Day 4 of Lent +++ Joy

Psalm 71    Psaumes 71   Psalmen71

Genesis 41.1-24   Galatians 3.15-22   John 4.43-54
Genese 41.1-24    Galates 3.15-22      Jean 4.43-54
Genesis 41.1-24   Galatens 3.15-22    Johannes 4.43-54

Joy

David has gained an old age. His grey hair is even mentioned in verse eighteen. In those times, old age was a respectable feature, something to be proud of. How is it that we often look down on older people nowadays? Is that only because they can make less money than younger people? Or do other dynamics play into this?

David sounds like a joyful old man. In this slightly lengthy psalm (it might even take four minutes to read it), praise is expressed in almost half of the verses. It makes me wonder whether older Jesus-people in our congregation, or indeed younger people, look back on their lives with gratitude and satisfaction.

David is also looking forward to his future in verses twenty-one and twenty-two. Is this joy about his expected eternity with God?

Do we sense joy about Jesus in our everyday live? Are we thankful for life and busy praising God? Why are we or why are we not?

Harm de Jonge

Aging Grace, Fe Langdon, 2011, Rio Grande State Park, NM, USA From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55153 [retrieved February 21, 2020]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/26145336@N08/6044127841/.

Day 3 of Lent +++Une rencontre pas comme les autres+++ An encounter like no other

Jean 4.27-42    John 4.27–42    Johannes 4.27-42

Psaumes 3   Genèse 40     Galates 3.1-14

Psalm 3    Genesis 40       Galatians 3.1-14
Psalmen 3   Genesis 40   Galaten 3.1-14

Une rencontre pas comme les autres/ An encounter like no other

On vit dans un monde où chacun est pressé. On se salue et lorsqu’on pose la question de « comment ça va », notre interlocuteur est parti avant même d’écouter la réponse. Pour anticiper, au lieu de dire ce qui ne va pas, on dit que tout va bien car l’autre n’a pas le temps de nous écouter de toute façon.

Dans le passage de Jean 4.27 -42, on nous parle d’une rencontre entre Jésus et la femme samaritaine.  Il est important de souligner que les juifs et les samaritains ne s’entendaient pas et ne pouvaient se fréquenter. Jésus est allé au-delà de cette « coutume » en étant le premier à engager la conversation avec la femme samaritaine. Pour Jésus, chaque rencontre représente une opportunité de donner aux gens ce dont ils ont besoin : si la personne à laquelle Il s’adressait avait besoin d’écoute, Jésus était une oreille pour elle.

Nous vivons dans une société dans laquelle le temps est précieux. Dès lors, lorsqu’une personne a besoin d’aide, nous préférons lui indiquer un service vers lequel se tourner pour parler et être écouté, plutôt que d’être ce service. A cause de cela, nous pouvons passer à côté d’opportunité qui nous permettrait d’impacter ou de changer des vies. L’attitude de la samaritaine permet de comprendre que, dans l’échange avec Jésus, il s’est passé quelque chose de suffisamment important pour que cette femme éprouve le besoin d’en parler autour d’elle, sans tricher sur sa propre vie. Celle qui était autrefois exclue de la société, devient désormais une formidable évangéliste.

We live in our world where everyone is in a hurry or busy. Our time is precious! We do not take time to listen to those seeking our attention. We could have an impact and powerful influence in the lives of many,  if only we could see each encounter as an opportunity to show our love and care. Jesus took the time and through his encounter with a Samaritan woman, a whole village came to believe in him.

Tracy and Eric Sibomana

Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Among Ruins, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1606-1669.  From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57302 [retrieved February 23, 2020]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_and_the_Samaritan_Woman_among_Ruins.jpg.

