Last week we learned that goldfish have a memory span of three seconds.  We hope no one was awarded a large amount of grant money to discover that fact.  Meanwhile, the more our own short-term memory span decreases, the more we value the gift of memory in our lives.  Usually we can cover for each other when it comes to remembering why we are standing in the grocery store, or what we promised to bring to a potluck supper.  If that doesn’t work, we can rely on notes and calendars to get us through the daily stuff.

Our long-term memories are the ones we value the most, especially where family, scripture and faith are concerned.  Part of the value of scripture is that it reminds us of where we came from and who we are.  Even if we can’t trace our personal family history back further than our great-grandparents, the Hebrew and Christian scriptures help us to know we belong to the larger family of God.  This is a heritage few seem familiar with today.  Anyone who happens to catch the game show “Jeopardy” on a night when one of the categories is the “Bible” will notice even the simple scripture questions often seem difficult for most contestants.

One of the ways we keep our long-term scripture memory alive is through the liturgical year.  Through our traditional cycle of scripture we recall the struggles and stories of people of faith from every age.  The Israelites kept their flight from Egypt into freedom alive with the Passover Supper.  The Eucharist, our own passage into freedom, began with Christ at the Passover meal.  All of our steps through Advent, Lent and Pentecost echo “remember.”  As we walk together we recall other people who made their journey in faith.  We remember Abraham, walking to a new home in a strange land.  Joseph, sold as a slave, walked with a heavy heart away from his home and family.  David took his steps with God into the desert to meet Goliath.  And we remember Jesus walking toward Jerusalem, up Calvary Hill.  We walk with him in the garden by the empty tomb and a short time later we are with him along the road to Emmaus.