Date: Thursday, February29
Contributor: Ross Ackerman Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/ThursSecondWeek.html True Wealth In halls of splendor, a wealthy man dwelled, His coffers brimmed; his status proudly held. Yet at his gate, in destitution's plight, Lay Lazarus, shunned from the rich man's sight. His body marred, with sores and tears, Lazarus sought solace, amidst his fears. But the rich man, blinded by his gain, Turned a blind eye, to Lazarus' pain. For worldly wealth had clouded his sight, His heart closed off to compassion's light. He dined in luxury, heedless of the poor, While Lazarus languished at his door. But lo, in death, their roles were reversed, The rich man found torment; his wealth disbursed. While Lazarus, in Abraham's embrace, Found solace and comfort, in heavenly grace. For in the end, it was not gold that saved, Nor riches amassed, in vaults engraved. But compassion and empathy, virtues divine, That uplifted Lazarus, in God's design. So let us heed this parable's call, To embrace compassion, to stand tall. For in acts of kindness, true wealth is found, In empathy's embrace, love knows no bound.
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![]() Date: Wednesday, February 28 Contributor: None Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/WedSecondWeek.html We did not ask anyone to write a reflection for the Wednesdays in Lent in hopes that we will have enough participants to fill the other days. Please reflect on this prayer. There is a repetitive phrase in our Ash Wednesday gospel, “the Father who sees in secret, who will reward you.”(Matthew 6). Sometimes we feel stuck, bored, impatient, even discouraged by a lack of “progress” in our faith journey. Interior work happens in secret and is often unbeknownst to us. Maybe if we knew, we might get puffed up, or attempt to control of the process. Our rational mind might try to squelch the Mystery. Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk authored many books and struggled with a lack of unknowing. His prayer has helped generations of Jesus’ followers. My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. “The Merton Prayer” from Thoughts in Solitude Copyright © 1956, 1958 by The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani Date: Tuesday, February27
Contributor: Lyn Lawyer Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/TuesdaySecondWeek.html Today is the feast day of George Herbert, an English orator, poet, and priest in the 1600’s who spent many years as the rector of St. Peter’s, Fugglestone just outside of Salisbury, where he was well loved. His story is well worth studying to learn what being a servant of Christ is all about. Look him up in Wikipedia. Here is one of my favorite poems of his. Enjoy and ponder! LOVE LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack’d anything. ‘A guest,’ I answer’d, ‘worthy to be here:’ Love said, ‘You shall be he.’ ‘I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear, I cannot look on Thee.’ Love took my hand and smiling did reply, ‘Who made the eyes but I?’ ‘Truth, Lord; but I have marr’d them: let my shame Go where it doth deserve.’ ‘And know you not,’ says Love, ‘Who bore the blame?’ ‘My dear, then I will serve.’ ‘You must sit down,’ says Love, ‘and taste my meat.’ So I did sit and eat. Date: Monday, February26
Contributor: Barb Hovey Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/MondaySecondWeek.html In today’s Gospel reading, Luke quotes Jesus as giving instruction not to judge or condemn others but to offer forgiveness. This made me think of the Prayer of St. Francis. I found that this prayer was probably written around 1912 and published in a French Catholic book of devotions. It became attributed to St Francis because the devotional was published by the Franciscan order of the Catholic Church. This prayer for peace has become a favorite prayer for many. Both Mother Teresa and Desmond Tutu said it was part of their daily devotions. I would like to offer this prayer as a Lenten reflection. Lord make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Date: Saturday, February 24
Contributor: Becky Lucas Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/SatFirstWeek.html DEUTERONOMY 26:16-19 O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the work of reconciliation: Grant that in our Lenten fast we may be devoted to you with all our hearts, and united with one another in prayer and holy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. MATTHEW 5:43-44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. So, it is no small task of loving the world that our God calls us to do. Sometimes I find it hard to love those who I know truly love me, to say nothing of loving my enemies. In this time of such polarized thought and obvious division in our country and around the world, this task of loving all seems even more daunting. Our neighbor is that person who has a different political persuasion, different nationality, different cultural roots or sexual persuasion, different financial base and different lived experience. Please Lord this Lent help us to keep on with the glorious task you have given us to love our enemies. Teach us daily just what that means and how we can go about accomplishing this task of love. Keep our thoughts and hearts open to all our neighbors so that we are engaged in the work of love and reconciliation in your name. Date: Friday, February 23
Contributor: Cindy Lee Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/FridayFirstWeek.html When I first read today's readings from Ezekiel and Matthew, I was a bit overwhelmed by the long litany of harsh judgments and punishments that are applied to all sorts of transgressions, iniquities, sins and treachery. Even everyday human behavior, like expressing anger or tossing insults, makes us “liable to the hell of fire”. After reading further, it becomes clear that these readings are leading us to focus on how to achieve redemption, reconciliation, wholeness and forgiveness in our lives. For Matthew, the starting point for this path is for us to reconcile with our brothers and sisters. Some days I worry that the world is moving away from understanding these essential brother/sister bonds amongst all humans on this earth. Wars are raging and deep prejudices are growing. The idea of caring about our collective global family seems to be losing ground. I find myself praying for us to find ways to restore the social fabric that knits us together. So thankfully, Psalm 30 leaves us on a brighter note, giving us hope for mercy and redemption. Peace and hope to all this Lenten season. Date: Thursday, February 22
