Wow. I've been REALLY negligent in the upkeep of my blog! A lot has happened in the 6 months since my last update! Maybe that's part of the reason I haven't been as dutiful in updating as I should have been... No matter. In an attempt to rectify the above mentioned blog neglect, I'm going to try and to post a different blog every day this week. We'll see how this goes...
Because the pastor of my church moved to Hiroshima at the end of March to begin work with a church there, we are currently pastor-less and have a slew of guest pastors who will be assisting when they can, until we find a permanent replacement for Tanigawa sensei. Pastor Yasuhiro Tateno, who I saw frequently when I lived in Tokyo, was our guest pastor this week. Sunday was Palm Sunday and marked the beginning of Holy Week, leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Three weeks ago also marked the one year anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Tateno sensei gave a moving sermon that I've had a hard time getting out of my mind. He made a striking comparison between Michelangelo's Pietà and a picture taken shortly after the earthquake of a mother cradling the body of her daughter.
I only understood maybe 30% of Tateno sensei's sermon, but the gist of it was that people asked “Where is God in this?” after Jesus' crucifixion and asked similar questions after the earthquake in Japan. If Tateno sensei had an answer to either question, I didn't understand, but I did understand his emphasis on the importance of remembrance. RaganCourtney's “In Remembrance” has been stuck in my head on repeat ever since.
As we draw closer to the time when we remember Jesus' death and resurrection, it is important to also remember the tragic and immense loss of life that occurred in Japan a little over a year ago. If you are religious or spiritual, please continue to pray for healing in Japan. If prayer isn't for you, please take a few minutes to remember those who died and those who continue to mourn the loss of family, friends and neighbors. Japan is slowly recovering, but could use any amount of positive thought you have to give.
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