rising very early in the morning, while it was still...

An introduction to your Lenten booklet from the desk of Elizabeth Brown:

Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35

I realize that we are all so very busy these days. Now more than ever, there seems to be so much to do, yet so little time. Is it me or are there fewer hours in a day than there used to be? Sometimes we get so frustrated that we just want to throw up are hands and say, " Why me Lord?"

St. Mark shows us that when the "going gets tough," the Lord went and prayed. There must be a big message there. This Lenten season can be the time when we finally realize that we are too busy NOT to pray! It is certainly a time to reflect on how Jesus prayed: He prayed often, and he prayed early in the morning. Make a Lenten promise to yourself to pray more often and early in the morning hours, if you can.

It is my prayer that this Lenten booklet will help you in your quest to follow Jesus through this time period. I believe that if you succeeded in this Lenten discipline, your Easter morning will be even more glorious.

Peace,

Elizabeth

Wednesday, February 22, 2012—Ash Wednesday

Old Testament: Amos 5: 6-15 Psalm: 95,32,143

New Testament: Heb. 12:1-14 Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

As we enter this period leading up to Easter that the church calls Lent what is it exactly that we hope to accomplish?

Is it proving how disciplined we can be by denying ourselves chocolate for this period and being rewarded by a net weight loss of two pounds?

Is it spending a specified time each day dedicated to contemplating our sinfulness and wickedness to the point where we convince ourselves that we are pretty much worthless, or coming to the conclusion that there are a lot of others who are more worthless than we are?

Is it getting into a debate as to whether Sunday’s are included in this penitential time or whether we are freed from the burdens of our chosen disciplines for at least that day each week?

Is it taking on additional disciplines or denying ourselves of things that will bring us favor with God?

This season of Lent is a season of penitence and forgiveness but that will bring us to a desired result at the end of this period only if it results in reconciliation. So, for me, reconciliation is the key word of Lent. Everything that we do in Lent should be bringing us into a greater reconciliation with God.

Certainly this may be enhanced by fasting. It may be guided by reading and study. It may be facilitated by meditation. But, the most effective Lents I have experienced and have seen others experience are those which also recognize and bring into consideration the human factor.

By that I mean that we use this time to assess our relationship with those around us. This included family (immediate or extended, and however you choose to define it), coworkers, acquaintances, or simply those we run into on the street or other places throughout the day. Almost invariably if we are not in reconciliation with all of these people our relationship with God is also impacted. The Pharisee in Luke, who thanks God that he is not like any of those other people and feels no affinity to them, borders on being sociopathic. We cannot compartmentalize our relationship with God as separate and unique from our relationship with everyone else.

So the word “reconciliation” is the key to a successful Lent because it literally means to “reestablish a close relationship or bring oneself to accept”. If we are willing to do that with everyone we come in contact with, or have come in contact with, there is no way we will not have been drawn closer to God. Hebrew 12:14 reminds us to, “(P)ursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

We will make this Lenten journey to reconciliation together and in the words of our Book of Common Prayer (265), “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” From this and from the examination of our relationships with each other may we find reconciliation with each other and with God.

The Very Rev. David R. Wilt

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Old Testament: Habakkuk 3:1-18 Psalm: 37:1-18

New Testament: Philippians: 3:12-21 Gospel: John 17:1-8

“Trust in the Lord and do what is good; make your home in the land and live in peace; make Him your only joy-- and He will give you what your heart desires.” Psalm 37:3-4

I would like to emphasize one word as we enter the unfolding, once again, of the season of waiting, the time leading to the passion and victory of God-with-us. It is a word eloquently served to us during one of Father David's sermons. The word is-- Gratitude.

During this Lenten-time of waiting, perhaps you are reflecting (and if you are reading this booklet, I guess you must be), and maybe even doing something out of the ordinary, like fasting and/or drawing closer in prayer. Allow me to recommend that you add a healthy dose of gratitude to this time. And allow yourself to thank the Lord for all his many blessings in your life. After all, you're alive! Indeed, maybe things are better than ever right now-- if so, then don't keep it in!

But maybe things didn't go the way you wanted them to in (fill in any time period you like). As Father David said recently, lots of situations in life, whether we caused them or not, can embitter us, cloud our hearts, and twist our minds so that when these times surely pass, our response to God is not “Thanks,” but “What took you so long?”

And yet Dietrich Bonnhoeffer reminds us that: “Gratitude turns the pangs of memory into tranquil glory.” Have you allowed yourself to feel that awesome change? Gratitude can turn our perspective from victim to victor. And, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for our tomorrow.” (Melody Beattie in Co-dependent No More) Now does that sound inviting? God is forever inviting us to share our lives with Him.

Clear your mind, set yourself on a path toward positive thinking, and enjoy your time of preparation this Lenten season. Attitude is everything.

Lance Hedstrom

Friday, February 24, 2012

Old Testament: Ezekiel 18: 1-4, 25-32 Psalm: 95, 31

New Testament: Philippians 4: 1-9 Gospel: John 17: 9-19

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever

Is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-

If anything is excellent and praiseworthy-think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen

In me-put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

I was thrilled when I opened my Bible to read the New Testament Lesson of Paul’s exhortation to the Philippians, to find the verses quoted above were highlighted in my bible as a favorite source from which I gather my strength and guidance.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus prays for his Disciples. He asks God to protect them from the evil one. Yes brothers and sisters, Jesus prayed. God sent his Son to be our example and following this example, we must always remember to pray for each other.

It is my belief, that the Bible is not only a source for information, but rather that it was given to transform us. God wants our beliefs to be turned into behavior.

With this in mind, I pray that we will make God’s word the source from which we obtain our spiritual food. Let us find a verse that is truly helpful and meaningful, to us and when a heavy burden is upon us, when our enemies attempt to oppress us, let us close our eyes and think on that verse and ask God to bring us out to a place of peace.

“And the God of Peace will be with you.”

Avonelle B. Forbes

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Old Testament: Ezekiel 39:21-29 Psalm: 30:32

New Testament: Philippians: 4:10-20 Gospel: John: 17:20-26

Jesus said, “Father, just as you are in me and I in you, may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

As Jesus prayed for all of us before his crucifixion he made it clear that we are all one with GOD. If only we could see what Jesus saw and understand how it affects us in our daily lives. I seem to be blinded by my work or lack thereof, or the current financial situation we all find ourselves in sometimes. We get lost in the everyday hassles of this secular world we all reside in and lose sight of what is really important.

So what is important to us? God, Health, Jobs, Family, Money, Church, Children, School? It seems I’m always trying to control everything but myself. In reality we can’t control anything but ourselves and what we do. We let circumstances we have absolutely no control over affect our lives mostly in a negative way, at least I do.

When the weight of the world is on our shoulders and we feel like the rope has finally run out, we call on GOD to rescue us, when He is really there all the time. I find that as I get older, most rewards come from the simple things in life. The smile you get from an old friend you haven’t seen in a while. The hug, that tugs at your heart from a child or friend at just the right time. That warm compliment from someone you barely know. The sunrise or the sunset, the joy of music, the sight of real happiness you see in children. You know exactly what I’m talking about because it is around us every day whether we choose to see it or not, it is there.

To me that is where GOD is, he is always there, if we choose to see Him!

Glen Blount

Sunday, February 26, 2012 Old Testament: Daniel 9:3-10 Psalm: 63 1-11 New Testament: Hebrews 2:10-18 Gospel: John 22: 44-50 Lent…a time for prayer. Meditation. Abstinence. Jesus fasting in the desert for 40 days, on which Lent is modeled. It was certainly an unfathomably deep prayer, considering the heavenly mission His Father assigned Him. How deep can our prayer go? In the reading from Daniel, we read Daniel’s abject prayer of fear and shame – crying out for “mercy and pardon” from Yahweh. We hear in Psalm 63 the soul’s thirst for Yahweh’s power and glory. And that He “consign to the edge of the sword”…“those now hounding me to death”, that they be “left as food for jackals.” The overall feeling from these readings is of this world. Connecting with God, yes. But connecting with Him to protect us in this world.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Gospel of John, however, we read of other worldly longings.

The unidentified author of the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of Christ’s effect on him…of being “sanctified” – literally becoming holy. And of how Christ takes “away all the power of the devil, who had power over death, and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.” That’s kind of other-worldly. John’s reading takes us even further away from life in this world. But first, let’s get some perspective on the text from John: a few chapters prior to our reading, John declares “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” In today’s reading, John ties it together: “His commands mean eternal life.” So forget about this world. Christ’s reward for us is not of this world.

---

Every now and then I succeed at provoking a brief feeling of deep connection with the world that John is talking about. No, I do not claim to know eternal life. But I do claim to have fleeting tastes of heaven. It’s an actual physical feeling. It doesn’t matter if I’m standing, sitting, kneeling or lying down – my body seems to resonate. A wonderful sensation that’s almost like a trance. The peace of a complete reconciliation with the world. It’s as if my soul is connected directly to the community of Christ’s love. I call it heaven. Often, a few minutes of calm, deep thought and prayer are enough to give me a shiver of connection. Sometimes I get it from performing a good deed or an anonymous act of charity. Communion can also lead me to that connection. And singing the Episcopal Doxology really gets me, too. Maybe it’s what feeling “lifted up by the Holy Spirit” feels like. Maybe it’s what the Holy Rollers and Shakers used to feel. Maybe I’m a freak. (Let’s not vote on that, please!) All I know is that I wish it happened to me more often (I feel that connection maybe every 3 or 4 weeks) and that it lasted longer (it’s usually just a few seconds). I’m getting it right now as I reflect and describe how my faith feels. It does not feel particularly “personal”, as in the Evangelicals’ claim to have a “personal relationship with God”. Actually, it feels very communal. It is the peace that I wish on you when we pass the peace in church. And it leads me to my definition of a buzz word in Christianity: Grace. In my opinion, Grace is the foretaste of heaven. It seems unreasonable to hope to enjoy the sensation for hours or days on end – while in this life, at least. But those fleeting seconds are enough to cleave me to my faith – the faith that I can find an eternity of that sensation…through Christ. My faith makes me believe that those feelings of Grace are path indicators for my spiritual journey. So this Lent, I resolve to set aside time to get that feeling, that taste of heaven. More often. It just takes a little work to set aside prayer time – no prolonged fasting in the desert required. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Amen. Rob Gorman

Monday, February 27, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 37: 1- 11 Psalm: 41, 52 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1: 1-19 Gospel: Mark 1: 1-13 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Words said to Jesus after his baptism by John. What would you like to hear God say to you?

Wouldn’t you like to know, without question, that He is well pleased? I know I would. Perhaps something like an annual performance appraisal would be helpful. Even a roadmap providing me with the answers to questions about decisions to be made would be nice, and yet free choice is the ultimate gift of grace, belief and trust. I question things I’ve done and things I’ve left undone. I am not always certain if the decisions made are right or pleasing, or if I have justified and rationalized them to be that way.

I want to believe that God speaks and sends his messages in the day to day moments of life. There are moments when I feel He is well pleased. Like the moment when celebrating 29 years of marriage to my high school sweetheart and best friend. Beautiful moments shared with family and friends and feeling the joy and fulfillment of really enjoying the time spent, not just a family obligation. In the moments when I see that our children are on the right path toward making responsible, thoughtful, and purposeful decisions about their future and my sense is, we’ve done our parenting job well. When in the face of heartache from watching my mom prepare for her death, I am comforted with an unexpected blessing of witnessing the deep and unwavering love between a husband and wife. Knowing that my children have also witness this in their grandparents and have seen what it means to live out the promise of in sickness and health and until death do us part. In shared moments with Nana and experiencing the love and knowledge that she passes down to her children and grandchildren. It is in blessed moments like these that I believe the message is, “with you I am well pleased.” I know you must have these moments too, where everything just feels right.

I am a work in progress and I make many mistakes. God sends other messages that have me re-think my ways and decisions. I am stubborn, I hear that is a natural trait of a redhead, my brother is that way too, but thankfully God is patience and will meet me where I am and not give up on me. I am thankful for messages delivered in the day to day moments of life, in his word and through the insights from friends and family. I believe, God desires to provide for us in way so that we are also well pleased. And ultimately so is He!