Contributor: Ann Jones Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/ThursFirstWeek.html I had the good fortune to view a recent screening of the documentary ‘A Case for Love’. The film was inspired by the teachings of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and addressed the idea of unselfish love and kindness as a way to heal divisions in our world today. I left the theater feeling moved by the stories represented, of people who lived out the idea of unselfish love by exhibiting amazing acts of kindness. Kindness is easy to practice and yet can have a significant impact on another person. I think the more a person experiences kindness from someone, the more likely they are to be kind to another. Wouldn’t that go a long way in healing divisions among us? At least it’s a place to start. A Prayer for Social Justice (From the Book of Common Prayer) Grant , O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart (and especially the hearts of the people of this land), that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Date: Wednesday, February 21
Contributor: None Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/WednesdayFirstWeek.html We did not ask anyone to write a reflection for the Wednesdays in Lent in hopes that we will have enough participants to fill the other days. Please click on the link and ponder the scriptures for today. Date: Tuesday, February 20
Contributor: Jean Crow Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/TuesdayFirstWeek.html In today’s gospel by Matthew, Jesus teaches us how to pray. The Our Father is a prayer we are all very familiar with – sometimes too familiar, and not really thinking about the words as we recite them. I think it is helpful to read the Lord’s Prayer in different translations so when I pray the version I am familiar with, I think about it differently. The Lord’s Prayer ~ Contemporary English Version Our Father in heaven, Help us to honor your name. Come and set up your kingdom, So that everyone on earth Will obey you, As you are obeyed in heaven. Give us our food for today. Forgive us for doing wrong, As we forgive others. Keep us from being tempted And protect us from evil The Lord’s Prayer ~ New Living Translation Our Father in heaven, May your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, And forgive us our sins, As we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, But rescue us from the evil one. The Lord’s Prayer ~The Message Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best – as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes. The Lord’s Prayer ~Good News Translation Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored; May your Kingdom come; May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs we have done, As we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us. Do not bring us to hard testing, But keep us safe from the Evil One. The Lord’s Prayer, from Aramaic into Old English Translation by G.J.R. Ouseley Our Father-Mother Who art above and within: Hallowed be Thy Name in twofold Trinity. In Wisdom, Love, and Equity Thy Kingdom come to all. Thy will be done, As in Heaven so in Earth. Give us day by day to partake of Thy holy Bread, and the fruit of The living Vine. As Thou dost forgive us our trespasses, so may we forgive others Who trespass against us. Shew upon us Thy goodness, that to others we may shew the Same. In the hour of temptation, deliver us from evil. Amen Lord’s Prayer, from the original Aramaic Translation Translation by Neil-Douglas Klotz O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos Focus your light within us – make it useful. Create your reign of unity now Through our fiery hearts and willing hands Help us love beyond our ideals And sprout acts of compassion for all creatures. Animate the earth within us: we then Feel the Wisdom underneath supporting all. Untangle the knots withing So that we can mend our hearts’ simple ties to each other. Don’t let surface things delude us, But free us from what holds us back from our true purpose. Out of you, the astonishing fire, Returning light and sound to the cosmos. Amen. Date: Monday, February 19
Contributor: Kathy Ackerman Lectionary Link https://www.lectionarypage.net/WeekdaysOfLent/MondayFirstWeek.html Today’s Lenten readings focus on the topic of discipline. Through the collect and then the readings, we are given two different understandings of that very loaded word. Being a bit of a word nerd, I went diving into several online dictionaries for the word’s etymology. The root of the word “discipline” is the Latin “diciplina” which means “instruction, knowledge” and is derived from “discere” – which is clearly the root word for our word “discern”. I also noted that “discipline” and “disciple” are etymological cousins. However, apparently, in the 13th century, English speakers decided to use the word to refer to religious self-flagellation. (How they arrived at that usage is something I don’t know and don’t WANT to know). From there, it has morphed into its more common usage as “punishment” or “behaving and working in a controlled way that involves obeying particular rules or standards.” (tip of the hat to Collins Dictionary). The collect reads, in part “mercifully increase in us your gifts of holy discipline, in almsgiving, prayer and fasting” which fits comfortably with Collins’ usage. (Whoever Collins might be). But the readings are really about discipline in the earliest sense of the word – teachings. We start with Leviticus, which provides us with a list of “you shall not” but they are all focused on how we are treating our neighbors with generosity, mercy, and kindness. That portion of Psalm 19 talks about “the law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul.” Hm. Further “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold.” Again, it is not about harsh rule-making. It is about learning and growing and, yes, reviving the soul. Finally, in Matthew, at first blush, it appears that we are back to our friend Collins’ definition – live your life a certain way. But notice that the “righteous” in this passage weren’t thinking about control or obeying any law. They were just living their lives as they understood and living in that law that revives the soul. They were – frankly – astonished to find that they were being awarded. (Kinda makes you wonder what the other side thought they were doing). The end of the Psalm reads: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.” I suspect Jesus would add “and the works of my hands.” |
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