When we travel to some famous places, we often stop by a gift shop to buy something to remember where we have been. It is something we can decorate our home with or wear. Some of us may collect refrigerator magnets. So, when we visit their home, we can see the refrigerator all covered by the gift shop magnets of Florida, California, or other countries. Then, we can see where they spent their vacations. Also, there are people who collect t- shirts. They buy t-shirts with colorful drawings of city names, such as New York, Philadelphia, or Washington D.C. So, in the summer season, we can easily notice where they visited in past summer vacations through their wearing t-shirts. I believe that you also have your own collections you took from your vacations or travels. And the reason
why we collect those things is because we want to remember and memorialize the enjoyable moments of our vacations. So, when we open the refrigerator, we can see and recall the memories from the magnets. Or whenever we wear the t-shirts, some good memories may come up. Therefore, through those collections, we can always remember where we went, what we did there, and how we enjoyed it there. They are small items but have a big meaning in our life.
As these collections work for us, we also have a great symbol in our faithful journey, which reminds us of the love of God and awakes us how God works for us. It is the cross that we can see anywhere in our church. It is very simple but has unforgettable meaning for all of us. Through the cross, we can think about Jesus’ death to save us from our sin and Jesus’ resurrection to give us a new hope for eternal life. During Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday in April, I hope we all think about Jesus’ love and grace for us, which is revealed through the cross. Amen.
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NLT)
Pastor Jinha Choi
First & Wesley United Methodist Church