What Matters Most

Spring has been slow to come to my part of the country. We received another twelve inches of snow during Holy Week. We’ve been away from home, and I returned to find that the propane tank for the gas fire that heats my office had run out in my absence. (It wasn’t supposed to run that much while I was gone; this is spring after all!) To top it off, I’ve been struggling with a cold—the kind that gurgles in the chest for weeks. All in all it’s been hard to get into “the spirit of the season.”

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Then last evening we went to Good Friday services. Our own church was participating in a large community service on the far side of the county. We chose to visit a small church not far from our house. As we sang and listened to meditations and watched slides that included pictures from old movies about the crucifixion, we were drawn to Jesus. The mud in the parking lot didn’t matter. The work piled up on my computer didn’t matter. Even my cough or a cold office didn’t matter. 

Jesus. He’s all that matters.

Jesus and what he did for me. 

What he did for the teens on the Korean ferry and even for their negligent captain.

What he did for the people on Malaysia Airlines flight 370 and for whoever caused their plane to go so badly astray.

Jesus and what he did for the people of Ukraine, east and west.

What he did for the Russian people and their leaders.

Jesus and what he did for Africa, Asia and Oceana, South America, Europe and even my own home of North America, despite our preoccupation with bunnies and daffodils, chocolate eggs and new clothes.

Take a deep breath. Jesus. He’s all that matters.

May Resurrection Day be a day of rejoicing and renewal for you and your family.