Our Lenten Journey

By Pastor Roger Sylwester

A few weeks ago Rick Steves, on his Travels in Europe program, featured the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile pilgrimage that many walk for 30 days, concluding at the traditional tomb of St. James, one of the twelve Apostles. He interviewed people along the way as they focused on this journey and what it meant.

Every year we take a pilgrimage, a 40 day journey, we call Lent, following Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. He called a tax collector to follow him and Matthew joins the journey and we ask what it means to follow him. Along the way Jesus heals a leper and a paralytic, giving them new life, and we ask where such mercy will lead us?

All comes together for this Holy Week, as Jesus enters Jerusalem with crowds waving palm branches. This Son of David enters humbly, riding on a donkey. Is this a sign of his kingship? On Maundy Thursday, as Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples, he gives us this gift that we continue to receive. We, too, hear him say “this is my body, given for you, this is my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Go in peace!”  We go forth with this gift of his grace, set free to live this life his gives us. 

We follow to Golgotha and the crucifixion of Jesus, where Jesus is placed between two criminals. Yet even now we hear, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” and  “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” The powers who are in control have done all they could to silence Him and He is laid in the tomb. What does this say about the limits of power?

We take this journey so that in the face of all that says death has spoken, we come to Easter morning to behold the empty tomb and to hear, “He is not here, He is risen!” And we respond “He is Risen Indeed!” Easter and every Sunday that follows are signposts on our pilgrimage. Our journey will not end at a tomb but with the one who took this journey so we can live in the Easter light of his grace each day.