February 23, 2012

40 Days

By Keith Anderson

For 40 years, the Israelites wandered in the desert before reaching the promised land.  For 40 days, Moses stayed on top of Mount Zion receiving God’s laws, the Torah.  For 40 days, Elijah hid from his enemies in the wilderness, and, at the end of that time, heard the still small voice of God.  For 40 days, Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, renouncing the way of earthly power and choosing the way of the cross.  A few hundred years after Christ, the early church adopted that same 40 day pattern in a season they called Lent, a time to prepare for the great Easter celebration through penance, prayer, education, and self-examination.

Tonight we gather, as generations of Christians have before us, to begin this 40 day Lenten journey once again.  What will happen this time?  Will we grow in faithfulness and obedience like the Israelites?  Will we enter more deeply into God’s Word, like Moses?  Will we discover the silence that allows us to hear the still, small voice of God?  Will we renounce the things that draw away from God, and embrace the way of the cross for ourselves?  What does God have in store for us this year?  Whatever it is, we can be certain that there will be challenges, and there will be grace.  And, no matter how our Lent unfolds, we can be certain of our destination: Easter morning. Continue reading

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February 19, 2012

Feast of the Transfiguration

By Keith Anderson

The View of the Alps from Salzburg

Back in 2000 Jenny and I had the opportunity to travel around Europe, and one of our stops on our trip was the town of Salzburg in Austria, best known as the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for the movie The Sound of Music. Salzburg is built along the Salzach River, in the shadow of a large hill. And at the top of that hill, about 400 feet up, is a stone fortress that overlooks the town. It is the largest intact medieval castle in Europe, so – of course, we had to see it.

We took a funicular (a rail car) up the hill to the fortress. The castle was well-preserved and interesting, and, as our guidebook promised, the view back down on Salzburg was very nice. But there was more. Much more. Because the view from the other side of the hill was simply spectacular. For, on the other side of that hill was a lush green valley of green fields and dark green trees, and exploding up all around it were the Alps, mountain upon mountain, all blue and lavender, snow caped at the top, with layers of clouds above. It was absolutely stunning. Breathtaking. I have a picture of it, and when I look at it, it still evokes feelings of awe and gratitude for having been in that place, at that moment, where the valley, the light, the clouds all conspired together to create this beautiful moment. It’s like the feeling you get with you find yourself almost crying when you encounter great beauty – like listening to beautiful piece of music, or seeing a painting by one of the great masters.

It was a beautiful and unexpected revelation, perhaps just a taste of what the disciples experienced in our reading from Mark. Continue reading

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February 13, 2012

To Hill and Back

By Keith Anderson


Every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, our local YMCA here in Woburn, hosts a running race called “To Hill and Back.” It’s a 4.25 mile trail race that weaves its way around the trails surrounding Horn Pond. I decided to run this race back in the fall of 2010; the great setting for the race and the allusion to anything Biblical, even if it was hell, was too much for me to turn down.

In our second reading for today from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, Paul likens the life of faith to a running race, but with some important exceptions. He writes,

“Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.”

Starting Line
Just before the race began, my adrenaline really started to pump. For most people, the pre-race adrenaline rush has to do with the competition, but for me it mostly comes from fear – the fear that I’m going to poop out half way in to the race and have to walk home. When the gun goes off, that all adrenaline pushes you run faster. You head out like you are shot out of a cannon, at a far faster pace than you pretty much ever run. Continue reading

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