Palm Sunday with Figs

Lectionary Text:  Mark 11:1-11 (and vv 12-14)

After reading the Scripture several times, I kept coming back to these images:

• Jesus' triumphant entry ( branches/clothing tossed down, crowd shouting hosanna!)
• The cursed fig tree in the verse after the entry (tree had leaves but no fruit)
  ...which is particularly interesting when paired with the Spring fig tree referenced in Mark 13

Reflection from the painted exegesis….
I was caught off-guard while painting the palm branches, because I had to paint the END of the branch.

(I was already thinking about the shape of the fig tree and realized, hey, these branches have no roots!)
no roots.…
no fruit...
 

And the act of painting fruit; starting with bright greens and slowly adding the figgy-purple (you can't really see the color transitions from this picture) kept bringing fullness-of-life thoughts to mind.

(thus the shout-out to the Holy Spirit and the Nicene creed)

Because of course the Holy Spirit is at work in Holy Week. And working in shriveled branches to bring us to the fullness of life. That's the hope of Easter, right? And the tension of Holy Week?

As a side note, I did a lot of googling for figs and really loved this fig farm on tumblr

Ash Wednesday

And Lent begins...

with the stillness of almost-falling rain.
with the smoldering embers of palm leaves turning
turning into dust
(dust to turn us out of it)
Lent begins.

"Yes!" said the young adult peering into the newly-blackened can.
"These ashes are authentic. None of that ziploc-purchased sterility that comes late in the mail. Our ashes will be real--and we will share them."
We will share authenticity with others.

...because Lent has begun.
And we, ourselves, are turning.

My Heart Hurts

It's advent, so we're supposed to hurt a little.
We're supposed to confess and be helpless--leaning on our saviour.

But it just plain aches when you know someone who is desperately sinking in the midst of addiction.

...and their partner can't carry the struggle
because they don't have any more trust to lose.

And it's awful when folk come to the church broken and beaten by life
...when pregnant mothers lose their jobs, but still have four kids to feed

 ...when women who make JUST enough to pay the rent can't pay the other bills
(and don't qualify for aid because they aren't technically homeless)

I can't fix it.

I can't heal it.

God, it hurts to even touch it!

In my heart, the words of Habakkuk echo:

How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

And God answers:
""Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

Maranatha, Lord Jesus. Maranatha.