April 3

St. Paul, in writing to the Phillippians Christians said,

"More than that I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and I regard them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him." Phillippians 5:8-9a.

The Contemporary English Version translates this as,

"Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him."

Knowing Christ as Lord and Savior meant more than knowing him as a great teacher, a new prophet, a revolutionary leader against the Roman oppressors or even as a loving friend.

Peter confessed, "You are the Christ," and Paul was willing to count his former status in Judaism as a total loss. Yet both of them learned that trust in Jesus as their Messiah meant martyrdom. Are we willing, not only to share what we "know" about Jesus, but also to express a firm conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord in our lives and that it makes a difference?

Reflect on what you have come to know about Jesus and about how that makes a difference in your life. Share your faith with someone very close to you. If there are children in your family tell them what Jesus means to you and let them tell what he means to them.


Using Puppets to Express Our Thoughts

Puppets often allow us to express what we feel in ways that we may not be able to share in person. Even shy people can let a puppet talk for them or express their fear, joy, or other emotions

Finger or hand puppets or even cut out figures glued to a stick can be used to share the feelings of the people experiencing the Passion story or the thoughts of someone living today. Let puppets tell the narrative from the point of view of different people at the event such as the disciples, Pilate, the priests, Judas, or even from the view of minor characters such as the cock who crowed or the donkey who carried the Master through the Palm Sunday crowds. Put a puppet representing one of your family members into the play.

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© Rev. Dr. Loretta Kuse and Dr. Hildegard Kuse

Bible verses taken from the New Revised Standard Version