It is the beginning of Lent, the 40 days before Easter.......Starbuck, my faithful yellow lab and roaming companion were taking our morning hike. It was an exquisite Colorado mountain day where the sky was such a blue that it was difficult to find words to adequately describe it. The fresh snow was bright white and Mt. Daly was overwelmingly beautiful! I could not breathe in enough of the fresh crisp air.
We kept the upward tread and I began to comtemplate and reflect as we are called to do especially during this season of Lent. Rather than reflect inward, I reflected on Jesus. The steps taken upward require a little effort especially at our altitude. This led me to ask questions: "Jesus, from the day you were born, you began the walk toward Calvary, didn't you? Did you know even as a little boy, what you chose to do in obedience to the Father's plan? As you grew older, did you see people crucified by the Romans and did the man within you cringe at the thought?

As I asked these questions, I became tearful. We continued our trek up to our goal. Upon reaching the stopping point just outside a friend's house, there was a tractor/ bobcat with a front-end loader. I sat on the front-end loader and looked out at Purple Mountain with the sun in my face. I thought about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. All around was silence -- that silence that can only exist in nature. Starbuck found a resting place. My reflection wandered to the end of the tempting of Jesus when the Word said that angels came and ministered to Him. Questions: Did you feel as the angels fed you and tended you what you gave up as the God part came to earth fully man/fully God? You knew didn't you that you were on your final journey that would lead to Calvary? Just three years? How could it be?
As I continued to sit in the silence, I felt embraced by your love and my heart ached a little, maybe a lot. Oh what a price! Oh what love!
Father, forgive me for I know not what I do.