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A Lenten Witness:

Paul writes these words to his church in Corinth following his urgent prayer that the members of that constantly bickering congregation reconcile themselves to God and to each other. But, as important as reconciliation in his church, Paul is jealous of the everyday witness of church members. He wants them to know witness is something that needs tending everyday. He tries to show, as this passage progresses, his own witness under trying circumstances: through endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings . . . by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness and the like. Paul wants his congregation to know that in whatever circumstance they find themselves, Christ can be illustrated through the immediate, day-by-day decisions they make; indeed, that most circumstances provide an opportunity to express loyalty and commitment to Jesus Christ.

And thus we enter the Lenten season. Talk about an “acceptable time!”What better moment to live as if now were “the day of salvation?” You see, Lent enables us to take a look at ourselves in light of Christ. Lent compels us evaluate our own witness and ministry. We may stack up our own witness against that of Jesus, the risks he took, the love he offered, the radiance of a life given away so obstacles might be cleared, opening new life for others. As Paul insists, “See, now is the acceptable time.”

Prayer:

You grant us grace, O God, through Jesus Christ, releasing us, freeing us, offering us courage and a stalwart heart to serve you moment by moment, day by day. Grant, we pray you, during this Lenten season we may bear such witness that others may come to know, love and serve you, too. Amen.

Reverend James W. Crawford, Minister Emeritus

Meditation:

Sin is defined as a “transgression of divine law.” We most often break the law because we feel it does not or should not apply to us. We feel that our actions are justified by extenuating circumstances. Sometimes these circumstances are generated by the actions of others: we justify revenge, even if it violates God's law, by the hurt done to us. Other times, we sin because we are convinced that God does not really care about us — when we are feeling lonely, afraid, or desperate, and feel that God has abandoned us.

In both cases, we feel alienated from God. When others hurt us, we accuse God of failing to protect us, despite our adherence to divine law. If God will not fulfill God's part of the bargain, why should we? Using this rationale, we can excuse almost any sin.

To sin, however, only makes the problem worse, further alienating us from God. For example, if we seek comfort in material possessions, we discover that our appetite only increases, so that a standard of living that seemed extravagant before now barely meets our requirements. We may actually be worse off, because now we have to defend these possessions from theft and maintain them. Our lives become more complex, and God ever more distant.

The answer to this dilemma lies in the realization that God’s law does not exist for God’s benefit, but for ours. We can become confused about this because human law is often written for the state’s benefit, not the citizen’s. God has no need for laws to protect God’s power; God’s sovereignty continues whether or not we acknowledge it. God’s law exists to provide us with a roadmap, a path to God’s grace. When we follow the law, we discover peace; when we violate it, we encounter conflict. The law is a gift from God to humanity; adherence to the law is not a gift to God, but to us. Since adherence to the law is not a gift to God, it does not obligate God to fulfill our desires. It does, however, make it easier for us to find peace and happiness. God’s law is God’s mercy: an eternal gift that allows us to come closer to divine grace and love, no matter how far we may have fallen.

Prayer:

God, I acknowledge and regret my sins, seeing how they only distance me from you, snd from my true self, that longs to be close to you. Help me find the strength to cast aside my sins, the faith to follow your law, and the peace and happiness of your grace, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen.

Aaron McPherson

Meditation:

I restore my joy for living and indeed for life by coming to church each Sunday for my spiritual food. Hearing the words of the Gospel, enjoying the carefully chosen sacred music and listening for the personal guidance in each week’s sermon nurtures me, feeds my soul and gives me the sustenance I need to face the upcoming week with patience, kindness, love and good cheer. I pray each day, asking only for willingness. I ask for the willingness to give and accept love; for the willingness to see myself as others see me; for the willingness to accept what I cannot change and for the willingness to be honest, giving, open, caring and happy. I know that by focusing on having a willing spirit makes all things possible.

Prayer:

Divine Guide, grant each of us a willing spirit. Enable us to learn to love ourselves and those around us the way Jesus taught us. Create in us all a willingess to be open to the goodness and love in everyone we meet each day, especially those that are very different from ourselves. Give us the courage and strength to have the willingness to accept all people and the extraordinary gifts that each individual brings to this world. Amen.

Irene Leber-Fennessey

Meditation:

Do you give up something for Lent? Many people do — chocolate, coffee, some daily indulgence or familiar pleasure. It's one way of identifying with Jesus' retreat to the desert. But, as we read in today's passage, we are in danger of undertaking a “me” fast — something that is ultimately egocentric, all about what “I” do or what “I” give up. However, it's clear that the fast isn't supposed to be about us, but about others.

When we undertake a Lenten discipline, we should not be sacrificing, but preparing, just as Jesus did during the Forty Days. And for what are we readying ourselves? Easter — and its promise of Love triumphant which, as seen in Jesus, is all about what we can give to and do for others. So, we should not hesitate to give up chocolate or coffee — but doing so, we should examine our priorities and our needs — our real needs — then get on with the work of caring for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer:

Gracious Lord, as we make our way on our Lenten journey, we pray that we follow the road You would have us travel, instead of the one we might prefer. Guide us and keep us even as we might tire, so that with You we may reach our Easter destination. Amen.

Steve Silver

Meditation:

Lent is the season for the Spirit of truth, the Spirit that Matthew tells us led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Let us remember this follows directly the truth revealed to Jesus in his baptism, when he heard the voice of God saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” It is from this place of blessing and fullness that Jesus led us into the emptiness of the desert for forty days, the length of our Lenten season (excluding Sundays which are called “feast” days and therefore excluded from the “fasting” of Lent).

Jesus was led into the desert to be initiated into the truth that sets him free. We are also being led by the Spirit into this Lenten season in order to learn the truths that will set us free. But these are no easy lessons. They confront us at the very core of our being, asking us to let go of our usual bearings and signposts and enter the desert where things are unfamiliar and we are led by the Spirit instead of our own devices. But to ask us to release that much control is a daunting task, and one that I can do only when I let go of my resistance to God, trusting in the One who loves me more infinitely than I can even imagine, who is on my side more than I am myself.

These words may sound strange to us, but as we look more deeply into the temptations with which Jesus is confronted in the desert, we see they are the basic temptations of the ego that can block the life of the soul. Here we see Jesus confronted by the evil one who would hold before Jesus the possibilities of omnipotence, omniscience, and immortality, things that each of us must confront if we are to find our way to freedom in the truth. Our egos do not want to let go of these possibilities. Thus we find ourselves refusing to surrender to the life of the Soul in which we would see these qualities are of God. If we

can refuse these temptations, we can let God be God and we can live in the freedom of our truth as God's beloved creation.

