Springtime is a reminder that the Lord is purposefully moving and acting among us even now. The warmer weather, the flowers, the grass, our hearts – everything is re-created anew and comes to life – and it is God unto whom all this belongs, including you and me. In Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado, has an interesting take on God’s master plan. It is called “A Meeting of Moments,” and is based on Acts 2:23 which says God has a “…definitive plan and foreknowledge…” It states that “… the cross was no accident. Jesus’ death was not the result of a panicking cosmological engineer. The cross wasn’t a tragic surprise, or a knee-jerk response to a world plummeting toward destruction. Nor was it a patch-up job. The death of the Son of God was anything but an unexpected peril. No, it was part of an incredible plan – a calculated choice. The moment the forbidden fruit touched the lips of Adam and Eve, the shadow of a cross appeared on the horizon. And between that moment and the moment the man with the mallet placed the spike against the wrist of God, a master plan was fulfilled.”
As we see evidence of new life shooting forth even now in the midst of Lent, we are reminded that life here on earth is but fading; and yet, our souls, which are meant to delve deeper and closer to our Creator, are growing and longing for eternity. This too is part of that “master plan”. This reality plays out in so many ways, shapes, and forms in the life of our parish. Whether it is in the deaths and celebrations of life of our brothers and sisters in Christ, or the many activities, gatherings, and ministries we are involved in. Regardless, we are called to fellowship with each other in Christ. This is what it is all about, and this is why we, the church, are here – offering hope and joy to a community longing for something more. Perhaps, this is a place where we try to hold it all together, despite the distractions of our lives and the world.
Please take a look at the opportunities in the newsletter coming our way in the months of April and early May. May Holy Week and the Eastertide bring new life and hope to our hearts during this most holy and sacred time of our Christian year. Amen!
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church 