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LENT 1: SAND

2/26/2021

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"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil"  (Matthew 4:1)


If you have your "Lent in a Bag," take out the bag of sand and pour it in a plate or in your hand.  Or just look at the picture of sand at the top of this page. 


Remember the texture of sand, how it is often used to remove the dead skin from our bodies.  Remember how sand in a wet bathing suit can irritate our skin. Or, remember walking in sand on a beach, the effort it takes, or how hot it can be on the soles of our feet.  What else does sand remind you of?


 Read the scripture above from Matthew.  


A few years ago, Forrest and I visited the Grand Canyon.  On our way back to Las Vegas to drop the rental car off, we took a wrong turn. We ended up deep in the Mohave Desert. As far as we could see was wilderness. Tough desert shrubs and rocky terrain dotted the landscape for as far as we could see.  We were the only car to be seen. A slight panic settled in.  What if the car broke down? What if we got stuck?  Unexperienced city dwellers, how could we describe any landmarks to pinpoint our location?  Eventually we found a check point in California and got put on the right direction.  It was an unnerving and humbling experience.  We were stripped briefly of all the things that ground us and support us. Gas stations. Coffee shops. Street lights and signs. We felt alone. When we let go of the anxiety we felt the peace and beauty of nature overtake us.

If the desert is unnerving for us, imagine what it must have been like for Jesus.  Stripped of all human comforts, of a safe and secure environment, Jesus was left to his own defenses, dependent entirely on God. He faced all sorts of temptations, to ease his discomfort, to satiate his hunger, to reclaim a sense of power and control over his environment.  With no distractions around him, Jesus had only God to turn to.  By coming through the wilderness, like the people of Israel, Jesus came to know himself more deeply, more intimately as God's beloved son, whose destiny was to come into the wilderness of our lives, where we feel empty, alone, frightened, disoriented, surrounded by hunger and temptation.

In Lent, we consciously place ourselves in a "wilderness-like" situation to draw ourselves closer to God.  Some of us give up sweets, caffeinated drinks, that familiar Starbucks or Dunkin', or that daily class of wine.  Perhaps we chose to  clear out our closet or pantry and give away our excess.  Maybe we deliberately seek to compliment or show affection to others around us. I know some brave souls that keep the TV and social media turned off and sit in the stillness of silence, so they can more clearly hear God's voice.  

Week one of Lent asks us to find our wilderness place, the place where we take the routines away and allow ourselves to be spiritually uncomfortable, and in that discomfort, hear the voice of God speaking to us tenderly, drawing us in closer so we can be renewed.



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Be a Blessing to Others

2/26/2021

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​Mary Mary "Shackles" (Praise You)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7eZD3TKn_M

Yesterday I celebrated 25 years of ordination to the ministry of word and sacrament.  It's been a time of highs and lows. A time of failures and successes.  A flood of faces I have been honored and privileged to serve.  I see each church in which I have ministered.  Over these years I can affirm that God has been faithful, loving and merciful through it all. I am humbled and grateful for such precious experiences that have blessed my life.


During the week that led up to my ordination there was an incident that would become a defining  moment in my ministry. On Tuesday before my ordination the preacher for the event called me and had to cancel.  Suddenly I had four days to find a preacher for my ordination.  Who would agree to preach on such short notice.


  Near in tears and despair, I spoke to one person after another. The request was graciously declined. It was just too soon, no time to really prepare.  As a gamble I reached out to one of my favorite Seminary professors, Dr. Kosuke Koyama.  Dr. Koyama was the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Professor Emeritus of World Christianity at Union Theological Seminary. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosuke_Koyama).  It was crazy -- how would this renowned theologian possibly agree to preach for a former student with no great credentials with less than a week to go? We had stayed in touch, and he took an interest in the homeless ministry in which I was involved at the time. Unbelievably he said yes.

I wish I could tell you what he said.  Even a word.  It was such a whirlwind of a day and my mind was all over the place.  However what is etched in my heart is the deed of kindness this great man did for me, without fuss without fanfare.  It reminds me of Maya Angelou's observation: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”   That was the greatest gift about ministry that I learned that week, 25 years ago.  It's all about how we care for each other.  Memories fade, it's easy to forget an exact saying.  However, how those words and deeds transforms our heart. That's what Jesus does. Even if we don't have scripture memorized, or don't remember all his deeds, the ultimate fact that Jesus changes our lives is the end result, and that's what ministry is about. That's what I strive for, daily, 25 years going strong.


 Since I cannot celebrate this milestone with you in person, I'd like to invite you to donate whatever you can to your local food pantry   - The Long Island Council of Churches Freeport Food Pantry (http://www.licc-ny.org/home.html) served at least 67,000 persons, over 600,500 meals in 2020, doubling its numbers from 2019.  Please visit their website and if you can, make a donation, as I will, in memory of Dr. Koyama, who taught me to see Christ in all peoples and cultures.  God bless you and I am grateful that you are in my life.

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    Moirajo is a minister, social worker, wife, mother, writer and animal lover. That's just for starters. Join the story, there's so much we can share together! 

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