Lent is about the freedom which is gained only through exposure to the truth. If we look at the Greek word “aletheia” which we translate as truth, it means quite literally “unhiddenness.” Thus in the words of my spiritual director, Martin Smith, “truth is not a thing, it is rather an event. Truth happens to us when the coverings of illusion are stripped away and what is real emerges into the open. The Spirit promises to bring us into truth by stripping away some more of the insulation and barriers which have separated us from living contact with reality, the reality of God, of God’s world, and our true selves.”

Thus we see Jesus in this passage stripping away the temptations of evil which would try to have us live in the ego-driven illusion that we are capable of omnipotence, omniscience, and immortality by ourselves. In this way Jesus reveals to us the life of the Soul, our life in God, revealing to us all truth and offering us the way that leads us from our anxiety into God's peace. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16: 13)

Prayer:

Creator God, give us the courage, we pray, to be led through our shadows into your light. May Jesus himself be our leader as we move through our wilderness and come to know your peace. Reveal to us the truth that will set us free and release us into a right relationship with You, O lover of our souls. Amen.

Reverend Ken Orth

Meditation:

When I was a young girl, I had a Sunday school teacher, Mrs Mead, who had been a missionary in China. The only thing she “sang” to us about was missions. She was not very interesting, at best boring. Being somewhat belligerent, I decided missions was not for me, whatever it was!. For many years, though active in several churches, I didn’t learn what missions really was until I came to Old South Church. From the pulpit I heard that we were a community with a special mission on the corner of Dartmouth and Boylston streets. I needed to think again: “What is missions?” Not what I thought it was! Now I have found my voice! There are missionary needs inside the church as well as outside. For me, inside the church, I have found my song: pledging, playing handbells, reaching out to those I know and love and to those I don’t know but will meet, and even designing a Lenten booklet!

Prayer:

Heavenly father, continue to teach us how to serve thee, how to sing a song for you in our own way. Thank you for giving us our voices and forgive us for not doing more. Keep us in your way. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Maddie Burke

Meditation:

In recent years we have heard much of reconciliation, especially in South Africa, where the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established by the post-apartheid government to bring the warring factions together through confession of wrongdoing in return for a grant of amnesty. But this is not like God's offer of reconciliation, in which all the wrongdoing is on humanity's side. God is pleased to extend his offer of reconciliation through ambassadors — Christians like you and me. This is achieved on the basis of Christ’s self-sacrifice on the Cross, by which he took upon himself all our sins, that we might be declared righteous before God.

Prayer:

Loving God, we confess our total lack of righteousness and look to You for our reconciliation. Make us your ambassadors to this needy and ailing society of ours, that many may come to accept the redemption which You freely offer to us through Christ.

Russell Nile

Meditation:

Every day is a gift from God that we are truly lucky to be able to experience. As every day is a gift, we must use it to the best of our ability, and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. God has freely given us life to experience, and we must be thankful for this, as God is always there for us. God also gives us strength to believe that we are “unstoppable.” When you don’t think you can do something and the odds are against you, by building up your confidence to succeed, you can accomplish things no one expects you to.

Prayer:

O Holy God, Give me strength to do your will and to be the best we can in a world that has gone crazy. The gift of your son is the ultimate one. May we always be grateful. Amen

Youth Group

Meditation:

Realising there are others with far worse problems than I could imagine, even in times of trouble, I used to hesitate to pray for myself. I felt it was more important to thank God for my blessings and ask God to look after the needs of loved ones and strangers. Nonetheless, I have been showered with so many blessings. I believe many of God’s gifts that I never asked for may be the result of prayers offered by others. While I may never meet the strangers who prayed for me indirectly, I’ll always be grateful. Although I’ve subsequently been reassured by our ministers that it is not necessarily selfish to pray for one’s own needs, I’ll always put others first.

Prayer:

O God, giver of all good, who continually pours your benefits upon us, age after age the living wait upon you and find that of your faithfulness there is no end and that your care is unfailing. We praise you that the mystery of our life is a mystery of infinite goodness. We praise you for the order and constancy of nature; for the beauty and bounty of the earth; for day and night, summer and winter, seed time and harvest; for the varied gifts of loveliness and usefulness which every season brings. We give you thanks for all the comfort and joy of life, for our homes, for our friends, and for all the love and sympathy and goodwill of all people. Amen. (from A Book of Worship for Free Churches)

Michael Fiorentino

Meditation:

I can’t help but be drawn to the analogy of a child learning to ride a bicycle. The coach/guardian is there to guide the process. He/she may choose to guide with words of instruction, words of encouragement, by example, or all of these. Proper guidance will help the child have a better experience. After the instruction is complete and training wheels are removed, the child can fully experience the joys, responsibilities, and challenges of riding. He can take those turns fast and smooth. She might even jump the steep ramp that feeds into the path on the way to the lake. A hole in the road or fallen branch may cause a temporary setback. But most of the ride can be spent riding by the endless yellow forsythia near Aunt Helen's, taking in the scents and smells of springtime or waving to Mr. Withers on the way home from Billy's house. And maybe next year, just before turning thirteen, he will get to ride Mom's ten-speed.

Prayer:

Gracious and ever-loving God, I need your guidance as I manage all of life’s joys, responsibilities and challenges. I realize I may not always be open to or willing to accept your instruction and counsel. Sometimes I don't even see or recognize your voice. Please open my eyes to your loving care. Help me learn to be open to the many ways you choose to send your message. And when I catch an open stretch of road that is free and clear and sun drenched, teach me to say “thank you.” Amen.

Jim Ognibene

Meditation:

In winter, my garden is stripped to its bones. The tall dry stalks of what was a profusion of pink and white phlox stand only as a memory, surrounded by the almost black stems of the purple baptisa and the brown airy wisps of long-gone goldenrod. A first glance makes one feel dreary and uncertain, searching. But wait — there is more. Over in the corner a brilliant cardinal and his mate begin to sing. God’s voice is heard. And I hear it. Everywhere I turn there is the “print” of God. “Where can I look and I do not see you!”

Jeremiah was very young, very reluctant. The prophet tried from his very first encounter with God to avoid his call. He felt unworthy. Are we not very much like him? In a world often torn apart by uncertainty, we seek calm; we yearn for a spiritual peace within; we cry out for the strength to discern and answer our call. The young Jeremiah urged the Lord to find someone else. He just wanted to run away! But there is reassurance here. The Lord established from the very first words of Jeremiah’s call a personal relationship with him and we carry the same promise. We were known on High even before we were born — the Holy One knew us intimately in the womb!

And we, like Jeremiah, face those bleak and barren times, but we are never alone. Yes, even the doubt and worry of the Lenten season sometimes stand like the winter trees stripped of their protective leafy coverings. We, too, are laid bare to venture deep within and search our souls for the presence and the call of God. How are we to answer? The answer lies in the spring of the Cross of the Risen Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, in these early days of the Lenten season, when we long not only for the secure redemption bought by the ultimate gift of your Son, Jesus, but are also searching the winter gardens of our souls for signs of a spiritual spring, may we remember we are Your creation, we possess the wonderful gift of an intimate relationship with You. We are Yours now and forever. Amen.

Peggy Mitchell

Meditation:

I come under the protective cover of darkness because I am afraid. I come at night because I am ashamed that I do not know the answers. Born from above? Water and Spirit? I am so rooted in my flesh, I do not look for miracles. Still, they have found me in my rootedness, come to me in my earthiness and lifted me. I lift

my head to the thousand lights of the night sky and know that I am safe. I lift my head for the source of the lonely night birdsong and hear, too, the running stream that cleanses, that washes awaymy sin, again and again. I lift my head and close my eyes and feel the gentle wind, the Spirit, the life envelop me. Ruah. Astonishing. Lifted up. Born from above. Again. Hallelujah!

Prayer:

God ofmiracles, God of astonishments, we need you to hold us during this troubling time. In the darkness before Easter, we need to feel your Spirit upon us. We need to feel your presence among us. In these days of Christ’s abandonment and betrayal, we come, seeking your purifying water, seeking your holy breath poured over our earth-bound selves. Gracious God of the Passover and the Resurrection, we come to be reborn again this year, in these difficult days, like so many who have come before. We lift ourselves up to you; we fall on our knees to you; we offer up what has been yours from the beginning. Hold us in the promise, we pray you.Make of us an Easter people. Amen.

Linda Dini Jenkins

Meditation:

Those hills! As a child, I saw no need to lift up my eyes to the hills. The hills were above me, beside me, below me, near me, in the middle distance, and in the far distance. They completely surrounded me and, as far as I could discern, their only purpose was to limit how far I could go on my one-speed bicycle. (answer, in Valley View: not very far—maybe a mile at most.) But in my over-literal childhood, they provided a very reassuring metaphor for God’s help. There’s just no escaping it. Even if you try really, really hard and get a mile away, you’re still in the midst of it.

And that’s the problem. God’s help and protection is always there, just like the hills of Centre County. Even when we’re sure that we don’t need it, because after all, we’re adults now, aren’t we? Even when that help seems as pointless as the hills themselves, there only to slow us down. Even when we’ve left Centre County because we hate those hills. Even when…

Even when we see oppression and don’t know what to do about it. Even when skyscrapers tumble before our horrified eyes. Even when the doctor says “I’m afraid it’s bad news.” Even then the God who made heaven and earth will help us.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the help you provide, both when we crave it and when we don’t. Thank you for your steadfastness and reliability. And most of all, we thank you for Jesus Christ, the ultimate help you have provided us. Amen.

Lois Corman

Meditation:

Light has always been of huge importance to my family. We have big picture windows to welcome in the sun. We take trips in the middle of the night to watch comets. We gaze at the stars above tall evergreens, mouths gaping in awe. The full moon brings us to a standstill as it commands the sky. We are struck dumb as light plays on the water when the sun sets over the Boston skyline or when the sun seems to magically appear from the ocean at dawn. We bundle up to watch meteor showers on chilly mornings. We mark the sunlight on the longest day as one does a height and we celebrate the winter solstice and the return of daylight. In all of this there is encouragement. In all of this there is comfort. And in all of this there is hope. The light of the world given by God shows us the level of God’s protection. It is always there even if it may hide occasionally behind New England storm clouds. Through these displays of light, these everyday miracles, we see proof that the Lord is always watching over us.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for manifesting your strength of presence through the many lights of the world. May they continue to offer us comfort and calm. Amen.

Marraine Kettel

Meditation:

When I go into the desert, I take with me a candle. It symbolizes my relationship with God, my gateway into the invisible world where only God and I can coexist, where God and I can know one another more directly. And, as much as I can see myself as one who is seeking to be “the light of the world,” that is not something I can be without God's help. He nourishes my longing and my desire to be in and of the world. Like the flickering light at the tip of my candlewick, I let that energy of light become my relationship with God. When in the desert, I must look to myself and to God to know the greater picture that she wants me to fulfill. Only then can I let my light shine and return to the world of others, knowing the broader purpose for my being.

Prayer:

Oh, Gracious God, help us to rejoice in your light of Grace. Help us to know that we can all shine forth, that we can all set ourselves upon the highest hill and be part of your light. As we remember Jesus in this season of celebration, let us renew our commitment to fulfill His promise, to be a gracious beacon of light to others who are seeking to find their way. Let us listen to our truth and know that God shares in our truth. God hear our prayers and renew us to your call. For like the shining light that sits alone in the wilderness, we wait for the promise that you offer, knowing that from upon high, you will always shine down upon us. We accept your call and will try each day to make true the Grace of your light. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Tom Keydel

Meditation:

A few years ago I heard Desmond Tutu declare in a radio interview, “Isn’t our God wonderful?” He was referring to the end of apartheid and the hope he felt for his people. I remember that “NPR moment” because I was so struck by his ability to rejoice after experiencing so much hardship. I could just feel his faith overflowing into the airwaves, and I was in awe. To rejoice in God’s presence no matter what comes my way, often challenges my faith. Yet, in the cynical, broken world we live in, trust in God is easily replaced with fear, hurt, or sadness. I have found, though, that at the end of the day, when I reflect on the million things that happened, God is everywhere. I've found that God lives in the joys and sorrows of every life event, however mysterious a presence — and that our God IS wonderful. Give thanks and rejoice!

Prayer:

Gentle God, you rejoice in us every moment of every day, with your love for us. Guide us, in turn, always to rejoice in you. Listening God, as we hold up to you the prayers and longings deep in our hearts, help us to be gentle and caring with the people around us, and brighten our attitude to one of trusting in you. Amen.

Maggie Mode

Meditation:

There are too many things in life that we all worry about. This is probably just human nature. There are times we know that we have to give up our worries and look to God for help. God wants to hear our concerns and problems. Through prayer we can talk to God. God listens to us in a way we don’t understand, but we believe God has unconditional love for us. Through this belief and prayer we can find peace and hope as we go through our daily lives.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the ability and opportunity to pray and for being there when we pray to you. Forgive us for not always having enough faith, which causes us to worry about things that we can't control or don't understand. You take on our burdens and make us realize that we are not alone. Even though you aren't a person we can see, we know that you understand us and love us unconditionally. Help us not to worry so much and to understand how to pray to you and to have faith in our prayers. Amen.

