MONDAY
On the Monday of Holy Week
the crippled and the blind came to Jesus in the Temple
and he healed them.
So let us pray for
those who are crippled by disease or anxiety;
those who are crippled by a system;
those who are blind to beauty, love and peace;
those who are blind to what they must do now or do next;
the church in places where it has the possibility of healing
the wounds of the nations;
and for ourselves we pray,
that we may discern a clear vision of your kingdom;
and that we may steadily walk your path,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
AMEN.
TUESDAY
I asked God for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for help that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of others;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for-but everything I'd hoped for.
My unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed !
An unknown soldier of the 19th Century
WEDNESDAY
From a high, secret shelf, I take what I hid myself -
perfume, precious and rare, never meant to spill or spare.
This I'll carefully break, this I'll empty for his sake:
I will give what I have to my Lord.
Though the action is crude, it will show my gratitude
for the truth that I've learnt from the one who's heaven-sent;
for this life once a mess which his beauty can express,
I will give what I have to my Lord.
With his critics around, common gossip will abound.
They'll note all that they see to discredit him and me.
Let them smirk, let them jeer, say what people want to hear;
I will give what I have to my Lord.
THURSDAY
It happened on the Thursday
It was on the Thursday that he became valuable.
He hadn't anything to sell
not since leaving his hammer and saw three years earlier.
Needless to say, he could knock together a set of trestles,
or hang a couple of shelves at the drop of a hat, no bother at all.
But he wasn't into making things. Not now.
He was into... well ... talking, I suppose.
And listening and healing and forgiving and encouraging
all the things for which there's no pay
and the job centre has no advertisements.
So his work wasn't worth much. Nor, indeed, was he.
For, not being well dressed or well heeled or well connected,
he wouldn't have attracted many ticket holders
had he been put up for raffle.
But he had a novelty value like the elephant man
or the fat lady or the midget at the circus.
Put him on a stage
and he might be interesting to look at.
Sell him to the circus
with the promise of some tricks
and there could be a silver penny or two
or thirty in it.
It was on the Thursday
that he became valuable.
(Wild Goose Publications)
FRIDAY
William Temple once put it like this : "There cannot be a God of love," people say, "because if there was, and he looked upon the world, his heart would break."
The church points to the cross and says, "It did break."
"It is God who made the world," people say.
"It is he who should bear the load."
The church points to the cross and says, "He did bear it."
Although Christ has suffered once-for-all on the cross for our sins, he still today weeps with those who weep, he feels our pain and enters into our sorrows with his compassionate love. (David Watson.)