Easter always greets my wife and I in the early morning hours. This is because our home backs up to a Presbyterian cemetery, a  small country cemetery filled with towering oak trees and old tombstones dating back to the late 1700s. Since purchasing our home  we have watched it enlarge with new tombstones which now include those who died in the 21^st century.  Within the past few years, the cemetery association built a small columbarium which houses the urns of cremated remains. In front  of columbarium is a fountain. It is a scenic serene place reminding all who visit of our common enemy, death.

1Now, each Easter before sunrise we hear the closing of car doors as people park on the narrow macadam road through the cemetery to attend an Easter Sunrise service.  As the sun rises, we can hear old Christian Hymns being sung by the small multitude of people presumably attending because they have a loved one buried in the cemetery.   I must confess, over the years I have not attended but enjoyed seeing and hearing the people from an open window in our kitchen and in the warmth of our home. 

As I watch those attending I can see the mist of their breath warming the cold spring air.  They are stomping their feet to keep warm and sometimes have umbrellas meeting a chilly rain. What causes these people to leave their warm homes (unlike me) and travel in the dark to stand in a cemetery  listening to the Bible being read and singing hymns while waiting for the sun to rise?  It is they are tenaciously clinging to the one event in human history upon which all hope does depend, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

I always like a common sense approach to truth. My mind ( maybe too simple at times) thinks like this: If Jesus really was resurrected from the dead,  as opposed to being revived only to  die again, then what He says is of critical importance. After all, I don’t know anyone else in human history who was resurrected to live forever, do you? The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church of Corinth gives us the “bottom line” (which all of us from New Jersey like) about the astounding significance of the resurrection . He writes: 

“ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of  those who are asleep.“ ( I Cor. 15:17-20)

I like how the paraphrase of these verses in the Message puts it:

  “and if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.”

And so tomorrow morning as I open  our kitchen window to watch and listen, I join those who watch and wait for those who now buried will one day leave the cemetery because of their faith in His payment for their sins and His Resurrection! He is Risen!

In Latin, it’s called “The Paternoster” from the Latin words for ” Our Father.” Millions of people know it by heart and can recite it.  For many it was of all things a form of punishment instead of a prayer ;” For your penance say 30 “Our Fathers.”   It is taken from the Bible, specifically Matthew 6:9-13. This is the long version of the prayer which Jesus  recited when  instructing his disciples how to pray. See the short version in Luke 11:2-4 when the disciples asked “Lord teach us to pray , just as John taught his disciples”Luke 11:1.  Thus, this instruction from the Son of God must be of great importance to the Christian.   The reason for this post today, is because the current Pope Francis is suggesting the Matt.6:13 which reads “lead us not into temptation,” be revised to read ” do not let us fall into temptation”

It is apparent that this verse requires thoughtful exegisis in light of the truths about God set forth in James 1:13-14 which states God does not tempt anyone  but we are tempted by our own hearts and also James 1:2 where Christians are instructed to count it all joy when they encounter various trials( the same word in the greek for temptations).  Therefore, there is an apparent contradiction or at least a challenge in understanding what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 6:13. Why would Jesus tell us to pray  that God would not do what He cannot do? Or better yet, why pray to take away trials which are for our good and we should count as all joy? What is the difference between a trial and a temptation?

Looking back at the last post on this site regards temptation,  is it  possible that Jesus is really using the phrase to mean , don’t let me enter into the trial but if I am to enter the trial,  “deliver me from the evil one.”  It is evident from the last part of verse 13, that whether the word is more properly translated trial as opposed to temptation, the evil one is involved. As with Job the evil one was the key particpant his trial.  It seems that Jesus may be saying  by negation,  Lead me in the way of righteousness, don’t let temptation fall on me, keep me from having to do battle with the evil one , but in either situation (temptation or trial) if I have to, enable me to overcome the evil one.

I am brought back to the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane “Take this cup from me” i.e. lead me away from this trial, this temptation . When his prayer was denied the Father heard delivered Him from the Evil one, enabling Jesus to crush his head. (Gen3:15)