Practice Easter
St. Augustine summed up the Christian life saying, “We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.
A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot.” “Alleluia” is full-throated praise. For Augustine, Lent was like choir practice–a time of clearing our vocal chords and practicing our song, learning it well enough to let loose at Easter. He knew we fall out of practice and get rusty singing against the odds. Alleluia and praise easily become one of those church things that soon lose their luster and lack resonance in our lives. What’s discouraging rings truer. Alleluia, praise, and joy are not something we believe first and practice later. They are songs, not propositions or hypotheses. We practice our parts before we can judge the performance.
Most of us are accustomed to practicing our faith privately. As many still say, we don’t want to wear it on our sleeves. A fellow member of my church saw a sign outside a church that said, “We Sing Loud.” He said that for most of us that’s a grammatical mistake: “loudly” not loud. We’re smart and reserved. But we can still talk with someone we trust, speak with the pastor, or join a small group given to thoughtful discussion. And we can worship.
Amid all that constricts us, we can remember that what’s discouraging may be the first verse in the song of our life, but it’s not the last. (Found in Still Speaking)
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Carolyn