He Is Risen!

Sometimes only the old hymns will do....

Low in the grave He lay --

Jesus my Savior!

Waiting the coming day --

Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose,

With a mighty triumph o'er His foes

He arose a Victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose!  He arose!

Hallelujah!  Christ arose!

Vainly they watch His bed --

Jesus, my Savior!

Vainly they seal the dead --

Jesus my Lord!

(Chorus)

Death cannot keep his prey --

Jesus, my Savior!

He tore the bars away --

Jesus my Lord!

(Chorus)

"Up From the Grave He Arose" also known as "Christ Arose" -- Robert Lowry, 1874

Lowry, a Baptist preacher, also wrote "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus" and "Shall We Gather at the River."  When asked about writing a hymn Lowry said, "It must be readily apprehended by the Christian consciousness, coming forth from the experience of the writer, and clothed in strong and inspiring words."

What is Good About This Friday?

Why is today called Good Friday?  Last night as I lay in bed this thought came into my mind.  After all, this was the day on which we commemorate the crucifixtion of Jesus.  Why would we in the western church call it good?

The history has been tainted by the passage of time as to why we call it good.  I won't go into any detail here because there have been many, many things written and recorded that theorize the reasons.  The one that seems most logical to me is that it is a corruption of "God Friday."  This seems to fit typical English corruption of various phrases which were once common that referred to the Deity such as "goodbye" or, "goodness."

In many traditions throughout the world it is known as Holy Friday.  I personally think it would be a better way to refer to this day which is not one of celebration, but one of contemplation and prayer focused on the supreme sacrifice God made on our behalf.  In that sense -- the focus on God -- it is "God Friday."

I would encourage you to read through the gospel accounts of Jesus' last days on this day of commemoration.  For reference, the readings practiced by the Byzantine Christians in what they refer to as the "Matins of the Twelve Passion Gospels" is a good place to start.  They are listed below:

1. John 13:31 - 18:1
2. John 18:1 - 18:28
3. Matthew 26:57-26:75
4. John 18:28 - 19:16
5. Matthew 27:3 - 27:32
6. Mark 15:16 - 15:32
7. Matthew 27:33 - 27:54
8. Luke 23:32 - 23:49
9. John 19:25 - 19:37
10. Mark 15:43 - 15:47
11. John 19:38 - 19:42
12. Matthew 27:62 - 27:66

May your contemplation be filled with the presence of God.

Risen Indeed

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is risen!

He is risen indeed!

...And by His blood we are healed.

Dazed and Confused

Dazed and confused, the once-loyal followers spent the day in hiding. Leaderless and without direction they cringed in fear expecting the next knock at the door to be soldiers to take them away.

Only a few of the women ventured out to the hill to see the Teacher as He hung there. Tears streaked their dusty cheeks as they mourned and moaned in their agony at the foot of the cross.

"It is finished."

A spear in the side.

Watch where they lay Him.

What do we do? We must find Peter.

A Dark and Dreary Day

So far, we've had only a light dusting of snow. However, the forecasters continue to call for a chance through tomorrow night. Tonight, we are expecting a temperature in the low 20's. If the trees weren't damaged already, they will be after the hard freeze tonight. I should have expected this cold spell because the mesquite trees around here still have not budded and 3 of the 4 wild plums that I planted last year have yet to bud. Isn't it interesting how the "native" flora seem to know when spring is really here.

It's rather sad to look out at the green with a sprinklings of snow and know that much of that green will be black and rotting in a couple of days. That thought just adds to the dreariness of the day.

I guess it is appropriate for it to be a dreary day. In the context of Easter, this is the day that Jesus died on the cross. It was a day of great darkness about 2000 years ago. It would have been the point of greatest despair for the disciples. Until his death, there was still hope in their minds. Hope that he would miraculously come down from the cross and step into His Kingship. For them, all hope was gone. Little did they know the events that awaited them the next day.

An Easter Spell

Just when you think
That Spring has arrived
You'd better start thinking again.
'Cause even though trees are blooming
And birds are singing
And wildflowers are raising their heads,
Until after Easter there's always a chance
That winter will make a return.
It's been a few years since we've seen such a spring
But there isn't a doubt that this year
Winter must have left something behind
Because it's returning in full gear.
The temperature is dropping
And the moisture is falling
And the wind's picking up from the north.
The weatherman's saying the chances are high
That a serious storm's drawing nigh.
The flakes should start falling
Sometime after Midnight;
Expect them to cover the ground.
We might get as much as six or eight inches
Of white stuff by the time Easter morn comes around.
I hope it doesn't kill my trees!

Spineless!

The Texas Legislature has proven that it is as spineless as the rest of the country. On Wednesday before Easter, the number one Christian holiday, it had a Muslim imam deliver the opening prayer. Once again, let's fire them all and start over!!