A Lenten Invitation for all Spiritual Pilgrims
By Surprisedbyjoy@yahoo.com and Gods_gnome@yahoo.com
An introduction to Lent Ash Wednesday Ash Thursday Ash Friday Ash Saturday"It is never too early or too late to care for the well-being of the soul." Epicuris
Welcome to an adventure with God. Lent brings us into great moments of inner reflection for spiritual pilgrims around the world. Feel free to share these simple meditations with others thirsty for personal renewal as we enter the forty days preceding Easter. Technically Lent does not include Sundays from Ash Wednesday to Easter, but the authors have chosen to include Sunday meditations.
What is Lent? Lent is a distinctly Christian annual event, but you do not have to be Christian to use the insights shared in these reflections. During Lent we remember the life, suffering, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the greatest spiritual leader known in world history. Every generation universally finds Lent a powerful time for prayer with special spiritual readings. Many use Lent to prepare for Christian baptism. Community and private worship center on the cross of Christ and the empty tomb. We identify with Jesus as he approaches the cross. Lent is a time for more intentional prayer and meditation.
Spiritual seekers often choose to live their faith with greater awareness. Perhaps you may feel called to increase financial giving to the poor and/or engage in more acts of kindness and a season of self-denial. Others might choose to read a gospel for the first time in its entirety. Someone else may discern a call to daily pray the Jesus Prayer with or without icons. This is often called the perfect prayer, or the prayer of the heart. Many choose to intentionally go without food for selected periods of times to enhance their prayer life. Others may "give up" favorite foods in order to be more open and aware of God's presence and power. I know of a woman who annually gives up pizza and chocolate for the entire period of Lent. Can you guess what she eats on Easter Sunday?
You do not have to "give up" anything for this Lenten experience. But we often find our inner life is enhanced when we practice intentional spiritual disciplines to prepare our hearts for the cross that Jesus experienced for us.
If you do not own a Bible, the selected daily scripture texts can be located through a variety of Internet Bibles. The Unbound Bible offers 10 English versions and 31 other languages at http://unbound.biola.edu. Additional hypertext Bibles offering forty-seven different languages can be found at http://www.crosssearch.com/Bible/Translations.
Perhaps you may feel a need for prayer companions while you pilgrimage. A variety of ecumenical prayer chapel links are offered through www.soulfoodministry.org. Two highly trusted prayer teams include www.mccdc.com/inside/prayer.html and skyfeathr1@aol.com. They have prayed in English for people around the world and can translate Spanish, French and Portuguese prayer requests.
Who are the authors? "God's Gnome" (Gods_gnome@yahoo.com) is an ordained Christian minister. She believes God continues to call ordinary, seemingly unimportant people and offers them extraordinary and vital ways to serve and live self-giving love. She has ministered to widely diverse people since 1984. She is a prolific and gifted writer who has often contributed to www.whosoever.org.
"Surprised by Joy" (surprisedbyjoy@yahoo.com) is also an ordained Christian minister. Through www.soulfoodministry.org, she strives to help people experience God's extraordinary loving-kindness through a growing number of multilingual contemplative reflections. When not online, she is actively engaged in labyrinth ministry. For those unfamiliar with the labyrinth, several recommended web sites are located at www.labyrinthsociety.org, www.gracecom.org and www.labyrinth-enterprises.com.
The two authors became friends and colleagues at www.christianlesbians.com. Through email conversations in 1999, they discerned a call to write and share these Lenten reflections with you while living on different continents. May each reader be blessed with this popular Arabic pilgrimage blessing. "Be safe and well. Peace, love, courage." God bless you in the days ahead.
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By Surprised by Joy
"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
I hate death and so does God. An ancient teacher has said, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2a). Lent begins with Ash Wednesday worship services around the world. Priests, chaplains and pastors gently place ashes on each person, quietly murmuring: "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." During Ash Wednesday, we confront both our own mortality and confess our sins before God. The use of ashes is significant in Jewish and Christian worship. The ashes represent powerful nonverbal expressions of inward repentance as we ask God's forgiveness for remembered and forgotten wrongdoings in our lives.
I wrote this reflection on a wintery morning after walking an outdoor labyrinth. The earth was frosty and crunched under my feet. The clear, cold, northern wind blew across my face. I remember enjoying the winter's brilliance, moving joyfully with every step towards the center of the labyrinth. Then I saw it. Death lay before me in the labyrinth path. A lifeless bird had been caught in winter's cruel grip. Dead eyes were glazed with frost. Rigor mortis had set in. The poor creature had been dead for some time. It had obviously died during a thaw and then literally froze into the earth. Remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return.
A vital part of Ash Wednesday is personal reflection and prayer to confess sin in our lives. As I reflect on the frozen bird, I realize that sin can literally freeze our hearts towards God. We can be frozen in our spirits because of unconfessed sin in our lives. Spiritual renewal begins with confession. All of us have "missed the mark" somewhere in our lives. None of us are perfect, except God. Only Christ is the sinless one, and he is the friend of sinners. Confession thaws our hearts.
Do you lack words for your prayers? Then try praying the Psalms. People have wet the pages of this beloved prayer book over the centuries and found hope in all circumstances. Prayers for divine forgiveness and repentance are essential for our soul! The early Christian church quickly recognized their worth in the life of faith. The most famous Psalms used during Lent are Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143. Confession is good for the soul. Without confession, we distant ourselves from the Loving One who created us.
For a Lenten spiritual discipline, consider reading these suggested Psalms. There is a reason why people of faith have read them over and over again through millenniums. They have stood the test of time. They help us pray and linger in God's heartbeat. Our hearts are frozen and lifeless without periodic confession and repentance. God is eager to forgive those with contrite and humble hearts.
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin…cleanse me…wash me…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me" (Psalm 51: 1-12).
"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Take some time today and come to God. Ask for a cleansed and new heart. Ask for renewed joy in your spiritual life.
Prayer: God, help us be restored and experience joy in our spiritual life as we confess our sins today. Amen.
(For those unfamiliar with the labyrinth, several helpful web sites are http://labyrinthsociety.org, http://gracecom.org and http://labyrinth-enterprises.com.)
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By Surprised by Joy
The Good News
Mark 1:1
"The beginning of the good news (gospel) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Mark 1: 1
The journey of Lent involves following the footsteps of Jesus Christ through the stories found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The word "gospel" literally means "good news." They bring us "good news" in a world often full of "bad news." The gospels have amazing spiritual power and insights. By reading them, we can begin to love and trust God through the Jesus stories. Jesus Christ is the greatest spiritual teacher known in world history. He is completely non-homophobic. Through Jesus, people of all sexual orientations can find a loving place in the Biblical stories.
Lent is about spiritual pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is a sacred journey that everyone can participate in through reading the gospels. "Pilgrimage is always an inward journey," suggests Phil Cousineau in The Art of Pilgrimage. Huston Smith wisely suggests that we each need to target a place, our Mecca, our Jerusalem, and our Mount Meru to begin the inward sacred journey. Consider reading one of the gospels for your inward target! The gospel of Mark is the shortest Jesus account and many of our Lenten reflections come from these energetic stories.
Many pilgrims find centering prayer through a sacred word, name or phrase to be spiritually empowering. Phil Cousineau has said, "Words heard by chance have often been known to change lives." Through meaningful repetition, we can often become centered and grounded. Some might call this a mantra. Whatever we call it, they can help us experience inner chapels of our hearts. We can carry these chapels everywhere we go through quiet breath prayers.
For your Lenten discipline, remember that Scripture is a privileged place for meeting God. Consider breathing in a sacred word or two for today's journey. Reclaim the name of Jesus Christ as your heart prayer. It's so easy. Simply and quietly breathe in the name "Jesus." Slow your breathing slightly; perhaps even suspend it for a moment. Then slowly exhale, with the name "Christ." Let "Jesus Christ" be your mantra today as you reflect on your life with God. Let "Jesus Christ" be your Ash Thursday meditation.
Prayer: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Jesus. Christ. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
The Jesus Prayer
The Jesus prayer has often been called "the perfect prayer" and "prayer of the heart." It is based on meaningful repetition. Through meaningful repetition, we prepare ourselves for meeting God in fresh new ways. This wonderful prayer has been enjoyed around the world and is rooted in Scripture. The Jesus prayer summarizes the teachings of Christ and the Christian gospel, for Jesus came preaching repentance of sins and offers us a new life in God (Mark 1: 15).
One who had "missed the mark" prayed "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Luke 18: 13). Another Biblical writer wrote, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The early church understood that "there is no other name under heaven...by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:10).
The Jesus prayer is: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
We can prepare ourselves for praying this marvelous prayer. The basic idea of the prayer is to pray constantly with a special attention to God. The prayer is prayed throughout the day as we go about our daily lives and chores. The prayer is a formula that is prayed again and again and again. With time and practice, many find a natural rhythm of prayer with their breathing and heartbeat. As we pray this prayer, we may find ourselves shortening the prayer to Jesus, mercy. Or perhaps the Spirit will lead you to change a word or two. An appropriate breath prayer responding to the Jesus prayer is: "Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your mercy." This is the heart of the gospel. Expect spiritual renewal and inner joy in the days and weeks ahead as you pray the Jesus prayer for your Lenten discipline.
The Jesus prayer is based on four simple elements. The Holy name of Jesus is a source of power and grace. The prayer helps us appeal for divine mercy with inward grief and repentance. Frequent repetition is a spiritual discipline of value. The repetition can lead us into inner silence or stillness that is one form of contemplative prayer.
If the Jesus prayer has touched your spirit, consider reading The Way of a Pilgrim, translated by Helen Bacovic (Doubleday Image Books). The Pilgrim is an anonymous nineteenth-century warfarer as he wanders over mother Russia in search of the answer to the one compelling question: How does one pray constantly? The Pilgrim is every reader.
May you be surprised with joy in your prayer life today. God bless you.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your mercy. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
Come and See
John 1: 46
How can blind persons appreciate a fine painting which they have not seen; one for which they must rely on the description offered by a friend or colleague? How can we enjoy a garden until we have walked its paths, smelled the fragrances, and seen with our eyes the variety of plants, the contrast of foliage or the magnificence of flowers in bloom? How can we experience the moods of a symphony or sonata and understand what the composer chose to portray and the performers’ interpretation, until we have heard the composition itself? How can we say we are familiar with a particular author when all we have read is a columnist’s comment? How can we appreciate a vintage wine unless we take it in our hands, smell the bouquet, view the colour and finally taste the resultant product?
Similarly how can we know the triune God until we are prepared to Come and see for ourselves? God can never be experienced through second-hand reports, for God’s relationship is with us on a one to one basis. God has no grand-children, each person must choose for themselves to accept or reject the place they have been offered in God’s family. Children who have found something delightful are always anxious to share their find with those they love. In the same way the disciples called family members and friends to come and see for themselves this prophet who had arrived from Nazareth.
The woman with the haemorrhage came to see, and having seen Jesus, she reached out her hand to touch his cloak, and was healed. Friends of a paralysed man lifted the tiles from the roof of a house where Jesus was staying, and came with him to see his healing accomplished. Such excitement, such a buzz ensued around Israel, with people everywhere sharing their eye-witness accounts of the miracles wrought by this man - miracles which were not confined to healing of the bodies of those who approached him, for his words also penetrated deep into the lives of his listeners, and healed their emotions, their racial hatred, together with their sense of worthlessness and isolation.
