week 1 reflections

Lent 2023 in The Waterside Churches - Week 1 reflections

The Eight Blessings….

READ Matthew 5:1-10

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

REFLECT

At the beginning of the most famous sermon in history – known as the Sermon on the Mount – Jesus commends eight beautiful qualities.

These are almost his first words and the very heart of his teaching. Each quality is set within a blessing. Every blessing is set within a promise. These are words of joy and hope.

We will take five days to think about each blessing. The eight blessings will help us come to know Jesus better.

They are a kind of miniature portrait, unpacked in the four gospels.

The same eight blessings will give us a vision for what it means to be fully alive, to live as God intends, both as individuals and as a community.

PAUSE

Being 'blessed' is a wonderful state to be in. Other translations use the word 'happy'. Spend a while pondering the difference between these two words and remember a time you were truly happy, or even blessed. Where was God in that moment?

Sometimes, deep questions can eat away at our peace of mind. What can faith offer us in those moments?

READ Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. John would have prevented him, saying, 'I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?'

But Jesus answered him, 'Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.'

Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptised, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

REFLECT

Many of us today no longer know who we really are or what our lives are truly worth. These deep questions can eat away at our peace of mind.

Baptism is at the centre of the Christian understanding of who we are and what our lives mean.

Jesus begins his public ministry at his baptism by John in the Jordan. As Jesus comes out of the water, he receives the gift of the Spirit and hears these powerful words of life: 'This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.'

Jesus' life and identity flow from understanding that he is the Son of God and dearly loved by God. He knows his need of God right at the beginning and continues to walk in this way.

When we are tempted to find our identity primarily in work, in relationships or achievements, it is good to come back to this moment of Jesus' baptism and the affirming voice of God.

Imagine God, right now, saying to you: 'This is my child, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased’.

PRAY

Listen to God’s words to you in Christ;

‘My child, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

‘Empty Hands…’

READ Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt:

'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income."

But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

REFLECT

Many people think that to live well is to be self-sufficient. But life is impoverished without vulnerability – without the love of God and of others.

Coming to God full of ourselves is the opposite of what it means to be poor in spirit. The Pharisee in Jesus' story is like this: superior in everything.

The tax-collector comes with empty hands. He stands far off, eyes cast down, beats his breast and prays, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'

This is what it means to be poor in spirit. It is the tax-collector who finds the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says, 'This man went down to his home justified rather than the other.'

If we come to God full of ourselves, we cannot receive anything. Our prayers are boastful. It's all about our reputation before others. So we come with empty hands.

PAUSE

The beautiful Orthodox prayer:

'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner'

is a reminder of our basic stance before our heavenly Father.

It can be repeated quietly through the day to keep us close to God. Spend a few moments saying the prayer quietly to yourself now

‘The Better Part’

Today is the first Sunday in Lent.

O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights: Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Lent, by Christina Rossetti

It is good to be last not first,

Pending the present distress;

It is good to hunger and thirst,

So it be for righteousness.

It is good to spend and be spent,

It is good to watch and to pray:

Life and Death make a goodly Lent

So it leads us to Easter Day.

READ: Luke 10.38-42

‘You are worried by many things; there is need of only one thing.’

REFLECT:

Anxiety and fear accumulate in people, in families and communities. We can be anxious about our appearance, about what others think, about whether life is fair, about our past or our future. Anxiety can steal joy, calm and fulfilment.

Martha is entertaining one of her closest friends. Yet she is worried and distracted by many things - an image of many people’s lives an, too often of the church.

Mary is poor in spirit. She sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to what he is saying. She has chosen their better part. It will not be taken from her.

We cannot escape our past, our worries or our sense of emptiness on our own. Help is at hand as we admit our need of God in poverty of Spirit and find the kingdom of heaven.

Pray:

Imagine yourself sitting at the feet of Jesus and spend some time listening to what he is saying to you.

Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.'

But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

REFLECT

Martha is entertaining one of her closest friends. Yet she is worried and distracted by many things – an image of many people's lives and, too often, of the Church.

Mary is poor in spirit. She sits at Jesus' feet and listens to what he is saying. She has chosen the better part. It will not be taken from her.

We cannot escape our past, our worries or our sense of emptiness on our own. Help is at hand as we admit our need of God in poverty of Spirit and find the kingdom of heaven.

PAUSE

We're all susceptible to slipping into 'Martha mode' in our approach to life's pressures and daily tasks.

Take a moment to think about the day ahead and consciously give upcoming activities and people to Jesus in prayer, imagining sitting at his feet as you do so.

How does he react to you in this moment?