“Getting Home” (03/20/2025)

“Sometimes I feel lost,” said the boy.

“Me too,” said the mole, “but we love you, and love brings you home. I think everyone is just trying to get home.”

My daughter gave me a book that surprised me. It looks like a children’s book. It could be. But this old adult couldn’t put it down. It held so many of the truths of life’s journey. It was profoundly simple and simply profound. It is called The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy. And that quote is one of several of my favorites. I believe it. I deeply believe it. I believe we all realize that there’s more and we’re trying to make our way to that more – to home – to life in the LORD.

Lent is a time when we step back and think about this more deeply, more intentionally. Lent is a time that begins with ashes on our forehead and the words, “Remember, you are dust and to dust you shall return.” We recognize this isn’t the end, we realize there is more, and we spend six and a half weeks making our way from that reminder to the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter. And we make changes in our lives because we want to get home. We don’t want this to be the end.

But the journey must be made, and it must be intentional. Lent reminds us of that. We make choices every day, hundreds of choices every week. Our choices matter. Our LORD tells us that our choices must be based on love and be loving. We are called to place love above everything else. We are called to love the LORD with all our being and to love one another as we love ourselves.

Our journey isn’t easy. Our compass is the Spirit. Our guide is Christ. The one at the gate at the end of our journey is the Father surrounded by a host of journeyers who have made their way home. Along the way, we have many others who walk with us for a ways, who encourage us. Hopefully, we are also sharing the journey with others, encouraging them, praying for them.

We may at times feel lost like the boy in the book. May we never lose sight of the love that makes this journey necessary and possible.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.