Lenten Booklet 2021

Lent 2021

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral
Shreveport, Louisiana



“Life is a journey. Each of us will one
day be judged by our standard of life,
not by our standard of living; by our
measure of giving, not by our measure
of wealth; by our simple goodness, not
by our seeming greatness.” -----William
A. Ward (attributed)

Ash Wednesday

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 103; 1 Corinthians 5:20b-
6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Henri J. M. Nouwen wrote this letter to Jesus in The
Road to Daybreak (N. Y.: Image, 1990):

Jesus,

Tomorrow the Lenten season begins. It is a time to
be with you in a special way, a time to pray, to fast,
and thus to follow you on your way to Jerusalem, to
Golgotha, and to the final victory over death.

I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I
also want to follow my own desires and lend an ear
to the voices that speak about prestige, success,
human respect, pleasure, power, and influence. Help
me to become deaf to these voices and more
attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the
narrow road to life.

I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for
me. The choice for your way has to be made every
moment of my life.

I have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts,
words that are your words, and actions that are your
actions. There are no times or places without
choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing
you.

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Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and in
every place. Give me the strength and the courage to
live this season faithfully, so that, when Easter
comes, I will be able to taste with joy the new life
which you have prepared for me. Amen.
Fr. Wayne E. Carter

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Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Deuteronomy 7:6-11 Psalm 37:1-18 John 1: 29-34

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For me, the idea that binds these three readings
together is “Covenant.” In Psalm 37 and in
Deuteronomy, we see the Covenant between God
and his people Israel, and in John, we hear John the
Baptist speaking of the New Covenant between
Christ and the world. As we contemplate the idea of
“Covenant,” how can we apply it to our own lives as
Christians in this season of Lent and beyond?

In Psalm 37, David sings clearly of the contract
between God and his people. Again and again, he
comes back to the theme, “Trust in the Lord.” David
wants us to trust God in the face of the apparent
success of the wicked. We, as part of the nation of
Israel, should not “fret” when we see the wicked
prosper or feel them hurting us. Instead, we should
trust that all is in God’s plan and that he will right all
these social imbalances we see in the world.
According to His contract with us, His Covenant, we
should commit our way to Him, and God in turn will
restore and lift up the righteous.

In Deuteronomy, this idea of Covenant is reinforced.
The writer reminds us, Israel, of all God has already
done for us because we follow His law, keep His

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Commandments. He has, for instance, released us
from bondage in Egypt, keeping His promises to us.
And God has done these things because we are His
Chosen, His “treasured possession.” All we need do
in return is keep His law and commandments sacred,
and thereby show our loyalty to Him. Of course, our
part of the Covenant can be a struggle in this broken
world. In the face of the wickedness of the world,
we should be steadfast in keeping God’s law, or at
least be steadfast in our trust in God’s power, ever
trying to achieve the perfection of wholeheartedly
following of the Law.

In John, we see the New Covenant to come in Christ.
There at the Jordan River, John proclaims Jesus as
the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice that takes
away the sins of the world. John sees the Holy Spirit
descending as a dove onto Jesus, and by this sign,
Jesus is revealed as the Son of God. With this vision
and declaration, John is telling us that Jesus is the
Christ, the Messiah whose contract is with the whole
world. His death on the cross and sacrifice for us is
his part of the New Covenant; ours is to follow Him
and keep His Law.

As Christians, we are daily confronted with evil and
sin in the world, but we should rest more easily,
surely knowing of God’s promises to us in the Old
Testament and in the New Covenant in Christ.

Rob Gilchrist

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Friday after Ash Wednesday

Psalm 95; Deuteronomy 7:12-16; John 1: 35-42

John the Baptist is standing with two of his disciples
when Jesus walks by. As Jesus passes, John exclaims
“Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples
hear this and start to walk after Jesus. Perhaps they
had heard John preach about the One who was to
come after him and they were interested in learning
more about this man. Jesus turns around and asks
them, “What are you looking for?” They do not
answer his question but instead ask him “Rabbi,
where are you staying?’ Jesus replies, “Come and
see”. They go with him, spend the day at his house
and he invites them to become his disciples.

Jesus asks the disciples “What are you looking for?”
How many times has he asked the same question of
us? It seems like a straightforward question, but it is
not always easy to answer. How we respond to
Jesus’ inquiry tells us a lot about our relationship
with God, with our neighbors and with ourselves.
Oftentimes we have no clear idea of what we want
out of life. The text prompts us to consider that what
we are really looking for is a closer relationship with
God. Jesus invited the disciples to join him, he invites
us, too, to go on a journey with him, to believe in
him and to trust his word. Sometimes the cares and
distractions of our daily lives intrude upon our
spiritual life and get in the way of our relationship

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with Christ. Lent is the perfect time to recommit
ourselves to following in his footsteps and to seeking
a deeper relationship with him.
Cynthia Anderson

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Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Psalm 42 Deut. 7:17-26 John 1:43-51

Psalm 42 and John 1 are two of my favorite
chapters in the Bible. The Psalm inspired one of my
all-time favorite hymns, "As the Deer" by Martin J.
Nystrom, which you can find on YouTube. I love the
Psalm and song because they connect to our senses.
You can see a deer; you can feel its thirst. A deer not
only longs for flowing streams to quench its thirst,
but the stream provides safety by allowing its scent
to disappear from a path its enemy may follow.

In John 1:35-51, Andrew and Philip seem
assured, unashamed, and determined to share about
the Messiah Jesus. My great-great grandfather and
grandfather are Andrew, and my dad is Mark
Andrew. My son Andrew will turn two this April. This
passage about Andrew the disciple is another reason
why I like the name so much. What would our
Christian history be if Andrew hadn't told Simon
(who would become the Peter, the "Rock" upon
which our church is built) "'We have found the
Messiah'"(v. 41)? I love how Philip follows Jesus at
the words, "'Follow me,'" and directly tells
Nathanael (v. 43-45). Nathanael curtly replies,
"'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?'"
Yet Philip's answer is short, swift, and unoffended:
"'Come and see'" (v. 46).

We can trust Jesus completely. Even though
Andrew and Philip's lives subsequently change

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dramatically, trusting Jesus seems to have been a
no-brainer for them. I pray that we choose to follow
and share about Jesus with the same spirit. May we
say, "My soul longs for you" (v. 1). May we sing the
words of "As the Deer" which are "You alone are my
strength and shield/ To you alone may my spirit
yield." I'm sure Andrew and Philip would agree that
"Only [Jesus] can satisfy/ [He] alone [is] the real joy
giver." They followed Him, who would become their
"friend" and "brother," "Even though [He is] a King."
Lauren Thibodeaux

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First Sunday in Lent

Genesis 9:8-17 Psalm 25:1-10 Mark 1:9-15

In writing these daily meditations, we are
encouraged to share significant experiences we have
had that may be helpful to someone else.

I have written and spoken about this experience
previously…several of you know my story well.
On Presidents’ Day weekend in 2018, I experienced
the most extraordinary spiritual event of my life. To
put it succinctly: I was in the presence of God
Himself for about 2 minutes. I was in a most secular
and unlikely location (Las Vegas). I was not thinking
about God; I was focused on my NYT Crossword
Puzzle. His intrusion into my very secular world was
(and still is) unmistakable and remarkable. I have
absolutely no doubt that what I “thought” happened
to me that afternoon did, indeed, happen.

Because of what happened to me in 2018, I was
surprised at how very personal this reading from
Mark was to me.

1:9 John, the Baptist, baptized Jesus, who was about
30 at the time. (This action by John did not change
Jesus’ divine status; He was already that. Instead His
Baptism showed the far-reaching significance of His
acceptance of His messianic vocation as the suffering
Servant of the Lord).

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1:10 Three things set Jesus apart from others who
had been baptized:

a. He saw Heaven being torn open –
(reflects a metaphor for God’s breaking
into human experience to deliver His
people);
b. He saw the Spirit descending on Him
like a dove - (…the coming of the Spirit
empowered Him for His messianic mission);
c. He heard a voice from Heaven – (“You
are My Son….with You I am well pleased”)

1:12 The Temptation of Jesus. Jesus immediately
went out into the desert to confront the Devil.

As I read what I have recited from Mark’s Gospel, I
was taken aback…..not because of what Mark said,
but because of how his words affected me. It is
difficult for me to explain in this amount of space,
but I’ll try.

When I read verses 9,10,12, I immediately relate to
them in a very personal way:

a. I was redirected in 2018; true, not a
“baptism, but I was set on a very
different course for life;

b. For about 2 minutes, I felt “heaven’s
door” open, allowing me in the
presence of God;

c. I did absolutely feel His spirit descend
on me;

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d. And, an unmistakable voice
emblazoned my mind and my heart
with four very distinct sentences (two
were commands). I shall never forget a
word He said.

What I hope to impart to you, is my absolute
certainty that there is truly a God; that He can speak
to each of us in the most ordinary of circumstances
and accomplish extraordinary things in our lives. I
just invite you to be open to the fact that this can
happen to each of us when we least expect it.
Godspeed.
Lennis Elston

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Monday after the First Sunday
in Lent

Deuteronomy 8:11-20 Psalm 41 John 2:1-12

Deuteronomy 8:11-20 is a reminder to not forget the
Lord our God and to remember that he gave us our
lives. We need to step back and remember that the
Lord gives us each day and the beauty that comes
with it. Verse 18 states “But remember the Lord your
God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce
wealth” and verse 19 states “If you ever forget the
Lord your God and follow other gods and worship
and bow down to them, I testify against you today
that you will surely be destroyed.” The only way to
true salvation is by following and trusting God, for he
is the one who gave us life.

