Sunday March 6 - Lent Reflections 1

 

Like 'Pause in Advent', Ang Almond is hosting 'Look again at Lent'

Here's my two-pence worth;

I'm listening to David Suchet's audiobook 'The Bible in One Year'. At the moment we are ploughing through Leviticus... yup, the one with all the rules. And all the sacrifices. And every paragraph seems to end with the reminder that these instructions have to be followed 'lest you die'. Two of Aaron's sons have already died so far because they didn't follow the rules, but took it into their heads to offer incense when they were not allowed to, and without proper preparation and respect.

And my point is - back then, in the olden days BC, or BCE if you prefer, approaching God was a terrifying business. The proper rituals had to be followed, and only by certain people, with detailed and complex preparations, 'lest you die'. 

Now, in modern times AD, (or CE!), since the very first Good Friday and Easter Day, we are all able to enter the presence of God, any time, any where, any how, with no preparation, sacrifice, ritual. God welcomes us, as in the opening words of the Lord's Prayer, as a loving parent welcomes their children into a perfect family relationship with no fear of death or retribution or punishment.

(I've added the words 'loving' and 'perfect'  to the previous sentence, as I am well aware that here, on earth, family relationships can be far from loving and perfect, for all sorts of reasons.)

I suppose we'd like all relationships - between people and between nations to be like the new relationship between us and God. That's called Heaven. As in 'Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven'.