Lenten Meditations: Monday 22 February

Feb 22, 2021 by Jill

LENT I – St. Maurice and the Martyrs of Apnea Syria, 305

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY:  Saint Maurice, a Roman military commander of suffered in the year 305 under the emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311) together with seventy soldiers under his command.

Maximian ordered them to harass some local Christians, the legion  led by

Maurice  refused. Ordering the unit to be punished, Maximian had every tenth soldier killed, a military punishment known as decimation. More orders followed, the men refused compliance as encouraged by Maurice, and a second decimation was ordered. In but they still  gave  refusal to attack fellow Christians, Maximian ordered all the remaining members of his legion to be executed.

Note: This is what is observed in the Eastern Church. On the Western calendar there is St. Maurice whose circumstances are similar to these. Known as the martyrdom of St. Maurice and the Theban Legion which takes place not in Syria but   in Switzerland known then as Agaunum, which is now Saint-Maurice, Switzerland, site of the Abbey of St. Maurice. Some researchers suggest these are two different accounts of different men with evidence locally while others suggest it is the same person and story translated

from east to West.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: The Psalm for the morning today may resonate with many people as the psalm echoes the sentiments of a person who is wearied by this world. Certainly, the magnitude of this pandemic   has caused all of us to struggle in our faith and ponder where is God in this mess. Such constant wondering emotionally and spiritually  is causing a sense of dread, weakness, oppression, and a lack of confidence are that all will be well. The words of psalmist we need to hear anew as he states God is the source of our strength, hope, and healing. This needs to be resounded for us in the church because throughout this year, difficult as it may have been at times, God has revealed himself through the grace and generosity and in those moments, we need to recall that  he is  worthy of our praise.

That has not been easy for many as it is questioning God’s presence in all of this or blaming him is the easy way to abandon the relationship. Certainly, it is difficult, in this present trial to have the confidence to simply trust that God is always with us, especially in the darkest times. Nonetheless, we are His children, God knows our shortcoming in this, and He loves us anyway keeping the promise of new life ever available to us even though in our times of distress we may forget that we are never alone.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Please, Lord, give me the wisdom to know how to learn of you discern you and serve you in these challenging days. Each day amidst the pains of the world help me to discover the joy of God again. Make our journey back to you in this pandemic  one of grace, humility and insight all for the love of you. Amen

LENTEN DISCIPLINE – Offer a gesture of hope to a person struggling in this pandemic by sending a card or a note. Dropping of groceries or a phone call to let them know they are not forgotten.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “And reckon ye that it is for your sakes we have been saying these things; for it is in our power, when we are examined, to deny that we are Christians; but we would not live by telling a lie. For, impelled by the desire of the eternal and pure life, we seek the above that is with God, the Father and Creator of all, and hasten to confess our faith, persuaded and convinced as we are that they who have proved to God by their works that they followed Him, and loved to abide with Him where there is no sin to cause disturbance, can obtain these things”.- St. Justyn Martyr

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