Confirmation Class

Laura Bulkeley

Alison Corman-Vogan

Libbey Davis

Addie Esposito

Lauren Makholm

Jocelyn Mercer

Charlie Nolan

Carey Spitzer

Meditation:

As I write this reflection, 2001 is drawing to a close.It has been a difficult year, to put it mildly. Of course the events of September 11 leap to mind, but I had a more mundane experience of feeling the separation between what I take for granted and the hard reality of that thing not being there. My car broke down just two weeks after Sept. 11. I was far from home and just leaving the turnpike when the clutch went out. I suppose I should have been expecting it from a 13-year-old-car still on its first clutch. Perhaps you are like me — I do pray more often than just in emergency situations — but my praying takes on a certain “intensity” at those times that it may lack during others. I prayed my way from the turnpike (in third gear, through many stop lights and stalls) the long four blocks to my destination. I was a bit shaky, and called Bill before I called AAA when I arrived. But although this everyday disaster seemed like the last straw in September, I didn't lose it. I made it through Christ, who gave me both the internal strength I needed, and a supportive, even-keeled husband to help out with the details of towing and car repair.

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for giving us the strength we need, just when we need it most. Thank you also for loving friends and family who help to sustain us along the way.

Laurel-Smith Doerr

Meditation:

During the time of Jesus, Jews and Samaritans did not share things in common. When Jesus asked a Samaritan woman for water from her well, the Samaritan woman was understandably disturbed. Two thousand years later, I am disturbed, too. I ask myself why people all over the world continue to dwell on differences between cultures, ethnicities, and religious affiliations when all members of humankind are so much more alike than we are different. Indeed, isn’t this truth what Jesus teaches us in John’s scripture?The use of water as a way of uniting Jew and Samaritan is of powerful import, since water is a universal need. Like food, water maintains and sustains us; without it a body cannot live. And without peace, people cannot live together in harmony. When we see God in the faces of the people we pass on the street every day — every face of every culture, color, and creed — then we have learned that we are all the same in the eyes of God.

Prayer:

God of wisdom and love, help us to focus our eyes, hearts, and minds on the similarities of all humankind, those things that make all of us the same. We need food and water, clothing, and shelter to live in dignity and to realize our full human potential. The water of this earth sustains and cleanses our bodies, but the water you promise us through your son, Jesus Christ, has the power to cleanse our spirits and give us everlasting life. May your living water flow like a river in our hearts. Amen.

Lauren Dewey-Platt

Meditation:

As someone who loves singing and music, I was struck in re-reading this very familiar passage that this psalm is perhaps even more about attitude than it is about music. Even for those among us who may be tone deaf or singing-challenged, this verse can have great meaning in getting our attitude straight when we come to worship. Be joyful! Set your cares and worries aside for this hour and rejoice. But even more than the cliché, “Don't worry, be happy!,” the psalmist tells us to be joyful with thanksgiving for the many gifts and blessings that God has bestowed on us. Sure, sometimes it is difficult to shrug your hardships aside — and that is why music here is used as a way to get our heads turned around. And it is not just any music but “joyful noise!” For me, when I hear that hand-clapping, side-swaying, black gospel music, I just can’t help but get joyful. But again, if music is not your thing, think of something else that works to transport you to that place, be it the sunlight through stained glass windows, memories of your favorite vacation spot, or the happy laughter of a child. And then, bring that joy in with you to worship.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to remember to check our cares and worries at the door and come into your presence with a joyful attitude. Whether it is through music, meditation, the sun on our faces, or even hearing a child’s laughter, help us to fill our hearts with exultation so that we can truly sing your praises in joyous gratitude. Amen.

Evan H. Shu

Meditation:

I close my eyes and visualize standing at the top of Crown Mountain. At over 1500 feet above sea level, I am at the highest point of land in the U.S. Virgin Islands. From this perspective I am in awe of God’s genius as an artist. I look out at Sir Francis Drake Channel. The sea is sapphire. The bays are turquoise. The islands are lush and green. I watch puffy clouds drift across blue skies and shower rain on areas below me. I marvel at God’ design for the cycles and systems of nature that govern our world. On Crown Mountain, Creator God demonstrates His majestic rule with beauty, elegance, and order.

Prayer:

Blessed land, blessed mountains and seas, you are not here as a gift to man, but as an integral part of a great design. Help us to respect God’s work and to study it. For in knowing God’s art, we may also know the artist.

Lise Beane

Meditation:

God, through the psalmist, gives us an invitation that we should not refuse! He calls us to take time to remember whom we are, His people, and to act on what that means to us. God reaches out to us, and we are to extend His invitation to others. I recently read a story in the Chicago Tribune (12/30/01) that illustrates the difference extending this invitation can make.

A young man was down on his luck. Having been kicked out of his apartment, and eventually those of all his friends, the young man was wandering the streets at night when he heard water and followed the sound to its source, a fountain. He lay in the grass and slept. Awakening a few hours later, he was unnerved by the realization he was lying in a cemetery . He tried the doors of a nearby church, found one unlocked and spent the rest of the night curled up in a pew. He was awakened by a group of the ladies of the church, and when he comprehended his situation, asked brightly, “Am I early for the church services?”

To their credit, the women of this church did not get the police, they got breakfast. They also got him a motel room for the next night and found him a spot in the men’s center. Those women did more than get him a meal or a place to sleep; they made him want to be like them, made him want to be one of those giving help. And so these ladies passed it on, the invitation of God to be one of His people.

Prayer:

Lord, we thank you for calling us to worship. So often the days and weeks become so busy that stopping for worship is pushed to the back of our minds. It is a comfort to know and believe that Your grace is calling us and that You are our God. Bless us on this day as we go about the business of living. Amen.

Sue Grefe

Meditation:

Faith, peace, grace — powerful praying words! I feel that I have experienced faith, peace, and the grace of God when I think of our daughter Susan’s struggle with ovarian cancer which we now feel is in remission. We celebrated Christmas Eve 2001 with Susan and her daughter, our granddaughter, Lindsey, at the First Parish of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. The Scripture readings reminded us of the grace shown to Adam and Eve, Abraham’s faith, and the peace that Christ brings us. We felt that faith, peace, and grace in our bones.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we thank you for all the gifts and blessings you shower upon us daily. We thank you for each new day, for food, shelter, water, and air, for Christian ministers, teachers and colleagues, and most of all for your son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Forgive us, God, when we sin and turn away. Grant us this day the faith, peace, and grace that comes only from you. Amen.

