Returning to Christ - Again | Lenten Reader 2026 by Evangelical Covenant Church

Returning to Christ - Again

Lenten Reader 2026

Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada

EDITORS

Hanne Pihowich & Rob Peterson

DESIGN + LAYOUT

Erikka Hedberg

ARTWORK

Preston Pouteaux

Introduction

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God...” Mark 1:1

Welcome to our Lenten Reader.

Lent is a spiritually significant season for followers of Christ. It is an intentional communal practice that affirms the need to return to Christ. The practice of Lent is designed to open our hearts and minds to the truth that our devotion and loyalty to Christ waver. As the prayer of confession from the Book of Common Prayer states:

Most merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against thee In thought, word, and deed, By what we have done, And by what we have left undone. We have not loved thee with our whole heart.

Admitting that we are prone to wander from our first love need not be a somber endeavor, far from it. Acknowledging that our lives can be filled with competing loyalties to Christ is the beginning of an honest movement back toward Christ. And when we return to Christ, we are always met with grace and love. That’s good news, and it’s what Lent is all about.

Our Lenten Reader this year will guide us through the book of Mark. Mark emphasizes the good news that God was returning to his people, who felt abandoned and forgotten. Mark’s storytelling moves quickly, but his central theme is to make clear that Jesus came to announce that God, in love, had entered history to turn the hearts and minds of all people back to God. We invite you to put a few things on hold during Lent to make room to pay attention to what Jesus is saying and doing as he journeys from Galilee to Jerusalem. Join us in the prayerful act of returning to Christ again this Lent.

May we experience the renewal of our lives as we prepare for Easter.

Lenten Reader Outline:

• Begins with Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026

• Daily Scripture Readings and Reflections based on the Life of Christ from Mark

• Weekly Prayer on a Psalm

• Weekly Prayer of Examen

Lenten Reader Team: Rob Peterson, Hanne Pihowich, and Erikka Hedberg

Artist Statement

In the Gospel of Mark, almost nothing stands still.

Jesus is always coming toward someone. Someone is always reaching toward Jesus. Across water, through crowds, out of wilderness and tombs, into homes and sickrooms. Mark’s Gospel is urgent, physical, and immediate. Faith is truly a response. People run, cry out, fall down, stretch out their hands. Jesus moves through fear, hunger, impurity, isolation, and even death, and in each place there seems to be a rising and a following.

For Lent, this matters. Lent is a season of holy reorientation. A turning. A return. A willingness to be interrupted by Jesus, often with just a word. Lent places us back on the road with Jesus, where discipleship is embodied before it is often understood.

I appreciate old woodcuts and creating linocut because they share something of Mark’s character. It is stark and immediate. There is no soft blending, only light and dark, presence and absence. The image appears only by cutting away. Linocut resists excess and often forces decisions. In that way, it mirrors discipleship itself. To follow Jesus in Mark is to leave things behind, to be stripped down, to move with fewer protections and clearer commitments.

The rough edges and visible force of the cut are, in this way, part of the language. Mark does not give us a polished Christ. He gives us a living one, entering the story head on, always calling, always drawing near.

My hope is that these images serve as companions for your Lenten journey. They are not made to explain, but to invite. I hope that they would help us notice where Christ is already stepping toward us, and where, by grace, we are being invited to rise, turn, and go to him.

Grace and Peace to you as you follow Jesus, Preston Pouteaux

Take a moment to be still.

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Read the text again. Pay attention to a word, phrase, or theme that seems to stand out or grabs your attention. Trust that this is a nudge from the Holy Spirit. Be silent with the word, phrase, or theme. Resist the desire to study the text.

Read the text a final time. What does the word, phrase, or theme invite you to pray? What about your word, phrase, or theme seems like God’s invitation to you today? Take a few moments to talk with God about your word, phrase or theme. Let God know that you are grateful for your time of prayer and interaction.

This type of reading and prayer is called Lectio Divina, or “divine reading.” If this is unfamiliar to you, know that it can take some time to get used to reading and praying scripture this way. We are used to analyzing and mastering a passage from the Bible, but this prayerful reading invites us to meditate on God’s word, hoping that the Holy Spirit guides us into an encounter with God who speaks to our hearts and life situations.

SECOND DAY OF LENT

Mark 1:1-20

ELENA T. FRANKLIN | KITCHENER, ON

Mark begins with reaching back, not to the birth of Jesus but to the beginning of Christ’s public ministry and to prophecies of old. He grabs hold of prophetic declarations propelling them to his own time. There is urgency in this earliest Gospel, and for good reason: It was written during a time of increasing tension and oppression of Jewish people by the Roman Empire. Even more severe was the targeted and ruthless persecution by Nero of Jesus’ followers, the people of The Way. By this time, the Roman senate had made Christianity illegal. Christians were hunted, used as political scapegoats, and were systematically killed. Christian martyrs suffered horrendous deaths at the hand of Nero.

In response, Mark brings Christians then - and us now - to the first things of Christ’s ministry. Remember Him, begins Mark. See cousin-prophet baptizing Jesus the Messiah, who submits to the Father, yielding his body to this act of obedience. Hear the then-future, now-present promise of the Holy Spirit; and God declaring Jesus His Son. Witness Christ’s trial in the desert where in humanity He received the tending care of angels. Notice that after John’s imprisonment, Christ responds with public preaching and the calling of His first disciples.

Mark offers his people, and us, grounding: Remember Jesus. Remember who He is, and therefore who you are. You belong to God. Keep going. Lean in, wherever and however you are. Remember me, said Jesus as He passed the cup and the wine to His disciples before surrendering to the cross. Hold fast to these truths in goodness, and in strife, trial, and doubt. This is no easy thing to do. His persecuted listeners knew it, in different ways I know it, and by virtue of your humanity my guess is that you do as well.

How are we to respond to these verses? Let us ask, “Where in my life do I need to remember Christ? Or my identity in Him?”

In the midst of trial, Jesus preached the coming Kingdom, inviting our response. Those first disciple calls? They followed “at once” and “without delay”. This is a marvel to me. Again, I am invited to know God through Christ, to receive the strengthening encouragement of his Truth and Presence in all circumstance, and to offer this holy gift to others. In all things, remember me. Hold fast, even in the face of adversity. Declare Jesus as Lord of my life.

Jesus Messiah, I remember You. Be Lord of my life… even here.

Mark 1:21-45

TOM GREENTREE | ERICKSON, BC

When we feel swamped by too much work, too many demands, or too many people, we often hide. Why? Overwhelmed and exhausted, we need space to breathe and recharge.

During those tiny moments we make critical choices, without realizing it. Often, we choose to medicate our flurried selves via screens or foods or drinks or distractions. Benign as they can be, we miss an invitation from Jesus to turn toward Him for true rest rather than turning towards lesser means of restoration.

In the flurried opening of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is swamped by needy people demanding intervention. Real people, pressing needs. And as He met them, the swamping crowds ballooned, creating yet more press and pressure.

