The sunshine today has been a welcomed gift.  It helps us along as Winter finally gives way to Spring.  I know the days are lengthening.  Camelot Lakes are free of ice and my fishing pole beckons me.  But...it's still Lent, and will be until the sun rises on the 5th of April.  The Light of the World is soon to be lying in a grave.  I don't want this pastor's memo to be depressing.  However, I don't want to rush ahead too quickly out of this penitential season.  Remember your dust.  Remember you are dust.  Remember who it is that redeems that dust.  He still breathes; but soon will not.  Be patient.  The sun will rise, God willing, on the 5th and then we can all rejoice and give thanks.

Have you ever come across this bit of verbiage?  “This page is intentionally left blank.”  Huh?  If it were left blank, the words wouldn’t be there.  But they are.  Somebody’s crazy.

      What do we do when our minds spin with contradictions?  How do we decide what next to do or believe?  It’s not easy to know.  Sometimes we are left stumped. Sometimes we may be left paralyzed.   Eventually, we live on; carrying contradictions and paradoxes in our hearts and minds.

      Lent is a season of paradox.  We give something up in order to gain something else.  We deny ourselves some physical pleasure in order to enrich our spiritual living.  We do without to have more; more of something we can never measure or put in our pocket. 

      Jesus says he must go to Jerusalem to die and be raised so all of us can escape the consequences of death.  This is the promise he makes all of us in chapter 11 of St. John’s Gospel: “He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” 

      All I can offer is this: Trust (believe) Jesus to tell us the truth in Lent and in every other season.  Trust (believe) Jesus to be the Beloved Son of God.  Trust (believe) Jesus to be the Way, The Truth, The Resurrection, and The Life.