Peace,

Sharon Rasnick

Tuesday, February 28, 2012 Old Testament: Genesis 37: 12-24 Psalm 45 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 1:25-30 Gospel: Mark 1:14-28 Lent has a special meaning for me. Growing up as a Baptist, I never celebrated Lent. Undoubtedly, the association with the excesses of Mardi Gras was a significant deterrent. As I reflect on Lent, though, I’m struck by what a missed opportunity that represents. Indeed, a bit of research revealed that many Baptists are discovering Lent. Fasting, prayer, introspection, holiness? Sounds pretty appealing to anyone seeking piety and spiritual renewal. So, what has Lent come to mean for me? More than anything else, I see Lent as an opportunity for “behavior-adjustment,” and this passage from Corinthians reminds me of a behavior I’d like to adjust: pridefulness. Self-confidence and pride don’t have to be bad qualities, unless I see myself as better than others, prideful of my status and accomplishments, both superior and oblivious to the less fortunate around me. This passage reminds me that, of all the human qualities God may like to eradicate, pridefulness must be close to the top: “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” The passage reminds me, in fact, that Christ can replace my pridefulness with His own wisdom from on high: “[God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Lent, therefore, can be an opportunity to reflect and pray for renewal and transformation—the righteousness and sanctification and redemption that are only possible through Christ Himself. Lent is an opportunity I don’t want to miss.

Shelly Hedstrom

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 37:25-36 Psalm: 119:49-72

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 2:1-13 Gospel: Mark 1:29-45

Today’s Gospel discusses some miracles performed by Jesus, and some tough decisions he had to make.

Jesus miracles were attracting attention. Jesus could have stayed at the home of Simon and Andrew, and they expected he would do so. They wanted to share his glory, but Jesus knew if he stayed, he would face mounting opposition. He made the tough decision to move on, increase the amount of people he touched, and lengthened his ministry.

In his travels, he encountered a leper, who at the time would not have been permitted to reside in a community, and who was feared by many, because of the fear of catching the disease. Jesus could have cured the leper just by an act of will. But rather than shy away from the leper, Jesus reached out and touched him with no fear, curing the disease.

Jesus asked the man to keep quiet about the miracle, so that Jesus would have the freedom to continue to teach, without being solely requested to perform miracles. Of course the man did not remain quiet, and soon events would overtake the ministry of Jesus.

David Layman

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 39:1-23 Psalm 50

New Testament: Corinthians 2:14-3:5 Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

When I prayerfully kept reading through the lessons for today, I looked for a common thread. Father David asks us to pray for people in prisons, no matter what their prisons may be. Judging and being judged in the real or our own prisons and getting beyond those places to find our Lord comes to me.

About sixteen years ago I was very fortunate to attend the 25th Year Celebration of the Kairos Prisons Ministry in Jacksonville. Eduardo Bonnin, a founder of the Cursillo Movement in Spain while a very young man, was the Key Note Speaker.

I was blessed to spend the day with him in a yearly meeting of the Gathering of the Cursillo Fourth Day Movements. He was a humble 80 year old gentleman whose ministry had also been with prisoners in Spain for a very long time.

The next day he visited a Kairos Prison weekend. He asked Ike Griffin, the Kairos Executive Director, why there wasn’t a talk on the Sacraments of the church. Ike answered: “because most of these men have never known of Christ”. Eduardo answered: “Aha! You give them mother’s milk before fine wine!”

Psalm 50 speaks of our God as One of justice – and when we call on Him in a time of trouble, he will deliver us if we honor Him. In Genesis 39, we read how Joseph, as good as he was, when he refused to compromise his position and take his master’s wife who pursued him, went to prison and again, the LORD was with him and even in prison, he had success.

In 1Corinthians 3, Paul speaks of people not yet of the Spirit, who are mere infants in Christ – receiving milk, no solid food as they are not ready for it. In Mark 2 Jesus forgave and healed the paralyzed man who had been lowered through the roof because his friends believed – Jesus rewarded their belief!

The Kairos nondenominational prison ministry has made a huge difference in many lives because of men and women who bring our Lords love; forgiveness; and His Word to those who would never hear or experience it otherwise. The faith, belief in our Lord who can do all things, forgive all things and judge with forgiveness when asked is there for the asking for all of us! What a blessing!

Dede Lewis

Friday March 2,2012

Old Testament Gen.40:1-23 Psalm:40

New Testament 1 Con.3:16-23 Gospel Mark 2:13-22

“Patiently I waited for the Lord

He bent down to me and listened to my cry

He raised me out of the pit and set my feet on rock

How often do we pray to God asking for things that God has no control over. Like winning the lottery or for that hurricane to go a different way. When we pray from our hearts, placing our trust in Christ, He places His spirit in us. It is that spirit that enables us to move forward bringing Christ into the lives of those who cross our path.

When I was seriously ill, I initially was angry with God for allowing this to happen. Then I realized that God had nothing to do with it. When I prayed for the strength to deal with whatever was going to happen. I immediately felt Christ’s presence. It was as if He was holding me and I knew that in time I would be well again.

A few weeks ago, our choir sang “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.” This reminded me that as we read these daily meditations during the Lenten season, I would ask you to listen to your heart and think about the multitude of gifts received in our lives that come from our walk with Jesus. Again, it is an easy walk if we allow Jesus into our lives every minute of every day. The answer to our life begins and ends with God.

James Richardson

Saturday, March 3, 2012 Old Testament: Genesis 41: 1-13 Psalm: 55 New Testament: First Corinthians 4: 1-7 Gospel: Mark 2: 23-3:6 While studying today’s lessons, I’m struck by how often I try to figure out everything by myself. After all my years of faith and bible study, I’m embarrassed to admit that I don’t always go to God first. The reading in Genesis tells of Pharaoh’s inability to understand his dreams. Even the magicians and wise men he relied on could not interpret them. Pharaoh had been told of a young Hebrew, Joseph -- who supposedly could interpret dreams -- and sent for him. Joseph was brought up from the dungeon and probably suspected that his life depended on what happened next. In verse 16, Joseph told Pharaoh that he could not interpret dreams, but rather that God could give Pharaoh the answer. (What an act of faith!) Pharaoh’s eyes are opened to the fact that Joseph’s God, our God, can reveal the meaning of his dreams. Due to Joseph’s “right” relationship with God, he was equipped and ready to respond to the challenge. And not only was he allowed to live – he was promoted to be Pharaoh’s right hand man. Imagine when we ourselves realize the God-given power of the Holy Spirit. If we let it fill us to overflowing, there will be great strength that goes with us throughout each day. When faced with the trials and tribulations of daily life, we have a source of strength, someone to turn to – if we just remember to seek Him. In Psalm 55, David is seized by terror and overcome with fear by “the evils of this world”. He wishes that he could “fly away and be at rest”. Instead, he cries out to God, morning, noon and night, and the Lord saves him. Difficulties challenge us from the moment we awaken so we must seek God first. Start talking to him from the moment our feet touch the ground. “Cast your cares on the Lord” as David does. In so doing, we no longer have to carry our burdens by ourselves -- we should trust in Him. In Mark’s Gospel, we see how Jesus trusted His heavenly Father. The Pharisees closely watch Jesus as the disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, which is unlawful in their eyes. Then later on, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand, disregarding the fact that He cured him on the Sabbath. The Pharisees began to plot with the Herodians as to how they might kill Jesus. Here Mark reveals Jesus’ thoughts

and words: “which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” He is trusting and knows His Father’s plans for him. Jesus presses on toward the cross, knowing that He must sacrifice His life for ours and thereby secure forgiveness of our sins forever. He trusted, turned to and called out to His heavenly Father -- and on many occasions left His disciples to go off alone and pray. His ultimate death on the cross, a sinless life, a perfect sacrifice given freely for us. He trusted God! During this Lenten season I’m going to open my heart to trust God more and go to Him first, just as Joseph, David and Jesus did -- confident in the knowledge that He is there and waiting to hear from me. How blessed I am to have such a loving God. “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” Psalm 55:22. Lorie Adams

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 41:14‐45 Psalm: 24,29

New Testament: Romans 6:3‐14 Gospel : John 5: 19‐24

The psalmist begins by stating that the earth is the Lord’s , and everything in it. All of us are caregivers or stewards of God’s creation. This psalm was possibly written to celebrate moving the Ark of the Covenant from Obed‐edom’s house to Jerusalem. Tradition says that this psalm may have been sung on the first day of each week in the Temple services.

Psalm 24:7‐10 is very familiar to us, having been set to music many times. “Open up ancient gates! Open up ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.” This may have been reenacted many times at the Temple, with the people outside calling for the Temple gates to open and let the King of glory in. The priests inside would ask, “Who is this King of glory?” The people outside would reply, “The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord invincible in battle.” As this exchange was repeated, the Temple gates would swing open, symbolizing the people’s desire to have God’s presence among them.

In Psalm 29 God reveals his power in nature, with the imagery of the great cedars of Lebanon which could grow to 120 feet in height and 30 feet in circumference. “The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars, the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.” The psalmist ends with “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” This same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to help us with the daily storms of life. This same power that controls creation and raises the dead is available to us.

The scripture from Genesis recalls the story of Joseph being called upon by Pharoah to interpret his dreams and ultimately being appointed to be the second in command under Pharoah to command the entire land of Egypt. This story reminds us that our most important opportunities may come when we least expect them. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers where he stayed for 17 years. Then he was a prisoner of Pharoah for 13 years. Suddenly, he was called to come before Pharoah, who noticed that he was a spiritual man who had a right relationship with God. Joseph was quick to point out that God had the credit for his abilities to interpret dreams. God was working through him.

Whatever our situation, we are in training to learn the importance of serving God and seeing God in the face of those we meet in our daily walk. We must be ready to answer the call of opportunity by getting to know more about God and by mirroring His presence in us through our kind words and actions. Opportunity abounds when we least expect it.

St. Paul reminds us that “ when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him and were buried with Christ. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Father, now we may also live new lives.” “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.” We are now free from sin by the grace of God.

John reminds us that because of unity with God the Father, Jesus lived as God wanted Him to live. Because of our identity with Jesus, we must honor Him and live as He wants us to live. “I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

In closing, I would like to share with you the lyrics of an anthem, Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates, written by Georg Weissel, 1590‐1635.

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates,

Behold the King of glory waits!

The King of kings is drawing near,

The Savior of the world is here.

O blest the land, the city blest,

Where Christ the ruler is confessed!

O happy hearts and happy homes

To whom this King in triumph comes!

Fling wide the portals of your heart,

Make it a temple set apart

From earthly use for heaven’s employ,

Adorned with prayer and love and joy.

Redeemer come! With us abide;

Our hearts to thee we open wide,

Let us thy inner presence feel,

Thy grace and love in us reveal.

Nancy Drevich

Monday, March 5, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 4: 46-57 Psalms: 56, 57, 58

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 4:8-21 Gospel: Mark 3: 7-19a

When my husband died this past year I was saddened beyond words. My family, friends, and church family gathered around with love and comfort. When friends and family go home, the grieving begins. My life had changed. I was alone and afraid. We have to remember that we are never alone, that God is always with us.

A reading in Forward Day By Day, January 21, 2012, mentions a book written by Walter Brueggeman. He wrote that the book of Psalms is grouped as orientation, disorientation, and new orientation. We have times when things are going fine and we feel secure. Then death or crisis comes and we are disoriented. I’m striving towards new orientation and peace. Things will never be the same, but God’s Word is there for comfort.

When Joseph was abandoned by his brothers, his life was drastically changed. He was able, with God’s help, to interpret pharaoh’s dream. There would be seven years of abundance and seven of famine. Pharaoh put him in charge of the land in Egypt. Joseph had a plan which would bring them through those years. Gen. 41: 46-49

We need a plan to help us through difficult times. It is also good during Lent to have a plan. We can be guided by a Gentle Spirit as we have many resources at Holy Trinity. To name a few, there is the Healing Service and intercessory Prayer group for healing and wonderful homilies. There’s the Altar Guild and St. George’s where we can serve, Bible study to learn, Forward Day By Day for reflection, and Sunday worship with loving people to sustain us. We can avail ourselves of all the abundant resources around us, and through God’s help be faithful and fruitful during lent. We can strive toward a new orientation.

