2021 LENTEN MEDITATIONS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Week V | Sunday, March 21 - Saturday, March 27
|
Sunday, March 21
Now there is rejoicing in heaven; for you were lost, and are found; you were dead, and are now alive in Christ Jesus our Lord. Abide in peace. The Lord has put away all your sins. Thanks be to God. —The Book of Common Prayer, p. 451 |
Monday, March 22
What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts. —Isaiah 3:15 As part of an effort to help New York’s significant homeless population self-isolate amidst the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeless families with children were moved from overcrowded shelters into hotels across New York City. I happen to live by one such hotel and was not prepared for many of my neighbors’ responses. Instead of compassion for some of the most vulnerable members of society, several of my neighbors reverted to fear, anger and self-protection. People publicly complained that they didn’t pay such high rents to be living beside the homeless. Others took the more subtle position of wishing this laudable solution wasn’t happening right next door. Then there were those of us—myself included—who should have advocated more forcefully in the name of compassion and basic human decency. During confession, we ask God forgiveness for those things done and left undone. These days, I’m struck by how often it is the most vulnerable who are the victims of our statements and silence, our actions and inaction. In the Book of Isaiah, God asks, “What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?” What do we mean by this indeed? How can we turn from such actions toward a different way of being? —Miguel Angel Escobar |
|
Tuesday, March 23
We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. —The Book of Common Prayer, p. 360 I’m often asked how people, particularly people in The Episcopal Church, can become advocates for diversity and can be antiracists. I tell them that the first step I had to take was to look deep inside, in those places so hidden that even I had a tough time finding them. Then, I had to face all the things that I knew I had thought, done, left undone, said that were not loving, not uplifting and not edifying to my siblings who may not be part of my culture. After that, I had to repent. I had to truly come to the feet of Jesus and ask for forgiveness. I have to actively and intentionally repent daily because I mess up, or sin, all the time. In our Book of Common Prayer, we have the Confession, and it can be a starting point for us to repent. Without my daily recognition of wrongdoing and the certainty that God loves and forgives me, I wouldn’t be able to be true to my Baptismal Covenant of striving for justice and peace among all people and respecting the dignity of every human being. —Sandra T. Montes |
Wednesday, March 24
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? —Micah 6:6-8 When the process of lamenting is over, what is next? What are God’s expectations for those who have been injured and for those who have hurt others? What is necessary for reconciliation? It comes down to this for the prophet Micah: that all of us do justice and love kindness and walk humbly with God. Accomplishing these three goals is the work of a lifetime. Sometimes, those who have been injured erect barriers to protect their hearts. When that happens, bitterness can replace kindness. Perhaps that is why the prophet reminds us of the need for humility, lest those who have been offended end up hurting other people. When God’s justice is enacted, our communities will be places where everyone can thrive. In the kingdom of God, no one is exempt from the responsibility to demonstrate kindness and humility. Faithful disciples are called to eradicate injustice wherever they find it. Ultimately, talk is cheap. Our actions demonstrate what we value far more than our words. A Lenten discipline’s goal is to establish patterns that will continue beyond the forty days of Lent. As we prepare for Holy Week and Easter, identify one cause you are passionate about and volunteer your time, talents or treasure in a spirit of humility and kindness. —Phoebe Roaf |
|
Thursday, March 25
So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. —Galatians 6:9 Only by persevering in doing what is right will we be led to the reward we were promised. How can I “do what is right” to someone who is lying and doing me harm? God is wiser than I. God says that the best thing to do is forgive—not to hold grudges or resentment but to love my neighbor and always do what is right. So that is what I will do, and I invite you to join me. I know how challenging this sounds, but today we are deciding to place God above everything else. We are learning how to live beneath the cross and to persevere. All that we sow, we will reap. Let us wait with faith and never lose heart as we continue doing what is right. The outside world may rage against us. Have faith. Do what is right. There is one more thing I invite you to do: Ask God in prayer to fill your heart with love, justice and forgiveness. Try to do God’s will. Try to always be connected to God, even if a part of you doesn’t want to. Doing what is right is more challenging than following our own wishes. You will need faith and resolve to want to please the Lord. Let’s keep on walking, one step at a time. —Patricia Martin |
