Category Archives: Lent

Psalms Week: May Your Kingdom Come

The Book of Psalms is a wilderness book. It is also perfect for the messy, muddy, unpredictable season of Lent. It is filled with laments, the most common type in the book, but the Hebrew name for the book is Tehillim, which means “praises.” There is constant movement throughout the book from lament to praise, from despair toContinue reading “Psalms Week: May Your Kingdom Come”

Sermon: Breaking Down Boundaries…One Person at a Time (Lent III)

SERMON: Lent III Breaking Down Boundaries…One Person at a Time So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman cameContinue reading “Sermon: Breaking Down Boundaries…One Person at a Time (Lent III)”

Sermon: On the Verge of a Whole New Life (Lent II)

SERMON: Lent II On the Verge of a Whole New Life Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that youContinue reading “Sermon: On the Verge of a Whole New Life (Lent II)”

Jan Richardson: Lent I – Where the Breath Begins

Note from CM: One of my favorite sites is Jan Richardson’s Painted Prayerbook. Jan does remarkable works of art and matches them with luminous prose, poetry, and prayers. She gave permission for us to use this Lenten reflection. It’s stunning. Thank you, Jan! • • • Lent I: Where the Breath Begins by Jan Richardson ✥ ReadingContinue reading “Jan Richardson: Lent I – Where the Breath Begins”

Sermon: The Next Day…and the Next (Lent I)

SERMON: Lent I The Next Day…and the Next Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stonesContinue reading “Sermon: The Next Day…and the Next (Lent I)”

Lent with Neil Young

Lent with Neil Young 2017 Each year during Lent, I try to focus some of my musical attention on an artist and/or album from the popular culture of my lifetime in which I find lessons for the Lenten journey. In past years we’ve considered the music of Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan’s John Wesley Harding, and Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. In 2017,Continue reading “Lent with Neil Young”

Another Look: Lent is not about getting better

Note from CM: As I prepare for the days of Lent, I found this meditation from 2015 helpful. • • • Lent is not about getting better. Lent is about preparing to die. The word “lent” means “spring.” But Lent is not the spring. Lent leads to spring, as death leads to new life. Lent isContinue reading “Another Look: Lent is not about getting better”

Lent V: Richard Rohr on the Humility of John of the Cross

Lent V Richard Rohr on the Humility of John of the Cross On Sundays in Lent this year I’m sharing some things I’ve been learning from Richard Rohr. This Sunday’s Gospel text, the story of Mary anointing Jesus in anticipation of his death and burial, portrays the woman as a person of humble devotion. She entered aContinue reading “Lent V: Richard Rohr on the Humility of John of the Cross”

Lent IV: Richard Rohr on the Ever-Moving Creator

Lent IV Richard Rohr on the Ever-Moving Creator On Sundays in Lent this year I’m sharing some things I’ve been learning from Richard Rohr. I was struck this past week by the most recent discovery of the Hubble Space Telescope. Here was the announcement: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is an amazing time machine; by looking backContinue reading “Lent IV: Richard Rohr on the Ever-Moving Creator”