The Road

Sometimes we see only the contour of hope and renewal at first. But, when we step out and step in to signs of new life and share in the generous and gracious good news of the gospel, hope and life arise.

Jesus shows us the value of service and a selfless form of love and care for one another that disrupts the usual arrangements of status.

Jesus entered Jerusalem as a different kind of king. Jesus was a servant. He showed us the path to a world shaped by compassion, and care for neighbors, foreigners and enemies. While vulnerable, it's a kingdom that is eternal.

Challenging times require resilience. If we rely on faith, build community and notice the gifts of abundance and beauty all around us, we can find a way in the wilderness.

Jesus told a story of two brothers who who cast themselves into their own forms of exile and isolation. Each has to follow their own path out of their wilderness to embrace life and discover the compassion of their father.

For those willing to listen and embrace the opportunity, God calls us to change our minds and put aside paths of judgement that would cause harm, turning instead to a life of grace and hope.

We all find ourselves in a wilderness at some point. In our time of distress and disorientation, Jesus offers a way of life defined by hope, peace and grace. It's a call to love every neighbor even in our uncertainty, in contrast to a life defined by fear and domination. We must choose the path we will follow, knowing that Jesus offers us his care and protection.

In the wilderness, Jesus is tempted to place his own needs and desires above his mission and the needs of the people he's called to serve. How we navigate our own wilderness experiences can impact whether we emerge from it strengthened in our identity and purpose, on the way to renewed life.

Ash Wednesday is about facing up to our restlessness with our limits and shortcomings. We discover that, while sobering, this gives us a more genuine grounding to experience new life.

For some, a celebrity, hero or powerful person can possess a mythic quality. Or they may look to false prophets or self-appointed spiritual figures who claim to speak spectacular visions from God. But instead, even in this amazing moment on the mountain, the voice from the cloud simply calls us to listen to Jesus.