Do You Have a Heavy Cross to Carry?
This Easter, We'll Dance for Joy
Photo By: Image by John Paul Edge from Pixabay
On Palm Sunday, a local church about 30 minutes away from me had outdoor rooftop confessions during coronavirus, so I went, eager to be reconciled to God before Easter. How grateful I was for this sacrament made available outdoors!
During confession, the priest said something intriguing: “Remember, you’re a beautiful daughter of God and Jesus is the best dance partner.”
That image made me smile.
As I was driving home, “Dancing on the Waves” by We the Kingdom (a Christian song) came on the radio and the lyrics struck me:
“I’m reaching out. I’ll chase you down. I dare you to believe how much I love you now. Don’t be afraid, I am your strength. We’ll be walking on the water, dancing on the waves.”
It didn’t stop there.
When I got home, I did a prayer reflection on the Stations of the Cross, and when I got to the Resurrection at the end, the headline was “Let’s dance with the Lord of the Dance!”
Clearly, you’re sending me a message. You want to dance with me Lord, this Easter.
As I was writing a reflection about this, I recalled my Lenten theme of Living Water. Then I remembered a picture I had found that I saved on my phone several weeks ago. It was a woman -- a ballet dancer dancing in God’s Living Water. She looked in love, free, and full of Spirit. At the bottom of the picture were words from Scripture:
The water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4: 14)
I also find it intriguing that the last Mass I attended in person this Lent was indeed the Mass with the Gospel of the Samaritan woman encountering Jesus’ Living Water.
This Easter, I think God wants me to dance with Him at the well of Living Water with Him, basking in His love, enjoying His friendship, and rejoicing because this Lent truly graced me. My thirst for love has finally been quenched by the best dance partner there is: Jesus Christ.
Now, let’s go walk on the water and dance on the waves of Easter joy, my Precious Savior, Lover, and Friend...until eternity.
About the Author
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, and certified health and life coach. She volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul Society serving the poor, is an active mentor to many individuals, and a prolific writer. Her writing interests and focus areas include spiritual development, reflections on the Gospel life, Franciscian spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and work/daily living. She is the published author of Called to Corporate: Lessons of Growing in Faith and Holiness from the Corporate Cubicle.
