Today so happens to be the 15th anniversary of Prince William and Princess Kate, whose wedding may not have received quite the social media fanfare and near-obsession as Harry and Meghan, but hundreds of millions still viewed the 2011 ceremony over the various technological means around the world. One of the most eye-grabbing parts of Westminster Abbey that day was not just the attire of the bride and groom, or the various internationally recognized guests, but the eight 20-foot trees that seemed to dramatically pop on the screen. It was nearly an absolute shock that the supposed most die-hard stick-to-the-script traditionalist monarchs of Britain would allow a near forest to overtake the most cherished sanctuary space for all of England, and yet, it was rather serene and beautiful and inspiring all at once.
Before beginning, on behalf of our Divinity community of faith, we extend our heartfelt sorrow to the family of the student who died at Valley Forge High School, and to all students, faculty, and others affected by the tragedy. We will take time during our upcoming weekend worships and healing services to better minister to those affected by that tragedy. In the meantime, we lift up our own humble prayers clinging to the Lord of the compassionate cross and restoring Resurrection.
Although for most Americans, April 15 begins and ends with making sure financial matters are in order with federal and state and local governments, today is also the birthdate of perhaps one of the most influential figures in history in Leonardo da Vinci. But for many church-going individuals, his Last Supper artistic rendition may be one of the most frequently hung works of art in fellowship halls or Sunday school classrooms or some other random spot inside houses of worship.
Continued happy Easter to all of you! It isn’t always easy for faith communities to come anywhere near in matching the eternal gravity on Easter Sunday and all. We can’t exactly transport people to the actual tomb, in attempting to understand the shock and awe and even fear of it all. Many have done the Resurrection of Our Lord worship experience for quite a few years, singing the often-selected hymns and hearing some of the same Scripture passages, and yet it somehow still manages to unleash contagious joy and hope over and over again.
Blessed greetings this Holy Week, however you are in the midst of it. At least, for me, there’s something rather beautifully re-assuring to know we’re not the only ones in the midst of it. Yes, that should be rather obvious knowing we’re not the only church around, including the churches who are more church calendar and liturgically-driven, but still…it’s a holy re-assurance knowing we’re all journeying together to a hillside of some brutal unpleasantness to the ultimate eternal re-assurance.
