1

2

Introduction:

The importance of Lent dates back to the very early Christian Church. Lent then

was a time of preparation for baptism. In the fourth century it became the 40 days we

understand and observe today. Candidates prepared for baptism over the 40 days and

were then able to partake in the sacraments of bread and wine on Easter morning. It was

an intense period of study and reflection for the candidates as they approached Easter

morning. Adding our own readings and prayerful consideration of our Baptismal

Covenant during this Lenten Season is one way can connect with the early church.

In a way the St. Elizabeth writers for this book have already connected us to that

tradition of baptismal preparation and to those early Christians. The writers have given

much time, thought and prayer to their gift of writing and reflection found on the

following pages. It takes time for them to wrestle with a few passages of scripture and

discern God’s meaning. But it takes courage to then share their understanding with all of

us, which is why each year I think of this book as a sacred text, and this year is no

exception. I do hope you enjoy this year’s Lenten Reflection Book.

Proper Collects, Lessons and Psalms in this year’s reading collection are based on

The Proper for the Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 4th

Edition, The Church Hymnal

Corporation, New York, New York, 1988, pp 20-53. Each day’s entry lists the scripture

readings appointed for the day. A selection of psalms and Old Testament readings are on

the left for the morning and on the right Epistle and Gospel for the evening. These are

followed by a personal reflection, art work, poem, etc.

You will notice that there are no readings or reflections for the Sundays during

Lent. This is because, in calculating the forty days of Lent, Sundays are not counted. If

you want to see the Daily Office readings for the Sundays during Lent, you can find them

in the Book of Common Prayer.

Jay Holdman

Editor/Lenten Reflections, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Final Thoughts: After seven years as Editor of the Lenten Reflections Book I

have decided to let someone else take over. This ministry has been a wonderful

experience, allowing me to talk with and hear from so many of those who have

written and those who have read this publication. Throughout the year people

comment about certain readings, telling me of how much those readings meant to

them. Thank you all for being willing to take the time to put so much of

yourselves into this book. Next year, John McNeill will take over as Editor and I

know he will do a great job. John is a very capable, smart and creative guy. I look

forward to writing for and reading next year’s Lenten Reflection Book.

3

The Cover: The cover is a photo of St. Elizabeth’s Chapel designed by the

famous architect Ralph Adams Cram. It shows his daughter, Mary C. Cram,

setting the final stone in place in 1914, one hundred years ago. Below is a 1936

quote from Cram about the construction of the Chapel:

“There were not working plans for this chapel until it was practically finished. Its form was paced out, and the determining stakes driven in by several members of the family. All the stones came from the field walls, being split by two lusty labourers, Christino Alberico and John Smith. The chapel has no architectural style—I was already getting rather fed up with that sort of thing—the guiding idea was to think and work as would pious but quite ignorant peasants who knew nothing about architecture except that a church had round-topped windows and that the altar end was finished in the form of a semi-circle. It is perhaps, the most satisfactory church I have ever built.”

Such a statement of faith as he approached his work with only an idea in mind of what the final outcome would look like! We are very fortunate to have such a structure in our care. PS Which of the “lusty labourers” do you think is assisting Mary in the photo?

The Cover Production: I am deeply grateful for the effort of John Howard who dug

through our archives to locate a number of pictures of the Chapel, each a possible cover

photo. John then worked his magic to convert this old photo into the wonderful cover

you see now. Thank you John!

Book Printing and Assembly: Peg Scarlata.

4

Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of

all who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily

lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of

all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lesson

Psalm 102 Hebrews 12:1-14

Jonah 3:1-4:11 Luke 18:9-14

Reflection

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent, which is “a solemn observance in

the liturgical year of many Christian denominations, lasting from Ash Wednesday to

Easter Sunday.” It is a time of preparation through prayer, fasting, study, alms giving,

self examination and repentance.

When I was a little girl, Lent merely meant you gave up something. Usually it was

something sweet like candy, cookies or dessert. It was also a time of bragging rights,

sharing what you gave up with all your friends and then actually doing it. The reward, a

new Easter outfit with hat, gloves, shoes, and a pocketbook of course.

As I have matured over the years, Lent has become much more important to me. Each

year I ask the Lord to cleanse me, and bring me to a deeper understanding and meaning

of Easter beyond what I have already experienced. My prayer is that God will take me to

a higher high, and a give eyes that I may see, and ears that I may hear what thus saith the

Lord.

Perhaps this was the prayer of the tax collector. In the 18th

chapter of Luke verses 9

through 14, two men are going to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee who was a law-

keeping and religious man, the other, a tax collector who was most likely dishonest. Tax

collectors in those days often collected more taxes than what was required and pocketed

the difference.

The Pharisee in his prayer, exalted himself, priding himself on being righteous,

boasting(bragging rights) about not being like the tax collector, how many times he

fasted, and giving tithes. The tax collector in his prayer, knew he was a sinner and felt so

unworthy that he could not even lift his eyes toward heaven. Instead he humbled himself

and pleaded with God to have mercy on him in self-humiliation and repentance. The

Pharisee stood before others to be seen and heard, the tax collector stood before the Lord

recognizing his need for God’s grace and mercy.

I pray that in this season of Lent we experience God’s abundant love and that He edifies

us, enriches us, encourages us, and “creates us clean heart and renews a right spirit within

us.”

Rev. Faith C. Tolson

St. Elizabeth’s, Coordinator of Christian Formation for Children and Youth

5

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with

your continual help; that in all our works begun continued, and ended in you, we may

glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus

Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and

ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

1 Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Luke 9:18-25

Three readings, four questions.

What do today’s readings have in common? Each presents a contrast, implies or states or

invites a choice and proposes consequences of that choice. Psalm 1 is perhaps less a

statement of fact—of the way things are—than an idealized picture of the way things

ought to be, a wish and a hope and a firm belief that God watches protectively and

benevolently over the “way of the righteous” and that the “way of the ungodly” will

perish. (It’s not the ungodly that perish, I notice—just their “way.” I wonder what

happens to the ungodly themselves? And what does “way” mean?) And if one way is

watched over by God and one way will perish, we can ask, perhaps with some

uncertainty and skepticism as do other psalms, “When? For how long? By what means?”

The Deuteronomy reading shows us a God who does not practice unconditional love (or

“loyalty,” probably a better term): Obey and you’ll live and prosper. Disobey and you’ll

suffer death and adversity. (Fortunately, this is not the only depiction of God in Scripture,

although—unfortunately--it is as authoritative as any others found there.) It was not long

before those who had wealth, power, success, status, security and authority began to

interpret this passage as follows: “The fact that we have wealth, power, success, status,

security and authority means that our definition of, our interpretation of and our way of

obeying God’s commandments are correct.. God obviously approves of what we have

done to acquire, are doing to maintain and will do to increase our wealth, power, success,

status, security and authority. Those of you who are poor, weak, failed, subordinate,

insecure and ignored are only getting what you deserve, what you’ve brought upon

yourselves. And since we are blessed and approved by God and you’re not, it’s okay for

us—but not for you—to make the rules. And one of rules is that it would be morally

wrong, a violation of God’s intent, for us to share our wealth, power, success, status,

security and authority with the undeserving and disobedient.” In the reading from Luke

we can see, among other things, Jesus challenging this interpretation (but not denying the

centrality of obeying God’s commandments). He affirms with the psalmist the necessity

of walking the way of the righteous, of following the right path, but also invites us to

reflect upon what actually doing that might involve.

Why did Jesus order his disciples (“sternly order and command” says the NRSV

emphatically) not to tell anyone he was the Messiah? (Luke 9:21) Probably because he

didn’t think he was, at least in some ways. Someone anointed by God for some special

6

work or purpose, yes. (Messiah=Christ=an anointed one). But a messiah-king—another

David or Judas Maccabeus, a warrior, a political revolutionary, a Zealot, no. (Liberator-

king was part of the Messiah tradition in Jesus’ day.) To the extent that being a messiah

meant being an earthly king and espousing or conducting violent or armed opposition to

Rome, Jesus rejected the title, the job description and the action. (See John 6:15.) It’s not

that Jesus wasn’t political. He was, and his teachings and actions abound with political

implications, none of them friendly to what Rome stood for. But the kingdom of heaven

was not to be founded, maintained or extended by imitating the ways of the kingdom of

Caesar. (Put another way, the answer to a bad guy with a gun is not a good guy with a

gun.) Also, perhaps Jesus was wise enough to know that an armed rebellion against Rome

was foredoomed to failure. Foredoomed or not, he was not about to inflict the horrors of

war and rebellion upon his people even if some of them thought a war of liberation under

Messiah’s leadership was right, just, necessary and expected.

I think there was an additional reason for that stern order and command. Jesus (as Luke

portrays him) was not interested in being acclaimed, worshiped, praised, exalted or

believed in. All that—to be “known”--was what kings and emperors and other power

figures wanted and needed. I think that for Jesus it was not his name or title—who or

what he was—that was important, but what he said and did. You didn’t have to believe—

or even know--that Jesus was the Messiah in order to be taught or helped by him or to

follow his teachings

.

What does it mean to “take up their cross daily?” (Luke 9:23) “Taking up the cross” or

“bearing one’s cross” has often been interpreted to mean enduring a painful illness, other

physical affliction or difficult life situation—sometimes thought of as sent by God. (“I

guess this is the cross I have to bear.”) A particular strain of Christian piety has taken it to

mean that we are somehow to share in or experience the agonies of Jesus’ crucifixion.

(Read the third stanza of Hymn 168, “O sacred head, sore wounded.”) Others have found

here a prediction of persecution or martyrdom, or even an encouragement to be a martyr.

I find a more likely meaning in asking who in Jesus’ day took up their crosses. It was the

special group of criminals for whom the Romans reserved the punishment of crucifixion

and who were forced to carry to the place of execution the crossbeams of the crosses on

which they would die. They were rebellious slaves, seditionists, insurrectionists—

enemies of the state and of the social order, uncompromising opponents of an oppressive

and unjust system. Jesus takes them as a model and symbol and says to those who would

be his followers, “You must be as opposed to that unjust way of doing things as those

who openly rebelled against it. I am teaching you and showing you how to live in

opposition to it and what to put in its place in your daily lives.”

What does it mean for people to “gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?”

(Like 9:25) “Losing oneself” is an idiom for dying and is probably more accurately

translated as “losing one’s soul” (as in the “King James” Bible’s rendering of Mark 8:36).

As noted by James Kugel in his book The Great Poems of the Bible, one Biblical

tradition portrays a “soul,” an animating force, being placed by God in a human being. At

some point the soul is “required” (see Luke 12:20) to return to, or to be taken back by,

God--the person dies. “Gaining” includes here, I think, the idea of keeping for oneself,

7

holding on to, acquiring at someone else’s expense, absolute ownership, feeling

responsible to and for no-one except oneself. It was an idea that underlay the economic

and social system of Jesus’ day, an idea that easily led to exploitation and oppression and

caused the “gainers” to hate and fear and seek to control those who, not having come out

on top, were seen not only as competitors for scarce resources but as “losers” who had

forfeited their right to a share of the wealth. “Gaining the world” may indicate not just

becoming wealthy but acquiring the power, success, status, security and authority that

marked you as a member of the ruling class, whether you were Caesar, Herod, a big

landowner, a chief priest or a what the gospels refer to as a judge.

Jesus asks three questions in the reading from Luke. Two of them (about who he is,

verses 18 and 20) are answered in the reading. The third (in verse 25, “What does it profit

a person to gain the whole world and then die?”) is not. Perhaps that means we are

expected and encouraged to provide our own answers. Jesus’ implied answer is that it

profits nothing—you don’t win if you die with the most toys. “Gaining” and “gaining the

world,” he suggests, are self-centered and self-serving activities that inevitably ignore

and initiate and increase the political, social, economic and religious misery of others.

You can choose to live like that, he says—and die. Or you can choose not to “gain” and

instead try to live in a way that seeks to mirror and create a just and loving community—

and die. Jesus had to choose. So did his disciples. So do you. So do we. So do I.

Larry Ruark

Former member of St. Elizabeth’s, now living in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Friday after Ash Wednesday

Support us, O Lord, with your gracious favor through the fast we have begun; that as we

observe it by bodily self-denial, so we may fulfill it with inner sincerity of heart; through

Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for

ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

51:1-10 Isaiah 58:1-9a

Matthew 9:10-17

Lenten Reflection

Fasting - I must admit I am often perplexed by this. The readings have further confused

me – they seem to contradict each other on fasting.

