As most of you know a couple of weeks ago I was at Kanuga Conference Center in North Carolina for the House of Bishops meeting. For over 30 years Kanuga has been one of my “spiritual homes.” As such, it was wonderful to be there.
Since Kanuga is in the Southeast where spring comes a little earlier tulips, daffodils and cherry trees were in full bloom. As you might imagine my first reaction was utter jubilation to be surrounded by the abundance of new life.
Yet in short order I began to feel the timing was not right. In my northern and liturgical reality it was still Lent. While it was beautiful I still needed Palm Sunday and Holy Week before I could fully embrace the new life that surrounded me.
For me, tempting as it is, I can’t cheat Lent because I want to completely immerse myself in all of the glorious joy of Easter.
Whether it has been a painfully challenging chapter in your journey, a time of intense Lenten introspection and reflection, or simply a very long winter, may the new life which is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus bring you an overabundance of joy come Easter morn.
Easter Blessings!