Rising Green

Pastor’s Epistle—March, A.D. 2018 B

Lent is a time for simplicity. We give things up not merely out of tradition nor from a desire to challenge ourselves, but because fasting and almsgiving free us to dispense with the secondary things of life in order that we may focus on the first things: gratitude, silence, generosity, faith, prayer, worship of God and love of neighbor. Candlelight vespers (Wednesday evenings @6:30) give us opportunity for quiet contemplation and serenity in song. And when the world begins to fall away, when we let go of the distractions and superfluities that clutter our days, we find ourselves drawn to holiness—to the blessings of Holy Week and the coming of Easter.

I confess that I also start to feel rather Irish during Lent, or at least Irish-American. My family can attest that from Valentine’s on, I’m enthusiastically looking forward to St Patrick’s Day. (Our heritage is complicated, but by and large my ancestors were Norse and Gaelic. In the winter I tend to identify with our Viking forebears, braving ice and snow, but when the world starts to warm once again, I feel the Irish rising in my blood.) A good part of this is simply the longing we all share in February and March for the spring, and for green growing things. But it’s also because, in my admittedly romanticized imaginings, Ireland recalls a simpler time of laughter, poetry, good black stout, and perhaps a bit of rebellion, all shared around a peat fire at the local pub. Forgive me if this smacks of paddywhackery. We’re all entitled to a bit of rose tint now and then. Or emerald, as the case may be.

Thus my wish for all of us as Lent reaches its climax is for simple joys and for quiet, honest pleasures. May we give up that which distracts us, which fogs our minds and our souls, obscuring from us the things in life that truly matter. Thus clear-eyed, may we walk along with Christ the long road of His Passion: from the adulation of Palm Sunday, through the trials and terrors of Maundy Thursday, the Cross at Calvary on Good Friday, to come at last to the Resurrection joys of the Easter Vigil and Easter Morning. Holy Week is the crown of our worship, Sunday for the entire year. Let us leave behind all that which hinders us, and gather together at the Table, beneath the Cross, and before the empty Tomb.

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.