April 3

Exodus 32:7-14

John 5:31-47

“Search the Scriptures.”

We all know that God wants to reveal himself to us through Scripture.  But just like everything else in Christian life, Scripture won’t just magically make sense to us.  We need to cooperate with the Spirit, and that takes time, attention, and perseverance.  Begin the reading of your selected passage with prayer. Read it a second or third time, dwelling on words and phrases that strike you.  Place yourself in the scene described. Imagine Jesus is sitting across from you and telling you the story himself.  Be still…… and let God speak to you. Try to write out what you think God is saying to you.  It is in such quiet reflection that you will learn to hear his voice.

• By Deacon John Collins

Daily Reflection - April 7

Monday, April 7

Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62

John 8:1-11

 

Commuted Sentences:  Freed from Death Row!

Today's readings are from the Book of Daniel, chapter 13 and the Gospel of John, chapter 8.  These are two stories of women on death row, both charged with sexual sin, both condemned to die.  Both are saved.  Susanna, is falsely accused, and is rescued by the light.  She is rescued from rape by the light of her own integrity and by the fire of her courage.   She is rescued from death row by the light of her innocence and through the light of Daniel's spiritual and intellectual brilliance, as he first listens to the stirrings in his heart and then trips up the accusers by his clever questioning.  

 

The woman in the gospel is saved in the dark.  There is no suggestion that she might be innocent, in fact, it seems pretty clear that she is guilty of the crime.  However, Jesus saves her from execution, and his tool to do this involves further darkness.  He reminds her accusers of their own sins.  And they, reminded of themselves, depart in humility.  

 

I think that for many of us the journey to spiritual maturity goes through a period of lightness where we are getting there by getting it "right," by following the rules and shining ourselves up as best we can.  There is a deeper level though, where like the woman in today's gospel we know that in fact we are not OK.  Our own merits will not stand us in good stead.  We are indeed humbled.  We are brought low, by our own inadequacies, our inability to control even ourselves much less our children, our environments.  There is no prosperity gospel in authentic Christianity.  Jesus is not drawn to those with the shiniest exteriors.  He meets us in the dark. In the "humus," he writes our truths. He embraces us in our humbled, brought low, down on the ground state.  He reminds us that we are members of a flawed tribe, and that our salvation does not rest on our brilliance, but may be found in the dark, vulnerable, broken, sorry places of our lives.

                By Lou Ann Horstman

LENTEN BIBLE STUDY #24

5^TH Monday of Lent

Review Matthew 24:3-25:46.  Read the text slowly and prayerfully.

What words or phrases jump out at you?  Go back and read that verse again.

What is God trying to say to you through this scripture?

LENTEN BIBLE STUDY #23

THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS

4^TH Friday of Lent

Read Matthew 25:31-46.

Explain the meaning of this passage in your own words.  How do you feel when you read this passage?

Notes on the text:

The criteria for the last judgment will be the good works done to those who are suffering.

In verses 37-40, we learn that when we care for those who are suffering, we are caring for our Lord himself.

The Corporal Works of Mercy are derived from this passage.  Feed the hungry.  Give drink to the thirsty.  Clothe the naked.  Welcome the stranger.  Care for the sick.  Visit the imprisoned.  Bury the dead.

Verse 36: in this era, it was important that prisoners be visited and brought food by their friends and relatives because they received no food or other comforts from their jailers.

Daily Scripture Reflection - April 4

April 4

                Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22

                John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30

               

The title above the 2^nd chapter in Wisdom is “Life as the Ungodly See it”. I would recommend that you look at the entire chapter. The beginning reminded me of the song Dust in the Wind, with images that tell us that we are only here a short time and what we do on earth does not matter. Live for today for tomorrow it could all be over. But they do take note of those that believe in God and try to live in his way. Of them it is said, “their manner of life is unlike that of others and their ways are strange.” Face it we are an odd bunch. We not only love those that are easy to love but we also love those that persecute us! We care for the poor so much that we give our own cloak away if they are in need. If another is in pain it is our pain also. And lastly we believe that even though we experience extreme trials in our lives- God is faithful.

People are taking not of Jesus’ actions in the Gospel also. The tide is turning. No longer is Jesus this fascinating figure that roams the countryside preaching and healing. He has been noticed and “they” are trying to kill him. People are wondering if he is the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus calls them out on this and declares that he is from God. This was a risk but Jesus always acted in truth no matter the consequences.  I love how some feel that he can’t be the Messiah because they know where he is from. He is too ordinary. But at the end of this reading others were pondering if the Messiah would “do any more signs than this man has done.”

Both readings show people looking around, noticing the actions of others around them. It is good to ponder what is going on around us. I think it is also important to remember that others are pondering our actions. What do they see when they look at me?

~ by Patty Larger

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

4^TH Thursday of Lent

Read Matthew 25:14-30.

Why is the last servant punished?  What are we expected to do with the gifts God has given us? 

What are your gifts?

Notes on the text:

One talent was worth more than 15 years’ wages for a day laborer.  The talents represent the gifts we have each been given by God.  Notice the value Jesus places on our spiritual gifts.

Verse 28: because the last servant has squandered his gifts, he lacks merit in the final judgment.

 

Easter Story Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Meaning of Easter Told with Eggs

An Easter Activity for Pre-School through Elementary Age Children

You will need:

1 Easter basket or brown paper lunch bag for holding the eggs

6 plastic eggs in different colors

The following objects to fill the eggs: a small cross, a rock, dirt, a flower (silk or real), and a picture of the child with whom you are doing the activity

 

Before you begin the activity:

Place the flower into the purple egg.

Place a small amount of dirt into the green egg.

Place the cross into the orange egg.

Place the rock into the blue egg.

Leave the yellow egg empty.

Place the child’s picture into the pink egg.

 

Begin the activity by telling the child that you are going to tell her or him the story of Easter, but you will need some help.  She or he must help by opening the each egg when you say.

Story: In the beginning, God made the world.  [Open the purple egg.]  Everything was good and lovely like this flower.

But sin came into this world.  [Open the green egg.] And made the hearts of the people it touched dirty so that they turned away from God.

But God had plan.  God the Father sent the Son, Jesus, to this world to turn our hearts back to God.  [Open the orange egg.]  Some people didn’t like what Jesus had to say so they put him on a cross where he died.

Jesus’ friends took his body down from the cross and buried him in a cave, called a tomb.  [Open the blue egg.]  They rolled a huge stone across the opening of the tomb to close it.

On Sunday morning, some of Jesus’ friends came to visit his grave.  They found the stone had been rolled away.  When they looked inside the tomb, do you know what they found?  [Open the yellow egg.  Allow the child to discover the egg is empty.]  That’s right!  The tomb was empty!  Jesus rose from the dead! 

He wasn’t in the tomb because he was alive again.  That’s why we celebrate Easter!  And do you know who Jesus did all this for?  [Open the pink egg.]  That’s right!  Jesus did it all for you!  And for me!  For everybody!