The Joyful Sorrow of Lent

Growing up, my family attended a Finnish American Lutheran church in New England. One of my memories of being  in worship with them, was when my parents went up for communion (children remained in the pew) they came back with tears in their ys. As a boy, I had trouble understanding what vaused this. Now. years later, I have come to taste and see that the Lord’s Supper is a living paradox. We shed tears as we comfress our sins and ponder His suffering and torturous death. Yet, we know and believe that His death was out of deep love for His Father and for you and for me. We believe that in His dying there is the gift of forgiveness and the promise of life, eternal, everlasting life! In that moment when my mom and dad left my brother and me in the pew, only to return with tears, I was the witness of joyful sorrow.

Joyful sorrow is the essence in the season of Lent, in the hyumns we sing and the prayers we offer. Even if we choose to give up something for Lent, there is joyful sorrow!

Lent, like Holy Communion is a living paradox. Lent  invites us to meditate upon the Passion of our dear Jesus, whose life was a living paradox. His life embraced paradox.

We are made great by becoming small!

We triumph through defeat!

We are exalted when we humble ourselves!

We are free when we live as a servant to the will of the Father!

The season of Lent is rooted in the greatest sermon ever preached, Jesus’ sermon on the Mount. A sermon about the Paradox of living in His Kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” (Mt. 5:3-6)

I learned a valuable lesson sitting in that pew with my brother, as my parents returned with tears in the eyes. Life is better and richer when it is lived in Joyful Sorrow.

Pastor Barry Keurulainen