Sanctifying Sunday

Matt is back and seems to be on a fishing/ boat/Jesus theme. Enjoy.

It's that time of year again!  Amazingly, time does continue to pick up speed, maybe as fast as the asteroid that hit a Russian town east of Moscow, 19 miles per second!  

So, with a sonic BOOM Lent is here again.  

(Our prayers go out to the 1,000 people hurt and severely injured in this "act of God". Poor God, He only gets credit for the crazy and terrible- a topic for another time.)

This season of the year is one of my favorite times.  Incredibly, I love it because it reinforces my deep attraction and desire for a Gospel way of life.  Not to go too theological, but the anthropocentric reality of Jesus and His incarnation get's me really excited.  It's always been a battle within the spheres of theology and worship (and me) to not fall into the trap of monophysitism.  Simply put, letting Jesus' divinity overshadow his human nature.  

For example, the other day during our nightly ritual of reading the Bible I asked Isaac, "Why did Jesus get into the boat with His disciples?"  Obviously I knew the answer and was hoping in proud anticipation that Isaac would regurgitate the route response.  I could hear him say, "Well of course dad, Jesus wanted to get to the other side to rest and pray."  However, my silly presumption was blasted away.  

Isaac simply said, "Dad, he got in the boat because he likes to fish."  

Yes,  He did like to fish. 

He was always in the boat, out of the boat, walking on the water, telling them where to fish, and even when He was resurrected from the dead built a fire and cooked fish.  

Of course, He was human...a divine person with two natures....

So, it's lent.  The latin root translates "spring".  I hope that's right!  I didn't look it up and am relying on 7 years of Latin!  

If it doesn't translate that way, it should.  

Spring, a movement from the cold, dormancy and infertility, to vigorous growth and life.

Lent is historically referred to as a desert time.  Jesus went into the desert and so should we.  I love the Gospel simplicity.  It's sooo human to get off track and get distracted.  While Jesus was in the desert he was tempted with the classical allurements of all human life, no one is immune, from the enticement of power, pleasure and pride.  (Everyone-- Bishops, priests, religious, non-religious, parents and even the pope!  Hat's off (no pun intended) to BXVI for his humility.)

All peoples of all cultures and all times can relate to this.

Jesus' message can be understood by all because it is simply human.  Who can contest the human need to "check ourselves"?  Even a mildly spiritual person, or even an agnostic or even a atheist can understand the value of purifying ourselves in mind body and soul.  I saw a show the other day where 4 girl roommates went on a digital fast!  Each one of them got headaches and went through physical withdrawals!!!

We are invited to the desert to overcome dissipation and distraction.  When I think of the consequences of forgetting who I am and what I am about it is a sobering reality of how far I can get away from the core message of the Gospel- - Abundant life - - - LIFE to the FULLEST!

So, Jesus "liked to fish." 

Isaiah once told me that Jesus liked boats, because he liked to swim.  

Yes, "he liked to swim."  I'm sure he did.  

Deserting the Dessert for the Desert is a good thing for these 40 days- for everyone.  If you've never fasted, try it, even if you're "mildly spiritual."