Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery (ELW 334, st. 1)
1 Tree of Life and awesome myst’ry,
In your death we are reborn
Though you die in all of hist’ry,
Still you rise with ev’ry morn,
Still you rise with ev’ry morn.
Words and music by Marty Haugen
© 1984, GIA Publications, Inc.
Reprinted under OneLicense.net #A730924
Devotion
Jesus’ death happened thousands of years ago in a culture and time different from our own. His death and resurrection are events we can put on the calendar, albeit with some open questions. And yet, the cross and resurrection remain at the center of Christian life today, not only as memories to be recalled but also as ongoing theological and imaginative spaces where Jesus gathers his people. On the bottom panel of Lucas Cranach’s famous altarpiece in Wittenberg, Germany, Martin Luther preaches from the Bible while pointing to Jesus, who hangs from the cross, partially wrapped in a dynamic, white robe. Death and resurrection are on full display. For those who worship, Jesus’ crucified and resurrected body is the object of their gaze and the focus of their faith. In this time of Lent, we are summoned to the tree of life. There we will find not only his death and resurrection but also our own.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, gather us around the cross, where we can see and ponder Christ’s work on the cross. Help us see that this gift belongs not only to us but also to the entire world. Amen.