Duane Day

Meditation:

A man looked back on his times of pain and suffering, marked by one set of footprints in the sand. Where was God? God answered, “It was then that I carried you.” It is a big step to say we must rejoice in our suffering. But what does suffering mean? I do not feel justified even talking about suffering. I have never faced poverty, war or famine. I have never lost a child or a parent or a partner. I do not know someone who died in the World Trade Center. I have not had cancer or smallpox or AIDS. How easy is it for me to say “rejoice in our suffering?” I feel I have not even gotten my fair share. I have heard people who have experienced great pain say that they would not have chosen their trials, but they would not go back and change them. Neither would I because what does not kill us makes us stronger. Each step along the journey prepares us for the next. But we are not just preparing for the future when we face tribulation, we are fully experiencing the present. The times in my life I have faced pain and loss and misdirection have been the most emotionally and spiritually full. Praise God for those times when we have no choice but to submit to the love of God, to rest in those arms, to allow God to carry us.

Prayer:

Loving God, thank you for the capacity to feel pain. Thank you for the tribulations that remind us of our humanness. Thank you for the challenges that inspire us to greatness. Help us to remember when we experience moments of suffering that they are as important as the moments of joy because out of them our hearts and minds and souls can experience growth and change. Help us to take our trials for the opportunities they are, opportunities to learn important lessons, opportunities to grow closer to you and to one another. Help us to be sensitive to the suffering of others and to rejoice in opportunities to give, to help, to heal, to share the love and hope and faith that sustain us. Amen.

Jeanne Lucas

Meditation:

Me? Are you kidding? Some days, I can barely put one foot in front of the other. But I’m getting better. Was that your hand there when I needed it? Was it you who kept me from harm when I put myself in harm’s way so many times? I suppose so. A light to the nations, am I? I think you’ve got the wrong disciple here. You are the light. You open my blind eyes. You remove the demons from the dungeons of my own making. It is you who prevents me from sitting in the darkness for too long. I know, because you have called me in righteousness. I know, because there’s this covenant thing, although sometimes I don’t understand why. Something about being beloved. Something about serving. I am your servant, God. Yes, that’s my hand — don’t let go.

Prayer:

Gracious God, you have called us and we hear, although not often enough. You have taken us by the hand and held us, despite our frequent squirming. With the help of your holy light we can bring a message of hope to the people. Through acts of unconditional love we can open the eyes of the blind. By living in community with all people, we can open the doors of the prisons and let the prisoners go free. We can bring light to the dark places in our world, in our hearts, with your help and guidance, O God. Lead us in your righteousness and keep us on the good path, that we may prove to be your beloved children, honoring each other with dignity and grace. Amen.

Linda Dini Jenkins

Meditation:

Sight and light, blindness and its association with darkness have long been used by poets, pundits and preachers as literal or metaphorical opponents. Like two boxers in a ring, the one who can see has what seems to be an overwhelming advantage over another who cannot see. In traditional formulations, it is always the blind guy who gets knocked out, right? In Jesus’ day, to make matters worse, a condition such as blindness was thought to be caused by sin — either of the “victim” or his or her parents. Talk about a knock out!

But in relating this story, John’s purpose is not to rehash but to rebut what was then considered common wisdom. John’s Jesus says it is not sin, but God’s glory that is responsible for who we are and who we can become. Through faith, “sight” can be gained by one unable to see. As the story in John continues, the evangelist makes it clear that one who is blind can see more in Jesus’ light than can many a sighted person (especially if you happen to be a Pharisee) using eyes that can merely “see.”

Seeing in the light that Jesus brings does not come without some effort. The one who was blind had to believe there was a chance that sight would come. He had the volition to get up, wash that humble mud off, and claim the new sight given him. How do we claim our sight as followers of Jesus in our day?Are we open to what such “sight” shows us? Or do we look away, unwilling to see with Jesus’ eyes not only the beauty but the uglier parts of our world, and of ourselves?

Prayer:

God, open me to see with your sight. Let not my blindness keep me from your penetrating light and love. Amen.

Read Sherman

Meditation:

Webster’s dictionary offers several definitions of the word heart, one of which reads: “one’s innermost character, feelings or inclinations.”Throughout Scripture we see many references to expressions of the heart. In Ephesians, Paul says, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened”and “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to God.”

Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could quantify the “state of the heart”? The fruit of the Spirit might be considered the criteria used to measure the heart: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Hypothetically, we could create an index to record daily changes. The greater the manifestation of this criteria, the higher the number. We could turn on the news every night and see how this communal number has changed each day, similar to the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The “state of the heart” could be presented on par with the “state of the economy” and the “state of the union.” If it is important to God, let it be important to the people.

Prayer:

Gracious and ever-loving God, teach us what is important to you. Remind us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit as a way to nurture and care for our hearts. Cause us to come to you for refreshment and renewal. Lead us in the daily activities that would best strengthen our hearts and therefore our relationship with you, especially during this season of Lent.

James Ognibene

Meditation:

Throughout life I had always prided myself on being open-minded, compassionate, and sensitive. I had always believed in the Triune God, but eventually felt I needed a new Church home. After some time, the Almighty led me to Old South Church. Among the things that I treasure about this Church is the commitment to welcoming all God’s children through the “Open Door.” Old South is also dedicated to equity and social justice and the ministers truly care so much about all of us. It wasn’t until I joined this Church that the light finally dawned on me: the qualities that I admire in myself are also present in Old South. More importantly, all these attributes are gifts from God, truly fruit of the light.

Prayer:

Beloved Creator, thank you for open-mindedness, compassion and sensitivity. Thank you for all people everywhere who possess these qualities. Thank you for giving them to me. Let me be ever mindful that these attributes are truly a gift from you and when I act upon them I am responsible for continuing the work of your Divine Child, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Michael Fiorentino

Meditation:

In these uncertain times of worldly change and personal stress, I try to let go and let God show me the way. Daily I practice letting go by “stretching” and holding my hands as far over my head as possible...reaching toward God and welcoming in his wisdom. warmth and guiding ways. As I take in several deep breaths...inhaling and then exhaling as slow as possible, I feel a sense of relief, a releasing of tension and state of openness that results in a calming effect starting to run thoughout my body. This is my way of “stopping” whatever is going on in my world that causes my anxiety and stress and allows me to become more centered...letting God lead me into the right paths, to make the right decisions and to nourish my soul. When I am in this relaxed and more centered state, I can feel God’s all encompassing power flowing within me. When breathing in his love and understanding and exhaling stress and fear of change, I am reassured that when I “let go and let God” lead me, the decisions seem clear. His presence within me is manifested in showing me the way...guiding me along the path to the “greener pastures” and personal fulfillment.