Come and see. The invitation is still extended to this day, by those who have thrilled to know the intimate presence of God in their lives - those who in today’s world have found a haven of peace, who have found a Companion for life’s journey, or who have known release from the bonds of habit and selfishness which enmeshed their spirits. Come and take my hand and meet the Christ, Jesus who in human fleshed walked this planet. Come, hear his words speak to the depths of your heart. Come drink from the streams of living water he offers freely to you. Come and see for yourself.
Prayer: God, we need to see Jesus; open our eyes and hearts that we may discover our Saviour. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Conspiracy to destroy Jesus
Mark 3: 1-6
As we follow the footprints of Jesus through the gospel of Mark, we quickly discover that there was a conspiracy to destroy Jesus among the religious authorities. The conspiracy began early in his ministry of kindness and healing. In Mark 3: 1-6, we see the compassion of Christ compared to the frozen hearts of religious leaders of his time. The drama occurs in a Jewish place of worship. A man with a shriveled hand is waiting for Jesus, hoping to be healed. The religious authorities are watching Jesus closely, hoping to see if he heals the man on the Jewish Sabbath. If Jesus does heal the man, he is guilty of breaking the laws of his religion.
Jesus asks his challengers timeless questions. Is it better to save life or kill? Is it better to do good on the Sabbath, or evil? The authorities are silent and we see Jesus is both angered and deeply distressed at their frozen hearts. In compassion, he speaks to the man with the shriveled hand and heals him. The religious authorities begin to formally plot with their political and religious enemies on how they "might kill Jesus." Formal religion is outraged. Jesus is a threat to their status quo. The religious authorities decide Jesus must be destroyed. The cross will be his future, as Jesus continues to preach, teach and heal with his God message of repentance and renewal.
What has Jesus done to deserve death? In chapter one, he preached a message of repentance and restoration with God while healing many. In chapter two, he continues his amazing healing ministry and publicly forgives sins in front of religious authorities who believe he is blaspheming. We see the dramatic calling of the despised Levi, a tax collector, into the inner circle of disciples. Jesus brings Levi into community, while teaching people new insights about God. He freely associates with lepers, outsiders, physically and mentally challenged people, and the marginalized in his society. As we follow in the footsteps of Christ in our gospel readings, we begin to see the cost of following Jesus. It has never been popular, easy or safe to be identified as one of his followers.
Where are we in this story? Who are we? Are we the person with a shriveled body and/or spirit? Are we frozen in religion legalities and blind to compassion? Do we agree Jesus should be put to death? Where have we overlooked doing good on a busy day involved with religious observances? A valid contemplative experience is to imagine ourselves in the gospel stories and become part of the drama. Become one of the characters. Smell, see, hear, feel, touch, and taste with your imaginations. Consider writing your experience in a spiritual journal. Pray with your reflections. Ask God for insight and meaning. What does this story hold for us today, in the first Sunday of Lent?
Prayer: God, help us see Jesus with new eyes as we continue our reading. Help us see ourselves in this story as we continue our Lenten pilgrimage. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
Peace, be still reflection
Mark 4.36
In a world where conflict, anger and hatred seem to be increasing, a plea for peace challenges prejudices and racially motivated crimes. Imagine if the earth responded to this call for peace. The hum of traffic would become muted, the electronic media hushed, planes grounded, and the earth would appear to be poised, waiting. In the stillness would come Christ bearing peace unlike any we have known. It sounds too good to be true, and yet, with only the addition of one ingredient to the lives of the earth’s population, such a scenario would be possible. That one ingredient is simple child-like faith.
Faith in its essence is belief and trust in the unseen God. Today with faith as your guide, pause a moment and picture Jesus standing by your side. His hands gently touch your eyes, face, shoulders, hands and heart. Feel your muscles relax and all your tensions leave your body, drifting away like wisps of fog. Hear his voice speak to your worries and fears, "Peace, be still." Sense his gentle hands unfastening every burden which you have carried. Every hurt you have known is healed and an awareness of inner peace floods your mind and entire body.
The problems, pains and predicaments which held your attention but a moment ago have lost their grip on you, and in perfect calmness you are able to see beyond these to the potential their solution offers. You begin to see more clearly and rationally the claims, or perhaps demands, others make on your time, energy and resources. With Jesus at your side it becomes easier to separate need from greed, confidence from egotism, and self-care from self-absorption. The currents which have swirled the barque of your life in turbulent eddies come to a halt, at the will of the Creator. Peace seeps into the inner recesses of your being and floods your spirit, lighting up the inner fires of love. Not one word has been spoken, there has been no need. Faith has provided the miracle, and it is faith which will maintain this peace and serenity.
Carry this peace with you as you return to the affairs of your day and let it enfold you like a blanket.
Prayer: God, we ask today that your peace enfolds us, allowing us spiritual rest and refreshment. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
"Listen!"
Mark 4: 1-20
Jesus was a wonderful storyteller. Many of his most important lessons were taught in parables. Parables are simply word picture stories. They teach powerful lessons about life without being "preachy." One of his most famous parables is known as "the Parable of the Sower." This is found in Mark 4: 1-20. It's worth reading!
I never really appreciated this parable until I began walking a local wildflower prayer labyrinth. You see, I'm what my father calls "a city woman." Most of my ministry has been in inner urban areas with high crime rates and violence. I still marvel at the miracle of a flower poking through cracked pavement surrounded by broken glass and discarded drug paraphernalia.
Then I had the opportunity to relocate to a quiet, rural area to write my dissertation. Almost immediately a neighbor brought me to a local, wildflower labyrinth surrounded by great trees. Near the labyrinth is a salmon stream where you can actually hear the fish splash as they spawn in the fall. Birds fill the air with melody. The winding single path leads the pilgrim to the center of the garden. The same path leads you out of the labyrinth. Mounded dirt separates the path and prevents us from getting off the centering trail. The labyrinth owner plants local wildflowers every year. For the first time in my life, I am beginning to understand this parable by Jesus. Each season and the soil have profound lessons for reflections. Everything instructs.
Listen, says Jesus. You, who have ears to hear, listen! The reign of God is like a farmer sowing seed in many kinds of dirt. Some is hard and stony. Other soil quickly grows seeds but thorns choke them. Some plants die due to the heat of the sun. But other ground is fertile and produces even a hundred times what is sown. Listen to me, Jesus repeats. Your hearts are like the earth in this parable. The seed is God's Word. Wealth, desire for other things, and the worries of this life and love of money choke God's Word in your lives. Listen!
Dear reader, as we pause in our Lenten reading, listen! Reflect on the soil of our inner hearts. What is preventing God's Words to take root, grow and flourish in our lives? Do you need to do some inner heart gardening today? What keeps you from loving and following God?
Prayer: God, you alone know the soil of each of our hearts. Be our Gardener today. Help us "listen" to this parable with eager ears today. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Healing Through Jesus Christ
Mark 5: 1-20
Never underestimate the power of the gospels! Today's story evokes powerful memories from an event several years ago. I had been invited to preach at a church. For whatever reason, I felt "called" to share this story of a demon-possessed man in ancient Israel and how Jesus healed him. If you've never read it, it's full of many insights. Jesus is busy preaching and teaching. In the previous chapter, he tells his followers (disciples) to get ready for a sailing trip "to the other side" of the lake. A "furious squall" nearly capsizes the boat while Jesus is sleeping. The terrified disciples wake him up, shouting "save us!" Jesus gets up, and tells the storm to hush and be still. The disciples are deeply frightened at his power over nature.
They approach the beach and land their boat. A mentally disturbed, demon possessed man rushes to meet Jesus on the shore and they have a confrontation. He is a scary sight, naked, bruised and bleeding from self-mutilation and years of inner torment. Jesus heals him and sends the evil spirits into a nearby large herd of pigs. The pigs rush into the water and drown. Local people come and find the tormented man healed, clothed and in his right mind. He is quietly sitting at the feet of Jesus. The townspeople beg Jesus to leave. Jesus is too expensive to have around!
And we see the drama of the gospel. The healed one begs to stay with Jesus. Jesus says, no. You cannot come with me. But go home and tell people what God has done for you. And the man actually goes to not one, but ten cities to tell people what Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed at Jesus, the Healer.
A young woman privately approached me after the church service. She quietly showed me scars on her body where she had self-mutilated herself again and again. She had never come to church before, but felt compelled to attend that church service for reasons she could not explain. That night she met Jesus the Healer.
Where are we in this drama? Do we want to stay with Jesus or send him away? Who do we need to tell in our Lenten journey, of how much Jesus has done for us?
Prayer: God, thank you for the healing power of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your mercy. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Compassion, Healing, Death
Mark 5: 22-42
We really have two powerful stories in these verses. And I'd like to invite you into a new experience. Today my daily calendar had this saying by an unknown author: "Never turn down a new experience unless it's against the law or will get you into trouble." This new experience will not do either of those two things! Imagine yourself being in these stories of desperate people coming to Jesus. Feel their emotions, cry with them, imagine yourselves touching him, smelling the crowds and be a character in the dramas. Rewrite this story in your own words and let it be your prayer today. These may familiar to some of us, but let today's reading be new. Try to read this as if for the first time.
After healing the tormented man, the local people begged Jesus to leave. So he set sail again back to the other side of the lake. A huge crowd was waiting for him. And we see the drama of the gospel. A desperate father of considerable influence falls on his knees before Jesus and begs the Healer to save his beloved little daughter. She is near death. Minutes are precious. Will he come? And we see the compassion and availability of Jesus. Of course he will.
The huge crowd throngs about him as they journey to the little girl. In the midst of the noisy, jostling crowd, Jesus stops dead in his tracks and asks, "Who touched my clothes?" He had felt the touch of a desperate person reaching for help. Healing power had left his body. And again we see the tender compassion of Jesus. A woman trembling with fear approaches him. She falls on her knees and shares her story of long term chronic illness, medical failures, loss of savings as she struggled to find a cure. Jesus tenderly says, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
Unfortunately, the little girl died during these compassionate moments. Jesus then gives us an important lesson about death. "She is not dead, but asleep." The crowd ridicules him and the desperate father simply brings Jesus to his dead little girl. People are wailing and crying in deep grief. Jesus insists the little girl is only asleep while people continue to ridicule him. Quietly, the Healer removes all but a few people from the little girls room, takes her by the hand, and says, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" And she does!
Imagine now, the joy and gratitude of the family and friends. Imagine the feelings of the healed woman. Reflect in your journal what death might mean for you after reading this story. Where in your life do you need the healing and compassionate touch of Jesus Christ in your life today?
Prayer: Dear Healer, touch us in our souls and teach us about life and death through this story. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
Come you by yourselves into a lonely place and rest for a while
Mark 6.31
Often the noise of the world and its people drowns out the voice of God inviting us to rest. Sometimes we long to still the constant motion of life’s carousel which, in a never-ending circle, presents the demands of each day, together with the expectations of others and the subsequent slow drain of our energy. It is when we respond to Christ’s invitation and return to spend time with God we find are replenished spiritually.
