This is Holy Week for Christians and the festival of Passover for Jews. The events represented by these two holy festivals call for a response. The Passover Seder invites Jews not only to remember, but also to see themselves in the story—"as though you also were there." The message speaks to us, not only to our ancestors.

The events of Holy Week for Christians, specifically the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, also call Christians to do more than remember. Our response has got to be more than debating the theological merits of bodily resurrection or the physical vs. metaphysical dimensions of Jesus' resurrection appearances. The pivotal moment for Christians is now,  in the present moment, when have to decide how we will respond to the empty tomb.

Jesus' disciples did not "get it" right away. A lot of them just went home or back to their work. But there was a pivotal moment when the reality of resurrection, of the living Christ presence, and of the deep truth of "God with us" finally sunk in. They were changed and they changed the world. There was a also pivotal moment for the Hebrew people when exodus stopped being just about Moses demanding their release. The people had to claim their own freedom.

There is a pivotal moment for each of us when we choose to get it, a moment when we realize that we must step up and act on behalf of what we value. The Judeo-Christian-Islamic heritage challenges us again and again to do the work of justice, peacemaking, and inclusion. Theologian Walter Brueggemann tells as that justice is "discerning what belongs to whom and returning it to them." The pivotal moment stands before us, in part because of the significant religious festivals we celebrate this week and in part because the world in which we live today cries out for leaders with a vision of God's Shalom. The most compelling reason for each of us to step up and step out, however, is that this how we will find ourselves, embrace our full humanity, and rediscover the presence of God in our lives.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.
  
Jack Price

FYI - Jack has published several articles at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jack_F_Price

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