Prayer:

Dear God, give us the strength, understanding and direction as we pause briefly in our daily routine to ask for help. As we reach up and breath in your love and calming nourishment and exhale the stress and concerns that are within us...allow us to absorb and process your divine presence in a way that will lead us in the right directions...allow us to make choices in our lives...all with the assurance that it’s your will and not ours that leads us along life’s future path and continues to nourish and restore our soul. Amen.

Elisha Pierce

Meditation:

I write this Lenten reflection just prior to Epiphany, with Christmas texts and music still ringing in my ears: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy! In many ways, it is a long way from this very familiar Psalm with its shepherd images to angelic voices singing over Bethlehem’s fields. But is it? Since September 11th (and long before that for much of the world, although we closed our eyes to it) we have experienced something of the darkest valley or, as the New Jerusalem Bible phrases it: a gloomy valley. We are not used to such places; we who always need to “walk on the sunny side of the street” and “get back to normal” as our leaders suggest.

Most often, we moderns are best described in lines by George Orwell Pleasure Spots: The lights must never go out, / The music must always play, / Lest we should see where we are — / Lost in a haunted wood; / Children afraid of the dark / Who have never been happy or good.

But like it or not, the darkest and most gloomy of valleys finds us out. Yet in such moments, beyond even our most cherished beliefs and even deeper than our nagging doubts are a rod and a staff, symbols of care and protection, and in them we find a deep and sustaining comfort. May this experience be ours in new and redeeming ways this Lent.

Prayer:

O God of Shepherd’s staff and Angels’ song, always walk with us, we beseech you, as we traverse the dark valleys of life. The future that lies before us is filled with uncertainties. Only your comfort and strength can sustain us. Help us to trust in your care. Amen.

Reverend Donald A. Wells

Meditation:

Who are my enemies? I see them as the disruptive occurences in one’s life over which you have very little control: death of a loved one, a debilitating illness, loss of a job, even the ups and downs of the stockmarket! This fall, our son-in-law had an illness crisis, not yet over and no knowledge of when it will be over. Christmas held little joy for us as we struggled to make the holiday happy, happier, happiest — not possible. But, when Christmas was past and life returned to consistent patterns, we began to think that a normal life was possible. Easter comes! Through the death and resurrection of Christ, “goodness and mercy will follow (us) all the days of (our lives).

Prayers:

Dear God, be with us in good and bad times. Teach us to appreciate your care and love. As we struggle with our enemies, continue to show us that your mercy will follow us all our days, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Maddie Burke

Meditation:

Haven’t we all felt like a lost sheep at times in our lives? Though we know we shouldn’t, sometimes we make choices that might hurt others and/or ourselves. It is easy to assume that our lives are puny; that our problems are insignificant in the eyes of others; that God has more important things to do than waste time on us. The good news is, GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US! Even at our lowest points, God is right there with us, pulling for us, holding our hand whether we need it or not. Remember the old song,“. . . ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you; He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through . . ?” How precious each and every one of us is to God!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, remind us that we are not perfect. We all make mistakes — help us to realize through our transgressions that your forgiveness and acceptance of us are unconditional. May we, in turn, be generous with others when they wrong us; help us to be people of grace and love, for these are healing powers. Let us make today a day to rejoice, both in our own lives and that of someone else. Amen.

Pam Roberts

Meditation:

This is the mystery of faith. Through Jesus, we have everlasting life! All he asks is that we believe. It’s that simple! Or is it? There are many times in life when we may doubt or even reject Christ. We might still come to church, partake of the Sacrament and pray. But will Jesus’ promise really hold true? There is so much despair, difficulty and degradation all around us. Death happens! And yet Jesus remains loving and steadfast. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. He comforts us in our sadness and lifts up we who are, lowly and bowed down. This is the gift of faith. I find the mystery of faith articulated in the great music of the ages. Listen to a performance of the double choir motet, “I Am the Resurrection and the True Life” by Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), one of J. S. Bach’s great predecessors. Or, “The Trumpet Shall Sound” from Messiah by George Frederick Handel (1685-1759). It will stir your soul and awaken your faith!

Prayer:

Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief. Amen.

Gregory Peterson

A Prayerful Meditation:

Out of the depths I call to you.

From the deepest, darkest recesses of my soul I cry

Where is my Peace?

Where is my Hope?

The death of two children and the suffering of a third

What have I done to deserve this?

What have they done to deserve this?

Tell me, from what iniquities must I seek pardon?

No Answer.

Silence.

and yet ...

I need not cry out, but look within.

Deep within the depths of despair I find

Not emptiness

Not aloneness,

but You, Holy Comforter — Wholly Comforter —

and Your Peace

Your Hope and

Your Abundant Grace.
 

In memory of Melanie Hope and Noah (Hebrew for Peace)

and in gratitude for Amanda Grace

Annamarie Ross Shu

Meditation:

On November 6, 1996 my father suffered a massive stroke. I stayed with him through the long sleepless nights in a chair beside his bed in the hospital. All I could do was pray and hope. Yes I waited in hope for the morning and for healing. I prayed, God please don't let him die! During those long dark nights I watched out the window for morning light to come over the horizon — and there it was, hope in God's daylight, another morning and Dad was alive! Thank you God! Thank you for your hope and patience and the ability to wait for the morning with you.

Prayer:

Loving God, gracious healer. It is by your grace we are here. You give us strength and patience. You help us to hope and to wait even during life's most trying circumstances. Help us always to remember those at the bedside of loved ones waiting. Waiting in hope, waiting for healing and waiting for the morning. Lift them up, grant them peace. Grant them patience just to wait. Amen.

Arlen Brown

Meditation:

O Israel, waiting for divine redemption. What a long, strange wait it’s been. Countless iniquities and intervening years, Yet, we wait, Not recognizing, not accepting the divine. How much we have in common. We are waiting — some hopefully, some hopelessly. Most of us, simply waiting, for what we do not know.

Prayer:

Lord, help me as I wait. Amen.

Tim Jenkins

Meditation:

I don’t know how to pray to God very well. I often feel cut off from God and from others. Often, I don’t understand the holy words of the Bible. I try to follow the example of Jesus and know that I sometimes fail. But God reaches out to me and shows me what to do. The Divine Spirit touches my soul with wisdom and through the good memories of what my departed family members taught me. And God accepts the bad memories.

