John Henry Ducachet Wingfield (September 24, 1833 – July 27, 1898) was the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California, serving in that capacity from 1874 to 1898. He was consecrated as missionary bishop of Northern California on December 2, 1874, but remained in charge of his parish in Petersburg, Virginia until April, 1875. His See was at St. Paul’s, Benicia.
WINGFIELD DEANERY St. Paul’s. Benicia St. Luke’s, Calistoga St Brigid of Kildaire, Rio Vista St. Luke’s, Woodland St. Martin’s, Davis St. Mary’s, Napa Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville Grace, Fairfield Church of the Ascension, Vallejo Grace, St. Helena The Belfry, Davis Ash Wednesday
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1
Growing up I was younger than my classmates, an awkward, shy, uncoordinated girl lacking in confidence. Always and forever the last one chosen for any team, I felt rejected and as if I didn't belong. I carry the stigma of these painful experiences deep inside me still.
Imagine my joy when I learned that God chose me as His very own child, beloved, worthy, valuable just as I am. In His eyes I am perfectly made, coordinated, confident and first on His team.
Ash Wednesday, the first of forty days of Lent, commemorates our place in the family of God. It's a day of penitence, grieving our sins and recognition of our mortality. As Christians we wear the cross in blessed ashes on our foreheads memorializing Jesus's death on the cross, telling the world that we are God's own. We belong to Him. Lent is our preparation for Easter, a time to reflect on the meaning of Christ's life and His death. No amount of fasting or castigating ourselves during Lent will remove the stain of past injustices or ward off future ones. Only Christ's love frees us from our frailties and actions that 'miss the mark.'
As the cross is outlined on my forehead I vow to treat others more kindly, to invite the shy stranger on the sidelines to join, to encourage the awkward child to step forward. I ask for forgiveness for all the times I've been exclusive rather than inclusive, cruel rather than lovingly kind and evasive instead of honest.
Of course, Christ Jesus knows these faults and loves me anyway. I pray I can love myself well enough to wear the ashes of His love proudly and with confidence on Ash Wednesday. And when I look in the mirror on Thursday I will see the cross lovingly drawn on my forehead, remembering I still belong to God and that my purpose on earth is to love others as I have been loved. Pat Morgan St. Paul’s, Benicia
2 Thursday, March 2
Deuteronomy 7:6-11 It was because the Lord loved you…
The writer of Deuteronomy understands that the relationship between Israel and God is a covenant relationship. God does not keep his word to Israel because it is a great nation, but because he had set his heart on Israel – because he loves the people of Israel. In a similar way, as Christians we understand that God’s love for us flows from grace – from the free and unmerited favor of God, and that this love is manifest in our salvation through Christ. This love, this salvation, is not based on our worthiness, not based on our good deeds, but on the unmerited love of God.
What we may overlook from time-to-time is that God’s love flows to all humankind. The same unmerited love, the same grace that flows to you and I, flows to all our neighbors as well. As we learn to live into the reality that we are truly loved by God, and that this love is unearned, we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves – called to love our neighbors as we are loved. In Lent, we prepare to greet the risen Lord who makes manifest God’s love for us.
St. Mary’s, Napa
3 Friday, March 3
As I began to think about Lent, it dawned on me how little I about how this fasting season so I decided to educate myself. Surprisingly, there were conflicts in various versions on the history of the subject matter; but briefly summarizing the basics. According to The Restored Church of God (rcg.org); the word Lent stems from the Anglo-Saxon word Lencten which means “spring” and originated from an old Babylonian religion. The 40 days of abstinence came directly from worshipers of the goddess of that religion and took place from spring to early summer.
The church in Rome addressed Lent under Constantine at the Council of Nicea, A.D.325 (the legalization of Christianity). In order to merge the two conflicting festivals - Pagan and Christian, Rome’s rulers took official measures to merge the two into one cohesive festival (Council of Laodicea, A. D.360). They replaced Passover with Easter and moved the pagan feast of Tammuz to early Spring thus ‘Christianizing’ it. Lent was simultaneously moved as well. Although Lent does not specifically originate from the Bible, it is embedded in our Christian faith and is not difficult to validate. 40 days relates directly to the time Jesus spent fasting in the Wilderness. As well, fasting, prayer, and meditation help us to draw closer to God even though fasting cannot and does not purify us spiritually. It is really through the conversion of our mind and heart being actively guided by the Holy Spirit that God works “in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13)
We employ various examples of penance such as giving up tangibles like sweets, coffee or other food stuffs or ceasing certain actions. Last year, I decided that instead of the usual, I would attempt something troubling for me that would serve as both penance and purification. I am often vexed by the meanness of people although I am not by nature one to hold grudges. But I have had violent reactions when rude drivers nearly run me over causing me to barely avoid a major accident or from out of the blue someone hurls racial slurs at me from their car window; or casts dispersions on me, a stranger unknown to them . I decided to: give up reacting in kind; give up the desire to be vindictive, and let go of my mean feelings. The companion part of that involves keeping a positive frame of mind and asking myself what Jesus might say or do in such situations; And to say a sincere prayer for those folks. It has been a challenge; but I am continuing my mission this Lent hoping to improve upon my fast to eliminate mean or evil thoughts and have a more purified heart as I observe the Stations of the Cross, Ash Wednesday, etc. and prepare for the risen Lord at Easter. Asleain Scotty Hodges Grace Church, Fairfield
4 Saturday, March 4
Lent is a penitential season-getting ready for Easter. The time of awareness of our thoughts, actions, relationships and our discipline for this season. The meaning of our faith that God has made us one in Christ. My discipline is the awareness of my sins. Penance.
Psalm 32:3 When I declared not my sins, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
I acknowledged my sin to thee and I did not hide my iniquity. This can be uncomfortable, challenging and sometimes with painful insights.
Psalm 32:5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sins.
The Lord is always listening to my asking for him to hear me. My focus this Lenten season is to listen to Him in self surrender and trust. Trusting is to wait patiently in silence, to be still, to be loved, just to be. He gives me His sustaining grace to move forward in His love and forgiveness with His peace that surpasses all understanding.
Psalm 30:2 I cried to the Lord for help and the Lord my God has healed me.
Hope, peace and joy are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I am looking forward to Easter!
Dawn Preisler Church of St. Martin, Davis
5
First Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
St. Luke’s, Calistoga 6 Monday, March 6
Deuteronomy 8:1 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth…
I watched banner headlines on several news programs this morning, eight men (mainly American) each possessed a wealth equal to that of the poorest half of the world’s population. I wondered why these men had this wealth while so many went homeless, cold, and hungry: did that make them satisfied or did they desire more, and did they even care that they had a surfeit of that which most had so little? I don’t feel outrage by this, but I don’t feel that these men accumulated this wealth by any more extraordinary skills, intellect, or acumen than others have. Instead, I feel that this benevolence was given to them by some happenstance; that fortune, as much as that of their own efforts, was responsible for them amassing this wealth. And I don’t begrudge them their possessions; I feel most of us would love to have a little more wealth. But the real question is of what should that wealth consist?
I feel that this is an appropriate question for us in the season of Lent: a time of reflection as we approach Easter, a celebration of God sacrificing himself in the form of his son Jesus for our salvation in order that we can uphold our end of the covenant He made with man. I want to emphasize that it is through God that we are given all things, including “wealth”. But wealth consists not only earthly possessions, but also relates to our spiritual relationship with the Lord. God gives us the “power” to grow in spiritual enlightenment, to be more like him, but only if we accept that as the “wealth” we truly should be after. So as we reflect during the season, let’s remember to ask for the true wealth that God gives us: our own continued development as his children.
Paul Murgatroyd Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville
7 Tuesday, March 7
Several years ago, I was a member of a spiritual formation group that read Marjorie Thompson’s book, Soul Feast. The facilitator selected one spiritual practice from each chapter for a shared group experience, leaving others for us to explore on our own. ‘Life Review’, a practice of self-examination, was one skipped as a group. When I read the description, I intuitively knew that my soul yearned for the opportunity to review the span of my life, not as a spiritual autobiography, but from a critical perspective.
While there are a number of ways to focus your ‘Life Review’, I chose to explore ‘wholeness’ using Parker Palmer’s description of soul from his book, A Hidden Wholeness. I examined at my life journey to reveal with ‘new eyes’ events that threatened my sense of God-given ‘wholeness’ when needs, like safety and purpose, were not met. As I moved through passages of childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age and beyond, I made lists of significant events (e.g. mother’s death, divorce). Then for each major time period, I identified efforts to protect or heal myself, exposing both positive and negative results. Finally I asked, “Where was God?” during each passage of time. How did our relationship evolve and when did moments of Grace influence my journey? Embracing the span of my life, filled with brokenness and healing, I saw the ‘hidden wholeness’ emerging. As my relationship with God matured, I began to surrender the need to control, hide or escape. Despite diversions from the ‘faithful’ path, God had continued to woo and guide me.
‘Life Review’ was the impetus for another spiritual practice, a Gratitude Journal. My initial entries were filled with gratitude for what I learned from the ‘Life Review’. Now, I keep it tucked in the front of the journal as a reminder of God’s presence and of my wholeness in God’s image. This Lent, I intend to re-examine and update the ‘Life Review’ knowing that with God’s help there will be new epiphanies to celebrate and new questions to ponder. The Rev. Susan Napoliello St. Luke’s, Calistoga
8 Wednesday, March 8
This is what Lent means to me
Lent is a season in our lives where we focus on simple living, praying, loving each other and sometimes fasting. I do these things to become closer to God as we approach the resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ. For me this is always a happy and positive time.
Recently I was with my four year old grandson and we were coloring. The coloring book had pictures of Jesus as a baby. My grandson said “Grandma, who is this baby?” and I spent the next ten minutes telling him about Jesus and the upcoming Lent season. What a joyous time this was for me.
Laura Delaney St Brigid of Kildare Episcopal Church, Rio Vista
9 Thursday, March 9
The Lenten and Easter seasons give Christians many options for celebration, service and worship. There is always the issue: “What do I give up for Lent?” Or instead we can ask: “What can I do to meet my need to give something to another or others to enrich or relieve the struggles of their lives or to increase their experience of our Christian legacy?”
Or we might take a more circumspect approach to this season and try to find new meanings, increased depth of knowledge or understanding of historical issues as myriad churches have been formed. This can be done through formal classes, informal education through selected or recommended readings, or group studies and discussions. Perhaps you can think of other approaches for what you would like to do to recognize the Lenten and Easter seasons. The point of this activity is to move your spiritual life to the forefront of your life for some small but focused block of time and activities in your annual cycle of worship.
We have so many different and often conflicting tasks and activities in our lives that we should take a step back and try to organize our lives to pare and prioritize what we decide are the most important to us. Don’t try to do all of everything, but don’t make your spiritual life an “I’ll fit it in somewhere” element. With the Lenten/Easter seasons already giving us a block of time and a focus let’s all get imaginative and then let’s get the plan done and then let’s do the plan!
Then give God thanks for guiding us through this very important beginning task. Bill Brown St. Luke’s, Woodland
10 Friday, March 10
"Out of the darkness and into the Light” is a phrase which I've heard many times during my life.
As uncomfortable as I may have felt with darkness, I was also comforted in knowing that Light can penetrate even the darkest arenas.
And so I continue to trust in the Light of Christ during dark periods.
During the Lenten season especially, Christians recall and relive Christ's dark suffering and death.
Through deep devotion we “die” and shed our old, unwanted ways.
We are saved by Christ’s death and born anew in the brilliant Light of His resurrection.
We celebrate Victory on Easter Sunday, remembering that Darkness has absolutely no chance against Light; we grow in strength and walk as victorious Light-bearers.
We are sons and daughters of God, and brothers and sisters in Christ.
And for this we are most grateful!
