Day 37: Wednesday of Holy Week — Above and Beyond

Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32

Flying into Milwaukee from Chicago one night after a conference, I looked down on the highways. They looked like continuous strings of flowing marquee lights that joined the one city to the other. It was as if the way we were going was illumined by the work of many drivers pointing the way.

Partway there, I noticed lights bunching together. There was an intersection that caused the lights to stop for a time. Then I could see them going off in different directions, lighting other ways home.

Isolated in the sky, I felt alone, but, there below, were the many people negotiating life’s problems pointing the ways to home. It reminded me of the great cloud of saints that surrounds us at every juncture of our lives. We do not make this journey of life and faith isolated from one another. We are surrounded by other drivers on the highway and the many saints of our lives.

On our faith highways, we are surrounded, not only by those we live with, but, in the resurrection world given to us through the death and resurrection of Christ, we are also surrounded by the faith and confidence of those who have gone before.

We gather with all of those who have gone before us and with the confidence of those alongside us who bear witness to our destination and home. When we gather in Eucharist, we bunch up for awhile and then move on to our individual roads of mission, passing through our many cross roads to the great community in Christ.

Prayer

Lord, by your direction and in the company of those who have followed in your way, may we clearly know the way of your calling and home. Amen