by Rev. Bob Martin, Senior Pastor
And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones; and there I will store my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’
"But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ ‘So is he who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God.’” —Luke 12:16-21 (ESV)
Whenever the journey to Easter begins, it must always begin right here: at the contemplation of our death, in the cold conviction that we all shall die. Pastors say, “Remember” as ashes are smeared on our foreheads. “Remember you are but dust and to dust you shall return.” Ash Wednesday, the day of personal ashes, the first of the forty days of Lent: Like a deep bell tolling, this word defines the day and starts the season and bids us all the opportunity to begin our journey, one of Memento! “Remember!”
Prayer: Lord as I begin this journey with Jesus towards the suffering of the cross, may I not experience it as something of history; rather, may it be real and one whereby I too feel the pain of the steps as they come. This is not a journey I choose, but one I must embark. I am grateful for you, Lord, Jesus, for making the journey on my behalf and joining me as I go with you. Amen.
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