For the past few weeks, like many household pets, Isaac the dog has awakened each morning with an extra spring in his step. Not only is he excited that I am home with him more often, but is also thrilled that I am not at the church so much.
On our morning walks, Isaac usually avoids the Methodist church. He does love the Christian church across the street because of a cat that frequents its shrubbery. He also enjoys checking on the Baptist church because some dogs live nearby. But the Methodist church? It’s as if the dog knows that it is the place where I usually go when I leave him.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began changing our schedules and commitments, Isaac has surprised me by wanting to walk not only BY the Methodist church but TO the Methodist church. He is the leader more often than I am on his walks, so I follow where he goes. Three weeks ago, he led me there and stopped to sniff fresh, green grass.
I looked up and realized he was perfectly centered at the foot of the cross, and he looked as if he were bowing. Surely he wouldn’t stay there long enough for me to take a photo? I gently laid the leash down and took a few steps back. The only part of him moving was his nose, so I started snapping. He stayed there long after I put the camera away and picked up the leash.
We have a unique opportunity for blessing this year in the mist of a pandemic’s attempted curse. We have been given the gift of time, to slow down this Holy Week at the cross. We need to slow down at the cross because much of our world is experiencing more of Good Friday’s suffering than Easter Sunday’s victory. We need to slow down and remember that without the cross there is no glorious victory over the grave.
“I cast my mind to Calvary”
Our bombarded minds, our anxious thoughts, our overwhelmed emotions… let us cast them down in humble reverence.
“The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still, and all alone...”
Sealed away in isolation and finding ourselves in the stillness of quarantine … let us remember that Jesus walked this path alone.
“My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face.”
Let’s not confine the Jesus we see to the glorious sunrise of Easter morning. Let’s fix our gaze on his weary face, his bleeding face, his crying face, his dying face, his abandoned face.
And from the pain of Thursday and Friday, and the abandonment of Saturday, we shall behold him, face to face, in all of his glory.
all good things to each of you,
Dr. D.
Quotations are from the following song: