Dear Partners in Mission,

One of my friends in high school worked on the backdrops which accompanied each play of  the drama class. They were always beautifully made, real works of art in and of themselves. In the end, however, they served only as  a backdrop to the action on stage.

History has been  filled with activity of all kinds. But can we point to one particular place and time where the  action has been decisive and defining for all of history? We can. The life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the center of history.  This does not make everything else unimportant but it does establish the context within which people of authentic faith are to understand themselves and the world.

The backdrops of the world are tempting scenes that can often replace the action at the center of the stage. In fact they mean to if they can.

Lent, Holy Week and Easter are that time in our church year when we gather again at the center.  How do we put first things first and second things second? The center-stage story of Jesus and His love for sinners helps us to know the difference.

Grace to you,