Jo Ann Maddaford

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 42:1-17 Psalm: 61-62

New Testament: I Corinthians 5:1-8 Gospel: Mark 3:19b-35

For me, Lent is a time of reflection – a time to take stock of the past and to look back over all of the many blessings that I have received. I see it as a time of renewal, a time to recharge my spiritual batteries. It is also a time to reflect on my shortcomings and on the things that I need to do better. And, lastly, it is a time to ask God for strength in facing the challenges that are to come.

With that said, the readings for this week took me on quite a rollercoaster ride, which made me glad that the first scripture I read was Psalm 61, which raised me up before I was plunged into adversity. The Psalm reinforces the idea that God is always there for us and that we can call on Him to help us through the tough times, and it also reminded me of how thankful I am for the music of Holy Trinity. For me, the beautiful hymns that praise the Lord help give voice to my own prayers for strength and courage to face adversity.

Unfortunately, things seemed to proceed downhill from the Psalm. I went from singing a Psalm of praise to family turmoil in Genesis, then to immorality in I Corinthians, and wound up in a house divided in the Gospel. Yikes! Does any of this sound familiar? If not, it should. Those who would say that the Bible is not relevant in today’s modern society have seriously missed the boat as our world is rife with all of these themes and more.

I see our nation growing more and more divided – socially, economically, and politically – but the church is one place where we can and should come together in peace and harmony. So in this time of reflection, I urge each and every one of you to be the one to make the first move to mend fences, especially those within your own family. Start anew and extend a hand to the estranged family member to ask forgiveness or to forgive. Extend a hand to those with whom we may not always see eye to eye. Look for what is right as opposed to what is wrong in the world. Be the one to search for the common ground because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and we can accomplish so much more together than we ever could apart.

Martha Warwick

Old Testament: Genesis 42:18-28 Psalm 72 New Testament: I Cor. 5:9 - 6:8 Gospel: Mark 4: 1-20 THOUGHTS FROM MARK 4:1-20

Part of this passage involves the following very familiar parable:

"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundred-fold."

As an audiologist at the VA Medical Center, I perform compensation exams for veteran's who feel that their hearing loss and/or tinnitus is due to their military service. As part of that, I have to listen to their stories as to what happened to them while they were in the military that may have led to their hearing being damaged. I see everyone from World War II veterans to the more recent Iraqi/Afghanistan veterans and of course, every era in-between. This past Saturday, I had a good sampling: three WWII, two Vietnam, and two Iraqi/Afghanistan veterans. At the end of the day, what struck me was how similar their stories were. Yes, the technology has changed, but war itself and how people react when they are in a warlike situation, has not.

This was the same reaction I had when I read this bible passage. Jesus could be talking to us today, not 2000+ years ago. To put this parable into more modern terms, let's pretend its Sunday and a local church has a guest preacher who is known, not only for his good words, but also for getting his congregation emotionally involved. His listeners will tend to fall into four categories. The first is those who were dragged there, kicking and screaming against their will, by their parents or significant others, and who will manage to pretty much ignore the entire message. They will vow upon leaving to never step back into a church again.

The second group will hear the words, take them to heart and leave truly believing they have been saved and will now embark upon a new Christian life . However, perhaps because they've had no religious upbringing or perhaps because they have non-church-going friends who heckle them for their new beliefs, these good intentions do not last long. Instead, they fall quickly back into their bad habits of non-believing/non-church-going.

The third group, also has good intentions, but, when they get back to their normal life of bills, fighting kids, deadlines and other worldly issues, start to find other things taking

precedence over their new found religious beliefs. Sleeping in or a child's soccer game take priority over going to church. A new TV takes precedence over the collection basket. Soon, church becomes Easter/Christmas or not at all.

The fourth group, however, wins the prize. They not only hear the preacher's message, they take it to heart where it flowers and grows. They not only join the church, they join bible studies, join the choir, tithe and show up faithfully for church every Sunday. Just as important, they are good people outside of church as well and are not afraid to stand up for their beliefs, when heckled, or worse, by non-believers. And because this group stands firm in their beliefs, others around them begin to become interested. Some even start to go to this groups' church or other churches, and as a result, this fourth group grew, a hundred -fold.

Although these four groups may seem rather restrictive, the simple fact is that being a Christian, in any era, can be very difficult. As I've learned with my veterans, times and technology have changed but people have not. 2000 years ago, people were persecuted, even killed, for their religious beliefs. This continues to be very true today. 2000 years ago, there were just as many distractions as today to lure the believer away from his religious life. They just took different forms: farming, for example, instead of the latest football game. Being a Christian outside of a church as well as inside can require a lot of sacrifice. I know that, for me personally, inside of church, I have less trouble being the Christian that I would like to be. Once I leave church on Sunday, however, it's a whole different ballgame. As a busy mother with a full-time job, it is a constant battle not to allow myself and my children to slip into the third group. I freely admit that sometimes I'm more successful at this than others! This simple parable was spoken over 2000 years ago but is still so true, even today. And as Jesus also tells us at the end this parable, belonging to this fourth group and being a true Christian, no matter what the era, is worth it: not only will we grow and become better people but also beneficially affect every one we may come in contact with.

"And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundred-fold."

Susan Hammell


Old Testament: Genesis 42:29-38 Psalms: 70, 71


Over planning, over thinking and too much talking often hinder the actions that can bring real growth. We know this and yet, we still get trapped: usually by our fears that we’ll not proceed perfectly. Life is the process of making progress. We learn by doing, not just by thinking. We can make our forward steps more easily, when we ask God to share the journey; but we have to put one foot in front of the other. How many times have we felt stuck or depressed or obsessively fearful, only to discover our head clearing and our heart calming, when we got out of ourselves and focused on someone else? Helpful actions energize us and give us hope. They connect us to God and make all the difference in our daily, spiritual life.

We empower ourselves every time we accept responsibility for choosing the thoughts and feelings we act on. Choosing behavior that encourages happiness is often as easy as any other choice, and the rewards are certainly greater, than when we act out of fear or resentment. Events we had expected to be troubling, and relationships where we had predicted conflict, are more likely to turn out surprisingly smooth, when we come to them with a happy attitude. We will feel better about ourselves when we are able to respond to other people with encouragement and hope.

We complicate our life unnecessarily when we choose to act out of meanness, self centeredness, or self-pity. Actions arising from negative attitudes eventually lower our self-esteem and block our connection with God. Happiness is often as simple as making the decision to take charge of who we are now, as we rely on God’s will for us.

One reason it’s so hard for us to love others, as God loves us, is that we have no standard in our own experience to go by. The closest thing to a human standard is the ideal love of a parent for a child. God’s love exceeds that. The kind of love that God offers us is beyond our comprehension. It is unconditional. We know this because of the innumerable times we have betrayed God, gone back on our own word – only to be welcomed back whenever we were ready, and to find ourselves blessed and comforted. Someone said, “God has to love us; it’s His job.” Our “job” is to love others unconditionally too! We don’t have to understand God’s love: it’s impossible. But if we are to find peace, we do have to try our best to imitate it.

So….let your love-light, so shine!!!

John Richards

March 9, 2012

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit.

Purify my heart. Illumine my powers.

I lay all my affairs in Thy hand.

Thou are my guide and my Refuge.

I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved;

I will be a happy and joyful being.

O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety,

Nor will I let trouble harass me.

I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.

O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself.

I dedicate myself to thee, O God.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Old Testament: Genesis 43:16-34 Psalm: 75, 76

New Testament: I Corinthians 7:10-24 Gospel: Mark 5:1-20

Paul is, indeed, a mighty warrior for Christianity. He is gifted, blessed, holy and highly respected. Only fifty or so years after Christ’s death, Paul is striving to develop a fledgling Christianity when visitors bring letters of inquiry from the church in Corinth. He cares about them and wants to instill integrity and holiness in the young and struggling church. Clearly, they are in need of counsel, and Paul is just the one to offer wisdom and guidance. While Paul instructs believers about Jesus’ commandments from His earthly ministries, he preaches with divine inspiration from his own heart and soul. He advocates a life of undivided devotion to the Lord, which means giving up all earthly concerns. This is neither commandment nor restriction, rather Paul’s way of attempting to spare embattled Corinth Christian’s many troubles in life, not the least of which is persecution, for the world as they know it is passing away.

Now, he knows most people aren’t going to just give up everything like he and the other eleven, so he preaches free will and the satisfaction that comes with freedom of choice, emphasizing the individual retaining their place in society as dictated by God. Contentment is of utmost

importance here, as Paul makes clear his expectation that Christians keep God’s commandments in the situation the Lord has previously assigned them. Herein lies the lesson for the people of Corinth nearly 2000 years ago transcending the ages to the people of here and now. Regardless of your economic, social and religious standing, be content in Christ. Whether it be your position in the chain of command at work, the pecking order in clubs and organizations, or even the hierarchy in a multi-generational family, be a happy Christian in your element. Be bold in seeking to improve your condition if you desire it, just make certain those improvements cultivate an atmosphere of keeping God’s commandments. Maintain your acquaintances, other relationships, and especially friendships in an environment that demonstrates personal fulfillment in Christ.

Paul said a slave is the Lord’s freedman and the free man is Christ’s slave. That said, be responsible to God where you live. Exercise your freedom to choose to not become slaves of men. You were bought at too high a price. Be content.

I Corinthians 7:15 “…God has called us to live in peace.”

Michelle Jeffers Parker



New Testament: Romans 8:1-10 Gospel: John 5:25-29

This is what we believe:

“…He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and

was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day

He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on

the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the

living and the dead…”

Today’s Gospel tells us of Jesus’ authority that is vested in him by God the Father. With certainty Jesus Christ will judge us with fairness:

“Everyone who has done good things will rise to life, but

everyone who has done evil things will rise and be condemned.”

Every Christian knows this but how many of us really stop and thinks seriously about this judgment day. Lent is usually a good time for me to reflect on life and life’s end because we, the Christian Church, have a 40-day period that is dedicated to prayer, repentance, tithing and self-denial in preparation for the commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I think about the end of life and Judgment Day because of a “fire and brimstone” sermon delivered by a Baptist Preacher during my youth. That sermon made me realize at an early age how precariously most of us live our life by not keeping our hearts and mind fixed on God and always doing His will (The Law of Moses.)

It sounds very easy to obey God’s Law but I know for a fact how hard it is. My mind always tells me the right things to do, yet, sometimes, I fall victim to my selfish desires, do that which is wrong in the sight of God and not understanding “why?” Sometimes I sin unknowingly. But what if I should die before I repent? What if Jesus should come and catch me in the middle of sinning? Scary thoughts, right? Surely when Jesus comes, I want to be in that number that shall rise to life. And I am sure you will want to be in that number also. But to get there we must strive, each day, to live by the Power of God’s Spirit as outlined in today’s New Testament Lesson. We must transform ourselves and become one in the Spirit and one in the Lord, then:

“You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit who

lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them

don’t belong to him. But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because

God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because

of your sins.”

Berkley E Forbes


Old Testament: Genesis 44: 18-34 Psalm: 80

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 7: 25-31 Gospel: Mark 5: 21-43 M

Acts of Faith.

These Lenten readings prompt us to ask ourselves, why wait? Why delay? Why would we allow times of “crisis” to fuel our acts of faith? The general excuses include, “not enough time”, “far too many other obligations” and “can’t pencil it into our already hectic schedules . . .” We must shed ourselves of the excuses. We must be determined to act.

What should our actions be? How do we know what to do or when to act? During this time of Lent, one normally thinks such actions should be sacrifices in order to demonstrate our willingness to suffer for our faith. Faithful sacrifices, however, can take on many forms. They need not be grand gestures. The culmination of small acts of faith is equally as powerful. When Jesus acted in faith it led to miracles. Our simple acts of faith can also help to heal the world.

Consider the woman healed by Jesus in the Gospel reading. She was alone, injured, sick, and incurable. All she possessed was lost trying to find a solution to her infirmity. She discovered her faith in Jesus and became determined. The power of her faith was in her determination to act.

Consider the obstacles she faced to approaching Jesus and having the faith to perform the simple act of touching his clothes. The crowd was immense and moving. It was likely moving

faster than she was physically able. She was unclean. She was shunned by those in the crowd. How many times might she have wavered in her faith and abandoned her cause? How could she be so certain that the random act of merely touching the clothes of Jesus would cure her? Upon feeling her touch, however, Jesus did acknowledge the woman. She was immediately healed and at peace. Jesus further embraced her by His words when He called her “daughter”.

Believing, trusting and acting on our faith is a process. Sometimes that process is long and arduous. Sometimes it is simple. Making a determined effort to act out of faith is empowering in itself. The quality of our faith and our trust in God empowers us to be able to act without delay, hesitation or reservation. So our acts of faith can be made at any time and the strength of God exists in our determined belief to act out of love for Him.

Kai Li Jette

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Old Testament: Genesis 45:1-15 Psalm: 78:1-39 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 7:32-40 Gospel 6:1-13 Today’s psalm is a recounting of God’s many saving acts, his grace and continued care of His people, and how the people of Israel responded over and over with faithlessness and ingratitude. The psalmist tells the listener that these stories have been conveyed to us by our ancestors, and we should retell them to the coming generation. We are directed to read the stories ourselves, and to intentionally retell them to our children. Once, when my youngest son was about four years old, I was reading him a bedtime story. This particular night, I was reading from The Children’s Bible in 365 Stories. This book stayed on the night table so that I would remember and intentionally read from it on a regular basis. I can’t even recall the particular story, but Turner was not interested, and asked me to read something else. I told him we would read something else, but first we needed to read the bible story. Again, he objected. I slowly closed the book, set it aside and told him this story:

Turner, when you were still a little baby, mom and dad took you to church to be baptized. You were dressed in a white gown, the same gown that your two older brothers wore when they were baptized. When it was time, I gave you to the priest to hold. We were standing up in front of everyone in the whole church. Your godparents were standing there, too. And it

was there in front of everyone when dad and I promised to teach you about God. I promised to read these bible stories to you. The priest asked each of us, and we said we would, with God’s help. And then the priest asked the whole congregation if they would help us and everyone answered “We will”. Then the priest carefully sprinkled your head with water and baptized you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Then he drew a tiny cross on your little forehead and marked you as Christ’s own forever. The priest then old everyone to welcome you as the newest member of God’s household, and everyone said “Welcome, welcome Turner!” And then the priest slowly walked holding you in his arms, all the way down the church aisle and back again so that everyone could see you. It was a very, very special day. So, that is why I need to read you this story. I promised God that I would.

When I finished, there was complete silence, and then he burst into tears. Surprised and bewildered at his response and thinking I had just done some bad parenting, I asked him what was wrong. Through his tears he said in his little four year old voice, “That was beautiful. Tell it to me again.” And so I did. Over the years, I intentionally recounted his baptism story many times. For me, establishing a habit of daily bible reading and meditation meant I had to be intentional. I thought I was reading most days, but when I counted the days, it was more like some of the time. It wasn’t until I began the intentional habit of writing a check mark on a completed reading, and thus creating a record of those read, that I established a solid daily habit. We should read the scriptures, study them, share them, and remember them over and over and over again. We must never forget, and must always be reminded of God’s saving grace. Diane Popalis

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Old Testament: Gen 45:16-28 Psalm: 119:97-120

New Testament: I Cor. 8:1-13 Gospel: Mark 6:13-29

When I think about my faith when I was a child, it was all encompassing. There was never a question whether God existed, whether or not there are Ten Commandments, whether or not Jesus died on the Cross for me. I remember taking Sunday School seriously, “Mom, do we get a grade at the end of the year?” And she would reply, “God grades you every day.” And that would, relatively speaking, keep me on the straight and narrow. Still now I can remember thinking, “God is watching. Be good.” And that was more than enough.

As I grew up, and away from the church, I strayed from that path. I rationalized it with the statement, “I may not be religious, but I am spiritual. I can see the face of God in the mountains, the ocean, the rolling green pasture. God is all around me.” All of which is true. But that very ideology ignored any accountability of my day to day actions. I made poor decisions. I hurt

people who loved me, I gave my heart to people who were not worthy of it. And I learned things the hard way, the way many of us do…My father often says, “Mankind learns through suffering.” I did not learn as quickly as the child learning that the stove is hot. Albert Einstein once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Good! Now I can define that part of my life as a momentary lapse of sanity…not one that I regret, not one that I would ever change, given the opportunity. For it has made me the woman I am today.

When my mother passed away in 2006, it was glaringly obvious to me that my absence of faith was going to be a problem. “Being spiritual” no longer satisfied that nagging absence of a connection with the Divine…with God. And, once again, I felt God watching. And I thought, “I had better be good.” Every day, I thank God for my friends, The Dickens’, who told me about Holy Trinity, who encouraged me to come, to listen, to be. Slowly I began to reconnect with my faith, in a beautiful way. Not in the vacuum of “being spiritual”, but in the fellowship of the church. It is in this community of faith that I find the support needed to face life’s trials and tribulations. Psalm 119:109 says, “Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.” I still may take my life in my own hands by not making the best decisions, from time to time….but I know that in this loving community of faith, I am striving to be the better person. The person that God is watching, and watching over.

Mariana Furlin


Old Testament: Genesis 46:1-7, 28-34 Psalm: 83, 42, 43

New Testament: I Corinthians 9:1-15 Gospel: Mark 6:30-46

“Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?”

Memories have come flooding back into my deepest spirit. This disquietness of Psalms 42 and 43 haunted and hallowed me for the fourteen days of silence. I spent most of the time outside in the biting cold of a Pennsylvania February. Ignatian retreats, fully engaged, leave little wiggle room from God’s stirring of ones soul. Fourteen years ago it was, but now as fresh as this morning’s dew. The restlessness in my spirit of God’s desires for me had driven me to deep searching. I had wept and screamed, “O God, what do you want of me? Please show me!” It is a hard place to be, glorious only upon reflection.

Mathieu Brutus is a friend. He was the shepherd for my first visit to Haiti. Occasionally, in life we meet others who immediately are known to be dear to our souls. Mathieu is such a one to me. Pere Mathieu, Father Mathieu, mysteriously appeared to me one day at the retreat, then several years after our first meeting. As I sat silently gazing at the Celebrant for that day’s Mass, the familiar words of the Great Thanksgiving falling upon and into me, suddenly Pere Mathieu was there, replacing in the blink of an eye the Caucasian Jesuit Celebrant at the altar. Startlingly, in clear reality, Mathieu was there. His image and presence were as real as Father David’s at the Table at Holy Trinity. I was shocked, rocked back on my heels and blinded to the point of being able to see. It was as if God was saying, “OK, you wept and screamed, ‘Please show me!’ Well, there you are. Can you see now what I want of you?” The shuddering of my body and deepest spirit must have been palatable to all around. My muscles slackened and yet my heart raced like a runner attacking heartbreak hill in the Boston Marathon. “O, my God,” came out in silent screams. Something had troubled me darkly on that first time in Haiti and I had muttered to myself, “I could never come and live here.” Now it was clear that such a thought was of darkness. God’s light was now come to me as the shining image of a Haitian priest. O, my God. Really?!

That night I wandered to an isolated place of total darkness in the woods on the grounds of the Retreat Center. In the frigid night air I literally and figuratively laid before God all that I had and screamed yet again, whether audibly or silently I know not. Now the words were, “OK, God, let’s go.” Over and over, screaming, tears running down my cheeks, those words poured out. I could not stop them until I was spent. And, go I did, along with my dear Loraine, to spend several glorious years as a sent one, a missionary of our church.

Disquiet. Silence. Places where God walks as surely as God did in that garden called Eden. Lent: a time and place for disquiet amid the silence, a time and place for screaming, seeking, trusting, confronting the darkness, allowing the warm glow of God’s love for you to show you----

Peace be to your soul,

The Rev. P. J. Woodall, Jr.

March 16, 2012

Old Testament Genesis 47:1-26 Psalm: 95, 88

New Testament 1 Cor. 9:16-27 Gospel Mark 6:47-56

I wanted to write about this passage because as you read this I will be preparing for my first 5k race since my heart surgery (as well as the first one I have EVER trained for) that will take place on March 17th. I am excited and nervous about this first race that will hopefully lead to many more (and eventually a marathon in 2013!).

This passage in 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 reminds me of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling.

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if/

If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same:. If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And---which is more---you'll be a Man[/woman], my son[/daughter]!

In this season of Lent, we are reminded that this “race” isn’t always an easy one. As it says in this poem and in the passage, it requires experience, humility, and sacrifice in order to finish. Jesus spent time in the wilderness with a purpose: he needed to get himself ready for the trials he would face by experiencing and confronting temptation and learning from it. Just like Him, we are not meant to “…run like someone running aimlessly;” or “…fight like a boxer beating the air.” I hope that you use this season to set your direction, train for the race, and, when you’re ready, run. Sarah Lidinsky


Old Testament: Gen. 47:27-48:7 Psalm: 87, 90 New Testament: I Cor.10:1-13 Gospel: Mark 7:1-23 Psalm 90: 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. I am not a math person. And yet here, a little over half way through Lent, I am beginning to number those days one by one. All those things I enjoyed on Shrove Tuesday and gave up Ash Wednesday tap-dance through my dreams at night, inviting me to partake of them. The most delicious chocolate delights are heaped on my plate night after night. All the things I “gave up” become day by day more and more impossible to resist. In recent years, my Lenten discipline has become more active, a more positive movement of my sometimes somewhat sluggish spirit. Recently, my project has been to identify someone in my life who is perhaps not my favorite, or someone with whom I may be in conflict. Sometimes this may be a family member, and other times it may be someone with whom I work or with whom I am associated regularly in some way. Sometimes I select someone who has hurt me in some way.

I make a commitment to pray every day for the person that I select. My prayer must be a positive one, or it does not discipline me. If because of my own issues, I find this difficult, I pray that God’s will will manifest itself in that person’s life. Does that person change? I don’t know. What does change when I make the commitment to pray this way is that I change. I look on that person in a different way. If my relationship involves my difficulty in forgiving, I often find myself able to let go and forgive. My active choice to pray is one that I can sustain through the dry and difficult Lenten days, unlike those chocolate urgings I find hard to resist. I do repent—I think again about my relationships—and often find the Lenten road is a path to reconciliation. Susan Jones



New Testament: Romans 8:11-25 Gospel: John 6:27-40

Living our greatest life comes when we step out of our comfort zone hopefully, a little, every day. Accepting the invitation to write for this Lenten series has certainly been my “STEP” for today!

I came to Christianity in my 30’s so I’m still figuring out a lot of things that happen in Church. I understand that as Christians we spend periods of time working toward outcomes. During Advent we eagerly anticipate the birth of our Lord. Waiting for a baby, what could be more hopeful than that? During Lent, we reflect and we sacrifice so we can feel just a little of the pain and suffering that our Lord experienced at the hands of humanity so we might have a relationship with our Father.

I don’t profess to understand most of what we do but, as I get older and spend time in the Word, I tend to focus on the Risen Jesus Christ. I can totally understand why the suffering is so important but at the same time, I choose to focus my attention on the outcome. Maybe it’s because that’s the way I look at life. I am always asking where I want to go. How I want to get there. We need a destination to determine the steps to

getting there. Without it we’re traveling in circles and I, for one, don’t choose to spend 40 years in a desert! Our forefathers did that already so why recreate history?

My destination is eternal life with my Father. In my faith in Jesus Christ I have the opportunity to create this relationship. He is my bread of life. He fills my heart with love. He is my intercessor to my Father. Without Him I am nothing. With Him I am everything. And, to help me on my journey He even gave me a surrogate while I continue my human path. I have the Holy Spirit to “…bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). With faith in the Holy Spirit I can do anything. Without it, I can do nothing.

Faith and fear cannot inhabit the body at the same time. I choose faith. I choose to live my time on earth focused on the outcome…the Risen Lord, the only way to eternal life. During this Lenten period I am committed to spending time in His Word every day. I am committed to learning how to pour out, pour in and pour forth the power of the Holy Spirit so I can live my greatest life. Because, without Him nothing is possible and with Him everything is possible. I choose possible.

Abigail Tiefenthaler


Psalms 89:1-18 Gen. 49:1-28

1 Cor. 10:14 - 11: 1 Mark 7:24-37

Shades of Gray Mark 7: 24-37

When I read the passage about Jesus and the woman from Syro- Phoenician, I was confused. What did this mean? Was Jesus refusing to help a person because they were from a group that had brutally persecuted the Jews? Was he tired and having a bad day? Was he being human? Was he trying her faith? I don’t know.

When I researched this passage, I found the spiritual experts seemed as confused as I was. Some felt he was testing her faith. Others mentioned she was from a place that was known for worshipping false idols, sacrificing children and other detestable religious practices. Another mentioned people had been flocking to Jesus for all the wrong reasons- to see glitzy miracles, freedom from the Romans and he was trying to get away from them.

Then his response after she begs for her child to be cured. “Let the children be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She answers with “Yes, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” One minister even suggested she had out debated Jesus. Whatever the meaning is, Jesus comes through and heals her daughter.

This story is then followed by a story of Jesus healing a deaf man. He heals him by saying “Ephphatha” meaning Be Opened.

These passages, like many I find, are shades of gray. Not clear at all in their meaning. They are thought provoking and confusing. It is passages like this that should foster a kind of spiritual humility. I rather like them. They encourage thinking, wondering- not at all black and white in their meaning.

During this Lenten season, let us all Be Opened. Let us ponder, be confused, see shades of gray and wonder what it all means. Surety leads to closed thinking. It is in the shades of gray that we grow.

Kris Lidinsky


Old Testament Gen. 49:29-50:14 Psalm: 97, 99, 100

New Testament 1 Cor. 11:17-34 Gospel Mark 8: 1-10

Mark 8: 1-10

The Gospel recounts the familiar story of the loaves and fishes, the miracle performed in the midst of 5,000 of Christ’s followers. A miracle so important that it is the only one recorded by each of the Evangelists. A miracle which demonstrates our Lord’s compassion for the crowd which had been following him even as he sought to withdraw by Himself.

This story, a staple of childhood Church School lessons, was accepted by me as a miracle and never questioned until as a very young adult I heard it ‘explained’ away like this. In those days there were no fast food restaurants on every corner so people who were to be away from home for any length of time took their own provisions with them. Therefore,when the people were hungry,Jesus was not a miracle worker who tapped the loaves and fishes with His wand and immediately multiplied them into vast qantities of food, but rather He tapped the hearts of His followers and led them to share with one another what they had hoarded under their cloaks. (actually, either version constituted a miracle.)

I have pondered this story over the years since that time and in the process have left the original question behind as my life experiences have confirmed beyond questioning its miracle status .( Indeed I have come , not only to ‘expect miracles, I depend upon them.’ ) I focus instead on what meaning it has for us. Jesus took the boy’s tiny gift , five little loaves, two little fishes, and with it fed the 5,000. If He could accomplish so much with so little then, what could He accomplish were we to give Him our little gifts now, and more, what could He accomplish in us and through us if only we would give Him the gift of our own lives?

In the story, Philip , even having witnessed what Jesus could do, still worried about how the people were to be fed. Have you ,like Philip, witnessed miracles in your life or in the lives of those dear to you but still ,when faced with problems, worried about solving them on your own? Philip did not trust enough or believe enough to know our Lord would take care of His people.Do you also,still hold back your belief and question whether the miracles you have seen and experienced can be ‘explained’ away?

We have only to look at today’s Gospel to see the manifestation of God’s compassion, mercy, generosity and love. He not only fed the 5,000 until they had enough, He gave them so much that there was food left over! When we are faced with problems, and doubt creeps in, return to the lesson of the ‘loaves and fishes.' When God gives, He gives abundantly, more than we need, enough to share with others. If we will offer ourselves, our lives to Him, He will take the little we have and make it enough and morel. We all have something to give - our time, our treasure,our talent,ourselves. What are your gifts? What are your loaves and fishes?

Clare Wilson


Old Testament: Genesis 50:15-26 Psalm 101, 109:1-30

New Testament: I Corinthians 12: 1-11 Gospel Mark 8:11-26

It is my job not to focus on revenge or resentment, but rather forgiveness, compassion, love, and tolerance. Less I act like the Pharisees and miss the miracles.

God has given me a special spiritual gift; and if I use it, I will have a much greater chance of doing his will.

Jim Walton

Thursday, March 22, 2012 Old Testament: Exodus 1:6-22 Psalm: 69:1-38 New Testament: I Corinthians 12:12-26 Gospel: Mark 8:27-9:1 'For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ...If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.' Children in America today grow up being told they can achieve anything. They hear that the sky is the limit and that all their dreams can be realized through determination and hard work. Kids who have internalized this message will undoubtedly believe that becoming a ballerina or an astronaut someday is a foregone conclusion, provided they persevere in that intention. I grew up thinking this way too. When I first learned that my father had been a football player on his high school team, I surmised that he was only kept from the NFL because he didn't "apply himself."

Although this attitude can have a positive impact on a child's sense of hope and innovation, it can also create an unrealistic perception of our purpose in life by making us believe that the only admirable destiny is a self-determined one. When I think about today's passage from Corinthians, I tend to focus on the harsh reality of the analogy. If Christ has chosen me as an "eye" in His church, then no amount of effort or training or willpower can convert me into an "ear" instead. I don't get to decide for myself. As Jonah and Moses both discovered first hand, we don't always have the most accurate vision regarding our capabilities and the roles God thinks it best for us to fill. While this is a profound idea in itself, even more powerful in my own life is the realization that I can't be more than one "body part" within the church, even if I think I can handle it. No matter how hard I try, I can never be all things to all people, least of all to God. It's a good thing too, because what would the church be like if everyone were like me? A natural human response might be "better, of course!" but what is the reality? I cringe when I imagine endless pews of shy and quiet parishioners, or priests who are fond of chanting but terrified to extemporize prayers out loud. What a relief to embrace the diversity of temperaments and talents that is gathered under Christ. I think this is an important thing for us to realize as Christians, and definitely something that's a challenge for me. There is a freedom to be enjoyed when we relax a little bit and start playing our own part instead of trying to direct the entire show. As we watch today's children become more stressed and overloaded with schoolwork and expectations, we might do well to combat those tendencies both in our children and in ourselves. Everyone needs time to sleep and to relax, to create and to pray. I might have the talent or interest to pursue twenty different activities or ministries, but I can be a better servant of God and caretaker of myself by accepting that I am only one part of the body of Christ. Of course I should fulfil my own role wholeheartedly, as lovingly and diligently as I can, but I cannot place all of the burdens on my own shoulders. Alongside that realization comes another added blessing. Being just a single part of Christ's body is not only a relief but a gift of companionship. I was struck by a short verse in today's Old Testament reading about Pharaoh's attempted slaughter of Jewish infants near the time of Moses' birth. The key figures in the story are the two midwives to the Jews, who disobeyed their orders to drown the male children in the Nile. As reward for their service to God, they did not receive riches or power, or even public recognition. The passage reads: "and because the midwives feared God, he gave them families." We are all similarly blessed, as we have been given the family of the church. We don't have to bear the pressure of being the head of the family, but we do enjoy the love and support both from Christ as our head and from each other as brothers and sisters. We are but small parts of the body of Christ. We are all in this together, and He is the only one who can do it all.

Cainna Browning

Friday, March 23, 2012 Old Testament: Exodus 2:1-22 Psalm: 95, 102 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 Gospel: Mark 9:2-13 Give praise to the greatness of God even when we are tested in our faith. As it is said in Psalms 95, “Let us sing to the Lord.” I vow his greatness as it is said in Psalms 102, “The children of thy servants shall dwell secure.” Sometimes when we pray we ask for immediate answers or results. “Answer me speedily in the day when I call” as said in the Psalms. We must try to understand even though we do not hear an answer. We also must try to understand when we do hear an answer that might not be the answer we want to hear. “Their posterity shall be established before thee.” As I read of the creation of man and woman in Genesis 2, I understand the beginning of the love of God by him to us and for him by us. In 1 Corinthians 12 it puts it all in perspective. Faith without love is nothing. “If I have all faith so as to move mountains but have not love, I am nothing.” In writing this Lenten Meditation and reading Mark 9 it is clear when Jesus took Peter, James and John to the mountain by themselves and they saw Jesus transfigured before them that the scriptures were beginning to be fulfilled. They were afraid and were instructed to “tell no one of what they had seen until the son of man should have risen from the dead.” They had many questions as they did not understand but soon they would be answered “as it is written of him.” Now we begin to understand the whole story. It begins in Genesis and continues in the Psalms of David to the Gospel of Mark and the letters of Paul. The true story of God and man must be in your belief, and not without love. The story of Jesus rising from death is the greatest love story of all. “For God so loved the world he gave his only son…..Amen Frank Farnan


Old Testament: Exod. 2:23-3:15 Psalms: 107:33-43, 108:1-13

New Testament: I Cor. 13:1-13 Gospel: Mark 9:14-29

God provides everything we need to live an abundant life and sums it up in one word. That word is love. That love is steadfast. That love is powerful. That love is life.

Sometimes God’s love is presented in unimaginable forms that surprise us, such as when God called Moses through an angel appearing in a burning bush in the desert. Moses had to have faith to believe that he was being called by God in the midst of a fire that could threaten his own life. He had to trust God was real and he had to hope that following God’s direction would provide a better life for those he was called to lead out of their tormented lives in Egypt. This presentation of God followed by the actions of faith and hope is a message that is conveyed in the New Testament lesson.

In 1 Corinthians Paul tells us that greatest gift is that of love. Faith alone, without love, is nothing. “Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. …So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” If we open our hearts to God’s love we can then fulfill divine directives with faith and hope.

Breathe in Love. Breathe out fear. Have faith and hope. Live!

Pam O’Brien


Old Testament: Exodus 3:16-4:12 Psalm 118

New Testament: Romans 12: 1-21 Gospel John 8:46-59

As Christians we must trust that God will be there for us no matter what the circumstance, if we come to Him with humility and give ourselves fully in exchange for the redeeming love that is promised to us.

In Exodus God commissioned Moses to act as his Ambassador to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt, Moses was uncertain he could convey the message or if the people would even listen, but God reassured Moses He would instruct him, He would be with him. He Promised Moses His Presence. He has Promised us His Presence.

Many of us are experiencing difficult situations, we may see hunger, sickness, homelessness around us, our faith may be shaken, let us hold strong to our faith, be an example to others by showing Love and Serving in whatever capacity we can.

Burdette Smith


Exodus 4: 10-31 Psalm 31

1 Corinthians 14:1-19 Mark 9:30-41

“Moses said to the Lord, ‘O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say.’ But Moses said, ‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Exodus 4:10-13

How often have I argued with God, pointing out my weaknesses to Him (as if He doesn’t know them already!) when I feel His nudge to do something I am fearful of doing? How often do I plead with Him to send someone else to do what He has in store for ME to do? I’ve responded with “Well, I don’t really have time to do that…” or “That’s not my spiritual gift…” and “So-and so is so much more qualified than I am to do that…”

The Lord’s response to Moses’ whining shows His love, His power and His grace! It’s like He’s saying, “Moses, it’s ME you’re talking to here, remember? I made you! Don’t you think I know what you’ve got in you? Now come on. Just TRUST me, and you’ll do fine. I will empower you. I am the Great Provider, after all!” Sure enough, just as God showed Moses just how He was able to provide for him and the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land, God shows me daily how He provides for me, when I simply place my trust in Him. Whether God’s call is as simple as needing an extra measure of patience for one of my preschool students at school, or as time-consuming as teaching an extensive year-long evening Bible Study to fifth-graders, God proves Himself to be my Great Provider, empowering me with just the right amount of patience, time, energy, strength, or whatever is needed to accomplish His goal. He takes my willingness and adds His grace, and I find myself doing way more than what is in my own power to accomplish. It’s scary, because I don’t always hear from God (as Moses does in today’s reading) exactly how He’s going to provide, but I have come to trust that He will. Even still, in my human frailty, I often hear myself saying “O Lord, please send someone else to do it!”

Today’s Psalm 31 refers to the Lord as a refuge, a strong fortress, a safe dwelling, a spacious place, a rock, and a shelter. Reciting phrases from this psalm - “I trust in you O Lord. You are my God”, “Save me in your unfailing love” and “How great is your goodness” remind me to take refuge in my God in all the circumstances of my life, and particularly when He is calling upon me to do something for Him that I am not inclined to do – when my fleshly response is “Please send someone else to do it, Lord!” And I am encouraged by the final verse in the psalm, to “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Great Provider, my Shelter and my Fortress, Forgive my inclinations to argue with you when you ask me to be used by you. Give me a willing heart to answer you with joy and enthusiasm, especially when you ask me to do the harder things I don’t seem to think I can do. Help me to trust that you will bless me with whatever you know I will need to accomplish your will. Give me eyes to see that you are empowering me, that you are my fortress, not me! Most of all, Lord, fill my heart with gratefulness for all your mercies each and every day. I love you, Lord. Help me to live into my love for you.

Amen.

Cindy Nehemias


Exod. 5:1-6:1 Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123

1st Cor. 14:20-33a, 39-40 Mark 9:42-50

“And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell…” Mark 9: 43-47

Hyperbole is a word I have grasped, finally. You would think with the number of Presidential elections I’ve witnessed (I’ll be voting in my 10th next November) the word, meaning great exaggeration, would ring in my head like the “Jeopardy” buzzer with every political ad I see or hear. The TV I can turn off. The stark, frightful instructions and consequences in Mark’s Gospel I cannot. They have always perplexed and haunted me. I know Jesus doesn’t mean it literally, so why the hyperbole?

The political ads are designed to come across as warnings but I often feel like I’m being conned or manipulated. Jesus loves me (I’m continuing to learn) so his warning carries an unavoidable impact. I hear his warnings like this…

Jesus: HEY!!! BRIAN!!! The going to Church regularly, the Bible study, the assisting elderly friends… all good but… what about that deep down stuff you and I know about? It separates us. That’s a danger loved one, that’s a danger. How much time DO you spend on computer games?

Brian: I gave up Freecell for Lent. Ask me how I’m doing. :- )

Jesus: Do you text while driving?

Brian: Not nearly as much as I used to… and mostly at red lights.

Jesus: Rationalizing?

Brian: Caught me. It’s a bad idea, plain and simple.

My dirty laundry hamper is deeper than that, believe me. The point is I have these pockets of pride and rebellion that have the potential of doing me in, and have done at times. What to do?

Some of my most cherished relationships are with people who work the 12 Steps (12Steps.org). The very first step is the realization (which only comes with humility) that we choose to hold on to things that will kill us, one way or another; that’s insanity. The next few steps have to do with getting honest with ourselves, God and others (all of a sudden, cutting off a body part could be a viable option). Bottom line… removing a limb won’t cure pride and rebellion.

Jesus knows the dank dark reaches of my heart and loves me still, more than I can comprehend. His warning is simultaneously a call to trust in his redeeming grace.

My 12 Stepping friends have modeled for me a way, with God’s help, to change my darkness into light. I want to go there, limbs intact. Thank you guys and gals!

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

Brian Nehemias


Old Testament: Exodus 7:8-24

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6

Have you ever known that something is “right”, or “correct”, or “true” and tried to change the mind of someone who is convinced otherwise? Not an easy task. One that most often fails, particularly when the other has a long-held belief in his “rightness.” In important relationships, these differences in learned belief patterns lead to gridlock, anger, resentment and emotional pain.

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh time and time again delivering the Lord's commandment “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness....”. Responding to Pharaoh's demand to show him a miracle, Moses and Aaron repeatedly demonstrated the power and capability of God. But, in spite of the discomfort inflicted on his people, Pharaoh's heart remained “hardened.” Neither plague or pestilence could convince him to change his mind. What could have manifested his irrational beliefs? Where did we get our own deep seeded beliefs of rightness and value? Moreover, what would it take to change those beliefs?

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” In this instance I believe that fragrance means the Spirit of Christ. The aroma of which permeates within us and outward from us as we move through our daily lives – touching the lives of others. A knowing that is untaught, unshakable, unalterable. It just is.......

To determine what you treasure, know what it is you are unwilling to risk.

Nell Collins


Old Testament: Exodus 7:25 - 8:19 Psalm: 131, 132, 133 New Testament: 2 Corinthians 3:7 - 18 Gospel Mark 10:17 - 31 The reality of living our imperfect everyday lives causes us to seek something more. Why is there always a vacancy from within while outwardly we seem somewhat competent? We are perfectly aware that there are answers beyond our realm. We can do our best and still our souls are left unsatisfied. Where is our hope? Psalms tell us that the Lord is the hope of Israel. God has provided the lineage to us, through David . He commands all our blessings. We are to have life for evermore. The Exodus plague stories of the frogs and gnats are discomforting. God wanted complete attention and obedience from his people so they could serve Him. Pharaoh and his people did not want to acquiesce to God, so the plagues came. When they got a respite, Pharaoh hardened his heart again and the people forgot the Providence of the Lord. They relied on others instead of God and went back to the old ways. Sometimes we experience this phenomenon. What can we do? We seek God with all our heart, mind, and soul, to fill our void with hope. 2 Corinthians tells of the veil of the old ways being removed revealing the new glory and liberty in Christ. The Lord is the Spirit. The Spirit is with us as we are changing into his likeness. Mark sums up how this can happen. All things are not possible with mankind, but are possible through God. Jesus tells us that we will inherit eternal life if we give up our possessions and follow him. Anything given up will be multiplied a hundredfold and we will receive eternal life. Jesus fills our vacancy when we invite him into our hearts. Hope is what we know when we acknowledge that God has not left us alone. He is here today and will be with us always through Jesus Christ. MaryPage McCampbell

Friday, March 30, 2012

Old Testament: Exodus 9:13-35 Psalm: 95, 22

New Testament: 2 Cor. 4:1-12 Gospel: Mark 10:32-45

2 Cor 4:6-10 (NIV) For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

During this time of lent and the passion of our Lord, we are reminded why Jesus suffered and died. He became the innocent one to die as the substitute for the guilty. It was the means God used to save us from our dysfunction, destructive violence and our abuse toward each other and to restore our relationship back to our heavenly Father. But there is more to it. Jesus tells us that we must take part in His passion. We, who are followers of Christ, must also as Paul puts it, “carry around in our body the death of Jesus” in order for the world to see the Glory of God in our lives. In this one passage, Paul reveals how the process works.

Paul speaks of a treasure which is resident in us who believe; the Holy Spirit who dwells in our jars of clay, our bodies. Paul tells the Corinthians that they should know that their bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1Cor 6:19-20 God is revealed to the world through us the same way the Glory of the Father was revealed in Jesus. As we carry

our cross of death, God’s glory is revealed in us as the fragrance of a perfume is released when its bottle is broken or opened, otherwise the scent remains confined.

I define the Cross as: The willingness to intimately embrace and experience the physical or emotional pain and suffering that accompanies the withdrawal of our fears, guilt, discontent and retaliation, which are exposed in our hearts through trials and circumstances of daily life due to injustice, abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, violence or calamity originating by others, intentional or accidental, or by nature.

The cross conveys and symbolizes death not life, suffering not joy, weakness not strength, defeat not victory. If Jesus came to give us life more abundantly, how is carrying this cross of death beneficial to Christians? The answer is that it has the unique ability to expose and bring to our consciousness the sinful thoughts and motives of our heart that lay dormant and unobservable. These sinful thoughts and motives prevent us from loving God and others with our whole heart. As the Cross uncovers these, Christ is there to forgive and cleanse our hearts. This would not be possible unless Christ rose from the dead. Jesus is alive and empowers us to bear our cross so our clay jar is broken and the treasure of God’s glory and love is made evident to all. The abundant life promised is the river that flows out of the treasure dwelling in our hearts toward others. Jn 4:13-14; 7:38-39

What does it mean to “carry around in our body the death of Jesus” or “take up our cross?” Matt 16:24-27

The cross may represent many facets of difficulty and struggle. It can incorporate:

• Physical pain, sickness and suffering • Mental and emotional stress • Humiliation and disgrace • Injustice and discrimination • Isolation and loneliness • Persecution

The cross we must share with Christ is the only escape from our unconscious sinfulness and is the instrument God uses for our sanctification. 1Pet 4:1-2 Our cross is not a cross of punishment. Ours is a cross for transformation. A cross that changes us, revives us, and renews us from glory to glory. It is the way God’s majesty, power, transcendence and holiness is manifested in us who believe. It is not with armies, weapons, wealth, fame and acts of judgment that God shows Himself, but in acts of love, humility, mercy, poverty and weakness. 2Cor 3:17-18

The cross Christ bore was one of condemnation, punishment and judgment for our sin, not his own, since he was without sin. 2Cor 5:21 Death by execution was the only way God could illustrate to mankind His hatred of sin and how serious sin’s effect has had on us. Executing sinners would not, show God’s immense love for us. God Himself, the 2nd person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, took upon Himself our sins and was executed in

our place. Christ’s passion demonstrates God’s love for sinners and justifies Him to freely forgive all of us unconditionally, showing creation God’s abhorrence of sin and His love for mankind.

Upon hearing the Gospel, the Greeks thought the message of the Cross was foolish, since it characterized weakness, condemnation, rejection and death. Most of us think the same way. How can death bring about life? But in regards to matters of God, eternity and salvation, spiritual laws must be considered. 1Cor 1:21-29

Some of us see the Cross as a meaningless negative interfering in our lives. We regard the Cross as foolishness to embrace and frequently retaliate and do many hurtful things to our neighbor, friends or coworkers to prevent its work. I don’t turn my cheek, I strike back. I don’t pray for those who abuse me, I judge them. I don’t prefer another above myself, I push to get ahead. When we look at Jesus’ death and burial, it implies a defeat of a mission, a life of love wasted and the death of a message of freedom. We often attempt to prevent ourselves from carrying the cross in our daily lives at the expense of others. This keeps us anxious, guilty and fearful, driving us to expend tremendous energy and resources to mitigate struggle. But Christ rose from the dead and the treasure that broke through the life of Jesus reveals that loving pays off but will cost us. There is a price that must be paid for loving now in this world, but the reward is the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead indwelling us. Ro 8:11

For the Jews and for some of us now, it seems absurd to think that God would humble Himself, put up with such nonsense, rudeness and cruelty and sacrifice Himself as the Lamb for His people’s redemption. Why would Omnipotent and Almighty God subject Himself to ridicule and humiliation from His own creation? Isa 52:13-15, 53, Matt 12:40 But, Jesus Christ took our violence upon Him and retaliated with the love and peace of the Beatitudes and revealed the fruit of the Holy Spirit at no expense or exploitation to others and without any collateral damage to the innocent bystander. Matt 5:1-20 God Himself became our example of the way to live.

The Beatitudes convey the perfect message of God's Kingdom and enables us to live with a clear conscience and free from regret. As we commit to do for others as we would have others do to us, the intrusion into our personal lives starts the dying process of the cross in our hearts and God gives us grace to embrace it. Eph 4:30-32; Ja 3:17-18

The process of the cross and its brokenness reveals the treasure and initiates the bearing of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. This fruit is not only made available and given to those who are noble, polite, grateful, those who can return the favor, or who are powerful and affluent. They will rarely eat the fruit from our tree. More often it will be the angry, disrespectful, dominating, needy, rejected, recluse, the criminal and destitute to whom we will be called to offer our fruit. Gal 5:18-26 And, they who have no hope, no love, no faith will see hope, feel love and faith will rise in their hearts as they see the light of Christ in us reach out to them.

