Lenten Meditations: Saturday 31 March

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: John Donne was born in about the year 1571 and brought up as a Roman Catholic. He led a somewhat debauched youth and was extremely skeptical about all religion. He eventually discovered his Christian faith in the Church of England. After much heart-searching, he accepted ordination and later the post of Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral. Much of his cynicism dissolved and he became a strong advocate for the discerning of Christian vocation, and in particular affirming his ownvocation as a priest, loving and loved by the crucified Christ. The people of London flocked to his sermons. He died on this day in the year 1631. His love-poetry and religious poems took on a renewed life in the twentieth century and his place both as a patristic scholar and as a moral theologian are confirmed by his prolific writings and the publication of his sermons.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: In the Gospel of Mark, today’s reading is the culmination of Jesus’ ministry before the events of Holy Week begin. While very few of us many suffer the plight of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, perhaps we would not mind having the question put to us that Jesus puts to Bartimaeus:, “What do you want me to do for you?”. All of us would like Jesus to do something for us and perhaps it is often based on wants and desires rather than need. Moreover, our request may not be based upon faith which is a key component to the event of this story isn’t it. This blind beggar is told his faith has made him well. What depth of faith he must have had? It was more than a hope and a prayer but seemingly a deeply rooted conviction about the power of Christ in the world and his life. How convicted are we this Holy Season of the power of Christ. Perhaps we are wrestling with our own blindness on a variety of levels that we cannot see the opportunities that a renewed faith might offer us. Blindness exists on many levels. Certainly there is the reality of being physically blind, but perhaps our struggle is spiritual or emotional blindness that come be caused by everything from wealth, power, privilege, unhealthy relationships, and addiction. All of these can prevent us from clearly seeing truth of our need for a deeper faith. What is it that we seek from the Lord as we enter Holy Week?

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE:  “The first step toward finding God, Who is Truth, is to discover the truth about myself: and if I have been in error, this first step to truth is the discovery of my error.” –Thomas Merton

Lenten Discipline– Read Donne’s Meditation XVII (http://isu.indstate.edu/ilnprof/ENG451/ISLAND/text.html)  known as “No man is an island”. He stresses the idea that that people are not isolated from one another, but that mankind is interconnected. Who are you connected to and who do you need to reconnect to in the spirit of reconciliation?