Friday 1st
Scripture: Mark 4:26-34
Reflection:
Our faith can be like the shrub that grows from the mustard seed. We can allow it to become fully grown and provide support for all we meet, or we can prune it, stunt its growth, and make it remain small. Do you find yourself doing this? Are there times when the world's pruning shears cut the mustard shrub of your faith? If so, don’t let the pruning stunt your faith, use the pruning to make you stronger.
Saturday 2nd
Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
Reflection:
The people in the boat were amazed at how quickly Jesus calmed the storm. But they first had to turn to him, to seek his help. When we face the storms of life, we sometimes hesitate, or decide to not, turn to God. We think we can manage on our own. Can you recall the last time you tried to calm a storm yourself? What happened?
Sunday 3rd
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12
Reflection:
The Beatitudes. Jesus’ blueprint, turns it all upside down, those who would not be seen as being blessed, are. Those who are persecuted should rejoice. Does this "upside down" teaching comfort, or disturb us? Do these teachings inspire us to radical social action, or see us wanting to retreat into safe places? If you had to choose one as a “family motto”, which one would it be? Why?
Monday 4th
Scripture: Mark 5:1-20
Reflection:
In verse 19, Jesus sends the healed man out to witness to the changes in his life. Maybe there are also times when we need to follow this instruction. We can become so focused on ensuring we are following, that we forget to tell others about what we are experiencing. Caught up in our moments, we forget to spread the Good News, and maybe miss an opportunity to assist someone on their faith journey.
Tuesday 5th
Scripture: Mark 5:21-43
Reflection:
She just touched of his cloak and was healed. It was such a simple action. But it was driven by her despair, pain, and frustration. He knew she had touched him, he knew she had been made well, yes - he knew. Just as he knows us.
Wednesday 6th
Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6; 16-21
Reflection:
Jesus contrasts the public displays of piety and those done quietly "in secret". If we have a "service to others" as a focus for our lives, then most likely we will avoid the spotlight and do the work quietly. It is in shunning the ego driven desires of seeking fame, honour and riches, that leads us to seek a better way for ourselves and those we serve.
Thursday 7th
Scripture: Luke 9:22-25
Reflection:
When we think of carrying a cross, we probably think of Christ carrying his cross. There are many graphic, painful and tortured depictions of this event all through the centuries of Christian art. These images make us think that carrying a cross is difficult, perhaps something to be avoided at all costs. But it need not be this way. When we follow, Christ helps us with the task of carrying our cross - if we let him!
Friday 8th
Scripture: Matthew 9:14-15
Reflection:
Jesus tells John's disciples that his followers will fast, but not just yet. We perhaps need to be mindful of the reasons why we do things like fast. Simply doing it, because it is expected, or because everyone else is doing it may suggest that we have lost sight of the purpose of the act. When we do this, we run the risk of focusing our attention on how well we accomplish the act, and not on the "why".
Saturday 9th
Scripture: Luke 5:27-32
Reflection:
Notice how Levi gathered a very diverse group of people for the banquet. Some would have been considered sinners and others as righteous. All were made welcome at the table, even if some present did not like it. Surely an example for us today. Are we as welcoming to those who perhaps don't fit our image, or ideal, of who should be at the table? Do we exclude and marginalise those who perhaps Levi, or Jesus, would have invited?
Sunday 10th
Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11
Reflection:
It is said that everyone has a price. A sum of money that can make a person do whatever the person holding the money wants or expects. Temptation is like that. Temptation looks for, and sadly sometimes finds, our price. When we are being tempted, we need to recall the words Jesus addressed to the devil. Read them again in verse 10.
Monday 11th
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46
Reflection:
"just as you did it to one of the least of these" In today's world it is relatively easy to see the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned, the naked - simply turn on the television, or walk through the suburbs of your town or city where the marginalised, the neglected and the homeless struggle to survive. What seems to be so difficult for many is doing something about it. What are you doing?
Tuesday 12th
Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15
Reflection:
We all know that if we let it, prayer will help us to develop, and maintain, a close relationship with God. Like all relationships that we want to foster, we have to work at it. We need to be attentive and diligent. Jesus gave us the model of prayer. I wonder how many of us know the "Lord's Prayer" by rote, but have not given any thought to what the words mean?
