23rd Day of Lent

This photograph is of the Cape Jourimain Lighthouse located in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. For over 120 years, the Cape Jourimain Lighthouse guided ships through the narrows of the Northumberland Strait, around rocky shoals, and into safe harbor at Cape Tormentine.

Imagine that you are the captain of a boat, coming to shore under the darkness of night, through dense blankets of fog, or the turbulence of a mighty storm. Think about how the beams of light illuminate and differentiate between the precipitous crags and the passable waters that will lead to safe harbor.

In John’s gospel (Chapter 3:19-21; NIV) Jesus says these words about himself:

“Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Now put yourself back on the boat sailing into the waters near the lighthouse. Imagine seeing the way to safety being lit by the beams. Imagine the silhouettes of the rocks and boulders that will run your ship aground and destroy it (and perhaps your life and the lives of your crew) if you turn away from the true path that has been shown to lead you to shore.
As you think and reflect upon the photo and these verses about Jesus, are there any situations in your life that the Holy Spirit might be bringing to mind? Are there instances where you are being tempted to ignore the Light pointing the way to right and true path and venture out into dangerous and murky waters? May God’s grace and mercy lead you into the safe harbor of God’s love and wholeness.

Perhaps there are situations in your life where you are trying to discern what the Light is showing you. Perhaps your path hasn’t yet been made clear. If so, may God grant you the grace and wisdom to know the right and true path when you see it. May God grant you the patience and strength to wait in the churning waters until this truth has been revealed.

22nd Day of Lent

In Mark chapter 11 we read another version of Jesus “cleansing’ the temple:
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The next day …on reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:
" 'My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

Here we see that Jesus’ anger was not out of control. He took the time to look at the situation in the temple in the evening, went away and then came back to respond the next day. This was mindful, centered, creative passion at work. Jesus did not just lash out, but nor did he hold back, even though he was aware that his actions would cause not only trouble but sufficient reaction to galvanize the plot to kill him.

When we think of what makes us angry, what stirs our deepest passions, we can often resort to our default of either lashing out in a destructive way or holding back because we fear the consequences. These consequences could be the negative response of someone else or even the pain of having to work through the messiness that ensues.

Spend a moment thinking about any way in which you hold back your passions and emotions, especially anger. Now imagine what it might look like to express that emotion (most probably to another person or people) in a mindful, centered, creative way. What creative opportunities might this open up for you? What creative opportunities might this open up for the person? What would be the consequence of expressing nothing? Which course of action seems most like Jesus?

Spend a moment in silence to discern what action (if any) Jesus would encourage you to take.

Oh God, help me in all my own brokenness and frailty, to be a source of healing in this world. Set me free so that my passion, like yours, might be a source of beautiful creation and love.
Amen