"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 38

April 1st 

Holy Thursday

     “Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him.  And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up form the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.”

John 13:1-4

       Please remove your shoes.  You are standing on holy ground.  The mood is solemn to be sure.  The air is heavy with betrayal, denial, suffering and death.  But neither the depravity of human sin, nor the dread of human suffering or grief dominates the scene before us.  

        Jesus is showing us the way of the cross.  Here is the life one is called to live after making pilgrimage to the cross.  This is the embodiment of the new commandment he has given to us, 

           "that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.     

           By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” 

           (John 13:34b -35).

          

   Prayer

     O Christ, you came to serve not to be served.  You have modeled for us the way of life, 

     offering for us the paradox that the way of life is the way of the cross.  You have taught us

     that to know the fullness of life you offer we must first empty ourselves.  You have taught us

     what sacrificial loves entails.  Help us to be willing students and faithful disciples.  Help us 

     to love as you love.  Teach us what it means to deny ourselves, take up our cross and 

     follow you.  In your name we pray.  Amen.  

 Our Lenten Pilgrimage, Day 37

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 37

March 31st

Wednesday of Holy Week

      “While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.  But some where there who said to one another in anger, ‘Why was the ointment wasted in this way?  For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.’  And they scolded her.  But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; why do you trouble her?  She has performed a good service for me.  For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.  She had done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.  Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”

      Mark 14:3-9

     Breathe in the soft aroma that fills the house.  The smell of the ointment of nard is sweet, inviting, warm.  Yet, it adds to the heaviness of the air in the room.   We’re two days away from Passover, two days away from the cross.  Mark’s unnamed woman has come to Simon’s Bethany house to anoint that tender, warm living body that will soon be cold and dead.

     And in her extravagant act of generosity and love, we catch a glimpse of the extravagant act of love that will soon be revealed on the cross.

Prayer

     Lord Jesus, in this tender act of extravagant love poured out upon you, we are reminded

     of your extravagant love revealed on the cross.  In the biblical scene before us, there is 

     love and anger, there's both life and death.  And in the midst of it all, we see your love on 

     display.  Like the woman in the story, help us to be vehicles of your extravagant love.  In your 

     name we pray.  Amen. 

 

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 36

March 30th

Tuesday of Holy Week

     “Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’  Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.  Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 

      John 12:20-24

     Jesus’ death is immanent now, just days away.  With every step he takes, he is moving nearer to the cross, closer to unimaginable suffering.  He will soon give himself over willingly to the vile acts of human cruelty.

      And his death will be efficacious for the salvation of the world.  “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29b), is making his way toward taking away those sins.

       His teaching, his life, his healing, his witness, have all significantly impacted the lives of those he has encountered throughout Galilee and the surrounding regions.  But with his death, the reach of his life will know no bounds.  The single wheat-grain of his life, upon his death, will bear the abundant fruit of salvation throughout the farthest reaches of the world!

Prayer

    Jesus the Christ, thank you for your death that brings forth life.  Through your unjust 

    suffering, you stand in solidarity with all who suffer unjustly.  In your death on the cross, you 

    have broken the hold of sin and death on us.  In your resurrection, you raise us to new life 

    through faith.  Give us eyes to see and ears to hear, as we marvel at the mystery of your

    fruitful, life-giving death.  Help us to live our lives worthy of your liberating death.  In your

    name we pray.  Amen.  

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 35

March 29th

Monday of Holy Week

    “In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves.  Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’  And the fig tree withered at once.”

     Matthew 21:18-19

     Walk slowly now in these holy days.  Don’t rush by quickly as one hurrying through a museum of religious artifacts.  Look closely, not with mere eyes of curiosity.  You are not a tourist, come to take pictures for a dusty scrapbook to remind you in your old age of a Holy Week vacation you took once.

     You are a pilgrim on pilgrimage.  And if you look carefully with eyes eager to see and a heart longing to hear, the message of Holy Week can burn deep into your soul.

      Take the fig tree, for example.  Observe its barrenness.  It has leaves, yes - but no fruit. 

  

      Our Lenten Journey has led us to the holiest week of the Christian Year.  The cross looms before us, beckoning to us, probing our witness, examining us for fruit.

      The question for Monday of Holy Week - What is the fruit of my Christian Discipleship?

Prayer  

     Lord Jesus, the shouts of "Hosanna" have now faded into memory.  And with each passing

     stride you are taking us closer to the cross.  And on this Monday of Holy Week, we cannot

     help but feel your penetrating gaze upon us, searching us for fruit as you did the barren

     fig tree.  Forgive us Jesus, for our own propensity for barrenness.  Help us to hear again 

     the wisdom of your teachings.  Empower us to bear fruit that will last.  In your name we pray.

     Amen.  

     

 

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 34

Saturday, March 27th  

     “Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’  And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’  So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’  The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your faith has made you well.’  Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.”

        Mark 10:49-52

    In Mark’s Gospel, the story of Jesus restoring the sight of Bartimaeus comes immediately before Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem that signals the beginning of Holy Week for the Christian Church. 

