For those of you who celebrated Easter or Passover, I hope your holy days were joyful and full of promise and hope. I understand that for many, these celebrations are over, even Dyngus Day has come and gone. But also, for many, the Easter season lasts for the next 50 days, until Pentecost. So, as I continue pilfering jellybeans out of the jellybean bunny (even the Grands know what’s stashed inside), I’m reflecting on two specific images I encountered during my Lenten meditations and observances.

The first came early in Lent, the Monday after Ash Wednesday. The meditation was written by Fr. Donald Haggerty, a priest serving St. Patrick Cathedral in New York City. The focus of the writing was Matthew 25: For I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink … Fr. Haggerty referenced Mother Teresa’s insistence that the Gospel wording for the next part was, ‘… whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did to me’ vs ‘…whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ as Mother Teresa always saw the Christ in the poor she served. Fr. Haggerty then fast forwards to Good Friday and the words Jesus speaks from the cross. I thirst.

While reading the meditation, I immediately thought of this image from our visit to Cross in the Woods, a shrine in Indian River, Michigan. Walking around the crucifix there’s a deep sense of love and benevolence coming from the face of Jesus. Not taking away from his real physical agony of thirst on the cross, but reflecting on Fr. Haggerty’s meditation I now wonder if his words didn’t have a meaning beyond his pain. In the list of the Last Seven Words of Jesus, I thirst comes after he’s shown mercy to his persecutors, after he’s given the promise of hope to the thief, after he’s taken care of his grieving mother by presenting her to the disciple to take into his home. I thirst were his final words before turning his attention back to his Father and offering up his spirit. Jesus was still teaching and giving examples until his death. For those of us who believe in a risen Christ, maybe the words were also a gentle reminder he still lives within and among us, and he still thirsts.

The second image came on Good Friday when Hubby and I attended an observance based on the Last Seven Words of Jesus. These aren’t seven single words, but seven sentences. I used to be confused by that! This event was at our local Cultural Arts Center, with the Reverend Neal Woods offering a meditation on each ‘word’, and in-between, the Charlotte Symphony Stringed Quartet playing selections by Bach. The experience was very reverent and moving. During one of the meditations, Rev. Woods read a quote by Walter Wink, an American theologian and activist, “Killing Jesus was like trying to destroy a dandelion seed-head by blowing on it.”

That image of seeds scattering in the wind–and who hasn’t blown on them to make a wish or encouraged our kids and Grands to do the same–made me smile. Maybe because I appreciate dandelions so much even Hubby mows around them for me; maybe because they evoke a feeling of nostalgia; maybe it’s the joy, whimsy, and hope of believing wishes can be carried on a hundred tiny seeds … whatever the reason, that image brought the joy and purpose of Easter home more than the image of a tomb with the stone rolled away. This image says to me, ‘Go! Be the love that Jesus modeled!’ (I have this mental picture of Jesus standing there lovingly shooing us away – ‘Go! Do what I showed you to do!)

And then on Monday, the passing of our Pope Francis. For many of us he embodied that love and humility. I’m grateful he was able to deliver one final Easter message of looking for Jesus elsewhere, out in the world.

And so, during this season of Easter–and beyond–I’ll be attentive to opportunities to be that love, to keep my eyes open for a thirsty Jesus.

We’re in the final days of National Poetry Month! I hope you’ve dipped your toe into the poetry pool either by writing or reading–or both. If not, you still have time … Kudos to my friend Bob for taking up the challenge of writing a poem from a prompt! Looking forward to reading more. (If you need more prompts, let me know 😉)

Next week for Book Review Monday! I’ll review some of the poetry purchases I made this year –quite the variety and maybe something will pique your interest.

I hope your week has been a good one. After a quick trip to the mountains, I’ve been playing in the dirt this week. A flower bed that was neglected last year looks like a flower bed again instead of a nursery for errant pines and Chinaberry trees. My blueberry bushes got a good weeding, food, and mulch. This week the fig, elderberries, blackberries, and raspberries will get some attention. And poems are still being written for the Poet Sisters book.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I’ll be here on Monday!

This year’s posting of my bunny poem from 4th grade.

Bunnies are so very little/they are also very brittle/so when you pick one up/be sure your hands are in a cup// And don’t pick one up too often/ or you’ll be putting it in a coffin.