An Angular Moment of Hope and Joy

Usually we have a great view facing west over the Puget Sound.  We can see the water, Vashon Island, and the Olympic Mountains on a clear day.  I got out of my car and had a rare moment of seeing a squall line of showers sweeping over the area across the water.  The wind picked up, it was piercing through my Mac Mor jacket.  The really interesting thing about this storm line was I couldn't even see the water, let alone Vashon or the Olympic Mountains.  It was a rare blanket of grey, dark, cold, and startling. The rain kicked in and pelted my face. I ran in the house. By the time I dropped off my book bag, and threw my car keys in my jacket pocket, the sky was getting lighter, but still raining hard. Pretty soon the water, Vashon Island and the Olympic Mountains were visible. It was still grey, however, with wind and rain at my house, but in the distance it was clearing. Within five more minutes the line of showers were gone and it was sunny, the water glistened, the Island and mountains were there in all splendor. I must say -- it was really beautiful.

It reminded me of Friday to Sunday in Holy Week. A moment of darkness and then light. That was a moment of great hope and joy at my house yesterday. C.S. Lewis writes in Screwtape Letters, "Joy is the meaningful acceleration of our relationship with God." That line from Lewis raced into my mind. How true.  The really powerful thing about Lewis was his "angular" ability to speak into the rain and wind of our times. We live in a dark land--just look at the five movies nominated for Academy Awards last month. All pretty dark. As if Hollywood needed a hug last year.

That was Friday but we are Sunday people. The darkness and grey of our culture is invaded by the angular truth of Lewis when we live as Easter Sunday people because of the risen Son of God in Christ. I can picture an arrow piercing the grey rain cloud with the hope that comes when we allow Joy to accelerate our relationship with God. That is my prayer this week for you and your family!

Comments

[It's me]

I loved how you wrote this. It is such good writing. The way you tied Good Friday and Christs's death with the dark cloud and rain and then the joy we are able to have in life through Jesus in the passing of the cloud of rain and the glistening of the sun on the water with the freshness and clean air that a rain can give as Jesus gives us in his resurrection. I could see it all happening it was beautiful!