Deuteronomy 8:11-20 is reminding us to follow God
and trust in his teachings. If we don’t and we follow
other gods and worship and bow down to them then
we fall into sin. But if we follow God and his
teachings then we will reach salvation and rise to
Heaven. God gives us the choice to follow him or not
and it is up to us to choose to follow and trust in
him.

Barro Massad, EYC

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Tuesday after the First Sunday
in Lent

Deut. 9:4-12 Psalm 47 ⁠John 2:13-22

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” Shelley

After this long, dreary, winter of 2020-2021, most of
us are looking forward to the warm, sunny days of
spring. We yearn to be outside, to feel the sun
warming the earth, and to be able to be together
with friends in church, in each other’s homes, and in
stores and dining establishments without fear or
uneasiness. We are ready!

One traditional task of this time of year is the annual
ritual of spring cleaning. As Jesus “cleansed the
Temple” in John’s gospel, so should we be about the
cleansing of our own temples in preparation for the
holiest day in Christianity.

There is much to do to ready our hearts and souls for
this. Dean Johnson, in a recent sermon, talked about
“cleaning our windows” so that God’s light can shine
through. Once His light shines through, we can see
clearly. Hopefully we can recognize those things in
our hearts that we need to get rid of so that we are
prepared for Him to dwell within. Among this
baggage that needs to go are animosity, prejudice,
untruths, envy, and jealousy. All of these are clutter
that just makes us restless, dissatisfied, and many
times unpleasant. Another huge item that needs to

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be disposed of because of the damage which can
result from it is gossip. We need to remember
Father Thomas’s words : “Is it true? Is it necessary?
Is it kind?” If the answer is no, don’t spread it.
When we have finished this “cleaning,” we are ready
to invite God to our “temples,” the meeting place
between Him and us.
Heavenly Father, come into our hearts and help us
see those things that keep us from being the people
you want us to be. In the words of King David,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a
steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 )
Carol Anne Caraway

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Wednesday after the First
Sunday in Lent

Deut. 9:13-21 Psalm 49 Heb. 3:12-19

Gospel ⁠John 2:23—3:15

David writes a psalm for the sons of Korah, who
worry that their father is more concerned with
riches than righteousness. The poet musician sings
accompanied by his harp of the folly of those who
trust in their wealth and reassures believers
oppressed by the powerful. He calls out to all,
“1Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this
world, 2both low and high, rich and poor alike: 3My
mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation
of my heart will give you understanding. 4I will turn
my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my
riddle: 5Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me”

Then, as now, the common belief that wealth is the
master force in the world and the poor must tremble
before the power of those who possess it is
diminished by the reminder that all humanity will
perish. In times of great evil, when the wicked
flourish and the good are oppressed, regardless of
station, wealth cannot redeem the life of another or
pay ransom that the oppressor may live forever. All
fear of great oppressors is removed by the
remembrance of their end and their folly.

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Everyone dies, the rich and the poor, the wise and
the foolish, the evil and the good. Wealth and power
follow no one to the grave. The ungodly are not
secure despite their power and riches. God is the
source of both judgement and redemption. The
Psalmist expresses his own faith that righteousness
will be finally triumphant. “15But God will redeem me
from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to
himself.” “20People who have wealth but lack
understanding” shall not see the light. Wisdom,
understanding and Grace will bring us to the light.
Candace Higginbotham

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Thursday after the First Sunday
in Lent

Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5 Psalm 46 John 3:16-21

“Hey Lord, if you’ll just help me out here, I’ll……….”
John’s gospel says that if we trust and believe, we
will be saved. Certainly, that is too simple, right?
There has to be more to it than that! Actually, it is
not that simple for me to trust and believe. I find
many times that I want to bargain with God, with
Jesus. Seeing things on a human level tends to
confuse the matter. Thankfully, our God
understands our weak and sinful nature and reminds
us (me) that Jesus paid the ransom for us all. All we
have to do is accept the love and understanding that
is provided. Just as God led the Hebrews out of the
wilderness and into the promised land, our God
provides us with comfort, hope, and a guiding light.

We have and continue to live through
unprecedented times. Certainly times, unique to
most, if not all of us. We are attacked by unseen
enemies who strike without warning. The Psalmist
reminds us that we also have an unseen God on our
side who is a very present help in times of trouble.
No fee required, only trust and believe. This season
of Lent challenges me—us--to trust the one who
saves us, who heals us, and who comforts us through
the pain of losing loved ones and other difficult

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times by leaning on our Father who promises the joy
of Easter morning. Thanks be to God.
Murray Viser

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Friday after the First Sunday in
Lent

Deuteronomy 10:12-22 Psalm 4 John 3:22-36

All three of the readings talk in some way about
fearing the Lord – something that has always puzzled
me. What does it mean to be God-fearing? If God is
a loving God, what do we have to fear? And do I
want to pursue a relationship that is grounded in
fear?