Lonely places are marked by the absence of crowds, while rest is marked by the absence of pointless, distractive activity. When our lives become crowded with the demands of work and with people it is because we have forgotten to seek a balance between spending time with others and spending time in the presence of God. All of creation seeks balance, between night and day, and between springtime and autumn. Unless we take time to rest in God’s presence, unless we learn how to still our minds, there will be no opportunity to hear God’s voice. We are spiritual beings clothed in physical bodies and our spirits need to be refilled and recharged by God’s energy. Taking time to rest in the presence of God allows us to ingest spiritual food just as taking time to eat allows us to ingest physical food. Without nourishment our physical, emotional and spiritual bodies weary and are not able to function.
We never develop an intimate relationship with another person unless we cultivate our friendship by spending time with the person concerned. Equally our relationship with God needs to be cultivated by spending time alone with God. Refreshing rest is never possible unless we trust the person in whose presence we are resting. To spend time alone with God enables us to know God more intimately, and to learn to trust God. Intimacy with God discloses the depth of love God has for us and precludes all thoughts of fear. From God we learn the healing effect of forgiveness and peace, and we bring these awarenesses into our relationships with others. It is so easy to forget that our relationships with others depend on our relationship with God. Time out with God does not lessen the energy we have for other activities, rather we are invigorated and refreshed by this time of rest from the ordinary world.
Prayer: God, draw us ever closer to you as we spend time in your loving presence away from the demands of our day. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
They departed into a desert place privately by ship
Mark 6. 32
In the desert and famished by hunger, Jesus rejected Satan’s suggestion to satisfy his hunger by converting the stones to loaves with the words "There are other things in life more important than bread." When power was offered to him, he rejected that also, this time with the words "It is to God alone we offer our worship." Finally when Satan thought to lure him into a demonstration of God’s power and providence, Jesus stopped him short with the statement "Don’t try God’s patience." In essence he was saying "I will not live my life for pleasure or power, nor will I abdicate responsibility for my life or my actions."
Those desert places in our lives are lived at times when we have quietly and privately withdrawn from the hurly-burly of the world to find ourselves, to seek spiritual truth, or to seek peace in the centre of life’s whirlpool. Sometimes we have deliberately chosen to withdraw, but sometimes circumstances have removed us from our usual occupations and friends; either way we may initially feel desolate and alone. It is in isolation we are often able to think more clearly. It is also during these times when doubts and fears may assail us. We may find ourselves examining each and every relationship, our chosen career, our values and even our faith. Faith that has not been subjected to the twin fires of doubt and disillusion, and consequently emerged with the strength of forged steel, can never be regarded as truly tested.
Again and again we read of examples of those who have withdrawn to lonely places, to deserts, to gain the strength and certainty needed to accomplish the mission of their lives. Subjected to the intense heat of the sun by day and the icy cold of the night some of the most precious and beautiful plants of this planet grow. It the testing caused by extremes of hardship that produces such loveliness. So it is in our lives, that the most beautiful and precious gifts of love, forgiveness and healing are produced when we have undergone the extreme testing desert conditions can produce. However we travel to the desert, let us welcome this blessed time spent apart from the ordinariness of our world.
Prayer: God, In the times of our testing, may your presence guide us every moment and every step. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place
Luke 4.42
It is in the first moments after our waking that we set the mood for our day. Jesus chose to fortify his spirit during his ministry by spending the earliest hours in God’s presence. After his baptism he spent forty days alone with God seeking direction. If daily we would tap into the streams of living water offered for our refreshment we need to take time off and be alone with God. It is our right and responsibility to affirm that the first possible moments of our day be spent with God, for such a commitment will bring blessings into not only our own lives but also the lives of those we meet each day.
One of Israel’s prophets, Elijah, sought a place where he could listen to God, away from the clamour caused by a people who had turned their backs on their Creator. He climbed a mountain in the wilderness and waited in the stillness for God. As he sat alert a hurricane swirled around him, then an earthquake shook the mountain, and finally a conflagration broke out. Yet Elijah knew that God was not in these noisy outbursts of nature. Into the subsequent stillness came the murmur of a gentle breeze and Elijah, in awe, covered his face. For in that breath of silence God's voice made itself understood.
It is in the stillness, marked only by our breath, that we are able to listen for the voice of God. Far too often in our conversations we demand centre stage, and do not listen carefully to the responses of others. Perhaps we believe what we have to say is more important. Yet without listening we can never know others, their hopes, dreams and prayers. Without really hearing the voices of others we become the centre of our own world, forgetting that in others we will find balance and variety.
In our prayers we seem so concerned in our petitions, for others as well as ourselves, that we often sign off from our contact with God without ever waiting to hear God’s response. We cannot claim that God does not answer prayer if we have not taken the time to hear that response. God who set creation into being with a thought, a word, has no need to demand our attention loudly. For God knows that within us is a spirit which cannot be satisfied until it is reunited, or reconnected, with its Maker. From interaction with God our spirit draws its life-breath. As individual humans with the gift of free choice, we decide whether to shut God from our awareness, or to spend our first hours regularly quietly with God. Will we be part of God’s ongoing creation, or will we be egocentric and self-sufficient? Who will we serve?
Prayers: God, in the time we spend with you, let us pause and listen to your thoughts, lest we crowd our your responses with our own problems. Amen.
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By God's Gnome
Fear not, God calls us by name
Isaiah 43.1
Isaiah 43: 1: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.
Do you remember waiting in the schoolyard or on a sports field while teams were being chosen? Perhaps your name was the very last to be called, all other contestants having already been chosen.
One night when Samuel was just a stripling God called his name, but of course not knowing God intimately, he assumed he was hearing the voice of the High Priest and so went to his room. After this had happened twice, old Eli was sure as to the source of this voice, and so the third time the voice called, Samuel answered "Speak, your servant is listening." The early tales of the escape from Egypt of the nation of Israel are marked by passages such as Exodus 15:13, "In your mercy you have led forth the people you have redeemed, guided them in your strength to your holy dwelling place."
Throughout both Testaments we hear of people being called into service by God, to be kings, priests, disciples, healers - the list has no ending and is as varied as the individuals God calls. To each who hears and responds, God speaks the words, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you." God has paid our debts, and our slate is clear for eternity. We are bought from slavery, from a life in which we were condemned to serve as one alienated from God’s love and mercy by our own choice, to a life where we are recognised as one of God’s Beloved.
All the fears which held us emotionally chained have been removed by God’s grace. No more do we count ourselves unloved or unworthy, for God has valued us above the price of Jesus’ life. God who has called us has taken our sorrow and given us joy, taken our despair and given us hope, taken our isolation and brought us into the eternal family. No more waiting by the sidelines, with heart sinking and feeling left out as others around are called and value is shown for their skills. God has called us; we have been moved from the ranks of hopeful contenders and been placed in the field of play.
Called by our name - was it just the name given us by our parents, or is it the name God has kept for us since the creation of the world? Beloved of God - this is the name by which the Divine now knows us.
Prayer: God, open our inner ears so that we may be aware you have called us by a new name. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Human tradition versus God's commands
Mark 7: 1-14
A very dear friend and I went eagle watching this year where hundreds of eagles annually winter. We spent a wonderful day wandering up and down the river, spotting the great birds with delight. I learned a great deal about eagles that day. They have incredibly keen eyesight, which probably led to the expression "eagle eye." My friend gave me an eagle calendar, so I can look at these magnificent birds from my writing study. This month's picture is a close up photo of an eagle's head. That bird has a fierce, unblinking, piercing eye that misses nothing. I feel it looking into my soul today, as I sit with these verses.
So what is today's gospel story? Jesus is teaching some hard lessons to the religious leaders of his day. They are interrogating him about Jewish ceremonial laws on dietary cleanliness and to their surprise, Jesus begins calling them "hypocrites!" And he begins to chastise them for their outer religious practices while their inner hearts are far from God. He cuts to the soul of the matter, and exposes their spiritual deceit and materialistic greed, which they cover up with human traditions cloaked with religious terminology.
Who has not done this? We all have human traditions that we cherish more deeply than God's commands. Many of them are also clothed with religious language. It is easy to confuse human traditions and miss God's commands. Where do we need a holy "eagle eye" inner examination in our prayers today? Where are we in this conversation with Jesus? We do not have to be Jewish to understand this teaching.
Isaac of Nineveh has said, "If you love truth, be a lover of silence. Silence like the sunlight will illuminate you in God and will deliver you from the phantoms of ignorance. Silence will unite you to God." Perhaps a few moments of silence would be appropriate after reading today's verses on human tradition versus God. Let the silence guide your prayer. "Be still and listen to the heartbeat of God."
For our Lenten reflection, while sitting in silence, perhaps there may be something we need to confess or rededicate to God. Perhaps we have been hypocritical in serving religion, rather than obeying God.
Prayer: God, where do we honor you with our lips and not with our hearts? Amen.
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By Surprised by joy
The Human Heart
Mark 7: 14-23
About ten years ago, my beloved Grandmother was in the hospital with progressing heart failure. Her dear, old, worn heart was worsening every day. It was simply a matter of time before she would die. She had lived with me for several years, but now was living with a married cousin who could better care for her needs.
During Grandma's hospitalization, Janet's husband was undergoing emergency heart surgery. My poor cousin simply tried to survive, going from one waiting room to another. Both Grandma and Don were in the same hospital and fortunately both survived their medical crisis. When it was time for Grandma to be discharged, she refused to leave until she visited Don in intensive care. I will never forget their conversation as they spoke heart to heart. Old heart to younger heart. One knew her life was coming to an end. The younger realized he had been given a new chance at life.
Grandma leaned forward in her wheelchair and quietly spoke in her lilting Norwegian accent. 'Don, you listen to me. I'm old and going to die soon. But you have a new heart now. You have your whole life ahead of you. You are still young. You need to live differently and be a better man. You need God in your life.' Don responded to her concern with tears in his eyes. He bowed his head and Grandma prayed for him.
"The longest journey is the journey inwards," writes Dag Hammerskjold. How true this is. Jesus understood the human heart condition. What is in our hearts can actually make us need spiritual heart surgery. From our hearts come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, crime, violence, greed, malice, deceit, and more.
For our Lenten prayer, begin an inward journey today and see what is hidden deep within our hearts. Perhaps we need a new heart. Perhaps we need God in our lives. Perhaps we need to live better lives.
Prayer: "God, our hearts are open to you. Come sit in our hearts." Give us a new heart. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Big picnics with Jesus
Mark 8: 1-8
Today's story is what I call a "big picnic with Jesus." One contemporary North American preacher calls this story "Fish and Chips." Large crowds consistently gathered about him. They were eager to hear his words, experience his healing touch and see miracles performed. Being around Jesus was an event. The blind saw. The lame walked. And sometimes there was free food, for Jesus saw their hunger with compassion. It was also a teaching event for his disciples.