We aren’t sure how overwhelmed Jesus felt, or how exhausted. We do know what He chose to do, there in the mess of it all. Jesus withdrew. Jesus hid. Jesus didn’t push people away from Himself so much as He pushed Himself away from them. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (v. 35).

This tiny anecdote is so telling and highlights a repeating pattern in Jesus’ life. In the squeeze of pressing needs, Jesus prioritized His own need for time with His Father.

During Lent, Jesus invites us to turn to Him when we are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. By the Holy Spirit, we can join Jesus in His Father-Son time, finding true rest for our souls, experiencing calm peace for flurried minds in hurried times. Rather than hunching over phones, we relax in the Father and Son’s eternal delight. Early in the morning, late at night, or smack in the middle of a busy day, the Father is waiting, the Son is present, and the Holy Spirit is urging us to come. We can follow Jesus’ lead, pushing away for a day, an hour, or even a moment, to enjoy time with the One who is our One True Need. The crowds can wait.

Lord Jesus, in the middle of great pressure, You pushed away to find the true source of rest, joy, and strength: Your loving Father. Thank you for inviting us into that beautiful relationship, for joining us to Your Father through Your life in us and Your gift of the Holy Spirit. Help us to choose rest with You rather than restoration in lesser things. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Taking some time each week to prayerfully reflect on what happened to us, both the good and challenging, has the benefit of improving our ability to discern how God has been with us through the week. Slowing down in this way strengthens our attentiveness muscles.

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Reflect on the past week. Begin with Sunday and move through the week in your imagination. Linger on anything that brought you joy, made you smile, encouraged you, or simply made life a little better.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 2:1-17

DANIEL REMPEL | WINNIPEG, MB

Recently, I was in our basement with my four-year-old, playing one of his favourite games: mini sticks. The game was intense, and it kept ramping up in intensity (and laughter) when all of a sudden—*BAM*—I hit my head on the corner of our wall. I dropped, wounded, and the game was over.

I’ll spare you the not-too-gory details, but the cut on my head was just bad enough that I couldn’t avoid a trip to the doctor’s office. They called the cut “superficial,” which I’m choosing to interpret as “super official.” With a little bit of glue and a few laughs from the nurse, I was on my way home.

I don’t really like going to the doctor’s office. But in moments of need, I’m sure glad I’m able to. Even embarrassing head wounds like mine are easily treatable if you have the right people around who know what they’re doing. I needed a doctor, and a doctor was there to help.

Mark 2:1-17 is also about people who needed a doctor. In passages like this, we tend to focus on the miracle. That’s much more interesting than calling a tax collector. Someone who was paralyzed can now walk! But Jesus’ focus is different. Of course, it’s not that Jesus doesn’t care about healing this man’s body—He certainly does. But Jesus appears to be confronting the attitudes of the teachers of the law and the attitudes of the disciples at the same time. Both have missed the point.

It seems to me that the author of Mark’s Gospel put these two seemingly different stories together to highlight precisely this point: it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. And who are the sick people according to this passage? Not those who cannot walk, but those whose sins have not been forgiven. Jesus may in fact heal our bodies—they’re the only ones we have, after all. But what’s even more important is whether Jesus has healed your soul.

Repeatedly throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus healing people: both their bodies and their souls. And frequently, Jesus heals people’s souls by welcoming them into His presence. In other words, His presence is the healing. As you are being drawn back to Jesus over the season of Lent, how might Jesus be healing you?

Lord, as I have drifted from you, I have become sick. Heal me with your presence.

Mark 2:18-28

RACHEL CHONG | ETOBICOKE, ON

When I was a child, one of my first kitchen duties was to sit at the table and snap the ends off green beans while my father cooked dinner. As you might expect, I didn’t find this task especially compelling. My mind wandered—toward the TV programs I was missing or the playtime I felt was being taken from me.

To pass the time, I started asking my dad questions. Sometimes they were completely random (why can’t penguins fly?). Other times, they led us into deeper places: Tell me about your childhood. Why did you choose your career? What are you afraid of? Why did you start going to church? What began as a simple act of obedience slowly became a shared space where our relationship deepened. In the quiet repetition of snapping beans, I learned that presence itself could be meaningful—and even joyful.

In today’s passage, Jesus encounters people who have lost sight of that deeper purpose. They are deeply concerned with rules and rituals but seem disconnected from the meaning behind them. Fasting was a long-standing spiritual practice associated with mourning, repentance, and devotion, firmly rooted in Israel’s story. Jesus does not dismiss this history. Instead, He reframes it.

By calling Himself the bridegroom, Jesus announces that something new is happening. A wedding is not a place for mourning, but for joy and celebration. The presence of the bridegroom changes the appropriate response. Everything must now be understood in light of who Jesus is and what he is doing.

Jesus’ point is not that fasting—or obedience more broadly—is wrong. In fact, He says plainly that there will be a time for fasting. But that practice, like all religious devotion, must be reshaped by his presence and by his ministry. New wine cannot be forced into old wineskins. The kingdom Jesus brings is both continuous with what came before and radically new.

This tension continues in the grain fields. When the disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath, Jesus confronts a way of life where rule-keeping has eclipsed care for people. Once again, the issue is not the law itself, but how it is held. “The Sabbath was made for man,” Jesus says—not as a burden, but as a gift.

In Christ, love and obedience are no longer at odds. Our faith is not a checklist or a straight line of spiritual achievement. It is living, relational, and dynamic. Lent invites us to examine where our practices may have become hollow—or heavy—and to return to Jesus himself. In His presence, obedience becomes a joy, and devotion becomes an act of love.

Jesus, help us to recognize Your presence and allow it to reshape our habits, our devotion, and our understanding of faith. Draw us back to You with renewed love and joyful obedience. Amen.

Take a moment to be still.

Psalm 25:1-10

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 3:1-19

SALLY CARLSON | SHORELINE, WA (USA)

Here we meet Jesus in this early season of His ministry in Galilee. He has been busy teaching, healing, driving out spirits, eating with sinners - encounter by encounter Jesus has been speaking and acting with compassion, bringing transformation, and declaring the inbreaking of God’s kingdom. Now we find Jesus again face to face with religious leaders who are just waiting for Him to give them reason to shut Him down and return things to their version of normal. A life where rules are followed and order is kept, in obedience to the Law that had ordered their steps for generations.

Jesus knows that the leaders are looking for ways to accuse Him, but as usual this doesn’t cause Him to waver. Instead, He asks the man with the shriveled hand to get up in front of everyone and puts what we see as an easy question to the leaders, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” Of course, to us, the obvious answer is to do good! But instead of marveling at the healing, they are angry. For them the answer to this question is to seek to kill Jesus. Wild. While Jesus embodies the depth of the love of God in His actions, they are constrained by their own hard hearts and too stubborn to look deeper at how the God they seek to serve is at work in front of their very eyes. The religious leaders remained unable to reconcile that Jesus was not disobeying the law but rather embodying it. That to heal on the Sabbath is exactly what should be happening on this day set aside for rest and restoration. Power and control says the man can wait one more day; love and compassion compels timely action.

