Lent, Day Fifteen, Second Wednesday of Lent

Lent, Day Fifteen, Second Wednesday of Lent

 
SUSTAINMENT 

To take the holy scriptures and read them is the first thing we have to do to open ourselves to God's call.Reading the scriptures is not as easy as it seems .... We tend to make anything and everything we read subject to analysis and discussion. But the word of God should lead us first of all to contemplation and meditation. Instead of taking the words apart, we should bring them together in our innermost being; instead of wondering if we agree or disagree, we should wonder which words are directly spoken to us and connect directly with our personal story. Instead of thinking about the words as potential subjects for an interesting dialogue ... , we should be willing to let them penetrate into the most hidden corners of our hearts, even to those places where no other word has yet found entrance.

Henri J.M. Nouwen
Reaching Out. The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life, pg 30

Scripture:

¹⁹ Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. ²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

²⁴ “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.   John 5:19-24

 

PRAYER
Steadfast God, grant me the openness to read and accept the words of your .holy Scriptures as truth for my inner being, as a springboard for meditation, as urgent messages directed to the hidden places of my heart. Also grant me the willingness to listen and connect with your teachings. Keep me from stumbling over their simplicity. Amen.

LENTEN ACTION
Choose a passage from holy Scripture that is significant to you and memorize it.