After his baptism, Jesus was driven into the desert for forty days and forty nights. Some gospels focus on that time as a time of temptation, others as a time of silence, others as time with God. The Gospel of Mark notes “Jesus was with wild animals and cared for by angels.” During those days of preparation, we are reminded of our own preparation and time with God. This is the first Sunday of Lent, we are preparing ourselves anew for Easter. I urge you, in the spirit of God’s extravagant love, to observe a Lent-filled love that pulls you beyond your own comfort: by self-examination and repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial, reading, meditating on God’s word, and loving God’s people.
During Lent, some of you, by habit, will give something up, may you consider —giving up your malice, your resentment, your apathy. Others might consider taking something on for lent—taking on prayer, fasting, serving, scripture reading.
Pause today to hear where God is calling you.
Our Gospel lesson features friends who knew the greatest desire of their friend’s heart was healing from Jesus. The paralytic could not get to Jesus on his own. It was the cooperation of his friends that made it happen. We need one another. In an individual world, hear that again: we need one another! They had to conspire and co-conspire to get him to Jesus. They had to be inventive when getting to Jesus met with the roadblock of getting him into the house. Their boundless creativity lowered him into the house, when others might have given up. Commitment and ingenuity kept them going.
On this first Sunday of Lent, this is where we find ourselves. We find ourselves called to listen to those around us. The voice of God is speaking through those around us. We hear that our neighbors are hungry, when we hear that in the last 6 weeks, we have handed out over 52 bags of emergency food in our food pantry alone. Some might ask, is there still the Bridge? Do we still participate with other food pantries in the area? YES! Kennett Food Cupboard, The Bridge, and Neighborhood Services are all set up to provide longer term services in coordination with government programs for feeding programs. On top of all those well-established programs, our neighbors are hungry! Please keep helping us feed them, help them with toiletries, and cleaning supplies. We are listening to what they need in the short term as well as what conversations we need to have in the longer term for bridges out of poverty. Where are you listening to the needs of those around you?
I had been moved by the story of 29-year-old Kevan Chandler who was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disease which limits his mobility. His friends listened well to the dream of his heart to visit some specific places that were not handicap accessible. Seven friends spent a year working toward their goal to travel, including a fundraiser, and designing a backpack to carry Kevan on their backs. This project became known as We Carry Kevan and grew to be more than they ever dreamed as the world turned to watch with overwhelming support. And in June of 2016, they boarded an airplane to Paris, leaving Kevan’s wheelchair at the Atlanta airport. The team spent three weeks exploring the cities and countryside of Europe, completely unhindered by the question of accessibility. Who are you being called to called physically, mentally, and emotionally? (1) We need one another, so we all go further.
On Wednesday, we gathered as a community for Ash Wednesday. Some gathered at noon. Some gathered at 7pm. Others joined us on-line as we live-streamed through Facebook. Look for more opportunities to join us in worship through livestreaming. Along with Pastor Shirley and Pastor Kevin, I held the privilege of imposing ashes on those who chose to remember their baptismal vows and their mortality. I am always struck by the delicacy of tracing the ashen cross on both those I have actually baptized and those I stand in a line of clergy who have baptized. I am struck by tracing the ashen cross on ninety-three-year old’s as well as three-year-old.
As a pastor, I say the words, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, from God you have and to God you will return” praying that they will not return to God too soon. That each and every person whose mortality I contemplated with them, will have an opportunity to know the fullness of life. This year, like many years, I traced crosses on the foreheads of my own husband, children, and mother as well as many friends. I pray for their long, full, lives along with yours.
You and I both, ended out Ash Wednesday/ Valentines with the news that 17 families whose realities were filled with grief that Ash Wednesday evening, rather than reflection. Hearts heavy with pain as well as exhaustion – How long, O Lord? How long, Lord, must we worry about our children? As we pause to listen, what is it that we hear? Where is it that we called to pause long enough to listen and then move to action?
The psalmist writes, “Be still and know that I am God.” Spiritual directors will walk you through the practice of praying those words one at a time until each one is a prayer. Be. Still. And. Know. That. I. Am. God. Each word is listening to God. Each word is necessary to hearing God’s movement in how God is calling you into action to serve others. “See I am doing a new thing” says the Lord. God is using you. You must pause to listen to how and where God wants to use you to serve your friends and the world you.
What are the needs of your friends and the community around you? Do your friends need you to take you to Jesus for healing and wholeness? Are they eager to have the hands of Jesus bring them physical healing so they can walk again? Do they want Jesus to live in their heart and be their Savior? Do your friends need you carry them around they world, so they can worship and be amazed with awe at the wonder of God’s creation? Do your friends need you to hear them as they seek answers in the midst of grief and pain the brokenness in our word? Do they need someone to sit beside them and write to our congress people about where we finally need gun reform? Do they need someone one to speak out and inspire change? Where is God calling you? Pause to listen first. So, that you serve God, by serving God’s people.
This is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, thanks be God, Amen.
[1] http://wecarrykevan.com/ The View From Here
Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 43:18-21
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Psalter: Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
Gospel Lesson: Mark 2:1-12
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Meditations For Your Week
Sunday, February 18~ Saturday, February 24
Sunday: “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46: 10. Let these words be your prayer today in fear and joy.
Monday: “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old.” Isaiah 43: 18. How easy it to recount and get caught in retelling and replaying the tapes of failures and inadequacies of days gone by. Let today be the day that you pause to let God be the voice to whisper into to your ear what God has in mind. God’s plans are better than our retellings of the days gone by.
Tuesday: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43: 19. Where is God speaking possibility where it seems like there may be no way forward at all? Pause to hear God’s way.
Wednesday: “When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.” Mark 2: 1-2. The power of Jesus in the lives of those around him exceeded spaces that could hold him. Jesus spoke to people outside. They could not fit in houses! Listen to God, anywhere you are. Pause outside. Pause in the car. Pause anywhere you feel the tug in your heart. God is there!
Thursday: “Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.” Mark 2: 3-4. The paralytic and the friends had faith. The friends heard the need of the man and wanted to help. The man told the story enough to move the friends. All worked together to get to Jesus. Are you listening to what your friends need? Are you sharing what you need with your friends?
Friday: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” Mark 2: 5. Notice Jesus recognizes their faith, not just the paralytic. We need one another. Who are you serving with?
Saturday: “And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” Mark 1: 12. The ways of God amaze and astonish. Look today to see where God is moving around you! (Not IF, but WHERE!)