And that is where our story takes us today. The crowds had been with Jesus for three days and had nothing to eat. Jesus turns to the disciples and quietly tells them, the crowd must be fed or people will collapse. There are thousands of hungry people and the disciples have only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish among them. Jesus tells the people to sit down, takes the bread and publicly gives thanks. His helpers (disciples) then distribute the food. We are told "the people ate and were satisfied." After the meal, more than seven basketfuls of broken pieces were gathered. The satisfied crowd is then dismissed. Jesus and his disciples get in the sailboat and once again sail "to the other side" of the lake. Awaiting him were more religious leaders to challenge his teachings and demand a miraculous sign from heaven. And Jesus sighed deeply, left them, returned to the boat and sailed across the lake to the other side.
So what's the point of this story? What did it mean then? What does it mean now? What does it mean in our lives today? What does this have to offer us for a Lenten reflection? What does this "big picnic" have to do with our spiritual life? So many questions!
Perhaps as one commentator suggested, this story is to demonstrate our inadequacies. Another suggested this was to teach us that Jesus was concerned with fragmented people, and those who were discarded by society. In John's gospel, Jesus referred to himself as the bread of life. He promised that anyone who came to him would find food for their souls and never go hungry again. His words are nourishing words of life. Savor those words daily. Chew them in contemplative prayer. May those words by Jesus sustain you, encourage you, and give you comfort throughout today.
Prayer: God, whether we are in the crowd or among the disciples, give us a special blessing in today's reading. Let it be a morsel of soul food for our journey. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Beware the yeast of spiritual hypocrisy
Mark 8: 14-21
Today's story makes me very nervous. And I wonder just where I am in this Jesus story. Once again his disciples are getting a valuable lesson in spirituality. After all the excitement of feeding the crowds, they forgot to bring bread for their own journey. And Jesus begins warning them to be careful of spiritual hypocrisy. Watch out, he counseled, of the "yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." The disciples begin discussing this among themselves and totally misunderstand what Jesus is teaching. So the Teacher begins again by reviewing past miracles of other "big picnics." And the disciples still didn't understand. They had eyes that were dull, ears that failed to hear and hardened hearts incapable of understanding Jesus.
Jesus was not referring to physical bread for their journey, but of the spiritual hypocrisy of many religious people. There are many yearning for God and who sincerely want to believe. But it is very easy to get caught up in religious symbolism and outward shows of piety. It is so very easy to be outwardly religious, while being inwardly spiritually impoverished. Jesus is simply warning us against spiritual hypocrisy that can permeate our lives, like yeast permeates bread dough.
Be careful. Watch out. Do you still not understand?
Prayer: God, where are we in this story? What kind of spiritual yeast is in our lives? Cleanse us from religious hypocrisy. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Who is Jesus?
Mark 8: 27-29
I love this story. By now the inner circle of disciples have been carefully trained by Jesus for almost three years. They have seen miracles and spent all their waking hours with this Amazing One. Jesus has been their Friend, Teacher, Healer, wonderful Counselor, Spiritual Director, Pastoral Care provider/trainer and more. They have seen him calm ferocious storms on the water, feed thousands of people, heard his conversations with the religious leaders (who began plotting his death), and even seen Jesus raise a little girl from the dead!
For the very first time, Jesus turns to his disciples and asks them a profound question. It was profound then and is profound now. It is a timeless question and probably the most important one we can ever be asked.
"Who do people say I am?" The disciples began to talk excitedly. Oh, some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are another Elijah! Still others say you are one of the great religious prophets!
"But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" Impulsive Peter blurts out his answer. Jesus, you are the Christ! You are God's Sent One! You are the answer to all our spiritual yearnings! In you, we understand God better. Then Jesus does an amazing thing. He warned his followers not to tell anyone about who he was. Christ then begins to teach his inner circle of disciples for the first time that he must suffer and die (Mark 8: 31-38).
From this point on, Christ begins to prepare for the cross set before him. The disciples are confused, afraid, and increasingly aware that their beloved Jesus is in growing danger by the authorities in the days ahead.
Prayer: Christ. Who are you in my life today? Why the cross? Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Transfiguration
Mark 9: 2-8
About a week later, Jesus brings three of his disciples to a private place. There, they are literally given a "mountaintop" experience! Their beloved Jesus becomes transfigured in dazzling white before them. And they are given a vision of Jesus with two famous ancient and revered Jewish prophets. Moses, Elijah and Jesus engage in deep conversation. Peter babbles something ridiculous and suddenly a cloud from heaven envelops them. A voice comes from the cloud: "This is my beloved Son, whom I love. Listen to him." The three disciples are miraculously left alone with Jesus and they begin to descend the mountaintop.
Jesus gives them stern orders to keep this silent until he rises from the dead. Along the way, the three disciples try to understand what "rising from the dead" meant. It's too difficult and they ask Jesus for clarity. He explains yet again that suffering and rejection are ahead of him.
Several things impress me in this story. First of all, spiritual clarity takes time and understanding even with an intimate knowledge of Jesus. Secondly, Jesus is God's Beloved. We all are called to listen to the Beloved. Thirdly, even Jesus referred to Old Testament Jewish spiritual leaders and prophets as he prepared for his pending suffering and death. While the Old Testament (sometimes referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures) is difficult to understand in the twenty-first century, there are important spiritual insights worthy of reclaiming. Finally, all of us eventually must descend the mountaintop and return to the valleys where life is difficult, discouraging and dangerous. We cannot remain on the mountaintop forever.
Consider journal writing for your Lenten reflection with the following questions. What does it mean to suffer and be rejected as we follow Jesus to the cross? Earlier, Jesus taught if we are to follow him, we must deny ourselves and take up our own crosses. We too, may find ourselves suffering for the Jesus message. We may experience rejection by our society, religion, friends and family. There is nothing easy about being a disciple of Christ. Beloved Christ promises us joy in our suffering.
Prayer: Beloved, bless our meditation today. Help us live as your beloved disciples. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Costly Discipleship
Mark 10: 17- 25
Today's story "hits" us in the pockets, as we would say in North America. Money talks. The gospel story revolves a man who loved his wealth more than following Jesus. Both men have much to teach us. This story is timeless. And I suspect it is one of the harder teachings of Jesus.
This nameless man could be anyone. He runs to Jesus and falls on his knees. "Good teacher," he asks, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus stops his travel to have personal conversation with this eager follower and asks him, "Why do you call me good?" Jesus then states only God is good, and lists six of the Ten Commandments given by Moses. The eager seeker quickly asserts that he has kept all these commandments since childhood.
Then we see what costly discipleship is for this particular individual. Jesus looks directly and lovingly at him. You lack only one thing, declares Jesus. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." And the eager seeker's face changed dramatically. He had great wealth. He could not and would not do what Jesus required. He sadly left. And Jesus then begins teaching his other disciples "how hard it is for the rich to enter the reign of God." The disciples are amazed at this teaching. They are so astonished that Jesus gently calls them "children," as he reinforces this costly discipleship lesson with an example of a camel going through the eye of a needle.
Money is not evil in itself. But wealth and possessions can own us and actually hinder our spiritual life. In the case of the young man, wealth mattered more than following Jesus. He loved his wealth more than God. He could buy anything he wanted, except eternal life.
We need to prayerfully reflect on today's story. Money is a spiritual concern. Jesus is not calling all of us to give everything away. But we may be called to make financial sacrifices, live simpler and more generous lives. Pray about your wealth and how God would have you use it. Jesus never promised a "health, wealth and prosperity" gospel. Money is a significant spiritual stewardship issue.
Spiritual rebirth is free. Discipleship is costly. Where are we in today's story?
Prayer: Oh God, speak clearly to us as we linger with Jesus and the wealthy young man. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Mark 10: 26-31
The last will be first; the first will be last
The amazed disciples continue their conversation with Jesus after the wealthy young man left them. "Who then can be saved?" And the Teacher continues his patient teachings. "With humans this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." Impulsive Peter blurts out what is on his mind. Jesus, he cries, "We have left everything to be with you." And Jesus makes a wonderful promise to those who follow him in costly discipleship. This is the promise: that many who are now first in this life, will be last in the age to come. This is important for us to remember! For some of us may be called to leave home and family, and birth countries as Jesus leads. And persecution may result as we follow Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran German pastor who opposed Hitler during World War Two. He suggests there is a "trilogy" in John's gospel about Christian discipleship. We are called to rebirth, to a servant lifestyle and to be faithful to Jesus even in persecution (John 3, 13, 15).
Prayer: God, help us understand this hard saying of Jesus. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
A Warning Ignored
Mark 10: 33-34
"Look you!" He said, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and experts in the law, and they will condemn him to death, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles, and they will make jest of him, and they will spit on him, and they will scourge him and they will kill him. And after three days he will rise again."
Mark paints a vivid picture in today’s text. There is Jesus walking ahead, his disciples bunched up following him, as they make their way to Jerusalem and the Passover. Jesus is lost in his own thoughts, isolated as he contemplates the full horror of suffering which is so close at hand. Finally, calling his friends around, he warns of his fate for the third time. Now he includes the mockery, jeering and flogging to be endured. Though the disciples were sure Jesus was the Messiah, they closed their ears and minds to the horrors he described. No-one is immune to rejecting those things which the human mind is unable to contemplate. We block the news of terminal illness, of deaths and of revelations which would mar the images of those we love or admire.
It takes a certain type of courage for us to move onward while aware of the terrible consequences which will follow. Fear of future conflict has stopped many who would challenge injustice, corruption or financial fraud. Retribution and its consequences have abruptly ended unequal contests. Sudden death or slow torture has been the fate of those who have challenged unjust laws in their own countries. Slander, defamation and even excommunication have been the consequences for those who dared to challenge the practices of those religious institutions to which they belonged. At times those who have protested domestic violence have been subjected to indifference in the courts and condemnation by their churches. Who will stand true in the face of the twin horrors of suffering and death? Who but one who by faith sees beyond torture and trial to ultimate triumph?
The disciples would have been better prepared for his crucifixion if they had been more attentive to his warning and less to their own thoughts. That their ears refused to understand the meaning of his words highlights again the isolation Jesus experienced in the midst of his friends. Through the mists of time we catch the loneliness of that solitary figure on the Jerusalem road. Jesus, who has known loneliness in the face of death, is that same solitary figure who waits to walk with us through our times of desolation.
Prayer; God, in those times when persecution and pain may be the result of our serving Christ, remind us that Jesus has walked this path before us. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Selective hearing
Matthew 20: 17-28
For those new to Bible reading, you'll notice that sometimes certain stories are retold through the other gospel authors. This is our situation today. The story is also recorded in Mark 10: 35-45. This particular interpretation highlights a mother's request to Jesus with her eager sons James and John. They have been with Jesus for three years as faithful disciples in his inner circle. James and John seemed more receptive to Jesus, and sometimes they were invited to selected events the other disciples were not allowed to view. The transformation of Christ on the mountaintop is one such example.
But the disciples are only human as we are. We share their fault of selective hearing while Jesus speaks. In the preceding verses, Jesus has just informed his disciples yet again that he will be betrayed, condemned to death, and be mocked and crucified. But on the third day he "will be raised to life!"
We see an earnest mother bringing her sons to Jesus. Together they kneel before him privately and she asks a favor for her children. "What is it you want?" he asked. And she bluntly asks Jesus for her sons to be given prestige, privilege and power. All this is done in the appearance of genuine piety and commendable humbleness.