Judith Caldwell Grace, St. Helena
11
Saturday, March 11
I grew up nonreligious family and only heard of Lent a general way. Years ago I began attending Catholic Mass with my elderly neighbor. Ruth carefully reminded me when to “eat fish”, which puzzled me because I am largely vegetarian. We never observed Lent (Saturday Mass) but just before Easter Ruth, her friend Yvonne and I were discussing meatless options. Ruth had asked in frustration what to do with legumes besides pork & beans minus the pork?! Yvonne and I discovered a mutual love for lentils that, though we never could convert Ruth, sparked a recipe-exchange jokingly titled “Lentils for Lent”. For weeks we surreptitiously palmed notes, handwritten and clipped from print, over the pews, whispering “wait till you see this one: with apricots!”, etc. Ruth and Yvonne have passed out of this life now but I cherish memories and recipes. I don’t save lentils for Lent! The strongest symbol of Lent in my mind is of the cross on the forehead…a stark image that predates my experience with the church and survives all my experiences as well. It speaks of spiritual state and spiritual need, best summed up for me in these lines: “ cross my forehead, cross my palm don’t cross me or I’ll do you harm we go crying, we come laughing never understand the time we’re passing kill for money, die for love whatever was God thinking of?” from, “Angel/Beast”, 1994 Bruce Cockburn
This season of Lent means less “repent” than “relent” to me: make a new sense of Lent in my heart. Instead of “feeling remorse or regret” so much, this Lent I seek to “abandon harshness and become more compassionate” (as my dictionary so succinctly puts it). I believe no word is sent by chance so trust that “Lent”, the word origin of which in Old English is related to Spring, will herald regrowth in my heart. Finally, I am reminded that the name of one of my favorite Indian vegetarian dishes “Dilbahaar” means “Spring in the Heart”. I plan to savor in it this Lent the bounty of gifts I have been given. My hope is the same for you. Kim Patrick St. Luke’s, Woodland 12
Second Sunday in Lent
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Mary’s, Napa
13 Monday, March 13
Lent is a time to discard all that hardens us. May we tear down the fortress within that mutes God’s voice and bars His full embrace upon our lives.
May we ready ourselves, infantile in posture, to God's eternal love.
May the recount of His last days, embolden us in our embrace of His mantle that we have each been given.
We are God's candles, He our flame. As bearers of light, may we hold our candles high over the din of life.
Amen
Pamela Chalk St. Paul’s, Benicia
14 Tuesday, March 14
Jeremiah 2:1-13 mans 1:16-23 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith
In our conversations with others, even people who we may not know, we do not seem to be embarrassed to recommend our favorite restaurant or to proclaim the merits of a movie we have just seen. We join the conversation with enthusiasm. We don’t seem to stop and wonder what these strangers may think of us. We want to share what we have found to be good - we are not embarrassed to display our exuberance. But when the subject turns to religion, to faith, we often become reserved, reluctant to enter the conversation at all, and certainly not with passion. We tell ourselves that religion is a “private” matter, or that we don’t want to impose our beliefs on others. When you recommend that new restaurant, I suspect you were not demanding that the other person try it – but rather telling them about something that you found to be good. What about your faith – your belief in Salvation through Jesus? Doesn’t that deserve your enthusiasm?
St. Mary’s, Napa
15 Wednesday, March 15
I recently read an essay on Lent by Christian psychologist, Dr. Robert Wicks. He identifies three traditional areas of focus during Lent; sacrifice almsgiving and prayer and renames them as freedom, compassion and spiritual awareness. He encourages us to approach Lent as an opportunity for spiritual renewal and gaining new perspectives on our relationship with God rather than just something else to do when we are already too busy.
I wonder what it would mean in my spiritual life to give up something for Lent as a way to freedom from that which doesn't serve me well or hinders my relationships with God and others. What are the behaviors and attitudes I hold on to that get in the way of a richer spiritual life and deeper connection to God? What do I need to prune away so that I might bloom more fully?
I struggle with being judgmental all the time. My judgments and the expectations and resentments that go along with them are heavy burdens that weigh on my soul. It takes a lot of energy to keep these under control. What if I could use this energy in another way? Can I turn my almsgiving into a giving of myself without judgment or the expectation of anything in return? Can I give freely with compassion? Would this help me to know more deeply that Gods' Grace is given freely and nothing is expected in return?
Often during Lent I have tried to add more prayer to my days. Do I have the discipline to add more quiet time to my days? Can I prune away some of the bramble of noisy busyness that keeps me from hearing Gods' answers?
So many questions. So much to ponder. I have a lot of work to do this Lent and always, but I have faith that my efforts will help a sacred blooming take place in my life. Carla Harris Church of St. Martin, Davis
16 Thursday, March 16
What is a promise you have made? Because of a recent move, I am able to spend time with my granddaughter. We watched Jim Carrey’s Liar Liar last night. As a compulsive working lawyer, he continually broke his promises to his young son. Breaking promises to young children can devastate them and their view of life. God, in the Old Testament and through Jesus in the New Testament, made a promise to Her children: us, to be with righteousness, in right relationship, true to the obligation, residents of heaven at one with the Creator. Do you reciprocate the promise? Have you broken the baptismal promise? We are the reason for Lent. We break our promise. On Ash Wednesday last year, I sat in Island Time waiting for the service to begin. I caught myself gazing at the purple cloth which led me to this meditation…Lent is when we pretend, rehearse the absence of the Creator of the community of love. It is to pretend because God never leaves us. There have been people in my life who have not allowed me to promise to love them. Do you allow God’s promise to love you? Do you think God loves you only because you love God? How large is your God shaped hole? Lent is about forgetting earthly desires to only desire to be at one with the Holy. In John 8:12, this is how we are told by the Son of Man that the promise of God still holds:
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Consequently, we can sing with the psalmist in Psalm 71:
22 Also with the lute I will praise You— And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. Embrace this view of life for yourself and all others. So be it. Jeannie Perkins, Church of the Ascension, Vallejo 17 Friday, March 17
Romans 2:25-3:18
Today’s reading from Romans really hit me as a call for us to actively live out our baptismal vows. In this case the reading questions the value of the circumcision (a ritual of faith). Does the outward sign in itself have meaning or value? Paul concludes that the rite has value if you observe the law. If you do not observe the law, the circumcision, or the outward sign of faith, does not have value.
In Paul’s time, it was expected that proper Jewish families would go through the rite of having their sons circumcised as an outward sign of adherence to the Jewish faith. However, as Paul points out, simply participating in the rite does not in itself have value. The value of adopting the outward sign only comes from also observing the law or living one’s life according to the will of God. Becoming circumcised alone is only going through the motions of living a holy life. But when the person both receives the rite and lives a life according to God’s will, then they receive the full value of the rite.
Likewise, a person who lives their life according to God’s will by loving their neighbor or serving the ‘least’ of God’s people receives the value of the rite even if they have not undergone the ritual. God does not withhold his love, for example, from the child who has not been circumcised but who lives a Godly life.
I think this lesson is a direct reminder to us that it is not enough that we may have undergone the ritual of baptism into the Christian family. We cannot expect to reap the full value of that rite if we do nothing to help the poor, or otherwise live according to God’s will.
Val Smith Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville
18 Saturday, March 18
Lent, for me, is another time for stopping to meditate, look around me, think back, think forward. This is all in order to be Present on Easter and going forward with the mission of our church and my life.
