossMusic by Heinrich Schutz
IntroitusWhen Jesus did on the Cross endure,
And as his body wounds did bear,
In pain and deep affliction,
The seven words which he then spake,
Keep in thy heart's affection.
The First WordAnd it was at about the third hour that they crucified the Lord, and he spake thus: Father, forgive them now, for they do not know what they do.
The Second WordNow then one of the malefactors who had been hang'd with him, railed on him and said: "If thou be Christ, now save thyself and us." Then the other malefactor spake, rebuking him: "Dost thou fear not e'en the Lord thy God, seeing thou art likewise condemn'd with him? And we are indeed punished justly, and are receiving the due reward of our deeds; he however hath done nothing worthy of judgment." And said to Jesus: Lord remember thou me when in thy kingdom thou com'st." And Jesus said: "Truly, I say to thee, this day thou shalt in Paradise be with me."
The Third WordThere stood at the cross of Jesus, Mary, Jesus' mother; with her his mother's sister, call'd Mary, Cleophas' wife; also Mary Magdalena. When Jesus, therefore had seen his mother, and had seen standing by his beloved disciple, saith he unto his mother: "See, woman, behold thy Son." The saith he to the disciple: "Behold her, John; here behold thine own mother." And from that hour John took her to his own home.
The Fourth WordAnd when it was the ninth hour, he cried aloud and said: "Eli, Eli lama
asabthani?" Which is interpreted: "My God, my God, wherefore dost thou now forsake me?"
The Fifth Word
And lastly, Jesus knowing all things now were fulfill'd, all was accomplish'd which was written in the scriptures, spake thus: "I thirst."
The Sixth WordA soldier, one of them that stood there, ran to him, took up a sponge; with vinegar he fill'd it, and with hyssop, and put it upon a reed and held it up to Jesus that he might drink. Now when Jesus tasted of what was on it, he said: "It is fulfill'd."
The Seventh WordAnd once again he cried aloud and said: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." After he had thus spoken, bowing down his head, he gave up his spirit.
ConclusioHe who hath regard for God's agony,
Remembereth the seven words;
Him God will love and will cherish,
Both here on earth with bounteous grace,
And there in eternity living.
joe harvey at 10:56 AM
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Who do you identify with? Peter, "not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Judas brooding next to the dark? James or John, having the intense discussion at lower right? Or, one of the others?
joe harvey at 10:44 AM
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Just returned from an early morning men’s breakfast at the church followed by the yearly Easter Egg Hunt (for the kids, not the men.) What chaos! The men’s breakfast was very relaxing, as usual. (We aren’t a lively bunch.) When we dismissed, the Easter Egg hunt was already set-up: over 900 eggs scattered throughout about 3 acres of church property. They were gone in a matter of about 2 minutes! It was like a swarm of bees. “Why can’t my kids pick-up their toys that fast?” I wondered aloud to my friend Bob. “Do you hide candy in them?” He said. Hmm. This is how my brain works on Saturday mornings. More coffee is definitely needed.
joe harvey at 8:29 AM
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I always thought I was the type of person who didn’t like change. I like the predictability of things. I have a favorite chair and tend to sit in the same seat at dinner and at staff meetings. I go through the same routines every day. When I drive I never divert from that imaginary “red-line” on my regular route. But, on some level, I have to admit, I like change. When I drive I change lanes a lot. Sitting in one place too long makes me nervous. And I’m constantly surfing the net—changing channels, or both.
I especially like the change that happens around this time of year—the change from winter to spring. I have always enjoyed the changing of seasons, but never realized how much they effected me as well as others. Winter is a descent into darkness. I love the symbolism of the birth of Jesus happening at the time of the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year. (Historians have argued that Christ most likely was born in March, but who knows?)
I ran into a friend of mine the other night. It was late on a Sunday evening and he was looking unusually haggard. His son just finished fourth in the state wrestling championships where he was seeded first. His son was taking the loss hard and his father was dealing with it the best he could, like he always does, in a loving and caring way. But he was clearly showing signs of stress. He had spent the last couple of weeks at tournaments and on the road and was now trying see his son through a tough time. I knew he had had a long, rough weekend.
It struck me how out of character he looked: tired, disheveled, unshaven, with an overall dark and somber mood in his outward expressions and gestures. Even in the midst of the hectic tournament season he’s generally completely the opposite: lively, full of life, his face filled with happiness and the overwhelming joy and love of God. I expressed my concern for his well-being and didn’t really comprehend his reply until recently. He said, “this winter just seems to go on and on, and I just can’t wait until spring.”
In the midst of winter, Jesus comes to a world sitting in darkness and brings hope. It's awesome, just awesome. But sometimes we loose sight of that hope—no matter how strong our faith is. And there are still others who have never known that hope. As Christians, emissaries of Christ here on earth, we are called to bring hope to those who sit in darkness.
Fortunately for us, the days are getting longer as we approach the Spring Equinox on March 21 (invariably around Easter every year). On that day there will be an equal amount of daylight and darkness. The days will become longer than the nights. About a week later, on Easter Sunday, we will celebrate the Risen Jesus who comes, as promised, as the one who overcomes the darkness. Hope fulfilled.
With my friend that night I didn’t realize how hard it was to be a representative of hope for Christ at every moment. As I write these words now I am overwhelmed by the realization that it’s even harder to be a representative of hope fulfilled. But that’s exactly what we are called to be. Yours in Christ. JH.
joe harvey at 10:50 AM
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