Henri Nowen wrote in ‘The Road to Peace’, “We often desire to build Christian nations or structures, but Jesus did not come to create systems of power. He came to bring a kingdom where love and forgiveness reign, where the least are first.” Christ reminds us that love and compassion often stand outside of whatever rules we can put on paper. Jesus often sought those whom the pious had deemed on the outside. On our journey through Lent, let us be alert to the times when we are hemmed in by rules we have set for ourselves about how to be the Church, but rather return to the example of Jesus and how He embodied love, compassion, and justice with those around Him.

Creator, open our eyes to the ways that our hearts have been hardened to the suffering around us. Saviour, show us where we have been stubborn and resisted acting in Your love. Spirit, strengthen us that we may partner with You in Your kingdom work. Amen.

Mark 3:20-35

TEWODROS GEBREHIWOT | SASKATOON, SK

Have you ever felt the urge to “bring Jesus back home”—to make Him fit neatly within the safe, familiar boundaries of your everyday life? In this passage, we see that even Jesus’ own family struggled with this.

During Jesus’ journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, His family, worried for His safety, tried to bring Him home—back to what was familiar and predictable.

Meanwhile, Jerusalem’s religious leaders accused Jesus of having power from Satan. Their reasoning stemmed from pride: they believed that true spiritual authority came only through their official channels. Because Jesus didn’t fit their expectations, they assumed His power must be evil. Pride can twist our logic, making us suspicious of anything outside our comfort zone.

Jesus points out the flaw in their thinking and indicates that knowingly mislabeling the Spirit’s work as evil is blasphemy. Jesus warns that when someone’s heart is so hardened by pride and faulty logic, turning back becomes nearly impossible.

When Jesus’ family asks Him to come outside, He responds by redefining what it means to be family: “Whoever does God’s will is my ‘family’.” Here, Jesus is saying that true belonging is based on shared commitment to God’s purposes.

This passage raises some uncomfortable questions. Do we ever prefer a safe, domesticated faith instead of one that challenges us? The religious leaders believed they had God figured out—their certainty blinded them to God’s work happening outside their traditions.

I admit I’ve sometimes believed that my theological framework is the only valid one, dismissing others as misguided. This kind of pride can cause me to overlook the Holy Spirit’s work in people who see things differently from me. Returning to Jesus again then requires humility—recognizing that God often works beyond my mental boundaries and experiences.

Jesus’ redefinition of family, therefore, requires reorientation. Returning to Jesus might mean rearranging our deepest loyalties—even good ones like family ties or cherished beliefs—so that He remains at the centre. We’re called to continually reorient ourselves, remembering that our lives revolve around Jesus.

Lord Jesus, help me notice when I’m trying to make You fit into what’s predictable. Free me from the pride that would lead me to dismiss Your Spirit’s work in others as less important. Invite me into Your true family, where doing Your will matters more than my own comforts and convictions. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 4:1-20

IRELAND MAST | RAINY RIVER, ON

The Parable of the Sower is very familiar, and yet it never ceases to grip me, perhaps because it deals so profoundly with how faith takes root (literally) in each person’s heart and calls us to be honest about the role of God in our lives. Jesus makes plain that his word is like a seed being sown, and for some, they will hear the word and immediately that seed will be plucked away, never even penetrating the soil of the heart. Others, he says, may hear the word but have hearts like rocky soil, so the word tries to take root but ultimately does not last long. Still others have hearts like thorny soil, where the word initially takes root but is inevitably choked out by other desires and distractions, rendering such seeds unfruitful. It is only in those who have hearts like good soil— those who hear and truly accept the word—that a harvest of righteousness will be produced. It does not often take much observation to place those we know in one of these categories, but the pressing question we must honestly ask ourselves is where would we fall? What soil defines you? And perhaps more importantly, what has led to such a soil, and how can it become suitable for the word’s flourishing in your heart and life?

I think a helpful insight to this question comes in verses 10-12, where Jesus states that for those who are outside the Kingdom of God—those who have not received Him and His word—they see but do not perceive, and hear but do not understand. It is not enough to merely see and know the word of God for if that were the case, all would be changed. No, it is the posture of the heart that lends itself to growth, a humility that hears the word of God and accepts it, seeking to truly understand rather than merely know. It is a posture that sees the beauty and worth of Christ and pursues it above all else.

It is Satan’s greatest pleasure to rob us of the truth and beauty found in the word of Christ. How he desires to deceive us, causing us to become like hardened ground against our God, turning from his outstretched hand and believing him to be far less than he is and ourselves far greater. How Satan longs for us to grow only enough to find the ways of this world more enticing—the approval of others, the comforts of our possessions, the security of relationships—only for us to later find ourselves eaten, starving, and choking to death. As you go about this Lenten journey, I urge you to consider the state of your soil and to not merely see and know the Christ you are journeying toward, but truly perceive, understand, and most importantly: accept. In Christ is life and life abundantly: everything else is sure destruction for our souls. A harvest is waiting to be produced in you, what needs to happen to the soil of your soul for it to take root?

Lord, thank you that You have made Yourself known to us by the power of Your word. Examine our hearts, that we might see and understand the lies we are believing, and create in us soil that is suitable for the harvest of righteousness You desire. Thank you that in You is life, and may we desire that life ever more this Lenten season.

Mark 4:21-41

ANDY SEBANC | SURREY, BC

But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (v. 38).

I am not sure I have ever been so bold in prayer as to ask God, “Do you even care?”. However, I know I have walked dangerously close to that thought as I faced situations in which I felt nothing was going the way I thought it should go.

I don’t believe I have ever accused Jesus of being asleep. But, I know I have felt disconnected from Jesus’s presence and providence when I am looking for action from God in a particular form to address my particular circumstances at a particular time but not getting it.

I appreciate the boldness of the disciples who woke up Jesus with those challenging words, even if I feel I am supposed to scoff at the misguided behaviours and doubts depicted in the text. If I place myself in the story, I know I would have been scared and desperate as the waves tossed our boat to and fro. I am aware, too, that I would have been bothered by Jesus being asleep. I know this because I see the similarities to my responses to life’s bumps and bruises and when I don’t feel that others share my concerns.

So, when Jesus wakes up and speaks to the disciples, His words cut me to my core. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (v. 40). I want to believe. I want to be able to say boldly, “I trust you Jesus.” I want to have the kind of faith life that could rest in the storms and push forward in the stillness that follows. The good news is that this want is a good thing and one that God responds to as we confess our lack and our desire.

Psychologist, spiritual guide, and Christian author David Benner writes in his book ‘Opening to God’, “By making us wait in the dark and dry places of our inner world, God increases our spiritual hunger and thereby enlarges the capacity of our soul for the encounter in love. Now we can begin to meet God as God, not as the container of our projections and disordered desires. Now we can begin to let go and float in the river of divine love.”

