Hearing the Story Anew

I am still savoring the wonderfulness of this past Holy Week,
with its effects lingering on and delighting my soul. Before this
Holy Week I realized that I was forgetting the Story that had
captivated my life all these many years.

I remember that last Advent (the four weeks before Christ-
mas) I was thrilled as I heard God's promises again, eagerly
awaiting the birth of the baby Jesus. And, oh the joy of Christ-
mas Day, and how it swept me on into Epiphany (January 6).

But, as I had done many times before, I started to forget the
Story, that is, until Holy Week. Something clicked in me on Palm
Sunday, and I sensed my heart getting more in tune with God's
redeeming grace. Over the days of Holy Week I started remem-
bering the Story again and I sensed that my heart was gradual-
ly being tuned by the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

On Monday of Holy Week I listened on my IPod to the Story
put to music and sung by the likes of Michael Card and The Sec-
ond Chapter of Acts, some of my favorite vocalists and song-
writers. During the next two days the Story was visualized for
me. On Tuesday a small group of us walked through Jesus' walk
to the Cross and on Wednesday a colleague led us through a Jew-
ish Passover Seder, tying it to the life and death of Jesus.

On Thursday I attended a Maundy Thursday service. As we
took opportunity to focus our attention on Christ's death, the
sanctuary was cleared of Christian imagery and the lights were
turned down. We then all left in silence, preparing ourselves
for the great event of the next day.

On Good Friday the Story started coming to a climax. Good Fri-
day is good because by His death on the cross Jesus has won for
us the victory of salvation. At the church I go to, I was able to
hear reflections on the Story of Christ's crucifiction and the ef-
fects of His death on us today. Later that day at the same church
I joined with others in renewing our baptismal vows and taking
the first communion of Easter. As we pondered the redeeming
work of Christ on the cross at the end of the service, the organ-
ist let loose with a beautiful, awe-inspiring voluntary that that
filled the sancturary with praise and honor to God. It was breath-
taking and inspiring!

I'll write soon about the events of Resurrection Sunday. But
now I want to stress that my heart was being tuned in order
to praise God for all the great things God had done through
Jesus Christ.

Until the next time, peace.