Most of the time we can go from day-to-day without thinking too much about our mortality.  At least, I can.  Mostly because I live a privileged life by almost any standard one can name.  We live in a very comfortable home, have plenty of food and clothing, two cars; in short, more than we need.  And we are grateful, as well we should be.

This so-called artic vortex with its sub-zero temperatures should be cause for all of us who are so blessed to reflect and reconsider.  These are deadly temperatures.  Literally.  This fact is a reminder of our vulnerability.  We human beings need a great deal of protection to survive such cold, and when we don’t have it, we die.

There are many ways that we can hide from our mortality and deny our vulnerability.  We watch the reports of a tornado’s destruction of a nearby community, and quickly dismiss the possibility that that could ever happen here; happen to us.  We offer to pray for the grandchild of a friend, and close our minds to the horrifying thought that it could be our grandchild.  We look away as a neighbor moves out of her house because she lost her job and is being evicted as her house goes into foreclosure, and pretend that it could never happen to us.  We attend a funeral and leave without allowing ourselves to consider our own end.

I suppose we work so hard to avoid such thoughts because they can be frightening or depressing.  And truth be told, they are.  But that isn’t the end result for us.  It’s not.  Because we are Christians.  We are God’s people.  We are the Body of Christ.  And when such things as crisis, loss, and even death bear down on us, we have the option – the invitation – to look up from fear and depression and claim the promises of God: that God is always with us, and that God in Christ Jesus has given us the hope of the resurrection.

It’s cold outside, but for the moment I feel safe and secure.  I hope you do, too.  But let us never forget that ultimately, our hope is in the name of the Lord!

Faithfully,

Lori †