Opening
Lord, as I sit here with you, quiet my heart and mind. You invite me to come as I am and so I come. Open my heart to all you have for me. Awaken me to your voice within.
Reflection
As we continue our journey through Lent
we slow our pace so we can listen well
to what God desires to say to us.
God’s love seeks to heal the broken places within us,
To free us from the things that bind us
To bring light into our shadow places.
God desires us to know life in a fuller way,
And to live from a place of belovedness and belonging.
Invitation
Read the Scripture through slowly a couple of times. Pause where you are drawn. What is God’s invitation to you?
Scripture: John 9:1-11 (Read through verse 41 to read the whole story)
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. 4 We[a] must work the works of him who sent me[b] while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight
Prayer of Response
Compassionate One,
You are always on the side
of those who have been marginalized
You notice and reach out to those
who have been pushed aside,
judged, ridiculed, and wounded
so often by those of us
in the church
who presume we know you more.
While you include, we exclude.
Lord, help us to notice
those whom we make the stranger,
those we push aside.
Forgive us for making circles
of who is in and who is out.
Open our eyes
Remove our blindspots.
Help us to see as you see.
Open and transform our hearts.
Enable us to be true
reflections of your love.
We cannot do so
without you.
Amen.