Good Friday

As a rose blooms with its heart turned upward, one should turn with one’s heart turned toward heaven.

This Lent we turned our personalities toward God. The turn was subtle, not a radical refiguring of self, but a friendliness of self, an acceptance of our limitations -- yet a transformation nonetheless of growth. We came home to who we rightfully are, our higher self. Now what we are required to do is make space for the reality to arise, the wisdom and the good.How do we do it?

We learned this Lent through prayer, meditation, and focus on what our soul tells us everyday. Let us not be twice a year church goers. Easter and Christmas, in reality or figuratively, quick fixes do not work in our faith any more than quick fixes work in any other aspect of our life. To limit one’s experience to two holy days is deny ourselves the the reawakened spiritual renewal and communal connection that is there for us daily.

Don’t wait for next Lent to get back on the road for spiritual renewal. It will always be “tomorrow” if you do. This Lent we have turned East to West, it only took one step. Take the next step, not West to East, but forward toward God, and then another, and another. The journey you began over 40 days ago is well worth it. It is what God calls us to do.

Webb

Maundy Thursday

A reconciliation that does not explain that error lay on both sides is not a true reconciliation.

There are always three sides to every story: Mine, yours, and the truth. As soon as we recognize this truism the sooner we can get on with our journey toward spiritual renewal.This Lenten season provides us with the time we need to reconcile and make peace with others and with ourselves — before we stand before God and ask for forgiveness. Is it too late, have we missed the opportunity, are we out of luck — No! Easter always comes. Forgiveness is always present. But what a great chance we have to simply acknowledge that fault always lay on both sides.Have you a relationship where you want reconciliation but cannot accept that you played a part in the schism? Have you done something that you cannot get over so eats at you and makes you miserable? This Lenten season is about to end, but our work is only beginning. However, before it ends meditate on reconciliation -- reconciliation with another, a situation, or most importantly with yourself. Is there someone or something that will bring you peace if you just acknowledge that their is error on both sides. Find it, embrace it, and soon you will feel a heavy load lifted of your back. You will be at peace.

Webb

Wednesday in Holy Week

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to Heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. Psalms 139:7 — 10.

Perhaps the reason we find God wherever we go is God is with us wherever we go. He never leaves our side. Sometimes we try to hide from God and his call, some of the prophets did. But we cannot ignore the call because it is ever present.We thought this Lent we were making a journey to God and all the time he was right there with us. All we needed to do is turn toward him. East to West. Life is the journey but we always have a loving companion by our side — God. Truly the joy is in the journey.Today as we take one of our last steps in Lent take a moment to turn to God by finding him in a place you had not realized he existed.

Webb

Tuesday in Holy Week

Bless the Lord ... who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases. -- Psalm 103:2-3

This short text has given millions of people hope and faith. Not that I believe God heals all disease — although I do know that he works miracles. What I think the Psalmist is saying here is that we can always return to God even after we have made a mess of our lives. Easter always comes. God’s forgiveness is always there. Notice the word “all.”

When God freed the slaves. He didn’t just free some of them. He didn’t just take the leaders, he didn’t just take the orthodox, he didn’t just take the men, or the women, or the believers, or the pious. He took them all — righteous and sinners alike. I think this says something about God’s inclusiveness and those who who try to make Heaven and God’s mercy limited to their worldly beliefs.

The book of Psalms is a gentle healing guidance to spiritual transformation. Perhaps that’s why a reading from Psalms is always in the daily readings. Try including Psalms in your daily routine and let the words and God’s spirit guide your dreams.

Webb

Monday in Holy Week

One cannot escape the eye of God, but in trying to hide from God, one hides from oneself. -- Martin Buber

While this may remind me of Adam and Eve trying to hide in the Garden, it really speaks to how we lead our lives. We know that God can see what we do and yet we sometimes act as if God can’t. We do things secretly, thinking we can get away with misdeeds. Sometimes it appears we do — and experience teaches us “appearances” are fleeting. But we still have to live with ourselves, and do we really think we are fooling our friends, family or God? The saying goes, “We are only as sick as our secrets.”During Lent we have started learning to live with ourselves as we truly are. Rabbi Kook said,” When one forgets the essential nature of the soul, when one averts one’s thought from introspection, everything becomes confused and in doubt. This Holy Week we are all called to “call out” to God, not hide. As Luis said in his sermon on Palm Sunday, “Easter always comes.” Forgiveness is always there. Why hide from forgiveness?

Webb

Palm Sunday

Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; -- Isaiah 55:6

If we are feeling alone, isolated, and in exile because of something we did or said, we are comforted by the fact that God is still near to us.Even in the rejection of God, there is usually acceptance of God. It sounds contradictory, but it is not. If you are angry with God, you are accepting of his place in your life. Otherwise there would be no need for anger.

Isn’t that true, as well, with people in our lives. The closer we are to someone, the more important they are to us; the angrier we become when they hurt us or are doing something harmful to themselves. Luis, talks about this reality when he says that when we lose someone special in our life we feel a deep absence because they were such a deep presence.

We began this Lenten season seeking spiritual renewal. As we begin Holy Week, through meditation, prayer, and sacrifice we have made progress. However, belief and faith are struggles. Just because we are undergoing a spiritual awakening doesn’t mean that the struggle of faith has ended. For most of us it is just beginning.This Palm Sunday we commemorate Christ’s triumphant ride into Jerusalem. Many, at the time, believed that their struggle of faith was about to end. It was just beginning. So it is with us. Thanks be to God.

Webb

Saturday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, admist the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. -- from the Diary of Anne Frank.

We begin Lent in the gloom of winter and proceed to Holy Week, where spring brings us Sun, budding trees and flowers, and reminders everywhere of rebirth and renewal. If young Anne could be positive in the midst of a world that was literally falling apart around her, certainly we can be positive in the midst of nature’s seasonal reminder that every year our world begins anew. Yes, we can be positive because as difficult as our Lenten journey has been toward spiritual renewal -- and it doesn’t end next week — we have moved, and are moving in the right direction. So sometime this Holy Week take young Anne’s advise go outside, be alone with nature, with God. Then you will realize you are never alone.

Webb