Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Hello everyone – this week will mark our half way point through the 40 days of Lent. But before we get to that – two announcements that I want to share with you:
It seems there was some confusion about Dr. Bob Fewster’s comments about 11 Roy Street at the annual meeting. Bob wants everyone to know that, as of yet, we do not have a demolition permit for 11 Roy St. We have engaged a Heritage Assessment Consultant to conduct the required study and hope to be before City Council in 2 or 3 months with our application for demolition of 11 Roy.
In January, I was nominated by some colleagues and congregational members both past and present to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Knox College. Last Friday I received a call from the Rev. Dr. Ernest Van Eck, Principal of Knox College telling me that the committee responsible for approving nominations approved my name. I will be receiving this distinction on May 25, 2024. I do feel honoured and blessed, but at the same time know there are so many who work tirelessly for social justice in our church and larger society who go unnoticed. Having said that, I do thank those involved.
Now, on to this deeply spiritual season of Lent. Last Sunday was about all of life being precious and how Jesus reveals the lie of scapegoating. Taking all our problems and struggles, our blame and our shame, and placing them on someone else does not work. It is grossly unfair to those scapegoated and goes directly against the way God sees all people. All are precious in God’s sight. Knowing we are all loved – knowing we all belong encourages us, indeed invites us to deal with the problems we face honestly and openly, seeing our own faults and shortcomings and not be afraid of them. We are invited to do so as individuals and also as a society, as a church, as families, as communities. It is hard but necessary work. In this work we are never alone.
This coming Sunday we will explore Lent as Proclamation. The well known Bible verse ‘For God so loved the world’ is proclamation. We will explore this not as a doctrinal statement, but as an experienced reality in our lives. The fact that God loves the world makes a difference in society. To help us move from Lent as Preciousness to Lent as Proclamation, I encourage you to consider to give us the following:
Day 19 of Lent – Wednesday, March 6 – please give up blaming and shaming for it is the recipe of scapegoating. Consider instead taking stock of yourselves confidently, knowing you are Beloved and recognizing your own part in the struggles and problems you face.
Day 20 of Lent – Thursday, March 7 – please give up a small view of God – God is bigger than any of us think. We may not understand God – but we know through Jesus and through the prophets that God is a God of love wanting and dreaming for people to live in Love. Love is bigger than you think – more powerful than you think. It is bigger than your problems.
Day 21 of Lent – Friday, March 8 – please give up deflection. We deflect when we say things like ‘I know God is love, but if you really knew me, you would know I am not worthy of God’s love”. There is no such thing as not being worthy of love in God’s eyes. God loves you. Period. Stop deflecting.
Day 22 of Lent – Saturday, March 9 – please give up disbelieving. It is easy to say, “I don’t believe in God”. “I don’t believe in the power of love”. The world has enough disbelieving. The world needs more people to believe in God and in Love. Try slowly bit by bit. Say the words over and over again. I want to believe. I will believe. I do believe. Sometimes opening our hearts to admit our disbelief strangely strengthens our belief. There will always be doubts. Doubts are honest. A stance of disbelieving is a closing of our minds, hearts and spirits.
The Fourth Sunday of Lent – “For God so loved the world, that God sent God’s only Son to take away the sin of the world”. Perhaps the sin of the world is ignorant killing, hatred and fear. Jesus came to dispel it all.
Day 23 of Lent – Monday, March 11 – please give up impatience – settle down, breathe deep. Sometimes we are not ready to change – to be transformed. Sometimes it is all too hard. Be patient. God is good. All things in their time!
Day 24 of Lent – Tuesday, March 12 – please give up expecting nothing – it is a defensive mechanism to shield us from being hurt or disappointed. But sometimes when we expect nothing we don’t open our eyes to see what is right in front of us – sometimes we miss the love and joy that is bursting forth all around us. So as you are able give up expecting nothing. God is still at work in the work. God is full of surprises of love and joy – everyday.
Day 25 of Lent – Wednesday, March 13 – stay tuned 😊
A word of encouragement for all this hard work we are asked to do in Lent – from Psalm 139 ‘The steadfast love of the Lord remains forever’. Read the psalm over and over again this week
Take good care and God bless each one of you.
Marty