Is fasting not eating or is it giving up something? Is it a penance for our sins? I often

think it is better to try to do something good – to be more spiritual, think more of others

and try to be more empathetic.

How long for this good deed to become a habit. Ask Google and you’ll get a figure of

somewhere between 21 and 64 days or also it depends on if breaking a bad habit or

creating a good habit – Google seems to contradict as well.

8

If I focused on doing something truly good during Lent – just image what I and you could

accomplish in our life time. One year to focus on spiritual growth and the next to help

others. This year I will focus on being more empathetic. I think I am going to continue

to focus on doing something good during Lenten and maybe creating more good during

the 40 Days of Lent. This may help me be less confused.

Jeremy Perisho

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our

dangers and necessities stretch forth your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus

Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and

ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

86:1-11 Isaiah 58:9b-14

Luke 5:27-32

The COGS Level III children read both Psalm 86 and the Gospel from Luke. The

Psalm is a beautiful prayer for help, and the gospel is that of the Jesus’ call to Levi with

the subsequent banquet that included tax-collectors and sinners.

After reviewing new vocabulary, we asked “What phrase in these readings stands

out for you?” and “How does it touch your life?” These were a few of the answers and

reflections from our nine, ten, and eleven year olds.

“Listen to my cry of supplication.”

“The day of my trouble I call on you for you will answer me” (twice)

It turns out that adolescence involves a lot of uncertainty, and worry – about their

families, about the world, and about themselves. Our young parishioners take great

comfort in knowing that God is listening, and will be there for them when they are in

trouble. They all related to this Psalm easily.

“That I may walk in your truth”

One personal connection to knowing the truth of God, and to learning about God.

“For you are great and do wondrous things”

And another connected with the praise of God’s greatness.

“I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repent”

9

There was some discussion about the meaning in the gospel. Did Jesus mean to

say that he only cares about those who are not favored in society? No, they decided. If

Jesus were here now he would have dinner with the President, but he would also have

dinner with the prisoners and the homeless.

And he listens. God listens when you are in trouble. God is listening when you

are not in trouble. God listens. If we call on God, he will be there. Though a few youth

thought it might help to think of God before you get in trouble.

“For to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul”

“All the nations you have made shall come and bow down”

These phrases reminded the children of our liturgy, and they noted that we do

these things regularly at church. We “lift our hearts” before the Holy Eucharist. And we

bow to the Lord during our worship when we pray, just as the nations bow down.

I ask your prayers for our young Biblical scholars. Dear Lord, may our children

grow ever closer to the truth of your Word. May our work lay a solid foundation for a

great faith that, like a beautiful cathedral, will be completed long after we have gone.

Amen.

From St. E’s nine, ten, and eleven year olds, and their catechists.

Members of St. Elizabeth’s Church

Monday in the First Week of Lent

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully increase in us your gifts of holy discipline, in

almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; that our lives may be directed to the fulfilling of your

most gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

19:7-14 Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

Matthew 25:31-46

It was Sunday, February 3, 1980. Those of us in church at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in

Santa Fe, New Mexico that morning could look out of the many floor- to- ceiling

windows to see pillars of black smoke rising in the distance. Overhead the loud drone of

helicopters landing at St. Vincent’s Hospital, almost next door to us, kept drowning out

our service. To our surprise, our Rector read from a Gospel not appointed for that

Sunday; instead, he read the Gospel according to Matthew 25: 31-46, the Gospel we are

asked to reflect on today, from which I quote “I was in prison and you did not visit me.”

That day was the second day of the riot at the main facility of the New Mexico State

Penitentiary when 33 inmates died as a result of being beaten, hacked to death,

decapitated or burned alive by fellow inmates. More than 200 were treated for injuries.

10

The sermon our Rector gave that morning was unlike any other. He only asked, “How

many of you have ever visited a prison?” No one stood up. Then, “How many of you

have known or communicated with anyone in prison?” No one stood up. “How many of

you have worked to improve prison conditions?” (The penitentiary was built to hold 900

inmates. At the time of the riot there were 1,136 prisoners in the overcrowded cells.) No

one stood up. There was a stunned silence. None of us had obeyed God’s commandment:

“Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). None of us had acted like the Good

Samaritan who had reached out to a stranger in distress.

I’m a firm believer that God can allow good to come out from evil. Very shortly after the

riot, a city- wide open invitation meeting was held at St. Bede’s and from it groups were

formed to investigate ways we could bring about prison reform. Lawyers freely offered

their services regarding legal aspects. Prison Fellowship formed a group to visit once a

week at the Penitentiary. Eventually St. Bede’s, along with others from the Presbyterian

Church, the United Church of Christ and the Lutheran Church formed a group that met in

prayer and fellowship at the Penitentiary every Sunday night. Our first get- together was

October 6, 1985. I am happy to say that the group still continues to visit every Sunday!

In one of the post-communion prayers on Sundays we ask God to “send us now into the

world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness

and singleness of heart.” Let us be Christ’s light in the world to the hungry or thirsty, to

the stranger, to the sick, to the friendless, to those in prison, to those in need. Let us hear

the Lord say “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren,

you did it to me.”

Annette Molnar

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in the First Week of Lent

Grant to your people, Lord, grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and

the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow you, the only true God; through Jesus

Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

34:15-22 Isaiah 55:6-11

Matthew 6:7-15

Our class began the discussion about this prayer by talking about the meaning of Lent. To

most of us, Lent means the time before Easter when we have to “give something up.”

We next talked about how many people feel that giving something up, making some type

of sacrifice, or doing something extra during Lent, is a way to make us feel more

connected to Jesus since he spent 40 days in the wilderness before his crucifixion.

A volunteer read the prayer to the class and then we talked about what it meant to us. In

the prayer we ask God to help us avoid temptations in our lives. We talked a lot about

11

the temptations we all have experienced. We also read the selection from the Chapter in

the gospel of Matthew. In that reading we found the words to the Lord’s Prayer that we

say at service each week. In that prayer we ask that God not “lead us into temptation.”

So in Matthew’s gospel and in this prayer we ask God’s help to avoid temptations. But

our question was why can’t people just do the right thing on their own? We talked about

temptations we had been tempted by, but had been able to overcome.

Then we started talking about Justin Bieber. That led to a very lively conversation where

everyone shared an opinion of what he has done wrong. We talked about all the

temptations he could not avoid. We agreed that with all the money and attention he has,

it must be very hard to resist temptation. Since the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis

and probably even before, people have not been able to overcome temptation. So even

though we think people should avoid temptations on their own, we understand how hard

it is, and that asking God for his His help to withstand temptation may give us the

strength to do the right thing.

The Rite 13 Class

Members of St. Elizabeth’s Church

Wednesday in the First Week of Lent

Bless us, O God, in this holy season, in which our hearts seek your help and healing; and

so purify us by your discipline that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one

God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

51:11-18 Jonah 3:1-10

Luke 11:29-32

Having lunch in a field one day, I troubled an ant with some

questions. I asked of him humbly,

"Have you ever been to Paris?"

And he replied, "No, but I wouldn't mind going." And then asked me

if I had ever been to a famous ant city. And I regretted that I

hadn't, and was quick to add, "I wouldn't mind, too!"

This led to a conclusion: There is life that we do not know of.

How aware are we of all consciousness

in this universe?

What percent of space is this earth in the infinite realm?

What percent of time is one second

in eternity?

12

Less than that is our

knowledge of

God.

How then can we ever

argue about

Him?

“How Then Can We Argue?”

By: Meister Eckhart (1260-1328)

Thursday in the First Week of Lent

Strengthen us, O Lord, by your grace, that in your might we may overcome all spiritual

enemies, and with pure hearts serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

138 Esther (Apocrypha) 14:1-6, 12-14

Matthew 7:7-12

In the reading of Matthew I was touched by his words of “Ask, and you will receive:

seek, and you will find: knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Reflecting on my

childhood and the lives of my children I have tried to live by these words, and set a good

example. My parents set limits and we had certain boundaries that we had to live within

and along the way we all were sent off with a solid foundation. Beginning with “ask, and

you will receive:” that is a very teachable moment that all parents have to deal with. Of

course when a child asks for something we want to comply but that is not always

possible. Children need to know there are limits to what they can ask for and expect to

receive. Each family needs to set the boundaries in which to live within and there are

many factors that play a role in making that decision. With this one piece of the

foundation you are beginning to build a sense of self in a child. “Seek, and you will find”

is another opportunity to build on the foundation by encouraging your child to work hard

at something and persevere to reach the final goal. That success can give a child a sense

of accomplishment and in the process builds their self- esteem by having them work

through obstacles and think out of the box. This is all a process that is taught over and

over again as they grow. There have been plenty of times I have asked God to guide me

through this process and to give me or my child the strength to work it through. Now that

they are getting older and out on their own I can reflect on those times good and bad. The

door is opening for them and they are being received as good faithful hard working

adults. They are striving to do their best in their job, and in their relationships with others.

That brings me to my father’s favorite words, “do for others what you want them to do

for you.” (Matthew 7: verse 12). My father did a great job of instilling this in me through

example. He would treat everyone as if they were old friends, by being respectful to them

and saying nice positive things to them. I really admired him for that ability and have

13

attempted to live up to his example. My children also saw this attribute in him and have

learned that being respectful of others can get you a long way.

Could I have done a better job of raising my children?

Of course there were things I would have liked to change as I tell my current student’s

parents that I wish I had known some of the things I teach now, back when my children

were young. What’s done is done but I am not worried for them because I also instilled in

them a respect for themselves and God. As they move on in life I will still ask God to

look over them, help them in making the right choices and help them to persevere in

whatever they choose. With this as a foundation they will be able to have the strength and

courage to do good work and god’s work. But one of the most important characteristics I

want them to continue is to treat others as they would want to be treated. Give all people

the respect they need and listen to their feeling and concerns.

At the end of day a reading of Psalm 138 is the prayer of thanksgiving for all he has

taught to do and continue to do.

Amen

Clare Perry

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Friday in the First Week of Lent

Lord Christ, our eternal Redeemer, grant us such fellowship in your sufferings, that, filled

with your Holy Spirit, we may subdue the flesh to the spirit, and the spirit to you, and at

the last attain to the glory of your resurrection; who live and reign with the Father and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

130 Ezekiel 18:21-28

Matthew 5:20-26

The scripture passengers Psalm 130, Ezekiel 18:21-28 and Matthew 5:20-26 caused me

to focus on several key words or phrases, some in a more meaningful way than others.

Psalm 130 gave me "forgiveness" to contemplate. I was struck in Ezekiel 18:21-28 by

the phrase "the way of the Lord is unfair". With Matthew 5:20-26 the phrase "unless

your righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and the Pharisees you will never enter the

Kingdom of Heaven". Most significant to me was the concept of 'Anger" and the

management of that emotion.

The concept of "forgiveness" in daily life is one of those struggles we all deal with.

Whether it is someone cutting us off in traffic or in a more meaningfully way coping with

an injustice in the wider world. I seem to be able to handle this challenge by

intellectualizing the situation. I imagine the perpetrator of the act requiring forgiveness is

going through a period of their lives that forces them to take an action that they otherwise

would not do. Perhaps the driver of a car is late picking up a child who is ill which forces

14

the person to be overly aggressive. I can "forgive" bad behavior in that situation. My

standard reason for "forgiveness" in situations where heinous crimes are committed is to

believe the perpetrator is "sick" with some mental illness that causes the bad behavior.

Mass killings at elementary schools or the whole Syrian Crisis are examples of this.

Without this "illness" defense, without this "crutch" I would not be able to "forgive" as

we are instructed.

"The way of the Lord is unfair" reminds me of a time in a previous life when I was a

young Lieutenant in the Army stationed in Germany. Troops would come up to me to

complain about some malfeasance that caused them discomfort, irritation or

inconvenience. Things like the order in which our unit was placed to go to lunch, either

too late or too early. The duration of PT. The frequency of inspections. These were the

issues of the complaints. The troops would bring their arguments to the point of saying it

was "unfair". That is the where I would stop them, hand them a yellow highlighter, and

instruct them to return to their billets, get out their enlistment contracts and underline all

the places that indicated "Fairness" would be employed. Some would actually do that

while the bright ones would mutter something under their breaths that I did not hear as

they walked away. The "unfairness" of life is something I can deal with at this point in

my life.

I almost laughed out loud when I read the Phrase "Unless your righteousness exceeds that

of the Scribes and Pharisees you will never enter the Kingdom of God". This seemed an

awfully low bar to get over. My interpretation of Scribes and Pharisees are the

administrators of the "Law". I equate them with our elected officials. Unfortunately I

have a rather low impression of many of them. Whether it is because of "Lavender Gate"

at the town level, the fact that the previous three Speakers of the Massachusetts

Legislature are convicted Felons for actions taken while in office, or the abysmal job of

our Federal Government elected officials. I believe setting our own personal standards of

behavior is the point of the phrase.

Lastly, but most significantly for me, is the concept of "Anger". For years I have

experienced my most productive activities when angry. As a youth I observed this while

in athletic activities. Later in life I observed this in business transactions. This is an

extremely disheartening observation. A corollary is that my most successful business

transactions occurred when I was least "Christian" in my behavior. I do not mean illegal

but non-Christian, mean spirited. I have struggled with this over the years without a

positive resolution. I am able to manage this most effectively when I am least productive.

I am now able to walk away from situations that cause me to be "angry". However these

situations are not resolved when I walk away. This seems to be unsatisfying especially in

situations that I believe I can influence positively, correct an injustice or something of

that nature. If I get angry I can "fix it". If I walk away the injustice continues but I did not

get angry. I say to myself, "you should be smart enough to solve the problem without

anger". Unfortunately many times this does not seem to be the case. An unsuccessful nice

15

person or an angry success, yikes what a choice! I will call it Grace that has caused me to

contemplate this personal issue once again. Hopefully I will be successful in resolving

this dilemma this time.

Jim Newton

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Saturday in the First Week of Lent

O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the work of reconciliation: Grant that in

our Lenten fast we may be devoted to you with all our hearts, and united with one another

in prayer and holy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and

the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

119:1-8 Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Matthew 5:43-48

Many consider Lent as a time to sacrifice or deprive ourselves of something to be in

communion with Christ’s suffering. I know that’s how I have always thought about it.

This collect was interesting to me in the way it we ask for God’s grace for us to be

devoted to Him and united in prayer and love with others during Lent. In other words,

we may be in a period of fasting or self-deprivation during Lent, but should we actually

be taking positive steps to reaffirm our reconciliation with him, and more than that,

actually seek to reconcile with others so as to be united with one another?

I looked into this idea of reconciliation, and this passage from Paul’s letter to the

Corinthians was particularly helpful:

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the

ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling

the world to himself, not

counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of

reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 18-19

So this collect helped me to realize that Lent opens up new opportunities for us. Not just

to commit ourselves to way to acknowledge the suffering and sacrifice made by Jesus,

but to use it as a time to bring ourselves closer to God through reaching out to others.

Maybe it’s the opportunity to reconcile with an estranged family member? Maybe to

participate in our own parish Lenten activities and services as a community? There are

many ways we can choose to bring ourselves closer to God during Lent, and this collect

helped me consider new ways to reflect on and show thankfulness for God’s glory

through Jesus’ sacrifice and his reconciliation of us to Him.

Steve Kenney

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

16

Monday in the Second Week of Lent

Let your Spirit, O Lord, come into the midst of us to wash us with the pure water of

repentance, and prepare us to be always a living sacrifice to you; through Jesus Christ our

Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Psalm Lessons

79:1-9 Daniel 9:3-10

Luke 6:27-38

All three passages for today are talking about different aspects of sin, or alienation from

the divine: the authors of the psalm and Daniel believe that the people of Israel are being

punished directly by God for their sins and beg for God’s compassion; the author of Luke

recounts Jesus’ difficult call to us to love our neighbor, for “even sinners love those who

love them.”

I cannot talk about passages that ask us to love our neighbors (including our enemies or

those who have taken advantage of us) as ourselves separately from the commandment to

love God. To think about loving God, I need to understand “who” God is for me, and I

understand “God” to be the creative, life-giving, and redemptive forces in this world (and

possibly other worlds, but that is a bit beyond my ability to get my arms around). So to

love God is to act in ways that are life-affirming for me and my neighbor and/or to be on

the side of those who do and systems that do. However, to act in this way often seems in

conflict with what is loved “in the world” – money, power, prestige. I’m not sure that

these are inherently in opposition to the love of God, but they often seem to be.

One small example from this snowy winter: where I work, the policy about snow days is

that if the institution is open, you are expected to come to work, or if it does not seem

safe, take personal or vacation time. Those of us who are exempt employees can often do

work from home and therefore don’t need to make a choice between going out in

hazardous conditions or using personal/vacation time. Non-exempt workers are much less

likely to be able to work from home. The effect of this policy is that the more powerful

and prestigious workers are less likely to lose vacation or personal time because of the

weather.

I suspect if I heeded Jesus’ message to love my neighbor, I would not sit back and enjoy

this benefit of my position but would demand that no one have to choose between safety

and losing time off because of weather conditions. In most cases like this one, where I

recognize that I have privileges by virtue of my status – be it employment level, being

white, upper middle class, educated…I don’t speak up. To do so is hard; it may make me

vulnerable to scorn. It may jeopardize my prestige. It is easier not to “rock the boat” –

especially if the neighbor is an enemy. But are there times when you feel pushed by the

Spirit to speak up, act on the impossibly unrealistic message of the Gospel, and when you

do, you feel filled with a wholeness, a rightness, and a peace that money and power and

prestige can never bring? Having gotten momentary glimpses of this possibility, I am

convinced that the punishment for our “sins” does not come from God, but it is self-

inflicted as we strive for money, power, and prestige, and along the way fail to love our

17

neighbor. Despite believing we harm ourselves and our neighbors when we don’t act in

ways that are life-affirming, and despite occasionally experiencing the wholeness and

peace that comes when I do, I still find it difficult to act in ways that I understand to be

concrete answers to Jesus’ call to love my neighbor/my enemy.

Susan Berry

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent

O God, you willed to redeem us from all iniquity by your Son: Deliver us when we are

tempted to regard sin without abhorrence, and let the virtue of his passion come between

us and our mortal enemy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

50:7-15, 22-24 Isaiah 1:2-4, 16-20

Matthew 23:1-12

Flo Griswold and the Prayer Chain Back in the mid sixties, when we were new members of St. Elizabeth’s church,

there was a lovely older woman who was usually standing in the foyer of the church

Sunday mornings as sort of an unofficial greeter, Flo Griswold. She was a woman of

high principal, yet very tolerant of others, especially me, with my four small kids and

many questions. She liked to explain things and give out history to new people, without

any negative gossip or criticism. Quite a gift! I felt she was a person like my mother

would have been, if only she’d had a better life.

One day, when we were touring the church at Sturbridge Village with our family,

we saw a box of enclosed seats near the front. Kathy, then three, asked if it was for the

choir. Our guide explained that the elders sat there. “Do you mean the old folks?”,

Kathy asked. The older kids were shushing her, but our guide was happy to explain.

“Not really. It would be the people who had been there a while and knew how everything

should be done.” “Oh, you mean like Mrs. Griswold!” Kathy said.

Flo was teaching Kathy’s class of three-year-olds, and decided to teach them

about the sacraments. They were going to give a skit in church and explain the

sacraments to everybody. “I get to be in the skit about Bapsitism!” Kathy declared.

“Great,” I said, “But that’s Baptism”. She persisted in saying “Bapsitism”, and when I

corrected her again, she insisted, “Mrs. Griswold always says ‘Bapsitism’, she says

‘Bapsitism’ all the time!” “I see,” I said. “And I get to be the Fairy God-Mother!” The

skit was a big success, though I was a little worried when they “bapsitised” a doll.

About that time, a couple in the choir had split up, and the man took to visiting

the Griswolds where he got comfort and help with the kids. While he was there, he made

friends with the Griswolds’ daughter, a single lady of maybe 35. Before long they were

an item, and are still happily married all these years. When I heard the news, I told my

family at supper, “I know what Mrs. Griswold will say. ‘God works in mysterious ways,

his wonders to perform’.” When I saw her on Sunday, I said, “I just heard about Bruce

18

and Anne, you must be so pleased!” “I am pleased,” she said. “You know, God works in

mysterious ways, his wonders to perform!” My children were very impressed!

Flash forward to 1990. I was going in for cancer surgery, and very anxious. Flo

had recently set up a Prayer Chain, she would call and tell one of the members who to

pray for that week, and that one would call the next, and so on. “Tell me when you

surgery is scheduled,” she said, “and I’ll get the Prayer Chain to pray for you.” I was

pleased, but not sure, I wanted the attention. “My surgery is Tuesday”, I said. “What

time on Tuesday?” she asked. “Twelve o’clock,” I answered. “I’ll tell them to pray at

twelve, or wait; Let’s make it ten to twelve," she said. “That’s very kind of you,” I said,

but I had to stifle a nervous giggle. I just had a vision of God pulling a big pocket watch

out of a fold in his robe. “Who speaketh for this woman?” he would thunder.

On Tuesday, I had gone through all the prep, and the time was at hand. They had

given me a little something to prevent me from jumping off the gurney and running down

the hall in my Johnny, but what I felt can only be described as terror. Rolling along the

hall, I watched the ceiling tiles flash by. Turning my head a little, I saw a wall clock. It

was ten minutes to twelve. “The Prayer Chain!” I thought, and at once, I felt such peace!

There was no logic or reason for the change, just a wonderful sense of peace! So now

I’m a believer in the power of prayer.

Gin Bell

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent

O God, you so loved the world that you gave your only-begotten Son to reconcile earth

with heaven: Grant that we, loving you above all things, may love our friends in you, and

our enemies for your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

31:9-16 Jeremiah 18:1-11, 18-20

Matthew 20:17-28

In the “Old Days” God’s messengers seemed not to be able to get the Lord’s messages to

stick with the masses using fear-based faith-rhetoric. Time and again the behavior of the

masses would depart from what God had in mind and God’s messengers would speak of

the wrath of God….but those messages didn’t stick. Becoming frustrated, God adopted a

new approach: i.e., the sending of Jesus as His ambassador of love-based rhetoric and

love-based behaviors and their tangible results of mended hearts and souls. Jesus, as

God’s love ambassador was truly the role model for the “New Days”. One has to wonder

how frustrated God must have been when you read of all the Old Testament stories of the

short-sightedness of the explicit fear-based behaviors of the masses whose motivations

seemed to be associated with trying to gain the favor of God all the while paying lesser

attention to the everyday value of loving behavior. As parents which method seems more

effective in growing the long-term well-being of your family: fear based discipline or

love-based support? Sure, there are times when you want to lash-out at some familial

actions but you think twice because fear-based actions erode the relationship qualities

19

that have been built up by love-based nurturing. It seems so simple…I wonder why it

took God so long to figure it out.

Larry Jobson

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Thursday in the Second Week of Lent

O Lord, strong and mighty, Lord of hosts and King of glory: Cleanse our hearts from sin,

keep our hands pure, and turn our minds from what is passing away; so that at the last we

may stand in your holy place and receive your blessing; through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

1 Jeremiah 17:5-10

Luke 16:19-31

Peaceful…When you walk in the snow, there is no noise. It is like walking on pillowy

clouds. So quiet.

Taking a walk during the last snowstorm, it was so beautiful. The roads were so filled

with the freshly fallen snow, that there were no cars. The street was a complete blanket of

white. The plows had not been by in a while and I was making fresh footprints with every

step. And my footsteps were silent. It was so peaceful.

Peaceful…Watching out my window at the beautiful birds, squirrels

and deer feeding from the birdfeeders. The trees are full of snow and

the birds show up brilliantly as they fly in to take some seeds. As the

sun begins to set, the deer walk up to

see what seeds the birds have dropped.

They will come so close to the window

and will even look in to see me

watching them. However they don’t

run away, as they are hungry and will

stay for whatever seeds they can find.

Then they will quietly walk through

the snow and out through the backyard.

Peaceful… The children playing in the

freshly fallen snow. They have just

woken up to learn there is a snow day.

The happiness on their faces as they

think about the wonderful adventures they will have

romping and playing in the snow. The snow clothes

are quickly put on and away they go. Without a noise

they fall into the deep snow, barely to be seen and

then arise with big smiles and giggles.

20

The castles, forts, igloos, snowmen… oh the possibilities that they see

in the snow.

Kristine Mitchell

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Friday in the Second Week of Lent

Grant, O Lord, that as your Son Jesus Christ prayed for his enemies on the cross, so we

may have grace to forgive those who wrongfully or scornfully use us, that we ourselves

may be able to receive your forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

105:16-22 Genesis 37:3-4, 12-28

Matthew 21:33-43

Boy, did I have a hard time writing this one. I’ve done my share of writing in my

time, and know a certain amount about various techniques and styles. I’ve also been

known to resort to various “tricks of the trade” to aid in slogging through a particularly

difficult piece. Rarely do I suffer from the dreaded “writer’s block”; indeed, I am more

likely to be afflicted by the opposite, a veritable torrent of words that fights off all efforts

to be tamed. As a result of this condition, I often find myself in the role of the editor,

furiously culling and cutting at the creative foliage that I’ve created, which threatens to

overwhelm me. My biggest problem with editing anything I’ve written is a common one.

Everything seems to be worth keeping…there is no excess baggage to speak of.

This writing assignment was different, and I won’t pretend that I don’t know why.

It’s because the reading at the top of this page is all about forgiveness. I don’t know

about you, but forgiveness is just about the hardest thing I can think of to do. It really

doesn’t matter which side of forgiveness you stand on either, at least as far as I’m

concerned. It doesn’t seem to be any easier for me to ask for forgiveness than it is to

grant forgiveness to someone else. I know that it’s the right thing to do, and I know that

God wants me to do it, and I know that doing it will make me a better person. However,

when you get right down to it, none of this really helps that much.

Okay, maybe I went a little too far with that last paragraph. It kind of feels like I

did. I got to thinking about what I had written, and it occurred to me that it’s easier for

me to ask forgiveness from God than it is from people. Why should that be, I asked

myself? Is it because I know that God is going to forgive me, whereas the outcome of

asking forgiveness from my fellow man is far less certain? Is it because praying to God

21

for forgiveness is easier than asking a person for forgiveness? Well, it is, right? I

suppose, in principle anyway, asking for forgiveness from another person should make

you feel better, regardless of whether you are actually forgiven by that person or not.

You’ve made the effort, humbled yourself to someone, and can’t be held accountable for

how that person will react to your appeal.

Sometimes, despite all of our best efforts, people refuse to forgive us. I’ve had this

happen to me, and it is frustrating to know that you’ve done everything you can to

persuade someone to forgive you, and they still won’t do it. We don’t have this problem

with God – God always forgives us, regardless of what we’ve done. I’ve also wondered

whether entering a situation already knowing what the outcome will be lessens our efforts

to try as hard as we can. Why should I pour my heart and soul into fervent prayer for

forgiveness, when I can expend less effort, and God will forgive me anyway? Is this a

temptation placed in my mind by Satan?

Somehow this all makes sense, albeit in a jumbled hodge-podge of ideas. I don’t

like to ask for forgiveness because I don’t like the idea that I did something wrong. I

don’t like to grant forgiveness to others simply because there are times where, for

whatever reason, I’m not sure if they deserve it. Neither of these admissions is very

admirable, but they, nonetheless, speak the truth. Also, when I personally feel that

someone may not deserve my forgiveness, am I being judgmental? Is this kind of

deliberation really up to me?

The consolation that seems to provide me with greatest piece of mind is the idea of

working with God, of being part of God’s plan, and that my relationship with God is

always one of mutual sharing. From the beginning, God has had a plan, and God’s plan

has always included us. That’s why we try as hard as we do to be good people, and

model ourselves, as best we can, after the example that Jesus provided for us. That’s why

the things that are the hardest to do are the ones that deserve our most supreme efforts.

None of us, I believe, ever take short cuts on the really important stuff in our lives,

because we just don’t allow ourselves to operate that way. We wouldn’t be able to live

with ourselves if we did, because they are our governing principles, our standards for

living. It’s okay for forgiveness to be difficult for us to do, both from the giving and the

receiving end. Something as vital and important as forgiveness probably shouldn’t be

easy. We have to really work at making it happen, and thankfully, we have God to help

us.

Kihm Sanders

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Saturday in the Second Week of Lent

Grant, most merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be

cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our

Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Psalm Lessons

103:1-4(5-8)9-12 Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

Luke 15:11-32

22

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she said yes

I asked he if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is

I asked her if I could wear nail polish

or not ware nail polish

and she said honey

she calls me that sometimes

she said you can do just exactly

what you want to

Thanks God I said

And is it okay if I don’t paragraph

my letters

Sweetcakes God said

who knows where she picked that up

what I’m telling you is

Yes Yes Yes

“God Says Yes To Me”

By Kaylin Haught

Monday in the Third Week of Lent

Look upon the heart-felt desires of your humble servants, Almighty God, and stretch

forth the right hand of your majesty to be our defense against all our enemies; through

Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for

ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

42:1-7 2 Kings 5:1-15b

Luke 4:23-30

The Psalm for today speaks of the soul yearning for God, and the Lessons speak of the

healing power of Jesus. When this reading says “…stretch forth the right hand of your

majesty to be our defense against all our enemies…” I started to wonder who or what

were my enemies? What can God protect me from?

Today’s readings make me think about faith and healing. Whereas some might identify

individuals or organizations as their ‘enemy,’ there are different things that are enemies

to my soul. These enemies are personality traits that keep me from being more authentic

and more in tune with my faith.

These enemies are not tangible yet I battle with them every day, such as being impatient

with my kids, fearful to “Lean In” at work, and not taking enough time for myself.

Although these ‘enemies’ haven’t taken over my life, they have held me back from being

a more present mother, a more innovative employee and a more balanced person.

It is a challenge for me to pray and have faith that God can help keep away these

enemies. It is far easier for me to rush through my day and blame these traits on my

stressful lifestyle. I often think that if only I get more done today, I’ll have more time

23

tomorrow to spend on the things that I value. But the next day is the same, and more and

more days go by.

During this season of Lent, I pray for the openness to reach out for God’s defense from

my enemy traits, and to help me slow down enough to notice what is around me.

May All I Say

May all I say and all I think

be in harmony with thee,

God within me,

God beyond me,

maker of the trees.

-- Chinook prayer, Pacific Northwest Coast, North America

Ildi Morris

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom you have

given a fervent desire to pray, may, by your mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all

dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

25:3-10 Daniel 4:13-18

Matthew 18:21-35

Getting to Forgiveness

While I can’t say it’s fine literature, one of my favorite business books has long been,

Getting to Yes, by Roger Fisher and William Ury. Also, their sequel: Getting Past No. I

discovered these books when I was an MBA student taking two terrific courses in

negotiation.

Like most hard-charging MBA students at Babson, I guessed that a course called

“Negotiation” was all about techniques and tactics to ‘win’ in quasi-adversarial business

negotiations. Boy was I in for a surprise! Following the two texts I mentioned above, we

learned the Fischer-Ury style of turning potentially adversarial circumstances in business

into win-win situations with a ‘bigger pie’ for all. I learned some great skills from the

texts and my professor, which have served me well and which remain with me today.

Some of the main points on finessing negotiation are:

"Separate the people from the problem"

"Focus on interests, not positions"

"Invent options for mutual gain"

"Insist on using objective criteria"

"Know your BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement)"

24

How does this fit in with the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant? Maybe it doesn’t. But

this parable, like so many others, deals on the surface, with a business negotiation. The

more Bible I read, the more I marvel at how much Jesus talks about money! To

summarize the story, Jesus talks about a Master, who, when begged, forgives the debt of

his servant instead of selling him into slavery. And then that servant (Servant #1) turns

around and refuses to do the same to a fellow worker (Servant #2) who similarly begs for

patience and Mercy. The Master then punishes Servant #1 very severely for failing to

treat his coworker as well as he was treated, for failing to show the same mercy he had

received.

The Parable is about more than the back and forth of business transactions, though. It’s

about forgiveness and understanding. Peter starts out with an innocent question of how

much forgiveness is enough, anyway. Shouldn’t there be a reasonable limit? Maybe

seven times, Jesus? Wouldn’t that be more than fair? You can almost see Jesus rolling

his eyes: haven’t I taught you anything? Then, he offers a story to help spell it out.

The servant begs his master to forgive him a large debt. He promises to pay it back.

Like all the parables this one is short and we have incomplete information. We do not

know the history of the servant-master relationship. The servant owed his master a large

sum of money. Was he a constant deadbeat? Was this the first time he didn’t repay, or

was it the 100th

? Had he been saying ‘the checks in the mail’ for the past two weeks

while he tried to figure out what to do? Had he had the money to repay it, and blown it on

camels, wine or women? Or perhaps he had a house full of sick and lame family

members, and that’s why he was so in debt. Was he a promise-keeper, or a promise-

breaker? Did the Master really believe the promise to pay? Or was he skeptical about it?

Did he just want to believe it? Was the servant truly sincere in his regret and promises

about paying his debt? Or were his fingers crossed behind his back, hoping to weasel out

of it, yet again? We just don’t know. What we do know is this: the two had a working

relationship. So, when we consider all the possibilities of the context of their transaction,

it’s hard to say if the Master was being magnanimous, naïve, gritting his teeth and doing

something against his better judgment, struggling to be righteous, or truly hopeful and

trusting in forgiving the debt of his Servant. We can, though, assume that the

continuation of the relationship between Master and Servant was of some value to the

Master.

In the second part of the parable, the dealings between the two servants in which Servant

#1 is so unmerciful, we don’t know much about the context, either. Are they friends? Just

co-workers? Are they related? What have their financial dealings been in the past? We

don’t know.

In Getting to Yes, one of the key takeaways for approaching the problem in front of you

(and truly, the advice in the book can be applied to business, personal or any relationship

‘negotiations”) is to consider the interests and the people, not the particular positions or

arguments. So, for any ‘negotiation’ one first must ask: what is my interest here? And

an important question becomes: do I or will I have an ongoing relationship with the other

party, and how much do I care about preserving it? Or, conversely, is this a relationship

I don’t care about, or one that I can (or even should) walk away from? Consider the

relationship. There is also the concept of options that include mutual gain. How do we

make this a win-win?

25

Relationship also turns out to be one of the keys to Jesus’ advice, and in fact it’s already

in Peter’s question, which was Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister

who sins against me? Implied in ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ is some kind of relationship. But

perhaps Jesus is making a different point. Jesus would say that we are all brothers and

sisters; that to be human means we are all in relationship with each other, and with God.

There is no language about win-win in Jesus’ urgings, though. Or considering what one’s

other best option might be.

This, perhaps, is the difference between Christian forgiveness, and business negotiations.

Jesus tells us: forgive everyone, and forgive them everything, as God has forgiven you,

from the heart, not the brain. Forgive with love, not with the rational consideration of

how this benefits both parties. It sounds ideal! In real life, however, we tend to approach

forgiveness more like the way Getting to Yes advises us to approach negotiations: in

context, and with a healthy dose of “What’s in it for me?” In the context of a sibling

relationship, for example, we will tend to forgive the unpaid debt in consideration of the

entirety of the relationship. In the context of a longstanding marriage, we will most often

tend to forgive a painful infidelity, to preserve what is for the most part a happy union. In

the context of a work relationship we will tend to consider the merits of that partnership

in sum, and forgive the minor and even the major disagreements and slights. And yet,

even in those relationships there are sometimes things that happen that are so hard not

only to forgive but also to forget, that the relationship cannot be repaired.

Listening to the parable, it is easy to think poorly of Servant #1. The guy begged for and

had just received a clean slate from his employer, and yet he did not extend the same

courtesy to his fellow worker. How ungrateful! How unjust! But if Servant #1 were

making his case to us, I suspect there would be what we might consider to be ‘good

reason’ for his reaction. Yet, Jesus challenges us to ignore the context, ignore the ‘good

reason’ and justifications and just…be merciful. He urges us to forgive everyone, for

everything, over and over again. Jesus says nothing about considering the relationship,

the context. In fact, Jesus is often found helping those who are strangers, outcast, who do

not appear to anyone to ‘deserve’ forgiveness. Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

This exhortation challenges me, and raises many questions about my own humanity. I

consider myself a forgiving person. Yes, in a relationship I value, I can be very

forgiving. Minor transgressions from anyone, forgive them, sure. But aren’t we all far

more likely to consider the context and the count? Can we forgive someone who has done

something patently wrong and hurtful, when we have had it ‘up to here’ with their antics?

Even in a healthy, continuing relationship, how many times can we forgive our

spouse/parent/child/friend/colleague, when they hurt us repeatedly? Isn’t it true for most

of us that even in our best, most loving relationships, there is a limit to our forgiveness

and mercy? How many times can the relative who has turned to drugs and crimes be

forgiven for hurting his family? How many times can the cheating spouse be taken back?

How many times can the sister in law make snide and disparaging comments about your

kids before you say “I’ve had it” and stop speaking to her? Seven? Most of us wouldn’t

even make to seven. Seventy-seven, is what Jesus says. So does that mean forgiveness is

infinite, or that there is indeed a limit? Could you literally forgive the same

transgression, over and over again, seventy seven times? I am pretty sure this all too

fallible human could not.

26

What I can do, and what we all can do is to aspire to this goal, even as we know we may

never reach it. Maybe we can start by giving someone four chances, instead of three.

Maybe we can try mercy and trust and hope…just one more time before we give up.

Maybe the next time we are trying to forgive someone we love (because even when we

decide to forgive, it isn’t always easy!) we can try saying, thinking or writing: “I love

you. I forgive you”…seventy-seven times. Maybe we can humble ourselves and truly

reflect on our own sins and transgressions and omissions, and how we have hurt others.

Reflect on how God and humans alike, have, amazingly, managed to forgive us. Maybe

we can sometimes, for a few minutes, deliberately step out of the ‘what’s in this for me’,

commonsense aspect of business negotiating. Maybe we can try, just try, to consider

ourselves a tiny finger of the hand of God, extending his mercy and love. In Jesus name,

we pray for this.

Darlene Murphy

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent

Give ear to our prayers, O Lord, and direct the way of your servants in safety under your

protection, that, amid all the changes of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be guarded by

your mighty aid; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

78:1-6 Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 5-9

Matthew 5:17-19

In the Collect for today we ask God to direct us under His protection and ….that we may

be guarded by His aid. How do we do that? The readings speak to following the Law in

order to follow the way of God.

In the reading from Deuteronomy we are directed to follow God’s Law in order to inherit

the Promised Land. The Psalm speaks to following the Law and teaching our children in

the way of the Law. In the New Testament reading from Matthew we again hear about

the Law. This time, the teaching follows Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which we

understand how to become blessed in the Kingdom of God. Blessed in this sense means

being at peace, happy. Jesus tells his followers that his teachings follow the Law of God

as taught by the prophets and that He is the “fulfillment of the Law”. “Blessed are those

that…” [follow his teachings]. And he tells us not to follow the Law as taught by the

Pharisees and Scribes. If I read back to the section from Isaiah from Sunday 2/9, there is

a parallel reading (Is 58: 1-9a) that talks about fasting, and that fasting should not be by

the practice of his current day, but should be to “loose the bonds of injustice … let the

oppressed go free … share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into

your house ….” In other words, by doing service to others, I am keeping the Law, not by

fasting and observing cold rituals.

27

These teachings remind me of what we as a parish are trying to do with Stephen Ministry:

walking with those in need. And they remind me of what we are trying to do with our

Outreach projects under discussion, again: walking with those in need. We hope to bring

God into our interactions with the people we serve, and in so doing, experience the

presence of God in those interactions.

The readings also remind me about the Sacrament of Reconciliation which we

experienced at our Ash Wednesday service this year. When I do fail in my Christian

duties and fail in the teachings of the prophets, how can I acknowledge my

transgressions, become reconciled and reunited with God? That is what Lent is all about:

preparation for sharing in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus and full

reconciliation with God who is our creator, redeemer and sustainer?

I look at the Beatitudes again. How do I practice them? I want to, if it will help me be

closer to God. Can I be at peace, happy and satisfied in the present world (present

Kingdom) by following these teachings? The readings are challenging, indeed.

Susan Newlin

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Thursday in the Third Week of Lent

Keep watch over your Church, O Lord, with your unfailing love; and, since it is grounded

in human weakness and cannot maintain itself without your aid, protect it from all

danger, and keep it in the way of salvation; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who

lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

95:6-11 Jeremiah 7:23-28

Luke 11:14-29

This short passage from Jeremiah connected me to several personal ‘struggles’ that

presently consume my attention, and in turn has me re-thinking my handling of them.

In light of those struggles, my reflections and thoughts follow this line…

We all at one time or another make choices or take actions that in retrospect we wish we

hadn’t. In that event, do we hold ourselves responsible or do we blame others; do we

rationalize our mistake, creating a false story of our misfortune, or do we reveal its ‘truth’

and become vulnerable to the judgment of others; do we accept the consequences of our

actions or do we expect to be ‘bailed out’ and returned to our former rank or standing.

What we do in that event, I believe, reveals (to ourselves and to others) our foundational

“And I told them to live the way

that I had commanded them, so that

things would go well for them.”

28

character, and sheds light on our ability and willingness to “…live the way that [God] had

commanded…”.

Likewise, this passage from Jeremiah draws me directly to these ‘Questions to Myself’

which I adopted several years ago to help remind me and guide me to “…live the way

that [God] had commanded…’. They seem (feel) particularly relevant today.

Am I gracious in the way that I handle others’ disinterest, ineptitude, or misbehavior?

Am I patient when the interests or needs of others supersede my own pursuits?

Am I forgiving when others fail to live up to my wants or expectations?

Am I humble when my efforts lead to a desired outcome?

Do I allow, even encourage, interests and goals that are inconsistent with my own?

Do I properly convey respect for things that are important to others even when they are

not important to me?

Do I listen and share rather than tell or direct when speaking with others?

Do I enable people in their own pursuits, rather than hinder or selfishly re-direct them in

support of mine?

As I continue to think about and reflect on these questions, they seem to all ask, “How

well can I be other-focused” in the way that I engage with people and yet be mindful of

the things that are important to me.

John Stevens

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Friday in the Third Week of Lent

Grant us, O Lord our Strength, a true love of your holy Name; so that, trusting in your

grace, we may fear no earthly evil, nor fix our hearts on earthly goods, but may rejoice in

your full salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

81:8-14 Hosea 14:1-9

Mark 12:28-34

I wrote the following reflection several months ago after a 24 hour period unlike any

other in my life. I have modified it slightly from the original. As I thought about the

readings, I focused on the simple, yet hard act of loving ones neighbor as yourself. On a

dark, rainy night in Virginia Beach last August, Kiersten and I came face to face with the

words of Jesus, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

September 7, 2013 (Portsmouth, NH) - There are times in life when you must stop. You

simply stop and let love do the rest. You are faced with something so monumental and

extraordinary that you have to stop. You have no choice but to stop and to love

unconditionally. To love a stranger. That moment for me occurred on a rainy night the

in Virginia Beach, Virginia, August 18, 2013.

29

"Is this real?" Those were the words of a little boy lying in the middle of the intersection

of 10th Street and Atlantic Avenue along the Virginia Beach boardwalk. I knew it was a

little blonde headed boy as soon as I saw the car stopped inches from the victim lying in

the crosswalk...Sam? No, but just like Sam. Kiersten and I were out for dinner sans kids

the last night of our vacation. We missed the turn into the restaurant when I saw

something I hope to never see again. A kid, a kid the spitting image of Sam when

viewed from a distance, was lying in the middle of the road just having been struck by a

car. We pulled over. Instincts kicked in. Kiersten jumped out and ran to the scene. I

followed. Others were already on the scene, but it had just happened. Crowds were

gathering...wishing, hoping, wandering, praying...I don't know what they were all doing

and what they were all thinking, but I know what I was thinking...I was praying. I was

praying that this little boy was safe, that this little boy was not dead...that this little boy

was not dying. I prayed to the dark, rainy, windy heavens above. I prayed "please God,

be with this kid. Make him okay." Meanwhile, Kiersten, another man and woman kept

the little boy stable. They kept him from moving. The man held his head. The other

woman his feet. Kiersten his midsection. They were good Samaritans doing what felt

right working as team of strangers. Another man was there...the little boy's father

hysterically comforting his son. The driver was there. He was distraught as would be

expected. That is when I heard from the mouth of the boy to his father, "Is this real?" It

was real. It was all too real. It was a real that was beyond real. I thought...at least he is

talking. At least he is fighting to get up...okay, he's not dead. That's what I thought.

That's what I found comfort in, but this new real did not mean safety. The new real did

not mean out of the woods and that he could continue on to where he was going when the

car came out of nowhere in this little boy’s world. The police and emergency personnel

came. It seemed like forever. It was not forever. When reality hits like this, a few

minutes came seem like forever. The professionals attended to the boy. I walked away

because I was in the way. An older woman kept coming in and out of the scene and she

said she was the grandmother. The paramedic asked for medical history. She told him

that there were no medical problems (except for the fact that the boy had been in a bus

accident just 2 weeks earlier suffering whiplash). Wow. That's real. The lady wanted to

know what was happening. Where were they going to take her grandson? How was she

going to get there? The paramedic told her the boy and the father would go in the

ambulance to the general hospital. But how would she get there? And what would she

do with her other grandson who was seeking shelter from the rain in a restaurant nearby,

and seeking shelter from the traumatic storm of witnessing his brother being struck by a

car right in front of his eyes. Immediately, not even flinching, and perhaps thinking of

myself and my son in such a moment of shock and bewilderment, I spoke up. We will

take you. My wife and I will take you and your grandson. We will definitely take you.

No you are not being a problem to us. We are here to help. We want to help. This is

what we are meant to do. This is what I would want someone else to do for me. There

was no choice. We could not just walk away, pretend like it never happened and go on

our way to dinner. She gladly accepted. She gratefully accepted. She told us that her

grandson, who was borderline autistic, was in the restaurant across the street. We walked

with her. We found her grandson in the entry of the restaurant grasping a piece of cake

given to him by the restaurant staff to comfort him. I went and got the car. They got in

and off we went to the hospital not knowing what lay in front of us. I had stopped. I did

30

not know if the little boy would be okay, dead, seriously injured or what. I did not

know. I drove with Kiersten, grandmother and grandson to the hospital not knowing

what was ahead....

We arrived at the Virginia Beach General Hospital and waited with the older grandson as

grandmother went in and out of the ER checking on her younger grandson. We hoped

and prayed that everything would be okay, but we did not know. I decided to go back to

my aunt’s house for dry clothes for the older grandson and his father. I wanted to help

and dry clothes and an iPad to distract was my way of helping. I returned to the hospital

with Sam's clothes, too small for the 9 year grandson, but he put them on anyway, glad to

have the warmth. I gave grandmother a shirt for her son to wear. She was nervous she

was crying. I was nervous too, but keeping it together comforting these strangers who

were now our friends, now our neighbors, now our family. Kiersten was amazing. She

was a mother to a boy who needed a mother. She comforted the older grandson. Talked

to him about fun things and comforted him when he wanted to know if his little brother

would be okay. Shortly thereafter, the dad came out of the ER. We shook hands. We

hugged. We embraced…one of those big all encompassing hugs full of emotion, full of

comfort. I told him we were there for him. I told him that we would stay with them. He

thanked us. I said no problem. Dad updated us on the little guy’s condition. They were

running tests. They were concerned about some bleeding, but he was not dead. He was

alive and conscious, but they wanted to transfer him to the Children's Hospital in

Norfolk, 20+ miles away. Dad had talked to his wife who had stayed back in

Pennsylvania to work rather than come down to the beach. Of course she was distraught

and wanted to come down immediately to comfort her baby boy. We then started

figuring out logistics. First things first, we had to go back to the campsite where Dad had

parked his truck. So, Dad, his older son and I drove in our car to the campsite parking

lot. It was pouring. The heavens had opened. The older son, was fascinated with the "no

frills/nothing automatic" late 1990s Corolla without power locks, power windows or

such. He marveled to his father about the hand cranked windows not knowing what they

were. It was a moment of levity and humor amid a dark, dank, windy, rainy evening of

chaos. I dropped dad and son off at the truck and they followed me back to the hospital.

When we arrived, they were ready to transport the younger son to the Children's

Hospital. But how was everyone going to get there? Grandmother did not want to drive

the truck in the dark to an unknown area and understandably so. Kiersten and I would

take them. Dad went with his son in the ambulance, Kiersten and the others in our

fascinating retro 90s Corolla, and I drove the truck. Kiersten had already called ahead

and reserved a hotel room near the hospital for grandmother and grandson to stay and for

a place for dad to shower and rest his head if needed. We dropped them off at the hotel,

parked the truck in a nearby parking garage and Kiersten and I made our way back to

Virginia Beach dazed and confused about what had transpired over the last 4-5 hours.

The next day was our last day of vacation. We went to the boardwalk early afternoon

with the kids. I wanted to update the restaurant staff that comforted the older grandson

about what had happened after the ambulance sped away. I knocked on the locked door

and a man setting up for the evening opened it up. I explained who I was and that the

little boy who was hit by the car last night was going to be okay. He thanked me and said

31

that he would let everyone involved know. He informed me that the off duty paramedic

who attended to the stricken boy was the evening manager of the restaurant. Shortly

thereafter I received a text from grandmother letting me know that the mother and sister-

in-law had made it. Fortunately, they had sense to stop overnight halfway. We

exchanged texts about the evening with many thanks coming from grandmother. I shed a

tear on the boardwalk that afternoon and cried a river inside. Meantime, the boy’s

mother wanted to meet Kiersten so the two moms arranged for us to come to the hospital

before flying home later that afternoon. We met the mother and we saw our brave new

friend sitting up in bed eating chicken nuggets. Closure was made, but to this day, as I

think back on what transpired in a brief 24 hours I'm amazed. As Kiersten said later that

day, we were in the wrong place at the right time.

Several months later the grandmother and I still communicate via text and Facebook.

We exchange pictures of the kids and we reflect back on that night in August. We talk of

getting together again soon under much nicer circumstances. Maybe love,

unconditional, unabashed neighborly love of the stranger, as well as of the not stranger,

is all we really need. It is all I needed that night. I gave love and in turn received even

more love.

Dave Varner

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Saturday in the Third Week of Lent

O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason

of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant us such strength and

protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through

Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for

ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

51:15-20 Hosea 6:1-6

Luke 18:9-14

Humility is not easy to come by these days. All around us and with few exceptions,

popular culture exalts people who draw attention to themselves.

Appear in the biggest movies. Be the most quoted and say the most outrageous things.

Sing the most popular songs … even “twerk”.

In all this, it is difficult to keep humility as a goal. It can be especially difficult, at least to

me, to distinguish between humility and sticking up for oneself. Life puts up obstacles in

our way, and it requires a stiff backbone to get through. We must continue forward,

believing in ourselves, to get through them. Job loss, loss of loved ones, loss of faith in

others, disappointment … bitter, bitter disappointment is the toughest.

32

How then can we continue, believing in ourselves, and in the basic goodness and

rightness of the world?

How to continue, when all around us appears difficult?

How to distinguish between humility and distress, or hopelessness? Because we need

hope. We need a reservoir of faith and belief.

These are the things that challenge me.

In today’s lessons, there are answers, or at least a way forward:

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.

Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;

he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves

will be exalted.

The belief that we must have in ourselves, in a good and right way forward, is at its heart

a faith in God, in the rightness of the world that he has created, and in the possibility of

good things, even when all appears darkest. If we believe only in ourselves, we are lost,

and if our faith is challenged, we falter.

As we prepare for Easter, we can remember the dark days the apostles and Jesus suffered,

the trials and tribulations and the way forward that was revealed to them. The belief that

in the darkest days, people can be made whole again and a way forward will be revealed.

Here we can get our strength, believing deeply that despite challenges, there is a way

forward, that God and our fellow man have not forgotten us, and that good can still

happen.

That faith and strength happen when we give ourselves up; admit our frailties and

mistakes; rely on the goodness and understanding of God, and of our fellow man; and

persevere.

That is faith and humility to me.

Art Huston

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

33

Monday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O Lord our God, in your holy Sacraments you have given us a foretaste of the good

things of your kingdom: Direct us, we pray, in the way that leads to eternal life, that we

may come to appear before you in that place of light where you dwell for ever with your

saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

30:1-6, 11-13 Isaiah 65:17-25

John 4:43-54

We have so much for which to be thankful. The good things of God's kingdom are

described in the Isaiah reading. He talks of rejoicing for lives full of plenty and blessings

abounding. In another reading, John tells us of Jesus curing a man's son in Galilee - a

feat for which the man surely must have rejoiced.

These readings bring to mind all the reflecting on life that I've done this past year. I have

been caring for my 92-year-old mother from afar. She needs a caregiver around the

clock. Though she is losing her mental faculties, she remains chipper. Talking to her so

often, I realize she must be scared of her confusion and her failing health. Yet she

remains positive and grateful for the full life she has led. Having gained the perspective

of someone facing the end of her life, I realize how many blessings abound in my full

life. These days I often rejoice even in the smallest moments and for the daily blessings

of my healthy husband and children, of my home and of our comfortable life. I hope we

can all feel this Lenten season that our blessings abound.

Samantha Truex

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with

living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our

Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Psalm Lessons

46:1-8 Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12

John 5:1-18

The thread tying these readings together is water.

Healing, life giving water. The power of the great Water is contrasted in all three

scriptures with man-made rules and kingdoms.

A river whose “stream makes glad the city of God” in Psalm 46.

A man who could not walk lying by the pool near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem in the

gospel in John.

And the river running through the temple in Jerusalem, and then eastward bringing fresh

water, and life to trees, whose fruit is food and whose leaves heal in the Ezekiel reading.

34

In COGs we talk about the water, the Great Water, the water of creation, the water of the

flood, the water of baptism, the redeeming water.

Life-giving, cleansing, and healing. Beautiful language describing this great water can be

found in our Easter Vigil and Holy Baptism (BCP p. 288 and p. 306).

Jesus’ healing of the man by pool in Jerusalem is one of about 35 healings in the gospels.

This one is also used as an example of God’s work beyond the boundaries of the religious

law of that time. And I have read credible accounts of physiological healings in recent

history. It is clear to me that God can heal.

But I struggle with the outcomes many times of dedicated prayers for healing of many

who seem to be denied. Yes, I have seen spiritual transformation when physical healing

was not provided – and that sometimes helped alleviate their suffering. But not always.

I have no right to say anything, because I have only suffered by extension. But it keeps

me wondering. Relying on my logical mind – which of course one of God’s gifts to us, I

am stuck. So how can we look at this with my heart?

A friend of mine offered this: “When you flip over in a rapids while paddling, often the

best strategy to escape the torment is not to scratch for the surface where the air is, but to

dive deeper into the hole where it will eventually spit you out downstream.”

Which led me to Annie Dillard, who wrote:

In the deeps are the violence and terror of which psychology has warned us.

But if you ride these monsters down,

if you drop with them farther over the world's rim,

you find what our sciences cannot locate or name,

the substrate, the ocean or matrix or ether which buoys the rest,

which gives goodness its power for good,

and evil its power for evil, the unified field:

Our complex and inexplicable caring

for each other and for our life together here.

This is given. It is not learned.

Oh. I get it. Our mortal thinking won’t help.

Let us stand by God’s majestic water.

And love one another.

Just that.

Kris Wile

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

35

Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from

heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy

Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

145:8-19 Isaiah 49:8-15

John 5:19-29

Have you ever been astonished? Not just surprised, or taken off guard, but truly

astonished? Our English word comes from Latin, with a rough meaning of “stunned by

thunder.” It also shows up twice in today’s passage from the Gospel of John, as translated

in the New Revised Standard Version. The first tells of things to come: “and [the Father]

will show [the Son] greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.” The second

is only a few verses later: “…and [the Father] has given [the Son] authority to execute

judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is

coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out.” Are we

to be astonished or not?

Perhaps some of both. If the power and glory of God is indeed astonishing—that it can

stun us like thunder—maybe we should not be astonished that God gives authority to the

Son, who walked among us.

Or perhaps we should be astonished at God’s creation every day, and rejoice in it.

Win Treese

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit;

that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to

be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

106:6-7, 19-23 Exodus 32:7-14

John 5:30-47

"After Jesus healed the lame man during an important Jewish feast, He received the full

force of prideful anger and vengeance from the leadership establishment for upsetting the

status quo. Jesus stated that if He testified to His Divinity on His own behalf, it would not

be valid. So, He explained that there was another witness whose testimony was also true

because he preached the truth-referring to John the Baptist. Then, He said that the best

testimony was not from a mere man, but rather from God the Father Himself. Even

though John told them how to be saved (trust in the Lord and wait for the Messiah to

come), now the Messiah, Jesus, was in their presence, testifying about the Law and the

Prophet's prediction of His coming! Jesus stated His testimony in His teaching and

miracles, but the greater witness was the Father Himself. Jesus chastised them for not

36

being true and real. Rather than having God in their hearts, there was only pride and ego,

their traditions, and no real belief in God. He said to them: you think you have eternal

life, but all you have is the absence of love and truth. You claim to represent my Father

but you won't welcome me; you only have your feeble selves and no real belief. You

honor one another but do not honor God; you claim Moses and the Law and Prophets but

disrespect their teachings and predictions; you accuse me of error but you are the ones

with the great error. You lack hope and since you will not believe, I will be the One to

Judge you! "*

"Righteous determination requires persistence in order to overcome barriers that hold us

back-those that can be overcome by more effort, right thinking, clear goals, and help

from others. Obstacles that are wrong, misplaced, or laden with sin are the ones we are to

hurdle first. We are to honor the obstacles and timing that God gives, and not rush

through with matters for which we are neither called nor ready. Our study of His Word,

our prayer life, and listening to good, godly advice will be our keys to unlocking the right

doors and making sure we do not open the wrong ones. Our determination needs to be

governed by righteous desire, commitment, and dedication to God's principles. You are

on the right track when it is your desire to smash the sin and idols in your life. If you

have the desire to transform laziness or wrong direction into ways you can improve with

good, biblical, quality goals, you are on the right track. If you are driven by pride or just

the motivation to excel at all costs, it is a good bet you are on the wrong track and not in

this Godly Character of determination-just into yourself."*

* http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=61067&columnid=3803

Larry St. George

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Friday in the Fourth Week of Lent

O God, you have given us the Good News of your abounding love in your Son Jesus

Christ: So fill our hearts with thankfulness that we may rejoice to proclaim the good

tidings we have received; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

34:15-22 Wisdom 2:1a, 12-24

John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

I’m driving on the dark highway

when the opera singer on the radio

opens his great mouth

and the whole car plunges down the canyon of his throat.

So the night becomes an aria of stars and exit signs

as I steer through the galleries

of one dilated Italian syllable

after another. I love the passages in which

37

the rich flood of the baritone

strains out against the walls of the esophagus,

and I love the pauses

in which I hear the tenor’s flesh labor to inhale

enough oxygen to take the next plummet

up into the chasm of the violins.

In part of the song, it sounds as if the singer

is being squeezed by an enormous pair of tongs

while his head and legs keep kicking.

In part of the song, it sounds as if he is

standing in the middle of a coliseum,

swinging a 300-pound lion by the tail,

the empire of gravity

conquered by the empire of aerodynamics,

the citadel of pride in flames

and the citizens of weakness

celebrating their defeat in chorus,

joy and suffering made one at last,

joined in everything a marriage is alleged to be,

though I know the woman he is singing for

is dead in a foreign language on the stage beside him,

though I know his chain mail is made of silver-painted plastic

and his mismanagement of money is legendary,

as I know I have squandered

most of my own life

in a haze of trivial distractions,

and that I will continue to waste it.

But wherever I was going, I don’t care anymore,

because no place I could arrive at

is good enough for this, this thing made out of experience

but to which experience will never measure up.

And that dark and soaring fact

is enough to make me renounce the whole world

or fall in love with it forever.

“Honda Pavarotti”

by Tony Hoagland

from Donkey Gospel. © Graywolf Press, 1998.

38

Night at Golgotha, 1869 (oil on canvas), Vereshchagin, Vasili Vasilievich

(1842-1904) / Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia / The Bridgeman Art

Library

Vereshchagin was known for his graphic, realist scenes of battle. In this

painting of the Good Friday events, the cold reality of death in the upper

left contrasts amazingly with the light of the burial procession in the lower

right.

39

Saturday in the Fourth Week of Lent

Mercifully hear our prayers, O Lord, and spare all those who confess their sins to you;

that those whose consciences are accused by sin may by your merciful pardon be

absolved; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

7:6-11 Jeremiah 11:18-20

John 7:37-52

40

Oh Lord, who sees past the web of injustices inflicted by me, and those unwittingly done

to me, judge me what is in my heart and forgive my sins, and the sins of those who have

sinned against me.

Submitted by Walter Morgan

Member St. Elizabeth’s Church

Monday in the Fifth Week of Lent

Be gracious to your people, we entreat you, O Lord, that they, repenting day by day of

the things that displease you, may be more and more filled with love of you and of your

commandments; and, being supported by your grace in this life, may come to the full

enjoyment of eternal life in your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

23 Susanna* 1-9, 15-29,34-62 or verses 41-62

John 8:1-11 or John 8:12-20

Today’s lessons remind me of God’s unwavering love for us – and God’s hope and faith

in our future.

In the first lesson, Susanna is a young woman who has been falsely accused and is about

to be put to death for something she did not do. But in her despair, she “looked up

toward heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord.” The Lord heard her voice and “raised

up the holy spirit of a young youth named Daniel.” Daniel proved that the witnesses

against Susanna had been lying, and her life was spared.

In the second lesson, Jesus has gone to the Mount of Olives. As a crowd gathers around,

a woman who has been “caught in adultery” is brought before him. If condemned, the

woman would be stoned. But Jesus says to them, “Let anyone who is without sin be the

first to throw a stone at her.” The crowd melts away one by one until the woman is left

alone with Jesus. When he asks who has condemned her, she says that no one has. Jesus

responds, “Then neither do I condemn you.”

I think that pairing these readings with the Twenty-Third Psalm is especially appropriate.

Each woman walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and each found that God

was, indeed, with them.

But I think that it is also instructive to look at a difference between the two lessons. In

the first lesson, the writer tells us unequivocally that Susanna is innocent. Saving her is a

clear act of justice. The second lesson, though, is ambiguous. Although the writer tells

us that the woman has been caught in an unlawful act, is it possible that the witnesses

against her are once again lying? The writer never explores the woman’s guilt or

innocence, because that is not what mattered to Jesus. What mattered to Jesus was not

what the woman might or might not have done in the past; he made no judgment about

that. What mattered to Jesus was what she did in the future. “Go now,” he tells her, “and

leave your life of sin.”

41

As today’s collect reminds us, we do things every day that displease God. Just as those

who had gathered at the Mount of Olives, none of us today would be able to cast the first

stone. But in repenting those things, we come closer to returning God’s love for us. It is

what we do tomorrow and the tomorrows thereafter that will bring us closer still.

Stuart Hamilton

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in the Fifth Week of Lent

Almighty God, through the incarnate Word you have caused us to be born anew of an

imperishable and eternal seed: Look with compassion upon those who are being prepared

for Holy Baptism, and grant that they may be built as living stones into a spiritual temple

acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

102:15-22 Numbers 21:4-9

John 8:21-30

The Light

It burns bright inside of you;

It’s in the acts you do,

The tears you cry,

And the tears you dry.

It is strong and protective

Like an anchor in the sea,

Defending you from all sides,

From the day’s heat, and the night’s chill.

It is in the innocence of a young child

Who is learning to share toys,

And in the teenager who yells at you

As they struggle to find their place in this world.

It blesses the union of two souls

As they embrace the colors of a united life;

They settle in a town and build a home of love,

But they never forget the love that binds also guides.

It is proudly carved in the wrinkles of an old face;

That’s wisdom, like the horizon, spans from side to side.

The richness of a life guided and maintained by love and light

Leads us through this world to our eternal home.

This is the light of Christ:

42

Trust it,

Use it,

Nourish it,

Give of it.

Mandy Fleming

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Wednesday in the Fifth Week of Lent

Almighty God our heavenly Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our

faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us

ready to serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

Canticle 2 or 13(BCP pg 49, 90) Daniel 3:14-20, 24-28

John 8:31-42

One of my favorite presidents is Calvin Coolidge, not so much for his politics but for the

stories about him as a taciturn man-of-few-words Vermonter in the midst of the otherwise

voluble Washington DC crowd. In one story, at a formal dinner he is approached by a

glamorous celebrity who says to him “I bet someone I could get you to say more than two

words to me tonight.” His response:

“You lose.”

In another, on a Sunday morning he goes to church without his wife, who’s not feeling

well. When he returns, she asks about the topic of the preacher’s sermon. Coolidge says:

“Sin.”

Seeking some elaboration, she asks “Well, what did he say?”

“He was against it.”

I feel like we don’t hear as much about sin as we might have in Coolidge’s time. Maybe

the word rubs us the wrong way, maybe we think of it as an act so horrible we would

never do it, maybe we just don’t want to hear about it. For me, when Jesus speaks so

bluntly about sin as in John 8:34, I am a little uncomfortable.

A long time ago, I heard about one way to deal with this uneasiness by considering an

alternative meaning to the word “sin.” Instead of thinking of sin as an action, think of it

as “a state of separation from God.” If I read Jesus’ warning in verse 34 as

“everyone who chooses to separate themselves from God is in danger of becoming

trapped in a state of separation from God”

then I see sin not just as an isolated action to avoid, but as a pathway or state of mind that

threatens to pull the entire course of my life away from God’s will. And the reason for

this danger is in verse 37, when Jesus observes that “there is no place in you for my

word.” When we are separated from God, what do we substitute to fill in that emptiness?

How does that crowd out God’s word? Lent provides us with both the challenge and the

43

opportunity to create space, to open up a place for God’s word in our lives. The point of

any self-discipline we may choose in Lent is not punishment, but rather to remove

distraction so we can remind ourselves how much we need God, and how much God

wants to have a relationship with us.

The Old Testament story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is one I remember seeing

in a children’s book of Bible stories when I was a kid, and then not again until I read it to

my kids when they were little. In both cases my impression of the story was one of a

total faith and trust in God, a level of faith impossible for me to aspire to. But reading it

again now, I see something else. In verse 17, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say that

their God is capable of delivering them. But in verse 18 they seem to acknowledge doubt

by saying “But if not …”! To me this makes their rejection of the king’s demands an

even more radical statement. Even if they die in the fire, that is preferable to worshiping

an earthly power that draws them away from God’s truth. Their miraculous deliverance

is certainly an important part of the story, but just as important to me is the choice they

make to stay true to God’s relationship with them.

John McNeill

Member, St. Elisabeth’s Church

Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent

O God, you have called us to be your children, and have promised that those who suffer

with Christ will be heirs with him of your glory: Arm us with such trust in him that we

may ask no rest from his demands and have no fear in his service; through Jesus Christ

our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Psalm Lessons

105:4-11 Genesis 17:1-8

John 8:51-59

“Arm us with such trust in him that we may ask no rest from his demands and have no

fear in his service.”

Trust is a tricky thing. It requires an enormous amount of faith. Typically when we speak

of having trust in someone or something, we have first determined that the person or

thing is worthy of our trust -- that they have done something to earn our trust. Perhaps the

person or thing we trust has proven its reliability through a long pattern of admirable

behavior or performance. I’m pretty sure this is the way I experienced trust as a young

adult.

However, at the time, I didn’t realize that this paradigm for trust was only setting me up

for disappointment. With the prerequisite of worthiness, my fragile trust in other people

or ideas would be too easily shattered at the first sign of fault or weakness. What if a

person or ideology fails to live up to your expectations? Do you stop trusting? And if the

answer is yes, did you ever really have trust to begin with?

44

With time, I have come to believe that trust is less about having faith in others, and more

about having faith in yourself and what you can handle. It’s a deep-seated knowledge that

you are worthy of Christ’s love and forgiveness. And it’s not until we truly believe in our

own worthiness that we can fully place our trust in others.

Nancy Kimble

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Friday in the Fifth Week of Lent

O Lord, you relieve our necessity out of the abundance of your great riches: Grant that

we may accept with joy the salvation you bestow, and manifest it to all the world by the

quality of our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

18:1-7 Jeremiah 20:7-13

John 10:31-42

In the reading from Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah felt defeated and quite frankly was

mad at God. He felt misled and abandoned. He had prophesied the fall of Jerusalem and

was scorned and imprisoned by his adversaries. He believed his proclamation led to the

loss of his credibility and chastisement among his own people yet he felt compelled to

preach and move onward fulfilling his commitment to God. Have you every

misunderstood or questioned God on why you were given a particular cross to bear?

Have you questioned his purpose for your life? I have and unfortunately I can say I have

not always had the faith to move on like Jeremiah.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is also misunderstood. The Jews were quick to throw stones

whenever they could. Why, because he was a Jew proclaiming to be God’s son? Perhaps

it was simply because he was Jesus, a Jew, a man among them like no other Pharisee,

priest or prophet. He was a man who truly lived what he taught and walked away when

stones were being thrown at him. Like Jeremiah he fulfilled his commitment to God.

On Sunday, February 2nd

there was a reading from the book of Hebrews 2:14-18 which

encouraged me to trust and believe Christ’s promise and commitment. The last verse

“Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are

being tested.” What an affirmation that God understands. No matter what hardship we

are challenged with, I am comforted by these words. Jesus was made man, walked our

walk and understands the suffering we feel.

My prayers this Lenten season is to lift up life’s challenges to the one who bore the cross

and understands our daily struggles. May I be like Jeremiah and move onward, keeping

the faith with the promise that I am in good hands.

Nancy Morgan

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

45

Saturday in the Fifth Week of Lent

O Lord, in your goodness you bestow abundant graces on your elect: Look with favor, we

entreat you, upon those who in these Lenten days are being prepared for Holy Baptism,

and grant them the help of your protection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who

lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

85:1-7 Ezekiel 37:21-28

John 11:45-53

Reflection

Today’s reading from John’s Gospel comes just after Lazarus has been raised

from the dead by Jesus, and just a few verses before Jesus’ palm-filled entry into

Jerusalem. This is the moment when the religious authorities decide that Jesus has to die.

This last act of his—raising Lazarus from the dead—is the last straw. Many of the Jews

who witnessed this act have come to believe in him. And so the Jewish religious

authorities feel threatened--they are losing their authority and their power over their

people. And they are afraid. They have developed a delicate equilibrium with the Roman

Empire. They’ve convinced the Empire that they are not a threat, and they feel relatively

safe and secure. But Jesus threatens to upset all of that with these signs and miracles he is

performing—signs that the Empire might view as a threat to its authority. They are afraid

that the Empire might eliminate this threat by destroying all of the Jews, not just Jesus.

So, Caiaphas, the high priest, engages in some utilitarian analysis. “It is better,” he says,

“to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” He is

oblivious to the profound, prophetic truth of his statement-- that Jesus’ death is part of

God’s work to save all of God’s people. And so he begins plotting to kill Jesus.

I think that we are prone to thinking in the same way as Caiaphas. His decision to

kill Jesus is a very a logical one. But it’s also deeply cynical. He doesn’t stop to wonder

how Jesus came by this incredible power, or to consider the lives that have been

transformed by his signs and miracles. He cannot even begin to conceive that God might

be taking action for God’s people in a whole new way. Caiaphas believes that the safety

and security of the Jewish people rests entirely within his hands. And so he completely

fails to see Jesus. And he completely fails to see that God is offering something far

greater and better than he could ever possibly achieve or even imagine. So Caiaphas

invites us to ask: Where do we fail to see God working in our own lives? When do we

feel like it’s entirely up to us?

This passage also reminds us that Jesus and his teachings were threatening to

people in power. This was true at his birth, when Herod tried to have him killed, and at

his resurrection, when both the civil and religious authorities realized that they could not

eliminate him or destroy the movement he started. And it is still true. He remains a threat

to people in power, whether civil, social or even religious, because he asks for our total

allegiance to God and God’s kingdom. Caiaphas may also be inviting us to ask: do we

feel threatened by Jesus? And if not, are we taking him seriously enough?

Jacqueline Clark

St. Elizabeth’s, Assistant Rector

46

Monday in Holy Week

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and

entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the

way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus

Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

36:5-10 Isaiah 42:1-9

Hebrews 11:39––12:3

John 12:1-11

or Mark 14:3-9

At the feast of Bethany, it’s Jesus’ Day. It’s nice to know that even Jesus can take a day

off once in awhile to smell the roses. Tired of wandering the dusty countryside, healing

lepers, preaching parables, and raising the faithful from the dead, Jesus agrees to be the

guest of honor at Martha’s house in Bethany.

And what a feast Martha puts on! The attendees are the “who’s who” of Jesus’

reclamation projects: Simon the Leper, Lazarus the Undead, and Mary Magdalene the

Converted all join with the Apostles to salute Jesus. What a joy it must have been for

Jesus to kick back and have Mary wash his feet with extravagant oil, Simon and Lazarus

ply him with praise, and Martha attend to his every need! Perhaps, the only thing missing

was someone to feed him some grapes.

But that doesn’t sound like the Jesus we know, does it?

Upon closer inspection, the Feast at Bethany is not about Jesus reveling in praise; rather,

it’s about his followers regaling him with praise. The Feast at Bethany reminds us that

we need to attend to Jesus as much as he attends to us. As the Scottish churchmen

Horatio Bonar stated in 1867:

“In this Bethany-feast, it is interesting to notice what we may call the sinner's

side of the gospel. Here, it is not Christ inviting and receiving the sinner; but

47

the sinner inviting and receiving Christ. It is not Christ saying, "Come to me,

and I will give you rest;" it is the sinner saying to Christ, "Come to me, and I

will feast you;" it is not Christ knocking at the sinner's door—but the sinner

knocking at Christ's; it is not Christ supplying the sinner's needs—but the

sinner supplying Christ's. In our dealings with the Lord we must not overlook

either side. He is, no doubt, first with us in all things; but this should only

make us the more anxious to remember the response—the lifetime's

response—with which he expects to be met.

In other words, it’s incumbent upon Christians to feed Jesus in the same way he

spiritually feeds us. It is our duty to give him praise, to worship the ground he walks on,

to feed him grapes, and to pour an annual wage’s worth of oil on his feet because—well,

he deserves it.

So take a minute today to stop, kneel, and thank God for giving us Jesus and all of his

associated blessings. He’s quite a Gift.

Eric Kimble

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Tuesday in Holy Week

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to

be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly

suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

71:1-12 Isaiah 49:1-6

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

John 12:37-38, 42-50

or Mark 11:15-19

Today’s readings highlight the glory and perfection of God and Jesus. The wonderful

thing about this message is that it means that following Jesus’ example, and having faith

in Him, is the Way to righteous and eternal life!

But, I must admit that sometimes I feel like throwing up my hands when I read passages

about the perfection of Jesus. Sometimes it’s difficult to relate to the perfection of Jesus.

How can I possibly be anything like this perfect person, a person who is known as “The

Son of God”? What am I supposed to be doing as I constantly face the challenges of life

in today’s world, given that I am so far from perfect? Sometimes I find it difficult to

answer these questions by reading about perfection in the context of a place thousands of

miles away during a time thousands of years ago.

I write this as I sit in Vermont, just after I finished a snowmobiling ride with my family.

Today, my sixth-grade daughter, Emily, drove a snowmobile on the trails for the first

48

time. I rode on the back. We followed a snowmobile driven by her older brother, Jake,

who has been driving on the trails for several years and is a pretty good driver. Emily

really did great, but truly mastering snowmobiling isn’t easy for a 12-year-old. It’s

complicated. You need to understand your snowmobile and how it reacts to different

types of terrain. You also need to understand the many rules and protocols, which are

important for safety. And you must be alert for other snowmobilers and everyone else

around you. In Vermont, a 12-year-old needs to take a course before she is allowed to

drive a snowmobile. Emily completed that course online last month. The course shows

how to do everything perfectly, and is kind of like learning by drinking from a fire hose.

After the ride, I asked Emily how she approached the challenge of snowmobiling on the

trails for the first time. She explained that she watched for ways that her brother used the

techniques that she learned in the online course and how his snowmobile maneuvered the

challenges of the trail in this way, and she followed what he did accordingly. In other

words, she looked for aspects of Jake’s driving that embodied the perfection taught in the

online course, and she followed her brother’s approach to that extent.

As bizarre as this may seem, maybe there is something that I could learn about how to

approach following Christ, from the approach by which Emily was learning to

snowmobile. Specifically, as an imperfect person, obviously there is no way that I can be

just like Christ in life, just like there is no way that my 12-year-old daughter can

snowmobile perfectly like they show her in the online course. Instead, maybe I should

focus more (than I have in the past) on identifying the glimmers of Christ in others’

behavior, just as Emily tried to find glimmers of perfection in her brother’s driving.

While Christ himself is the primary model to directly follow, identifying and emulating

the glimmers of Christ in others is sometimes a wonderful (and less daunting) way to take

steps toward following in Christ.

Scott Fisher

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Wednesday in Holy Week

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be

spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of

the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

69:7-15, 22-23 Isaiah 50:4-9a

Hebrews 9:11-15, 24-28

John 13:21-35

or Matthew 26:1-5,14-25

One wonders - What was Judas Iscariot was thinking when he handed Jesus over to the

chief priests? Was he rationalizing that Jesus would be captured anyway so why not

profit on the transaction? Was he in denial about what he was doing? Did he think that

he was a pawn, and not responsible for his actions?

49

Judas said to Jesus, “surely it is not I, Rabbi?”

Sometimes it becomes easy to explain away our behavior or blame it on someone else

when that behavior makes us uncomfortable – of this we should be wary.

Linda Cass

Member, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Maundy Thursday

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the

Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in

remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of

eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever

and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

78:14-20, 23-25 Exodus 12:1-14a

1 Corinthians 11:23-26(27-32)

John 13:1-15

or Luke 22:14-30

They are assembled, astonished and disturbed

round him, who like a sage resolved his fate,

and now leaves those to whom he most belonged,

leaving and passing by them like a stranger.

The loneliness of old comes over him

which helped mature him for his deepest acts;

now will he once again walk through the olive grove,

and those who love him still will flee before his sight.

To this last supper he has summoned them,

and (like a shot that scatters birds from trees)

their hands draw back from reaching for the loaves

upon his word: they fly across to him;

they flutter, frightened, round the supper table

searching for an escape. But he is present

everywhere like an all-pervading twilight-hour.

By Reiner Maria Rilke

[On seeing Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper", Milan 1904.]

50

Good Friday

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord

Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer

death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

22:1-11 (12-21) Isaiah 52:13––53:12

or 40:1-14 or Genesis 22:1-18

or 69:1-23 or Wisdom 2:1,12-24

Hebrews 10:1-25

John 18:1-19 or 19:1-37

Jesus says, “I am thirsty.” Such a simple sentiment. I am thirsty. It’s a fact. Humans

thirst. We know what it means to be thirsty. As children growing up in Florida, after

running around outside playing tag or cowboys and Indians or war, we would turn on the

hose and drink greedily as if it was the only water in the world. Or if we weren’t too dirty

we would pile into the air conditioned house for a tall glass of water from the fridge.

Faces bright red, glistening with sweat, we were hot, tired and thirsty. Or at night before

falling asleep, I would call to my mother, “Mommy, I’m thirsty.” Millions of the world’s

people suffer daily due to lack of adequate clean drinking water. Thirst is the universal

human condition. So it is that from the cross Jesus says, “I am thirsty.”

Jesus the human being shares our thirst. On the cross in slow agony he is parched

with thirst and drowning at the same time, suffocating as his bodily fluids drain into his

lungs slowly filling them up so that he cannot breathe. Jesus the human being shares our

thirst not only in the literal, physical sense. Jesus the human being shares our thirst in the

figurative, heart felt sense. Jesus was consumed throughout his life by a radical thirst for

God. As Martin Smith says, “Jesus is humanity in its thirst for union with the mystery of

our Origin, the all-encompassing Life we name so inadequately God.”(1)

The psalmist eloquently expresses this thirst: O God, you are my God; eagerly I

seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you as in a barren and dry land

where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1).

Our culture would have us anesthetize our desire for God with our drug of choice.

The culture would have us believe that our thirst for God can be assuaged by the so-

called good life. But our thirst persists regardless of how well-heeled we are. Our thirst is

a thirst we are born with, a thirst that only union with God can quench. In the words of St.

Augustine, our soul is restless until it finds its rest in God.

Jesus chose to live his life in a way that never dulled his thirst for God. And he

yearned for his followers to acknowledge their elemental thirst for God. In his encounter

with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:3-42), Jesus asks her for a drink in order to

engage her in conversation about her own thirst for living water. Jesus throughout the

gospels asks those who come to him, “What are you looking for?” “Whom do you seek?”

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus wants his followers to open themselves, to

allow themselves to acknowledge their thirst and to recognize what and whom they are

thirsting for. On the cross the thirst Jesus gives voice to is an unbridled thirst for God. His

thirst is our thirst. His desire is our desire, abject, unchecked, and unrestrained.

51

Yet, getting in touch with our desire for God is easier said than done. As the

living bundle of appetites that we are, we have a hard time distinguishing our desire for

God from other wants. What’s more, we are loath to acknowledge a desire we fear can

never be addressed. We fear that our expressions of thirst for God will go unheard, so we

silence them, pretending that whatever meager attention God might pay to us is enough.

We are embarrassed by the psalmist’s passion for God, thirsting for God, fainting for God

as in a barren land where there is no water. We rationalize our distance from God certain

that God would never give us our deepest desire anyway. And we would be wrong.

Jesus is not only human. He is also God. On the cross he expresses not only the

human thirst for God. He expresses the divine thirst for us.(2) Jesus gives voice not only

to our desire for God. He gives voice to God’s desire for us. “God so loved the world that

he gave his only begotten son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but

have eternal life” (John 3:16). Smith, again, “This love is desire for us, a desire so intense

that the desperate thirst of the crucified in agony is the only reality that will serve as a

lens to focus that yearning for our heart’s understanding.”(3)

The simple sentiment, “I am thirsty,” therefore, expresses not just humanity’s

longing for God. It expresses God’s longing for us. And God’s desire for us is even

stronger than our desire for God. God’s yearning tugs at us like a delighted child

impatient to show us her newest creation. God’s longing lures us like the aroma of freshly

baked bread. God’s desire pulls at us like the ocean’s undertow. And indeed our

recognition of our longing for God, our thirst for a genuine, heartfelt connection with the

divine is an indication that God is at work in us, stirring our hearts and tuning our ears for

the word of love God has for us. On the cross God gives up everything for us, showing us

in a way no words can capture that we are the object of God’s desire. In the words of

Margaret Bullitt-Jonas,

On the cross, God gives up everything for us because words alone will not suffice.

Through God’s ultimate act of self-giving, God discloses that we are the pearl of

great price. We are the treasure in the field, for whose sake everything else has been

relinquished. To God we are infinitely desirable, however absurd, astonishing—or

wondrous—that fact may seem.(4)

On the cross Jesus the human being and Jesus the son of God focuses all desire, ours and

God’s, into one single beam of love. And we are drawn into that love, like a moth to a

flame. The unbounded love God has for us attracts us no matter our doubts, our

misgivings, our fears, no matter how much we imagine we will keep our distance, we are

pulled by God’s desire for us and our desire for God.

On the cross Jesus embodies the at-one-ment, the atonement, the union of human

and divine desire, and it is finished. His work is done. The union is complete. In Jesus,

humankind is restored to unity with God. And Jesus breathes his last. Jesus gives up his

spirit. And in so doing he releases the essence of this divinely wrought union, this

overflowing love, this mutual desire in a foreshadowing of his breathing his holy spirit

upon the disciples in the upper room following the resurrection. Even at the cross, the

man Jesus may be dead, but his spirit, the divine essence, his breath, the breath of God,

like the Ruach over the face of the deep in the beginning, gives birth to a new creation, a

new era, a new experience of the Kingdom of God. AMEN.

52

(1) Martin L. Smith, SSJE, Love Set Free: meditations on the passion according to John

(Cambridge, Ma: Cowley Publications, 1998) p. 45.

(2). Smith, p. 47; Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Christ’s Passion, Our Passion (Cambridge, Ma;

Cowley Publications, 2002), p. 68.

(3). Ibid, pp. 47-48.

(4). Bullitt-Jonas, p. 68.

The Rev. Barbara S. Williamson

Rector, St. Elizabeth’s Church

Holy Saturday

O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son

was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the

coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm Lessons

130 Job 14:1-14

or 31:1

5 1 Peter 4:1-8

Matthew 27:57-66

or John 19:38-42

March. I am beginning

to anticipate a thaw. Early mornings

the earth, old unbeliever, is still crusted with frost

where the moles have nosed up their

cold castings, and the ground cover

in shadow under the cedars hasn't softened

for months, fogs layering their slow, complicated ice

around foliage and stem

night by night,

but as the light lengthens, preacher

of good news, evangelizing leaves and branches,

his large gestures beckon green

out of gray. Pinpricks of coral bursting

from the cotoneasters. A single bee

finding the white heather. Eager lemon-yellow

aconites glowing, low to the ground like

little uplifted faces. A crocus shooting up

a purple hand here, there, as I stand

on my doorstep, my own face drinking in heat

and light like a bud welcoming resurrection,

53

and my hand up, too, ready to sign on

for conversion.

“Revival”

By: Lucie Shaw, from What the Light Was Like

Rubens painted this triptych, called Moretus triptych, in 1611-12, shortly after

completing the Raising of the Cross, and at more or less the same time as the centre panel

of the Descent from the Cross. Martina Plantin, widow of the printer Jan Moretus of the

Plantin Press, placed the commission.

Christ strides powerfully from his open, rocky tomb rather than the customary

sarcophagus. The supernatural radiance of his body contrasts with the darkness that

shrouds the astounded soldiers. The panel on the left shows John the Baptist, Jan

Moretus' patron saint, in his camel-hair tunic by the River Jordan. The sword at his feet is

an allusion to his beheading. St Martina, patron saint of Moretus' widow, holds the palm

branch that symbolizes the martyr. According to her legend, the temple of Apollo

collapsed when she made the sign of the cross - an incident recalled by the setting behind.

54