Lent 03•07•2021: Show Me The Way

Sunday, March 7th, 2021

Greetings friends and family —-

Today marks the third Sunday of Lent and with it we can see many changes happening around us. The days are getting longer, trees and flowers are budding, and the sun is providing warmer temperatures. The stores are stocking up on Easter candy, baskets and spring clothing. One of the things I miss most about Sunday is sharing in communion with my church family. I know it should be the same doing it alone at home but it is not. I miss sharing in community communion along with my church family, soon hopefully soon. 🙏🏻🤍

Whoever drinks this water

will be thirsty again;

but no one who drink the water that I shall give him

will ever be thirsty again:

the water that I shall give him

will become in him a spring of water, welling up for

eternal life.

— John 4:13b-14

The Eucharist, as communion is commonly referred to in many churches and by Henri J. M. Nouwen, author of “Show Me The Way,” the companion book I’m reading as I blog each day. The Eucharist is the most concrete and visual thing, we have as believers in God’s love. It is through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that we see him fully divine, fully human and he became the bread and wine. It is through the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine that’s God’s love can become our own. Jesus is not an abstract idea made up, or a theory being tested, no Jesus makes it very clear in his own words in John 6:55-57

Each and every time we receive the bread and wine, Jesus’ love is give to as, the same love he showed on the cross. God’s love/Jesus’ love is for everyone; through all places and times, all religions and creeds, all races and classes, all tribes and nations, all sinners and saints. (1)

Jesus praying for those killing him is the enemy-loving love of God; that is the love offered to us in the Eucharist. Jesus’ love has no boundaries, all are welcomed to his table, at the Eucharist. “That is a divine gift. That’s why it’s so important to make the Eucharist the heart and center of our lives. It is there that we receive the love which empowers us to take the way that Jesus has taken before us: a narrow way, a painful, but the way that gives us true joy and peace and enables us to make the non-violent love of God visible in this world.” (2)

Jesus shows us how far God’s love goes when he prayed for those executing him. “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” — Luke 23:34.

Lenten M•I•C•R•O Practice for today:

~ Be Inconvenienced – Sunday 3

Cut out a modern convenience that you use regularly (digital devices, microwave, coffee maker, etc.) for a day. How does this change your daily activities?

🙏🏻 Prayer 🙏🏻

As the deer yearns 🦌

for running streams, 🏞

so I yearn 🤍

for you, my God. ✝️

In you is the source of life, 🌎🌏🌍

by your light we see the light. 🔆

— Psalm 42:1; 36:9

~Charlotte, the Seeker of unexpected Comfort, Happiness, Joy and Patience.

References:

Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing 

(1) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 62, paragraph 1.

(2) Show Me The Way — Henri J.M.Nouwen • 1992 The Crossroad Publishing • Page 62, paragraph 2 (some paraphrasing).

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

(NIV) New International Version Bible/Translation 

(NRSVA) New Revised Standard Version Apocrypha 

(NJBV) New Jerusalem Bible Version/Translation