Photo of Treena and Julia, 2019
Friends,
As we embark on this journey through Holy Week, I find myself reflecting on the parallels between the Lenten Season and the challenges we face today. It feels as though we are caught in a perpetual Holy Saturday moment, straddling the familiarity of the past and the uncertainty of the future. In the midst of contemplating the future of our church, grappling with diminishing resources, navigating challenging politics, and bearing witness to the atrocities of war in our news feeds, it can be difficult to grasp onto the hope of the resurrection.
Joan Chittister beautifully reminds us that, “Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for.” These words resonate deeply with our current struggles and call us to live into the abundance of future possibilities.
A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to be in Guatemala during Lent and Holy Week. Lent is a big deal in Guatemala. Hours are spent (sometimes in the wee hours of the morning) decorating the streets with intricately designed carpets of multi-coloured sawdust, flowers and fruit that are beautiful and vibrant. Families and communities gather together to create these works of art. Then Easter processions made up of large floats, pass through the streets. Some floats are so large they require 120 people to carry them. The processions walk on these carefully constructed carpets, a symbolic reminder of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a path of Palm branches.
Despite facing generations of trauma and scarcity, the people of Guatemala demonstrate unwavering faith and hope, pouring out their love and devotion into the world. Witnessing their dedication reminds me of the inseparable connection between faith and hope: when we nurture faith, we nurture hope; when we nurture hope, we nurture faith. There is resurrection going on.
As the calendar moves from Lent into Easter, may you, like the Guatemalans, avidly dig into the Holy Week acts and rituals of our faith with your families and communities. These Holy Week acts, that we prepare for and experience in community, help us to be deeply connected to our faith and to draw strength from the hope of the resurrection. Let us remember that even in our most challenging moments, there is always the promise of new life and renewal.
May this Easter season be a time of profound reflection, spiritual growth, and the rediscovery of hope. Together, let us journey towards the light, embracing the transformative power of faith and the boundless possibilities of resurrection.
Blessings,
Treena Duncan
Executive Minister, Pacific Mountain Regional Council