In Jesus, God joined us in our suffering to show us how to be love in the midst of suffering. I think of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. A man from Jerusalem was attacked and left for dead along the side of the road. A priest from Jerusalem came along but quickly gave the injured man a wide berth, and went to the other side of the road to avoid him. A Levite, also from Jerusalem, came along and reacted the same way. Then a Samaritan, the injured man's historical enemy, came along and moved directly towards the suffering man to care for him. In our lives, will we move towards suffering or give it a wide berth because we don't know what to do? But as followers of Jesus, we actually know what to do: React with love and compassion. God moved directly into our suffering. Can we follow God and move directly into the suffering of others with love and compassion?
Here are our questions for next Wednesday, our final gathering in Lent:
Where did you feel pain this week? Did you feel God's presence, love, or compassion this week in the midst of that pain? If not, how can you open doors to experience how God cares for you?
It is not our job to save the whole world. God is already at work, and invites us to participate. Do you ever feel overwhelmed with compassion for others? How can we fully join God's work without feeling like we must take on the full responsibilities of being God?
Join us for this final Wednesday soup supper where we break bread, share stories, and end our day together with a beautiful sung Compline.
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