That is the lifeboat I could rest in! I am ready to float on that love.

God, I believe! Help my unbelief. Forgive me for my lack of trust. Forgive me for my stubborn refusal to receive Your grace with gratitude. Wake me to Your presence and still my projections and disordered desires. Allow me to trust You in the storms of life and in the stillness of the days that feel too calm.

Take a moment to be still.

Psalm 22:22-31

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 5:21-43

BILL HAMM | ROSEBUD, AB

This entry is based on a practice called “Gospel Contemplation” that Pastor Rob Goertz has used in Sunday School class here in Rosebud the last few weeks. We enter into the Gospel story and experience the scene, as if we were there . . .

The day had a friendly breeze, and with nothing else to do, I decided to chase after this Jesus that people were talking about – apparently down by the sea today. And there He came! On a boat with His disciples. It looks like He’s having fun with the guys. He hadn’t even started His speech, and this important guy from the synagogue (I later learned his name was Jairus) comes up to Him – and he is in a state! He fell at Jesus’ feet! Woah! That never happens. He was completely undone. Jesus listened to him, then went. Just like that. We all followed.

We were walking along in our own conversations when suddenly Jesus stumbled or lost control of His body. He looked around – He was looking for someone. Then, a woman was talking to Jesus. He listened intently to her. I didn’t get what they said, but I’ve never seen such peace come over a person. She left the crowd and walked right past me. I’ve never seen a more peaceful face. It was worth the whole day out here just to see the glow of this woman. That image stuck with me. Onward. Still not sure where we were going. Apparently to Jairus’ house, because someone came up to Jesus and Jairus with news that put Jairus on the ground; he simply collapsed. Jesus was unfazed. He helped Jairus collect himself and then continued on. We weren’t allowed to follow – only a few of His disciples accompanied them.

Later on we tried to find out what happened, but no one would say, as if they’d been sworn to secrecy. However, Jairus was never the same. He had a humility and openness to him. It changed the whole spirit of the synagogue when he was there. I found myself wanting to be there the days he was scheduled to work. I’d like to ask him about that day sometime.

Jesus, may I be to others what You were to an “unimportant” woman and an “important” man.

Mark 6:30-44

GAVIN JENSEN | WINNIPEG, MB

Jesus has great care for His disciples. The twelve were spent - hungry and tired after faithfully doing the work of preaching and healing. The Master’s invitation to them was to be with Him, find some quiet, and experience rest.

When an eager crowd found them, Jesus did not see this as a frustrating intrusion on His retreat with His friends. Rather, His compassion enlarged the circle of His care to include not only the twelve but also this throng of people. They were, after all, like sheep without a shepherd to tend them. Compassion set the table for the miracle of the loaves and fish.

But the now assumably hangry disciples are miffed by the math. With so little resource on hand, is a compassionate or hospitable response even possible? The disciples are not intending to be cruel; they are simply running the numbers. They see a large crowd, estimate the enormous grocery bill, and determine the most responsible action might well be to excuse themselves of the obligation. We too, on occasion, find that our practicality becomes a form of resistance to Jesus when it sets the terms of our obedience or participation.

Jesus’ simple remedy to this resistance was to have the disciples take stock of what they have on hand (not what they don’t have) and entrust it into His hands. Little becomes much in the hands of Jesus….

Like a field marshal, Jesus coordinated His crew of followers, bringing order to the frenzy. No first-come-first served rush. He instructs the disciples to sit the crowd down in clusters of 50 and 100 (a very fine size of group for God’s deep goodness to be experienced for certain, Canada Covenant friends). He blessed, broke, and gave. Soon all were fed and satisfied, with leftovers to spare.

This well trodden story invites us to shift our mindset from protecting our portion to sharing the feast, from a scarcity mindset to trusting in the abundance of God. The compassion of Jesus is large enough to gather many more at the table, and there can be refreshment for all.

Lord Jesus, teach us to trust the scope of Your compassion enough that we welcome others to the table. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 6:45-56

DAVID EWING | WETASKIWIN, AB

This passage in Mark has a lot of possible depth for us. It’s a quick look at a time when the disciples, the people who had walked most closely alongside Jesus, have hardened themselves to His power and provision. They worry about a shortfall of material things with the bread, and they fear for safety in the midst of the storm, and because of these challenges, they are blinded to what Christ has been showing them.

I’ve always enjoyed this story, as I can relate so closely with the disciples. They’ve walked with Jesus, seen His power and provision, seen Him do miracles, and yet there still seem to be obstacles big enough to draw their attention from Him. We may not be rowing against a great wind, but it certainly can feel like it. The storms of our day to day can make us feel as though we have been abandoned, and as though we are making no progress, either in our various roles, or on our faith journey.

As the story continues, the disciples spot Christ, mistaking him for a ghost, but when they cry out in fear, He stops, reassures them, and calms the storm. Again we see the hardening of hearts. The storm before them has filled their eyesight, and it shrouds even their teacher and Lord from them. Christ’s loving reassurance reminds them that the storm was never insurmountable, but rather that they had forgotten who it was who had sent them into the storm. As with the bread of the previous story, Christ’s commands were not leading them into failure, but instead was an opportunity for the disciples to grow in faith.

For us, we are faced by similar trials, and just like the disciples, we might find ourselves unable to see Christ because the size of the obstacles we see are too great. Like them, we are reminded that Christ, who is faithful to those that he sends, is the one who strengthens us for the storm. No matter how hard I row against the storm, I have not the strength, but if instead I lean on Him who sends me, then I will see that the storm pales in comparison to Him and His strength.

Lord, You have warned us that there will be times of difficulty, and You know the weight I am able to bear. Help me to lean on You, to trust You, as I go out, so that my struggles would show Your glory and faithfulness more each day.

Mark 7:1-13

CHARYSSA ERSKINE | WINNIPEG, MB

Jesus’ intimate love of the scriptures is something that really stands out about His life through the gospels. It just pours out of Him. He quotes scripture in all kinds of experiences and encounters. It is the authority He turns to when being tempted, when teaching, and even as He is hanging on the cross at His death, His pain and grief comes out in words of the Psalms (Mark 15:34). In this passage from Mark 7, Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees and teachers of religious law, and He responds to them with a quote from the prophet Isaiah. These leaders would have certainly had their own thorough knowledge of the law and prophets, learned over many years of rigorous study. And yet they have clearly missed the point along the way. Jesus does not mince words in quoting this passage from Isaiah 29, and he uses it to shine a spotlight directly on the way the Pharisees and teachers were imposing their “man-made rules learned by rote” (Isaiah 29:13, NLT).

The religious leaders had created an endless list of additional rules for people to follow in an effort to create a sort of behavioral firewall to God’s law given in the Torah. There was no way they could fail God now like their ancestors did because they had added all sorts of new parameters by which to live and practice their devotion to God! It’s natural for humans to want to avoid failure. But, somewhat ironically, they had also twisted God’s law to create loopholes to avoid actually doing what God wanted in the first place (like honouring your parents). But Jesus wasn’t having it. He had come to show the world that no amount of tradition-building or law-loophole-ing would accomplish anything if their hearts were far from God. Paul put it this way: “...true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:29, NLT) We may not even be seeking outward praise from people around us, but simply from ourselves and the feeling of self-righteousness we so deeply crave.

Jesus’ love of scripture is reflective of His unparalleled connection with the Father. It’s a sign of love. And Jesus whispers to us, “I love you. I want your heart. I want you to love me.” What scripture does is point us towards a deep and devoted relationship with Jesus Christ. But when we read it with grit and determination instead of humility and emptiness, it can feel like reading our own death sentence. Trying to work to meet the demands of the scriptures is no different than fashioning a shovel to bury ourselves alive. Jesus wants us to recognize our human desire to build a shrine to our own goodness and identity, and exchange all of that for His goodness and His identity.

Jesus, save us from our compulsive need to ‘behave’ our way into Your kingdom. Save us from our foolish and weak efforts. Save us from our need for control. Rescue us from ‘being good’ and anything that stands between us and Your yoke which is easy and your burden which is light. Carry us like little children into Your kingdom, for Your glory. Amen.

Take a moment to be still.

Psalm 19

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 7:14-23

JAMIE KIM | SERVE GLOBAL: KOREA

The passage in Mark 7:6-7, states the crux of the parable in Mark 7:14-23 that people honor Jesus with their lips, but their hearts are far from Jesus. “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

During this Lent, we can go through the ritual of preparing ourselves for Easter. What and how should we prepare ourselves for Lent? God’s desire for us is to prepare our hearts. What does the heart represent and how can we examine our heart because our heart is above all deceptive. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

There is a straightforward way to determine our hearts – Facebook, Instagram or other social media feed. The algorithm of social media tracks our viewing and determines what kinds of topics we are interested in. Your social media activity heavily reflects your interests through powerful algorithms that personalize feeds based on likes, watch time, and follows. Stop for a moment and look at your Facebook or Instagram. Although this is not conclusive, this could be one of the metrics of what is in your heart. Another biometric of your heart may be how you spend your time when you are alone and no one is looking. How you spend time alone reflects the true state of your inner life revealed when external pressures, distractions, and social roles are removed. It highlights that solitude is a crucial space for self-examination of what is occupying your heart.

During this Lent, I invite you to spend time away from social media for a couple of days and spend time in solitude and in silence.

Oh Lord, during this Lent season, help me and grant me a hunger to seek alone time with You in silence. Grant me space and time to be alone and silent, I pray.

Mark 8:27-38

CHRISTINA YANEW | CHESTERMERE, AB

On the road from Galilee to Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks a question that echoes in every faithful heart to this day: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers rightly “You are the Messiah” yet soon learns that right words do not always mean right understanding. When Jesus speaks of suffering and death, Peter recoils. A suffering Messiah does not fit his vision, his hopes. Jesus responds firmly, reminding him that God’s ways are not shaped by human fear or desire for control.

This moment reveals how easily faith can resist the path it professes to follow. We may love Jesus, yet hesitate when His way leads through loss or trust beyond our understanding. Lent invites us to notice where we are tempted to reshape Jesus into something safer or more comfortable.

Jesus then widens the invitation: “If any of you wants to be my follower…” His call is not to admiration, but to surrender. To deny ourselves, take up the cross, and follow is to loosen our grip on what promises security but cannot give life. What we cling to, Jesus asks us to release; what we fear to lose, He offers to transform.

In this passage, we are called again to walk behind Jesus, not ahead of Him, not beside Him, but following in His steps. The way of the cross is not a detour from life, but the road that leads us to it. Lent becomes a return: from self-protection to trust, from lesser concerns to deeper faithfulness, from knowing about Jesus to truly following him.

Jesus, teach us to walk behind You with open hands and willing hearts. In this season, lead us into the life that is found in trusting You. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 9:2-13

HEATHER GILKINSON | DURBAN, MB

As a Christian, it is all too easy to recall the Easter story as something familiar and expected, recalled from rote memory. For both us and Peter, James and John, the events of Mark 9:213 allow us to experience and hear from Him in a new and exciting way.

What can we learn from the transfiguration?

We are to stand in awe of Jesus. When we hear that “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them”, this helps us understand that Jesus was not merely a man or a wise teacher. In a world that can feel mundane and directionless, may we remember that Jesus is our Saviour, and is certainly not ordinary. I can hardly imagine the awe Peter, James and John must have felt.

Jesus is the glory of God in the flesh - to be taken seriously. When the voice came from the cloud, stating “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him”, this statement is clear and direct. The disciples may have been confused, asking many questions, but they continued to follow Him anyway. Like the disciples, I pray that we listen to the clear commands of Jesus, even as we navigate tough questions or difficult circumstances in our lives. Even as we fall short.

Jesus is a fulfillment of the Law and prophets. Elijah is often regarded as the greatest prophet, and Moses brought the Law of God to the people of God. By joining Jesus when His glory is revealed, this shows us that He accomplished all that He had foretold (Matthew 5:17 and 2 Corinthians 1:20). This serves as a reminder to us that God keeps His promises, even if we do not understand the timeline or details. Hold onto this hope amidst weariness and impatience.

The word transfigure means “radically changed”. May we be radically changed as we stand in awe of Him, follow Him and place our hope in His promises.

Dear Jesus, we are sorry for the times that we have looked upon the Easter Story with disinterest or indifference. Please use the transfiguration to help us more clearly understand the magnificent things You have done for us as our Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mark 9:30-50

ANDREW COOPER | ROSEBUD, AB

I’ve been told that if a biblical author repeats something, it’s best to pay attention because they are trying to make a point. So what do we find repeating here? There’s the obvious threefold warning from Jesus to remove anything from your life that causes you to stumble. There’s also His use of the phrase “in my name”, as well as a reference to the disciples’ fear (a recurring theme throughout Mark). What else do you notice? What do you think Mark is trying to emphasize?

For me, in this passage, I’m struck by Jesus’ desire for privacy, to guard His time with His disciples (v. 30-31), another recurring element in Mark’s gospel (ie. 6:31-32, 7:24, 9:2). There are times He will teach the crowds willingly (10:1) and times when He wants to avoid them and be alone with His disciples - in the boat, in the house - either because He knows they need some rest or because He has something He wants them to learn from Him directly, rather than through parables. Allow yourself to rest with Him as you read and re-read this passage. What does He want to teach you today as you spend time alone with Him?

There’s also a corporate element to this passage. Jesus ends by telling them to “have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” The “with each other” could refer to the disciples themselves, who have just had a dispute over who is the greatest, and it could also refer to other followers of Jesus who aren’t necessarily among their immediate circle (the ‘someone else’ John reports as ministering in Jesus’ name). Who are the people in your life that Jesus is asking you to be at peace with? How do the different elements of Jesus’ teaching (least vs. greatest, others working in His name, stumbling blocks for others and ourselves, salt and fire and peace with one another) relate to each other? What does it mean to be salted with fire?

Thanks be to God that He is able to renew all things and make us salty again as we draw near to Him.

Oh gracious and compassionate Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth, open our eyes and open our hearts to see and receive what You would have us learn today. Open our eyes to see the least of these and open our ears to hear Your leading. Lord Jesus, King of Creation, grant us the strength and courage to follow You, all the days of our lives. Amen and amen.

Psalm

107:1-3, 17-22

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Take a moment to be still.

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 10:13-31

ERIK ANDERSON | WINNIPEG, MB

Today’s assigned reading begins with some kids caught up in the arms of their parents who get caught up in yet another situation where we good doer disciples miss the mark. Jesus makes it clear, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (v. 14).

In the next story a put together man brings himself to Jesus. He bends low in respect and asks a million-dollar question, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (v. 17).

After a quick run through on the checklist of commandments it becomes clear that this man has been a good little boy, now become man.

In a tender pause the text succinctly states, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” (v. 21). That line makes me hold my breath every time I hear it.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. (v. 21-22).

This man strikes me as the kind of guy who crushes it in life. The kind of guy who accomplishes his New Year’s resolutions before Valentine’s Day. The kind of guy who gets his name on plaques and buildings. The kind of guy we want in our churches.

He is a “good guy” yet he lacks one thing. Up until that moment he could manage his life by grit, determination, and sheer willpower. But what happens when willpower isn’t enough?

In the face of Grace looking at him in tender love he simply can’t do it and goes away sad.

I feel compassion for this man because I (and perhaps we) are the same. We all have one thing (shoot, I got many) that keep me from saying yes in trust to the God who loves.

It has been said that God wants our consent and not our willpower. I feel that in this story. What would it look like for us to consent to Jesus? What would it feel like for us to allow His loving gaze to pull us in fully?

Jesus, as You look on us with love we say, “yes” to You and Your Kingdom. Gift us trust! Amen.

Mark 10:35-45

SONJA PETERSON | ABBOTSFORD, BC

What were they thinking? Who would ever ask for such a position? James and John may have longed to remain close to Jesus and to continue being part of His “inner circle”. They may have thought that Jesus’ Kingdom was an earthly, messianic one, with Jesus as the Messiah. On the other hand, their request to sit in a place of importance next to Jesus makes their lack of understanding of the way of Jesus even more obvious. Jesus has just predicted His own suffering and death for the third time. Did they even hear Him?

James and John appeared to value increased positions of importance next to Jesus, but Jesus would have nothing to do with that. One commentator writes that it is not by merit but by humble submission that rank is determined in the kingdom of God. It would be easy to judge James and John for asking for a position of honour, but it is our natural tendency to see ourselves as more important than others. True humility is not easily attained, and adopting the posture of a servant is to be highly valued when we follow Jesus.

What do you value? Power? Wealth? Honour? Beauty? Family? Respect?

The values of the kingdom turn the values of the world upside down. No one would expect the creator of the universe, the King of kings, to come as a lowly servant who would suffer and die, but that is exactly what Jesus was trying to tell His disciples. In this upside-down kingdom, to be first, you must be last; to lead, you must serve. This is radically othercentered.

You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

Help us to live in the beautiful, self-sacrificing, other-honouring way of your Kingdom. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 10:46-52

ERIKKA HEDBERG | SURREY, BC

I’ve been reading ‘Relaxed: Walking With the One Who Is Not Worried About a Thing’ by Megan Fate Marshman with my small group at Emmanuel Covenant Church and I couldn’t help but feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit connecting what I’ve been learning from ‘Relaxed’ with my small group to today’s passage from Mark 10.

As I read about Bartimeas, I think of the incredible risk this blind man took to encounter Jesus. Imagine a busy street, a blind man sitting, likely begging, on a corner, amid the noise of a crowd and business happening around him, and he hears the whispers that Jesus (that Jesus?! The supposed Saviour of the world, Jesus?!) is nearby. Bartimeas can’t see this Jesus he’s heard about; he can’t even see the people around him or the shops or the road; yet he calls out. What a seemingly impossible risk for this blind man who is on the fringes of society, to shout for Jesus to have mercy on him, to notice him.

Megan Fate Marshman writes, “God hangs out in places beyond our comfort zone - places that require [God’s] power. [God is] in the deep waters, so to speak. If all we ever do is splash around in the shallows, we’ll never see the power of God at work.” How often do we sit in our comfort and rely on our autonomy rather than trusting that we will experience the divine when we step out in faith? Even in the midst of the crowd’s rebuke, Bartimeas took a risk to call out to Jesus. And Jesus responded!!

I love that in the Message version, the crowd changes their mind after Jesus notices (typical, am I right?) and tells Bartimeas “it’s your lucky day” (vs 50). I don’t think this was luck, I think it was divine intervention and God showing up because Bartimeas submitted to God by taking this risk. Marshman says, “God answers our inadequacies with [God’s] presence. When we are out of our depth, we open ourselves and others to an encounter with the presence, power, and love of God.”

As we reflect today on this passage from Mark, I hope that we would not sit in comfort or the status quo, but that, as we continue to turn our hearts, minds, and bodies toward Jesus, we would step out in faith regardless of the shouts from the crowd, regardless of if we can’t see clearly. And, that we would trust that God will make themself known when we are “out of our depth”, just like Jesus did for Bartimeas.

Holy Jesus, thank You for Your presence and making Yourself known to us in the highs and the lows. Remind us of Bartimeas as we seek to be a part of what You’re doing in the world and as we reorient ourselves to Your power and Your love, in this season of Lent, and beyond. Thank You for seeing us when we can’t see. Thank You for healing and sending us. Amen.

Mark 11:1-11

HUGH CAMPBELL | WINNIPEG, MB

Jesus calls us to new perspectives and actions; and invites us to be a more fervent follower and disciple.

Jesus calls us to return to following him with more passion and intention.

“Jesus said to two of his disciples, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” (v. 2-3)

“They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, ‘What are you doing, untying that colt?’ They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.” (v. 4-6)

“Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple.” (v. 11)

Jesus gave specific directions to two of his disciples:

• Go to the village ahead of you

• Untie a colt tied there, and bring it here

• If anyone asks, “Why are you doing this?” tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

Jesus described how others would respond to the disciples’ actions: why are you doing this? and the people let them go.

I am thankful, relieved and pleased that the Holy Spirit indwells me and hovers over me, and his disciples globally – “to the ends of the earth.” May you and your loved ones experience His presence, protection, and provision daily.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thank you for Your presence, protection, provision, grace, peace, mercy, and love. Amen.

Take a moment to be still.

