Lent Week Three 2010
By Pat Lee | March 12, 2010
Friday : March 12, 2010
Readings : 2 Kings 5:1-15; Luke 4: 24-30
Scripture Verse: Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. 2 Kings 5:15
Reflection: Saint Lawrence was a deacon in the 3rd century AD. It was a time of persecution and Deacon Lawrence was informed that the government wished to sell all the treasures of the Christian churches. The governor commissioned Deacon Lawrence to gather all the treasures into one church building so that the governor could have his pick before the sale began. When the governor arrived at the appointed church, he found the worship space filled with the weak, the blind, the lame and the sick. Deacon Lawrence told the governor, “These are the treasures of the church.” Deacon Lawrence was executed (martyred) for this act of Christian witness.
Our readings for today invite us to reflect on the reality that we are to be a healing church. The healing tradition—from Elisha in our first reading… to Jesus in our gospel… to two thousand years of Christian tradition… to us today—is carried out through our pastoral care, our care for one another, our care for the people we encounter in daily life, our care for people in hospitals, retirement/nursing homes, our care for people through our outreach, our care for people through our prayers. As Christians we believe in God’s healing love and offer ourselves as instruments of that healing love.
We remember the prayer of the psalmist: “Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?” (Psalm 42:3)
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
Lent - Week Three 2010
By Pat Lee | March 11, 2010
Thursday : March 11, 2010
Readings : Micah 7:14-15, 18-20; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Scripture Verse: Let us eat and celebrate because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life. Luke 15:23-24
Reflection : How many times have you heard or said the words “Grow up!” or “Act your age!” These words might have been directed to you when you were a child and an adult thought you should have been acting more responsibly. Or perhaps you have heard yourself saying these words to children. One task of children is to grow up and become adults, to leave the parental nest and establish a life of their own.
In Jesus’ parable today, we hear the story of a child who demanded to grow up. So he took his inheritance, left home and tried to establish himself as an adult. Yet the highlight of the story comes when the new adult returns home and reclaims his position as a child.
The great spiritual journey that Christ presents to us in this parable is the rediscovery that we are God’s children. We are never too old to have a happy childhood. The quality of childhood that God cherishes in this parable is open honesty. The child in humility “comes to his senses” and asks to be brought back into the family once again. Micah correctly points out in the first reading that there is no one like our God who removes all our guilt and pardons all our sins.
Lent is a time to return to God and take our place as God’s children—a time to repent and return to the Lord. It is a time to open our heart to God and to accept his forgiving love.
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
Lent - Week Three 2010
By Pat Lee | March 10, 2010
Wednesday : March 10, 2010
Readings : Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28 Matthew 21; 33-43, 45-46
Scripture Verse: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Matthew 21:42
Reflection : Dr. Alfred Adler, a renowned family therapist, grew up wanting to be a tailor. But early in his life, he was struck by a severe eye ailment that prevented him from seeing well enough to pursue the tailoring profession. Instead he began to use his “eyes” to gaze into the hearts, minds and spirits of patients and families and, in the process, founded a well-respected school of psychology.
In today’s reading from Genesis, Joseph, a dreamer abandoned by his brothers, used his gifts to bring his people to Egypt and begin the process of forming them into a nation. In the gospel, Jesus is the son who is killed, but in that killing, God raises him up to become the foundation of a new redeemed reconciled life for all people.
We are invited to not let our own limitations or weaknesses conquer us. Instead we are to use the gifts and talents God has given each one of us, to allow them to shape our lives as followers of Jesus.
With the psalmist we are to “remember the marvels that the Lord has done.” See Psalm 105—vs 1-5
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
Lent - Week Three 2010
By Pat Lee | March 9, 2010
Tuesday ; March 9th , 2010
Readings : Jeremiah 17:5-10; Luke 16:19-31
Scripture Verse: Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. Jeremiah 17:
Reflection : Lotteries are part of the fabric of Canadian life. It can seem like every gas station and convenience store has some sort of lottery tickets available. A few years ago there was a report about a survey that asked people what they would do with the money if they won the lottery. The results, unsurprisingly, showed a pretty self-centred focus on the spending of the money. It centered on paying off bills, buying new homes/cars etc., quitting jobs to travel. While some said they would also “help” family members only 2% of those surveyed said they would give any money to a charity.
Over and against this survey we also know that many people are quite generous when confronted by the needs of others (the earthquake in Haiti for example).
Clearly the gospel story provides us with a stinging commentary on selfishness, especially when selfishness is characterized by indifference to the plight of the poor by the rich. It provides us with a reminder that the response we make to instances such as the plight of Haiti is the right response. It is, to say the least, somewhat sobering to listen to Jesus’ warning that if we neglect the less fortunate now, then we will be neglected in the afterlife.
The message is to share some of what we have with those who have far less than we do. The message is to recognise how much God has blessed us and to trust in God to continue to bless us as we share. Jeremiah wrote: If we trust in humans we become a desert. If we trust in God we become a fountain. In Lent we are invited to remember that “all that is in the heavens and on the earth are thine…all things come from thee” and that we are trusted to use some of what God has given us to help those who need help…”of thine own have we given thee”.
Prayer: Lord, help us to be grateful for all you have given us. Help us to use these gifts to help others. Amen
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
Lent - Week Three 2010
By Pat Lee | March 8, 2010
Monday : March 8, 2010
Readings : Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-
Scripture Verse: Whoever wishes to be great among you must serve the needs of all Matthew 20:27
Reflection : Unfortunately our history has been marked by the murder of good people. Two of the more memorable are Mahatma Ghandi and the South American Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero. Both worked on behalf of the poor. Both worked for peace and justice. Both were killed by people who supported oppressive regimes and were threatened by the idea of change. There have been, in the centuries since Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, countless other good people who gave their lives while serving the most needy and working for a just and peaceful world. Many times these people’s good work was unrewarded. At other times they faced criticism and punishment. Sometimes they were killed.
In our readings for today, we are faced with the cost of discipleship—the cost of being a follower of Jesus in a predominately non-Christian culture and world. If we choose to follow Jesus and take our baptismal vows seriously, we will work for justice and peace and strive to help those who need help and try to respect the dignity and sacredness of every human life. We will be criticised for doing that. We will pay a price for being faithful.
Jeremiah asks God to explain to him why “good” is repaid by “evil”. Jesus tells us that his way is a way in which there will be suffering. He tells us his followers will accept this “cup” as part and parcel of life.
Prayer: Lord we struggle at times with accepting the price that comes with following you. Help us to drink the cup that you drink. Amen
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
« Previous Entries Next Entries »