Tuesday, March 31

Scripture for the Day:

 

Again he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jewish leaders said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.  And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him. – John 8:21-30

Reflection – Madeleine Cheslow

For me Lent is a time for reflection. It is a good time to practice true humility, true modesty and being less materialistic. In my childhood, I remember we did not eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent, things I still practice. On the one hand, I do not know if it means something, i.e. like a little sacrifice (privation), on the other hand, I guess I will feel guilty If I don't. If by any chance, I eat meat, on those days, without realizing and being conscious of it, I just say to God, I forgot and ask for forgiveness. In fact, in these instances, I do not feel too guilty because I know the Lord is always ready to forgive and understands that the human being is more inclined to sin. 

Monday, March 30

Scripture for the Day:

[Then each of them went home,]while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’ - John 8:1-11

Reflection – Brandon  and Janice Reyes

Over the past year our life has been full of little else but laying the foundation for our brand new family. We feel incredibly blessed, and most of the time it is full of happiness and celebration.  Like any couple with children, however, we have had our moments. We don't always do what we should, and occasionally tempers can rise and thoughtless words are said. Sometimes it's for a very valid reason; sometimes not. It happens because we loose focus on ourselves and begin to put the other under the microscope of spousal perfection. Christ reminds us that it is not our place to condemn, even if the reason is valid and as clear as day. We are to look at ourselves once again through Jesus' eyes, through the microscope of God, and strive with His help to “sin no more.” Only when we are working on this together does our family begin to realize the fullness that God intends for all of us.

Saturday, March 28

Scripture for the Day:  On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” ’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.    When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, ‘This is really the prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Messiah.’ But some asked, ‘Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?’ So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.     – John 7:37-44

Reflection – Joyce Finch 

I have a 2-year old granddaughter who I take of while her Mum and Dad work. One day things were going along great, as usual, then Sara let out a terrible cry and screamed, “Nanny, Nanny!” (I think a motor cycle had roared past the house; something loud.) She came running to me, scared and crying. I scooped her up, her little arms shot round my neck, and she really held on tight. I soothed her, told her what the noise was, and she calmed down and toddled back off to what she was doing.

When I thought about this exercise, it made me think of Sara running to me with complete trust that I was going to protect her and keep her safe. Wouldn’t it be great if each time we got scared, we’d run to Jesus and throw our arms around his neck and hold on tight with the trust of a two-year-old?

To ponder and pray:   What is your greatest fear? Can you ask Jesus to come and sit by you,  and hold it for you for awhile? Stay with that in your imagination… see what happens.     (Warning: Fear is icy… Jesus is hot. It may not survive his touch…)

Friday, March 27

Scripture for the Day:     After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret.    Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.’ Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from.  I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. – John 7:1-2,10, 25-30

Reflection – Debra Slade 

I sometimes recall the song by Joan Osborne which says: “What if God was one of us?” It is most often in Lent that I reflect on the man Jesus, and what it was for him to be both fully human and fully divine.  Jesus, the Christ, was one of us for a short period of time, and in doing so, experienced all of the emotions, the feelings that we have as well. In the Gospel reading, the people doubt that the Jesus they meet in the temple is the Messiah because they know where he is from. Jesus acknowledges that they do know that part of him which is like them, the familiar, knowable, human part.  But he also tells them that there is another part – the divine part which is not known by them.   

What makes the stories of Jesus so compelling is the tension between these two parts of him – the knowable and the unknowable. In the Gospel of John, the human fate – death, and the God purpose – resurrection and  salvation, are spoken of by Jesus before they occur, as the given.  He was not arrested in the temple “because his hour had not yet come.”  We start off Lent with Ash Wednesday remembering “we are dust and to dust we shall return.”   Our human fate, like Jesus’ is certain. Not dying is not an option.  But with that knowledge, we can, and should, practice seeing every day, every hour, every minute as a gift; our life as a gift from God.  

Thursday, March 26

Scripture for the Day:      Jesus said, ‘I can do nothing on my own.   As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.  ‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John,  and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. – John 5:30-37a

Reflection - Linda Atkins

If you asked me, I would probably not describe myself as a spiritual person. My faith in God has always been a part of my identity, but it was immature, a function of memorized catechism and rote prayers that were part of my Catholic upbringing.   A faith set on the back burner through much of my adult life, until the responsibility of bringing faith to my children interceded.  The journey to explore and deepen my faith is still continuing. I can honestly say that the presence of God in my life today makes me feel supported and loved, and blessed in so many ways. Prayer is beginning to be more a part of my life, remembering to thank Him as well as feeling able to ask, too. The bumps in the road don’t seem so scary, because I’m learning to turn to God for help.  