Wednesday 13th
Scripture: Luke 11:29-32
Reflection:
The people of Nineveh listened and did as Jonah preached. In order to repent, we must first be aware of how we have sinned, and then we must be prepared to do something about it. Put another way, repentance requires us to take some action after we gain the understanding or knowledge. Of course we may choose not to know, to become deaf to the knowledge. If we do this then repentance will have little importance or meaning.
Thursday 14th
Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12
Reflection:
I wonder how many of us only to think about, or want to follow, the instruction about "do to others" when we feel aggrieved? I wonder if we always treat others this way, or only when there is some advantage (however slight it may be) to us? Are there perhaps instances when we deliberately choose to do the opposite?
Friday 15th
Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26
Reflection:
"unless your righteousness exceeds". This surely is one of those passages we can take out of its context, and turn into a reason, or a list of judgement criteria, or justifications, which we can then apply to others. Particularly when they do not seem to agree with our perspectives. When we do this, perhaps we are simply demonstrating that it is we who are not yet ready to enter the Kingdom of God.
Saturday 16th
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48
Reflection:
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". We all know this passage of scripture. It is usually easy to see who is persecuting us. So we can readily identify those for whom we should pray. But have there been times when it is you who is doing the persecuting? In this circumstance, would you even consider praying for yourself?
Sunday 17th
Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9
Reflection:
Nicodemus tried to be rational, logical with Jesus’ statements about being “born from above”. But the things Jesus was talking about, defy logical explanations. It does seem that some 2000 or so years later, we are still trying to put a logical, rational scientific explanation, to the words Jesus spoke. Perhaps it is time we stopped trying to tell, and spent time listening.
Monday 18th
Scripture: Luke 6:36-38
Reflection:
In these scriptures, we are being reminded that there is a consequence of our actions. We will be judged, if we judge. We will be condemned if we condemn and so on. It is easy to take the stance (say to judge) without considering how our actions reflect back on us. We see with one way glasses, perhaps we should look in the mirror before we act?
Tuesday 19th
Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12
Reflection:
"The greatest among you will be your servant." To be a servant requires at least 2 things: someone to serve and a willingness to serve others - to be the servant. Have a look around you, how many servants do you know? Can you see how, and who, they are serving? Are you serving with them? Is there, perhaps, someone serving you?
Wednesday 20th
Scripture: Matthew 20:17-28
Reflection:
"but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave". Notice that to be "great" requires you to be servant, but to be "first" requires you to be a slave! Perhaps we can also look at it like this: while a servant may not be "owned" or a slave, a slave is always "owned" and a servant. Anyone still want to be "first"?
Thursday 21st
Scripture: Luke 16:19-31
Reflection:
The chasm that separated the rich man from Lazarus existed in life, and continued after death. While the rich man ignored the chasm in life, he could not do so in death. When he was alive, the rich man had a chance to be compassionate, to help Lazarus - but he chose to do the opposite. It was only when it was too late that he realised the impact of his actions. What are you choosing to do?
Friday 22nd
Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46
Reflection:
The people listening to Jesus knew who he was referring to. But do we? Do we say “oh that was in the past”, we are not like that now. Could it be that we are more like the scribes and Pharisees than we can to acknowledge, let alone admit? Look over the last two days, can you see times when you were more like the farmer’s tenants? Do you know why you did?
Saturday 23rd
Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Reflection:
We have come to know this passages of scripture as the parable of the Prodigal Son. At various times in our lives, and our faith journey’s, we have probably been in circumstances that would see us as both sons. In either case, in these times of growth, or of resentment, there would have someone like the brother’s father. Someone who welcomed, and loved us, no matter what we had done or complained about. Have you ever been the same person as the sons father?
Sunday 24th
Scripture: John 4:5-42
Reflection:
Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman, someone who, (according to the religious standards of his day), he should not have. He stayed with the Samaritan villagers, people (the religious standards said) he should not have had anything to do with. He often did this. He often spoke, ate, healed, and associated with sinners, tax collectors, lepers, outcasts and marginalised people. What do you do?
Monday 25th
Scripture: Luke 4:24-30
Reflection:
Tuesday 26th
Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35
Reflection:
Wednesday 27th
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-19
Reflection:
Thursday 28th
Scripture: Luke 11:14-23
Reflection:
Friday 29th
Scripture: Mark 12:28-34
Reflection:
