It's no secret that we live in a troubled world. This year's Holy Week was disrupted by yet another attack of terrorism, this time in Brussels, Belgium. The grim statistics are all too familiar. 30 dead, 250 injured, innocent people who should not have died or been injured on Tuesday. Today's devotion speaks about another of the world's ills, discrimination and violence against women. This can take the form of sexual assault, domestic violence, and lack of leadership opportunities for women. The author, seminary student Jessie Obrecht, writes of attending a conference on this topic and feeling hungry- "Hungry for justice. Hungry for a word of hope in this world that can sometime seem so very grim." I think we all hunger in that way.
Today is Maundy Thursday. We remember the Last Supper and Jesus taking bread and wine saying, "This is my body given for you. This is my blood, shed for you." As Jessie points out while receiving communion at the conference, "This prayer and breaking of bread did not solve all the ills of the world in the blink of an eye." If only it were so easy. But what the meal did do was "fed the weary souls gathered that evening and reminded us that we have an incredible God who has sent Jesus Christ as constant nourishment and strength for us along this journey." And so it is. Today we offer prayers for those that died in Brussels, those who were injured, the medical personnel caring for the wounded, law enforcement who seek to keep us safe, and prayers for peace. We have opportunity to receive Christ in bread and wine. Through this gift we receive renewed strength for the day. We do not give in to despair. With the presence of Christ we continue to proclaim through word and deed the good news of God's love, which our world so desperately needs.
Flags at half mast...lives devastated...hearts aching
ReplyDelete