Thursday, March 29, 2007
From AscensionNYC
Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent
Psalm 105:4-11
Genesis 17:1-8
John 8:51-59
Psalm 105 focuses on God's promise to Abraham and his offspring, the reading from Genesis details God's commitment to Abraham's descendents (His "chosen ones") in an everlasting covenant, and in John's gospel reading, Jesus asks His followers to keep His word and they will never taste death, reminding them of His covenant with Abraham.
God's promise, His word, His covenant – each of today's readings emphasizes the commitment we have been given by God if we listen to His teachings. It seems so simple. Why, then, is making and keeping that commitment so hard for me on a day to day basis?
Lent is a time to focus on what is really important, eliminating the material distractions and the petty annoyances of daily living, to live as a Christian. Like any discipline, it takes practice to focus on the importance of keeping our word, being true to our beliefs in the real, everyday world. The difficulty comes when you realize that you are not dealing with concepts, but people; not commandments written in stone but personalities formed by the trial and error of human frailty. The challenge is to make a realistic commitment to God, acknowledge our weaknesses and learn from our mistakes.
Here's my promise: I'll keep trying. Have a holy Lent.
Genesis 17:1-8
John 8:51-59
Psalm 105 focuses on God's promise to Abraham and his offspring, the reading from Genesis details God's commitment to Abraham's descendents (His "chosen ones") in an everlasting covenant, and in John's gospel reading, Jesus asks His followers to keep His word and they will never taste death, reminding them of His covenant with Abraham.
God's promise, His word, His covenant – each of today's readings emphasizes the commitment we have been given by God if we listen to His teachings. It seems so simple. Why, then, is making and keeping that commitment so hard for me on a day to day basis?
Lent is a time to focus on what is really important, eliminating the material distractions and the petty annoyances of daily living, to live as a Christian. Like any discipline, it takes practice to focus on the importance of keeping our word, being true to our beliefs in the real, everyday world. The difficulty comes when you realize that you are not dealing with concepts, but people; not commandments written in stone but personalities formed by the trial and error of human frailty. The challenge is to make a realistic commitment to God, acknowledge our weaknesses and learn from our mistakes.
Here's my promise: I'll keep trying. Have a holy Lent.
Denise Kelly