Psalm 119:9-16

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 12:1-12

NATASHA WESTERHOUD | CAMROSE, AB

I hold several convictions firmly, but one of the most important is our need to return to Jesus. Our world is complicated and unpredictable, yet our God is not. To understand what matters to us, we can ask ourselves: What is the cornerstone we hold onto? What foundation are we standing on? If it is anything but Jesus, we will be disappointed. The parable of the Tenants reminds us that God is good, patient, loving, and full of grace.

The tenants in today’s reading do not reflect the strong, caring foundation God desires. In Mark 12, Jesus teaches in Jerusalem during His last week, with many listening. The parable shows God’s wish for us to bear good fruit and contrasts His generous spirit with the tenants’ rebellion, corruption, and greed. At harvest, the landowner sends servants, the prophets like Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist, to collect what is His, and they are rejected and mistreated. Finally, the landowner sends His Son, but the tenants kill Him. Jesus’s sending, despite knowing He would be rejected and crucified, reveals God’s deep love for us.

The parable encourages us to reflect on God’s beautiful truths. It shows that God’s goodness provides everything we need to live rightly, like caring for a lush vineyard. His patience, seen in sending prophets despite rejection, reminds us to see His goodness and patience in our own lives. The image of the owner and God reaffirms scriptures such as John 3 and 1 John, which say God is love and that He loved the world so much that He gave His Son, so that believers can have eternal life. Knowing what was to come, God sent Jesus to die for our sins. This is an act of unconditional and sacrificial love.

At this point, Jesus asks what the vineyard owner will do, and the owner responds, “He will kill the farmers and lease to others.” This shows that God will remove Israel’s leaders and establish a New Covenant through Jesus for believers. While it may seem severe, it highlights God’s kindness, patience, and love, and invites us to live righteously and in grace, to be faithful, not to reject Jesus, but to make Him the cornerstone of our lives.

I am so grateful as I continue to read and embrace this parable, for it leaves us with hope. Despite Jesus’s rejection, a reflection on Psalm 118 shows how the rejected stone has become the cornerstone, a powerful symbol of hope and renewal.

This message from Jesus invites us to remember God’s loving plan for us, filled with grace and love. Even if we’ve taken His goodness for granted, Hope is always near, especially when life feels complicated and unpredictable. When I feel like I have failed or even rejected the truth, I hear God’s gentle invitation to return to a place of healing, a grace Jesus freely offers. Sometimes I push away the truth I need, but I am reminded that I can’t do everything alone; yet with Christ, I can do all things. Christ is my cornerstone, my anchor, and my foundation.

As we spend a few moments in prayer, I invite you to examine your heart and ask: On what foundation are you building your life? Is Jesus your Cornerstone?

May you be reminded today that God will never fail you. Take a moment and breathe in “God has never failed me.” The world may be complicated and unpredictable, but our God is good, patient, loving, and full of grace and invites us to come back to Jesus.

Mark 12:35-44

BRIAN TYSDAL | STRASBOURG, SK

Uncommon Wisdom

Sometimes we humans can be a bit ‘thick’. When we are exposed to a different way of thinking, we can find it very difficult to understand or see the value of what is being presented to us.

In Mark 12:35-44 we see a masterclass example of how Jesus navigates this exact challenge.

In verses 35-37 Jesus sets the stage: He asks the question of why it is that King David could say that the Messiah, who is God that pre-exists David, could be called the son of David.

Jesus is challenging the status quo by inviting people to perceive beyond what they see in their world. He was helping them to imagine the possibility that there is a reality that is meant to bring hope into this world. Pride had blinded the Teachers of the Law to this central idea and in their blindness they elevated themselves while preying on the vulnerable for their own benefit (v. 38-40).

The ones who were supposed to know the truth missed the point…

And finally in verses 41-44 Jesus completes the picture using those powerless widows as the example of how true wisdom is expressed! A poor and powerless widow presents her extravagant but tiny financial offering to the Lord and Jesus states that this meager offering is so much more grand than the huge financial gift given by those who had massive resources. Jesus uses this to emphasize a critical teaching:

God has come to establish heaven’s perspective, that is spiritual wisdom, that brings hope for the poor and powerless. Worldly understanding is blind and spiritual perception is true wisdom.

In this Lenten season we have an incredible invitation to lay our ‘wisdom’ at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to help us to empty ourselves of our worldly values that we sometimes hold so dear.

Jesus we come to You and ask that You reveal to us what those things/ideas/ways of being are so we might be able to receive what Your wisdom looks like. And as You do this powerful work in us, help us not to be surprised when we don’t fit quite as well into the halls of power, or when we aren’t quite as accepted as before. But encourage us! Because this is exactly why You came, to make us into reflections of Your wisdom! Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment?

Mark 14:3-9

JESSE KANE | EDMONTON, AB

The whole gospel fit into that jar of perfume; it was a world of grace to itself. It was the woman’s whole world. Through favours exchanged for gold, she had acquired this jar of perfume and it was everything to her. She had given up her own body for it. This jar held the incense of hope, desire, shame and exploitation as one messy, aromatic concoction.

Mark calls the jar beautiful. It was beautiful- and it was terrible and it was real. Raised Christian, I have a religious reflex similar to those at the table with her: “Trade this terrible history away for something useful! Sell this for something objectively good. You and your sordid past must be exchanged for something better.” As if that wasn’t what she always did. If I am honest, a part of me agrees with them; my desires are better concealed in religious garb like a temple prostitute than sitting in a filthy brothel.

And then, Jesus puts a stop to further exploitation: “She has anointed me ahead of time.” Reaching back through time, down from the cross, He does not condemn her, He completes her. He receives this sign of all that she is upon himself. Hair used for seduction becomes her priestly robes, the look she had practiced in doorways became the threshold of tears, and perfume that masked crass transactions becomes anointing oil. Rather than being covered in religious clothes she is remade into the temple itself.

Something erotic drips scandalously from the woman despite her posture of despair, and it offends everyone but Jesus. Eros spills out of her and is greeted by Jesus, perhaps the first person to receive her wholly without disgust or predation. All that she is sits bare before him, anoints him, and is transfigured by him. Her broken jar of nard, her broken desire, comes into contact with Jesus: Skin to skin, flesh to flesh, body to body, and is made whole.

Do you dare to pour out the aroma of your longing in the Lord’s presence, as this woman did? Or will you sit with the others at the table, looking down at your most shameful wants with scorn? Hear the good news; you are seen and wanted at Christ’s table, where your broken jar may be spilled and poured out, and you are filled and anointed anew by the one who receives and transfigures your desire.

Jesus, you receive the repentant and their bodies. As I give my body over to You, return it to me, transfigured and complete in Your grace. Amen.

Mark 14:12-26

CANDICE NELSON | NORQUAY, SK

“Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.” (v. 13). Did the disciples question, “Are we looking for an old man or young? What type of water jar is he holding? What if there are several men fitting this simple description? Are we supposed to say something or just follow him? What if we follow the wrong man?!”.

Was there seriously only one man in the city carrying water?

“The disciples… found it just as Jesus had told them” (v. 16). I am surprised how quickly my mind is distracted seeking clarification and over-complicating the simplicity of His directions; go to the city, meet a man, follow him.