Wednesday, March 25

Scripture for the Day:     Jesus said to them, The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that  all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 ‘Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do   not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.       – John 5:22-29

Reflection – Ed Happ 

"For the theme of judgment in the Gospel text I believe the word of grace prevails.  Here is a poem that tells such a story, written about my daughter twenty years ago."

Beauty

It is an early day of spring,

the budding daffodil stems

bend and flow with the light

wind and rain sweeping through.

 

I am going to see my daughter,

the gymnast, of the varsity team.

She has been tumbling since

the age of five.

 

I come to watch her stretch

and move with grace,

each year more lithesome

than the last.

 

Yet she tells me at the break,

“I’m overweight.”

I search for the shadow

cast by her wiry frame.

           

“Really?” I say.

“Yes,” she is serious,

speaking a thousand

voices of subtle judgment.

 

Being of linear mind       

(which men are wont to do),

I ask if she would line up

in her mind       

her entire high school class

from thin to thick.

Where would she fall,

among the other girls,

the budding flowers?

 

With difficulty, head down,

she nods when I say,

“well below the average then?”,

(for a young woman, this is

her entire high school class

the realm of imaginary numbers).

She looks up at me

with eyes that say,

“you don’t understand.”

So I tell her how

beautiful she is,

and her head is down again,

but I see the edges of a smile.

                       

“Dad, I  love you.”

 

I hug her close

and kiss

the top of the stems

of her hair.

Calling for the sun,

I wonder how

so many flowers,

hide as weeds

before the petals

open to reveal

the angel

hiding there.

Tuesday, March 24

Scripture for the Day: 

After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.

Now that day was a sabbath… Therefore the Jewish leaders started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’ For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.  . – John 5:1-9, 16-18

Sabbaths    by Wendell Berry

Who makes a clearing makes a work of art,

The true world’s Sabbath trees in festival

Around it. And the stepping stream, a part

Of Sabbath also, flows past, by its fall

Made musical, making the hillslope by

Its fall, and still at rest in falling, song

Rising. The field is made by hand and eye,

By daily work, by hope outreaching wrong,

And yet the Sabbath, parted, still must stay

In the dark musings of the soil no hand

May light, the great Life, broken, make its way

Along the stemmy footholds of the ant.

Bewildered in our timely dwelling place,

Where we arrive by work, we stay by grace.   

North Point Press, 1987

Monday, March 23

Scripture for the Day:    

When the two days were over, he went from that place to Galilee (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country). When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival.  Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’ The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, ‘Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.’ The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.  – John 4:43-54

Reflection – Kim Henderson  

I wonder what Jesus would have to do in these troubled times to convince us that he is the son of God.    After all, we have countless who perform miracles every day.  Many of us have witnessed miraculous health recoveries at the hands of skilled medical professionals.  On January 26^th, we had the miracle births of the octuplets and just 10 days earlier, we had the Miracle on the Hudson.  Obama is hard at work on rescuing our economy; that would certainly be a miracle.  We even had the illusionist, Chris Angel, walk on water, another apparent miracle.  What would convince us that Jesus was really Jesus in his second coming? 

He would definitely have his work cut out for him to make us believers.  As he said to the royal official the first time around, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”  I’m afraid that this would undeniably be the case in today’s world.   We are numbed and jaded by all that we have seen and experienced.   Maybe the miracle is for us to find Christ and not the other way around.  In the little things; the day to day wonders that we all take for granted; a soaring hawk, the quiet sparkle of freshly fallen snow, the kindness of a stranger.  Perhaps Christ is already among us and all we have to do is take notice; stand witness to his grace.

Saturday, March 21

Scripture for the Day:

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’ – Luke 18:9-14

Reflection – Joan Warga 

This gospel did not make me feel good about myself.  I saw myself in it – comparing myself to others.  “Is she heavier than me?”  “Am I as bad looking as she is?”  It brought out how little humility I have.  I don’t mean to personalize this reading, but it did make me feel ashamed because I really saw myself in it.

