Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture

 Matthew 6:1-6

Teaching about Giving to the Needy

    "Watch out! Don't do your good
deeds publicly, to be admired by others,
for you will lose the reward from your
Father in heaven. 2 When you give to
someone in need, don't do as the
hypocrites do-blowing trumpets in the
synagogues and streets to call attention
to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth,
they have received all the reward they will
ever get. 3 But when you give to someone
in need, don't let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts
in private, and your Father, who sees
everything, will reward you.

Teaching about Prayer and Fasting

 5 "When you pray, don't be like the
hypocrites who love to pray publicly on
street corners and in the synagogues where
everyone can see them. I tell you the truth,
that is all the reward they will ever get.
6 But when you pray, go away by yourself,
shut the door behind you, and pray to your
Father in private. Then your Father, who
sees everything, will reward you.


The Easter season is often marked by
spectacular displays of art and public
worship--we might sing beautiful Easter
hymns at church, attend moving Easter
pageants, or participate in public acts
of prayer, fasting, or devotion. The
Scripture reading reminds us that in
the midst of these outward displays,
however appropriate they are, we are
called to humility, self-sacrifice,
reflection, and quiet suffering.

Prayer

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins,
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of thy Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore Thee,
a heart to delight in Thee,
to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake,
Amen.
-- Ambrose of Milan, 4th century bishop

(Lent Devotional from Bible Gateway)

(A brief thought from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein)

Scripture:

"Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression."
 Psalm 73:6–8

Have you ever felt like someone didn’t like
you – maybe even hated you – for no
particular reason? It’s puzzling, isn’t it?
You wonder what you did to provoke a strong
reaction, and if you can’t think of anything
you did, it seems irrational. We Jews often
find ourselves as the objects of such irrational
hatred.

For example, at various points in history,
Jews have been accused of being too poor or
too wealthy; too politically domineering or too
politically uninvolved. We’ve been accused of
being too spiritual and too secular,
unambitious and overly aggressive, too
separated from others and too assimilated.
Does that make sense? How can we be all
those things?

Anti-Semitism, like other forms of racism, is
a condition of the heart. It reflects a callous
heart that has lost sensitivity to others. The
writer of Psalm 73 says that “from their callous
hearts comes iniquity” (v. 7). A hardened heart
that has lost sensitivity to others is a breeding
ground for evil.

In addition to a callous heart, anti-Semitism
forms in a conceited mind. At the base of racism
is the conceited belief that one person or group
is better than another and “their evil imaginations
have no limits” (Psalm 73:7). Rather than
listening to the voice of reason, irrational thoughts
prevail, driven by passionate hatred. For those
who promote anti-Semitism, their hatred is simply
hatred, without any reason or justification for it.
This irrational racial hatred has often led to
inconsistent accusations against the Jews –
such as those above – because the accusations
are not based on logic or merit, but hate.

Finally, the psalm writer says that those with
callous hearts and conceited minds also have
threatening lips, for “they scoff, and speak with
malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression”
(Psalm 73:8). Anti-Semitism, and other racial
prejudice, often expresses itself in threats,
intimidation, and oppression. Acts of terrorism
against Jews and Jewish icons are an attempt
to instill fear in the lives of Jews.

As the psalm writer concludes, when faced with
unreasonable and unmerited prejudice, there is
only one place to find hope and to remember,
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my
right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and
afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have
I in heaven but you?”(vv. 23–25). We can have
confidence in God’s presence and guidance no
matter what our circumstances or difficulties.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(from: Holy Land Moments Daily Devotional)

Lent

THERE MUST BE SOME MISTAKE

Read Mark 8:31-33

"And Peter took Him aside and began to
rebuke Him." (Mark 8:32)

Reflection:

It was just a routine checkup and Ann
expected everything to be fine. She felt
good, was sleeping well, had plenty of
energy, she even had been losing weight
like she wanted. The doctor said she was
in perfect health but he wanted her to take
a routine test. She left his office in high
spirits. But when she phoned for the results
on Monday she felt like she'd been slapped
in the face- she had cancer.

Peter must have felt a similar shock when
Jesus said He "must suffer many things, be
rejected and be killed." He couldn't wrap his
mind around it. "Jesus will suffer and die?
There must be some mistake. Jesus is God's
Son, the promised Savior. He can't die! He
has to save us from the Romans." He turned
Jesus aside and started trying to straighten
Him out.

Peter must have been shocked and hurt when
Jesus turned and forcefully said, "Get behind
Me, Satan!" After all, he had only the best
intentions for Jesus.

But Jesus knows mankind's true enemies
are not political rulers like Tiberius Caesar,
but spiritual rulers like Satan, death and hell.
They must be defeated- and the only way to
defeat them is to walk the road of suffering
and death. Jesus' suffering is necessary- so
necessary He will permit nothing and no one
to stand in His way. Jesus is determined to
save us from our sins and win eternal life for
Peter, His disciples, and all people.

THE PRAYER:

Lord You showed such determination to
save us from our enemies. Give me such
determination to follow You in all circumstances.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)