Journey to the Cross

Pause

The Spirit of Christ is already within you:

forgiving, healing,

redeeming, loving.

The God of our salvation is here.

Listen

"Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever!” That’s what those who are redeemed by the Lord say, the ones God redeemed from the power of their enemies, the ones God gathered from various countries, from east and west, north and south.

Psalm 107:1-3

Think

If you ever visit St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome, make sure you climb up to the roof. There’s lots to see on your way to the top, which is certainly part of the experience. But the best bit happens when you make it out on top.

If you walk along the roof back toward St. Peter’s Square, eventually you’ll find yourself standing side by side with the saints — well, statues of them anyway — and even Christ himself. When I stood on that roof, stepping up beside larger-than-life apostles and gazing out at the city that has shaped the Christian faith so profoundly, I think I grasped for a moment the Bible’s full understanding of redemption.

Redemption is to be gathered up: “from various countries, from east and west, north and south.” God is gathering us up, drawing us into the circle of love and forgiveness and belonging and home.

Our destiny is to be gathered up. It is God’s final and ultimate plan for us and for all creation.

Kyle Matthew Oliver

Pray

God of mercy, draw near to me. God of hope, draw me near to you. God of love, draw us all together. Amen.

Go

God’s mercy endures forever.

We are imperfect,

yet we are called:

to freedom, to risk, to love.

God’s mercy endures forever.