Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets from long ago has come back to life.” ”But what about you?” he asked. … Read more
“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1 It is a bit ironic that we read a passage about the need to keep our piety to ourselves on a day in which we as a … Read more
One of my kids recently had the flu. On day three, he had a fever of 104. On day four, his fever had broken and the boredom kicked in. He came into my office and slyly asked, “Why don’t we make a deal?” I raised an eyebrow and asked what he had in mind.
Holy Saturday was the moment when darkness had descended and there was nothing to make you think that everything would be all right. The worst had occurred and nothing would ever be the same. If you have had someone you loved die or you have experienced a great tragedy in your life—then you have a glimpse of how Jesus’ followers must have felt that day.
Several of us think Lent is a time to “give up something” for 40 days, such as giving up sweets for six out of the seven days a week. However, Lent is much more than “giving up something.” It’s a season where we, as Christians, focus on simple living, prayer, and daily devotion to grow closer to God.