Lent (Page 24)

Monday, April 8 Readings: DN 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62; JN 8:12-20 The very long first reading from Daniel tells a tale of male power and abuse against Susanna.  Two of the respected elders intend to sexually assault her and when their plan is interrupted, they accuse her of a moral crime.  Susanna is found guilty based on their testimony, and they are willing to watch her die for their evil intentions.  If Daniel had not spoken up, her death would…

Sunday, April 7 Readings: IS 43:16-21; PHIL 3:8-14; JN 8:1-11 It just so happens that I am preaching on these readings at church, so I have had a little extra time to reflect on them (but I’ll keep my thoughts here a bit briefer!). In the gospel a nameless woman is brought before Jesus.  The Pharisees who bring her claim that she has been “caught in adultery” and “according to the law” she should be stoned.  They seek to trap…

Saturday, April 6 Readings: JER 11:18-20; JN 7:40-53 The theme continues today of the persecuted one.  As we enter into these last few weeks of Lent, this theme starts to come forward a little more. I am especially thinking today of people who are persecuted just for being who they are.  The dominant systems of the world make it so hard for some people just to be. I think of people in the queer and trans communities. I think of…

Friday, April 5 Readings: WIS 2:1A, 12-22; JN 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 In modern lingo, today’s readings are about “haters” but also about truthtellers.  It all depends on what side of the equation you think you’re on. Back in the time when the scriptures were written and now, there are people who go against the grain of the dominant narrative, and there are people who are very bothered by this. If we are somehow affiliated with the dominant narrative, we might…

Thursday, April 4 Readings: EX 32:7-14; JN 5:31-47 In the first reading, God tells Moses that the Israelites are a “stiff necked people” and that God intends to send wrath upon the people.  Instead of fidelity to God, the people have made a calf of molten gold and now look to it for help and guidance.  God is not pleased.  Moses bargains with God and reminds God that the Israelites were not brought out of Egypt only to be exterminated…

Wednesday, April 3 Readings: IS 49:8-15; JN 5:17-30 I take great hope in Isaiah’s words today.  In spite of all that has happened to us and in spite of all we have done, God will not forget us, and on the day of salvation God will be there for us.  The land will be restored.  There won’t be hunger or thirst.  The roads will be made level.  The world will break out into song.  The afflicted will be comforted.  Now…

Tuesday, April 2 Readings: EZ 47:1-9, 12; JN 5:1-16 The words of Ezekiel today are a reminder of the scriptural grounding in ecology and geography – and the promise of what would be our inheritance if we had cared for it. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees…

Monday, April 1 Readings: IS 65:17-21; JN 4:43-54 In the first reading, Isaiah gives us a picture of what the future will be like – the new heavens and the new earth where there is happiness and rejoicing.  Where the infant mortality will be almost nonexistent and people won’t die young. We know we’re not there yet.  In Rochester, for example, our infant mortality rate is much higher than the national average of 5.7 (per 1000 births, last measured in…

Sunday, March 31 Readings: JOS 5:9A, 10-12; 2 COR 5:17-21; LK 15:1-3, 11-32 Today’s readings remind me of what goes in to healing from difficult events. In the first reading from Joshua, the Israelites are finally “stable” and settled in their new land.  God says, “Today, I have removed the reproach of Egypt from you.” I had to look up what it meant just to be sure… In the biblical sense, reproach refers to the shame and disgrace caused by…

Saturday, March 30 Readings: HOS 6:1-6; LK 18:9-14 Hosea continues the lamentation today for how the people have gone astray and yet trusts in God’s ability to restore us.  It reminds me a bit of Step 2 from Alcoholics Anonymous where it is said that, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” During Lent, it is important to believe that we can be restored to sanity from all of our personal and…

Friday, March 29 Readings: HOS 14:2-10; MK 12:28-34 In the first reading from Hosea, we hear the counsel to return to God after having gone astray.  I couldn’t help but notice the many references to plant life and trees in this one brief passage.  Have a look for yourself:  I will be like the dew for Israel:  he shall blossom like the lily;  He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,  and put forth his shoots; His splendor shall be…

Thursday March 28 Readings: JER 7:23-28; LK 11:14-23 Did you ever try to give somebody some good advice and they just did not take it?  You could see clearly what they needed, and yet they somehow could not.  Maybe we’ve been in that situation ourselves where someone has offered us good counsel that we just could not receive. That’s what Jeremiah describes today.  God laments that the people, “have not obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks…