Week I
Midweek Lenten
Meditation
The Simple Gift of
Words
"30 Words for Lent"
St. John 18:19-27
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter Denies Jesus Again
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.
On Ash Wednesday we began a Sermon Series - The Simple Gifts of Lent. Last week's gift was 'ASHES.' This week we continue that series with The Gift of Words.
Words,
words, words...we say ‘sticks and stone will hurt my bones- but words will
never hurt me’ …that is not true and we know it.
We
know the power of words to put down or lift up to diminish or encourage. Words have power.
The
words between Jesus and the leaders of the Temple are powerful. The words of denial by Peter are powerful.
We
human beings are people of words.
Tonight
you are given a word. Your Lenten Word…open
the envelope and take this word home with you…there are 30 words…
I’ll
mention each one and give you a question to contemplate with your word:
Facing
– what are you facing in your life that you need God’s guidance?
Forty
– how will you spend these 40 days of Lent?
Turn
– will you turn to God and not simply rely on yourself?
Ashes
– how does looking at your mortality change your perspective?
Water
– how are you living out your baptismal promises?
Simple
– how might you discover God in the ordinary and common things of life?
Revolution
– did you know you signed up for a revolution when you began to follow Jesus?
Quest
– is your faith journey a quest or have you settled for easy answers?
Wilderness
– how does a wilderness experience increase one’s faith?
Suffering
– how do you live when there is no answer to suffering – in bitterness? In faith?
Temptation
– will you go to God with honesty when you face temptations?
Sin
– how are you serving the I in sIn?
Fears
– how do you keep the faith in the midst of your fears?
Repent
– are you open to God’s call to turn to God?
Passion
– does your passion match God’s passion?
Betrayal
– reflect on the times you’ve betrayed or been betrayed
Confession
– how will your ego get in the way of confessing your wrongs?
Bread
– reflect on how ordinary bread is a special gift from God
Wine
– Christ is the vine you are the branches – are you connected?
Fasting
– what obstacles are getting in the way of God – consider fasting from them…
Prayer
– are your prayers just a wish list to God, or do you wrestle in the night with
the living Lord?
Almsgiving
– an ancient art of generosity – how will you be generous during these 40 days?
Poor
– are the poor only an object of our charity or the face of Christ?
Hungry
– how are you hungry for a deeper relationship with God?
Advocate
– will you stand up on behalf of another during the next 40 days?
Voice
– how will you use your voice to speak for the voiceless?
Forgive
– will you forgive and receive forgiveness?
Act
– preach the Gospel – if necessary use words.
You’ve
been given a simple word – meditate on it – pray over it – put it on your
refrigerator – make it the center of your Lenten journey.
Amen
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