Fourth Sunday of Lent
April 3, 2022

John 12:1-8

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 

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Something to Do

Fill your house with fragrance

Fill your home with a smell you love and that makes you feel luxurious like something very special is about to happen. Maybe it’s a perfume or the smell of fresh baking or crushed herbs or cut plants. Offer the fragrance as a prayer of thanksgiving.

You always have the poor with you

Set aside the depressing nature of Jesus’ observation and respond to the reality that poverty is indeed still with us. If you have more than you need, give some of it away.

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Something to Wonder

Where do you fit?

There are five characters in this scene at the dinner in Bethany:

• Jesus, the honoured guest facing a difficult path
• Lazarus, the man recently raised from the dead
• Martha, serving the dinner to her guests
• Mary, pouring out valuable ointment on Jesus’ feet
• Judas, challenging and scheming

Who do you identify with? Why? How do you feel about that?
Is there someone you would rather identify with? Why?
Who do you least want to identify with? Why? Read the story again and try your best to enter into it from that person’s perspective.

Pour it out on Jesus’ feet

What treasures do you hold? How can you pour it out on Jesus’ feet as an offering and a gift?

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Something to Learn

Oils and Incense

Worship is a multi-sensory experience which includes our sense of smell. Some churches add fragrance to their worship on purpose, adding scents to the oils used for anointing or burning incense in their services. Even when we don’t add fragrance on purpose, though, it is part of our experience – the smells of our buildings, our fellow worshippers, the grounds around our churches. (At Ascension, we are mindful that some people have sensitivities to scent and try to limit the smells we introduce into our space.)

Learn about the history of anointing in this fascinating Wikipedia article.
And a little about the use of incense in this fact sheet from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

Third Sunday of Lent
March 27, 2022

Psalm 32

Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!
Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile!
While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, because of my groaning all day long.
For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble;
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye. 
Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you.” 
Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. 
Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord; shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

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Something to Do

Pray the Psalm in song

The psalms have been sung in prayer since the earliest days. Listen to Psalm 32 in a variety of musical settings:

In Hebrew by a Sephardi Jewish cantor

In English by the monks of the Little Portion Hermitage

In English by the Salisbury Cathedral Choir (Anglican)

A contemporary song by Steve Bell

A livelier setting by The Corner Room

Psalm 135 in Greek by the monks of St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery (I couldn’t find Psalm 32!)

Unburden Yourself

The psalmist sings of the joy that comes when you release your guilts and worries to God for God faithful responds with forgiveness and renewal. Examine your heart and open it up to God. This can be a time of private prayer or you can reach out to Rhonda in order to learn more about the rite of reconciliation.

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Something to Wonder

Happy are they whose sins are forgiven

Think of a time when you have been forgiven by someone you love. What led to that forgiveness? How did it feel? What is your relationship with that person like now?

Think of a time when you forgave someone you love. What let to that forgiveness? How did it feel? What is your relationship with that person like now?

Is there someone you have not forgiven? Is there someone who has not forgiven you? If so, are you on a path towards forgiveness? Do you want to be? Why or why not? What would you need to change the situation?

Bring the situation to God in prayer and ask God what you should be praying for.

Do not be like horse or mule

What things can cause you to wander away from God?
What things (short of a bit and bridle!) help you stay close to God?

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Something to Learn

The Examen

If you have been reading the Story at Home for a while, you may have already been introduced to the prayer practice known as the Ignatian Examen. This prayer comes from St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits, and is a powerful tool for engaging with God’s presence in our lives and our own spiritual growth. It can be a general examination of your day or it can be adapted to help you focus on particular areas or issues of concern.

Jesuits.org offers an introduction to the practice and a number of variations, including the everyday examen, an ecological examen, an examen for racism, and a social media examen.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

Second Sunday of Lent
March 20, 2022

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam – fell on them – do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'” 

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Something to Do

Pray

Jesus is responding to news of terrible violence – the murder of his fellow Galileans by Roman forces while they were at worship. Join your prayers to his and pray for all those who are killed at the hands of empire. Pray for peace. Pray for justice. Pray for healing.

Bear Fruit

When a tree bears fruit it nourishes life for others and ensures fruit trees for generations to come. Plant something this week – a literal plant, perhaps, or an investment of time in a relationship or a gift of money to an organization doing good work or the creation of a work of art and beauty.

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Something to Wonder

unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.

Jesus’ warning needs some unpacking. It is important to notice that it comes after his insistence that tragedy and violence are not the consequences of sin – so he can’t be saying that perishing is the consequence of a failure to repent. What, then, is he saying?

How did the victims of Pilate and the tower of Siloam perish? How would repenting prevent perishing in the same way? What is the connection between this warning and the parable about the fig tree?

why should it be wasting the soil?

Are there aspects of your life or habits of your mind that seem to be “wasting the soil” instead of producing good fruit? Do they need to be cut down to make room for healthier growth? Or do they need to be fertilized and nurtured in order to become fruitful?

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Something to Learn

How do we bear fruit?

The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa’s 125th anniversary lectures have all offered perspectives on the question of how the church is called to bear fruit. Each lecture is about one hour long – the rest of the run time is the Q&A.

The Rev’d Dr. Sam Wells invites us to re-imagine the church so that we can live in God’s future now.

Signs of Hope in the Fight against Climate Change brings together four panelists to educate and inspire action.

The Rev’d Dr. Jason McKinney asks us to rethink our relationship to property in his lecture “The Church as Commons: A Theological Case for Affordable Housing”

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.