At supper Jesus tells the disciples, “One of you will betray me” (v. 17) and I wonder if they heard His next words or were frantically thinking ways to intercept the betrayal and protect their Rabbi. While noble, their plans were not God’s. Even in the physical presence of the Son of God, did their thoughts cloud them from hearing His voice?

“This is my body… this is my blood…” (v. 22, 24) and I am flooded with my own questions as I attempt to fully grasp the gravity of these words. I wonder if the urge to seek understanding appears well intentioned but is spurred by a deceptive voice insinuating we are not good enough to earn God’s favor. Unconsciously, we flee from God’s presence while we try to get a handle on what God expects of us. We ask questions but don’t listen for answers. We make plans, but do they align with His? We are paralyzed without a complete picture, “tell me exactly what the water-jug-carrying man looks like. I do not want to miss him and disappoint You”. If I fully understand the situation I could be of better assistance. Our questions drown out His voice.

Children do not ask for a detailed explanation of the parasympathetic nervous system before they climb into their mom’s lap; they just know it feels good. Why then do we seek a complex understanding of God’s plan before we listen, follow, or simply enter His presence. We know when they are from Him, they are good.

Go to the city. A man will meet you. No clarification needed.

Lord, forgive me when my quest for clarity distracts from hearing Your words. I surrender myself to “be still…” body and mind, being okay with not understanding.

118:1-2; 19-29

PRAYER | LECTIO DIVINA

Take a moment to be still.

Tell God that you are listening.

Read the text. Don’t worry about finding meaning or application. Psalms are prayers; simply read the prayer and then sit in silence for a moment.

Mark 14:27-42

ALEX SONG | WINDSOR, ON

Frustration. Suffering. Betrayal. Relief.

I feel most frustrated when I am misunderstood. When the heart of my intentions are good and true but for one reason or another aren’t received as intended, it is so frustrating and hurtful.

I do not think that there is anyone who doesn’t understand suffering. It comes in too many different shapes and sizes. I understand there to be two categories: self-inflicted suffering and suffering from above.

My younger self experienced self-inflicted suffering by choosing rebellion and vice. The fruit of this was deep depression, addiction, loneliness and fear. Suffering from above events are those that I accept yet don’t understand; 14 years ago my father committing suicide at 71 yrs old and 2 years ago my 83yr old mother getting randomly attacked and never recovering from that brain trauma.

Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem, every step that brought Him closer to the city where He would be beaten, humiliated and killed. Trying over and over to give His inside circle a heads-up of what is literally just around the corner, but they did not get it.

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (v. 34) “Take this cup from me….” (v. 36)

So much build up, that when His betrayer showed up with a crowd to take Him, it might have felt like relief. “The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go!” (v. 41-42)

Today I choose to be encouraged by the integrity and bravery of Jesus to rise and go. My prayer for you and I is to be strong enough to do the same.

Mark 15:1-41

TIM KEENER | MONTREAL, QC

“I don’t deserve this!” Most of us have probably thought this when passing through a significant struggle in life. We face circumstances outside of our control, hurt by the poor or malicious choices of others. “Life is not fair!” we want to scream as if our earnestness could instantly prove our innocence. Or perhaps we witness the suffering of another, and our hearts fill with empathy, “They did not deserve that!”

This might be how we feel when we read Mark’s account of the crucifixion. He was abandoned by His disciples, faced trumped-up charges by the religious establishment, and was a victim of corrupt Roman proceedings. He was beaten, ridiculed, tortured upon the cross, even to the point where we hear Him cry out to God, “Why have you forsaken me?” Our hearts break for our Lord, who undeservingly suffered and died for us.

But what if Jesus was not simply a victim of a miscarriage of justice? What if He was guilty as charged? The Sanhedrin found Him guilty of blasphemy for claiming to be the “Son of God” and the “Messiah.” And despite their procedural manipulation (they held the trial at night and on the eve of a festival), we hold Jesus’ identity at the absolute center of our faith. Under Roman law, Jesus was found guilty of sedition, claiming that He was above the power of the Roman state. This is also something that Christians still hold to be true, that Christ is King and rules above human powers. Jesus’ very presence, and the movement He gathered around Him, constituted an alternative sovereignty that was truly a threat to the powers that be.

Jesus, despite the treacherous nature of His capture and botched trial, was truly guilty of preaching and teaching of a Kingdom beyond both the Jewish and Roman authorities, and we have His mug shot right here in Mark 15. This is the argument that William Stringfellow, an Anglican lawyer and writer, made in the early 1970s:

“Many of us have been taught—wrongly, if the New Testament is credible—to regard Jesus as an ingenuous and hapless victim of a gross miscarriage of justice. But the truth is: He was guilty. Never has a man been apprehended, accused, tried, convicted, sentenced, and executed of whom it may be more certainly avowed: He was guilty.” (A Keeper of the Word: Selected Writings of William Stringfellow)

What difference does this spin on the crucifixion make for you and for me? It refocuses us from pity for Jesus as the victim of the powers of this world, to awe at Jesus as a committed revolutionary who liberates us from those powers. Jesus quietly and defiantly says, “do your worst, even death,” and then demonstrates His power even over death. In this, Jesus subverts the powers and principalities of this world.

Most importantly, this reading realigns our allegiances. Are we more aligned with the power of our nation or our religious group than we are with the Kingdom of God revealed in Jesus? Would we go down with Jesus for subverting the religious or political powers that oppress rather than liberate? And when we want to cry out, “it isn’t fair!” because we are experiencing the consequences of our allegiances, maybe we could be reminded that we too are guilty as charged for putting God’s Kingdom first. And, we are guilty along with a multitude of other saints throughout the ages. If we are guilty of subversive allegiance to God’s Kingdom, then we are truly free and victorious over the tyranny of this world’s powers.

A Prayer of Solidarity

Lord, we do not want to be innocent of charges of being with You on the Cross. We want to be guilty as charged for following the Kingdom way—putting the needs of others before our own and Your will above all worldly powers, trusting that not even the power of death can separate us from Your love. Amen.

Prayer of Examen

Get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths. Rest in God’s presence.

Ask God to guide your reflection in prayer in these moments. Ask God for the grace to be aware of his work in you this past week. Ask God to reveal how Christ was with you.

Thank God for these moments of gladness and goodness. Imagine God rejoicing with you.

As you reflect on your week again, pause on any challenging times. Also, consider how you have missed the mark. What have you done or left undone that requires repentance?

Ask God for his mercy for your sin and for comfort in your struggle. Imagine God pouring out his love over you.

Pray that God would show you how to respond to what you have noticed, the consolation and desolation in your life. Ask God for his help in responding to his invitation.

Share with God any other thoughts or reflections.

Amen.

Take some time to sit with the linocut below. What do you notice? How do you feel as you take in this piece of art? Is there anything that you hear God speaking to you in this moment? EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 5

He is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

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