Pastor Matthew Kruse - Holy Saturday - April 4

Child of God, by water and the Holy Spirit, God gives you a new birth, and through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives you all your sins, strengthens you in all goodness, and keeps you in eternal life.  Amen.  (ELW Individual Confession and Forgiveness)

A Prayer for Holy Saturday

Stay with us in the tension, Lord.  

Reveal glimpses of heaven to us on our chunk of earth.

Don’t leave us, Christ—

Down here where the Spirit meets the bone.

Where the promise of life splashes on our foreheads

and the reality of death stares us straight in the face—

Stay with us in the tension, God.

Stay with us in the mess, Lord.

Where the pains and stains, the hurt and hate, the shame and guilt and burden of sin 

Are healed and cleansed and transformed and illumined and freed and lifted 

crossed out 

by God’s grace. Free Gift

Risen He will be.

Accompany us, Christ

not only to the cross, not only to the tomb

but afterwards

Stay with us in the muck, God.

Not yet new heaven and new earth.

Already—God’s agenda is about life.

Absorb our muck, our mess, our tension—

and raise it up, too

to new life.

Pastor Matthew Kruse

ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton - April 4

Holy Week - Holy Saturday
Saturday, April 4, 2015
A Reflection on Forgiveness from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I recall this image from my home congregation:  A banner depicting Mary and Jesus in the manger and the backlit silhouette of the cross cast over this scene.  It was jarring.  The cross on Christmas?  I didn’t like it.

We are filled with wistful longing.  But what are we longing for?  We long for peace, love and a place to belong.  We want to know that someone cares.

The hope of Christmas was fulfilled on Good Friday.  The cross is part of Christmas.  “Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you” (What Child Is This).  The cross is the Christmas gift, where all of our Christmas glorias are realized in Jesus’ glorification on the cross.

We don’t have to get everything completely right.  We can’t.  That’s God’s work and it has been done. 

We are forgiven and given new life.

Bishop Jeff Barrow - April 3

Holy Week
Friday, April 3, 2015
A Reflection on Forgiveness from Bishop Jeff Barrow
Greater Milwaukee Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

In Loren Eiseley's book, The Immense Journey, there is a chapter called "The Judgment of the Birds" in which the anthropologist describes the scene of an awful tragedy. A raven robs the nest of another bird and devours the nestling in front of the mother. It is a graphic, gruesome act which leaves the forest stunned and seemingly helpless in the face of the creature which he refers to as "the bird of death."

But then, after the silence, comes the response. A bird begins to sing, then another, then another until the forest is suddenly filled with sweet song, as though to say that death cannot have the final say.

I think the passion story as it comes to us through the Gospel of Mark is that kind of story. The only words of Jesus from the cross recorded in Mark, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" are at once a graphic depiction of Jesus' utter humanity and also a sign of complete surrender to God. What is interesting is what that act of surrender does to the witnesses.

The Centurion, a bystander really, declares, "Certainly, this is the Son of God.” The women, who have been observing at a distance, begin to come forward and will be the first witnesses to the resurrection. Joseph of Arimathea, a leader, is moved to care for the body.

The crucifixion of Jesus, while it may leave us in stunned silence at first, begs for our response. Will the passion of Jesus Christ leave us in despair or will it move us to become singers of life?

Oh God, teach us through Jesus’ suffering love to sing your song of forgiveness, hope, and resurrection. Amen.

Pr. Christopher Manke - April 2 - Maundy Thursday

Week 7 - John 13:21-32Thursday, April 2, 2015A Reflection on Forgiveness from Pr. Chris Manke

Come now, let us discuss this thing, says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow;

though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.  Isaiah 1:18

Forgiveness is a very personal thing. I’m sure we all know the feeling of disappointing someone we love and the painful sting of sin that stays with us long after the event.

One of my least proud moments in life came during my 8th grade year when I did something I knew was wrong - something I deeply regretted. I will never forget my father’s response and how disappointed my parents were with me.

“I don’t believe it,” he said, “no son of mine would ever do that!" But I did do it. It was my fault.

But as I confessed my sin and discussed it with my parents, I began to feel something else besides the sting of guilt and disappointment.  I remember the deep forgiveness that they showed me. They offered me a chance to start again. They gave me a way to put behind me what I had done and to become someone new. I will never forget the relief and joy that came with their absolution.

On the night in which Jesus was betrayed, he took on the sins of the world – all of our faults, our bad choices, our disappointing moments, our sins. Jesus made the choice to walk the road of forgiveness with us. To take our place. To offer us a new way to live. To grant us a life of forgiveness for ourselves and as a gift to share with others when they sin against us.

I will not forget my sins and what I did that time, for it serves to remind me not to do it again. But my memories also remind me of the love  I received from my parents in their gift of forgiveness to me that day.

Let us pray:  Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the importance of forgiveness and for offering each of us the gift of forgiveness as we sin and fall short of your glory. May we be loving towards others, as we seek to share this most precious gift with those who sin against us.

Pr. Margaret Schoewe - April 1

Week 7 - John 13:21-32Wednesday, April 1, 2015
A Reflection on Forgiveness from Pr. Margaret Schoewe

The Wednesday before Maundy Thursday is a strange day.  Our Lenten services are over leading us to believe that this is an ordinary day.  And yet it’s anything but ordinary.  This day, formerly called “Spy Wednesday” refers to John’s gospel text in which Judas is identified as the betrayer of Jesus.  Following Jesus identification of Judas we are told, “…immediately he went out.  And it was night.”

In many ways it could not have been anytime other than night.  Imagine Judas, knowing he is about to betray Jesus, having no part of the hope of the resurrection, knowing only that he is betraying his best friend – probably all of his best friends.  How heavy and dark he must have felt.

And it was night for the disciples.  While they probably didn’t know just what was to come, they knew that things weren’t good between Jesus and those in power.  Yes, they had seen Jesus work many miracles including bringing life out of darkness – yet they could not have imagined the power of the resurrection.

In contrast we know by faith the amazing power of the resurrection.  We know the darkness of the cross was followed by light and life outside of the tomb.  We know that Jesus died so that the world might not go on in darkness.  And we know that when we allow ourselves to truly believe that in Christ we are forgiven, we are set free to enter into new ways of light and life. 

As we enter into the darkness of the day before the three days of Easter, we can be hopeful because we know the power of the light to come.

“Spy Wednesday” is, in many ways like the day before any difficult situation, the day before surgery, the day before starting a new job, the day before breaking off a marriage or the day before leaving on a big trip.  We don’t know the outcome but we can walk in hope, holding to the image of the risen Christ knowing that God is with us, loving us and working to bring us to new life and for this, we give thanks.

Loving God, we face so many struggles – relationships, health, finances, and fear that we are not loved.  We sin and cannot find peace.  Help us in the darkest places of our lives to turn to you, to find the bits of light that shine like stars in the darkness leading us to new life.  Give us faith to trust that you will lead us from darkness into light.  

Chuck Shantz - March 31

Week 6 - Luke 7:36-47

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

A Forgiveness Reflection from Chuck Shantz

Forgive?! Forgive?! Why should I forgive someone who insulted me? Somebody who took unfair advantage of me? Or anybody who treated me badly? I’m sure not going to say I’m sorry!

Forgive . . . Do you really hear these words or have they been spoken so many times that you gloss over them and can’t wait until the service is over . . . you have so many things to do.

What words am I speaking about? Why, they are the words that Jesus spoke -- “Your sins are forgiven!”

Forgiveness . . . is it that important?

Let me read you a poem I wrote about hearing those words. It is dedicated to Ted, the child I once was

Forgiveness!

There was a time so long ago my life was in great pain.

My days were filled with bitterness, the tears I wept in vain.

But then one day I sat alone and shivered in the cold.

The ground was white and frozen fast and wrapped in winter’s fold.

Yet, suddenly it came to me that I was not alone!

The snow seemed whiter in the night as if a light had shone!

You must forgive if you’re to know the peace for which you seek.

I knew that I must then forgive to end my days so bleak.

“I willingly forgive,” I said, “for all the things you’ve done.”

Then suddenly, I felt at ease; my new life had begun!

His are the words our pastors say, the ones we all should know.

“Your sins are now forgiven you; arise, my child, and go.”

So when you hear those words again, take heart this very day.

He gave His life so you would know His peace in what they say!

Oh, Lord

Let me and everyone who hears the pastors say “Your sins are forgiven!” remember that the pastors are speaking the words that You spoke. And let us forgive others as you have forgiven us!