Passion Week

Most of you will remember the frenzy that surrounded Mel Gibson's release of "The Passion of the Christ" in 2004. The movie turned out to be a world wide blockbuster phenomenon, impacting people of all faiths. Whether or not you are a follower of Christ, there is something alluring about that kind of passion.

Have you ever wondered why they used the word passion?

As a kid we would trek through the Ozark Mountains to the little town of Eureka Springs in NW Arkansas to watch the "Passion Play." Passion Week actually began this past Sunday, Palm Sunday, and will take us through the Easter. Passion- a strong emotion? a driving force? an insatiable appetite?

Passion's roots are deeply embedded in the idea of suffering.

pasi, pati - latin for suffering.

To be passionate is to suffer. The two concepts cannot be divorced.

The story of the cross is not just one of a love sick Saviour walking through the pains of Roman Execution. It is the story of intense, unrelenting suffering- emotional, physical and spiritual in nature. It is a suffering or passion that refuses to relent. The scouring was just part of the equation, it was also the dispersion of the unfaithful disciples, and the blatant rejection from the Father.

PASSION- A perfect love MOTIVATED to ENDURE the pains and SUFFERING of eternity's deepest WOUND.

Yeah, passion week.

Polarity? Why do I do what I don't want to do?

Polarity - the presence or manifestation of two opposite or contrasting principles or tendencies.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/polarity

For most of my adult life I have had the strong sense that I am in the middle of an epic battle between my flesh and spirit. Just when I think I have it all moving in the right direction, my flesh pulls out the series of "shock and awe" attacks that leave me tending my wounds. When it comes to my commitment to the Lord, there is no question that the flesh lives in direct opposition to the Spirit. When I choose to walk by the Spirit my life is characterized by discipline, purpose, peace and meaning. When I choose to walk by the flesh my life is characterized by laziness, selfishness and defeat. The spirit cannot and will not cohabitate with the flesh.

So what is it that God is after? Obedience? Partly. Surrender? In some ways. What God is truly after is the affection of our heart, where we choose to side with Him about Him. Whatever direction we leverage our passion results in the purest form of worship.

what's new in the blogging community?

Alright, I'll admit it. I've only blogged a few times and still a little intimidated by the whole idea. Last semester in school, we used this medium for most of our classes. Since New Orleans was underwater for much of the fall '05 they needed to develop a community of interaction. It took a little getting used to it, but after a while it served the purpose quite well.

If this catches on, I'd like to use this forum to discuss the weekend messages, challenge one another on relevant issues, ask questions, seek answers and the like.

If you have any ideas or are just checking in - jump on in and let's see what transpires.