Live like that

On the way back from retreat today, we stopped at Central United Methodist in Charleston for church. The photo to the left is of the banner that was in their sanctuary today.

What do you see when you look at it? I see a cross. Look again -- there is actually no cross on the banner. It is only lilies. I like the symbolism of that for a couple of reasons.

• The banner is not of a cross, and yet what you see when you look at it is a cross. The lilies are arranged in such a way as to appear to surround a cross -- a cross that isn't there. I think God hopes that we will live our lives like that -- living them in a such a way that those around us can see Christ, even though we are not Christ.
• Notice that the banner is hanging in front a cross. The non-existent cross is lined up exactly in front of the real cross. Does that perhaps remind of that we are to align ourselves so that those around us can see Christ?

We are Christ on the road to Emmaus. He died on a cross so that we can live; we need to live so that others can see the cross.

Images: First on is of the banner at Central UMC. The second on is the stained glass of the rotunda in Central UMC.