Oh, those words.
They resonate.
They call out!
They command, they direct, they compel us to move forward, to think, to pray, to ready ourselves for what is to come, and why was John the Baptizer moving out in front of his beloved cousin Jesus... risking death and scorn and humiliation... by heralding Christ's coming?
Because he believed.
He knew.
He understood that what was coming after him... Who was coming after him... was a gift so great, so big and bold and beautiful that despite the normalcy of Christ's looks (remember he was of no special bearing...) He held redemption in His holy hands.
He held Scripture in his mind and His Father's love in his heart.
He risked it all to be the Christ. The Anointed One. The Alpha and the Omega.
We are guilty of taking so much for granted today and I think that shows in the outpouring of love for The Chosen because it's not embellished in ways to make things look better or worse than what they were. We see the humanity and frailty and weariness of the people... and we feel their joy when Jesus teaches, when He comes among them. His very presence heals and helps! Hooray for that!
So this week, this Holy Week, the Seekers wish you all the beauty and love and hope of a week fraught with emotion, filled with anguish and ending in tears of joy... because He is Risen!
He is risen, indeed!
So we enter Holy Week knowing our King is at hand... and remembering what He did to achieve our grace and ascend to His kingdom.
Thank you, sweet Jesus!
Praise God, Jesus is risen, indeed!
ReplyDeleteOh, how blessed! #bestweekever #noncommercialized #loveit
DeleteThank you, Ruthy, for the focus on Holy Week! Just as Advent draws our attention to Christ incarnate, the humble infant in the lowly manger, Holy Week helps us anticipate Christ triumphant, glorious and victorious over sin, death, and hell. We can walk with Him through the valley of the shadow of death because we know that He is the author of life, and the grave cannot hold Him. When we look at the world around us, may we always remember that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world, no matter how hard the enemy tries to convince us otherwise.
ReplyDeleteOh, sweetness, that is so beautifully said.
DeleteThank you, Terri Lynn.
Thank you so much.
What a wonderful post, Ruthy. I'm listening to Father Mike Schmidt read the book of John this week and this is perfect. And yesterday at church they did a strictly read, not acted out, passion play. Very different for us and I loved it.
ReplyDeleteI love that, too, Mary.... the words are so often enough. And Beth and Jon (the brats) know Father Mike.... Like for REAL!!!! :) He's a great guy and I should be listening to that Bible study, too....
DeleteI loved FR Mike's podcast today. The Gospel of John is so rich and Holy Week is so powerful.
DeleteWow to Beth and Jon knowing Fr Mike!
Ruthy, in the middle of a busy life season, I was refreshed by your words and reminders about all this week holds. Thanks for the reminder NOT to take Jesus and His amazing sacrifice for granted.
ReplyDeleteI love this week so much! And honestly, I don't think any denomination does this particular week with the sanctity of the Catholic church... I'm not saying this to start debate, it's just that from Palm Sunday on the services are so poignant and so filled with the emotions and feelings of how awful that must have been... and the waiting. Catholics LOVE to emphasize the waiting. :) there is something special about that, though, isn't there? To await God's time. The beauty of the Bible.
DeleteI would have to agree with you, Ruthy! The Catholic church does add holiness into the celebration and remembrance of Holy Week. And the waiting . . . what a beautiful gift comes at the end of it, right?
DeleteRuthy, you're so right! Holy Week is so poignant, so sorrowful, and so awesome that Christ would die for me and for you and for everyone. What a journey he took to bring us salvation.
ReplyDeleteMay this Holy Week be especially powerful for all of us! Amen!
I echo that with a hearty amen!
DeleteAll I can say is Amen!!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this on Wednesday, but this was a wonderful post to start this week. Thanks for reminding me just how holy this Holy Week truly is!
ReplyDeleteEaster Blessings for you and yours!