But when I think about what fear really does to us,
fear is our acknowledgement of something’s
dominion and power over us. As discussed in the
readings, “fearing the Lord” says more about how
we see the world in relation to God rather than His
nature as wrathful and vengeful. In Deuteronomy,
Moses tells the Israelites that “the Lord your God
is God of gods and Lord of lords,” and that from
seventy persons, He has made the Israelites “as
numerous as the stars of heaven.” To fear the Lord is
to recognize God as sovereign over the many “gods”
that we create for ourselves.

In Psalm 40, “Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!” Putting our trust
in people or things of this world instead of fearing
the Lord will lead us down the wrong path. How
many times have I convinced myself that I can do it

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all, and then pleaded with the Lord for direction in
life? Fearing the Lord and exalting Him over all of our
earthly idols can give us the clarity and direction we
are often looking for.

And John the Baptist in John’s gospel perhaps gives
us the best example of what it means to fear the
Lord. John had been baptizing people in the name of
God. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Judea
and was also baptizing people, John took joy in
making himself submissive to the Lord and
proclaiming Jesus as the one true God: “He who
comes from above is above all.” He also declared
that Jesus is our only way to God: “Whoever believes
in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
remains on him.”

If I fear the Lord instead of giving power and
dominion to things of this world, I find peace in
trusting that God is in control. God-fearing people
don’t cower in fear of God. They proclaim the truth
that Jesus is Lord, who gives us hope and sets us free
from the burdens of our sinful world.

Tara Jones

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First Saturday in Lent

Deuteronomy 11:13-28 Psalm 55 John 4:1-26

This well-loved story of the encounter of Jesus with
the Samaritan woman at the well, reminds us of the
great gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus describes as
“a spring of water gushing up to eternal life!” (V.14)
The woman came to believe that Jesus is the
Messiah, and became an evangelist to her entire city
so that many came to believe and received this
‘living water’ that transforms.

We teach that we each receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit at our baptism, as we are “sealed by the Holy
Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own
forever.” However, it also seems that it is up to us
throughout our lives to either welcome the Holy
Spirit with the many accompanying gifts (Galatians
5:22), or to allow our ego or false self to be in
control with its many self-seeking attitudes and
behaviors.

When we are open to the Holy Spirit, we are assured
that God can do more in and through us than we can
ever ask or imagine, through the power of the Holy
Spirit. (Eph.3:20) In fact, we are assured that it is
“not by our might, nor by our power, but by the Holy
Spirit” that anything good is ever accomplished!
(Zechariah 4:6)

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In another Scripture Jesus speaks again of the Holy
Spirit as “living water” (John 7:37-39) when he
promises that “out of the believer’s heart shall flow
rivers of living water.”
Meditating on these Scriptures can help us to be
open and expectant, listening for the promptings of
the Holy Spirit as we go through our day. And Jesus
assures us that “God gives the Spirit without
measure.” (John 3:34) These promises give us
strength for each day and hope for tomorrow.
Rev. Dr. Rowena White

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Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Psalm 22:23-31

Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38; 9:2-9

As I write this piece for the 2021 Lenten Meditation
Book I am struck by the fact that it is not yet officially
Lent. However, things have felt like Lent since
March 14, 2020. Much has been lost...jobs, health,
relationships, life, and on and on. Last week on the
eve of the Epiphany the capitol building was actually
attacked and breached by a group of people taking
matters into their own hands.

When God pulled Abraham aside and promised him
not only a son in his old age but also dubbed him the
father of many nations I doubt that Abraham knew
what that meant exactly or what that would look like
in the physical world. When Paul was converted on
the road to Damascus, although he was convinced, I
doubt that he knew exactly what the kingdom of
God was going to look like. When Jesus accepted his
destiny to die on a cross for the sins of whole world I
wonder if He knew what God’s plan would look like.
Yet, all three moved forward in faith towards God’s
call for their lives.

As Christians we are called to do the same, to walk in
the faith that God has given to us. We don’t always
know what that will look like and that is why we call

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it faith, the substance of things hoped for and the
evidence of things not seen.
I am certainly tired of wearing a mask, not being able
to take communion at the rail, not being able to sing
in the choir, not being able to see my mother,
hearing of the deaths of so many, and living in a
world that frankly, seems to have gone so crazy that
I don’t have words to describe it. But, the sun comes
up every day and we are still here.
You who fear the Lord, praise him! …All the ends of
the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord...For
dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the
nations.
May this Lenten season bring us renewed faith and
commitment to our walk with Christ.
Joy Ratcliff

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Monday after the Second Sunday
in Lent

Jer. 1:11-19 Psalm 58 John 4:27-42

“Many Samaritans from that city believed in him
because of the women’s testimony, ‘He told me
everything I have ever done.’”