I sometimes wonder where I am in these stories. What do I ask for in my prayers? Does being on my knees make any difference?
This mother's prayer is honest and from the heart. She is not asking for herself. She is asking for her children. They are good boys. They've given up so much and have worked so hard. They have faced danger and hardship. All the disciples deserve a promotion, Jesus, but please, give my children a special favor ahead of the others.
Jesus gently tells them "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Oh yes, they eagerly assure him. We can. The other ten disciples are indignant when they hear about this move for power and promotion.
Prayer: Jesus, where am I in this story? What are the things I've been asking you for? Do I have spiritual "selected hearing?" Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
The Cup of Christ
Matthew 20: 17-28
"Can you drink the cup?" asks Jesus. Our answer can radically change our lives. Jesus will soon be heading for the cross. His cup is one of suffering and sorrow. Will you walk with him to Gethsemene? Will you voluntarily chose a cross alongside Christ on Calvary? Will you suffer for Jesus Christ? Will you die for the gospel message of peace with God?
The late Henri Nouwen noted that holding the cup of life is a hard discipline (Can You Drink the Cup, Ave Maria Press). It requires great courage. Before we drink the cup, we have to hold it. The cup is sometimes one of suffering. We often forget or overlook that Jesus was a man of sorrows. Nouwen writes: "Jesus' cup is the cup of sorrow, not just his own sorrow, but the sorrow of the whole human race. It is a cup full of physical, mental, and spiritual anguish. It is the cup of starvation, torture, loneliness, rejection, abandonment, and immense anguish. It is the cup full of bitterness. Who wants to drink it?" We are all called to drink the cup of Christ. We are to be like Christ. The cup brings us into the classroom of the cross.
It can also be a cup of great joy. "It is the cup in which sorrows and joys, sadness and gladness, mourning and dancing are never separated." Nouwen reminds us that Jesus is the man of joys. We must remember this as we begin to intentionally begin to approach the cross in our Lenten reflections. The cross is one of resurrection and glory. The cross points us to eternal life. The cross brings us the cup of salvation. The cross brings us life. Without the cross we are lost.
I have often wondered about the mother and her two sons in this story. I wonder what their thoughts were only eight days later, as beloved Jesus died on the cross. James was nowhere to be found. Only John and his mother bravely stood together at the foot of the cross. I wonder if they remembered this conversation with Jesus as they promised to drink his cup.
"For God has graciously granted us the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well (Philippians 1:29)."
Prayer: God, teach us more about the cup of Christ as we continue our Lenten walk to the cross. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
The Widow's Offering
Mark 12: 41-44
Jesus had been teaching large crowds in the temple. The crowd heard him with delight. Then Jesus began teaching about the "teachers of the law." They loved to walk around in impressive, official robes and have the most important seats in the synagogues and banquet temples. "They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers." Such men, warned Jesus, will be punished "most severely." Then Jesus moved to a different part of the synagogue.
"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny."
In delight, Jesus called his disciples to see this important lesson in God's economy. Here is the truth of the matter, he exclaimed. This poor widow gave more into the treasury than the rich did. They gave a portion out of their wealth, but she gave everything she had in her poverty. She gave beyond her means. She had nothing left to live on.
Who are we in the story?
Prayer: God, help us live today's story honestly, joyfully and generously. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Spiritual Watchfulness
Mark 13: 32-36
This is one of the hardest sayings of Jesus. In the earlier part of the chapter, he begins teaching his followers about the end of the age. He speaks about them being handed over to authorities and publicly flogged, arrested and brought to trial for their faith in him. He speaks about family members betraying other family members to death. There will be natural disasters that defy description. Many false Christ's will walk the face of the earth. And Jesus tells his disturbed disciples that "heaven and earth will pass away," but his words "will never pass away."
This brings us to today's teachings and reminds me of my beloved Grandmother's favorite saying. "Keep looking up," she'd wisely say. "Jesus is coming again, maybe even today." Her saying truly sums up today's reading. No one knows when these things will happen. Only God does. So stay alert. Live with a sense of expectation. Don't be found spiritually sleeping! Jesus is saying to everyone: "Watch!"
I found a Navy sailor sleeping on watch once. We were on a heavily loaded ammunition ship in the Persian Gulf. As the ship's chaplain I tried to visit all the sailors on every watch. One very dark, starless evening I decided to visit the midnight watch. And I found this particular sailor sleeping at his post. He woke up started and frightened at being discovered. Falling asleep on your watch is deadly in the military. During wartime, soldiers and sailors who slept on their watch could expect arrest, jail, trial and possibly death. This young man could have caused the deaths of his shipmates as he took a nap in the dark.
Be alert. Pray. Watch and wait for Jesus' return. Only God knows when that will be. Will we be ready? Or will we be sleeping on watch? For the remainder of Lent, ask for a spirit of watchfulness.
Prayer: God, wake us up spiritually! Help us to "keep looking up" and remember that you are coming back for us someday. Maybe even today. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Life’s Choices
Psalm 27: 4
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
What do I really want from life? What would make me happy? These questions we ask at different times in our lives are necessary if we are to clarify our purpose and goals from time to time, else we remain uselessly expending effort with no result, like wheels churning up a bog. On whom or what am I willing to gamble my life? Not many of us would ever dare to place our lives on a card table, watching with anxious breath for the next spin of the wheel. Yet the reality is that we do gamble with our lives.
Where do I live at present? Am I living in a place that reflects my tastes and interests, or am I forced to spend my life in circumstances I did not choose? Currently we find the populations of many nations without homes or adequate shelter, for they are the victims of the madness of war, while others have been displaced by earthquakes or floods. Are there in fact any who live "in the house of the Lord"? What do these words mean?
To be "in the house of the Lord", need we withdraw from the ordinary routines of living? Could monastic and convent life, or perhaps the existence eked out by the Desert Mothers and later by the Desert Fathers, be perceived as dwelling in God’s house? Many of us have enjoyed spiritual retreats, and "mountain-top" experiences, yet these experiences are fleeting. None of these seems to satisfy the longing and love conveyed in the Psalmist’s words. Is "the house of the Lord" a spiritual rather than a physical place?
God’s house is not fixed in any place or time for God is outside the barriers humanity has erected. Jesus reminds us that God does not intrude into our lives, but patiently waits outside until we are willing to open the door of our souls. Here God would commune with us. Here we would know joy and gladness, for at last the longing of our souls would be satisfied. Whenever we reach out to God, for however long we choose to spend in God’s presence, or for whatever purpose we come, it is in our seeking that we find God and the intimacy of God’s love. "One thing I ask of the Lord" - is it really my deepest desire to spend each moment in God’s presence?
Prayer: God, open my eyes to the priorities which would allow me to serve you better. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Crying to God
Jeremiah 17: 14
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed, save me and I shall be saved.
Here we have the cry of an anguished soul, "Heal me, help me, save me." In desperation, fear, pain and loneliness we call out for we are unable to help ourselves. At times we direct our pleas to friends or family members. But when there is no-one to whom we can turn, when we are not even sure God cares, in our pain and distress we cry aloud: "O God, if there is a God, help me." Such an honest appeal for assistance is not embellished by hypocritical wordiness. And such an honest appeal touches the heart and will of Jesus, God incarnated.
To Jesus, the Anointed One, we bring our hurts and wounds both past and present, for he offers free healing to all who are broken-hearted. Perhaps it is our relationships which have been damaged and need healing. Maybe we seem to be lurching from one disaster to another. It could be that right now we come seeking healing for our tenuous faith. Jesus can save us from those emotional illnesses which can destroy our personalities. As we listen to Christ’s voice we become aware of solutions to problems which threaten to overwhelm us. In the company of Jesus our loneliness is dispelled and, as is the mist by the sun, so is our absorption in what we regard as our failures dissipated.
"Help me, save me" has been the cry from many injured on the battlefields of war, those floundering at sea, or those involved in car accidents. Yet it is not only our physical life Jesus can save. Of more importance than our bodies is the matter of our souls - the eternal and unique person we are, the being God created. Our souls will never die but live for eternity. In time our bodies will age, and as we move from a finite world to an infinite existence, we will exchange them for spiritual bodies. "Help me, save me" was the essence of an appeal made that day at Calvary by one thief on an adjacent cross to Jesus.
"Heal me. Save me." Across the globe voices are crying out in their distress to God and to humanity. Only Love can bring healing and help in its wake, only God’s love as expressed by Jesus. Who will carry the cup of salvation and the balm of healing to those in distress? God continues to ask, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" Today who will choose to answer, "Here I am. Send me," using the words of the prophet Isaiah’s response to this same question?
Prayer: God, in a world racked with emotional, spiritual and physical pain we bring our needs for healing to you, so that we may offer ourselves as healers in your name. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
The Extravagance of Love
Mark 14: 3-4, 6
"While Jesus was in Bethany, while he was reclining at a table in the house of Simon the leper, there came a woman who had a phial of ointment of pure nard. She broke the phial and poured it over his head. Some of them said indignantly to each other, "To what purpose is the waste of this ointment?" Jesus said, "Let her be! Why do you trouble her? It is a lovely thing that she has done to me."
Some opportunities present themselves just once in a life-time, and if we ignore the impulse which invites us to participate, then the chance is lost forever. Common sense may rarely fly out the window, but on occasions such as this we are privileged to witness the extravagance of love. Love which asks nothing of itself save the liberty to give selflessly, even sacrificially, is the Love of which Jesus spoke.
Here with the pouring out of nard upon Christ’s head we see the outpouring of such love demonstrated. This is love’s extravagance that even the most precious of gifts seems unworthy to the giver. The phial was not uncorked and a drop or two of perfume used as a token of respect. Instead the phial was broken and all its contents flooded out, filling the whole house with fragrance - Perfume which represented a year’s wage for the average worker, or the cost of feeding a crowd of five thousand, love offered freely as a tribute.
Was it folly or love’s impulse? We hear onlookers’ voices raised against such waste. Was it folly or Love’s impulse which Christ served when on the cross at Calvary he became God’s gift to the world? If our lives and actions were likewise judged by the crowd would we also hear Jesus’ answer that we had done what we could? Done what we could? So often we do what is necessary or expedient. We do those things which do not stretch us too much, and do not demand too heavy a cost. We argue that our lives are lived responsibly, and yet ... how often has Christ passed by in human form while we stifled Love’s prompting? How often do we follow imprudent impulses? How often instead of offering a measured portion of our lives to God have we done such a lovely thing and, at the urging of our hearts, given all?
Prayer: God, teach us to give joyfully and extravagently for there is no end to your blessings. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Prepared and Ready
Mark 14: 12-15
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they were sacrificing the Passover Lamb, Jesus disciples said to him, "Where do you wish us to go and make the necessary preparations for you to eat the Passover?" He despatched two of his disciples, and said to them. "Go into the city, and there will meet you a man carrying an earthen pitcher of water. Follow him, and wherever he enters in, say to the householder, ‘The teacher says, "Where is my room, that I might eat the Passover with my disciples?"’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared. There get things ready for us."
