respublica

Last Easter was a different time

The beauty of the lilies we have taken for granted each Easter, are no where to be seen today. At least in person. Here is Holy Cross during past Easters and by the grace of God, will be next year.

Good Friday in Collinsville

For the first time in at least a month, Dale and I went over to our house in Collinsville. He was to preach at Holy Cross Good Friday evening and we used the daytime hours to get some much needed yard work and in home work done. It was interesting to watch the new process for getting Friday night fish at the American Legion across the street from our house. With the quarantine going on, people could not go into the building or gather in groups in the park. It was all call in and outside, drive-up-pickup. 

The parking lot was filled with orange cones which directed cars to move in a circular fashion beginning on the Legion exit drive and manuvering across the lot to where men pointed the way to the pickup lane. It never became as crowded as the days when you could go inside. People came and went quickly while the Legion people assigned to run out the bags of food did their job efficiently. At least as far as we could tell from our porch. 

We did not get fish, but had our traditional Good Friday meal which is a big salad with various lettuces, chopped tomato, chopped hard boiled eggs, radishes, cheese pieces and avocado. I make an olive oil and lemon juice dressing with minced garlic and salt and pepper. Some crunchy bread to go with it. We've done this for years and it's a tradition which I believe began during Dale's days as a parish pastor who would preach that evening. A light meal would mean he'd be able to stay awake and be sharp mentally.

 

And as it happened, he did preach last night at Holy Cross.

But before that he looked like this:

Looking at this picture, I'm embarrassed by the messy kitchen, but when you show up to this house with all kinds of things you'll need, everything gets plunked on the island or counters. Camping out is what we call our times here.

Good Friday

For many of us, Good Friday has a more effecting meaning. Not only have we been sequestered for weeks, but the future is uncertain. The cross is becoming a lifeline and that is a good thing in all this. What we can be sure of on this day and the days following is that there is hope, a certain hope. And so we pray with faith that the Jesus who went to the cross, died and rose again is with us still.

We pray as He did before he was arrested, "Come with me and Pray."

 

Jesus at our door

It's Maundy Thursday and time to consider Jesus.

Surely I am with you always, even until the end of the age. 

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

Palm Sunday, lamb at our door.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!"

Good idea

One of our pastors suggested that on Palm Sunday (this coming Sunday) we all put palm branches on our front door or front windows in order for us to be connected while apart. Any branch will do if no palm branches are available.

Lamb at the door

Today being Sunday I placed a small sheep at our front door. We're all listening for our Shepherd's voice today and listening more intently than ever before. Praise God for promising to hear us. And, living in times like this we are thankful for the technology which allows us to be part of our churches' worship services online. In our case, Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Collinsville.

 

Last Sunday a large number of people came to Holy Cross in Collinsville for a concert by Concordia Seminary's special choir, Laudamus. Yesterday a big crowd filled the seminary chapel to listen to the Concordia University Nebraska's A Cappella Choir. Beautiful music both Sundays.

Holy Cross

Concordia Nebraska

Acolyting

This past Sunday our family had a milestone in church. The two oldest grandsons acolyted together for the first time. This was Connor's debut and he was all smiles. There is something so wonderful about this.

Today is St. Joseph's Day

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we were Lutheran, but in our Roseland neighborhood we had many friends who were Catholic and there were several huge Catholic churches in that area. So we heard a lot about saints from the neighorhood kids. My dad was adamant that we do not pray to saints, but we pray directly to God the heavenly Father through his Son Jesus Christ. In any event, hearing that today is St. Joseph's Day I decided to see what this is all about.

This day always falls two days after St. Patrick's Day and the color is not green, but red. It is a feast day in commemoration of Joseph, husband of Mary, who tradition has it was prayed to during a horrible famine in Sicily during the middle ages and he answered their prayers and the famine ended. "With the ending of the dreadful famine, a special feast of thanksgiving was held in commemoration of the Saint. This celebration became tradition. Wealth families prepared huge buffets. They then invited the less fortunate people of the village, especially the homeless and sick."

Much symbolism is in the food prepared and the feasts goes on all day and all night. People can come and go. Dan Bovino, a former Roseland native who grew up there sort during my time, posted a photo today of a fairly typical St. Joseph's Day feast. It must still be tradition in many Catholic churches and homes, although we don't hear as much about it.

I find this rather fascinating and if you'd like to read more about today's St. Joseph Day, here is a link with much more information.