We have two such times in our church calendar – Advent and Lent. My Lenten thoughts used to be all about the past, my losses, my pain, and things I regret. I have tried to move forward with my thinking to a more positive, and hopefully use full, approach.
As I look at my losses – friends and family – I think more about the gifts they gave me and less about the pain of their passing. I have been given great gifts and my life has been blessed. As I look at the world around me I know that I need to look less inside and do more on the outside. I need to pass on the gifts and share my blessings.
Pain – I have dwelt on it and in it. Some come back gang busters this time of year. I am still looking for the silver lining and blessings for the loss of a child. I have learned to compartmentalize and all those lovely coping skills but sometimes it just creeps out… This one is still an ongoing project – but I’m making progress.
Things I regret. I guess they could be called past sins or transgressions. Too many sins of omission to count. And yet I have learned from all these. If it bothers me then I know to not do that again. I need to strive to not make the same mistakes again (and again and again).
Now is the time for reflection and preparation. I can see lots of new challenges and I am fortifying myself to meet them. This time I will stand and be counted.
Kathryn Keag St. Luke’s, Calistoga
19
Third Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Church of the Ascension, Vallejo
20 Monday, March 20
Every year, I use the Lenten season as my time to discern God’s will in my life, as it frequently changes from year to year. One year I hear the Holy Spirit say, “Do this”, or “Give up that”, and the next year it’s different. Whatever it is, I see it as an exercise in obedience in following God’s laws. Giving up something I know is bad for me or taking on something I know is good for me – could be a food or activity - is an opportunity to drop a bad habit or develop a good habit, which psychologists tell us takes 30 days. Since Lent is 40 days, that kind of fits the template, doesn’t it?
Obeying God’s laws is not meant to be a hardship or a punishment. Obeying God’s laws provides a reference point and a pathway for a happy, healthy, and productive life; often not knowing why. For example, the ancient Jews had Levitican Law to guide them; not knowing why something was done, but modern science has come to validate those old laws and prove their value or truth. Also, obeying God’s laws may seem opposite to what the world allows or expects of us…not as attractive, or fun, or popular…but seen against the long term consequences – known and unknown - of our actions, obeying God’s laws is really the best choice for happiness and fulfillment of purpose.
What are you feeling led to do or give up this Lent?
Ellen Simonin Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville
21
Tuesday, March 21
At Saint Brigid’s, our bible study this year is entitled “Who Is Jesus?” with the subtitle “What a Difference A Lens Makes.” This last week, I found myself asking: “What does Jesus look like?”
I remember the pictures from my Sunday School books of Jesus in a long white robe with light brown/blondish hair. And, of course I remember Jeffrey Hunter who played Jesus on the screen, with piercing blue eyes. Historically both of these depictions of a white Jesus are clearly inaccurate. But, the Bible is pretty silent on the subject of Jesus’ looks and I suspect that it may not be an accident.
In Matthew 25:35-36 Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” And in verse 40, he clarifies, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
So, Jesus eats lunch at Epiphany church in Vacaville and he has a giant smile. He wears a jaunty hat, enjoys the coffee, and purchases books on theology at discount prices from Opportunity House. She gets clothes for her kids at St. Brigid’s Clothing Exchange and often brings in more than she takes away. Last Thursday Jesus went to the ER because she needed help and couldn’t breathe. Jesus and his family are locked in ICE prisons and escaping from bombed cities. She lives at Chowchilla Prison. And, sometimes he’s standing next to me at the grocery store in need of a smile and kind word.
Last week I met Jesus beside a road in Suisun City. He wore a red sweater and his hair was pulled back in a ponytail. He helped me fix my car using the shoelace from his own boot so I could get to the ER with my friend. Several years ago, he was driving a gold sports car. When I bumped into him in a parking lot, he looked at both cars where there was no damage and then he looked at my stricken face. He said, “You look like you could use a hug.” He did and then he drove away. Jesus told my friend she had beautiful blue eyes as she helped her with the paperwork to admit her to the hospital. Jesus puts out food for the folks at our local Food Pantry each Sunday morning. She keeps our Senior Center strong. She picks up litter on her morning walks.
Jesus is all around us, both in need and empowered to help. In the BCP we find these words: “Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.” What does Jesus look like? No matter what I see when I look in the mirror, when I look into my heart, I see a strong family resemblance. Linda Jensen, St Brigid of Kildaire, Rio Vista 22 Wednesday, March 22
I will be their God and they shall be my people…
Jeremiah gives us the promise of a new covenant to come – “See, a time is coming – declares the Lord – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel…” In Christ, we have been made the beneficiaries of the new covenant. It is like the idea that we somehow got ourselves into a bad deal – a deal in which we were unable to carry-out our half of the bargain and we were looking at a great loss. But, despite our failure, our fault, the other party agrees to a new contract without penalizing us. Of course, we must acknowledge that we have been offered a new contract – that we are no longer bound to the old contract.
God makes the promise that in this new covenant “I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.” In a society where law suits are common place, and judgements are often difficult to understand, the promise of a new covenant, a new contract, without penalty, does match our experiences. But this is exactly the promise we have. In the Baptismal Rite, we are reminded that we are buried with Christ in his death and are reborn by the Holy Spirit.
St. Mary’s, Napa
23 Thursday, March 23
When people start talking about Lenten Disciplines, or Lenten Fasting, I’m not much help. I’ve tried the no-chocolate thing, and the no-beer-or-tortilla-chips thing, and I was a complete failure. Forty days is a very long time. I’ve tried the discipline thing, with reading religious tracts or doing good works daily, and my record is dismally spotty. But if you want to know if any Lenten discipline is meaningful to me, I freely endorse the discipline of gratitude. For me, the richness of a spiritual life, the beginning steps of a spiritual journey, begin with an exercise of deliberative gratitude. Deliberative gratitude requires that we find something to be grateful for. Every day. Regardless of how our day is going. We live in one of the richest, safest countries in the entire world. We will never know the trials, deprivations, and heartaches that 70 or 80% of the world’s 7.5 billion people suffer every day. For that we can be grateful. The miracle of Easter morning can leave us breathless with wonder and gratitude. As Easter people, the Resurrection is our heritage, and it forms our destiny. All around us, if we but take notice, is the stunning complexity of things that appear to be so simple. (Trying to understand the microbial life in a mere tablespoon of ordinary dirt can boggle the mind. Then consider plate tectonics, the birth of new stars, blood chemistry, or photosynthesis.) That such things exist remind us how wondrous is the world we live in, and how wondrous also is our very existence. How can we not be humbled by the intricate magic going on around us every day, and then grateful that we are rewarded with front-row seats to watch it transpire before us? There is always – always – the presence of wonder. And for that we can be ever grateful.
