In the Christian tradition, this is the week for stories. We revisit the stories around Palm Sunday, the last supper, the trial and betrayal and desertion of Jesus, and finally the crucifixion. Each year there is a re-telling of these stories. They shape our understanding of the Christian faith and the ministry of Jesus. He will always put the well-being of others before his own well-being. To show us how beloved we are. And finally with the stories of Easter and the resurrection, we are shown that love is stronger than death. So we need never be afraid. Of anything. Including death and whatever comes after.
We don’t all get to see these events directly; live it ourselves. But we have the stories of those close to Jesus about what happened. And those stories have power.
We are people who are shaped by stories. The stories we hear about our faith tradition. The stories we hear about our country and our people. The stories we are told about ourselves. “You’re poor and you’re not smart so you’ll never amount to much.” “No one wants to hire someone as fat as you are.” “You can be anything you want to be.” “You’re a young black man. We know where you’ll end up.” These stories shape who we are and how we live and the nature of our reality.
In Orbital, the novel by Samantha Harvey, one of the Russian cosmonauts was raised being told stories about how the Russians landed on the moon. This inspired him to want to go to the moon. He gives his life to this dream despite learning that no Russian has ever set foot on the moon. Nor has he. [pp. 64-65]
We can be deceived and betrayed by stories. Manipulated and controlled. We can be shaped and formed by stories. They are very powerful.
Prayer: May the stories of this Holy Week have an impact on us. May they convince us that the power of love is invincible and that we are each and every one of us dearly beloved. May our stories help us to bear witness to that love in our lives. Amen.
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Devotion prepared by Rev. Kim P. Wells, pastor of Lakewood United Church of Christ in St. Petersburg, FL.
The devotions this Lenten season will be based on the novel Orbital by Samantha Harvey. Orbital won the Booker Prize in 2024. It is a beautifully written story about the experience of a group of people orbiting the Earth in a spaceship. They see 16 sunrises and sunsets in a 24 hour period. The book is a reflection on the experience of living together and appreciating planet Earth in a new way.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 