By: The Rev. Keith Allen
Life is often hard and full of temptations, trials and troubles. We see in each of the lectionary texts today that God’s people find themselves in trouble, but God brings life and redemption from these troubles.
God brought Israel out of slavery and bondage into the blessing of the Promised Land. In the Gospel we see that out of the “destruction of the Temple”, the death of Christ on the Cross, God brought new life. In the Epistle lesson we see that the message of the cross that seems so foolish to those who are perishing is actually the power of God!
There may be someone in your parish that through this season of Lent has been confronted with past sins surrounding abortion. They have hidden it from everyone for years and the guilt and grief once again, during this Lenten journey, makes its way to the surface. The evil one uses it to keep them from knowing the joy of forgiveness and extravagance of grace. Today you have the great joy of reminding them of the power of God through the Cross. Lent is a reminder that we each have sinned and that Christ has borne that sin away.