Gideon was a young frightened farmer the Lord called to be the leader of 300 men to fight 3 armies at once who gathered against Israel. They were continually vandalizing his country. Trusting in the Lord, Gideon made 300 torches to use as lights for each man and covered each torch with a clay jar. The 300 men surrounded the camp of the enemy (of thousands) and at the blast of a trumpet each man broke their jar and exposed the light and started yelling in the Name of the Lord. The thousands of enemy soldiers panicked started fighting and killing each other and scattered, thinking they were surrounded by a vast army of soldiers. Gideon with only 300 men was victorious. Judges 6:11-7:25

When we allow our clay jars to be broken as we love others, God’s light in us will shine out to the world for everyone to see. The presence and glory of God in our lives will bring His love, peace and message to all we come in contact with. God’s victory will be won over the powers of darkness and sin and His Kingdom will be established.

David Varella


Old Testament: Exodus10:21-11:8 Psalm 137:1-9,144


The Gospel of Mark is a scripture that we all know so well, where Jesus restores the sight of a blind beggar. Obviously there is much parable in this reading because sight in this context refers not only to visual acumen but also to spiritual enlightenment.

“Go your way; your faith has made you well." It is in this wellness that we are bound, and allowed to find peace within us. This is one of the great joys of our Episcopal religion. The essence of which binds us in unity, faith and peace.

Our faith gives us the ability to see, to see beyond ourselves and therefore to find completeness within ourselves. It is a gift from God.

In closing, C.S. Lewis wrote, " I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else!"

Be with God.

Tim Brown

Palm Sunday April 1, 2012 Old Testament Zech. 9:9-12 Psalm 24, 29 New Testament 1 Timothy 6:12-16 Gospel Luke 19:41-48

Seeing Cities

"As Jesus came near and saw the city, he wept over it..." (Luke 19:41) About five years ago I got out of a train in a dark, dank underbelly. I followed a crowd of people to an escalator, rode it to the top and was confronted with the large words: Madison Square Garden. I turned to my left and, with a cool breeze kissing my face, I saw the tiered lights of the Empire State Building for the very first time. My thought: I finally made it! A life-long dream had come true. This past summer, as I had done for many years in the past, I drove through the night-time calm of I-95. As the amber glow of street lights made halos on my windshield and I glanced at the shadows of dancing palm trees and the impressions of local fauna on sound barrier walls, I came to see one of my very favorite sights: West Palm Beach against the night sky. I love the way she almost seems to hover, her lights reflected and stretched in the lake bifurcated by Okeechobee Boulevard.

She was a sight for road-weary eyes and I thought, as I had many times during my college years: I finally made it. I am home. Resting one's eyes on a city is a magnificent thing that is always rife with meaning. Either the city conveys a feeling of relief, a welcome sight that implies home-coming, or it can imply a feeling of awe. Years ago I stood on the banks of Lake Eola and just stared at Orlando. I remember how I realized that every dot of light I saw was a person. It was either an office light, burning into the night as an indicator of someone at work. Or it was an apartment light, signifying a presence at home. All those people, living, working, going through life with their own problems and joys. It truly can overwhelm a person. But there's another emotion that a city can convey: dread. That dreadful, overwhelming feeling can come from a realization of hopelessness. All those people. Can I make a difference? Me? Astronauts experience this sometimes. It's called asthenia, and it happens when they see the earth from miles up and realize not only how small the planet is, but also how little impact they can ever have. How little they can ever know of this ball in space. When I read of Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, I wonder about all these feelings. Are there elements of all of these at play in Our Lord's mind? Jerusalem is a stunning sight. As you approach it from the Mount of Olives, the whole place lays bare, a jewel of a thing--a city of golden hues nestled amidst hills and mountains. There's a church built there to commemorate the moment Jesus first sees the city. It's called Dominus Flevit, meaning "The Lord Wept." The window behind the altar shows the whole of Jerusalem and you can get an idea of what Jesus saw as He wept. The sight can move one to tears, but usually of a different sort than what Jesus has here. Tears for Jerusalem are usually tears borne from overwhelming beauty, not tears of lament... Luke, like the other "synoptic" gospels, depicts this scene as Jesus' first sight of the city--His triumphant arrival to the destination His ministry has been leading toward. For

John's gospel, Jesus has been going back and forth to Jerusalem. But Luke has this moment as the moment--where Jesus lays His eyes on His city for the first time. Jesus' lament is presented in terms of inevitability. Jesus recognizes the impending demise of the great city, noting that ramparts will be set on all sides and that the people will be crushed. This event happened a mere 40 years after Jesus' time, when Titus destroyed the city at Vespasian's behest (a war which his predecessor, Nero, had started). But there's more going on in this lament, perhaps. Earlier in Luke we read Jesus' famous words "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Luke 13:34) Jesus sees Jerusalem's destruction, in part, due to their denial of God's work done through Him. But that line, "you who kills the prophets" is quite telling, I think. Jesus recognizes Himself in that moment. That Jerusalem will be His place of suffering. Where the darkest parts of humanity's heart will be exposed. Where God will be murdered. He laments because He loves them and doesn't want their evil to play out. As is His nature, Jesus mourns our brokenness even as He loves us. But that city is also the place of incredible grace... Seeing the city, Jesus brings out some fundamental truths. He demonstrates that cities are both places of despair and hope; occasions for both sin and grace. Cities are home to both darkness and light. For it is in the city He laments that not only is great evil committed, it is also where the world is fundamentally transformed. Because in that city, as in all cities, there dwells both a bloody cross and an empty grave. When we look at those dots of lights, where it can almost seem like stars and earth are one, we see the same thing Jesus did. We see a world in need of a savior, as well as a world ready to kill that savior. We see pin-pricks in the fabric of our reality, possibilities for God's redeeming work just itching to break like dawn. And, like Jesus, we must enter in, ready to bring God's presence. Ready with "hosannas" on our lips to praise our God who triumphs over darkness.

The Rev. Charles Browning

Monday, April 2, 2012

Old Testament Lam.1:1-2, 6-12 Psalm 51:1-20

New Testament 2 Cor. 1:1-7 Gospel Mark 11:12-25

It is unimaginable that St. Paul gathered diverse ancient peoples, mostly Gentiles who formed a joyful group of believers ingrafted into the body of Christ Personality alone cannot explain this phenomenon such as this; many respond to a new teaching, but often drift away. But the person Paul declared was not a dead man, but a living Spirit attested by the Holy Spirit who filled each believer trusting in the message. These believers possessed all the gifts of the Spirit and became a separated people (like us) who belonged to God reflecting the living Jesus. It is the light in us which draws others to Jesus. Do others look at us as and see something alive and different which they want to have. That was how I became a believer through a divinity student at a Methodist Seminary who reflected that Light which drew me to Christ.

Neil Maas

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Old Testament: Lamentations 1:17‐22 Psalm: 6, 12

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 1:8‐22 Gospel: Mark 11:27‐33

Mark 11:27‐33:

“Again they came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven or was it of human origin? Answer me.” They argued with one another, “If we say “From heaven”, he will say “Why then did you not believe him?” But shall we say, “Of human origin”?”‐they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

The passage is referred to as “The Question about Authority”. It also appears in Matthew and Luke almost verbatim. There are a number of times when Jesus is challenged publicly by the religious and political leaders. In this case our Lord demonstrates his authority by demonstrating his superior debating skills. He has been put in a position where he could be accused of blasphemy. Instead of answering directly, he uses a classic instance of answering a question with a question. It is interesting that his opposers don’t seem to object, and he then lures them into a logical trap.

The question that he then asks the leaders puts them in an awkward position. And the Gospel clearly spells this out. Since John has declared Jesus to be the Messiah, then if John’s authority is from heaven he must be correct. If from the people, they are afraid of turning against them for they see John is a true prophet. Having no good answer they take the low road, allowing Jesus to avoid a direct answer, and a confrontation.

We know that Jesus will continue to face other ordeals of questioning, and we have much to learn by his grace under pressure, his mental quickness, and his ability to sway his followers. One can only imagine the no‐win situation of trying to match wits with such a formidable opponent. As the Broadway show based on the book of Matthew put it so well: Your Arms Too Short to Box with God!

Jack Lansing

Wednesday April 4, 2012

Old Testament: Lamentations 2:1-9 Psalm: 55

New Testament: 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 Gospel: Mark 12:1-11

Psalm 55

“Oh that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest; truly I would flee far away;”

In this lament from David we hear his desperate call to God as he voices his anguish over a close friend who has betrayed him. Oh, how many times I have thought and said those very same words! When an angry parent is demanding immediate action in a teacher conference, I think of having wings. When another faculty member seems to go n circles and have no end, I think of flying away. When a child is in a predicament that I cannot quickly resolve, I wish I were a dove. When a pile of homework needs to be handled before leaving work, I wish I could flee far away. These are only a few if the times which could bring me to utter those wishful words of flight accompanied by a long sigh.

In our lives today, as with David so long ago, a turning against us by a close friend is often cause for such distress as to make us cry out that we want to be far away from all complications of trust turned to malice. Since we’re not able to physically transport ourselves above and away from that which beleaguers us so today, what do we do to overcome this anguish? Professional athletes are known to use visualization to help them achieve their goals. Visualization of having wings and soaring above our discomfort might ease our stress, but visualizing our Savior’s love, grace, and mercy WILL lead us to our goal. When we communicate to God our broken-heart following betrayal, or our desperation over a life that is too complicated, we are turning to the only One who is truly able to lessen our load. God wants us to ask for help, t turn to him to show us a way ‘above and beyond’ our troubles. It is He who takes us away to that place where our mind can be at rest as He shows us a way out of our distress.

As we call out our desire to be relieved, let us also call on our Father t bring us the strength of Jesus to withstand what is before us. When we trust and depend on His love, we are as carefree and safe as if we were in heaven.

I will cast my burden upon you Lord

And you will uphold me.

I will call out my troubles

And you will comfort me.

I will trust in your love

And you will save me. Susie Bryant

Maundy Thursday, April 5, 2012

Old Testament: Lamentations 2:10-18 Psalm: 102

New Testament: I Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32 Gospel: Mark 14:12-25

When I read today’s Gospel lesson I must confess I was disappointed. Today is Maundy Thursday and there is not a mention of foot washing. So I decided to write this meditation not based on Mark, but rather one of the Gospel lessons that you will hear if you join us this evening at the Maundy Thursday service, John 13:1-15. John incorporates the events of Mark but adds a plethora of imagery as he is prone to do.

Imagine yourself for a moment in attendance at that last Passover feast with Jesus and his friends. When Jesus silently leaves his seat of honor, dons an apron, and begins to wash the feet of his disciples. This story from John’s gospel is powerful in itself, that Jesus took upon himself great humility and washed feet. Feet that I imagine were nothing like most of ours. They wore sandals back then. The roads were unpaved, dusty in dry weather and muddy in wet. Then there were surely the occasional gifts left behind by the many animals running around the streets of ancient Jerusalem that gave sandal clad pedestrians a most unpleasant surprise. I think that we have a natural aversion to dirty, smelly feet, after all, how many of us have found ourselves giving our feet an extra good scrubbing before going to a Maundy Thursday service where foot washing would be conducted?

Every Maundy Thursday I find my mind wandering to the years I spent working part-time at an emergency room in Ft. Myers Beach. Ft. Myers Beach is a port for shrimp boats and shrimpers are indeed a unique breed of individuals who can be counted on for a few things. One of those things is that you WILL see at least one or two of them in the ER over any given weekend. More often than not it was the result of just a little too much of whatever it was they

were able to get their hands on that weekend. Another thing you could count on is that there are no showers on those shrimp boats where most of them live. We had two rules in that ER. One was that every patient had to wear a gown so that the doctor could properly examine them and this included taking off their shoes. The other rule was that if the patient is a shrimper, never, ever remove their shoes … for any reason. These were face puckering, nose hair singeing, gag inducing stinking feet and you can bet that any novice nurse who made the mistake of taking off their shoes would not only find herself with no help whatsoever, but that she would not make the same mistake twice.

