Lenten Journey 2020 Day 30 of 40

 

Tuesday, March 24 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 30 of 40
 
Praying should come as natural as does a conversation with a parent, a loved one or a friend. Be open and sincere. In the solitude of your prayer space, worries can be dropped and the warmth and comfort of love can be absorbed. The Apostle writes, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 29 of 40

 

Monday, March 23 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 29 of 40
 
On this week guided by the parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8) we are invited to pray without discouragement. Prayer is a personal activity. It requires quiet time and space. Jesus instructs us, “…Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret…” (Matthew 6:6) In that solitude open yourself to God’s blessings. There is nothing to hide in this space. A conversation with God implies speaking, sharing and listening.

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 28 of 40

 

Sunday, March 22 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 28 of 40
 
On the importance of prayer in life, Jesus offers the parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8), a story for which this Sunday of Lent is named. Here is a man who doesn’t fear God nor respect people, is “worn down” by a poor widow seeking justice and persistently calling on him. St. Luke prefaces this story by saying that Jesus spoke this parable to show that we “must always pray and not be discouraged.” (vs. 1) Prayer is our conversation with God, which at times may seem like a monologue on our part. Instead let us appeal to the simple words that are the starting point of our daily prayer. They are words prescribed by our Lord, “Thy will be done.” (Matthew 6:10)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 27 of 40

 

Saturday, March 21 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 27 of 40
 
For the duration of its earthly existence the soul of a person inhabits a form called the body. While the Lenten Journey grooms the spirit and the soul, it sometimes takes a physical threat for us to realize the unique relationship between body, mind and soul. Today as a world we are focused on a pandemic virus that threatens the body, the receptacle of the soul. The Apostle St. Paul writes, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (ICor 6:19) Today, in the midst of global awakening to viral dangers, we are given a golden reminder to groom the spirit and keep the body strong for the work ahead.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 26 of 40

 

Friday, March 20 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 26 of 40
 
Checking for false pride is necessary because it is so easy to acquire. Especially when engaged in Lenten practices, it is very easy to confidently boast, “Look at me, I am doing something that others can’t do.” Check to make sure the means are not more important than the goal of our efforts. Lent is about self-improvement, to better our relationships and thereby improve our world. Dietary restrictions, heightened prayer life and sacrificing ourselves and our talents are means by which we understand the essence of life and what is essential for living in harmony with God and our surroundings. Our Lord cautions us, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret.” (Matthew 6:3)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 25 of 40

 

Thursday, March 19 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 25 of 40

Giving freely of yourself requires sacrifice.  To raise children, to support a husband or a wife, to deal with aging parents, to offer love and affection to people in need, requires selfless sacrifice. It is the selflessness that defines sacrifice as something valuable. Churches run on the power of volunteers. They get things done because in the volunteer is a spirit of sacrifice, and the ego must be lost.   The Lenten Journey is about suppressing the ego and losing the self. Jesus instructs, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 24 of 40

 

Wednesday, March 18 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 24 of 40
 
People who have impacted society and life and are recorded in history in a very positive manner. You will find something very similar among them and in their biographies. They have been willing to sacrifice themselves and their talent. They have used their talents freely without restriction. Now, do not mistake this for low self-esteem or low self-worth. Sacrifice comes from a positive self-image. God has endowed you freely with your unique talent, and during this week of the Steward (Luke 16:1-13) find opportunities to use it freely. “Freely you have received,” says Jesus, “Freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 23 of 40

 

Tuesday, March 17 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 23 of 40

During the week of the Steward (Luke 16:1-13) we inventory our talents to understand how we can better manage our lives. As a creation of God, we are unique – each of us – and therefore we are not equal. That’s the definition of being unique. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (I Cor 12:7) Celebrating your uniqueness does not allow for jealousy for in fact there is no competition, rather we are all children of God using the special talent that defines us for the common good. Jealousy is to be rid from our system, for in fact, our uniqueness and the sharing of our talent makes us like no other before God.

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 21 of 40

 

Sunday, March 15 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 21 of 40
 
Halfway through the Lenten Journey we have climbed up the hill and from the summit we look to see two paths, one behind us and even more importantly, the path in front of us. It is this path that connects to a larger road which is the journey of life. It takes place in a world filled with difficulties and challenges, with disease, hatred, bigotry and war. At the same time each of these manifestations of evil give us an opportunity to overcome and celebrate victories in this same world. How appropriate that today the Armenian Church prescribes the Parable of the Steward (Luke 16:1-13) as its Lenten lesson. With a simple command: “Give me an accounting of your stewardship” (vs. 2) we understand that ours is to manage the life God has given us. It is a life that takes place in the here and now, in a world with good and bad in it. The meditation for this day is to contemplate the words of Christ himself: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” (vs. 8)

 

Lenten Journey 2020 Day 22 of 40

 

Monday, March 16 – Lenten Journey 2020 Day 22 of 40

God gives us the tools to handle the complexities of life and to make life’s journey a manageable one. The Parable of the Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-13) is given to us by our Lord Jesus. A dishonest steward, that is, a corrupt manager, is commended for his shrewdness.  By being wise and calculating he met his worldly goals.  Here Jesus tells us that the challenges of life are real. They are to be met and overcome by using the resource available to us. During the Lenten Journey we inventory those resources – those tools – that help us overcome life’s obstacles. Look no further than the talents that are unique to you and your ability to use them in this world.