Be Prepared!

Notes from the Pastor…

I am writing this article on the Tuesday morning before Easter; also known as Great Tuesday.  While I know that some readers will not receive this article until later in the week, I feel pressed to share some of my thoughts of this Holy Tuesday of Holy Week.
There is a fancy, five syllable word in philosophy that describes beliefs in the last things, or the last days, or the final destruction, or what happens when we die.  That word is  eschatology.  Eschatology is gravely important, because an individual’s eschatology, whether Christian or nonChristian, greatly affects his or her behaviors and life choices.
One text that is emphasized on Great Tuesday is Matthew 25:1-13, the parable of the ten bridesmaids.  Most scholars argue that this parable is a teaching of Jesus about eschatology.  Five of the bridesmaids are prepared for the delay of the bridegroom, and five only bring enough supplies for what is customary.  No matter the interpretation, the application seems clear  – “Be prepared!”
During Holy Week, preparation seems to take on secular connotations.  We prepare for Easter Sunday lunch, and we prepare for Easter egg hunts.  These things are not bad; they are fun, exciting traditions for the family.  Yet sometimes in the middle of those preparations we neglect to prepare our hearts for the depth of spiritual activities we celebrate on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Therefore, this Holy Week let us be prepared!
Let us take moments of silence as opportunities to practice meditation.  Let us notice the Spirit of God in our daily labor.  And let us prepare our hearts and minds for ever challenging death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus the Christ!

Grace,
Pastor Ryan