Friday March 25 Lent 3
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Psalm 88
A lament that I have been crushed and am beyond hope. When I am dead, there is nothing left, there is no life beyond the grave.
Astonishingly, to be fully with us, Jesus enters completely into such a death. This psalm is appropriately read on a Friday as Jesus is placed in the grave. Only God’s act, on Saturday night—the eve of the resurrection—can reverse death—even Jesus’ death. That’s the only hope there is.
Genesis 47.1-26 What’s Genesis about?
Pharaoh welcomes the Israelites and settles them in the best part of the country.
The famine gets worse and Joseph sells food to the Egyptians, and when they are destitute, he buys their cattle, and when the cattle have gone he buys the people as slaves to Pharaoh.
This may be a way of naming the truth that when food is scarce powerful people take advantage of the poor, or it may be a way of explaining subsequent history—how it was that the Egyptians owned other Egyptians as slaves (the Israelites were never allowed to own their own people as slaves) and perhaps how the Israelites were later enslaved by the Egyptians.
Mark 6: 47-56 What’s Mark about?
Jesus walks across the lake in the midst of a storm when the disciples are afraid of drowning. Jesus is so calm that they think he is not concerned and are terrified—the storm is inside them as well as outside.
This is another miracle with a meaning. Walking on the water in a storm (not walking across a swimming pool!) means that God reigns over all storms, inside us as well as outside. Storms are brewing—Herod has started hunting Jesus, and his hometown has turned against him.Notice that Jesus comes to the boat in the early morning—perhaps Mark is anticipating the disciples discovering Jesus’ resurrection early on Easter morning, but not understanding what has happened.
We have hope when terrified because God in Jesus walks right through the storms in our lives bringing us peace and calm.
This week’s collect:
Father of mercy,
alone we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves.
When we are discouraged by our weakness,
strengthen us to follow Christ,
our pattern and our hope;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Today’s readings remind me how important our stories are – the Daily Office connects us to our stories and the reality of lives lived before us. I find this very comforting to have this connection.