2022 Lenten Devotions Reflections by Friends and Members of our Parish Family
\"I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy word.\" Book of Common Prayer - page 264 Front Cover Art by Olivia Robinson The work is in honor of the late Most Reverend Desmond Tutu.
February 27, 2022 Dear Friends, We enter Lent this year weary from almost two years of what has felt like a Lenten wilderness. The temptation is strong to skip Lent and get right to the Easter we yearn for. However, long before Covid, I often preached that the Lenten wilderness is practice for the wildernesses we come to in our own lives. Seeking God in the wilderness of Lent helps us see God when life feels barren. The Lenten reflections offered in this booklet are one way we find God in the wilderness. Each writing comes from someone’s own experience and identity as a child of God. The booklet as a whole reminds us that none of us journeys through the wilderness alone, whether the wilderness of Lent, Covid, or any other wilderness. We go together and our strength comes from staying connected with each other and with God. This booklet connects us with both. I bid each of us a holy Lent. May this be a time to understand more deeply who we are as children of God even and especially in the wilderness. Lenten blessings, Charlotte
March 2, 2022 ~ Ash Wednesday Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Psalm 103 / The Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Matthew Le
March 3, 2022 ~ Thursday after Ash Wednesday Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Deuteronomy 30:15–20 Psalm 1 / The Gospel: Luke 9:18–25 Like everyone pondering God’s Word, I humbly read today’s three readings. How do I respond to the final words of Moses, where he gives his people the stark choice: life by loving God and obeying his commandments, or death by serving the tin gods that still distract us today? Or how do I reflect upon the only question that matters, the one we all must eventually answer: “Who do you say Jesus is?” Peter answered correctly, then faced confusion from the Messiah he named. What does it mean to take up his cross; how does one lose a life by saving it, and save a life by losing it? And then the first Psalm, chosen to usher in that magnificent book. In the end, I picture Psalm One’s tree. An Ohio maple, or oak. Or a biblical olive or fig. The tree does not matter. What matters is where it is planted: By streams of living water. Why? To give forth fruit in season, with leaves that do not wither. How? By meditation. There is the crux of every one of these lessons, regardless of the actual words. Open our Bibles. Open our hearts. Lean in and listen. Go forth and share. Judy Brookhart
March 4, 2022 ~ Friday after Ash Wednesday Support us, O Lord, with your gracious favor through the fast we have begun; that as we observe it by bodily self-denial, so we may fulfill it with inner sincerity of heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 58:1–9ཡ Psalm 51:1-10 / The Gospel: Matthew 9:10–17 Marie Kondo reigns as the queen of ‘tidying up’. She advocates minimizing possessions, keeping only those things that are useful or that bring joy. I tried to organize my home using her principles. I culled my book collection ruthlessly, taking boxes of books to the Friends of the Hudson Library. The very next day, I realized I had given away a needed reference book.. I went to the library and bought my own book back. That old, well-used book was worth keeping. Jesus advocates preserving old things of value while using new ways for new times. The ancient Jewish practice of fasting is mentioned fifteen times in the readings for today. John’s Jewish disciples, seeing Jesus’ disciples not fasting, question why. Feast while the bridegroom is with us. Fast after the bridegroom is taken away. New wine calls for fresh wineskins. Store old wine in still useful old wineskins.. Include tax collectors and sinners in the community while keeping Pharisees and disciples. Jesus does a Marie Kondo to the kingdom of God on earth. Janet Daniels
March 5, 2022 ~ Saturday after Ash Wednesday Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 58:9b-14 Psalm 86:1-11 / The Gospel: Luke 5:27–32 The psalmist calls to the Lord; \"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your Truth.\" Isaiah shows us the way. We are instructed to not judge others nor to increase their burden. (We have only to tune in to the news of our community and the world to recognize our collective failure to accept and respect one another). By recognizing that God is with us always, we can follow the example set by Jesus and become repairers of the breach. What a positive message and an inspiration! How am I bringing more light into the world? Linda Irving
March 6, 2022 ~ First Sunday in Lent Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Romans 10:8b-13 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 / The Gospel: Luke 4:1–13 The Psalm today stresses God as our refuge; its conclusion promises a lot. Because of the suffering of those I love, as well as my own, I have had too much opportunity to ponder what “I will rescue them and honor them” means, to say nothing of “With long life, I will satisfy them.” We all know those who seem to have left us far too soon. If we take these words absolutely literally, we can read them as offering false promise. But if we read them in faith (and literarily), we see “my salvation.” The saving graces promised here are not those of the secular world but of God’s world. In my life and in those lives I know and those I love, God is with us “in trouble.” God does not offer cure in this fallen world, nor does God offer financial security, perfect marriages, everlasting friendships, and so on. (If only.) God does answer us, even sometimes in silence; God answers us through the dialogue(s) of faith. God honors us with the promise of salvation: God’s salvation, not the salvation of ads, politicians, and such. While the material things of the world can be lovely to have and enjoy, and sometimes necessary, they cannot rescue and honor us. A life of faith with God can. It gives us God’s peace (and God’s riches), not the world’s. And that endless journey and discovery are what we need. Amen. Thomas Dukes
March 7, 2022 ~ Monday in the 1st week of Lent Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully increase in us your gifts of holy discipline, in almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; that our lives may be directed to the fulfilling of your most gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Leviticus 19:1–2,11–18 Psalm 19:7-14 / The Gospel: Matthew 25:31–46 In Leviticus 19:18b, we are given perhaps the simplest command of this book’s 613 do’s and don’t’s: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Or is it quite so simple? The past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have taught me a bit about my neighbors – they aren’t all like me! Some of my neighbors have chosen not to vaccinate or mask due to health or other reasons; others are unable to be near those who are unvaccinated or unmasked for their own health reasons. As a church, we have worked hard to protect each other, learning the etiquette of living with COVID-19 as we go. If I were to love my neighbor as myself, I would be sure to keep her stocked with dark chocolate and plenty of yarn for knitting. But wait! I have friends who prefer milk chocolate and quilting. Maybe the best way to love our neighbor is to take ourselves out of the equation, to honor their differences from us and treat them as they would like to be treated. Matthew 25 speaks of neighbors with a variety of needs – for food, drink, welcome, clothing, care, and fellowship. Different needs for different neighbors. Am I making this more complicated than it needs to be? Perhaps. But it helps me to remember to be thoughtful when I “do unto others\": to try to meet their needs, not my own, and to love them as they are loved by God in all their diversity, distinctiveness, and humanity. Pam Zuhl