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to hear your teachings and to understand their wisdom more than I do now. Help me to understand and wisely use the gifts that you have given me. Help me to feel your Holy Spirit and to reconnect with my ancestors. Help me to become more aware and loving to those around me on this earth. Thank you for listening to my prayers, O Lord. Amen.

Liza Roman

Meditation:

Dear God, in a world where human will is active, sometimes I can get lost. This feeling of being lost, of living in silence, removes me from your tender care. However, during these times of silence, the weight of your divine will lures me to what is familar and safe. God, thank you for forgiving those silent and lost moments. Thank you for your heavy hand.

Prayer:

O God. forgive me my lack of attention. I need to focus on you more often. Your patience is unending and I do not deserve it. Thank you for staying with me. Amen.

Rolanda Ward

Meditation:

A child’s greatest fear is of separation, abandonment and rejection in relationship to the key source of love in his/her life. Yet most of us face numerous hurts, traumas, losses and disappointments that call into question the secure base of our lifeline of love. Such emotionally painful experiences often call forth the question that Job wrestled with so poignantly as to whether our tragic losses and suffering mean that God, too, has abandoned us. We hunger for the assurance and the security that the Heart of the Universe is a love that Jim Crawford speaks of as “a love that will never let us go.” We yearn for the experience of Julian of Norwich that “we are endlessly loved by an endless love.” We need to know that in spite of all the evil realities that surround us, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, that nothing in all creation, neither in the present nor in the future, can ever separate us from the love of God. We live in the New Reality of Resurrection Love that no matter how or how many times our lives are shattered and crucified, that we are bonded to the God of unambiguous and unconditional love who is always there with us.

Prayer:

Give us, O God, the trust to believe that we are grounded in the ultimate safe place in Your heart of endless love. While everything may change around us, help us to experience that Your love is the one constant reality that we can count on and bet our life on. Let Your unconquerable, reliable, and faithful love be a central reality and truth in our hearts that we may live with courage and with hope in knowing Your abiding love. Amen.

Reverend Merle Jordan

Meditation :

In my Bible, I highlight passages I like and words that jump out at me. In Matthew 21, I have two words highlighted in orange. They are both in verse five, both used to describe Jesus. The two are almost on top of each other. They are “king” and “humble.” These words stick out to me because of their relationship to one another. The word “humble” is used as an adjective for “king.” This seemingly incongruous combination of words captures the shocking beauty and revolutionary character of Jesus’ life. Jesus took an entire value system and stood it on its head. Royalty was humility, and it rode on a donkey.

Prayer:

Dear God, you did not arrive in a shining chariot. You did not come with a mighty army. You came in humble beauty, and you gave me my salvation. I would not have wanted it any other way. Your humility is what makes my heart swell and my soul rise. Your gentle grace is what makes me say “amen.” I could not ask for anything more. Your love is sufficient. It is what brings me all that my spirit needs. It is what encourages me to turn my life anew. No longer do I ask for prestige. No longer do I ask for honor. All I ask is to walk by your side. Amen.

Brooks Berndt, Ministerial Intern

Meditation:

March 24 marks the 22nd anniversary of the martyrdom of Salvadorean Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero — murdered as he raised the chalice to bless the wine during a memorial Mass for a devoted parishioner.

Romero, like Jeremiah, knew that the Lord had called him “I chose you before I gave you life. I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.” And, Romero’s early years as a priest echoed Jeremiah’s initial response to God, “I don’t know how to speak; I am too young.”

Shortly after becoming archbishop of the capital, San Salvador, and surrounding provinces in February 1977, Romero heeded God’s words, “Go to the people I send you to and tell them everything I command you to say.” At the time the military-led government was holding a priest it accused of “subversive” activities — preaching the Gospel to the poor. Romero went to the general-president and demanded that the priest be released to him. The president said he would release the priest but that Romero needed to control him and other priests like him. Without blinking Romero responded, “With all due respect, Mr. President, we take our orders from someone higher.”

Over the next three years, as seven priests were murdered and countless laity were killed or “disappeared,” Romero became knows as “The Voice of those who have no voice.” His Sunday Mass became the single most listened to radio program in the country. In it, the diminutive archbishop laid out a clear exegesis of the day’s lectionary readings — then turned to the events of the week just past. In a country with a sixty percent illiteracy rate, this was truly a national “newspaper.” Every human rights abuse, whether from the right or left, was reported and denounced. There was commentary on an unjust economic situation that kept 70 percent of Salvadoreans in poverty.

The message was prophetic in the Old Testament sense: Romero consistently, unwaveringly called the people to themselves. For three years his was the loudest voice in Central America for justice. He understood, as did Isaiah, that if you want peace, you must work for justice and Romero remind us that prophets are born in every age — and that we ignore them at our peril. Their message — God’s message — of peace through justice echoes in the crises of these days and calls us — His people — to remember that God gives us, as he gave Jeremiah and Romero, the words we must speak.

Prayer:

O God of the nations and the ages, recall us to our prophetic heritage. Give us wisdom to know what must be said and the courage to speak it. Amen.\

Tommie Sue Abrahams

Meditation:

As I reflect upon these marvelous words, they are a sign of great hope and inspiration. It is easy to allow ourselves to become pre-occupied with the views and opinions of others. We can even allow ourselves to change what we do based on how others might perceive or respond to us. Jesus had a great following while he was on the Earth, but he was also despised and rejected by many others. Throughout it all, he remained true to Himself and to the Word of the Father.

It can be hard for us to do the same, it is far easier to be distracted and to allow ourselves to stray from the divine in order to feel a temporary acceptance on Earth. In the same way, we also unconsciously can make others stray from God’s words, by not welcoming who they are and making them feel a member of God’s family including all of their uniquenesses and their own personal journey. By keeping Christ's trials and Truth in our minds, and always trying to remember what He would do, we can find the strength to keep focused on the joy and happiness Christ provides when we walk together. It can also encourage us to be the light to others as Christ was for us, so that they too can find peace and happiness.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us to draw our strength and conviction from you. Help us to heed the example of Christ both in how to stay in your light and how to show others around us the glorious light of your grace and reconciliation. Help me to build my foundation around the capstone of Christ and challenge me to forever grow in your peace and understanding. Through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brent R. Damrow

Meditation:

Should I even try to measure the greatness? In Her hands are the depths of the earth, the very heights of the mountains, and the impossible grandeur of the sea. I cannot come close to measuring it. It is just too much for me to take in! All I can do is allow myself to be in awe at the marvelous gift of Her inspiration; that from Her hand, the impossibility of life was allowed to walk upon the earth; that from Her thought, every star makes its way across the midnight sky; that from the bounty of Her heart, I have been allowed to experience Her gift of living, breathing, life. A rare gift! — To stand in the presence of God with the absolute awareness of all that She has given me and to offer back to Her my gratitude. The question the psalmist puts to us isn't so much, “How can we measure the Greatness of God?” rather it's, “Can any of us truly stand in the center of our gratitude?” God has given so much — what could I possibly say or do that would warrant her attention? But at the center of it all, I know, with all my heart, that God's abundantly given life is a testament of Her love for me. For God so loved us all she made all that is appear, I offer back to Her my gratitude, knowing that no matter how inadequate I feel, my gratitude will be enough.