It is obvious that Jesus had already made arrangements to rent a room in which he could celebrate the Passover with his friends and that such a room had been prepared for their use. The preparations for Passover were meticulous. Each householder had ceremonially, with a lighted candle, searched every portion of his home to ensure no leaven was on the premises. Leaven was the symbol of corruption, for the Jews associated the fermentation of dough with the fermentation of putrefaction. In addition, the loaves eaten the first Passover night in Egypt had been baked in haste, without the usual leaven being added. A table open on three sides would be furnished with unleavened bread, a bowl of salt water, bitter herbs, a paste called Charosheth and four cups of wine in preparation for the arrival of the roasted Passover lamb.
Passover recalled the freedom from slavery of the Jewish people. It was therefore a time to remember the bricks they had made in the bitterness of slavery, the tears they had shed, the blood which had marked their homes thus protecting their lives, and the promises God had given them. They had been delivered from slavery in Egypt, and released from their cruel taskmasters. God had personally redeemed them, and they had been elected as God’s chosen people. These promises are no less appropriate for us in our own age. Each of us is offered God’s redemption, freedom from crippling old habits and attitudes, release from the heavy loads under which we have toiled so long, and a loving welcome as one whom God has chosen.
God’s promises for us are prepared and ready. Like the redeemed nation are we prepared and ready to follow God’s guiding? Have we cleansed from every corner of our lives all that the leaven symbolises? The Passover table is set with reminders of the tears we have shed, the burdens we have carried and the loneliness and bitterness we have endured - are we ready to take our place at the meal? But this is a new meal, a meal with a difference, for in place of the sacrificed lamb, Jesus is there. The feast of remembrance has become a celebration of new life and liberty, and the glory of God fills the room.
Prayer: God, today we bring our lives to you so that you can make them ready for Christ’s indwelling presence. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Fragmented Loyalty
Mark 14: 27-31
"You will all fall away from me."
Perhaps of all the torments Jesus endured, the one most painful was the desertion by his friends. During the three years they had been together they had faced the criticism and opposition of the orthodox Jewish leaders, they had witnessed Christ’s family’s misunderstanding of his mission and they had, on at least one occasion, escaped the wrath of a crowd. From among his followers Jesus was able confidently to send seventy disciples to preach in all the towns and cities he planned to visit. To all appearances here was a man with the respect and love of many disciples. It was to these disciples that he taught they were to love each other with the same love he had for each of them. Reminding them that they were chosen with love, he called them friends, not servants.
It was with this statement he invited them into an intimacy with God, and a partnership with himself in God’s work. To these same friends he loved he gave a warning that according to prophecy, they would desert him. Brash Peter could not accept this as his lot, and challenged Jesus, only to hear the prediction of his triple denial. Three years of sharing the same accommodation, the same joys and sorrows and witnessing the same miracles had bonded this group more firmly than the bonds which hold some families. Yet when Jesus was betrayed every disciple fled from the scene of the arrest. Where then was their declared loyalty?
One of the tests of true friendship is the attitude of friends when various disasters strike our lives. Fair weather friends can be found in aplenty gathering around every event and every table at which sustenance is offered freely. Often they become mirrors of our egos, reflecting back affirmations we long to hear. But the person who stands steadily at our sides when all we have to offer is pain, loneliness and fragmentation is a friend who will stay true regardless of the cost. Jesus was aware of the price fear would demand of his disciples’ friendship, and through his sorrow forewarned them of their desertion.
It is not easy to stand alone when the world seems to crumble all around you, and when firm ground gives way under your feet. It is not easy to be honest when all around are those who seem to participate in dishonest schemes. It is not easy to be truthful, when to speak openly could cost your job, your family or your home. It is at times like this that we really appreciate the sight and sound of a loving friend to ease the awful isolation we encounter. It is at times like this that we find in Jesus the friend of all who have been abandoned. For Jesus knows first-hand about fragmented loyalties and loneliness. Jesus has watched everything he worked for apparently crumble and fall away, but Jesus has also seen the world transformed, just as millions of lives have been transformed. The friend of the friendless waits. Will we turn and flee from what might lie ahead if we welcome him, or will we stretch out our hand to our Friend?
Prayer: God, show us where we have failed as friends, and make us willing to heal our relationships. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Hear Me, O God
Psalm 139: 23 – 24
Search me, O God, and know my heart, test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad.
Psalm 139, telling of the love of God which never loses sight of us, is possibly one of the most personal of the Psalms because without a doubt its words reflect our own experiences. It is one that has been prayed by those who have lost their sense of the presence of God, for it speaks out their doubts. It also provides assurance that God, Creator of the universe, is actually intimate with every detail of our life. This Psalm persuades us to heed Jesus’ words about the faults in our own lives, and challenges us to speak confidently and ask God to search our thoughts, our hearts and our minds so that we will truly be the acceptable people of God. Therefore today’s meditation is offered you in the form of a personal prayer.
Loving God, you have opened my eyes and pointed out those thoughts and attitudes which I have kept hidden from view. Today I bring them earnestly into the light of your Love and ask for your healing touch.
Keep me from accumulating mental balance sheets for they show my lack of gratitude.
On days when I am being selfish, teach me to love more unconditionally. When I become impatient at being involved in other people’s disputes, remind me that today I may be the only peacemaker available.
Teach me to offer a blessing instead of using words which criticise.
May I not hold back kindness and compassion as if they were actually costing me dearly.
Open my lips so your healing words may flow forth.
Teach me not to be afraid of being a person who is different and therefore conspicuous.
Give me the mental and moral courage to combat evil and violence just as Jesus would.
Break down my physical and mental barriers of tiredness and let your healing love flow through me.
Heal the jealousy and malice which lie hidden within my heart.
Remove the planks of resentment and self-doubt from my eyes.
May I learn to stop making comparisons and excuses, stop blaming others and take responsibility for my own actions.
Show me how to be kind to my body, to appreciate its intricacy and the silent machinery which keeps it working. Teach me ways to love it as you do, including providing it with the right foods and adequate amounts of sleep.
Each time I am focused on self-pity, remind me of the blessings you have given freely to me.
Never let me refuse a task or challenge simply because I doubt my own capabilities and talents, but remind me first to call on your strength.
Dissolve my thoughts of revenge, and replace them with a willingness to forgive.
Remind me that relationships depend on people relating to each other – communicating.
I will never understand how it is that you can be so interested in me, one human being, yet I am assured yours is the "Love that wilt not let me go."
Prayer: Cleanse me, my God, melt and mould me. Make me fit for your service. Amen
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Passion Sunday
By God’s Gnome
Psalm 31: 9 - 16
"O Lord, have mercy on me in my anguish."
Today as we celebrate Passion Sunday we move into the final two weeks of Christ’s life, which culminate in the events of Easter Sunday. Psalm 31, from which both Jonah and Jeremiah quote, reflects the tremendous crises we encounter in our lives. Here in David’s words we encounter a picture which accurately portrays the rejection and isolation which Jesus experienced in his final days. We see a person treated with contempt, deserted by friends and acquaintances, grossly affected by slander, who is also the victim of a conspiracy against his life. The Psalmist’s words paint him as one overwhelmed by helpless grief to the extent that he feels as if he is wasting away.
The tone of the Psalm then changes dramatically and we hear a prayer of faith spoken in the midst of these troubles. In utter trust the Psalmist places his expectations of deliverance into God’s hands. "My times are in thy hands", the statement of faith he uses, encompasses every step of life’s journey, every event and experience of his life. No matter what crisis may arise, the writer believes God will use it to enable lessons to be learned and his faith to be strengthened. As our text concludes we hear familiar words for David seeks the blessing first spoken in Numbers 6: 25, "Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love." These are not the words of someone smiling through their tears, but rather of a person who is confident in spite of their problems and fears.
In the midst of our difficulties, indeed when we strike life’s impossibilities, in those times when we feel isolated and rejected, God is still present. Only God can produce good from experiences which appear horrendous at the time. Only God in the person of Jesus could open the doors of heaven for people like us. Faith makes the difference in our lives, faith in a God we can entrust with all our times. It is this faith which can turn our mourning into joy, and transform pain into a gift or blessing. Have we confidence enough? Is our faith sufficient to entrust all our times into God’s hands?
Prayer: God, in the midst of our troubles and trials strengthen our faith and grant us your blessing. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Love’s Demands
Isaiah 55: 8
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways," declares the Lord."
In Jesus’ time, the local custom demanded that a host who felt honoured by the presence of his guests would personally wash their feet. Other guests did not expect this service from their host’s hands. Yet, according to John’s Gospel, at the Last Supper Jesus washed and dried the dusty feet of his friends. Did he intend his disciples should interpret by this action that their presence honoured him?
His own words belie this theory for he used this opportunity to speak of serving one another. By his action he revealed the love of God as it flows into the ordinary routines of life. His disciples had been arguing about the important positions they hoped to occupy in the new Dominion. Their words imply they were self-seeking, asking, "What’s in it for me?", and as such revealing themselves as petty, self-centred and jealous people. Just a breath away from Christ’s arrest, trial and death, rather than treasuring each moment with Jesus, their thoughts were focused on their own future glory rather than present events.
At the end of his tether Job had a few angry words to say to God about the way his whole world had been shattered. Scripture relates God’s response in chapters 38-41 of the Book of Job. This response commences with the questions, "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Tell me if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know." At the end of God’s commentary, Job in his apology replies, "You asked, ‘Who is that obscuring my counsel without knowledge?’" Job, like any of us who would challenge God’s power, has his self-esteem shattered. God’s self-revelation, while not directly answering Job’s questions, healed the wounds of his heart and restored his former peace.
Can we, any better than Job, offer answers to the questions posed by God? Seen in our true light we are insignificant, for where is our wisdom, and where are the words we could speak which would effect changes such as God has wrought? Neither our thoughts nor our ways are based on the knowledge and power of God. We cannot understand fully the events of our daily lives. How then can we presume to understand the actions and words of our Creator God? The depths of God’s love cannot be fathomed by our finite human minds. Nevertheless to people like us God offers a free pardon, for Love has paid
our debts.
Prayer: God, teach us gently that your love for us is more than we can ever understand. Amen
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By God’s Gnome
To God I Cry
Mark 14: 34
"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch."
When our lives are thrown into confusion by news of a life crisis that shocks us, whether it be a forced redundancy, the collapse of our most intimate relationship or a terminal diagnosis, we long for the company of a close friend. It is the assurance such company provides which allows us to weather life’s storms. We may not feel the necessity to talk things over with that friend, indeed we may initially not be able to discuss rationally our current experience, but the comfort an understanding friend provides is invaluable.
Jesus was overcome with confusion and fear as the realisation of his impending death swamped his being and he longed to have the company of his close friends in the garden that night as he prayed. Like all of us faced with sore trouble he sought a way out. To God he took his agony of mind, his fears, his dread of death, and pleaded that this might not be the lot he had drawn. In the midst of our troubles we too search for a way out, and plead that there may be another path, one that will not involve so much separation and pain. In our grief we hammer at doors on earth which may open to provide a solution, and on heaven’s door we do no less.