There is a passage somewhere where we are told by God to never compare ourselves to anyone else – “there will always be greater and lesser than you.”  I know He loves us all equally, but sometimes it does seem as if He gives more to the “Chosen Few.” They have lots of money, live in perfect homes, with perfectly manicured lawns in picture-perfect neighborhoods and towns. They never have to work out; they can eat what they want, they “forget” to eat (can you believe that??? - I wish God would give me a bad memory in that department. )

This gospel also tells how presumptuous the Pharisee is in comparison with the tax collector. 

He believes that he is the better man because he tithes, prays and fasts – but he doesn’t like God’s creatures, i.e., his fellow man.

This is Jesus’ recurring message – the last shall be first and the first shall be last.  He came to earth to be a slave, a servant, not to act like the King that He is.  Those who serve Him, serve His people.

To ponder and pray: Think of a person you really have trouble with. Now, hold him or her in your mind’s eye and ask God to shower that person with blessing. Lots of blessing. Stay with it for a good 3 minutes – like cooking an egg. Now… do you see anything different about them?

Friday, March 20

Scripture for the Day:

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. – Mark 12:28-34

Love (III)

 

Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back

            Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

            From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

            If I lacked any thing.

 

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:

            Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,

            I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

            Who made the eyes but I?

 

Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame

            Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?

            My dear, then I will serve.

You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:                    

            So I did sit and eat.      

George Herbert            (1593-1633)

Thursday, March 19

Scripture for the Day:

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, ‘This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! – Luke 11:29-32

Reflection – Eleanor Christensen 

My time for prayer and reflection is first thing in the morning when I go out for a walk with my dog, Penny. I have to get out of bed early, at 5:30 a.m., to fit it in before I leave for work. I am not naturally a morning person, so I never find it easy. This time of year it is cold and dark as we head out the door, and I am bundled up in many layers with a reflective vest on top; but Penny is so eager and excited that I have to feel my spirits rise. It may be clear, foggy, rainy, or snowy—we go out every morning despite the weather and the darkness. I am a person who loves the light, so as Penny sniffs around and goes about her business, I look for any sign of light—moon, stars, or a faint glow in the East. There I feel God’s presence and thank Him for the start of another day, for my health, for my family and friends, for a warm house and a rewarding job.

I then reflect on any challenges I may face or goals I want to set for myself, and I ask for God’s help in the day ahead.

It has been my habit over the last ten years or so to begin each day with gratitude, no matter how wonderful or miserable life is on any given day. For the first few years I kept a gratitude journal in which I listed five things for which I was thankful every day. I found it often completely changed my focus from dwelling on problems to realizing that every day God sent me not one, but at least five blessings. This stood me in good stead in the darkest days of my life when my sister died and then a few weeks later so did my dad. Even on those days, I could list my five blessings —the love and support of friends, beautiful hymns to be planned for the funeral, sunshine, wonderful food that was offered, my own health, and the strength to support my mother. By now the habit of gratitude has become so much a part of my day that I do not need the journal.

And so in Lent, I continue to walk with Penny each day, seeing more and more light in the early morning sky. By Easter Day, I will be greeted, if not by glorious sunshine, at least by daylight. Thanks be to God for the coming of the Light.

Wednesday, March 18

Scripture for the Day:

 ‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:17-19

Reflection – Kimberly Miller 

Out of Your Head and Into Your Heart

Thinking is the key to a better understanding, over-thinking is a trap. I have expert experience.   He has come not to discount what has already been revealed to us, but to live it and be it, as the example of the power and awe.  He is the son of greatness sent for our salvation. Although it may take eternity to accomplish, I will be vigilant in my pursuit of right living and guiding others in that direction. You are chosen and created for the greater good but you have been given the will to choose. (An interesting trait to test and measure one by?) I will change nothing etched, absolutely nothing. The only challenges are of these commandments. Are you breaking the least of them and teaching others to follow your example?  Is your heart on the side of selfishness and ego? If so you will be least welcomed in the kingdom of heaven, it is that simple. Keep the commandments cherish the word, teach and lead others to the same and you will be great in the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Tuesday, March 17

Scripture for the Day:

Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’ – Matthew 18:21-35

Reflection – Saramaria Allenby

Forgiveness.
So incredibly hard and wonderful. We need to embody forgiveness. Take on Christ and live it out loud in our life every day to fully participate and offer a future to ourselves not bound by the past. We hear it, read and say it many times in words…”forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”…. But to truly forgive ourselves, forgive others, admit we are mere mortals, imperfect, unyielding and RIGHT, we need to truly live forgiveness.

So. Here is the recommended recipe to fulfill the physical action required to achieve and live, breathe, eat, sleep (and do it all over again day by day by day…every day).

