Lenten Meditations: Wednesday 20 March

Mar 20, 2019 by Jill

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF LENT Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, 687

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: Today we remember Cuthbert, who at the age of eight had a prophetic remark from a playmate turn his mind to sober and godly thoughts, and his upbringing as a shepherd gave him ample time for prayer. One night he saw in the sky a dazzling light and angels carrying a soul up to heaven and resolved to dedicate his life to God. Some years later Cuthbert came to Melrose Abbey asking to be admitted as a monk. It was from here that he began his missionary work, which he continued from Lindisfarne when he became abbot there. Consecrated bishop in 685 he remained an indefatigable traveler and preacher, walking all over his diocese, and spending time as a hermit on Farne Island in between. After only a year however, he felt his end coming and resigned his office, dying on Farne in the company of a few of his monks.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: Today’s Gospel describes Jesus curing the paralytic who had waited 38 years for someone to help him get to the water of the pool so as to be healed! Faced with this total absence of solidarity, what does Jesus do? He breaks the Sabbath law and cures the paralytic. Of course, part of the reason he may have been there is the 38 years of lamenting. Perhaps people got tired of hearing of his desire to get to the pool and just shut him out. If that is also part of the story here, Jesus says enough is enough and announces to him, “You’re healed. You’re well. Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

At that moment the man had to make a decision he had not expected to make that day : do as Jesus says or stay in his helpless state of self-pity. Jesus provides the healing, but the crippled man still has to take the step of faith. Each day we must be ready for Jesus to break into our ruts and challenge us to cast aside the mats of habit albeit good or bad ones in some cases. Jesus may ask of us to make a bold step and to change our course. Is that something we are ready? is our life in faith simply determined by doing that which we are comfortable doing?

PRAYER OF THE DAY:  Almighty God, who called your servant Cuthbert from following the flock to follow your Son and to be a shepherd of your people: in your mercy, grant that we, following his example, may bring those who are lost home to your fold; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “If I could live in a tiny dwelling on a rock in the ocean, surrounded by the waves of the sea and cut off from the sight and sound of everything else, I would still not be free of the cares of this passing world, or from the fear that somehow the love of money might still come and snatch me away.” – St. Cuthbert

Lenten Discipline – Today in many poor countries, assistance to sick people is lacking; people experience the same lack of solidarity. They live in total abandonment, without help or solidarity from anyone. Reach out to those seeking help in medical missions to see how you can help others pick up their mat. Click https://www.medicalmissions.com/

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