Lesser Festival of George Herbert, priest, poet, 1633

Psalm 1   Psaumes 1    Psalmen 1

Malachi 2.5-7   Revelation19.5-9   Matthew 11.25-30

Malachie 2.5-7  Apocalypse 19.5-9   Matthieu 11.25-30

Maleachi 2.5-7   Openbaring 19.5-9   Mattheüs 11.25-30

‘Easter Wings’ (see https://www.ccel.org/h/herbert/temple/Easterwings.html)

Wingéd words

George Herbert (1593-1633) was a British priest and poet whom I had never heard of before being invited to do this Lent meditation for the day of his Lesser Festival. As I read about his life, my first reaction is to label him as just another person born in another age, another place, in completely other circumstances, far away from mine. But as I see how he left his fancy world of politics, kings and glory and chose to spend the last years of his short life serving the parishioners of the humble village of Lower Bemerton my interest for his life grows. Somehow he comes closer, perhaps because I myself come from a little island quite far from everything interesting and written and talked about.

What was the reason of this downshifting from the exciting life of orating in Cambridge and in the parliament to the humble country life? Was he tired of the political jargon? Of the sharp elbows of all those around him incessantly striving for more fame, money and power? Did he feel like hiding away? Like putting his hands in the mud and have some fresh air for his tuberculosis-stricken lungs?

In his rural seclusion he gave birth to texts that still seem to be read today, well, at least I think so. The poem of ‘Easter Wings’ published on Wikipedia (entry of George Herbert) at least touches me.

How intelligent and creative! A poem about wings written in the form of a double pair of wings illustrating in a fantastic manner the Easter message of glory - decline - death - resurrection - new birth. Winged words rising from the little village of George Herbert, flying beyond space and time to give us new life and inspiration today.

This is a song that I have written inspired by the life of George Herbert and of one of the texts of this day, Psalm 1. Let us draw from the same well as George Herbert and do good in our little world today just has he did in his 400 years ago.

http://opgelet-kikkers.weebly.com/uploads/1/9/3/2/19327847/psalm_1.m4a

Sara Gabrielsson

Winged Words, George Herbert, 1593-1633 The Norton Anthology of Poetry, 4th edition, edited by Margaret Ferguson, et al., p 331, New York: W.W. Norton & Company (1996), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11210303

Ash Wednesday +++ Restore to me the joy of your salvation

Wednesday 26 February, 

Joel 2.1-2,12-17│Psalm 51.1-18 │2 Corinthians5.20b-6.10 │Matthew 6.1-6,16-21

Joël 2.1-2,12-17 | Psalmen 51.1-18 | 2 Corinthiërs 5.20b-6.10 | Mattheüs 6.1-6,16-21

Joël 2.1-2,12-17 | Psaumes 51.1-18 | 2 Corinthiens 5.20b-6.10 | Matthieu 6.1-6,16-21

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit (Psalm 51:12)

O Dieu ! crée en moi un cœur pur. Renouvelle en moi un esprit bien disposé.

Geeft Umij een zuiver hart, mijn God, en een nieuwe geest die mij innerlijk standvastig maakt.

Ash Wednesday. A sobering start to a sobering season - Lent. Will this be about sitting in sackcloth and ashes? Well….yes and no. There will be pondering for sure. Sober thought on who we are. As we receive the ash cross on our forehead and hear God’s call: ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’ a reminder of our true state with a call to turn to Life. Grace even comes through ashes. The One who crafted us from dust can breathe new life into us. Being faithful to Christ…being full-of-faith, trusting only Jesus in our frailty and weakness. Jesus becomes the wellspring of healing and life in the midst of our brokenness. Yes, Lent starts sober, but is meant to help us journey into life. True repentance (turning to God) will always be ‘repentance unto forgiveness’. A turning to Jesus, trusting in God’s grace only. That we may stay close to him. Discovering what keeps us from life and (re)discovering true joy. Psalm 51 captures this journey beautifully. Good news! Tim Keller suggests that ‘restore to me the joy of your salvation is a prayer we should pray frequently’. How right he is! So, let us pray and journey with Jesus to cross and resurrection. He will lead us into life. He will be our joy!

Loving Father, I turn to you, recognising my wrongs, my lack, my longing. Help me on this journey of (re)discovery. Holy Spirit soften my heart to know deep cleansing. Lord Jesus journey with me…please! Yes Lord God, restore to me the joy of your salvation! AMEN

Paul Vrolijk

Pastor Tony Pittenger distributing ashes to a Lutheran communicant in Port Orchard, Washington, USA, 2017 By Melissa Pittenger - The uploader on Wikimedia Commons received this from the author/copyright holder via Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66397518