Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:4
But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind.

1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.

Please take time to reflect on the image below.

Meditation from the preachers

From Norma Hannington

As we accompany Jesus on his journey to Calvary let us take a moment to remember how difficult the journey was.

Jesus carried his cross through the narrow crowded streets of Jerusalem. It was Passover time and so the city was full of people, many of whom mocked, jostled and took pleasure in watching as Jesus struggled with his heavy burden on the often steep streets.

On that day in the crowd stood a woman named Veronica, she was so moved by the sight of Jesus’s suffering that she courageously moved out from the crowd to wipe the blood and sweat from his face with her scarf, defying all cultural norms.

Veronica was rewarded when the image of the face of Jesus was transferred onto her scarf. It is a suffering face, disfigured with wounds. Yet this is the only image of himself that Jesus chose to leave with us.

Let us Pray:

Lord grant us restless hearts,
hearts that seek your face, keep us from the blindness of heart
which sees only the surface of things.
Give us the simplicity and purity
which allows us to recognize your presence in the world.

When we are not able to accomplish great things, grant us the courage which is born out of humility and goodness. Impress your face on our hearts, may we encounter you along the way and show your image to the World.

AMEN

Reflection

During this pandemic hospital staffs have become our heroes. Nurses, technicians, doctors, and hospital staff all have the opportunity to become Veronicas in this passion of ours. Some have developed a professional manner that is more business-like than compassionate, and we pray for them. Others have become the Veronicas who dare to look deep into our eyes, to see and sympathize with the suffering they encounter in us. For them we thank you, Lord, and for them we pray as they step forward bravely, to ease our pain with the pure and tender fabric of their own humanity.

The face of God became flesh in the face of Jesus, who smiled upon sinners with tenderness. He looked with pleasure on pompous little Zacchaeus up in the tree and decided to stay with him rather than the self-righteous and respectable people. He smiled on Levi, another tax collector, and called him to discipleship. He looked with kindness on Peter after he had betrayed him. But what about us? We do not see his face and we do not even know what Jesus looked like. We are the body of Christ, and so we must be his face. It belongs to the ministry of every baptized person to be the face of Christ in the ordinary interactions of our daily lives. It is the small but necessary beginning of all Christian witness. According to the story, Jesus on the way to the cross encountered a crowd of hostile faces. But not Veronica, she gazed upon him with pity, and to her he gave an image of his face. May our faces be shaped by the grace into tenderness and welcome “true images” of his.

Jesus, may I see with your compassion and smile with your radiance, so that your unfailing tenderness is made flesh and blood of me. May I always be alert to those who feel invisible and despised, recognizing that they are your brothers and sisters, sharing your dignity, however much this is concealed by the bruises of this life. Amen.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, face of God among us,
open our eyes to your presence dwelling
in everyone we meet.
Heal us of our spiritual blindness,
and help us to see past each other’s
brokenness.
We pray this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.