Read
The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Reflect
Our journey from Lent through Easter is nearly compete. We have collectively moved from death and despair to new life and hope; from crucifixion and darkness to resurrection and light. As with any pilgrimage, we come to the end of the journey transformed. We are at a different place emotionally, spiritually, and physically from where we first embarked and we are indelibly changed by our pilgrimage.

Every journey has its defining moments, critical times when we decide whether to forge ahead or turn back and it is these moments of introspection that define our lives as Christian people. When we realize that we could not have endured except by the grace of God, and when we realize that we could not have kept going except with God’s help, we have given ourselves up to the journey and fully placed our trust in the divine.

And that’s the triumph of Easter – we’re not the ones responsible for this passage. We cast our hopes and fears and sins upon Jesus Christ and he carries us through to the other side. Barriers are broken, obstacles are breached, and we open ourselves to transformation through relationship with our Lord. Jesus is the vehicle by which we pass over to the bright light of divine mercy and truth, allowing us to bask in the warm glow of resurrection glory.

Amen. Alleluia. Come Holy Spirit.

–Tim Schenck

Respond
Reflect upon the past 50 days. How have you grown spiritually? What truths have emerged about your life? About your relationship with Jesus?  About your interactions with those in your midst? How will you carry these truths into the next 50 days and the rest of your life?