Those who Jesus chose were the friends who had protested their undying support for him such a short time earlier. Three times He returned from his prayers and found them sleeping. As we seek friends to sustain us it is not those who protest their support, but those who demonstrate their love and concern who remain cherished in our hearts. Yet even facing death’s spectre it was the nevertheless which Jesus offered back to God which inspires our lives. "Nevertheless if it be your will" is a phrase which echoes through the centuries. Nevertheless. In spite of my fears, and preferred choices, I will be obedient to God’s will. Jesus finally accepted the bitter cup offered to him and drank it to its dregs, and so became the bridge between humanity and God. Sometimes the cup we raise unwillingly to our lips may become a bridge between people, or a light which allows others to find their way home during life’s bleakest storms. Our pain is never wasted in God’s plan. Our deaths may become a triumph of transformed eternal life.
Prayer: God, in those periods of our lives when we believe there is none we can term as a friend, remind us that Jesus is the Friend who will never fail us. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
The Lord’s Supper
Mark 14: 22-25
"This is my body." "This is the blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many."
Every word and action of a Passover Celebration was ritually prescribed. The head of the family prayed over the cup of the Kiddush and all drank of it. On three occasions the person celebrating Passover ceremonially washed his hands. The bread reminded them of the bread of affliction which they ate in Egypt, and it was broken thus symbolising the broken crusts which were their lot. They related the story of their deliverance, sang the first part of the Hallel, and proceeded into the meal proper. At the close of the meal, with the second part of the Hallel sung and the last cup of wine drunk, two short prayers ended the Passover Feast.
The Passover commemorates the Jewish nation’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Central to the meal was the roasted lamb, a reminder of the lamb’s blood sprinkled on door lintels the night the Angel of Death appeared. The mild and gentle lamb became the symbol of safety and God’s protection. This ancient and sacred meal took on new life and meaning in Jesus’ hands. This ritual was transformed and became a new reality. When Jesus took the uneaten portion of the bread in his hands, for every part of this meal had to be consumed, with his blessing and his invitation to his friends, he was saying "Look closely, for just as this bread is broken and shared between you, so will my body be broken for you!"
When he took the cup, possibly the third cup which was called the cup of thanksgiving, everyone expected to hear the usual blessing, "Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who hast created the fruit of the vine." But Jesus had two new revelations to share which would change this feast from a celebration of the past to a proclamation of the future. To his friends he said, "Look at the red wine which has been poured out into this cup, just as surely will my blood be poured out for you. This will bring into effect a new covenant which will not be based on obedience to the law, but instead on the love of God." The bread and wine took on new characteristics and became a sacrament which we share in today.
However neither baptismal water and fire, nor eucharistic bread and wine, will ever replace our intimate relationship with God. Just as Jesus that night was able to "tell it as it is" to his friends, in our relationship with God we discover the joy of being able to "tell it as it is" knowing that every thought and word are perfectly understood. It may not be in the sharing of bread and wine but in a shared meal of fish, such as was prepared that morning when Jesus challenged Peter to feed the hungry of the world, that we hear Jesus. Any or every day Jesus may whisper the words of this sacrament to our hearts, and as the depths of his love sink into our soul, we realise that he is asking if we too will become the bread and wine which he would share out to feed the hungry souls of the world. The Lord’s Supper goes on as we too are offered to others.
Prayer: God in those times when we do not want to be of service to others, remind us of your body and your blood which transform all lives with love. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Betrayed
Mark 14: 18,20, 44,45
"While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me - one who is eating with me." "It is one of the Twelve ... one who dips bread into the bowl with me." Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." Going to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him."
One of life’s most painful experiences is the betrayal by a friend or family member - someone with whom we have shared daily intimacies. It was but a few days since crowds had hailed Jesus with shouts of "Hosanna" as he entered the city on an ass. Now gathered together with his disciples for a communal meal Jesus spoke of a plot to betray him.
Jesus could have denounced Judas to the rest of the disciples and Judas would have been held, his plans thwarted. Jesus could have used a miracle to render Judas harmless. Instead he confronted Judas with his sin, in an attempt to make him stop and reconsider his plans. His eyes challenged Judas as if to ask, "Can you look into my eyes and tell me you will still do what you propose?" God never uses force, never attempts to coerce us. Rather God uses an appeal based on love.
Judas recognised the Messiah in Jesus. The prophecies were fulfilled, yet even with the voices of the crowd praising him, Jesus refused to seize the power offered with the adulation. Judas therefore resolved to force Christ’s hand by betraying him to the authorities, believing this would cause Jesus to claim his kingdom. Like all of us, Judas misjudged God’s vision of the dominion. Until the moment of Christ’s arrest, Judas expected Christ to declare himself. He could not understand that Jesus asked only for his followers to love God as God loves them, and that they also love each other. These are the formulae which would produce the new age of which prophecy spoke.
And so, as the truth sank into his consciousness, Judas attempted to turn back time’s hands by returning the blood money to the Temple authorities. Having failed even in this, he took his own life. He could no longer live with the memory of Christ’s eyes meeting his own. Now that he understood the meaning behind Christ’s teachings, where were all those days they had spent together? How could he endure the knowledge that the One he loved, he had sacrificed? How could he live a day more, his shame and deceit condemning him, his own thoughts mocking him? Would that he could once again reach out and touch Jesus. Would that he could hear Jesus’ voice calling to him, "Come, follow me. Let us start afresh."
Prayer: God, today I hear your voice calling me, and asking me to join you on a fresh journey as a cross bearer. May I accept your invitation with joy. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Your Will Be Done - Christ’s Nevertheless
Mark 13: 32-42
Jerusalem, in Jesus time, was so crowded that there was no space for gardens. A wealthy friend must have allowed Jesus free access to the private garden on the Mount of Olives. To this hill, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, Jesus went with Peter, James and John after they had sung the Hallel. And it is at this time we witness the anguish of Jesus in prayer.
At thirty-three Jesus did not wish to die, least of all to die with the agony of a crucifixion. In the garden of Gethsemane we witness his struggle as he submitted his will to the will of God. God’s will is never forced on humanity, we are always allowed our choices. Jesus could have rejected what he perceived as God’s will and turned back, in which case the salvation of the world would have been at risk. But because Jesus knew it was the will of God he chose to go on, even though he could not understand why this painful step was necessary. In his distress, though he asked God for a way out, he waited submissive to the will of God. "Nevertheless," he said, "Your will be done."
The intensity of his prayers had exhausted him. Isaiah had stated that God would place on the Messiah’s shoulders all humanity’s sins, and the weight of these seemed unbearable. The sweat, forming in beads on his face and forehead, began to change colour until it became the colour of blood. Most of us will never experience such intensity in prayer. It is a state called Haematidrosis and occurs when fear is piled upon fear, and suffering upon suffering . It is caused by the dilation of subcutaneous capillaries which, when they come in contact with sweat glands, burst allowing blood to flow with perspiration.
Into our lives occasions will arise when we too are faced with our own Gethsemane experience, when we learn to say to God "Your will be done." It is a measure of our relationship with God whether we say it in perfect faith and trust, as did Jesus, knowing we are submitting to God’s love. Knowing God’s love we do not utter these words in frustrated submission, nor with resentment or anger, but with the calm assurance that all is well with our souls.
Whenever we are presented with major choices in our lives we can attempt to trust our own judgement, or we can decide to ask that God’s will be done. It is with the same utter confidence and trust a child manifests toward those who have demonstrated unqualified love that we can trust God with all the details of our lives. "Your will be done" in our jobs, relationships, spiritual communities and even in our own self-care. "YOUR will, Beloved God."
Prayer: God, when we are faced with hard choices in our lives remind us of the nevertheless our Saviour used at Gethsemane. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Denying Christ
Mark 14: 66 – 72
"I do not know the man you are talking about."
Today’s reading deals with a man torn between his love for Jesus and fear. What but love could have drawn him, accompanied by John, into the courtyard of Caiaphas’ palace? He was a marked man, one who had used a sword to excise the ear of one of the High Priest’s men.
As onlookers shrouded by darkness let us watch the story unfold. The young woman porter’s eye fell on Peter as she held high the lantern to identify the callers, and she identified him as an associate of Jesus. This was the first occasion on which Peter denied Jesus. A little later, as the wind whipped the flames, from across the fire a man pointed Peter out as one of Jesus’ disciples. For the second time Peter denied Jesus. Then again did a voice challenge him, and this time in anger Peter denied Jesus for the third time, just as Christ was led across the courtyard. At that moment a rooster nearby stretched his neck, flapped his wings and crowed, and as the sound echoed through the courtyard Jesus turned and faced Peter. As he looked into the eyes of Jesus and found not anger, but sorrow there, Peter ran sobbing from the scene.
What we have here is obviously Peter’s account, for we hear the whole report of his betrayal. To Peter’s mind the incident exemplified the forgiveness Jesus offers even those who have betrayed him. Peter had been over-confident thinking he could handle anything which arose. But Jesus has always been aware of human weakness, he knows how likely we are to make mistakes, and to fail those to whom we owe our loyalty. Jesus knows that we will sometimes close our eyes and ears to the cries of others, while trying to justify our actions by concluding we are too stretched, or have helped too often already.
Often our own resolve is tested, and we fall prey to those acts or words which we believe we would never countenance. Sometimes it is at the moment we reach our breaking point when we too deny the Lord to whom we owe our existence. Some have had their faith tested in prison or under torture, but these are exceptional circumstances. It is usually not in earth-shattering incidents that we fail, but so many times it is in the petty, little events of daily living. Our tempers flare when we would have been better to have spread love like a blanket over a situation. We attempt to substitute badly finished or incomplete work when laziness becomes a companion. We put off today’s prayer time, and leave our Bibles unopened because we did not schedule time for our day’s nourishment. Like Peter, we each experience times of reckoning, times when Jesus turns to face us too. When we meet Jesus’ glance we discover it is not anger in his eyes we see, but voiceless sorrow and grief. It is not Christ’s pride we have broken, but his heart.
Prayer: God, like Peter I have betrayed you. I have not followed your command to love, yet as I look into your eyes I see not judgement but love and sorrow mingled there. Forgive me, precious Christ. Amen.
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By Surprised by Joy
Hosanna!
Mark 11: 1-11
"Hosanna in the highest!"
Today's event is so significant that all four gospel writers shared their perspectives. These can be found in John 12: 12-15; Matthew 21: 1-9 and Luke 19: 29-38. Through all four reflections, we better understand the drama and dynamics of this event commonly called "the Triumphal Entry." Jesus enters Jerusalem after three years of arduous ministry to fulfill prophecy and begin his final week of life before the cross. This final week is known as "Passion Week." After this triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus begins to withdraw from public ministry and intentionally concentrates on preparing his inner circle of twelve disciples for the remaining days ahead.
Jesus is a famed miracle worker and respected teacher and healer. He has recently raised his friend, Lazarus from the dead. The Jewish Passover is about to begin. Huge crowds of pilgrims are thronging into Jerusalem for religious observances. And we find Jesus intentionally going into harms way. In this triumphal entry, he deliberately provokes the Temple authorities. He knows that they will now take action against him at the earliest opportunity.
So here is the story. All the gospel writers note that Jesus had a plan and that the disciples simply did "as Jesus instructed them." Two disciples are sent ahead to find a colt which has never been ridden. They bring this young animal to Jesus. The disciples spread their cloaks on the colt for Jesus to sit on. And the procession enters Jerusalem while Jesus weeps over the city (Luke 19: 41). He knows what is ahead for him. Betrayal, injustice, torture and death are around the corner.