March 8, 2022 ~ Tuesday in the 1st week of Lent Grant to your people, Lord, grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only true God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 55:6–11 Psalm 34:15-22 / The Gospel: Matthew 6:7–15 The readings for today reflect the intimate relationship that God has with His children. We can engage in that intimacy by doing what Isaiah says and seek the Lord, as well as follow the Psalmist, and acknowledge that God sees us and knows all that is happening in our lives. One way our intimacy with God comes forth is through prayer. Prayer allows us to experience nearness with God through our words, acts, or maybe even silence. The disciples wanted to know how to pray, so Jesus gave them an example. In this prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer, there is a call to focus on several things: First, we are to acknowledge God’s holiness. Then we yield ourselves to God’s rule over us and for His plans to happen in our lives and the world. When we pray to God to give us the food and resources we need each day, we show our dependence on Him to provide for our daily needs. We ask God to forgive our sins, acknowledging that we need to confess our sins and receive His forgiveness through Jesus. We must forgive one another’s shortcomings and even the people who have hurt us just as our Father has graciously forgiven us. Lastly, we cannot resist temptation on our own; we need strength from God to help us obey even when tempted to sin. There is no magic formula to prayer, but by following this example of prayer in our own words, we can develop a great way to honor God in our lives. Robin Woodberry
March 9, 2022 ~ Wednesday in the 1st week of Lent Bless us, O God, in this holy season, in which our hearts seek your help and healing; and so purify us by your discipline that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Jonah 3:1–10 Psalm 51:11-18 / The Gospel: Luke 11:29–32 Redemption: The true meaning of Lent. What better way to illustrate the redemptive power of Christ than through the comparison of Jonah and Pinocchio? Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh to preach, but he was so afraid he went the other direction. Jonah boarded a ship, and God sent a terrible storm. Jonah instructed the crew to throw him out to sea. After Jonah was thrown overboard, the storm ended, and Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish. Jonah prayed to God for forgiveness. God instructed the fish to vomit him out where Jonah is given a second chance to fulfill God’s will. Pinocchio was created by Geppetto as a puppet but dreamed of becoming a real boy. He was held back by his lies. Near the end of the story, Geppetto and Pinocchio’s conscience, Jiminy, were swallowed by a giant fish. Pinocchio searched the waters for them and made his way in the belly of the fish where they are united. Together they built a fire that caused the fish to sneeze them out. Because of Pinocchio’s truthfulness and selflessness, he earned the right to become a real boy. Pinocchio, like Jonah, found redemption in the belly of a giant fish. Luke’s gospel told the story of Jesus foreshadowing his redemption through the sign of Jonah. David reminded us in Psalms that what pleases God is a humble heart that looks to him when troubles arise. Let us all remember redemption belongs to us through Christ. James Boazzo
March 10, 2022 ~ Thursday in the 1st week of Lent Strengthen us, O Lord, by your grace, that in your might we may overcome all spiritual enemies, and with pure hearts serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Esther (Apocrypha) 14:1–6,12–14 Psalm 138 / The Gospel: Matthew 7:7–12 Esther went to the Lord in as humble a manner as she could to pray for the right words to help her. Psalm 138, verse 8, tells how good the Lord is: “though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; you stretch out your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me.” This is just what Esther needed. One of my favorites in the Gospel of Matthew is the Golden Rule. When Jesus says “Ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you,” those words gives me a happy feeling. I know that the Lord will help Esther! Susie Spearman
March 11, 2022 ~ Friday in the 1st week of Lent Lord Christ, our eternal Redeemer, grant us such fellowship in your sufferings, that, filled with your Holy Spirit, we may subdue the flesh to the spirit, and the spirit to you, and at the last attain to the glory of your resurrection; who lives and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Ezekiel 18:21–28 Psalm 130 / The Gospel: Matthew 5:20–26 The Psalmist and I have a lot in common these days: waiting on the Lord to make everything right. The last two months of 2021 and the first of 2022 were some of the hardest for my family with seemingly endless sickness from back to back Covid diagnoses immediately followed by the stomach virus from the netherworld on top of two deaths, one expected after a long life well-lived and the other quite unexpected and tragic. It is times like these that bring to mind the problem of evil—the problem that turns a lot of people away from belief in God. How can a good and all-powerful God allow such suffering and hardship? This is a question I confess I ask myself a lot. However, something else in the Psalm for today (which finds its echoes in the other two passages as well) keeps me tethered to the God of the Bible and that is God’s unending grace. God’s grace turns our human demand for retributive justice and so-called fair play on their heads. That grace welcomes sinners and calls them beloved. That grace offers boundless forgiveness when I mess up. While there are times when I wish things were a little more fair, in our human understanding, I thank God that God is always there to offer grace upon grace when I need it most. May we be grace givers and proclaimers in this and every season. Sarah Bhatia
March 12, 2022 ~ Saturday in the 1st week of Lent O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the work of reconciliation: Grant that in our Lenten fast we may be devoted to you with all our hearts, and united with one another in prayer and holy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Deuteronomy 26:16–19 Psalm 119:1-8 / The Gospel: Matthew 5:43–48 Matthew chapter 5 is packed full of the words of Jesus as he addresses people through what we call the Sermon on the Mount. Some of the passages are designed to give joy and confidence in Christ; others offer encouragement, and others cause us to fear God. Verses 43-48, however, pack a punch strong enough to break up our hardened heart -- we hope. As Jesus paints the picture of what living in Christ’s Kingdom looks like, we are called into a place of personal sacrifice, even for those who would do us harm. We are asked to push past our self-righteousness and prior teachings of hate and allow God to re-shape our understanding of what His love should look like in our lives. Why are we to go against what seems to be the natural response to hate, and to love our enemies? Why pray for those who would persecute us and seek to do us harm? Because as children of God, who are to reflect Him in the world; we can only do so by demonstrating it through our actions. Because, of course, God loves His enemies, so we should too! So, during this Lenten season, let’s seek God for ways to love those who won’t love us back; seek God for ways to love those who don’t look like us; and seek God for ways to help us show the world a glimpse of Christ’s kingdom here on earth. Robin Woodberry
March 13, 2022 ~ Second Sunday in Lent O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Genesis 15:1-12,17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1 Psalm 27 / The Gospel: Luke 13:31-35 DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE… These readings all have a common theme of expecting God to do the impossible, and for the human, they are only to trust and God will deliver in his time frame. I grew up in the country with almost no playmates but my pets and dolls. I had a huge imagination. One of my outdoor settings for play was behind the garage and under a large tree. My dad made a trapeze for me, a pipe with two holes to hold a knotted rope and strung it between two poles. I was good hanging from it by one leg or two and flipping up and down. However, this was also before bottles of water when water came in a glass. Therefore, a little stream behind the garage would be perfect for my water needs. I prayed my heart out for a running stream and believed with all my heart that God would make that happen. I remember running downstairs upon waking the next morning to see my stream. I prayed hard and believed truly. Guess what? It wasn’t there. My prayer must have seemed just as impossible as Abram’s in his mind. However God was assuring him to wait and believe for just about as impossible a result as my stream. We have all lived long enough to see God deliver the impossible. And, sometimes, like my stream, not deliver to my expectations. It wasn’t a test for me on what God can or cannot do. To this day, I believe in him, whether he comes through with my “wishes” or not. He sees the bigger picture and what is best each of us. It is exciting to see what miracles he will perform. Sue Addison King
March 14, 2022 ~ Monday in the 2nd week of Lent Let your Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of us to wash us with the pure water of repentance, and prepare us to be always a living sacrifice to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daniel 9:3–10 Psalm 79:1–9 / The Gospel: Luke 6:27-38 “The Golden Rule” is expressed in various forms throughout the Bible. “Do to others as you would have them do to you” is a passage that we learn as children. The message plays out in our daily living throughout our journey to the Cross. It is a biblical concept spoken by Jesus and sums up the Law and Prophets. The first part of this equation is “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” The second part which encompasses the Golden Rule is “to love your neighbor as yourself”. We can’t skip to the second part and follow its mandate unless we truly live the first part. Once we live to love God, then the Holy Spirit can step in and help us to love other people. We can’t think of the Golden Rule as a reciprocal exercise. It’s in our nature to do good to others when we know that person, we’re in a good mood, we expect something in return, or it’s the convenient thing to do. In most cases, the response will not match up in a like manner. But, doing the right thing is often not easy to accomplish. To stand before our enemy and speak words of faith without any expectation that we will be equally respected is unlikely. God expects us to offer grace to others because of the grace God extends to us every day. So I see “do to others” as a continuation of the reciprocity we share with God. Regardless of the outcome, we must never stop passing on the grace of God. It is very natural for each of us to hold unclean feelings inside of us. Nobody has a perfect life. The lesson here is to acknowledge our hurts and let God heal us from within. In that way, we, in turn, can reach out and apply the Golden Rule to others and share our journey with those who need to be led in the path of righteousness. Ann Kirk
March 15, 2022 ~ Tuesday in the 2nd week of Lent O God, you willed to redeem us from all iniquity by your Son: Deliver us when we are tempted to regard sin without abhorrence, and let the virtue of his passion come between us and our mortal enemy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 1:2–4,16–20 Psalm 50:7–15,22–24 / The Gospel: Matthew 23:1–12 In this portion of the Gospel, Jesus denounces the scribes and Pharisees, the leaders of established religion in his day. Thus, it was not surprising that I was reminded of words from a favorite musical: “Godspell.\" I saw it at the Hanna theater many years ago. The experience left me refreshed in my faith. There was something wonderful about being there with that theater full of strangers who suddenly didn’t really feel like strangers because we had shared something unique to our experience or no experience of God. Jesus’ story had been transformed or at least expanded for me to become a vibrant living reality not confined by convention. I didn’t realize it then, but this musical is based on the Gospel of Matthew, so as I sat with the lesson, this song came to mind, “Alas, alas for you, lawyers and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are. Who sure heaven awaits you will not venture half so far. Other men who might enter the gates, you keep from passing through. Drag them down with you. You snakes, and vipers brood, you, cannot escape being devil’s food!” and a little further on, “Blind guides, blind fools.” Gretchen Green
March 16, 2022 ~ Wednesday in the 2nd week of Lent O God, you so loved the world that you gave your only- begotten Son to reconcile earth with heaven: Grant that we, loving you above all things, may love our friends in you, and our enemies for your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Jeremiah 18:1–11,18–20 Psalm 31:9–16 / The Gospel: Matthew 20:17–28 In the parish where I assisted in Cincinnati, my pew behind the pulpit meant that my eyes rested on the marble baptismal font in the middle of the chancel. Being white with blue veins, it always reminded me of a Stilton cheese. And that image is frequently the cause of numerous distracting thoughts. What struck me was that marble is metamorphic rock—starting out as limestone and over centuries of pressure changing into marble. That seems appropriate for a baptismal vessel—starting out as one thing and being changed into another. In fact, limestone began as silt—dirt, washed-away soil—settling to the bottom of a stream or lakebed, and becoming limestone. So this font, made of marble that used to be limestone, which used to be dirt, reminded me of a gardening image. Humus, the dirt used to enrich soil has the same root word as “human.\" We are people made of dirt. So this font, which began as dirt, was changed into something new (and prettier). And we who began as dirt, and as Ash Wednesday reminds us, people who will return to dirt, approach the font and are changed by our baptism into something new (and we hope better). These 40 days are a time to focus on our humanity—what makes us who we are, and who we are capable of being transformed into. Lent is about becoming, about being transformed by our baptismal vows, living more fully into them, and so becoming different (and more Christ-like). Daniel Grossoehme
March 17, 2022 ~ Thursday in the 2nd week of Lent O Lord, strong and mighty, Lord of hosts and King of glory: Cleanse our hearts from sin, keep our hands pure, and turn our minds from what is passing away; so that at the last we may stand in your holy place and receive your blessing; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Jeremiah 17:5–10 Psalm 1 / The Gospel: Luke 16:19–31 I chose these readings because the first Psalm is one of my favorites. It was exciting to see Jeremiah 17:8 reflect Psalm 1:3: that a person trusting in God is like a tree planted by streams of water. It (he) yields his fruit in due season, does not fear the heat, and is not anxious. Jeremiah points out the folly of trusting in man and turning away from God. The Psalmist shows how the Godly man is blessed and the ungodly will miss out on the blessings and goodness of God. These readings took me back to the early to mid 1970s when I was commuting around the D.C. “under-construction” beltway. As a “new” Christian, and with nothing better to do, I decided to memorize scripture on these daily jaunts. From the Navigators I got 60 little business-sized cards with scripture verses on them. One of my favorites, and one that has stayed with me over the years, is Proverbs 3:5,6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” I have trusted in Him and He has indeed directed my (and Sue’s and my) paths in ways so wondrous it’s almost embarrassing. I can only praise God and give Him the glory. (And I recently got another set of the 60 verses.) Larry King
March 18, 2022 ~ Friday in the 2nd week of Lent Grant, O Lord, that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies on the cross, so we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves may be able to receive your forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Genesis 37:3–4,12–28 Psalm 105:16–22 / The Gospel: Matthew 21:33–43 “Grant, O Lord, that…we may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us….” I know enough Bible to know I need to look things up sometimes. I don’t know enough Bible not to have to. Joseph is seventeen years old in the story in Genesis 37. He is Jacob’s eleventh son with four women. In this chapter Joseph tattles on his older brothers. He also tells them two of his recent dreams which clearly suggest they will one day bow down to him as their master. As an older brother myself, I’d say Joseph got off easy. Joseph’s ten brothers were watching Jacob’s flock sixty-four miles from home. None was born of the same mother as Joseph, the first son of their father’s openly favorite wife. He comes to check up on them wearing a special coat their father made for him. Why *would* they resent him? Honestly, I don’t want to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use me. It would only encourage them. So it’s a good thing that, when saying our Collect, I ask for God’s grace to help me forgive, not relying on my own free will. Don Reed
March 19, 2022 ~ St. Joseph Day O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Samuel 7:4,8-16; Romans 4:13-18 Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:1-4, 26-29 / The Gospel: Luke 2:42-52 Growing up Roman Catholic, I was accustomed to linking particular saints with various life events. St. Joseph seems to be the patron saint of many causes, including (of course) fathers and stepfathers, workers (especially carpenters and builders), and expectant mothers. He is much beloved in New Orleans, where March 19 is celebrated with altars set up in private homes, special Masses, and - yes - parades. Paul and I experienced another St. Joseph link a few years ago, at the Baptistery in Pisa, Italy. A beautiful painting depicts an aged Joseph on his deathbed, with Mary and adult Jesus at his side. The legend is that Jesus interrupted his ministry to return to his father’s bedside. So, add to the list: Joseph, patron of a holy death. When my brother-in-law needed an end-of-life residence, my sister was pleased to find a nearby facility, named after St. Joseph. We did indeed pray that he would have a peaceful death, right there in Joseph’s house. Who wouldn’t want to pass to the next life with Jesus and Mary at their side? Whether you are a father, a worker, an expectant mother, or one anticipating the death of a loved one, Joseph is the saint for you! Eileen Gaston
March 20, 2022 ~ Third Sunday in Lent Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Exodus 3:1-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Psalm 63:1-8 / The Gospel: Luke 13:1-9 One of the things that we discover in today’s passage from Exodus is that Moses stumbles onto to extremely important qualities of leaders - hearing and listening. Moses hears a voice and then hesitantly listens, but as he does so he finds that he is in the presence of God. Another thing that we discover is that God is no longer going to work alone. From this point on the work of salvation, the work of saving people from suffering and pain will be a collaborative effort. Never does God promise that times won’t be hard or that nothing bad will happen, but God responds as God always does, I will be with you…. Unfortunately, once he knows the task, Moses gets bogged down in trivia of knowing God’s name, as if that will make the task any easier or his protests to Pharaoh any more persuasive. Rather than allowing Moses to become sidetracked, God says, I AM who I AM, and that’s all you need to know. I am the God of your ancestors, period. People are suffering, and I need you to do something about it. It is in this exchange that we begin to see the God who was in Jesus, the God who doesn’t care about definitions or proper names or titles. It is the God who expects action to alleviate suffering and pain and who doesn’t expect to have to do all the work himself. The task for God’s people remains the same. It is we who are now God’s partners. Allan Belton
March 21, 2022 ~ Monday in the 3rd week of Lent Look upon the heart-felt desires of your humble servants, Almighty God, and stretch forth the right hand of your majesty to be our defense against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Kings 5:1-15b Psalm 42:1-7 / The Gospel: Luke 4:23-30 Naaman the Syrian 2 Kings 5:1-15b The story of Naaman the Syrian and Elisha the Israelite prophet is among my favorites. The story is comic in its unmet expectations and reversals and offers readers a happy ending. Naaman is the commander under the king of Aram. Victorious in battle, he’s also a leper. Although no one in Syria has the skill to cure Naaman, his wife has an Israelite slave girl, who suggests Naaman go to the prophet in Samaria. Naaman consults with his king, who writes to the king of Israel—not Elisha— explaining that Naaman is coming to be healed. When the king of Israel reads the missive, he tears his clothes, thinking Aram’s king is trying to pick a fight. Elisha offers to take on the task. When Naaman arrives, however, he merely sends a message: go wash in the Jordan seven times. Naaman’s expectations aren’t met, shocking him. “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and call on God, and would wave his hand.…” He also complains that the rivers back home are better. Once again, a servant steps in, persuading him to do as instructed. Healing results. I like this story about unrealistic expectations and a man overly impressed with himself because I sometimes resemble Naaman. I, too, decide the outcome I think I need, then become upset when God doesn’t perform on command for me. But God is infinitely patient—with Naaman, with me, and with us all. Judy A. Johnson
