Reading for Today: Luke 22:7-13
“….and they prepared the Passover meal” Luke 22:13
It is worth noting that at both the beginning and the conclusion of Jesus’ life there are descriptions of preparation. An angelic encounter with Joseph prepares him for a most unusual event. Wise men are watching the sky for signs of the coming of the King. The disciples are asked by Jesus to prepare a room for the celebration of Passover. Then Jesus goes to the garden where he prays in preparation for his impending end.
The implication is clear that important events in life require people to get ready for them. The deepest meaningful events of life, e.g. a wedding, the birth of a child, etc., are not experienced spontaneously but only through careful preparation. Which is precisely the purpose of both Advent and Lent. Advent is a time to prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of the Christ, and Lent a time to prepare ourselves to celebrate the meaning of the resurrection of Christ.
Traditionally Lent is a time during which people give up something important in their lives as a reminder that our faith journey requires self-discipline even as did Jesus as he faced his final days. Recently some people have suggested an alternative whereby we add something to our lives during this season that can help us explore the meaning of the resurrection for our own spiritual journey. This may be in the form of service to others such as volunteer work. It could also be the development of a spiritual discipline that we have not done before such as daily meditation; a time set aside to listen to that “still small voice” that seeks our attention. It could be choosing to read a part of the gospel story each day during the season or a book that challenges us to consider more deeply our spiritual journey such as Dr. Dwayne Dyer’s book “The Power of Intention”. Whatever we choose to do during this special season may our choice help prepare us once more to explore and celebrate the meaning of Easter for our lives.
Reflections 