Mankind Waits For You

Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh Adonai Tz'vaot / Melo Kol Haaretz Kevodo.--Hebrew Kaddush

Humming bird
performed by Seals & Croft
Listen here

Mankind was waiting for you to come along...
Lend us your wings
let us soar in the atmosphere Lift us to the Heaven of holiness

Oh, source of our being, hummingbird...

Have you noticed the days are getting longer
somehow keep getting longer?
The spirit son is stronger
And a new day is dawning for us all...

The ancient prayer the Kaddush comes to the Christian believer from ancient roots of the father, Judaism. It remains essentially unchanged for thousands and thousands of years. The words are from the Bible, Isaiah 6:3. In current use this same prayer also called by its Latin name the Sanctus, is a cornerstone of devotional prayer. It becomes one into trance, into mystery into prayer. 

Its theme is the simple chant of Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts... The Bible refers to it a number of times; in Corinthians, in the Apocalypse of John, in Matthew 21, in Isaiah. A prayer of hope of open hearts, the Sanctus calls to the holy one to descend upon the faithful with Spirit and grace.

The theme of a bird in the lyrics above bring this prayer to mind. While the dove is the more usual bird, why not another, like the Humming bird? It 's a beautiful and inspiring creature widely present in the temperate regions of north America and elsewhere.

Betrayed and Scourged

"Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient. For in fire gold is tested' --Sirach 2:4-5

While the modern solution to betrayal might be to get a dog, as some may conclude, in the Christian way one takes time to learn during this most important season of Lent, that by taking a period of 40 days to examine ourselves and to re-examine the Gospel story, the last days of the Christ and his passion is prime.
The Easter season which is the most important event on the Christian calendar is prime for several reasons, and is interestingly determined by the earth herself. Since ancient history astronomers have observed the moon to fix the date for the start of Lent and therefore the advent of Easter which recollects the dying and the rising of the Christ.
So Easter, like Passover is intrinsically tied to the earth and the seasons;  the date for both is fixed on an annual basis by the moon. What could be more organic than that? As the moon rises and falls, the seasons come and go, so too the Easter season. It is an unending story of fail and triumph, despite treachery, despite betrayal.

Easter addresses the metaphysical questions of life purpose, of renewal, of succeeding despite adversity and withering odds. Saint John 6:51 tells us that if we believe, we will have life everlasting;

the Christ commands that we give up our worldly cares to follow him. Saint Matthew 19:21-30 .

If we meet in the middle, will we trust, trust just enough…says the song lyrics, Sister Goldenhair, by America. 

With Christ what is there to fear?  Romans 8:31

Who are we as we follow along the path, living in the Spirit?
Lent provides the time to meditate and ponder these among other questions, to answer for our self what it means to be scourged, embarrassed and humiliated, and to rise above to meet the Christ with love and acceptance, the Easter way.