Lenten Pain

 

This past week was a doosy! Many difficult days. What was most difficult was hearing about so many people who were in pain. Some needed to face surgery to have relief of pain. For others, it was cancer, and they were facing surgery and treatments. Finally, there were others whose hope rests knowing they will be able to enter the gates of heaven. Friday night, as the week had ended and my emotions were drained, I cried. I know what it is like to have those types of surgeries, those types of diagnoses, and to lose those who entered the gates of heaven.

As I reflected upon my own times of pain, I remembered the exhaustion that went along with those times. Then I went a bit deeper in my reflection. Not right away, but a few weeks after the surgery, my pain was replaced with relief. The cancer was replaced with remission. And I certainly know that my loved ones who enjoyed the blessings of a life lived well on earth are celebrating their entrance into heaven.

I remembered that after the pain, there was goodness. After the exhaustion, there was rest. After the tears, there was hope. I remembered that the pain that I was suffering was replaced with the hope and peace of goodness. Today, as I remember all those people who may be suffering, I pray for their hope and peace. I pray that they will also find relief of pain and that goodness will follow them as well.

Today’s verse moves us past the Garden of Gethsemane and into the hands of Pilate. There, after the crowd shouted, “Crucify Him,” and Pilate released Barabbas in replacement for Jesus, the soldiers took Jesus and began the torture that was meant for all of us. These passages in the Bible that share of the incredible pain that our Lord endured bring such shame to me. As I read each verse, I fully understand it should be me with the crown of thorns embedded into my head  and the whipping against my back. It should have been me enduring the pain for my sins. Excruciating pain with no relief in sight.

The sacrifice our Lord and Savior made on that Good Friday is one that will always be on my heart. To know that He loved me so very much to endure the pain is a love that is incomprehensible. Yet, it is the love that Jesus gave to us so that we will see Him in paradise. His pain also turned into joy – the joy that He rose from the dead for all of us! His pain in the court, His pain on the cross, His pain for all of us because He loves us so very much, turns into the joy that He has when we turn to Him in forgiveness, hope and love.

All Jesus wants from us in return for all His pain is belief in Him! Our joy comes from that and so much more! As we continue to move through Lent, let us reflect on the pain we have felt and the pain of those around us. Let us understand the pain can move to goodness and joy. Let us live in the hope of seeing the face of Jesus, the One that endured horrible pain because He loves us.

Dearest Jesus, thank you for enduring horrific pain for us. May the pain that we have on earth be replaced by goodness and the knowledge that we will see your face in paradise. In your loving name we pray, Amen.

 

Lenten Nourishment

 

I’m starving!  How many times have we heard our family bellow that throughout the years?  Maybe it is near dinner time as a parent is trying to juggle multiple priorities – including dinner.  Maybe it is in the morning as we try to open our own eyes with a cup of coffee.  I will admit, there have been times when I share that with myself as I realize I missed a meal in the busyness of the day.  When our bodies need nourishment, we ensure it is fed.

Not always do I feed my body with the ‘right’ foods.  In order to grab something quick, I may head to the vending machine at work for the chips or cookies.  I could be on the road during errands and find myself at the nearest Dunkin for a quick donut.  Of course, there is always the justification of why I may need that ice cream cone.  As we know, in moderation, everything is welcomed.  Yet, when I am starving I tend to ‘wolf down’ the item of choice, only to find myself still hungry in a couple of hours.

Today our Lenten focus is on Lenten Nourishment.  Our verses for this post take us to the Last Supper.  After Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, He then feeds them bread and wine.  This is Jesus’ last meal before He enters the Garden of Gethsemane where He begins His journey to the cross.  The Last Supper has been painted by many famous painters over the years.  Each time I look at a painting of this special meal, I can’t help but think how the disciples must have felt.  None of them truly understood what was to come, and that the meal they were having served to them by Jesus would be one of the Holy Sacraments of the Christian faith.  On that evening, they were nourishing their bodies.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion is one that nourishes our souls.  It is the body and blood of Jesus that fills us up and reminds us of the sacrifice of Jesus.  It reminds us of what we won in return for His sacrifice, an eternal life with Him in paradise.  Just as our bodies may starve for physical nourishment, our souls can be starving as well.  Did we miss a worship service and feel empty?  Did we choose to run off to work versus having prayer time with Jesus?  Did the midday mayhem yield to us instead of spending time with the verse of the day?

I know all of the above have been a part of my days.  When I miss those times in Jesus, I feel empty – I’m starving.  The only thing that fills me up is nourishing my soul in the Word.  Whether it is prayer time, Bible time or worship time, it is still time with Jesus that fills me up. When I can kneel at the alter and receive Holy Communion I am filled with Jesus and my soul is fully nourished!  During Lent, may we fill our souls with the nourishment of Holy Communion and time with Jesus.

Dearest Jesus, fill up my soul with your Word and Sacrament.  Hold me close and nourish me so that I can walk the days here on Earth with you by my side.  In your sacrificial name I pray, Amen!

Lenten Servanthood

 

I am not a sock or shoe person.  I like walking around in bare feet.  Yes, outside too.  I think of the many times that this has not served me well; when there was a muddy spot I didn’t see, or sand that got between my toes, or the tragic walking in the backyard and missed where the dog . . . well, I don’t need to go into details.  Our feet can see a lot of ‘stuff’ in the years we are on this Earth.  Maybe that is why the picture of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet holds such a special place in my heart.

There are so many wonderful pictures of Jesus’ servanthood while he was on Earth.  Yet, the one that always hold close to my heart is the washing of the disciples’ feet.  For me, it is such a real depiction of how God became so humble that he washed the feet of those around him.  We aren’t just talking any feet, we are speaking of feet that wore sandals, on dusty roads for a period of time.  We are talking feet that saw thousands of miles walking with no local podiatrist.  We are talking feet that didn’t have a pedicure.  These were feet that were rough, ragged, and VERY dirty.  Jesus humbled himself to wash these feet in an act of servanthood.

When Marcia and I taught Sunday School to the pre-school class, one of my favorite Sundays was when we taught Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.  We would carefully take off their socks and shoes and wash their feet.  Although we were certainly not Jesus, we tried to help them understand what servanthood looked like at an early age.  This lesson would always make me reflect upon my own servanthood and ways to truly serve others.

Servanthood comes in many shapes and sizes.  We all have different gifts to share with others and to serve others.  During this time of Lent, maybe we can all take a deeper reflection on how we can ‘wash others’ feet’.  If we approach our days with a focus on serving others versus what we can get from others, maybe our lives would be more fulfilled and blessings towards others would grow.  Here is to a Lenten season filled with the servanthood of our Lord.

Heavenly Jesus, help us to enter each day with a focus of servanthood.  May we find ways to enrich the lives of those around us with the gifts that you have given to us.  In your serving name, Amen!

Lenten Greed

 

 

“Show me the money” was a popular statement from the movie, Jerry Maguire.  That phrase caught a lot of traction and can still be heard 25 years later.  Money is one of those topics people can be very passionate about.  Some people flaunt the money that they have, others keep it tightly tucked away without anyone knowing.  We have all heard stories of a person who lived a very meager life only to have had millions in the ‘bank account’ when they left this earth.  What we all choose to do with our money is up to each of us.  

Today’s verse focuses on the actions of Judas Iscariot, known to be the disciple who turned Jesus over to the authorities and thus beginning the series of events that would lead to Jesus’ death.  Judas was the treasurer for the disciples.  He held the money, therefore, it wasn’t that outlandish that he was the disciple that would say ‘show me the money’ in order to turn in Jesus.  Judas took the 30 pieces of silver and, in exchange, would  bring Jesus to the hands of those who would kill him.

Judas is looked upon with disdain for his actions.  He didn’t really earn the money he received for hard work and dedication.  It was actually the opposite.  He received the money for betraying our Jesus, showing his lack of loyalty to the Kind of Kings.  All Judas had to do was go to the authorities and tell them where Jesus was.  Easy Money!! 

Although we may look upon Judas with disdain, have there been ways we have betrayed our Jesus just as easily?  Maybe, in order to fit in, you did something that you knew was wrong.  Perhaps others were using God’s name in vain, and you did so as well.  Did you look for the ‘easy money’ knowing that the way you were earning it was not necessarily through hard work?  I am certain that there are many more examples each of us can share when we have betrayed our Jesus, either in words or actions.

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t keep a list of right and wrong.  As Jeremiah 31:34 states, “God says, “I…will remember sines no more.”  No matter how poorly we act or how wrong the actions are that we display, God doesn’t hold that against us.  He doesn’t act toward us the way He should, but forgives us and holds us close to him.  As we try to live lives that are pleasing to God, we will fail, for we are fallen sinners.  The good news comes from the cross and the empty tomb, knowing that our betrayals, which we need to repent, will be wiped clean when we see Jesus face to face in paradise.  Keep the simple faith!

Dearest Jesus, help us to stay on the path you have provided.  Help us to not be greedy like Judas and hold us away from actions that betray you.  May we stay on the path of righteousness and glorify your name.  Amen!