Easter
Good Friday—The Crucifixion of Jesus
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011Good Friday—The Crucifixion of Jesus
Reading - John 18:1-19:42
Reflection: The Passion account in John is a narrative of how the Word of God made flesh—Jesus—became immersed in all of human life. To be with Jesus we need to be willing to live life as fully as we can. We need to reach out in trust to others. We need to acknowledge our doubts and fears. We need to accept our hurts and pains. We need to acknowledge our sin and accept God’s forgiveness. We need to accept the good and the bad that come with living life and know ourselves as people who need Jesus.
Prayer: Father, through the passion and death of your Son Jesus you revealed your willingness to be with me in the most critical aspects of human life. Help me to fully accept my humanity so as to be with Jesus in all that is human. I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Maundy Thursday
Thursday, April 21st, 2011Maundy Thursday—The Institution of the Lord’s Supper—Jesus’ new commandment that we love one another as he has loved us—Jesus journeys to Gethsemane.
Readings: John 13:1-15 Matthew 26:17-46
Reflection: We see the interdependence that exists between Jesus giving himself to us in the Eucharist and our call as his church to give of ourselves to others. It is in both actions together that Jesus is present with us.
Prayer: Father, through your Son, you have become part of serving others. Help me to lay aside my personal agendas– help me to go beyond an attitude of “what can I get out of this?”– when I gather with others to be nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist. Help me to find Jesus in both the Eucharist and in the acts of care and service done by your Church.
Holy Week - 2010
Friday, April 2nd, 2010Holy Saturday:–Acceptance
Reading: Matthew 27: 57-66
Reflection: From the conclusion of the Good Friday service until the Holy Communion at 5:00 on Saturday we observe Holy Saturday. In our spiritual tradition, we believe that on Holy Saturday Jesus “descended to the dead” (Apostle’s Creed) to proclaim the good news of salvation (1 Peter 3:19). No-one was or is or ever will be out of the reach of the saving power of Jesus. Jesus was, is and always will be the Saviour of the world, whose healing forgiving, reconciling love is accessible to all, across all time and all space. There is an icon that depicts Christ breaking down the doors of hell, grasping the wrists of Adam and Eve and lifting them victoriously toward heaven. Adam and Eve do nothing to help. Today we are reminded of a very powerful reality. We cannot heal the brokenness or imperfect state of being human. We cannot restore our wounded nature. We need to accept ourselves as we really are. We need to accept a God who has, in Jesus, revealed himself to be the God who can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Adam and Eve’s salvation, like ours, like all humanity’s– is a gift from God in the person of Jesus. All we need do is accept the gift and let it affect our lives. Such acceptance is what we, as Christians, are about between Good Friday and Easter.
Prayer: Father, through the resurrection of your Son Jesus, you are doing for me what I cannot do for myself. Help me to accept my limitations and imperfections, so that through such acceptance I can experience the victory of the Risen Jesus in my life. I ask this in Jesus’ name.
The Resurrection of Jesus
Holy Week - 2010
Friday, April 2nd, 2010Good Friday—The Crucifixion of Jesus
Reading: John 18:1-19:42
Reflection: The Passion account in John is a narrative of how the Word of God made flesh—Jesus—became immersed in all of human life. To be with Jesus we need to be willing to live life as fully as we can. We need to reach out in trust to others. We need to acknowledge our doubts and fears. We need to accept our hurts and pains. We need to acknowledge our sin and accept God’s forgiveness. We need to accept the good and the bad that come with living life and know ourselves as people who need Jesus.
Prayer: Father, through the passion and death of your Son Jesus you revealed your willingness to be with me in the most critical aspects of human life. Help me to fully accept my humanity so as to be with Jesus in all that is human. I ask this in Jesus’ name.