Lenten Meditations: Tuesday 13 March

Mar 13, 2018 by Jill

FOURTH TUESDAY OF LENT – St. Gerald Bishop of Mayo, 731

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY:  Gerald was born in Northumbria in north-east England. He was one of a group of thirty Anglo-Saxon monks who when the decision was taken at the Synod of Whitby to adopt the Roman computation of Easter as against the Celtic custom, accompanied St Colman of Lindisfarne, the third abbot-bishop of Lindisfarne, to Ireland. Colman had vigorously advocated the Celtic mode of calculating Easter and when that synod went against him, Colman and his monks, wanting to remain part of the Celtic church, crossed over to Ireland in 668 and settled on the island of Inishboffin off the Co Galway coast. Bishop Gerald’s circumstances remind us of today’s church as dissensions arose, after a time, between the Irish and the English monks, and St. Colman the Abbot decided to found a separate monastery for the thirty English monks so that they may have safe practice of the faith given the difference between the Celtic and Saxon expressions of the faith. Thus, arose the Abbey of Mayo. Mayo of the Saxons”, as it came to be known, had a great reputation for learning and documents. Alcuin of York corresponded with its abbot and monks. It had the status of an episcopal see even into the 16th century

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: The author of Hebrews calls for ones thoughts to be fixed on Jesus. He is making a point about the need for us to have a singular focus on the one who is our singular redeemer. Easier said then done. Even when we are at church it is difficult for people to stay fixed on the Lord himself. While it would be ideal if all were totally focused on hearing God’s Word and singing God’s praises. It seems that most of us just are not there, WHY? well we have busy days. hectic schedules bills that need to get paid, health concerns, deadlines we face at work (or the frustration of being without work), just to name a few

Fortunately, he is a forgiving God. Lent is a time of discipline. A time to try to regroup and not let the distractions distract us. Let us take steps today to fix our eyes, our ears, our thoughts, our minds, our hearts on him and allow him to guide us through this journey of life so we like Moses may see the Promised Land of Heaven.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

LENTEN DISCIPLINE –Employ the use of Lectio Divina as a process to begin to get fixed on the person of Jesus. If you are unfamiliar with this spiritual discipline, go to https://www.thereligionteacher.com/lectio-divina-steps/ and follow the steps.

ANCIENT WORDS/PRESENT GRACE: We are called to be contemplatives, that is see-ers, men and women who are called to see the coming of God. The day of the Lord is indeed always coming. It is not a coming which will occur in some distant future, but a coming here and now among us. The Lord’s coming is an ongoing event around us, between us, and within us. To become a contemplative, therefore, means to throw off — or better, to peel off — the blindfolds that prevent us from seeing his coming in the midst of our world.”– Henri J.M. Nouwen

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