Pain sandwiched by Overwhelming Joy

One of my favorite authors is Anne Lamont. In her book Plan B, she says that we are Easter people living in a Good Friday World. That statement always struck me as so profound. The majority of us yearn to be happy, but there are so many things working against us. Iraq, the economy, foreclosures, people being shot. . . it goes on and on. The 24-hour news networks perpetuate this by focusing over and over on the same stories, looking for a new angle or expert who will confirm whatever the host of that time slot wants to push. I wonder how the media would respond if Jesus' execution happened today?

As Lutherans, it seems as though we spend so much of Lent preparing for Good Friday. It's such an ugly part of the story of Christianity. Yes, I understand the unbelievable huge significance of the event. Afterall, if Jesus would not have died the death he did, we would not be saved. However, do we focus so much on the suffering to the point that we lose both the celebration of the Table and the glory of the Resurrection?

A good friend of mine is a pastor within the Metropolitan Community Church. She described the service she was officiating last night - Holy Thursday. It was a celebration of the glory of the Table: the Communion as well as the communion of people. Everyone is welcome at the Table because Jesus is the host. That is an amazing truth to hold onto. Jesus showing his true servant leadership by washing the feet of the disciples. The meal they shared together; the conversation they had. It must have been amazing. We lose site of this magnificant event in the shadow of the Passion story. I think this makes Good Friday and especially Easter all that more powerful. We can choose to live in the despair of Good Friday or we can put it equally with both the Glory of the Table and the Glory of the Resurrection. Pain sandwiched by overwhelming joy. That is what life is all about: knowing that the pain is temporary. Joy will follow.