Gregg Wickham Grace Church, Fairfield
24 Friday, March 24
So shall you be my people, and I will be your God…
When we sign a contract, we agree that we will carry-out our side of the deal if the other person carries-out their side. If one of us reneges, the contract is void. The execution of the contract is conditional on each party doing what was agreed to. Jeremiah relates a situation in which the people of Israel failed to obey the commands of God, and God holds them accountable for this failure. The promise was that the Israelites would be God’s people and he would be their God - but they did not obey His voice and God “brought upon them all the words of this covenant…”
We, however, are blessed to be under a new covenant, the unconditional covenant of the love of Jesus. Our covenant has been sealed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is an unconditional covenant. We often fail to do what is right in walk in faith. We have not loved God with all our hearts and we have not loved out neighbors as ourselves. And yet, these actions do not remove us from God’s love. In Romans, the Apostle tells us “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.” We are assured that God will always love us.
St. Mary’s, Napa
25 Saturday, March 25
On Thursday, I celebrated my 59th birthday. I was raised in the Episcopal Church and always attended an Episcopal Church (except for those void years of college), so of course, the season of Lent has always been present for me. As many of you may recall, the common practice growing up was to give some thing or some practice up for Lent, which often meant to withhold something that we enjoyed or brought us happiness. For many children and youth, and for me, that might have been desserts or sweets or chocolate or the like. And therein lies the problem: my birthday was almost always during Lent. Of course, I wanted to celebrate my birthday with my friends and family, so if I decided to give up desserts or sweets during Lent, what about my birthday cake vs. my Lenten promise? Consequently, Lent always left me with much childish angst, some, I must admit I carry with me to this day. Of course, over the years, I have come into a fuller understanding of the church seasons and in particular the waiting seasons of Advent and Lent. I understand that Lent has very little to do with eating my birthday cake or not. Jesus really doesn’t care. What Jesus cares about is if I try to live my Baptismal vows to the best of my ability, respecting the dignity of all, loving my neighbor as myself, righting wrongs when I can, caring for those in need. That is what matters most. So during this season of Lent, that is what I will strive to do. And yes, on my birthday, I had cake.
Anne Seed St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Benicia
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Fourth Sunday in Lent
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
St. Luke’s. Woodland
27 Monday, March 27
The Scripture lessons for this week of 27 March once again, outline the Salvation Story of our faith, which we are to remember, and to tell others about “The Good News”. First and always first is the Glory of our God. As it is written in the Psalm 89: I will sing the story of thy love O God forever I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations. O Lord God of Hosts, who is like thee? Thine are the heavens, the earth is thine also, and thy throne is built on righteousness and justice God called Abraham out of Ur, and made a covenant with him in Palestine. God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery, after God had demonstrated great power and might to Pharaoh, and God made a covenant with the Israelites. He told them what would happen to them if they obeyed or conversely disobeyed his commandments. When they disobeyed, Jeremiah 16 tells us what happens: Each of you, follows the prompting of his wicked and stubborn heart instead of obeying. My eyes are on all their ways, they are not hidden from my sight. I will teach them my power and might, and they shall learn that my name is the Lord. With the incarnation, life, passion death and resurrection of Jesus, Our relationship to God changes totally. Jesus shows us “signs” of his divinity in the “Feeding of the 5,000 with five barley loaves and two small fishes, while there remained twelve great baskets uneaten”. Paul, that great apostle and missionary, assures us that we are saved by faith in Jesus in his message of hope and assurance:
You have died to the law by becoming identified with the body of Christ. We are discharged from the Law to serve God in a new way, the way of the spirit.
Now, as we continue our Lent, approaching the Cross of Good Friday, we can anticipate the joy of Glorious Easter. Christ covers us with his righteousness, our sins are forgiven, and we are offered the fellowship of his presence forever. Frank Brown, Church of St. Martin, Davis
28 Tuesday, March 28
Today is a moving meditation. Stand up. Or, sit up tall with your feet on the ground.
1. Raise your right hand palm to heaven. Lower your left hand palm to earth. With arms stretched high and low say:
‘Stretched taut between heaven and earth Jesus lived and Jesus died.
2. Switch hand position. Now left palm is raised heaven. Right palm lowered to earth. With arms stretched high and low say:
‘Stretched taut between devotion to God and an unswerving commitment to the human race Jesus lived and Jesus died.’
3. Bring both hands to your chest in prayer and then open wide. With arms stretched left to right say:
‘So may I.’
Live today like a child of God. Romans 7:13-25 and 8:12-14
Rita Crane Ascension Church, Vallejo
29 Wednesday, March 29
AFTER THIS LIFE . .
Death, my young women, in all its solemnity, may come to you.” As memory instruction for a teen service organization (Rainbow Girls) I learned those words at age 15. However, in those days death was far from my mind, but not from my all-knowing God! After only 15 years of marriage I faced my young husband’s death at 35; my high school sweetheart was in the grave! At the funeral a young person we had counseled gently reminded me: “He is not here” (Mark 16:6b) “to be absent in the body is to be present in spirit!” (1 Corinthians 5:3) Even in my intense grief, I immediately felt such joy for my husband!? To this day I am a person in my work and social settings always willing to represent a group at funerals. I have found joy among the sorrow of these many funerals I have attended throughout my 76 years. Death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15:54. The joy continues! Looking up at the plaque my husband placed in our bedroom so many years ago, I can read with joy the words of Kahil Gibran "I wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving”.
Ramona Rich St. Luke’s, Woodland
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Thursday, March 30
What is the real meaning of Lent? Coming in the springtime, there is a hidden promise of life behind the solemn practices that we tend to practice. Granted it is a time of reflection, of quieter celebrations and often a time for study and prayer but that makes it the church's gift to us. It calls to us to remember that we don't belong to ourselves alone. It helps to remind us of our relationship with God and calls us into relationship with one another.
This year we need this season. We need a time to slow down, to remember whose we are and why we are a people of faith. The kinds of fasting we engage in will strongly influence how we live the rest of the year. We need to give up what separates us from one another to make room for God and one another in our lives.
I found the following rule of Lenten fasting, written by former Presiding Bishop, Arthur Licthenberger. It speaks of the kind of transformation God can bring to our lives. It speaks of hope and life and joy in the midst of all our struggles. I invite you to join me in making this your rule for this holy season of Lent and beyond; to give up what diminishes and take up what is life giving.