March 22, 2022 ~ Tuesday in the 3rd week of Lent O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom you have given a fervent desire to pray, may, by your mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Song of the Three Young Men 2–4,11–20a Psalm 25:3–10 / The Gospel: Matthew 18:21–35 In the lesson from Matthew today, Jesus essentially orders us to \"pay it forward.\" We are given the example of a person of authority who forgives the debts of his slave, after the debtor begs forgiveness. The slave then fails to show the same mercy to his own debtor. The master is not pleased with this action and reneges the original forgiveness. Jesus tells us to continue the chain of mercy, and that failing to continue forgiveness will cause our Heavenly Father to renege his own forgiveness. Kindness begets kindness, mercy begets mercy, and forgiveness begets forgiveness. Not one of us is worthy of the right to break this chain. Peter asks Jesus how many times we should forgive. Jesus says, “not seven times but […] seventy-seven.” I presume this is not a literal count. In fact, keeping tally of forgivenesses is not likely to be a recommended practice. However, keeping the act of mercy close at heart IS our charge. Forgiving and forgiving beyond what we might think is reasonable IS our charge. We are to know that God will be as generous in forgiveness to us as we are to others. Might we start with introspective mercy and spread it out in all directions. We are to go forth with glad and generous hearts. Amen. Marcie Harvey
March 23, 2022 ~ Wednesday in the 3rd week of Lent Give ear to our prayers, O Lord, and direct the way of your servants in safety under your protection, that, amid all the changes of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be guarded by your mighty aid; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Deuteronomy 4:1–2,5–9 Psalm 78:1–6 / The Gospel: Matthew 5:17–19 Today’s readings are about following God’s laws. One commandment laid out in Genesis 2:15 is to serve and protect the earth and all God's creatures. We are called to take care of the earth and are told to be good stewards. It is time to follow His call to action. Let’s leave a better earth for our children: and better children for our earth. Laura DeYoung
March 24, 2022 ~ Thursday in the 3rd week of Lent Keep watch over your Church, O Lord, with your unfailing love; and, since it is grounded in human weakness and cannot maintain itself without your aid, protect it from all danger, and keep it in the way of salvation; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Jeremiah 7:23–28 Psalm 95:6–11 / The Gospel: Luke 11:14–23 My first reaction when being asked to do something I don’t want to do or have not done is to turn the request into a debate society or, worse, to become openly critical of the request. Today’s readings - all three of them – involve God telling us in one way or another that “whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” And then there is Luke’s reminder that Jesus also knows our thoughts. How difficult it is, then, to organize our thoughts and actions to focus on God when often there is so much that life throws at us to deflect and confuse our priorities. Fortunately we also know that God above all loves us and wants us to follow Him, to think about Him in order to move closer in relationship with Him. Thus, what starts out sounding like a reprimand is actually a loving reminder of what we ought to do, for our own good. Knowing that our heavenly Father is a loving God makes it easier to regroup and redefine what’s most important. Fran Sweeney
March 25, 2022 ~ Annunciation of the Lord O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 7:10-14, Hebrews 10:4-10; Psalm 45 or Psalm 40:5-11 or Canticles 3 or 15 / The Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 The Annunciation is one of the rare times in the Bible when we see the direct interaction between a human and an angel in New Testament. Mary, who was likely a teenager, was visited by the Archangel Gabriel and told that she would become pregnant with a child—not just any child, but the Son of God, who will reign forever. Gabriel ties together the Old and New Testaments, having previously spoken to Daniel, then later to Zechariah, to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would bear their son, John the Baptist. Gabriel, a name that can be translated as “God is my Strength,” tells Mary not to be afraid, which, as anyone who’s going to become a parent can tell you, is a tall order. Knowing that she was a virgin, having all the knowledge of Judaic tradition around marriage and childrearing, and being told that you would bear a child would be quite the large burden, let alone one who is the Son of God, the Messiah who would reign over Jacob’s house forever. Showing wisdom and understanding we can only hope to display, Mary accepts the yoke and becomes the Theotokos (Greek for “the Mother of God”). The Annunciation is important in showing that Mary understood, above all, that the child who would be her son would also be the Messiah, and she showed an unfathomable strength about her future, even knowing all that would entail. I pray that each of us could have the clarity and acceptance when we must make difficult decisions in our own lives. Jacob Phillips & Allison Courtney
March 26, 2022 ~ Saturday in 3rd week of Lent O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Hosea 6:1–6 Psalm 51:15–20 / The Gospel: Luke 18:9-14 Have you ever been in a conversation with people who boast about themselves constantly? Spouting off all of their achievements, what they have done for other people, and then maybe at the end they say, “People love me because I am …”. I feel that today we have to put on our boastful hats as in a job interview or to impress someone. Sometimes our achievements can become our self worth. Humility can be a rare thing in this world! Trying to live a humble life isn’t easy because humility isn’t something that you can seek out, if finds you. Maybe instead of the Pharisee boasting what he thinks Jesus wants to hear, the Pharisee should listen to what Jesus is saying. In a world full of noise, sometimes listening is more important than making noise. Mario Buchanan
March 27, 2022 ~ Fourth Sunday in Lent Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Psalm 32 / The Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 In his book Christpower , the late bishop John Spong wrote a reflection on the Prodigal Son entitled \"Come home. Come home.\" Home is where our roots are, the source from which our life has sprung. Sacred and emotional, something real binds us to the place we call home. \"Come home. Come home.\" This is the call of Christ, the call of love to the unloved to come home to ourselves to be healed, to have wholeness restored in us. Like the Prodigal Son, we go out in quest of fulfillment, sought on many levels, but fulfillment is never found until, like the Prodigal, we come to ourselves. That is our real coming home. We all suffer from a sense of alienation from who we are; none of us is what we want to be. How many times we are our own worst enemies! When we are hurt and need healing love we tend to strike out in anger, pushing healing love farther away. We yearn to be restored to our deepest being to come home to our true selves, to know that the self we are is deeply and ultimately loved. So we are called to \"come home\" In every Eucharist we share, as the bread is placed in our hands and the cup is offered; no matter who we are or where we are on our own journey, there is the call to come home. Allan Belton
March 28, 2022 ~ Monday in the 4th week of Lent O Lord our God, in your holy Sacraments you have given us a foretaste of the good things of your kingdom: Direct us, we pray, in the way that leads to eternal life, that we may come to appear before you in that place of light where you dwell for ever with your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 65:17–25 Psalm 30:1–6,11–13 / The Gospel: John 4:43–54 Isaiah writes to a people who have returned from exile in Babylon to their homeland, the Promised Land. Returning has not been easy. The Promised Land is a shell of its former self. The land has been ravaged. Buildings, including the temple, were destroyed. Many people chose the easier life in Babylon rather than the more challenging life of their homeland. To the people who have returned, God makes this promise and this request: “I am about to create new heavens and a new earth….rejoice and be glad in what I am creating.” We, too, are in the process of returning from exile. As we move through the various stages of the pandemic, we return to a church that is the same, yet different. We miss those who are not here. We want things to be just they way they were in early 2020. And yet they are not. To us, God makes the same promise and the same request: “I am about to create a new heavens and a new earth….be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating.” God calls us, not to mourn what we have lost, but to rejoice in what God makes new. And God makes all things new. (Revelation 21:5) The Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed
March 29, 2022 ~ Tuesday in the 4th week of Lent O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Ezekiel 47:1–9,12 Psalm 46:1-8 / The Gospel: John 5:1-18 Surprised By God Stella worked at my daughter Bonnie’s workplace in Uganda. Stella was the Tea Lady, preparing tea for the staff. I think you can see that, even though Stella had a job, she was on the low end of the pay scale. Stella also has a husband and four children and struggles to make ends meet. From time to time we have been blessed to help Stella out, financially or otherwise, for things specific. The other morning, in my prayers as Stella came to mind, I asked God to please give her a break, give her a lift in her daily struggle to provide for her family. We visited her one time in her home, by invitation, and she lived in a house with no glass in the windows, dirt floors and a goat in the kitchen. Stella is still cheerful and grateful to God for his provisions. The day I prayed especially for Stella that God would lift her burden, at least a little, my daughter called and said she had heard from Stella, and she needed money for the children’s tuition for school. We felt prompted to respond to this and a little bit more, for that break in her daily struggle. God made me laugh. I did not, as we say, see this coming. I am happy we could be an answer to Stella’s prayers. I think Stella could be singing, as in Psalm 46: Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God -of -Angel -Armies protects us. (The Message) Sue Addison King
March 30, 2022 ~ Wednesday in the 4th week of Lent O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 49:8–15 Psalm 145:8–19 / The Gospel: John 5:19-29 These days of Lenten reflection that we share are often, for me, times of accountability. I am reminded of ways God has touched my life as well as my lapses, and I am encouraged by the reflections of others to engage in new ways. Lines from this morning’s Gospel reading remind me of a focus from the 90’s that directed many of my actions for many years: WWJD (What would Jesus do?). Jesus tells us first that “the Son can do nothing on his own” and that “whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.\" That is how the Son honors the Father. Jesus also tells us that it is the Father’s will that all “honor the Son just as they honor the Father.\" He says that “anyone who hears [his] word and believes him who sent [him] has eternal life\" and that “the hour is coming and is now here\" to hear his voice. How do we honor the Son and the Father who sent him? In the same way that Jesus honored the Father, i.e., by acting as the Son of Man did. Today’s portion of Psalm 145, in 12 verses, can be our guide. So could that phrase from the 90’s. Len Harrison
March 31, 2022 ~ Thursday in the 4th week of Lent Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Exodus 32:7–14 Psalm 106:6–7,19–23 / The Gospel: John 5:30–47 So, let me get this straight - God needs an intervention?!? Wait…WHAT?? This is why the Old Testament and I are rarely friends. God is angry at the Israelites in this passage from Exodus, so angry it’s hard to accept this is God speaking. Even New Testament Jesus seems a little upset in today’s reading – what’s going on here? Where can I find the love and light I’m always seeking from scripture? Moses. That’s where I see love: love of his people, yes, but also love for his God. Imagine the courage it took for him to say to God, “Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind.” This, even when God promised to take care of Moses by making of him “a Great Nation” after his burning wrath consumed the Israelites. The Psalmist allows that Moses saved Israel because he “stood before him in the breach,” a terrifying place to stand! Jesus tells us to believe Moses. Moses is where to find love and light. What does that mean for me? How do I ‘stand in the breach’? By speaking up when I see injustice, by fighting for what is right, by protecting those who need it – even when that might be risky behavior. And I can only do this with God at my side, by remembering the ‘abundance of (God’s) love’. Even Jesus said \"I can do nothing on my own.\" I write this in Black History month, so I’ve been exploring spirituals. Searching for one of the ‘Moses’ tunes, I kept coming back to ‘Witness’ so I figure there must be a message here. This is a place where the Old Testament and I are friends! Let us all be inspired to witness: https://youtu.be/-IjOShc4MEU Midge Karam
April 1, 2022 ~ Friday in the 4th week of Lent O God, you have given us the Good News of your abounding love in your Son Jesus Christ: So fill our hearts with thankfulness that we may rejoice to proclaim the good tidings we have received; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Wisdom 2:1a,12–24 Psalm 34:15–22 / The Gospel: John 7:1–2,10,25–30 “Let us test him with insult and torture.” This reminds me of an entry level job in the corporate world. One is tested to make sure they can “handle” to job or to prove themselves. Are we sure we hired the right person? Maybe if we put them under intense pressure we can see how they really work. We all are tested in ways every day. Some tests are good for us in the long run, but some cripple us. Some tests give us answers, and some leave us with more questions. Our patience has been tested these COVID years more than all of us want it to be. What has helped me through our testing is written down in the hymn \"When We are Tested\" by Ruth Duck: Verse 4: When we have struggled and searched through the night, sorting and sifting the wrong from the right, Savior, surround us with circles of care, angels of healing, of hope, and of prayer. Mario Buchanan
April 2, 2022 ~ Saturday in the 4th week of Lent Mercifully hear our prayers, O Lord, and spare all those who confess their sins to you; that those whose consciences are accused by sin may by your merciful pardon be absolved; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Jeremiah 11:18–20 Psalm 7:6–11 / The Gospel: John 7:37–52 The snow lies deep today after two large storms, and the earth is frozen. Perhaps when you read this, the earth will have thawed, and the early spring bulbs will be pushing up. We do not live in a parched land, but for those in the arid climate of Israel, thirst is often an hour-by-hour reality. There, water is often hard to come by, and good sources are greatly prized. Our experience of thirst is milder,so maybe Jesus’ invitation, “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’” is less immediate for us. Yet it speaks clearly that shared faith is of life-giving, life-sustaining importance. Naysayers then and now abound to discredit, ridicule, and deny acceptance of him as Lord and of the path he calls us to follow. And, like the parched or frozen earth, it’s easier to remain static than to risk getting muddy by stepping out in faith, so often, we simply don’t. And the questions about Jesus’ identity continue. Yet, the invitation remains, “Come to me.” In the end, we simply have to decide to respond for ourselves. Gretchen Green
April 3, 2022 ~ Fifth Sunday in Lent Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4b-14 Psalm 126 / The Gospel: John 12:1-8 Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? These words from Isaiah proclaimed to Israel that even God’s miraculous delivery of the people from bondage in Egypt pales beside what God is doing and what God will do. He lets them know that God’s plan is not to restore any former thing, but to do an entirely new thing. Unfortunately, so blinded and deafened were the people of Israel by this persistent longing for the past, that they were unable to see what Jesus was doing or to hear what he had to say. In their longing the people had lost their capacity to perceive God acting in their midst. They were unable to experience or appreciate the marvelous new things that were happening all around them. God was not acting in the way that they expected or desired, and therefore, it was as if God didn’t exist. Their demand that God be the way they wanted God to be made it impossible for them to perceive the God who was manifested in Jesus. This is a danger we all face, the danger of being unable to perceive the God who is in our midst doing and calling us to do marvelous new things. We can only do this if we perceive the Jesus who is rather than the Jesus we would like for him to be. Allan Belton
April 4, 2022 ~ Monday in the 5th week of Lent Be gracious to your people, we entreat you, O Lord, that they, repenting day by day of the things that displease you, may be more and more filled with love of you and of your commandments; and, being supported by your grace in this life, may come to the full enjoyment of eternal life in your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Susanna [1–9,15–29,34–40],41-62 Psalm 23 / The Gospel: John 8:1–11 or 12-20 Today’s readings are right out of today’s headlines. If you haven’t read the Old Testament lesson from Susanna, it is worth your time - beauty, intrigue, innocence betrayed, deception, abuse of power, threats of violence, even clever prosecutorial tricks! But Susanna’s virtue and life are spared at the last. The story from John is more familiar. According to the Pharisees, “This woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.” Jesus writes in the sand and, in some of the most memorable words of his ministry, says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” She is spared, but at the last, Jesus says, “Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.” Susanna - innocent? The nameless woman - guilty but absolved? Our Words and Wisdom book group has read several books exploring the place of women in the Bible. Contrary to teachings of some evangelical groups, women were not always subservient to men. Especially in the New Testament, women were valued as disciples and friends. When Jesus defends the “fallen woman,” he manifests forgiveness and a second chance for all, whether female or male. Eileen Gaston
April 5, 2022 ~ Tuesday in the 5th week of Lent Almighty God, through the incarnate Word you have caused us to be born anew of an imperishable and eternal seed: Look with compassion upon those who are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant that they may be built as living stones into a spiritual temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Numbers 21:4–9 Psalm 102:15–22 / The Gospel: John 8:21–30 In the book of Numbers, we hear the Israelites complain, and we can identify, can’t we? They understood certain promises from God, but theair reality is far from it. They are stuck for 40 years in the desert with no acceptable food and water and no vision of the future. When they complain to God (not the first time), God seems to get angry and sends a plague of snakes who bite and kill the people. The people then ask Moses to intercede and ask God to take the snakes away. Instead God instructed Moses to craft a pole with a bronze snake on top. When the people are bit by the snakes, they only need to look at the bronze snake, and they will be saved. It is hard to tell whether there is a communication problem here or a faith problem. Sometimes it is hard to interpret exactly what God is saying to us. But then we are on a different timeline than God, and it is so easy to lose faith, and begin to question and complain. Can you identify? I can. Cindy Hartman
April 6, 2022 ~ Wednesday in the 5th week of Lent Almighty God our heavenly Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us ready to serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Daniel 3:14–20,24–28 Canticle [2] or13 / The Gospel: John 8:31–42 The Canticle for today’s readings is Canticle 13, A Song of Praise, also referred to as S 236 in our hymnal. We sing this Canticle often in our services, and Len and I read this Canticle as part of the Daily Morning Prayer, Rite Two. I had not noticed til recently that this is a Song of the Three Young Men. It is not simply a song of praise as I have sung and read for years. It is a testament of faith. These three young men were in a blazing furnace when they were singing it! And my thoughts went to their praise….. they were not saying “Lord help us!! Save us!! Are we going to die in here?”…. but “Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; you are worthy of praise, glory to you. “ (Canticle 13) The story goes that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were being pressured to obey King Nebuchadnessar. If these young men did not worship the golden image that the king had made, they would be cast into the fiery furnace. They refused and chose to be faithful to God. “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not… we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold…” (Daniel 3:17). These three young men already knew that God would take care of them. So they turned to praise …. the whole time they were in the fire. Jane Harrison
April 7, 2022 ~ Thursday in the 5th week of Lent O God, you have called us to be your children, and have promised that those who suffer with Christ will be heirs with him of your glory: Arm us with such trust in him that we may ask no rest from his demands and have no fear in his service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Genesis 17:1–8 Psalm 105:4–11 / The Gospel: John 8:51–59 God uses a different dictionary than we do. What do I mean by this? In Genesis, God’s covenant must have sounded like such a relief to Abraham: the promise of an “exceedingly fruitful” life. Yet the Jews in John 8 use Abraham’s life of suffering as active proof that God’s covenant has failed them; God sees “fruitfulness,\" we see death. The psalmist tells us to “remember the marvels [God] has done.\" Today, we may think of “marvel” superheroes, of grandiose works, of heroics and wonders. But God’s “marvels” aren’t always shiny and good-looking. God works in the muck and the mire; God performs most of his miracles within our darkest days. God sees “marvels,\"we see suffering. God’s covenant with Abraham wasn’t just fruitfulness in one man’s lifetime but a promise for generations to come, the promise of Christ. We may never see the marvels and fruitfulness promised to us in our own lifetimes, especially not when we look with our human eyes. Nonetheless, our calling is to follow Christ, “trusting him in such a way that we may [...] have no fear in his service,\" trusting in Christ’s ways even when we don’t have his dictionary. Annie Greer Hodges
April 8, 2022 ~ Friday in the 5th week of Lent O Lord, you relieve our necessity out of the abundance of your great riches: Grant that we may accept with joy the salvation you bestow, and manifest it to all the world by the quality of our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Jeremiah 20:7–13 Psalm 18:1–7 / The Gospel: John 10:31–42 Life's Highs and Lows Jeremiah, often called “the weeping prophet,” was called to proclaim God’s message to Judah in the seventh century B.C.E. He foretold the coming judgment on the nation for its idolatry. Jeremiah is also very honest about his relationship with Yahweh and the difficulties he faced because he spoke the truth. Beginning in chapter 11, Jeremiah sets forth a series of laments. “You have enticed me, and I was enticed” is a polite translation of Jeremiah’s accusation. The original language is that of sexual domination. But Jeremiah is stuck with his call; refusing to speak leads to a burning fire in his bones. Even his friends wait for him to stumble. The tone of the passage changes at verse 11, however, when Jeremiah remembers who God is. Borrowing language from the psalms, Jeremiah recalls the Lord’s presence with him and commits his cause to God. He asks his hearers to sing and praise the Lord. Yet in the next verse, he curses the day he was born and the man who told of his birth. We all have days when we wonder about our relationship with God and would like some clear answers. In the stripped-down life of Lent, we, too, may experience epic highs and lows, may both lament and rejoice. Entering our third year of pandemic life, this isn’t surprising. Like Jeremiah, however, we are called to continue faithfully proclaiming God’s mercies. Judy A. Johnson
April 9, 2022 ~ Saturday in the 5th week of Lent O Lord, in your goodness you bestow abundant graces on your elect: Look with favor, we entreat you, upon those who in these Lenten days are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant them the help of your protection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Ezekiel 37:21–28 Psalm 85:1–7 / The Gospel: John 11:45–53 “If we let Jesus go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” What Jesus has done to provoke such fear is raise Lazarus from the dead. Along with feeding the thousands, turning water into wine, walking on water, and some healings, the raising of Lazarus is a sign in John’s gospel that points to the glory of God as revealed in Jesus. All of these signs are things that we cannot understand. How can water be turned into wine, or thousands be fed with a small bit of bread and fish, or a person walk on water? As is often the case, fear is the response to something we cannot understand. Some people who witnessed the raising of Lazarus believed in Jesus. But others became fearful that Jesus’ actions would cause the Romans to crack down. How often is our response to an unexpected gift suspicion, wondering what the person wants in return, or a feeling that we are unworthy of such a gift so it must not be real, or a fear that a gift beyond our wildest imagination could be taken away? Throughout scripture, the opposite of faith is not doubt, but fear. As we move into Holy Week, we are called to a faith that trusts in God’s grace and goodness and believes that the appropriate response to God’s incredible gift of eternal life is not fear, but love. The Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed
April 10, 2022 ~ Palm Sunday Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. The Liturgy of the Palms: Luke 19:28-40 Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Liturgy of the Word: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philippians 2:5-11 Psalm 31:9-16 / The Gospel: Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49
April 11, 2022 ~ Monday in Holy Week Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 42:1-9; Hebrews 9:11-15 Psalm 36:5-11 / The Gospel: John 12:1-11 William Kiener Thomas Kiener
April 12, 2022 ~ Tuesday in Holy Week O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Psalm 71:1-14 / The Gospel: John 12:20-36 This passage begins with some Greeks who wish to see Jesus. Jesus’ response to their request is rather circuitous and seems to be a non-answer to a direct request. Jesus’ answer ends with “Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you…while you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” How is this an answer to “Sir, we wish to see Jesus?” Jesus knows that his death is imminent and that, for a time, darkness will have fallen for those who follow him. In chapter 8 of John’s gospel, Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Yet, as we walk through Holy Week, the light of the world will seem to have been extinguished, and like the Greeks, we will wish to see Jesus. Following Jesus is a curious thing. By being children of the light, we are the light by which others can see Jesus. At the same time, by being children of the light, we can see Jesus in others. During Holy Week, we walk through the darkness as children of the light, not without hope, but with faith that the light has the final say. The Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed
April 13, 2022 ~ Wednesday in Holy Week Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 50:4-9a; Hebrews 12:1-3 Psalm 70 / The Gospel: John 13:21-32 “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” Jesus knew that Judas was planning the betrayal of his master. For weeks, Jesus foreshadowed his passion and death, in conversation with the apostles. Could he have prevented the sacrifice? WOULD he have prevented it? These questions have been discussed for centuries. “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Jesus dismisses Judas, knowing full well that Judas’s actions would set in motion the fatal plot. Then, these words: “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.” From betrayal to glory! Judas, as we know, immediately regrets his actions. Could he have asked Jesus to forgive him? He accepts responsibility and tries to rectify his awful deed. He returns the bribe money to the authorities, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But his repentance is rejected and “he went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27: 4-5). None of us will sin as terribly as Judas. But our small betrayals and transgressions against our loved ones, as well as larger offenses against our fellow humans, need not cause despair. Repent, atone, renew… from betrayal to glory. Eileen Gaston
April 14, 2022 ~ Maundy Thursday Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 / The Gospel: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Violet & Ella Harvey
April 15, 2022 ~ Good Friday Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Psalm 22 / The Gospel: John 18:1-19:42 Calvin Harvey
April 16, 2022 ~ Holy Saturday O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24; 1 Peter 4:1-8 Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 / The Gospel: Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 Noel O'Sullivan
April 17, 2022 ~ Easter Sunday O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 / The Gospel: John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12 Ella Harvey
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