He Is Risen!

I is for Innocent Blood #AtoZChallenge #GoodFriday

The world stuttered to a stop for a split second. It was dark, where light should be. Weakness where strength should be.

What is happening? This is wrong.

A cry. Loud, haunting. Terror. Pain. Determination. Alone, so very alone.

Into Your hands. For them.

Exhale. Quiet, at peace. Life laid down. Done, so very done.

This should not be. 

The dry earth opened its maw and drank, accepting innocent blood in place of the guilty. The ancient laws of redemption fulfilled in life and blood.

---

Mark 15:22-26, 33-39 [AMP]

Then they brought Him to the place [called] Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh [to dull the pain], but He would not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His clothes among themselves, casting lots for them to see who should take what. It was the third hour (9:00 a.m.) when they crucified Him. The inscription of the accusation against Him had been written [above Him]: “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

...When the sixth hour (noon) came, darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.). And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Some of the bystanders heard Him and said, “Look! He is calling for Elijah!” Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah is coming to take Him down.” But Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed out His last [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan]. And the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

When the centurion, who was standing opposite Him, saw the way He breathed His last [being fully in control], he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

#bookreview: Moments and Days

So I kind of missed my Wednesday deadline (there was some sending to Kindle snafu I didn't discover until late), but here's my review anyways. Better late than never? Heh.

Moments & Days released on Sept 1. Get it here. (Affiliate link)

Moments & Days: How Our Holy Celebrations Shape Our Faith by Michelle Van Loon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Moments & Days, Michelle Van Loon takes us through celebrations in the Jewish and Christian calendar, highlighting its significance in the past as well as its meaning for the present. All this is presented from the unique lens of a Messianic Jew, tying together the Jewish roots of Christianity to its Gentile, almost secular present.

The material is presented in a very conversational, easy-to-read manner whilst retaining a wealth of historical and Biblical information. I found the Jewish feasts and celebrations interesting, but I was most surprised to find a lot of practices/liturgy in the Christian calendar new to me!

I read through this book much faster than I would have liked (silly self-imposed review deadlines) and I fully intend to study/meditate some of these again more deeply when time allows. (On a selfish note: research for Christmas & Easter programs is partially done. lol!)

Note: I received a digital ARC from the publishers for review purposes via Edelweiss.

View all my reviews

Palm Sunday

http://lent.goarch.org/palm_sunday/learn/

You came riding on a donkey. Who rides on an ass, really. 

I mean, where's the grand entrance? That's not showing power and authority. You gotta come with a cool ride. Ferrari. Lamborghini. Okay, maybe an Audi or BMW. Coming in on an ass is like... driving a second hand kancil. Or puttering in on a kapchai. 

No class. 

Poor.

Forgettable.

Like, dude. At least spend some money on a good quality horse, okay. Doesn't need to be a pedigree race horse. 

The look's the thing, man. You're supposed to be Royalty. Well, at least the descendent of royalty. There needs to be some kind of splash, you know. Otherwise who would know who you are?

Though... I think they knew. Well, at least the kids thought they knew. But who believes kids? Who believes those simple kampung people all crowding into town for the Festival? It's not as if they were scholars. It's not as if they'd actually studied the Torah or Bible or whatever you call those Holy Scriptures. 

It's the city people, the urban folk, who've got it together. The scholars in the temple who've studied this over and over again. I mean, man, if you have a message you've gotta speak to the intellectuals, the ones who knows where it's at - people listen to them, okay.

Not like Charlie down the road who doesn't know the difference between resurrection and zombies. 

It all looks the same right? People coming back from the dead?

And yeah. Rising from the dead. Pretty cool.

But not dying is kind of like cooler. 

I don't know, man.

Maybe you're not cut out for hero-hood. 

You're not really the kind of hero they're looking for.

You don't have the style. And that's really important. 

Happy Valentines' Day!

Today's playlist.

It has nothing to do with Valentines'. Sorry.
I just didn't have a title for this random post.
Neither do I have a reason for this post.

Um.
okthxbai

Fragments: I am Thine; #Easter #poetry

---

O, whither dost thou wander, treacherous heart of mine?
O, whither wilt thou go, how far and for how long a time?
How long wilt thou cry for relief no man can give
While running far and fast from the only true reprieve?

---

And my heart breaks
Again and again and again
Because I don't know where I'm going
Although I do.
And I know I must die to live again
But I am afraid of death
I am afraid of giving up the things that mean the world to me
But are not
I am afraid that once I let you go,
I will be bereft forever.
But I know that my heartsong sings
In words that only one can understand
That in the silences are the beats of his heart
And in the noise is the strength of his hands
And in my chaos is his peace.

---

O death, where is thy victory?
O grave, where is thy sting?

---

You call to me, like an insistent lover
Telling me over and over
I am yours, you are mine
I am yours, you are mine

You pull me close, and I lean my head on your breast
Listening to your heartbeat
Close to mine
Oh, so close to mine

And when I close my eyes, all I can hear
Is a heart that beats for me
But I am out of sync,
Drawn away

By the dragon's flight, by the wings that beat
By the splendour and pomp this world brings
By the words that tumble through my head
Until I realise -

That you are Eldest,
Wisest amongst the Wise
The First and Only,
The Creator of all,
In your eyes are the Fires of Creation
On your lips, the Word of Life
The Binding Word that holds all things.

You are Eru Iluvatar and Aslan:
The first, the Creator, the uncreated one.
You are the Ancient Tongue and the Words of Power
For when you speak, all things are made, all things are revealed.
You are Aragorn and Belgarion,
The promised, the hoped for, the messiah.
And when I frame you in the worlds that I live in
I understand you a little better than before.

And my heart again falls into step
Closer, but not quite,
Prone to starts and stops
As fears take me and release me
And I cry out
But the wind steals my breath, carrying away my words
And there is nothing but clamour
Yet underneath it all, that steady beat
That draws me, draws me nearer
With a song that resonates with mine
Until we are lifted in flight
And all we know is that

I am Yours and You are mine
I am Yours and You are mine
I am Yours

---

Oh whither dost thou wander, fickle heart of mine?
To the garden of thy lover, where thy fate will twine
With his ever deeper as he bids you come
Behold the place where he cried, "It is done!"

And in thy faithlessness he speaks
"I have come to strengthen the bones that are weak
And you have nothing left to fear
For all your thoughts to me are dear."