A RULE FOR LENT by Arthur Lichtenberger, former Presiding Bishop
Fast from criticism, and feast on praise; Fast from self-pity, and feast on joy; Fast from ill temper, and feast on peace; Fast from resentment, and feast on contentment; Fast from jealousy, and feast on humility; Fast from pride, and feast on love; Fast from selfishness, and feast on service; Fast from fear, and feast on faith.
The Rev. Lucretia Jevne St. Brigid of Kildaire, Rio Vista 31 Friday, March 31
Romans 8:26-27 -For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.
In my lifetime I have always felt that the Lord held me in the palm of His hand because I am a child of God. He was my “go-to-person” when I was in pain, when I needed help, when I prayed and especially when I asked for strength. It takes strength of will-power for me at times to keep my abstinence during Lent. Sometimes it was just easier to give service to a cause instead of abstaining from a “goodie”. In the full Chapter 8 of Romans “weakness of the flesh” is spoken of and the consequences of same in the afterlife, however I believe that if I am humble in prayer in accepting my weaknesses there are rewards that will follow. I cannot live a life without prayer because with prayer I never feel alone knowing that God hears my plea. I could not have survived this past year after losing my Dear John last February. I may be alone-I feel lonely occasionally, and yet I feel the Lord’s spirit with me daily. He will lift me up through our Lenten Season as He has lifted me up in the past year. I have also felt my John’s spirit with me all the time and he too has brought me strength. He made me laugh every day of our lives together, and the gift of his sense of humor allows me to be laughing more everyday in spite of my missing him. During this Lenten Season I hope to-in some small way- give service-give laughter, as well as hope to others who may be facing the same grief that I am living with now. I cannot promise that I will abstain from sugary foods, however I have begun to make commitments in “baby steps” towards a service oriented life. Perhaps, I will be able to administer some “sugar” in kindness to another person. And, truthfully the word sugar brings a smile to my face because John called me “Sugar” for over 54 years.
Elaine R. Nepsha St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Calistoga
32 Saturday, April 1 . "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." John 6:63
I think of Lent less as a time of abstinence and more as time to analyze the things in my life that I use as a crutch. These are the material things that I rely on to carry me through, even though I know they cannot bear my weight.
Life at the office is often harried. Parenting can be a complicated gig. And I convince myself that what will really make me feel better is a latte, or maybe a beer. These are creature comforts, placebos at best, and at the bottom of the empty pint glass, or amidst the dregs of organic coffee grounds remaining in my recyclable paper coffee cup, I will find no answers to my questions, no peace to an anxious heart or stillness to the troubled mind. Not really.
I confess that I don't crack open my bible very often, and when I do I visit the same passages over and again. My copy of The Book of Common Prayer gets a work out though. The psalms and prayers and thanksgivings see me through with strong support.
This world we've carved out for ourselves is a confusing place, and lately even opening the newspaper makes me feel like we're, all of us, walking out into the desert alone with empty pockets. And no coffee shop in sight, incidentally.
Some things, though, we always carry with us.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" Psalm 46
I may not forego the latte everyday of Lent. That matters less, I think, than taking the time to remind myself in whose strength I need to trust when I need to be carried.
Shannon DeArmond St. Luke’s, Woodland
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Fifth Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
St. Martin’s, Davis
34 Monday, April 3
I love Easter. It is my favorite day of the year, the day that reminds me that after death, new life is just around the corner. It is no accident that Easter is in the spring, and coincides (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) with leaf buds on trees, brightly colored flowers, and new sprouts in the garden.
Every year, we walk this path of Lent, these 40 days in the wilderness, concluding with Holy Week and the Triduum Liturgies of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. We begin our path on Ash Wednesday, still in winter, cold and dark. As we get closer to Easter, the days lengthen; our world gets greener and springs to new life.
New life doesn’t come easy. New life often comes after a painful end: the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job. Our faith tells us to trust that our ends are beginnings. We trust that God will redeem the terrible things that happen in life, just as God redeemed the death of Jesus.
This idea of resurrection and redemption changes us. It changes the way we perceive the world. What looks dark and scary suddenly feels lighter and more hopeful. The blind man in John’s Gospel was touched by Jesus’ redemption and healing. This man’s entire way of being in the world, his way of perceiving the world, was changed forever after his encounter with Jesus. He was blind, and now he sees.
Easter changes our way of being in the world. We walk with Jesus on his path of suffering and death, and Jesus walks with us in our suffering and death. Jesus helps us to see the world as a brighter, more hopeful place.
Into your hands Lord, I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
Katherine Fredericks Grace Church, St. Helena
35 Tuesday, April 4
The four short Psalms for today are among the most popular and powerful for devotionals. Ps 120 begins “When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord; I called to the Lord, and [the] Lord answered me.” Who among us has not been in trouble and cried to the Lord, and learned that the Lord has answered.
Ps. 121 is one of the most familiar. It is a staple at funeral services. “I lift my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth...The Lord shall watch over your going out and coming in, from this time forth for evermore.” We live with those everlasting hills. Green today but soon, all too soon, to turn brown and dry. They could be a metaphor for us. We look to the Lord and discover [the Lord] is watching over us when we are green and when we turn brown and dry.
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Psalm 122 speaks of the time when Israel went to Jerusalem to the Temple. We too have that opportunity to be glad when we go into the house of the Lord. Our churches are separated from the world outside. We can go into the eternal for just a little while and find peace and safety in the arms of the Lord.
There we and say “To you I lift up my eyes, to you enthroned in the heavens.” So begins the penitential Ps 123, we are all in need of God’s mercy, and “so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until [God] shows us mercy.
In the Book of Common Prayer, the Psalter is set to read through the Psalms every thirty days and the lectionary cycle the Psalms are on a seven week cycle. Perhaps more than any other part of the Scriptures, they speak for us. They speak in shouts, in humbleness, in faith and in fear. They mirror our lives. Choose a reading plan and keep reading, they are pearls of great price.
Father Perry Polk, Grace Church, Fairfield
36 Wednesday, April 5
Church seasons were always a big deal in my family. As an Episcopal priest, my grandfather had firmly instilled the church calendar in the life of my career military, “preacher’s kid” father. My dad, along with my Japanese WWII war bride mother, made sure to instill it in us. During Lent, my father, a skilled “tinkerer”, would always have a Lenten project as part of his spiritual discipline and reflection. One year, he hand-painted an intricately enameled Sanctus bell box he had hand made. It wasn’t enough that it played a chord, it had to be a beautiful, 8 note chord. In his retirement he had taken up piano tuning, by ear, and so within this ornately painted box a set of felted piano hammers struck the lovely chord. I hope that Sanctus box still lives a life somewhere. My mother, whose flying fingers could knit a sweater in a day, would always make dresses for herself and her three daughters. For my sisters and I, Lent meant that it was time for matching ric rac trimmed dresses, many sharp pins and the whir of mom’s sewing machine to finish in time for Easter morning at church. Though the dresses were matching, they weren’t identical. My older sister, tall for her age, seemed to always look perfect in a beautifully finished dress with many accents, and with a matching bonnet. My younger sister’s was always adorably cute, in a Shirley Temple kind of way. Being the scrawny middle daughter meant mine was usually made last, when time was short. I was short for my age, but mine always seemed too long, with accents made from cloth remnants. I’m kidding, sort of, as I loved my new dresses very much. We were all quite a scene on Easter morning!
Emma Green Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville
37 Thursday, April 6
In Jeremiah 26:1-16, the Prophet speaks in the Temple of the impending doom of the Temple and the curse on the city of Jerusalem. The words the Lord has given him to him to say to his hardhearted people are simple, change your ways or the jig's up.
The world is kind of in that state now, what with a refugee crisis, terrorism (real or imagined), alt-right, liberalism, fake news, alternative facts, and everybody has a bomb but we all need healthcare; we are in a desperate need of a change of ways. We don't have a prophet like Jeremiah warning us, at least not in the flesh, but we have the Prophet's words.
After letting God's people know, in no uncertain terms, that it is God who is telling him to say this, Jeremiah says, "Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you." I think we should listen, too. Some years ago, after 9/11, I wrote a poem entitled Peace Among the Chaos which starts like this:
We live in troubled times. This statement, trite Upon the tongue Who gives it breath, Grates the ear of its hearer.
We don't want to think about our neighbors and the dilemmas they are in and what God wants us to do to help them. We are so lucky God loves us and gives us chance after chance, but like the Israelites to whom Jeremiah spoke, our jig could be up, too. God's patience will only last so long.
In Mark 12:29-31, Jesus quotes the Shema, which I will paraphrase, that we are to love God with all our being and our neighbors as ourselves. This is what Jeremiah was reminding the Israelites and us to do.
Pray the Shema with me today and then live it, which is much harder.
Dorothy Ferguson Lum Church of the Ascension, Vallejo
38 Friday, April 7
As a Catholic child, my earliest memories of Lent were laced with guilt. I imagined a Godly hand hovering over me, ready to strike if I failed. If I had meat on the wrong day or ate those sweets I gave up, it obviously meant I wasn’t really devoted to God. But when my meandering spiritual path led me to the Episcopal Church, those feelings changed. By focusing on the spiritual rather than the physical aspects of Lent, the season became less about what I’m giving up, and more about what I gain: a better understanding of suffering and a resulting deeper understanding of Jesus' suffering.
Lent has become a season in which to grow a more meaningful relationship with God. I don’t need to be the flawless Lenten model. I may not keep my Lenten promises, I may not be the “perfect Christian,” but that is part of the journey. The path toward growth. As Paul writes in Romans, “So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their stumbling salvation has come.”
Gabe Avila St. Martin’s, Davis
39 Saturday, April 8
The most amazing Easter memory for me was one at Grace Church.
The morning of Easter in 2007.
My family had all gotten into the car and driven down the hill on our weekly commute to church.
All dressed up I stepped out of the car on the sidewalk and stopped to ruffle pleats of my dress and read the big sign on the bell tower that I had just learned said "He is Risen."
Through my entire study of the Bible as a kid, I looked for a literal meaning in the verses I was taught. I wanted to be able to see and touch Christ, I looked for signs of him in our world, someone being kind to another, animals walking down the streets in two's, rainbows after rain. I struggled to find the evidence of the belief, but that one morning I saw something I wouldn't forget. My mom pointed upwards towards the roof of the newton room and told me to look.
I looked up and sitting side by side on the roof were two white doves. At this moment I was not looking for these birds to represent anything, or mean anything to me other than to tell me that, God was here, and he was watching over me and that he had risen. From this moment on every Easter before getting out of the car for church I look onto the roof and remember those two white doves. And the spirit that I knew was there.
Grace Capener Grace, St. Helena
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Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Grace Church, Fairfield
41 Monday in Holy Week, April 10
The holiest week of the year began yesterday with the Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday. When I was growing up Palm Sunday was a separate Sunday, always the week before Easter. The story of the palms was always a day of contradiction for me because I loved the imagery of that event: Jesus, astride a white donkey, surrounded by shouting crowds, laying palms down for the animal to trod upon. There was a sense of extreme power, but also of impending doom. The dichotomy fascinated and engaged me.
So, today, on the Monday of Holy Week, we reflect on the Passion and the Palms. We look ahead to the many liturgies and celebrations coming up in the next few days, looking forward to the liturgy which commemorates the institution of our own Eucharistic table, bracing ourselves for the horrors of execution, imagining the great terror and sadness of the long day of burial and hiding, finally walking with the women as they come to honor their dead son and brother with the burial rituals he deserves. Only to find him alive once again.
Yes, the week ahead is full of a rich remembrance of the seminal days of our faith. And Jeremiah says, “You see me and test me; my heart is with you.”
How great was the test given Jesus and his followers on that holy week. How great are the tests of our faith which we confront every day. How great is our own fear and uneasiness as we contemplate the realities of our lives today.
Yet, as we follow Jesus and the women and men on their final journey into Jerusalem, we can ready ourselves to accompany them as we hear the stories again. We can follow them to the bustling city, to the hill, to the tomb and beyond, as we remember the words of Jeremiah: “You see me and test me; my heart is with you.”
Lord, let our hearts be opened to experiencing the events of this week. Let our hopes become renewed as we walk again, with Jesus our Lord. Judy Furlong, St. Paul’s, Benicia 42 Tuesday in Holy Week, April 11
Jeremiah 15:10-21 “Surely I have intervened in your life for good”
Whenever I do a spiritual autobiography (at least every September for EfM), I am reminded again how God has intervened in my life for good.
When I came to the Church of the Epiphany, Peggy Byrd taught me about doing church books. That started me on a path—a path of understanding how bookkeeping really works—that took me to teaching bookkeeping at an Adult School to a good job with the IRS to treasurer of the Diocese. The last was a ministry—working with church treasurers—that I found extremely rewarding. Really all three were ministries.