It is hard to imagine a more unlikely evangelist than
the Samaritan woman. She lives a muted and
hidden life, wracked by shame and treated as unholy
by the religious and dignified. Jesus’s own disciples
are inwardly scandalized that he would condescend
to converse with her. But Jesus has eyes to see what
others cannot. He takes time and great care to
reveal to her the true state of her own heart. In the
process he reveals himself as well - he shows her
who she is, so that she can finally perceive who he is.
How overwhelmed she must have felt to be treated
with dignity and deep attention by someone with
such authority and soul-searching insight. Like her,
we might ponder thoughts such as these: “Surely
anyone that knew the truth of me, every deed done
when I thought no-one was looking, every unkind
thought I ever had, every harsh word I ever uttered,
would flee as far from me as they possibly could.
And yet He stands there, lovingly offering me living
water.” She goes to tell everyone she can about
him.

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Lord, please give me a transformed and courageous
heart like the Samaritan woman,
willing to proclaim your truth to those who are
skeptical and have good reason to doubt my
sincerity;
willing to risk ridicule and abuse in order to point
others to the only source of living water;
willing to invite your love into my sin-shattered and
self-darkened life;
willing to come to you, soul bared and sins exposed,
accepting the miracle that you know everything I
have ever done, and love me still. Amen
Bob Ewing

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Tuesday after the Second Sunday
in Lent

Jer. 2:1-13 Psalm 62 John 4:43-54

“Unless you people see signs and wonders”, Jesus
told him, “you will never believe”.

“I’ll believe it when I see it”. Have you ever said
those words? Being skeptical is human nature.
Nobody likes to be fooled or taken advantage of. In
fact, being skeptical is often seen as an attribute.
Clever people wait until they can see it with their
own eyes. Only the sophisticated ones get it in
writing.

In today’s gospel, a royal official hears that Jesus will
soon be in Galilee. The royal official has a sick son,
so he travels to Galilee to see Jesus and ask Jesus to
heal his son. The royal official lived in Capernaum
and the distance from Capernaum to Galilee was
over 19 miles. The trip likely took over 6 hours to
make.

When he arrives, the official begs Jesus to come back
to Capernaum with him and heal his son before he
dies. Jesus’s response seems dismissive. “Go”, Jesus
replied. “Your son will live.”

What would you do in that situation? If you’re
anything like me, you would want some proof. You

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would want to see it with your own eyes. After such
a long journey, you would likely want something,
anything, to put your mind at ease. “I’ll believe it
when I see it”.
But the official took Jesus at his word and departed.
Believing but not seeing. Trusting in Jesus without
the least bit of proof. Walking in faith on the long
road back to Capernaum.
How many times have we begged God for help, and
in the same breath asked for our own version of
“signs and wonders”? How often do we seek
something, anything, to reassure us, to put our
minds at ease? Maybe Jesus is showing us a
different way. The gospel story reminds us that God
is faithful. God is true. God hears our prayers and
knows our needs. All he asks is for us to take him at
his word and depart.
Kevin Payne

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Wednesday after the Second
Sunday in Lent

Jeremiah 3:6-18 Psalm 72 John 5:1-18

It looks like the “five colonnades” referred to in this
passage was real – what a revelation: the writings in
the Bible are TRUE! The pool was excavated in the
area just north of the temple area, and found to
have Five Porches, just as John wrote. That is
reassuring since a lot that is bantered around these
days is quite false.

One theme of this reading is, once again, Jesus
healed a person on the Sabbath. Instead of being
thankful for the healing of a man who had a serious
medical disability for thirty-eight years, the
“authorities” were quite upset by Jesus’ “activity” on
the Sabbath. Rules…and more rules.

Many religions have an overabundance of rules,
man-made rules. The Pharisees loved rules. They
focused on all their rules, but failed to see the big
picture, the real picture, the living Christ among
them. How utterly tragic.

When the Rulers attacked Jesus due to his healing a
precious human being from his horrible affliction,
simply because it occurred on the Sabbath, I’m
reminded of the movie Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix and Dolores Umbridge, the Defence

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Against the Dark Arts Teacher. Once she gained
more power, after the banishment of Headmaster
Dumbledoor, she had Filch, caretaker of Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hammer in
MANY new “rules” into the walls as he was
precariously perched on an extremely tall ladder!
Rules, rules and more rules – You MUST obey me,
don’t question me……or else!
Let us focus on the main thing, the only thing that is
truly important – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Increase our focus on You, increase our faith, O Lord,
for we are fallen human beings…..sinners. Thank
You, Our Lord and Savior, Amen.
Jacques Lasseigne

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Thursday after the Second
Sunday in Lent

Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28 Psalm 71 John 5:19-29

In today’s readings, I kept returning to the line in
Jeremiah (Jer. 4:20): “Disaster follows hard on
disaster, the whole land is laid waste.” One cannot
help but relate this to our present situation and this
past, and most memorable, year of 2020. So many
have been affected in so many ways. Jobs have been
lost, health diminished, lives lost, relationships
strained, schools closed, families separated, friends
kept apart, athletic events canceled, holidays altered
in unimagined ways, leisure travel stopped,
businesses failed, churches severely strained, and on
and on. Fear became frustration which became
anger and then despondence and perhaps
hopelessness. Last spring, thoughts of: “can we ever
get through this?” later turned into: “I’m done with
this!” We did not know how we could possibly
navigate and survive all of this.

Reading further, however, now in Psalm 71 (v. 2): “In
thy righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline
thy ear to me, and save me! Be thou to me a rock of
refuge, a strong fortress, to save me…” I realize
that, on a personal level, this past year has been a
frustrating inconvenience but I have come through
this relatively unscathed compared to so many

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others and I may even be better for it. Many were
temporarily or permanently and irrevocably harmed
or even lost. However, some were changed and
altered for the better. When one door closed,
another opened. I am saddened that any were
harmed and had to endure such hardships, but,
whether the burden was greater or smaller, God
provided the grace, the strength, and the love to
navigate this past year. And, you know what?
Somehow, God always does this! And God’s love and
His grace for us are, indeed, a blessing. We should
seek to find God’s grace and love in every situation
that we find ourselves, no matter what the severity,
and no matter how unlikely.
Sanders Hearne

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Friday after the Second Sunday
in Lent

Psalm 95 Jeremiah 5:1-9 John 5:30-47

This Psalm tells us that today, as much as in any time
in history, we as people of God, are called to bow
down in worship and acknowledge that we are
under God’s care. Are we listening to God? Instead
of time spent worrying about what is to come, let us
spend our time in worship and praise. It is very
difficult to let go of our worries and concerns in our
personal lives and in the national and international
scene. Let us turn them over to God our Maker. Let
us “shout aloud” and “sing for joy to the Lord” and
focus on the blessings that He has given us for He is
a great God.

Jeremiah tells us that the Lord is looking for those
who seek His truth and who worship only him as
God. Earthly wealth and position do not make men
wise and truthful. From the greatest leaders to the
indigent, God seeks those who live by His word.

In this reading from John, Jesus is giving validation to
John the Baptist, but Jesus says that it is now time
for people to open their eyes to the fact that Jesus is
the one that John has testified is coming. Do we seek
the will of God? Are we listening to what God tells us
or to what others are saying and doing? Jesus
cautions us about seeking acceptance from each

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other while not seeking the glory of God. Jesus has
been sent by God the Father and He is doing his
Father’s will. God wants us to do the same.
Judy Storer

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Saturday after the Second
Sunday in Lent

Jeremiah 5:20-31 Psalm 75 John 7:1-13

Questions in scripture always stop me in my tracks.
They become very personal as I read them. Often,
these questions make my heart ache with
conviction, causing me to stop and meditate. The
end of Jeremiah 5:31 asks such a question. Jeremiah
5:31 asks, “But what will you do in the end? “As I
meditate on this question, I am drawn back to
Jeremiah 5:21, “Hear this, you foolish and senseless
people, who have eyes but do not see, who have
ears but do not hear. “The convicting questions
become clear to me. Do I have eyes that do not see?
Do I have ears that do not hear? Then that gentle
whisper in my soul asks, “What will you do in the
end, my child? “

I do not have good vision and require glasses or
contacts just to function in my everyday life. But
what kind of lens do I use to truly see other people?
Do I use a worldly lens that causes my heart to see
with criticism and judgement or do I use a Godly lens
that sees with compassion and humility? I am
realizing that my heart requires a special Godly lens
to truly see other people the way God does, with
love.

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How good is my hearing? My physical hearing is very
good, but I realize God is questioning the hearing of
my heart. Do I truly take time to listen to God and
other people, or am I guilty of tuning out what I
don’t want to hear? Do I turn a deaf ear to
conversations that make me feel uncomfortable,
that I don’t agree with or beckon me to change? Do I
listen to understand or simply to respond? Maybe
my hearing problem isn’t a problem with my ears
but with my heart.
Lord, You have given me the gift of both eyes that
look and ears that hear. Help me learn to sit quietly
with you that I might see and hear the world through
your heart. I desire to use both of these senses to
serve you in excellence and to be a blessing to
others. Amen.
Amy Lewis

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Third Sunday in Lent

Exodus 20:1-17 Psalm 19 John 2:13-22

In first grade, I recall having an assignment to
memorize the Ten Commandments in religion class.
Standing up in front of the class reciting these laws
was an act of obedience because I vividly remember
struggling to recall the order of the “thou shalt and
thou shalt not” commands, much less find meaning
in the words. Just like I was commanded to complete
this assignment, the Israelites, too, were
commanded to follow these Ten Commandments. It
was as outward expression of obedience to the God
who brought them out of slavery and death to a new
life.

As a language therapist, I work with children who
have difficulties in reading. Many of my students
struggle with processing language. They become
“glued” to a word, and all their focus and attention is
on sounding out the word or words. Therefore, they
are diverted away from figuring out the meaning of
the story. Frustration, fatigue, and isolation creep in
and take root if no one intervenes to help.
Multisensory instruction is necessary to better equip
these students with tools to “deal with the words”
and process their meaning. There is a great joy found
in this learning process and each student brings with
him or her a unique timeline of discovery.

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God is not surprised that we become “glued” on
things that consume our energy, time, and money.
He patiently and loving will intervene and get us
“unstuck” from those things which are not life-
giving when we acknowledge and confess that we
need help. At times, His gifts of sight, sound, smell,
touch, and taste are the direct pathways to
discovering a new way, receiving deeper revelation,
and recalling the greatness of our God as written in
the Psalm. When we are enlightened by God’s grace
and teaching, we seek to worship the King of glory
more fully. We can go forth in joy and peace
knowing each day is meaningful because He is
lovingly rebuilding and holding all things together
with His eternal “super glue.”
Leslie Caraway

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Monday after the Third Sunday
in Lent

Psalm 80 Jer. 7:1-15 Rom. 4:1-12 John 7:14-36

Here we are in the Old Testament reading about the
prophet Jeremiah who is once again, through God’s
direction, warning the Israelites. So many years have
passed since this time, but what strikes me most in
this passage, is that certain traits of human behavior
never change. The constant cycle of making
mistakes, pretending our ‘boss/parent’ does not see,
then begging for forgiveness.

Jeremiah is not sent to the entrance of town to
deliver his message from God. He is sent to the
entrance of the Temple – to find his immediate
audience. Like many times in the past, the Israelites
are warned to turn from their wicked ways
(exploiting, adultery, lies, false worship, etc) and
then their city and citizens will not be harmed. Same
song, different verse. Additionally, God exposes the
citizens weak thinking: just because the Temple is in
their city and they attend as required; their evil
actions outside of the Temple are not cancelled.

On Sundays I feel reenergized and pure when I leave
church – ready to be my most perfect self for the
next six days. Then reality hits. I discovered long ago;
Sunday is the easy day. The challenging days are

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when we are making decisions and church lessons
slip to the back of our mind.
What we must remember as Christians is that just
because we attend church on Sunday does not
negate the actions and thoughts we choose the rest
of the week. It is disrespectful to come into church
on Sunday without remorse and a will to change our
ways. We are not perfect, nor expected to be,
however, life is not easy and there are
consequences. We must consistently remind
ourselves of the person we are on Sunday and carry
that love, respect, and compassion through the
week until we are reenergized.
Jennifer Beruvides

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Tuesday after the Third Sunday
in Lent

Psalm 78:1-39 Jeremiah 7:1-15 Romans 4:13-25
John 7:37-52

God must be quite weary with us. Since the
beginning of time, he has implored us to worship
Him alone, yet we continue to have multiple false
idols. In Old Testament times, the idols were golden
calves and other such items. Hair length, clothing
materials, and general appearances were signs of
affluence or lack thereof. Sound familiar? It does
not matter if the year is 2021 or 600 BC.

Jeremiah is sometimes referred to as a ‘prophet of
individual responsibility’. He is trying to elucidate
the undeniable relationship between sin and its
consequences.

We read Jeremiah’s strong words of warning,
delivered to the people in Judah sometime between
630-600 BC. This faithful man begins this selection
by announcing that the message is clear- reform
your ways and actions or the Lord will pour out his
wrath and anger. He tries to convince the people
that actions have consequences. He reminds them
that it is not enough to worship at the Temple. It is
necessary to show kindness to the alien, the
fatherless, the widow. The listeners would have
heard Jeremiah list many of their sinful behaviors.

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Do not follow other gods, do not kill, do not
persecute each other, and do not steal. Adultery
and perjury are forbidden. Many people in
Jeremiah’s time were willfully ignoring The Ten
Commandments.

Jeremiah warns that God will destroy the temple,
just as he did at Shiloh, in 1050 BC, where there was
a dwelling for His Name. The dwelling at Shiloh was
destroyed because of the wickedness of his people.
Jeremiah says that God warned the people of Israel
again and again, yet they kept refusing to obey.

This is a frightening piece of scripture. I always feel
safe when I am within the walls of our beloved St.
Mark’s, even if I continue to harbor unkind thoughts
or worship false gods such as pretty clothing, or ‘fill
in the blank’….

My experience seems quite close to that of
Jeremiah’s audience. I may not be fashioning a
golden calf, planning a murder, or committing
adultery, but I sure do care about the way I look or
the impressions I make on others. I know that I do
not perform enough work for the poor or those less
fortunate than I.

The strength of the Bible is how current it remains.

Kathryn Gaiennie

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Wednesday after the Third
Sunday in Lent

Psalm 119: 97-120 Jeremiah 8:18-9:6
Romans 5:1-11 John 8:12-20

I love this reading. For me, it captures the essence
of how Christ’s love, through the Holy Spirit, can
have a direct impact in our daily lives…year by year,
month by month, day by day, moment by moment.
Our faith in God’s love for us and His hand in our
lives by the Spirit gives us a “knowing” that God is
present, in and all around us, every minute of every
day. . . like a mist, the presence of the Holy Spirit
envelops us, providing us comfort, clarity, strength,
joy, and peace. It is always there with us; it is simply
a matter of if we have the presence of mind to slow
down enough in our busy lives to connect to God’s
presence, to be open to it, to accept it, to allow
ourselves and our direction to be guided by it, to
surrender to it.

What a confidence it brings in knowing that this
connection to God can provide us with such joy and
peace, regardless of our current circumstances: “A
peace which passeth all understanding”. It is
sometimes counterintuitive if we try to “logic” our
way through it. But I’ve found through my own
personal trials in life that the presence of our Lord is
very real and He can fill us up completely, and give

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us a peace and connection in the midst of a storm.
And while we might not fully understand it in that
moment, it is real and it is personal--in only a way
that our Creator can know us.
How wonderful it is to have the confidence that this
“whole” type of love, joy, and peace is always
available to us here in this world as we live our
earthly lives and beyond into eternity! It is truly an
undeserved privilege--made possible by what Christ
has done for us by his sacrifice on the Cross--that we
may have this faith and knowing of the love, peace,
and fullness of God.

G. Jonathan Hardtner

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Thursday after the Third Sunday
in Lent

Jeremiah 10:11-24 Psalm 86 Romans 5:12-21
John 8:21-32

"I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as
the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me
is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do
what is pleasing to him."

Jesus said this to the crowds to whom he was talking
and I pray the sentiment attached to it is something
all Christians should be aspiring to fulfill. May we
realize that everything we do, hope for, and believe,
are held in the hands of God. May we speak the
words of Christ to others, even to the ones with
whom we think do not deserve such pleasantries.

Often, usually in times of trial, we feel like God is not
there or his love has abandoned us. If we remember
the words of Jesus saying, "He has not left me
alone," and apply them to our own lives, we will
remember that is not the case. When our spiritual
lives become a desert, searching for an oasis can be
a daunting task. Do not lose hope. Seek help from
others, and they will gladly carry you with their faith.
This has happened in my own life. I have seen those
words of Christ in family members and close friends.

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Christ said, "I always do what is pleasing to Him."
May we always strive for this goal. Search your life;
start with the little things. Set goals in doing the
work of the Lord that you know you can accomplish
and build from there. Life with Christ is a
partnership, every relationship has dynamics, and
those dynamics change over time. I have found it is
not different with the Lord, but start out small if
need be. He will lead you where you need to go.
-R. Seth Thibodeaux

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Friday after the Third Sunday in
Lent

Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-20 Psalm 91 Romans 6:1-11
John 8:33-47

Life, death and everything in-between.
Understanding our existence in the realm of God as
well as our own earthly understanding reminds me
of gazing at an endless ocean where a deep sense of
beauty and emptiness can both be felt--the earth,
which we can see, and the Kingdom of God, which
we cannot see. Perhaps our unwarranted visit on
earth feels similar in some respects to Jesus, except
we were sent to see, and Jesus to open our eyes.

To be a Child of God is to live in the paradox of our
own imagination and that which we choose to see of
God’s Kingdom. Standing before the Son of God,
Abraham’s descendants insist on only seeing the
earth before them rather than the kingdom far
beyond their earthly sight. Choosing to be children
of a murderous idol bodes of the selective vision of
God’s Kingdoms we Christians may experience in our
daily lives on earth--the ocean before our eyes, and
its endless nature further in the horizon.

To believe in that endless nature of what may seem
further is to open our eyes to God’s Kingdom. And
while the paths to our ultimate understanding are
uncertain, as Children of God we are freed from the

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