Lent, Day Six, First Monday of Lent

Lent, Day Six, First Monday of  Lent

The word "courage" come from "coeur, which means "heart". To have courage is to listen to our heart, to speak from our heart, and to act from our heart... Often we debate current issues and express our opinions about them. But courage is taking a stance, even an unpopular stance, not because we think differently from others but because from the center of our being we realize how to respond to the situation we are in. Courage does not require spectacular gestures. Courage often starts in small corners: it is courageous not to participate in gossip, not to talk behind someone's back, not to ridicule another. It is courageous to think well of other people and be grateful to them... It is courageous to reach out to a poor person, to spend time with a trouble child, to participate in action to prevent war and violence.

Henri J.M. Nouwen
Sabbatical Journey: The Diary of His Final Year, pg 12

Scripture:

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. ³⁰ Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:29-33

PRAYER
Cherished God, give me true and heartfelt courage that brings strength, resilience, and determination to do what is right rather than. what is expedient and convenient. Let my courage be seen in small ways that reflect the essence of your commandments: let me forego gossip and sarcasm, exercise caution with placing blame, refuse to duck away from responsibility, speak wisely at the appropriate moment, and cultivate compassion and understanding Let me be among those who have the courage of his or her convictions. Amen.

LENTEN ACTION
Choose a new tradition to observe this Lent; for example, decorate your home with reminders of the season (purple, incense, thorny branches), make a cross to adorn a home altar, or, imitating a Greek custom, place six feathers in a potato and remove one during each of the weeks of Lent.