As I look over my life I see all sorts of paths that helped me be better at ministry—from Toastmistress offered by an Officers’ Wives Club to the IRS teaching me that computers weren’t scary. (I never brought the Fresno Service Center to its knees. Just turn it off and start over!)
Perhaps, God’s greatest intervention was bringing me to Vacaville where I met the love of my life, Phil Clark. His influence on my life is immeasurable. From encouraging me in ministry to bringing horses back into my life, I thank God for Phil.
On this Tuesday in Holy Week as I ponder God’s intervention for good though the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, I want to give thanks for how good God has been to me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Cookie Clark Church of the Epiphany, Vacaville
43 Wednesday in Holy Week, April 12
Do you know about the daily devotional sponsored by Kairos Prison Ministry of Ohio? It is called Prisoner to Prisoner, and comes out quarterly in a pocket size booklet. Each day’s reflection is written by a man or woman incarcerated. The editorial work is done at Marion Correctional Institution, Ohio, and has been part of that prison’s spiritual outreach ministry since 2002. You can get a sample copy and order form from the Religious Services Dept. Office at P.O. Box 57, Marion, Ohio 43301-0057, or by emailing [email protected], or by phoning 937-765-6111.
I ponder one of these writings almost every day, especially during Lent. It bolsters my dedication to Jesus and His Way as I minister through the Kairos prison ministry. Here’s a peek ahead to a Lent reflection (I write this to you in February):
T.B.M. writes: “When I first got to prison, I had many fears. I did not want my life exposed within these walls. I wanted to stay in the darkness where I thought it was safe. Then I started to study God’s word. … The Light started to overtake the darkness. My short fuse disappeared. God placed angels in my path for God’s Light to shine through them. Now I see the Light of Christ every day. Don’t be afraid to talk to others and extend a little trust. Maybe someone is an angel messenger of Light for you. The Light that Jesus has is for all of us. Jesus loves you, so welcome Him in.”
Lent is a good season to look for light and angels!
Deacon Susan Reeve St. Brigid of Kildare Episcopal Church, Rio Vista
44 Maundy Thursday, April 13
I used to write a food blog. I used to bake cakes. I used to consider the breaking of bread—and togetherness. And then I began writing a manuscript that seemed to burn all that to ash.
Something about this year is about coming back. It is the beginning of the three-year lectionary cycle. And, for one who likes tidy new beginnings, that matters.
The Corinthians passages from today are a mixed bag. One I might call igniting. The other, incendiary. The bread that we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ? This is why I chose today. Eucharist as entrance. Lent as reminder. But, whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord—I’ll be honest: the latter puts me right back in my college days of spiritual angst, afraid of living day to day lest the hand of Almighty smite me.
But perhaps now I have the perspective to handle the threat. Paul is suggesting that in the Eucharist we must be together. We must elevate eating to its highest purpose—communion. It’s about coming together in newness. In cleansing. In reconciliation. If the Eucharist won’t do that, what will? If we miss that, we are more than missing the point.
Many Sundays now we’ve been talking about “our current political climate” and pushing this idea that our society and our world has never known such divisive horrors. Unfortunately no. We might well have slipped back into a phase of awfulness. But what is refreshing to me—and what keeps me in close proximity to this thing called faith—is the possibility of return and redemption and reconciliation. The possibility of repentance. The ridiculous inclusion. The open table. Christ shared the cup with the man who would betray him. Lord have mercy. He washed the feet of all his bickering disciples. He did both: expose their silly and solemn atrocities and also forgive them, even in the moment they arose.
Amanda Hawkins St. Luke’s, Woodland 45 Good Friday, April 14
Psalm 22:11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
So often in my life I forget that I don’t have to handle everything on my own. I forget that God is on my side, that He’s present every minute. When I start to struggle or get lost in feelings of uncertain origin, I’ve realize that I’m trying to do it all on my own. If I’m fortunate, I catch myself and take a time out to say a short prayer. I get quiet and maybe sense God’s presence in whatever I’m facing. Even better, I make a phone call to one of my brothers, a network of men with whom I can be honest and real about my experiences and feelings. They are Jesus to me. I may get to speak with them, if they can answer, but even just leaving a message helps me feel that I am not alone. Sometimes that is enough to help me let go of needing the answers right now.
On Good Friday, that all gets flipped around. It’s one of the rare times when I can really see Jesus as a human being, my brother, not some haloed luminous God-figure. He’s a real human being, and he’s going to suffer, and he’s going to die. Not an easy death, but a gruesome, tragic one. Good Friday is the one day when I stop thinking about my own needs and think of what my friend Jesus might need. I can’t stop what’s going to happen to him. But what I can do is be there. I can be by his side, every step of the way. I can tell Jesus that I’m here, and I am sorry for the pain he’s experiencing. After he’s gone, I can remain. Somehow, in getting outside myself and giving to someone else in this way, I find an unexpected gift. I feel more present, more whole. I don’t feel alone. I didn’t act expecting to receive, but that’s exactly what happens. It’s funny how that works, isn’t it?
Tim Bell Grace, St. Helena
46 Holy Saturday, April 15
In Romans 8:1-11 St. Paul writes of the conflict among the flesh, the law and the spirit. God created us as physical beings living in a physical world. The flesh is the arena in which our lives are lived out. The flesh cannot be ignored or denied. It was diseased bodies that Jesus healed. But the demands of the body can be shrill and strong. They set the tone of our emotional and spiritual condition. All of us live together in this world trying to meet our needs.
The need we feel may be so strong that we damage one another in our efforts to survive. The law was given as a guide to mitigate this problem by setting limits upon our behavior. But the demands of the flesh (including our emotions) may be so strong that our souls cry out “ME NOW”. We do not see the law as guide. When we see it we are just looking for loop holes around and through its demands. The flesh is still guiding our behavior.
Living by the spirit of Christ frees us from the intensity of the demands of the flesh. It enables us to look more objectively at the effect our actions have, or would have upon others. Living by the spirit enables us to live as Christ calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to act as the Good Samaritan to those in need.
When we are free from self-absorption, self-centeredness, we are free from the power of the flesh and we no longer are pre-occupied with self. We are free to care for the welfare of others like the Good Samaritan did. We are becoming life giving spirits like Christ and may also like him be raised from the dead.
Father David Cavanagh Grace Church, Fairfield
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Grace Church, St. Helena
Have A Blessed Easter
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