We see the crowds go wild with excitement. People joyfully begin praising God for the many miracles they have seen and heard Christ do. They cut branches in the fields and lay them on the road before the young donkey. The people chant "Hosanna! (Praise) Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!" And the entire city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee" (Matthew 21.10-11).
And here is the key to this event. Jesus is publicly arriving as the Messiah. Jesus is the Christ. He is God's Sent One. There is simply no other name by which we are saved. His name is the name above all others. In Christ, we find a new relationship with God. Jesus is claiming to be the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Zechariah 9:9). We are told that after arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple and just looked at everything. I wonder what he was thinking.
Prayer: Hosanna! Praise God! Blessed be Christ who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the Highest! Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Arrested
Mark 14: 43-50, 53
"They laid hands on him and seized him."
Anyone alert in Jerusalem that morning would have been astonished to witness the departure of a strange party from the city. No-one before had ever seen Pharisees marching with Roman legionnaires or with Sadducees. None of these groups trusted the other, but tonight they marched together following in Judas’ footsteps. For Judas, in his betrayal, had signified that the man he kissed would be the one they sought.
The noise of the approaching party woke the eight disciples sleeping in the cave and they moved to see what was happening to Jesus, thus joining Peter, James and John. There stood Jesus, his face illuminated by torches, as Judas moved forward and hailed him with a kiss. This same kiss of betrayal has known its counterpart to this day. To Judas Jesus offered no word of reproach, but with compassion he asked, "Judas, with a kiss you betray the Son of Man?"
To the party surrounding him Jesus put the question, "Who is it you are looking for?" "Jesus of Nazareth" was their reply, as if with one voice. "I am he" spoke Jesus, and his words seemed to instil fear into the Temple guards. The Roman soldiers now moved forward, and to them Jesus repeated his question. Again he stated, "I am he", but this time he also included, within his reply, a demand that his disciples be allowed to leave unmolested. Then Jesus faced the mob with the words, "You came out to capture me with swords and clubs as if I was a bandit, yet day by day when I taught in the Temple you did not arrest me. Peter, always willing to fight for his beliefs, sheared the ear off one of the High Priest’s servants, at which Jesus stretched forth his hand and the ear was restored. The Romans formally arrested Christ and the march to the High Priest’s residence commenced. The disciples fled.
Most of us have experienced times when those we love, respect or admire are confronted by overwhelming odds. Sometimes it appears that our own safety is threatened because of our association with these people. Like the disciples we may choose to flee in our fear. There are times when our association with our own spiritual community can kindle fires of abuse from other people. There are ties when we, like the members of the early Church, may find our lives and those of our family are threatened because of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus stood his ground and assumed control of the situation at the time of his arrest. There was no doubt in his mind that, regardless of appearances, God was in control. Backed up against odds such as those which confronted our Saviour, would we have the same assurance?
Prayer: God, there are times when we are forced to be in situations not of our own choosing, or when we seem surrounded by those who wish us harm. Strengthen our faith so that we may witness your working out in all the areas of our lives. Amen
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By God’s Gnome
The Night That Justice Died.
Mark 14: 55 – 60
"The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus on which they might pass the death sentence."
Many of us endure circumstances which we describe as unfair. Sometimes we learn we have recourse to the law for remedy to our situation. But when those responsible for upholding the law choose to disregard it, from whom shall we seek justice?
The Sanhedrin, which administered religious matters, had its procedures regulated in one of the tractates of the Mishnah. The court, which met only in the Hall of Hewn Stone, was not allowed to convene except during daylight hours, nor could it meet during any of the great feasts. Each member had to give a verdict separately, and if the verdict was one of death, a night must elapse before it was carried out. This was to allow the court to change its verdict, or perhaps its decision regarding mercy.
When Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin the court was not meeting in its own building. It was meeting at night. There is no record of verdicts pronounced individually. The false witnesses called to testify against Jesus disagreed with each other, and finally, the High Priest asked a question forbidden by the law. For though it was forbidden to pose questions whose answers could incriminate a defendant, the High Priest asked Jesus if he was the promised Messiah. By his reply Jesus proclaimed himself to be guilty of the charge of blasphemy, a charge which carried the death penalty.
In the face of injustice, at the moment of our trials, we too are often faced with decisions which will profoundly affect our future. Before we answer, we pause momentarily as we weigh up the consequences of our words or actions. Perhaps for the sake of our job, our family or our own life we are tempted to deny a truth which would cost us dearly. Jesus answered his inquisitors with confidence and courage. He had come so far in fulfilling prophecy that these men needed to dis-empower him, to be rid of him before their own lives were exposed as corrupt. He was to become their scapegoat, someone whose death would divert the eyes and minds of the people from the sin-stained lives of their leaders.
With the verdict of death declared, some of those eminent men began to humiliate Jesus by spitting on him, while their servants began slapping him around. This behaviour in a court of law would seem outrageous to us, just as it did to Jesus, but we hear no word, nor are we given a sign, that he considered retracting his words. Once we speak the truth, in connection with discrimination be it on the grounds of age, gender, or race, in the minds of those tampering with justice we become seen as trouble-makers. If we raise questions about food stockpiled while millions die of starvation, we pose economic threats. Across the world, in the centuries since Jesus declared himself, millions of men and women have been slaughtered because of their faith. We call ourselves civilised people, but without justice - justice that can be seen to be fair and equal for all people - we are but lawless rabble. Today let us pause for a moment and reflect how different our country would be if justice prevailed in our churches, schools, government, work-places and in our own homes and lives. With Jesus, can we recall Justice from the sleep of death?
Prayer: God, Teach me to not only to observe justice in my daily life, but also to show mercy. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Expediency
Mark 15:12
Pilate again asked them, "What shall I do to the man you call
the King of the Jews?"
The story of Pilate can never be relegated to a specific date for this is a story we witness any day of our lives, in any street, circumstance or country. Pontius Pilate was procurator of the province, responsible solely to the Roman emperor. To attain such a rank he would have proved himself as a soldier and an administrator. From the very start of his rule there was trouble, mainly of his own making. Here was a man who, unlike his predecessors, refused to remove the eagles and images of the emperor from the standards before he marched in Jerusalem. The resultant opposition was so great he was forced to yield, his only other choices were to arrest or slaughter the whole Jewish nation. When he decided to construct a new aqueduct he used the money from the Temple treasure to pay the costs involved. His reputation became so stained that the Jews threatened to send a delegation to the emperor to report his misdeeds.
The Jewish religious authorities were determined to have Jesus condemned to death, and so they brought him before Pilate on three trumped up political charges. First, he was said to be a revolutionary, second, he was charged with inciting the populace not to pay their taxes, and third, he was charged with claiming to be a king. Pilate knew from the start that Jesus was innocent, but always the threat of impeachment hung over his head. These authorities were the same people who had threatened his reputation and therefore his life. They virtually held a loaded gun at his head. The silence and dignity Jesus maintained during his interrogation made Pilate wonder whether it was himself or Jesus who actually was on trial that day. He knew Jesus should be freed, but the chant went up that if he freed Jesus then he was not a friend of Rome. Caught between justice and fear, he sought to offer to Jesus the customary Passover release, but the crowd would have none of this. Instead they demanded that Barabbas, a petty thief, be freed and Jesus crucified.
Stand still and watch, for now we see one of the most cowardly and pathetic acts in history. Pilate called for a basin and ewer of water and washed his hands in a vain attempt to shift the responsibility of Christ’s death sentence from himself and onto the Jewish nation. This futile gesture is mirrored day after day, by those to whom responsibility is entrusted, as they attempt to place the responsibility onto someone else. War criminals answer their judges with the words, "We were only following orders." Young people caught in situations which cause injury to themselves or others cry indignantly, "It’s only an end-of-year prank." Visit a court and hear the myriad of excuses offered to explain unlawful conduct. The world’s rain forests are being decimated, agreed pollution controls are not being effected - hear the voices of the destroyers who plead for special indulgence. Genocide continues and world courts seem powerless or unwilling to act. Words are used in this elaborate hand-washing exercise. Are we who claim to be Christ’s own any better, we who turn from pain and suffering, from abuse and poverty, and demand authorities do what we have failed to do, that is to serve the needs of our human family? Suffered under Pontius Pilate? Suffered under our neglect and callousness too!
Prayer: God, Sometimes our own words and actions compromise decisions we make. Teach us to be unafraid in the face of opposition and threats. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
A Cross to Carry
Mark 15: 21-22
‘They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, ... to carry his cross.’
The mockery of a trial concluded and the judgement was passed with the words
"Illum duci ad crucem placet" - "the sentence is that this man should be taken to a cross." To the guard was given the order, "I, miles, expedi crucem," - "Go, soldier, and prepare the cross." While the cross was being prepared, Jesus was handed over to the soldiers of the Praetorium who would administer the scourging which preceded crucifixion.
Those condemned to death by crucifixion always carried their own cross. They were forced to follow the longest possible route to their execution as a warning to other would-be criminals. With the upright of the cross already fixed in place awaiting its occupant, it was the heavy cross beam which was placed on Christ’s shoulders. His back had been reduced by the lead and bone tipped scourge to raw flesh, and he was at the point of exhaustion. He stumbled beneath the wooden weight, and the square of four soldiers who surrounded him, paused. When the stumbling finally gave way to a fall, and Christ and the cross crashed to the ground, a Jewish citizen was impressed to carry the cross the balance of the journey.
What Simon of Cyrene thought of this imposition we are not told, nor do we learn of the effect walking beside Jesus on that fatal journey would have made on this man. At the end, as he lowered the cross-beam to the ground, before his eyes the nails were driven into living flesh as Jesus was impaled on the cross. Jesus invites us to take up our cross as we follow him. Sometimes what we carry becomes almost too much for us to bear and we, too, stumble. The crossbeam on which all our cares and concerns are fastened presses down on us, and we struggle to regain our footing.
In the dust of the road, bruised by the stones and scratched by bushes, we strain every nerve as we slowly raise ourselves to our bloody knees. Through the grime, sweat and tears which mist our vision we find Jesus gently lifting our cross, and helping us to our feet. The road seems less steep now, the journey less long, for with Jesus taking half the weight of our cross it almost seems to have no weight at all.
So often we lose sight of Jesus, we forget to share time with him in prayer, and we become disconnected from the pipeline which provides our spiritual sustenance. We move into the events of each day carrying the full weight of our individual crosses. Often it is not till we stumble and fall we find Jesus has been waiting all the time to walk with us and help carry our cross. The cross carried by Love is light indeed.
Prayer: God who carried my sins on the cross, never let me forget that the cross also became your throne. As I carry my cross, may it also become a throne for you. Amen.
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By God’s Gnome
Mark 15: 33
"My God, my God, why have you deserted me?"
To the cross beam, by nails driven into his wrists, Jesus was impaled. Four soldiers seized the cross beam, and dragging Jesus with it, lifted it until the mortise hole fitted over the upright beam. His feet were nailed, right foot over left, to the upright. Constant pain caused his body to move in spasms. Sometimes he stared directl