The Story of Death (and Life)

On Sunday we began the journey out of Lent and towards Easter. We heard the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem in triumph with crowds of people praising him. We sang about his glory and we became the crowds that welcomed Jesus. Then we heard the story of Jesus’ last days with his disciples, his arrest and his death. We became the crowds again and we asked for Jesus to be crucified. It is an emotional and sometimes overwhelming day. We experience all that Jesus experienced in the last week of his life in a matter of minutes and then we leave.

The church has, by design, created a means for us to experience the Passion of Jesus in many ways so that we are able to truly understand the events that led to Jesus being crucified and to his resurrection.

Many of us shy away from telling our children the more gruesome parts of the story of Jesus’ death because we are uncomfortable with having these conversations with our children but our children are much more resilient than we realize. Our children understand punishment and shame better than we want to admit. Our children see death and suffering in their shows and in the lives of those around them. Unfortunately when we do not have these talks with our children about death and suffering, they hear it somewhere else. Often those explanations are woefully lacking in the understanding of grace, love and salvation. Our children need to know and understand that death and suffering is not the end of the story. We do not have the luxury of not telling them the whole story.

Please tell your children the story early and often this Holy Week. Allow them to know and experience what Christ experienced and how his shame and suffering leads to our being reunited to God. Jesus died for the sins of all humanity even us. Then bring the whole family to experience the last days of Jesus life and to celebrate his resurrection.

I would recommend that you read the collect for the day, each day of Holy Week as well as the Passion story. They contain beautiful language that does not shy away from the full understanding of the gift that we have been given through Jesus Christ.

Today’s Scripture: Mark 15: 1-39

Prayer for Today:

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Collect for the Tuesday of Holy Week, The Book of Common Prayer, 220)

Conversation Starters:
In your own words, tell me the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Why do you think we hear the story of Jesus’ death?
Why do you believe Jesus died? 
Can God understand when we are hurting or suffering?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SAYING “I’M SORRY”

Image
“Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. ”  ( Invitation to Lent on Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 264-265 ) “I don’t want you to put dirt on my head.” My son told me this the other day as we talk about why it was going to be a crazy week in our family. I tried to tell him tha
Read more

Values? But Why?

Image
Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ? Parents and Godparents: I will, with God's help. (Book of Common Prayer, 302) Prayer Bench in Blacksburg, VA  When was the last time your family saw you praying outside of church? When have you involved your children or godchildren in the acts of kindness you do for others because your see God in them? These are personal things that many of us do not think to share with our children. I did not grow up knowing that my parents prayed beyond the dinner table or that they gave to those who had less than we did. I know this now but as a child I was unaware. In Matthew 6 it says “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who i
Read more

PANCAKES! PANCAKES!

Image
“Why do we have to go to church to eat pancakes?” “Why can’t we have pancakes every time we go to church?” “What’s so special about Tuesdays and pancakes?” Why? Why? Why? These are the types of questions, I fielded at the breakfast table this morning. Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras is a long-standing tradition.  A party or celebration on the day before Lent begins dates back to the Middle Ages. The word Shrove comes from the word "shrive" meaning absolve. Pancakes were made because it was the last day fatty foods could be eaten before the Lenten fast began, so households made pancakes from the eggs, butter and fat that needed to be used before Lent began.  It’s a perfect excuse to have a party and eat all those yummy treats together. Shrove Tuesday became the Middle Age equivalent of leftover day to clean out the fridge. You see Spring cleaning dates back hundreds of years.  Lent provides us with the perfect opportunity for us to examine the “fatty” things in our live
Read more