Suggestion for Daily Use

Follow the ‘Daily Prayer’ at the side+++Suivez le ‘Prière Quotidienne’. Read the bible passages and then the meditation. Pray, tell God how you felt about the reading and share the concerns of your life with him. Maybe you will continue the habit after Lent. Lisez les passages bible et après la méditation. Priez, dites à Dieu que vous avez ressenti à propos de la lecture et de partager les préoccupations de votre vie avec lui. Peut-être que vous allez continuer l'habitude après le Carême. Daily Prayer Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4.1-2 Now is the healing time decreed For sins of heart, of word or deed, When we in humble fear record The wrong that we have done the Lord. (Latin, before 12th century) Read: Read the Bible passage. Read the meditation Pray: Talk to God about what you have just read. Tell him your concerns - for yourself, your family, our church family, our world. Praise him. Pray the collect for the week – see next pages. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Prière Quotidienne Jésus, rempli de l'Esprit Saint, revint du Jourdain et le Saint-Esprit le conduisit dans le désert où il fut tenté par le diable durant quarante jours. Luc 4.1-2 Maintenant le temps de la guérison est décrété Pour les péchés du cœur, de la parole et des actes, Lorsque nous nous souvenons avec humilité Le mal que nous avons fait au Seigneur. Lire : Lisez le passage de la Bible. Lisez la méditation. Prier : Parlez avec le Seigneur de ce que vous avez lu. Parlez-lui de vos préoccupations pour vous-même, votre famille, notre famille de l’église, notre monde. Louez-le. Priez la collecte pour la semaine. Voyez les pages suivantes Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur ! Que tout qui est en moi bénisse son saint nom. Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur, et n’oublie aucun de ses bienfaits !

21 March 2017

21st Day of Lent +++ Casting Stones

John 7.53-8.11        Jean 7.53-8.11

The image below is a print by Peter Brueghel the Elder from the British Museum, (the painting is in the Courtauld Gallery in London). It shows one of the most powerful images of Jesus' life on earth as he faces a woman caught in adultery. The print illustrates a passage in John's gospel where the Pharisees (religious teachers) were trying to trap Jesus into saying something that could be used against him by asking him if the woman should be stoned to death for her act of adultery. In responding, either he risked being made responsible for the death of the woman or for disobeying the law of Moses.

Jesus responds by stating that whoever is without sin should throw the first stone. (The irony being that He is the only one to have lived who was truly without sin). Jesus then writes a message in the dust (shown in the image) as the crowd leaves one by one. This just leaves Jesus who powerfully states that neither does he condemn her.
This challenges us in many ways in our lives today but I want to highlight three points. Firstly, are we ever like the crowd ready to throw a stone at someone who has 'sinned', knowing nothing of their background, situation and life? Yet that individual is standing there afraid and feeling surrounded by those who judge them. Who do we judge today despite the flaws in our life, where do we need to show the tolerance and love of Jesus? Maybe we need to also look in the mirror and see we also struggle with the same faults or other faults that are just as destructive?
Secondly, do we feel like the woman in this story? It may not be adultery but is there something that we did 27 years ago or 10 minutes ago and we do not believe we can be forgiven? This story states emphatically that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus as he states 'neither do I' condemn you. Maybe we need to know that today even if it feels like we are surrounded by those who judge us.
Finally, the most challenging and maybe forgotten part of the story. Jesus forgives and then adds that the woman should go and sin no more. Jesus' forgiveness does not mean that every act is ok but that he will love us and forgive us. Where is God speaking to us and stating we need to change out of the love illustrated in Brueghel’s print?

Matt Harpur
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