Some years ago, a new pastor was called to a spiritually dead church in a
small Oklahoma town. The pastor spent the first week calling on as many
members as possible, inviting them to the first Sunday service. But the
effort failed. In spite of many calls, not a single member showed up for
worship! So the pastor placed a notice in the local paper stating that since
the church was dead, the pastor was going to give it a decent, Christian
burial. The funeral for the church would be held at 2 p.m. on the following
Sunday.

Morbidly curious, the whole town turned out for the "funeral." In front of
the pulpit, there was a large casket, smothered in flowers. After the eulogy
was given, the pastor invited the congregation to come forward and pay their
respects to the dead church. The long line of mourners filed by. Each one
peered curiously into the open casket, and then quickly turned away with a
guilty, sheepish look. For inside the casket, tilted at just the right angle
was a large mirror. Each one saw his own reflection in the mirror as perhaps
never before!

That is still what happens when human beings allow the living Christ to
confront them in their sinful brokenness. This special day calls us to make
a choice to receive God's Christ, and to let our lives be made whole again
by the power of God. As you begin this Holy Week, can you truly say in your
heart, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" The choice is
up to you!