The Circle of Life

   I failed to get a post done for the fifth week of Lent and since we're nearing the end of the sixth, I decided to combine both into one. I titled the last post "The light at the end of the tunnel?", but that does not mean things are slowing down! Spring seems to be the busiest of seasons. I know that each season brings its own rituals and responsibilities, but the new life and energy that appears in springtime enhance the busyness. It is not all about the beginnings though, if it were not for endings, what significance would they hold?
   The readings from the Fifth Sunday speak about life. The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to a people who need hope that the "death" they are experiencing away from Jerusalem and the Temple will not last forever. Paul's Letter to the Romans reminds us that we are not human beings on a spiritual journey, rather, we are a spiritual being on a human journey. The story of Lazarus' death from John's Gospel is evidence that an "end" on earth is really a "beginning".
   "End," "death," and "loss" are all difficult words and topics to talk about. They all suggest a lack or void of something. There is also a disruption to the known and comfortable way of life that is involved. Human beings like control and logical explanations, neither of which exist when experiencing an end, a death, or a loss. Sometimes the reality is bigger than ourselves, or humanity.
   The Paschal Mystery which is ever present in our lives, but especially so in these final days of Lent, teaches us that what looks like loss is only triumph. Good Friday leads to Easter Sunday. Winter leads to spring. Planting leads to harvesting. The difficulty lies in making that connection. We tend to see things with a narrow focus while we are faced with the loss or end. It is only later, sometimes much later, that we zoom out to see the bigger picture. There will also be times and circumstances where the widest vision gives no comfort or clarity. It is those times that our faith becomes all the more important.
   Palm Sunday marks the beginning of what the Jewish people thought was to be the end of Roman persecution and a return to Davidic glory. God's will usually takes us by surprise, however. It is not in power and force that we are saved, but in emptiness and brokenness. Our own personal accomplishments only happen after we have experienced some kind of setbacks. It is the journey, not the destination, that is the prize after all.
   The college student who spends their spring break serving fellow human beings less fortunate than himself instead of having "fun in the sun" is one expression of this reality. The camaraderie that exists in small towns and is evident when tragedy strikes also brings this reality to life. The "retired" person who decides to complete a bucket list item by walking some 500 miles over difficult terrain also comes to mind. Greening grass, budding trees, and freshly tilled earth are yet more examples of this reality.  The more you look, the more you find.
   May your endings always lead to new beginnings.

The light at the end of the tunnel?

   Last Sunday (March 30) marked the halfway point in our Lenten journey. I am also pretty close to halfway through the 4th quarter of the school year. The community choir I belong to performed our spring concert last weekend. The musical I am in opens this weekend and closes out with a matinee next Sunday. It seems that there is a light at the end of the tunnel!
   The Second Reading from Ephesians last Sunday spoke about living as children of light and avoiding darkness. The passage from John's Gospel told the story of a blind man seeing the light for the first time after being blind since birth. The idea that the light can help us see things differently is brought out in the First Reading from First Samuel. It is pretty easy to see the importance and know the difference that the light can make, but is it that easy to live it out?
   I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about that very thing. We were talking about some personal choices made in the past that were not 'light.' We both agreed on the fact that our conscience knows light from darkness, but sometimes that distinction gets blurred by our selfish and worldly desires. We also agreed that while darkness might give you immediate results, choosing light will allow you to experience lasting effects. We have to challenge ourselves to identify those dark choices and do what we can to avoid them. It is also important to make the conscious effort to choose the light. The more we choose light, the easier it becomes to avoid darkness.
   The choice is never a once-and-for-all choice. Rather, it is a day-to-day and moment-by-moment choice. There are faces and places that are make it easy to choose light and there times and kinds that make it difficult. It is up to us to find the courage necessary to live in the light. It also takes courage, as well as humility, to ask for forgiveness when we've stepped into the darkness. God shows us the way, but we have to make the choice.
   Where have I seen light? The conversation with a friend mentioned above is one example. Another example is the ability to move on from a broken relationship. The student who fulfilled his obligation  to an organization's service project and agrees to do a second shift because no one else was available is a light choice. The conscious effort to use technology and instant communication to spread positivity and encouragement is yet another example.
   Does your tunnel have a light at the end? If so, what's its source? If not, what darkness(es) are overshadowing it?