Lenten Meditations: Monday 4 March 2024
| Mon Mar 4 |
am 80 pm: 77, 79 |
Gen 44:18-34 | 1 Cor 7:25-31 | Mark 5:21-43 |
THIRD MONDAY OF LENT – John & Charles Wesley, Priests, Evangelist, and Missionaries (transferred) 1788, 1791
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: John Wesley was educated at Charterhouse School and Christ Church, Oxford, and after ordination to the priesthood in 1728 became for a time his father’s curate. Later John accompanied his brother Charles to America and published his first hymnbook in Charlestown in 1737. Returning to London John became a traveling preacher and a leader in the Methodist movement which eventually separated from the Church of England and established its own chapel. Charles Wesley was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He was ordained in 1735 and traveled to Georgia as secretary to the governor, James Oglethorpe, but stayed there only a few months. Returning to England he became, like his brother John, a traveling evangelist and missionary. A prolific poet, Charles Wesley wrote more than 6000 hymns and is widely regarded as the greatest of all English hymn writers.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION OF THE DAY: The Book of Genesis in this section brings us to one of the most moving moments of the saga of the 12 brothers who became the fathers of Israel. Judah years before this participated in selling Joseph and he along with the brothers they are now facing the consequences. But Judah has the chance to make things right – He tearfully tells Joseph that their old father Jacob will die if anything happens to Benjamin. This was certainly a very moving scene as it demonstrates his concern for his father who would surely die if Benjamin did not return with them. This is quite a change of heart when just a few years before these same brothers were willing to break their father’s heart over the loss of their beloved Joseph. This passage causes us to pause and consider how the actions we take may not only our relationship with God but with others in devastating ways. Moreover, it goes to the heart of the question of how willing are we to sacrifice for those whom we say we love. If someone we love was accused of something and had to pay a severe price, would we be willing to offer our lives in their place? This is what Judah offered to do for his brothers and this is what Jesus did for us. Are we shaped by these experiences, or do we just admire them from afar? This is a key question at the midpoint of Lent.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: God of grace, rouse up within your people a deep courage and faith in this holy season to stand for you as our Lord. May we respond to your claim on us with due fear and love so that we stand firmly in faith confident of your love and mercy, willing to sacrifice in love as you have shown us the way. Amen
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbor; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us.”.” – John Wesley, from A Plain Account of Christian Perfection.
Lenten Lyrics – Ye Servants Of God – Charles Wesley
Lenten Discipline – Consider John Wesley and The Holy Club’s 22 Questions as a means of reflection for today and see how well you are living into a Holy Lent https://www.hopefaithprayer.com/john-wesley-holy-club-questions
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
