THE THREE TREES

Photo taken on April 19, 2011 just up the hill from our house.

Highs and Lows of the Last week in Christ’s life:


This week we remember, honor, and celebrate the last week of our Savior’s life. Sometimes we get too caught up in the decorating of eggs and chocolate bunnies. Far from today’s jelly beans and marshmallow treats…. what transpired over 2,000 years ago was a culmination of events which included the highest of highs and lowest of lows in Christ life. Events including: the Passover, the Last Supper, the confrontation with the religious leaders, the betrayal from one of His disciples, the Garden of Gethsemane, the denial from His chief apostle, the mocking and scourging, the Crucifixion, but ultimately what we as Latter Day Saints focus on most.. The Resurrection.

Tomorrow is Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday. It is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemoration the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His death at Calvary.

Below are a few photos that I wanted to share with you all. These trees are in grassy section in front of the LDS ward building in our stake. It is located at the top of a hill from our house . A tragic accident happened here a few days ago when a car driven by a young man struck the middle tree. His car slammed broadside and wrapped around the tree. He died at the scene. The scarred and missing bark shows the place of impact. It is interesting that the two trees on either side remain unscathed. Family and friends who are now grieving have left flowers marking the place of this tragedy. This tree now becomes a memorial. When I walked by the tree, I noticed that the sap, the inner liquid of the tree is seeping at all the pores. It actually appears as if the tree is weepy, or even “bleeding” at every pore.

I couldn’t help but see the similarities of the three trees, on top of this hill.. where a tragic death occurred on the center tree.

Yet, as tragic as this scene is, there is the sign of hope of rebirth in the photo. Branching out and behind the pine tree is a flowering pink tree. The hope of life after death made possible by the Son of God.

While our focus is and probably should be on the resurrection, However, it might be important and humbling to reflect tomorrow morning what the Lord endured and suffered for each of us. Just a couple of thoughts. He was crucified at 9:00 AM (Mark 15:25, crucified at third hour, Mark 15:34-37 died at the ninth hour.) Jesus agonized on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours on the cross, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness falls over the whole land.


Here is a interesting quote from the book, Come let us Adore Him. “Crucifixion was a brutal way to die. It may have been the most cruel way ever used by government to execute a “criminal.” It combined prolonged torture and public humiliation for the victim, together with intimidation to all who saw it. The cruelty of this awful form of punishment was necessary for Christ to suffer. His purpose was to deliberately descend below all things. A pain-free, dignified death would not do. It had to be such an ordeal that any of us thinking about what He endured would be convinced He did not spare Himself. He suffered to the limits all that He could endure. He proved His love for us beyond any doubt.”