     In many church sanctuaries tomorrow, palm branches will be waved as the start of Jesus’ final week leading up to the cross will be commemorated.  

      But before we wave our palm branches we recall the blind man who would not be silenced, who would not give up, who called on Jesus’ name repeatedly as he stubbornly held onto hope in Jesus.  Bartimaeus provides a good model for us, especially when we are tempted to give up, give in and throw in the towel.  

       So let’s hear it for the mom who won’t stop praying for the wayward child, for the husband who keeps working for a reconciled marriage, and for you when you absolutely refuse to stop calling on Jesus’ name…

Prayer 

     Lord Jesus, grant us the tenacity of Bartimaeus.  Grant us a faith that will not stay silent. 

     Help us not to grow weary in seeking and knocking on heaven's door.  We confess that

     sometimes our faith is more shallow than deep, and we are more impatient than

     trusting, and often we are sometimes tempted to give into frustration when our prayer life

     doesn't seem to be yielding fruit.  Help us to hang on, and to furiously hold fast to our faith. 

     Christ of the cross, enliven and embolden our trust in you.  In your name we pray.  Amen.  

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 33

Friday, March 26th  

     “Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, ‘See we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.  For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon.  After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.’  But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.”

               Luke 18:31-34

     We cannot speak fully of our Christian faith without acknowledging the reality of the mysterious workings of God.  None of us can fully know the mind of God.  Paul referred to the ministry of the Apostles as “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1b). 

     Throughout the gospels, Jesus’ disciples lack of clarity is really clear to see.  The model for his messiahship, the manner of his death, his reign and his kingdom….none of it fit popular religious expectations. 

     Since we have the ability to look back at these ancient stories from the perspective of generations of Christian teaching, we may be tempted to shake our heads at the apparent thick-headedness of the disciples.

      But perhaps we would do well to reserve judgment on our faith predecessors and consider the possible limitations of our own understanding, while giving some serious thought to the practical implications of truly calling Jesus the Lord of our lives.

Prayer    

     O Christ, we confess we always have more questions than answers.  Like the confused 

     disciples who traveled with you along the Sea of Galilee, we try to mold you into the image

     that aligns with our ideals and preferences.  We want you to save us, on our terms.  We're

     much more eager to receive you as Savior, than to serve you as Lord.  Forgive us, we pray.

     Confront our self-serving theologies, convict us of our sin, and restore in us your image.  In

     your holy name we pray.  Amen.  

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 32

Thursday, March 25th  

     “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

                         Luke 18:13-14

     Jesus takes a very dim view of religious pride.   Compare yourself favorably to your neighbor, especially in matters of religious practice, and you are skating on thin ice with the Master.  

      If we are approaching the Season of Lent with a repentant spirit, we are feeling the weight of our sin, recognizing our complicity in putting Jesus on the cross.  We acknowledge our need for forgiveness, and our desperate need of a Savior. 

      Perhaps we all could point out a neighbor or two who doesn’t seem to approach religion with the same fervor as we admire in ourselves.  But, just in case comparing yourself favorably to a, somewhat less zealous, neighbor becomes appealing sport for you, here’s a sure-fire way to ruin your fun.

      Compare yourself to Jesus.

      And there will never be any occasion for boasting!

Prayer

     Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer and Friend, we lament every instance when we have believed 

     ourselves more virtuous, faithful and pleasing to you than others.  Forgive us for our fallen

     tendency to inch toward any form of religious pride.  Convict us of every foolish attempt at

     spiritual boasting.  Grant us a humble spirit that seeks to bring praise, honor and glory to you,

     and you alone.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.   

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 31

Wednesday, March 24th  

     “Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.   He said all this quite openly.  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But turning and looking as his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan!  For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’”

                                     Mark 8:31-33

     Perhaps we shouldn’t be too hard on Peter.  He just didn’t understand, and of course he was not alone.  The notion of a suffering Messiah simply did not mesh with the popular religious hope that envisioned a military uprising aimed at Rome. 

     And as we inch our way steadily toward Holy Week and the cross, perhaps its a good time to consider our own Messianic expectations. 

     To follow this Messiah is to walk the way of the cross.  And the way of the cross will always be a way of suffering, self-denial, surrender and sacrifice. 

      Follow Jesus, and you can dispense with the notion of a ticker-tape parade in your honor.  Any way of religion that brings us glory, that wins us accolades and puts us in the crosshairs of praise, is not the way of the cross.    

Prayer

     Lord Jesus, like Peter we recoil at the thought of following you to the cross.  It is more 

     natural for us to set our minds on human things rather than divine things.  Show us where

     our expectations of you fall short of your glory.  Show us where our discipleship is limited

     by our own lack of imagination, commitment and courage.  May our lives not stand in 

     opposition to your work, but as a vehicle for your ongoing ministry in the world.  In your name    

     we pray.  Amen.  

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 30

Tuesday, March 23rd 

     “When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’  The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth.  Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.’”

John 11:43-44

     By the time we get to the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead during the season of Lent, the shadow of the cross is beginning to take shape across our pilgrimage path.  As John tells the story of Jesus, this is the seminal moment that drives the religious leaders to scheme for arrest, trial and crucifixion. 

      Today, we stand with the crowd by Lazarus’ tomb in Bethany.  We see Jesus weeping, along with the other mourners assembled.  And we hear his bold command to the dead man inside the tomb.  And we see the unbelievable, the impossible taking place right before our eyes!

      And maybe, if we can call upon our sanctified imaginations, we may even be able to hear him calling out to the entombed places in our lives.  Perhaps we can hear him speaking a word of restoration and hope to our deepest places of brokenness. 

     While we make our pilgrimage to the cross during our 40 day Lenten sojourn we pause for a moment in Bethany, simply to give thanks to Jesus, who is “the resurrection and the life.”

Prayer

     O Christ, the resurrection and the life.  As you called Lazarus forth from the tomb,

     call us forth from every place of darkness and death in our lives.  Teach us what it means

     to know you as the resurrection and the life.  Empower us to rise above the tomb of 

     sin and despair.  Help us to hear and heed your call when you speak our name, calling

     us out of the darkness as you did Lazarus.  In your name we pray.  Amen.  

     

 

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 29

Monday, March 22nd 

     “So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God!  We know that this man is a sinner.’  He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner.  One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’”

John 9:24-25

     The man born blind has just received his sight from the hand of Jesus.  It’s the Sabbath, which means that the religious leaders are quite annoyed with Jesus, and the man.  But its hard to discredit Jesus when the evidence of his miraculous healing is standing right in front of them.  So they turn on the man to try and build their case against Jesus.  

     The man who had been healed was not a theologian.  He would have been no match against the learned religious leaders of the day in matters of doctrine.  He didn’t really know much at all about Jesus.   All he knew, was really all he needed to know.  Jesus had changed his life forever. 

     Theologians can come in handy.  Men and women trained in proper doctrine have their place.  But nothing can compare to one person telling another person what Jesus has done.

     “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

          

Prayer

     Lord Jesus, there is so much we do not know.  Sometimes we feel intimated around others

     who we believe have read more, studied more, prayed more and who we perceive just 

     know so much more than we know.  So many answers remain illusive to us.  But one thing

     we know more than anyone else.  We know the difference you've made in our lives.  With 

     the man in the story we say, "though I was blind, now I see."  Thank you!  In your name 

     we pray.  Amen. 

       

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 28

Saturday, March 20th 

     “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”

                                               2 Peter 1:5-7

     A life of faithful Christian Discipleship requires a daily commitment.  It is the moment-by-moment process of choosing to follow Jesus over the myriad of other options competing for our allegiance. 

     A life of Christian Discipleship is a daily decision.  Every decision, every choice plays a role in shaping who we are.  The decisions we make either serve to support an authentic life of discipleship or place stumbling blocks in our way. 

     If we will follow Jesus well, we will choose the good.  We will seek to build up rather to than tear down.  We will work for justice.  We will stand with the oppressed.  We will care for the sick and for the impoverished of body and spirit. 

     Followers of Jesus make the world a better place.  They foster understanding and offer hospitality.  They love easily and forgive freely, and they are generous with their time, talents and resources. 

      Find authentic followers of Jesus and you will see the unmistakable fruit of goodness in their lives.

     

Prayer

     Christ of the cross and empty tomb, we give you our thanks and praise for every 

     expression of goodness we know and have known.  We thank you for all your faithful and 

     caring followers whose lives have crossed our paths, bearing witness to your love and

     grace.  Forgive us for the times we've made choices that are not aligned with God's    

     purposes for us.  Empower us to be agents of your goodness in the world, to your glory.  In 

     your holy name we pray.  Amen.   

     

     

     

"The Lenten Pilgrimage" - Day 27

Friday, March 19th

    “Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.”

2 Timothy 1:13-14

     There are many things that influence us throughout our lives.  The voices of those around us that we assign greatest credibility, our life’s circumstances, our political leanings and our religious upbringing to name a few.

      We look to the basic teachings of our faith to provide grounding for us, to serve as an anchor in the sea of swirling opinions and quickly changing currents. 

      The teachings that have brought us to faith in Christ and opened us to God’s grace in Jesus are the work of the Spirit enabling us to love God and neighbor and to live lives of justice, mercy and compassion, while empowering us to extend forgiveness and model kindness and generosity.  It is the Holy Spirit living in us who shapes and molds us in the image of Christ, nurturing and developing the good treasure with which we’ve been entrusted. 

        Let us hold fast to every morsel of sound teaching that helps us be faithful reflections of Jesus Christ. 

Prayer

     Dear Christ of the cross, we humble our hearts before you in worship, adoration and praise.

     We thank you for the sound teachings we have received which reveal to us your eternal and

     abiding truths.  Thank you for the faithful saints who have been your witnesses in our lives,

     who have mirrored your love and helped us hunger to be more like you.  We give thanks for 

     the precious gift of our faith.  Help us hold fast to the sound teachings that immerse us in your

     faith and love.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.