Recipe for forgiveness:

Ingredients: First you will need a body (preferably your own) and you will need to fill it with:

7 cups of truthfulness mixed with patience
7 oz mercy
70 tsp of love, empathy and compassion

Mix with
Letting go of anger

Dissolving bitterness

Release of blame

Sift in
7 tons of kindness, reconciliation and hope
77 cups of moving on
A pinch of reckoning
Endless peace
Acknowledgement of human sin
Release of being RIGHT
70 ½ tbsp of freedom
Know comfort and joy

Mix all together and add
Practice daily
And an infinite amount of
Prayer
From your heart.

Monday, March 16

Scripture for the Day:

Jesus said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. – Luke 4:23-30

Reflection –    by   Nancy Geary

Why is it that we require proof in order to believe, evidence in order to be convinced, and documentation in order to define what is truth?  In this passage, the people of Nazareth chided Jesus for performing his miracles elsewhere and not showing them what He could do.  That they had heard stories of His healing wasn’t enough.  They needed to see it with their own eyes.  We are no different.  We refuse to let a feeling or a perception alone guide us.  We want more.  We seek what is concrete and tangible: a world record broken to show who is fastest, a name listed in Forbes to show who is the greatest success.

But how much do we miss by this insistence?  Why is a leap of faith – which may well be the best way to leap into faith – such a difficult jump to make?  Embracing a sense of wonder, living contented amidst ambiguity and uncertainty, accepting blessings that we don’t witness, and finding a truth that may never show up on a map or in a history book are what, to me, constitutes faith.

And when we stop requiring proof of others, we will have nothing ourselves to prove.  Then we can simply be.       

To ponder and pray:  What promises of God do you have trouble accepting on faith?  When have you felt your faith to be the strongest? Why?

Saturday, March 14

Scripture for the Day:
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. – Luke 11:14-23

A Litany – II The Son, John Donne, (1572-1631)

O Son of God, who seeing two things
Sin and death crept in,
which were never made,
By bearing one,
tried’st with what stings
The other could thine heritage invade;
O be thou nailed unto my heart
And crucified again,
Part not from it,
though it from thee would part,
But let it be by applying so thy pain,
Drowned in thy blood,
and in thy passion slain.

Friday, March 13

Scripture for the Day:
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’ – Luke 15:11-32

Reflection – Peter Romersa

In this parable of Luke the father celebrates the return of a son who was left for dead in the wilderness, after a period of adversity, starvation, and death. The elder brother became upset that no celebrations were planned for him during his tenure of service to his father. The father explained that the return of the younger son was cause for celebration because the younger son “was dead and was brought to life; he was lost and then has been found.” The father was willing to look past the younger son’s sins of financial mismanagement, and possible consorting with prostitutes, to celebrate the return of his son who virtually died. The father was moved that his son actually made it alive from the far away land, and that his son confessed his sins, and showed remorse for his failings.

It is the hope for this type of transformation, from being lost and dead, to springing fully with life, that is the promise of the season of Lent. Sometimes it feels like the dead of winter, where the sun resigns at the early hour of 4:30 each afternoon when I am just yearning for the chance to see the days transform to longer periods; and nature will spring into life, and bring the dead into the ranks of the living. This indeed is surely a cause for celebration each year that I eagerly await to participate in.

Thursday, March 12

Scripture for the Day: Jesus said, ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.
– Matthew 21:33-43


Haiku

We lose our bearing.
Disinherit our birthright.
The just are God’s own.

Wednesday, March 11

Scripture for the Day: Jesus said, ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.”

He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’ – Luke 16:19-31

Reflection – Sheila Williams-Brown

I read this story with in a new light. During the 1980 and 90s, while working for the telephone company, I made a good salary and kept the girls in good schools and many activities. Although I gave to many charities I really did not give of myself. After being laid off by the from the telephone company I had to down-size from living in a rented house in North Stamford to an apartment in Glenbrook. Although I found another job it paid $20,000 less than my former one. I was watching out for the kids financially but not spiritually. I had to leave my husband and down-size even further.

At this time I found going to church a help for my stress levels and for friends for my children. Without funds I started volunteering more even though I worked three jobs. I found usefulness to my life.

Things do not make life more important to those you love if they do not know you love them.

To ponder and pray: Who do you relate to most in Jesus’ parable? Who do you want to pray for?

Tuesday, March 10

Scripture for the Day: While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.’
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’ When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ - Matthew 20:17-28

Reflection – A Whole New Way of Thinking

Jesus, through his teachings and his life, asked us to redefine the most fundamental goals of human existence: wealth, greatness and justice.

Wealth does not come from the possession of material goods. Rather, lasting riches come from giving to others. Jesus made the ultimate gift.

Greatness does not come from wielding physical power over others. The truly great serve others. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

Justice does not come from exacting punishment. True justice comes from love, not might. Jesus did not punish sinners, he loved and healed them.

These precepts conflict with some of the most elemental components of human nature. Consequently, they are extremely difficult to put into practice. We continually rationalize them away. Our ends justify our means. The enemy is evil, and the war is just. To defeat the enemy, one must sometimes fight fire with fire. As a result we find ourselves striving for material wealth, seeking physical power and arguing for the severe punishment of wrongdoers. The illusory nature of these goals is revealed in the fact that upon attaining them, we still feel unfulfilled. Nonetheless, they are difficult goals to discard. Our society, despite moralistic protestations to the contrary, is largely built on them.

Life is a struggle and a journey. Jesus continually reminds us that we should strive for those goals exemplified by his life and teachings.

Monday, March 9

Scripture for the Day: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted. – Matthew 23:1-12


Scripture for the Day:

Reflection – Paula Hanson
Following the Path of Christ

In this passage from Matthew, Jesus, who has been teaching in parables, speaks directly to his disciples and the crowds. It’s as if he is saying, “Okay, pay attention now, because this is really important.” He gives them two directives – first, follow the teachings, but not the actions, of the scribes and Pharisees, and second, be humble, not proud.

These were huge challenges at the time, and, at least for me, they continue to loom large. Following the Christian path requires interpreting Biblical ideas for our time, and then being willing to do some things that aren’t always in line with the popular view. And being humble, especially in Fairfield County, definitely runs counter to much of what we see and hear all around us.

So, how can we follow these teachings? For me, staying focused on the Christian aspect of my life involves prayer and Bible study, and both are always more powerful when done in a group. So I’m thankful for the opportunity offered by our Wednesday prayer and Bible study sessions – now I just have to resolve to attend them more often!


To ponder and pray: Where are the “disconnects” for you between discipleship and world? What tools God has placed around you to help bridge the gaps?

Saturday, March 7

Scripture for the Day: ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every-one who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’ – Luke 6:27-38

Reflection – Carol Rice

Today's gospel reading includes the phrase, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This familiar command seems reasonably doable because it focuses me on my own values. Sure, I'll try to treat people the way I like to be treated. For me it has a one-sided slant (mine).

But also in Luke's passage are the words, “If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.” Now that doesn't fit so well in my value system. This is pretty radical, or counter-intuitive as we say today. It’s hard to think of a time in my life when a hurt didn't result in a desire to retaliate or some negative action. I definitely need God's help with this one.

The model for this radical kind of love of course is God who surrounds us with love in the midst of our brokeness. I persist in unlovable behavior, yet God's love is undiminished. What a model.
At our grandson's recent confirmation, the 'words of assurance' from the service program resonated, "As far as the east is from the west, that is how far God removes our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12) For me, this is a phrase to ponder deeply if I am to make any progress on cheek-turning.

Friday, March 6

Scripture for the Day: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:43-48

Reflection – Clark Downs

Perfect Love: A Meditation on Mt. 5.43-8

I to I, we do not see
The world in even light,
Or where the boundaries lie.
Still, the sun illumines you and me.
Whether I or you are wrong or right,
The rain falls from God’s sky.
To love your sister or your brother is really not so hard
But Jesus cleans my feet with precious nard.
Can you do that and be the child of God?
Can you ignore the way I look
Or the way I read the Book
And offer me a smiling nod?

Thursday, March 5

Scripture for the Day:

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,* you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool,” you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. – Matthew 5:20-26

Reflection – Betsy Adams

Writing with Lent weeks away, I am already deep into desert time: Tired of the short days and cold nights. Frightened by the daily disclosures of further economic calamity. Panicked at the possibility of losing my job. Certain I haven’t anything to give my beloveds, let alone the stranger whose real needs and desperation far outstrip my anxious imaginings. When Lent comes, I will remember this as familiar territory and not an impregnable vault offering no sequel.
I will enter the desert then as into an old friend’s embrace, and will know again that it asks only this: To remove the blinders. To listen well. To sit on my propensity to judge harshly. To find the humility —on my worst day, in my worst hour— to be no better than one kindness, one moment of presence beyond my imagined capacity. Jesus isn’t saying, to us, today, “one false move and you’ll burn in hell forever.” For us, today, I think Jesus is saying this: “The only law is the commandment from a merciful God to love. The action required is only in your heart." In the desert, God in His mercy reveals His infinite love for us at our least accomplished, at our most vulnerable, most compromised, most culpable.
The Lenten journey is about allowing the transformation that this revelation of mercy promises: The capacity to take God’s desert gift and 'pay it forward' with a loving heart.