Friday, March 26
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin. —Psalm 32:5-6 I recently listened to a podcast about apologies. The speaker talked about the fact that saying “I’m sorry” isn’t about erasing the guilt of your sin. It is rather an opportunity to acknowledge the harm you have caused. The role of the harmed isn’t to absolve you of your harm. They get to decide when they are ready to forgive you. They get to decide if, how, and in what manner they would like to be in relationship with you. The act of absolution comes from my relationship with God. It is only when I remember my belovedness and God’s grace that true restitution will come. This does not mean that I am absolved of the responsibility for the harm I have done. It also doesn’t mean that I am released from the harm done on my behalf. Particularly in this time of pandemic, economic crisis and racial reckoning, we are invited to think about our interpersonal, everyday relationships and our larger social structures that have created inequity and injustice. What I have learned most from my work in disasters is that various groups are disproportionately impacted by harm in our world. And we learn that we might already have some solutions for these inequities. We have seen our communities step up to address homelessness, food insecurity and health inequities during this pandemic. What are we called to do in non-disaster times to make this world look more like God’s dream? —Tamara Plummer |
Saturday, March 27
Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord.
—Isaiah 1:18a
One of the defining moments of my life was the fight that closed
down a crack house behind the community center where I
worked. The community won a $1 million grant, and neighborhood
leaders were excited about the possibilities for change. Then
disappointment came when most of the money went to
agencies located outside of the neighborhood. That experience
remains with me and informs my current work of focusing on
congregational/community engagement and transformation.
How do well-meaning people with resources and power faithfully
engage neglected communities without running over the people
who actually live there? I believe it begins with conversation and
a commitment to local residents being the decision-makers.
This recognition of the strength and sustainability found in local
resources is at the heart of asset-based community development.
I’ve worked with congregations and communities where deep
and lasting change has happened. It requires humility and a true
commitment to reconciliation. We cannot turn around decades
of neighborhood neglect and broken promises without first
creating trust. Like God has done, we must seek out the “other”
and recognize their full capacity as people created in God’s image.
It will take many conversations, time and, yes, arguments to build
the trust needed for real change. Yet, some of the most lasting and
gratifying work I’ve experienced came from hard conversations
with residents committed to their community. I believe people
of faith can lead the pathway forward by humbly engaging in
authentic conversation and relationships with the people in the
communities we serve. This begins one conversation at a time.
—Willie Bennett
Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord.
—Isaiah 1:18a
One of the defining moments of my life was the fight that closed
down a crack house behind the community center where I
worked. The community won a $1 million grant, and neighborhood
leaders were excited about the possibilities for change. Then
disappointment came when most of the money went to
agencies located outside of the neighborhood. That experience
remains with me and informs my current work of focusing on
congregational/community engagement and transformation.
How do well-meaning people with resources and power faithfully
engage neglected communities without running over the people
who actually live there? I believe it begins with conversation and
a commitment to local residents being the decision-makers.
This recognition of the strength and sustainability found in local
resources is at the heart of asset-based community development.
I’ve worked with congregations and communities where deep
and lasting change has happened. It requires humility and a true
commitment to reconciliation. We cannot turn around decades
of neighborhood neglect and broken promises without first
creating trust. Like God has done, we must seek out the “other”
and recognize their full capacity as people created in God’s image.
It will take many conversations, time and, yes, arguments to build
the trust needed for real change. Yet, some of the most lasting and
gratifying work I’ve experienced came from hard conversations
with residents committed to their community. I believe people
of faith can lead the pathway forward by humbly engaging in
authentic conversation and relationships with the people in the
communities we serve. This begins one conversation at a time.
—Willie Bennett