Prayer:

Oh gracious and loving God, you have filled my life with every possible dimension of love. As I go into the Easter season, I am especially grateful for your gift of Jesus Christ. Help me to hold on to that sense of gratitude as I move through this season of celebration. Enable me to fill the time between moments of celebration with your promise of love. Help me to see all people as an expression of your love, to know the actions of all people as expressions of your love, to listen to words and meditations of my heart as gifts I offer back to you. And please, God, let me live each day knowing that all your creation is holy: the rivers and valleys, the oceans and mountains, the blue skies and green grasses. You have given life abundantly and for that I am truly grateful. Amen.

Tom Keydel

Meditation:

Isn't it true that we remember things through our senses? A smell, a touch, a taste can bring a rush of memories faster than words ever can. On the final night with all of his disciples, Jesus moved beyond words to represent his ministry through the senses — touch and taste. He bathed the disciples’ feet and dried them with a towel, so that they would remember through his gentle touch to love and serve one another. At their last supper, he offered them bread and wine, that those tastes might recall his presence to them. Jesus connected everyday things to his own ministry, so the disciples could remember him through what they tasted and touched in addition to what they heard.

But the biggest power of those sensory experiences Jesus offered his disciples is that we can participate in them, too. Even two thousand years later, we remember Jesus in the breaking of the bread and the pouring of the cup. We can engage in a foot-washing service to remind us of our call to be in humble service to one another. As we move through this Holy Week and mark Maundy Thursday, we participate in Christ’s life through these sensory reminders: bread and cup, water for washing.

Prayer:

God of touch and taste, thank you for all that we can taste and touch and smell and hear and see. Remind us this Holy Thursday of your presence on earth in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in Christ’s life through the communion table. Each time we partake of the elements of bread and wine, may our spirits be drawn ever closer to you. Through our senses, awaken us once more to your call to service. Amen.

Reverend Jennifer Mills-Knutsen

Meditation:

Dare we follow Peter? Dare we follow Christ through his trial, his flogging, and his crucifixion?

One year I was led to follow Christ to Calvary in a most powerful way. At a Good Friday service in downtown Seattle I was handed a nail as I entered the time of ecumenical worship. About half an inch in diameter and eight or nine inches long, it was smaller than the stakes used in ancient times but it drove the point home nonetheless. Today Christ is crucified. Today our incarnate God is nailed to the cross.

Holding that nail in my hands throughout the service challenged me to consider the ways I am like Herod and Pilate and members of those jeering crowds. Like responsive readings that have us say, “Crucify him,” I found myself reflecting upon “confessing” how I turn against the message of universal salvation and abiding love God brings to the world in the form of Jesus. How do I really respond to Christ’s presence and teachings?How am I like those who undermine God’s power in the tragic scenes of this day?

Good Friday is filled with the opportunity to walk with Christ to Calvary, with tears in our eyes, shame in our hearts, repentance on our lips. It is a day we can face our denial and come, at the end, to God’s abiding care. That is what is “good” about this day. Like Peter, we are met with mercy and love even as we may deny the presence of our Savior.

Prayer:

Eternal God, Merciful Christ, on this day we dare call good we come to you with heavy hearts, sorry for the ways we deny your loving power in this world. Receive our confessions and offer us forgiveness and renewal that we may always follow you, even when that means we climb to Calvary. Amen.

Reverend Lael P. Murphy

Meditation:

Not the last months of life. Not the last weeks or days. Nor even the last minute. The last second. Like twilight upon the end of day, death has entered upon the territory of life, settled in its bodily terrain. All has been done that he can do. All the healing of others. The teaching and walking together. And conflict and suffering. All that he could do. Done.

What remains will be done for him, wrapped around him with tender reverence by one he barely knew. Taken. Wrapped. Laid.

That which is human, all that is human, has now been his. So if I wonder

how human, really, the divine can be, just how human was his lot. The

answer is, for now, more human, yet more human than my own — or any who read these words.

Prayer:

Give us, holy God, in these hours before your Resurrection, to see the utter humanity of the life of your Son, by seeing not only his death, but the need he had of others in this last of human experience. Give us to see him gently laid and resting in the common lot of death, that we may know, in his rising, the true blessing of the Resurrection morning. That, seeing death, we may see life truly — and rejoice. Amen.

Reverend Patricia F . Hazeltine

Victory!:

And so now we’ve been through Holy Week. We’ve seen the tremendous excitement and anticipation of Palm Sunday go right down the drain. We’ve joined Jesus at table, sharing in an intimate meal, realizing the breaking and pouring we observed there illustrate the quality depth and risk involved in our own witness. We’ve gone to Gethsemane and hoped with Jesus that his life might not end so quickly or so horribly. We’ve stood at the foot of the Cross, in shock, perhaps, as did those disciples, deciding the world is up for grabs, and finally, “might makes right.” Indeed, if Jesus can die like that, this world is no more than a Darwinian, dog-eat-dog struggle against forces that would do us in, take us under, disintegrate and destroy us.

Then comes this moment, this occasion, this mighty event. What does Easter mean? After Holy Week, and the violent events of Friday, what does Easter assert? Easter says the bloody events of Friday do not bear the last word. Easter says we dare call that Friday “Good!” Easter says the power of God lies not in preventing the terrible and inhumane things we can do to one another, but that God’s power lies in taking them, transforming them, recasting them, and exercises a capacity to take the worst and turn it to good. In that confidence lies our faith and our hope. Incredible! Astounding! “He is not here. He is risen!!” Alleluia!

Prayer:

O God of power: embrace this wonderful world of yours, clasp it, nourish it, restore it, reconcile it, renew it. We pray you take those things that diminish and destroy us and recast them in your image: an image of the face of Jesus Christ, that the world and all that is in it, may finally reflect your victory. Amen.

Rev. James W. Crawford, Minister Emeritus