When I read John’s account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, I like to think that the disciples had shrimpers’ feet. I think that somehow makes the humility of Jesus’ actions more authentic to me, that this wasn’t just a symbolic action, but a real sacrifice of humility. I am curious that this story is not recounted in any of the other gospels so I looked at the other last supper accounts and am convinced that John forgot to mention the back-story that we find in Luke’s gospel. Luke tells us that while the disciples were laid back partaking of the Passover feast they got into an argument over which one of them was considered to be Jesus’ greatest disciple. Pride! They were fighting over who was more conceited. I imagine it happened something like this … the disciples, who perhaps had a little too much Passover wine at this point, are arguing with each other. A couple of them may even have stood up pointing at the others and they were probably getting more than a little loud and boisterous. Then Jesus quietly and slowly gets up and without saying a word, puts on an apron and takes a basin of water and kneels down in front of the loudest disciple and begins to wash his feet. Imagine how much more powerful that silent rebuke must have been than anything Jesus could have said. Jesus said to them, and says to us, that I am among you as one who serves and now that I have washed your feet you should also wash one another’s feet, being ready and willing to serve the least of God’s people. He says explicitly that he has set for us an example that we should do as he has done for us.

Peter, and let’s face it, Peter often comes across with a little dramatic flair, Peter was so moved by Jesus’ act of humility that he said to not only wash his feet, but his whole body, to which Jesus curiously replies that one who has had a bath only needs to wash his feet because the whole body is clean. Now we know that’s not usually true, but the bath here is clearly a metaphor of our baptism and all that our baptism symbolizes. There is an obvious sacramental tone to this account in which we are introduced to the sacrament of Holy Communion and in which the sacrament of baptism is so clearly referenced. So how does this example of foot washing fit into to grand scheme of things? A sacrament is a visible sign of inward grace. To a non-Christian the bread and wine are nothing more than bread and wine. But to Christians something beautiful and mysterious happens when we take the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, and draw unexplainably close to Him through that act of worship. I love the word “communion” because that is what we really are doing, we are communing, connecting, feeling at one with Christ. Similarly baptism to a non-believer is nothing more than a splash of water, but for us as Christians it touches at the very fiber of our spiritual being, it marks us as Christ’s own forever. So what do we do with foot washing?

Should foot washing be a sacrament in the way that communion and baptism are? Some Christians have said yes. I have read that the symbol of foot washing refers to confession, an outward sign of an inward grace. In this sense it is a sacrament. In the Epistle lesson for today, Paul recounts the last supper as he teaches on the sacrament of communion. Written before the Gospels, these are perhaps the earliest words of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. Paul tells us that it is imperative that we come to the Lord’s Table prepared. But what does this mean? I think that our liturgy does a beautiful job of expressing this. We come together and praise God, we hear the word and meditate on it, we pray together, and in the last element of the Service of the Word we confess our sins. This is an act of humility. It is our acknowledgment that we have failed on our own, but that God in his mercy forgives us. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s forgiveness, only to acknowledge our mistakes and to ask for forgiveness. The words of the liturgy express this as an act of humility, “Let us humbly confess our sins against God and our neighbor.”

Then we greet each other in peace. Now I realize that most churches treat this as an intermission of sorts, as a time to say hello and catch up on the latest gossip, but that is not what the peace is for. Again, our liturgy is so beautiful in that it provides us with the opportunity to come to the Lord’s Table prepared. After we confess our sins we have the opportunity to go and make peace with our sisters and brothers so that we may come and commune with Christ with pure hearts. On Maundy Thursday we follow Jesus’ example of humbling ourselves to wash each other’s feet just before we confess our sins, highlighting that confession is a humbling act and that foot washing and confession go hand in hand. The disciples were full of pride before Jesus humbled himself and washed their feet, likewise we must divest ourselves of our own pride when we come to God in confession. If we harbor pride, we cannot humbly confess our sins. If we don’t confess our sins we are not prepared to come to the altar of God. Our pride gets in the way of our communion with Christ.

I would like to close with a story I ran across in the Washington Post while preparing this semi-short meditation. A soup kitchen volunteer at Centenary United Methodist Church in Richmond, Virginia felt that there was a huge disconnect between the volunteers and the homeless people they served. She said, “How can we really care about them if we don’t even know them?” So now she and a group of volunteers get on their knees every Friday before lunch and scrub the feet of the homeless people they serve. Many of these feet are calloused, cracked, malodorous, and many are sore and infected from cold nights spent on the street. What they really needed was some old-school Christian doctrine in action. One volunteer said that the act of washing homeless people’s feet makes you feel vulnerable and transparent to your brother, just think about what the world would be like of more people did this. The goal of this group is to break the ice and bond with those they serve in a profound way, to show them that someone cares and, by doing so, to recapture the spirit of Jesus. The reaction to this ministry of humility is best summed up in the words of a 32 year old homeless mother who said, “At first it was weird, because you have corns and bunions, you know, you don’t want nobody to be handling your feet. I don’t know the Bible story it comes from or the history that comes with it, but I know one thing for sure: When they put my feet in that hot water – Whew! It sure feels like heaven.”

I now think back to those shrimpers. I wish that I had had the humility to take off their shoes and to wash their feet, to trim their nails and rub them with lotion and tenderly fit them with new socks. So now my sisters and brothers, I leave us with this thought. Do we follow Jesus’ example and humble ourselves in the service of our Lord. If not, does our pride affect our confession and interfere with our communion with Christ?

Jeremy Froyen

Friday, April 6, 2012

Old Testament: Lam. 3:1-9, 19-33 Psalm: 95,22

New Testament: 1 Peter 1:10-20 Gospel: John 13:36-38

What’s so “good” about Good Friday?

Today, once again, we remember the darkest day of all human history – a day in which misguided human beings violently rose up against God’s own Son and murdered the only truly innocent person who ever lived. Philip Yancey, in his book entitled “What good is God?” states, “we remember that day not as Dark Friday, Tragic Friday or Disaster Friday – no we commemorate Good Friday.” Although, in my opinion, any one of those names could be appropriate.

So why do we call this day of agony, suffering, humiliation and heartbreak “good?” Our Gospel reading selected for today puts us right in the middle of the last supper. Jesus has just instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, informed His disciples that one of them would betray Him, given them a new commandment – “to love one another as I have loved you,” and then delivers the shocker – “I will not be with you much longer – I am going away.” Then Peter, who always seems to be at the forefront of Jesus’ life, asks “where are you going Lord? I want to go with you.” Jesus answers, “Where I am going you cannot go – now, but you will follow later.” In his boisterous and confident style, Peter is quick to promise “I will lay down my life for you!” Jesus asks, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Peter is then told he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows.

Ahh…., our beloved Peter - quick to jump out there and respond. Quick to make promises he cannot nor will not keep. But can’t we all identify with Peter? What promises have we made to Jesus that we have not kept? How have we too assisted in driving the nails into His hands and into His feet? How have we pierced His side?

Betrayal. Denial. Agony. Humiliation. Suffering. Death. What could possibly be “good” about this particular Friday? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret. (One I hope you will share with everyone you know!) Without Good Friday, there would be no Easter. That’s right, no death – no resurrection. That awful day made possible the salvation of the world and also Easter – a foretaste of God’s promise that He will make all things new. And my brothers and sisters, God keeps His promises.

So this Friday, as we weep in remembrance of how our Lord was humiliated beyond our wildest imaginations, and suffered so profoundly for our sins – yours and mine – we are blessed to know the end of the story – that our tears of sorrow will turn to tears of joy, knowing full well that our Redeemer lives. Andrea Thomas

Holy Saturday, April 7, 2012

Old Testament Lam. 3:37-58

New Testament Heb. 4:1-16 Psalm 95, 88

The collect for Holy Saturday reads thus:

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Saturday in our Church is one of the Holy Days that are often overlooked in our busy lives at home and at church. Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season culminated by Palm Sunday, Holy Week and finally Easter. But all too often Holy Saturday gets lost in the shuffle. Yesterday, Good Friday Jesus died a hard death on the cross and was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath. Many a martyr since has “died hard” for their faith. We need to rest today and think about the remainder of our lives.

Today it is not fashionable to die hard. We prefer to have those of advanced age slip out of sight and quietly conclude their existence without a fuss. We live in an age of enforced retirement and comfortable senior citizens homes.

But the heart of the issue isn’t retirement or non-retirement, but rather the strong passion to live life to the fullest. . There is a wonderful Irish drinking toast which goes

like this: “Here’s to your coffin; may it be made with hundred year old oak trees, which I will plant tomorrow.”

Who wants to live to be on hundred if our years are devoid of life and vitality of spirit? The lust for the spirit of life isn’t something you acquire at age sixty five or seventy; it needs to be a lifelong habit If we wish to “live to be a hundred” – to die hard – then we must learn how to live today with gusto. We must resist the daily tug of the angel of death and keep the heart of a child.

Then, whether or not we live until the oak trees grown for our coffin reach the century mark, we will be ready. Jesus promised that he would give his disciples life in great abundance. But it is the depth at which we dare to live rather than the length of our lives that brings about the fullness of that promise.

Canon Hap Lewis

Easter, April 8, 2012 from the Lectionary, year B

Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalms 118

John 20:1-18 Mark 16:1-8

Believing her perfectly capable of composing an entry for the Lenten Meditation Booklet, I proposed to Gay Shepard that I would assist her as reader and scribe if she chose to do so. She accepted.

The conversation generated buy our delving into the scriptures took us in many different directions, with moments of pensive pondering, honest personal dialogue and new insights into God’s love for us. Thank you Holy Spirit! I realized that separating my bits and pieces from Gay’s thoughts and musings would render an incomplete version of the work we’d done together. So it is with humility, a great sense of honor on my part and Gay’s blessing that Gay and I offer, as collaboration, the following meditation.

It was women who first arrived at the tomb. Surely all of Jesus’ friends and followers were shocked, grieving, and lost, in the coming to terms with the death of their beloved Christ. It was the women though who, overcoming their hurt and fear, made their way to the tomb early on the first day of the week to anoint his body, a final act of devotion. Mark 16:1

There is a strong parallel between Mary, the mother of Jesus, being the first bearer of the knowledge of Christ’s incarnation and Mary Magdalene being the first bearer of the reality of the resurrected Christ. The Lord chose the women initially, and used their faith to carry forward the profound implications of both his birth and resurrection.

Finding the very large stone rolled from the entrance was startling enough. In short order Mary Magdalene encounters two angels and the risen Lord himself. When she recognizes him, he instructs her to tell the disciples she has seen him, that he is raised from the dead! John 20:17. She does so, but they received the news skeptically. Mark 16:11

How uncomfortably similar to the disciples we can be. Even though we have the advantage of reciting every Sunday “On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures;” we know the story, the sequence of events and they become commonplace, we take them for granted. Do we accept the promise of the resurrection? What does it mean (we can hear ourselves asking along with the disciples), he is Risen?

Isaiah describes the promise this way “And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death for ever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth.” 25:7+8

We are invited to live as forgiven people, with tears wiped whenever they come, with disgraces taken away when we incur them. We can partner with Jesus in destroying “the shroud that is cast over all people” by forgiving others as we are forgiven.

Like the disciples before us, understanding and living with a resurrected Lord is a daily challenge. The day’s collect succinctly articulates our direction “Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection;” The appointed Psalm also gives us hope. Psalm 118 bids us to “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his mercy endures forever” and reminds us that “The Lord is our strength and our song, and he has become our salvation.”

So let us say with renewed expectation, renewed anticipation, with courage and hope…

Alleluia! The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Gay Shepard Brian Nehemias

rising very early in the morning, while it was still...

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