March 2010

Please respect Br Luke's work, and ask for permission before copying these mediations.

March 2010

Revised Common Lectionary : Liturgical Year "C"

Monday 1st

Reflection:

It seems that we prefer to find the error of others, perhaps even gleefully judge and condemn, rather than forgive them. Why? Perhaps it is because when we focus on the negative, on the bad, on the sensational, on the error, or failures of others, we can hide our own failings. We don’t concern ourselves about our actions, we just want to limit the good measure that may be given to the others. Notice anything wrong with that approach?

Tuesday 2nd

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12

Reflection:

Jesus is teaching about integrity. About making sure that what one says about following a gospel centred life is mirrored in ones deeds. People today look for instances where the two don’t match and then use it to justify their judgemental actions. How are your words and actions? Do they mirror each other?

Wednesday 3rd

Scripture: Matthew 20:17-28

Reflection:
Here is the command to serve others. To set aside the ego that wants to always be first, at the front, in charge, in control, with the power. The ego often does not want to serve, to be subject to the needs of others. When we allow our egos to remain unchecked, we start to believe that others should serve us. We make demands on them that are intended to only meet our needs and our desires. When we do this then we have forgotten, or have perhaps decided to ignore, that Jesus said “whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (part of verses 26, 27 & 28).

Thursday 4th

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Reflection:

“Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.” (verse 26). The chasm prevented the rich man from going to Abraham. But we could also say that it reflects the great chasm that the rich man had built between himself and Lazarus. When he had the chance to show some compassion to Lazarus, the rich man declined it. In our lives we also have chasms between people. Some are built from necessity, they protect us. But others are built simply by our ego or pride - are there any of these ego chasms that need to bridged?

Friday 5th

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Reflection:

There are probably times in our lives when we are like the “wicked tenants”, And other times when we are the vineyard owner’s servants. What moves us from one group to another? The people we are with, some event that causes us to doubt/believe, an experience of grace, a loss, a miracle? The list is probably endless. Look back on your journey, see if you can find the times when you were a “wicked tenant”. Do you know why?

Saturday 6th

Scripture: Luke15:1-3,11-32

Reflection:

The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Which one of the sons do you relate to? Or perhaps you resonate more closely with their father. In any event the parable shows us people filled with pride, arrogance, foolishness, anger, compassion, tolerance, understanding, mercy, forgiveness, and love. It tells us that no matter how far we wander, no matter what we do, God’s love will not be refused to anyone - ever.

Sunday 7th

Scripture: Luke13:1-9

Reflection:

The gardener asked the owner for more time to nurture the fig tree. The gardener was going to fertilise it and give it the time, and care, it needed to produce fruit. Sometimes we are the gardener – we nurture others to help them produce their fruit. Sometimes we are the tree, in need of nurturing by another. Which are you today?

Monday 8th

Scripture: Luke 4:24-30

Reflection:

A prophet calls out to us. The Prophet asks us to face, and look at, that which we do not want to see, or hear. The prophet will point to the dark places we want to keep hidden. A prophet will make us uncomfortable, perhaps even angry. But these are our reactions to the prophet – not the prophets reaction to us. Have you heard a prophet lately? How did the prophet make you feel? What did you do about it?

Tuesday 9th

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Reflection:

“Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times” (verse 22). I suspect many of us will have difficulty forgiving someone once, perhaps twice, let alone seven times. We may even consider seventy seven times an impossibility. It is then that we need God’s help. When we seek the grace to forgive, we realise that it has already been given. And what joy, and freedom, comes with that realisation. It allows us to move forward, and start to live that forgiveness.

Wednesday 10th

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-19

Reflection:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.” (verse 17). Most of us, have a tendency to think in absolutes. That before the new can start the old must be dealt with, perhaps disposed of. Jesus asks us not to think of endings, but of new beginnings. The old is still there, but now seen in a different way. Does this make you uncomfortable? Why?

Thursday 11th

Scripture: Luke 11:14-23

Reflection:

“whoever does not gather with me scatters.” (part of verse 23) Notice there are two parts to this statement? We have to be with Jesus. Working alongside, in the work of the kingdom. If we are not with him, then we are not simply being idle, we are working to the opposite purpose. We sometimes think that it is OK if I don’t do such and such. Or that doing nothing is not doing any harm. Jesus says the opposite, there is no room for complacency in the work of the kingdom.

Friday 12th

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Reflection:

“The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (part of verse 31). It is probable that we can all identify who our neighbours are. We can also probably say, with the knowledge we have of the gospels, how we should treat them. Yet we often fall very sort of this commandment. Is this because we are focused on ourselves? Have we, in our hedonistic western culture centric view, forgotten how to love ourselves, (without being narcissistic or ego-centric) and so our neighbour has no hope? Or is that we now simply don’t care?

Saturday 13th

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Reflection:

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (part of verse 13). The tax collector knew himself. He knew his failures, he was honest with himself and then he was honest before his God. No vain glory, no prideful attempt to gloss over his faults by listing his piousness, there was just an open and honest admission. When was the last time you went to God like the tax collector?

Sunday 14th

Scripture: Luke15:1-3,11-32

Reflection: