LENT 2021
SHALOM!
This Lenten Season my devotions are based on two different resources, both coming from the PCUSA. The primary resource is SHALOM, published by PCUSA. Unless noted, devotions draw from this resource. The second, which only highlights certain days of the season (Sundays and Holy Week) is published by Presbyterians for Earth Care. The latter resource was brought to my attention by our son, Luke, who wrote the First Sunday material. Of course, then, I HAD to use this resource as well! I like to think the two meld together in PEACE between humanity and also with our created world.
As the season of Lent continued, daily I added a new translation for the word PEACE to my prayers. By Easter, I will be able to say PEACE in over 30 languages! SHALOM!
ASH WEDNESDAY 2.17.21 (Presbyterians for Earth Care - PEC)
Then
I saw a new heaven and a new earth… Revelation 21:1
THURSDAY 2.18.21 GREETING OTHERS WITH PEACE IN SPITE OF DIVISIONS
Salam - Arabic
Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. —
Matthew 5:9
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The flags of Israel and Palestine come together in this prayer for accord. |
FRIDAY 2.19.21
JUSTICE REPAIRS BROKEN PROMISES
Dohiyi (Cherokee)
Peace
I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I
give to you. — John 14:27
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The design for this prayer is an adaptation of a Cherokee symbol. |
SATURDAY 2.20.21
PEACE FOR IMMIGRANTS
Pax (Spanish)
Deceit
is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace
have joy. — Proverbs 12:20
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT 2.21.21 (PEC)
THE BREATH OF DUST and VIRUSES
By
the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the
ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust
you shall return. Genesis 3:19
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Luke chose a photo from White Sands NM for his entry, so I did likewise from our visit in 2012 |
MONDAY 2.22.21
PEACE for INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Wolakota (Lakota)
Those
of steadfast mind you keep in peace — in peace because they trust
in you. — Isaiah 26:3
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Prayer background image is the tribal flag of the Oglala Lakota Sioux |
TUESDAY 2.23.21
PEACE for KOREA
Pyonghwa (Korean)
And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:7
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Background image is one of many symbols of Korea, plus the hibiscus flower, or rose of Sharon, which is the national flower - a symbol of wholeness and peace. |
WEDNESDAY 2.24.21
PEACE for the CONGO
Nye (Congolese)
Steadfast
love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss
each other. Psalm 85:10
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Background is a fractured image of the Congolese flag. |
THURSDAY 2.25.21
PEACE GRANTS UNITY
(ငြိမ်းချမ်းရေ - Burmese)
And let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And
be thankful. — Colossians 3:15
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Whenever I think of interconnected unity, I find myself going back to the Celtic designs interwoven together. Each prayer now contains the many words for peace I am learning in various languages - especially those in regions of conflict. While it didn't necessarily go with the text, I chose the Burmese language - or Mynamar - for today, which is currently in a state of Civil War with many refugees. |
FRIDAY 2.26.21
GOD'S PEACE EVEN WHEN WE ARE ALONE
(تىنچلىق -Uyghur)
Then
Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me,... so that I
come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my
God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s
house;... — Genesis 28:20
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Alone in the wilderness, Jacob built a stone pillar to recognize God's presence. In a region of NW China, the Uyghur people, mostly of Muslim faith, has been interred in camps, children separated, and the fear of mass genocide prevails. |
SATURDAY 2.27.21
PEACE SOMETIMES MEANS SAYING GOOD-BYE
мир - Myr (Ukrainian)
Moses
went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let
me go back to my kindred in Egypt and see whether they are still
living.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” — Exodus
4:18
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The Ukrainian word for peace, MYR, is included above as this region of Russia has been an area of conflict for years now. I originally searched for the Russian word (Mir) not realizing the Ukrainians had their own language. The word is similar but unique! |
INTERLUDE! Sometimes I come across a passage I want to remember...I can't recall where I read this or who spoke the following words, but it seems like they are a blend in our call to peace for the human world AND the created world.
God
speaks peace to his people. God’s speech is a creative act. For God
to speak peace is for God to create peace. From God’s original
creation itself comes faithfulness springing up from the ground,
nurtured by the righteousness coming down from the sky — perhaps
like the rain kissing the ground and the land yielding food.
SUNDAY 2.28.2021
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (PEC)
He
is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for
in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible
and invisible… Colossians 1:15
MONDAY 3.1.21
DO NOT BE AFRAID
和平 Hépíng (Taiwan-HongKong)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. — John 14:27
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The Chinese characters and words for Peace, used in the island nation of Taiwan and also in HongKong are included as these nations face a constant threat from mainland China. |
TUESDAY 3.2.21
MOVING CLOSER TO GOD
Heping (Chinese)
...We wait for new heavens and a
new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved,
while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by
him at peace, without spot or blemish. — 2 Peter 3:14
WEDNESDAY 3.3.21
PEACE DOESN'T COME WITH POWER
سلام Arabic
Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So
Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle
of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered, “No,
my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither
wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul
before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless
woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and
vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the
God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him”. — 1
Samuel 1: 13–17
THURSDAY 3.4.21
HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS TO PROCLAIM PEACE
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the
messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who
announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” —
Isaiah 52:7
FRIDAY 3.5.21
FLOURISHING
Nabad Somali
Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil, but those who
counsel peace have joy. — Proverbs 12:20
SATURDAY 3.6.21
PEACE IS A GIFT FROM GOD
Vrede Afrikaans
He
called that place Bethel... Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God
will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will
give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my
father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God.” —
Genesis 28:19–21
SUNDAY 3.7.21
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT (PEC)
CREATION MIRACLES
When
they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling
a log, his ax head fell into the water; he cried out, “Alas,
master! It was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it
fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw
it in there, and made the iron float. He said, “Pick it up.” So,
he reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7
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I have to admit - the story of the floating axe head from the book of 2 Kings was one I did not remember from the time when I read through the Bible. |
MONDAY 3.8.21
SHALOM:
The Way to Healing
SIMPLE
FIXES CAN HEAL DIFFERENCES
ཞི་བདེ Tibetian (zhi-bde)
So do not let your good
be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not food and drink
but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one
who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human
approval. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual
upbuilding. Romans 14:18-19
| The devotional carried the message of an ecumenical worship team that bridged the divide among the faiths and simply welcomed the prayer rugs into the church so their Muslim friends could participate. Sometimes a willingness to make a small change can reap rewards of reconciliation! |
TUESDAY, MARCH 9Peace Builds Us Up Friede - German But
we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor
among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you;
esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace
among yourselves. — 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10 Peace Settles Us Down Pace - Scottish
By
the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon
us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. — Luke 1:78–79
THURSDAY MARCH 11 REPRIORITIZING THE PARTS OF OUR LIFE
Baké - Basque Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get
understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her
revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and
nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her
right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways
are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a
tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast
are called happy. — Proverbs 3:13–18
FRIDAY MARCH 12 WAITING FOR THE LORD Santipap - Thai And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. —
Psalm 39:7
SATURDAY MARCH 13 TRUE FRIENDSHIP 平和
heiwa Japanese No
one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s
friends. ... I am giving you these commands so that you may love one
another. — John 15:13,17
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT - MARCH 14 (PEC) Seeking the Wisdom of Sophia
The
LORD created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his
acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the
beginning of the earth. Proverbs 8:22-23
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| I knew nothing of Sophia - the female divine personification of Wisdom (the name comes from the Greek word for wisdom), also interpreted in many situations as the essence of Creation or having an integral link with the natural world and what it teaches us of God. The image is one of many icons of Sophia. |
MONDAY MARCH 15 BEHOLDING THE BEAUTY
Hindi: शांति śānti)
One
thing I ask of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house
of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple. — Psalm 27:4
| Photo taken last week at the outer pond of Crystal Crane Hot Springs near Burns, OR. |
TUESDAY MARCH 16 HOPE REMAINS Tutkium (Inuit) And the one who was seated
on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he
said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” —
Revelation 21:1–5
WEDNESDAY MARCH 17 SEEING THINGS THROUGH Hetep (Egyptian) Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an
everlasting rock. — Isaiah 26:4
THURSDAY MARCH 18 A LIVING HOPE Pokoj (Polish) By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living
hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and
unfading, kept in heaven for you. — 1 Peter 1:3b–4
FRIDAY MARCH 19 RECONCILIATION Solh (Farsi) So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has
passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God,
who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation. — 2 Corinthians 5:17–18
SATURDAY MARCH 20 FORGIVENESS and RENEWAL Amani (Swahili)
Then Peter came and said
to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me,
how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said
to him, “Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times. —
Matthew 18:21–22
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FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT - MARCH 21 (PEC) A NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Revelation 21:1
Monday March 22 SHALOM: The Way to Repairing REPAIRERS ALWAYS FACE OPPOSITION Rauha (Finnish)
When
justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to
evildoers. — Proverbs 21:15
Tuesday March 23 FINDING FAITH TO STAND UP FOR JUSTICE Baris (Turkish) For
if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance
will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your
father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to
royal dignity for just such a time as this.” -Excerpt from Esther
4:4-16
Wednesday March 24 JESUS the LIBERATOR and PROTESTOR Ukuthula (Zulu) The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring
good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go
free. — Luke 4:18
Thursday March 25 BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE Nyeinjanyei (Burmese) He
has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require
of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly
with your God? — Micah 6:8
Friday March 26 A NEW REALITY Rukun (Javanese) But,
in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new
earth, where righteousness is at home. — 2 Peter 3:11–13
Saturday March 27 UNITY Wookeyeh (Sioux) Now
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the
same purpose. — 1 Corinthians 1:10
Palm Sunday March 28 (PEC) NEEDS and WANTS When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you ... you will find tied
there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why
are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ... Then they brought it to Jesus;
and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people
kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from
the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with
a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!” Luke 19:29-39
Monday March 29 SHALOM: The Way to Reconciliation SEEKING RECONCILIATION WHEN HOPE SEEMS LOST If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with
all. — Romans 12:18
Tuesday March 30 RADICAL RECONCILIATION
So
when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that
your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or
sister, and then come and offer your gift. — Matthew 5:23–24
Wednesday March 31 THE WORK OF HUMILITY He
himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven
times, until he came near his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and
embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. —
Genesis 33:3–4
Maundy Thursday April 1 LOVE ONE ANOTHER I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have
loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will
know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
— John 13:34–35
Good Friday April 2 THE CROSS OF RECONCILIATION For
if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death
of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be
saved by his life. — Romans 5:10
Holy Saturday April 3 DOING WHAT IS RIGHT When
it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph,
who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the
body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph
took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in
his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a
great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and
the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. — Matthew
27:57–61
EASTER SUNDAY April 4 CHRIST IS RISEN! “Why
do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has
risen.” Luke 24:5-6
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