April
18, 2014
18, 2014
Luke 22:39-48;
Matthew 27:3-5
Matthew 27:3-5
Greed
It wasn’t just Judas who was seduced
by greed - in his case, for money for Jesus’ arrest. The authorities were greedy for power and
control. They knew that Jesus was
influencing the people, empowering them to claim their dignity and
strength. Jesus was upsetting the social
order. The power-focused greed of the
authorities is what led to the betrayal and capturing of Jesus. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove the greed that gets in the way of the Gospel: greed
that stops us from being truly happy and prevents us from acts of generosity
and compassion.
by greed - in his case, for money for Jesus’ arrest. The authorities were greedy for power and
control. They knew that Jesus was
influencing the people, empowering them to claim their dignity and
strength. Jesus was upsetting the social
order. The power-focused greed of the
authorities is what led to the betrayal and capturing of Jesus. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove the greed that gets in the way of the Gospel: greed
that stops us from being truly happy and prevents us from acts of generosity
and compassion.
Luke 22:54-62
Fear
Peter was afraid. It was his fear that stopped him from doing
the right thing. He was afraid to take a stand and speak the
truth that Jesus was his teacher and friend.
Sometimes fear gets the better of us.
When an acquaintance makes a racist or homophobic comment, fear keeps us
silent. When someone different moves into the neighbourhood, it is fear that
thinks about property values over people.
We can be prone to repeat negative patterns in our lives out of fear of
what unknown might be exposed by a different pattern. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
in silence for God to remove fear within us and in our world that stops us from
trusting and doing what is right.
the right thing. He was afraid to take a stand and speak the
truth that Jesus was his teacher and friend.
Sometimes fear gets the better of us.
When an acquaintance makes a racist or homophobic comment, fear keeps us
silent. When someone different moves into the neighbourhood, it is fear that
thinks about property values over people.
We can be prone to repeat negative patterns in our lives out of fear of
what unknown might be exposed by a different pattern. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
in silence for God to remove fear within us and in our world that stops us from
trusting and doing what is right.
John 18:28-40
Pride
Pilate thought he had all the right
answers. He trusted not in God’s truth
and God’s love, but in his own knowledge and his political position. His pride played a role in what he did with
Jesus. There are times when pride blinds
us from seeing deeper truths and blocks new understanding. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove pride from within us and our world that makes us
feel more important than others and stops us from walking humbly with our God.
answers. He trusted not in God’s truth
and God’s love, but in his own knowledge and his political position. His pride played a role in what he did with
Jesus. There are times when pride blinds
us from seeing deeper truths and blocks new understanding. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove pride from within us and our world that makes us
feel more important than others and stops us from walking humbly with our God.
John 19:1-11a
Envy
Luke 23:13-25
Helplessness
Pilate could have made a different
choice. He could have chosen to ignore
their voices. He had the right to do so;
he had the power to do so. But he made
the easy decision because it was popular in the moment. The people who listened to Jesus on the
hillside, those who had been healed by him, fed by him, welcomed by him, could
have spoken out. They probably did, but
they were drowned out by the frenzy for blood.
Imagine Jesus’ followers shouting at the top of their lungs trying to
let Pilate know that not everyone in the crowd wanted Barabbas released and
realizing they were not going to be heard.
There are times when we, too, feel helpless. This can cause us to lose our voice, to give
up and stop trying to change things for the better. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove (from us) the paralysis of helplessness and so doing
empower us to know that when we work with God, we can change ourselves and the
world God loves.
choice. He could have chosen to ignore
their voices. He had the right to do so;
he had the power to do so. But he made
the easy decision because it was popular in the moment. The people who listened to Jesus on the
hillside, those who had been healed by him, fed by him, welcomed by him, could
have spoken out. They probably did, but
they were drowned out by the frenzy for blood.
Imagine Jesus’ followers shouting at the top of their lungs trying to
let Pilate know that not everyone in the crowd wanted Barabbas released and
realizing they were not going to be heard.
There are times when we, too, feel helpless. This can cause us to lose our voice, to give
up and stop trying to change things for the better. As this candle is extinguished, let us pray
silently for God to remove (from us) the paralysis of helplessness and so doing
empower us to know that when we work with God, we can change ourselves and the
world God loves.
Luke 23:32-38
Anger
The soldiers were filled with anger -
as is common for those who constantly are fighting in war. They had become desensitized to pain and
suffering. They had been trained not to
see a ‘person’ on the other end of their sword but an enemy who deserves what
they get. When we are angry, we throw insults
or we callously walk by the suffering of others (“better them than me”). Scientifically, anger stops us from being
reasonable. Literally, an angry brain is
a stupid brain. As this candle is
extinguished, let us pray silently for God to remove anger from within us and
anger in our world that leads to so much hate and violence.
as is common for those who constantly are fighting in war. They had become desensitized to pain and
suffering. They had been trained not to
see a ‘person’ on the other end of their sword but an enemy who deserves what
they get. When we are angry, we throw insults
or we callously walk by the suffering of others (“better them than me”). Scientifically, anger stops us from being
reasonable. Literally, an angry brain is
a stupid brain. As this candle is
extinguished, let us pray silently for God to remove anger from within us and
anger in our world that leads to so much hate and violence.
Luke 23:39-43
Forgiveness
Even at the moment of greatest pain,
having been beaten, rejected, insulted and despised, Jesus speaks a word of
peace and hope. Like the man hanging
beside Jesus, we have offered our confessions this day. May we trust that the word of forgiveness
speaks into our hearts as it did on Calvary.
In assurance of that promise, let us join in song: #85MV “Take O Take Me
as I Am”.
having been beaten, rejected, insulted and despised, Jesus speaks a word of
peace and hope. Like the man hanging
beside Jesus, we have offered our confessions this day. May we trust that the word of forgiveness
speaks into our hearts as it did on Calvary.
In assurance of that promise, let us join in song: #85MV “Take O Take Me
as I Am”.
Based on materials from "Gathering" Lent/Easter 2014
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