Faith Peyron is a freshman at Shoreland Lutheran High School. Faith has leukemia. This past year her classmates at Shoreland have supported Faith with their friendship, their prayers and with benefits to raise money for her battle against leukemia.

Recently, one of the local papers picked up the story of Faith’s battle against leukemia. They posted something on Facebook that told Faith’s story and then said, “Send positive thoughts Faith’s way.”

One Saturday morning, six-year-old Devin decided to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of flour into the bowl with his hands, leaving a floury trail on the floor, which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. He mixed in a cup of milk and added some sugar. Devin was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn’t know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, (and he didn’t know how the stove worked)!

The other day, out of the blue, my eight-year-old asked what happened to the people in the stories above where the planes hit the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. I answered her that everyone above the planes died. They had no way to escape and survive.

Jim was a life-long Lutheran. His wife, Carol, was an adult convert to the Lutheran faith. Their children, Billy, Miranda, and Nicole, were confirmed as teenagers in the Lutheran church.

Jim served on the Church Council and Carol was active in the church’s women’s ministry. Their children were active in the youth group. But Jim daily battled the demons of alcoholism. He lost more than he won. Carol tried holding the family together, while at the same time conducting a daily search for the liquor bottles and dumping out the ones she found.

Do you know anyone who has sat for years in a classroom, taking notes, doing the homework, nodding at the appropriate times … and yet, just didn’t seem to get it? The light was on, but nobody seemed to be home? The head knowledge was there, but it didn’t translate into faith or action?

You may think I’m talking about the confirmands. I’m actually referring to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

I have been coaching soccer at Wisconsin Lutheran School for the past 10 years. Over that time, the parents and players have been able to notice a few things about my coaching style. 1) I am constantly talking to the players throughout the game; 2) the parents can hear me talking (i.e. yelling) to players from the other side of the field; 3) I am always pacing the sideline during the game. I can’t sit down.

At one point early in Julius Caesar’s political career, feelings ran so high against him that he thought it best to leave Rome. He sailed for the Aegean island of Rhodes, but en route the ship was attacked by pirates and Caesar was captured. The pirates demanded a ransom of 12,000 gold pieces, and Caesar’s staff was sent away to arrange the payment.

Ashes on a sackcloth banner. Nail pins on the lapel. Refusing to sing Alleluias. Stripping of the altar.

There is a note of sobriety and somberness about the Lenten season. And that is as it should be. The liturgical silences and the somber worship of Lent serve to underscore the profound tragedy of our sin and the awesome penalty that sin exacted: the very death of God!

In the center of the crowd gathered on Golgotha’s hill, two burly Roman soldiers hold Jesus’ arms to the rough wooden beam. Another holds His legs. The beams are being reused and so they are already stained with dried blood.