To ponder and pray: Is there someone whom you have judged harshly… perhaps yourself, or another? What will happen if you pray to see that person with God’s eyes, God’s mercy?

Wednesday, March 4

Scripture for the Day:

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ‘In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. – Matthew 7:7-12

Reflection – Bridget Bilgrei

Reverend Kate often urges us to be bold and pray for things that seem too much to ask for, to be open to miracles. I’ve been trying that and I have to admit, I haven’t been getting exactly what I’ve been asking for.

There was a time in my life that this would have convinced me that prayers don’t really get answered, so why bother? But now I look at it a different way - we just don’t always get the answer we’re hoping for. For instance, I have been asking God for some time to heal a loved one who has a type of cancer that is very difficult to treat. Unfortunately, tests have yet to reveal that the tumors have miraculously disappeared. The doctor who diagnosed her told her things looked “bleak” and a myriad of medical websites told her she only had a few months to live. That was almost two years ago. Isn’t that a miracle right there? She has an incredibly gifted oncologist who assures her that she will be at her grandson’s bar mitzvah this fall. She is not at all religious and credits her doctor with the fact that she is still here. Her doctor is an Orthodox Jew and he gives all the credit to God.

To ponder and pray: What are some of the “good things” that God has given you? What is one thing you’re afraid to ask God to give you? What might happen if you took the risk of bringing that forward in prayer – not to “get” it, but to share it with the One who loves you?

Tuesday, March 3

Scripture for the Day:

Jesus said, ‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

‘Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

– Matthew 6:7-15

Reflection – Nancy Fiore

I personally have tried for years to set up a certain time to pray. But either the phone rings, or someone come to the door or there is some other interruption. And so I am stuck with the pray-as-you-go plan. If someone calls and needs a prayer said, I write it down and hope to remember to read the paper I wrote it on, if I don’t lose the paper. I find that my best way is to pray when the thought comes into my head, whether it be a name or just someone that pops into my head and suddenly I think that perhaps it would be good to pray for that person. I can be driving somewhere and suddenly think that I haven’t had a chat with God yet today. That is what a prayer really is to me, talking to someone I love dearly and want to speak with all the time. As I am driving I may see someone who has broken down at the side of the road. It can be unsafe to stop or you may not have time to stop but you have the time to pray. If an emergency vehicle passes me on the road, I pray for the person they are going to help or taking to a place where they can receive help. So I find that prayer can come to me at any time and for many reasons. I usually end my prayer sessions with the Lord’s Prayer because in the long run that seems to be the prayer that says it all.

To ponder and pray:

When do you usually “chat with God?” Can you make time to meet God for a latte, as you would a friend you want to get to know better? Do you say all the good stuff that’s going on in your life, as well as the hard things? Do you leave time for God to talk back?

Monday, March 2

Scripture for the Day:

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. – Matthew 25:31-40

Ash Wednesday VI, T.S. Eliot, (1930)

Although I do not hope to turn again
Although I do not hope
Although I do not hope to turn

Wavering between the profit and the loss
In this brief transit where the dreams cross
The dreamcrossed twilight between birth and dying
(Bless me father) though I do not wish to wish these things
From the wide window towards the granite shore
The white sails still fly seaward, seaward flying
Unbroken wings

And the lost heart stiffens and rejoices
In the lost lilac and the lost sea voices
And the weak spirit quickens to rebel
For the bent golden-rod and the lost sea smell
Quickens to recover
The cry of quail and the whirling plover
And the blind eye creates
The empty forms between the ivory gates
And smell renews the salt savour of the sandy earth

This is the time of tension between dying and birth
The place of solitude where three dreams cross
Between blue rocks
But when the voices shaken from the yew-tree drift away
Let the other yew be shaken and reply.

Blessèd sister,

holy mother,

spirit of the fountain,

spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee.