HOLY WEEK AT HOME
In an act of faith and solidarity, we are called to spend Holy Week without the usual presence of one another. Each day throughout this week, though, we can continue to come together in spirit with these daily devotionals as we are called to gather, reflect, pray, and act.As always, reach out! To each other, to your neighbors and friends. Gather your family around the table for a time of reflection or join with others on FaceTime or Zoom to do the same. Allow this experience to transform you in Christ and embolden you to express the love of God in new ways in this new time. While we are, in fact, all in this together, we specifically come together in manifest spirit to gather, reflect, pray, and act, as led by Christ.
GATHER
Have a member of your household lead or, if alone, read it as a silent meditation. If you connect via social media, have two or three people share the reading.
LEADER: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust.
ALL: Make your ways known to me, O Lord; teach me your paths.
LEADER: Lead me in your truth and teach me,
ALL: For you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
LEADER: Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
ALL: He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
LEADER: All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
ALL: For those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Psalm 25 (selected verses)
REFLECT
Read the scripture below as a silent meditation, have a member of your household read aloud, or have two or three people share the reading.
A psalm of praise. Of David.
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Psalm 145 NIV
PRAY
Pray for resilience:
Webster’s dictionary defines resilience as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” It doesn’t really matter how resilient we have been in the past, we are in a new time, a new space. As we read about the greatest generation, those who lived through the Depression and World War II, we realize that some of the most resilient people in our world are those who can be most vulnerable now. I am thankful that we have people among us that can teach us what it is to be truly resilient in times like these. It is the stories from those who lived to tell the tale that will help us recover as we seek the end of this pandemic.
So let us pray for our divine father's resilience… let us pray that as a nation, as a state, and as a community we seek to be those who are resilient, to be those who can hold the hands of the suffering, to be those who can provide a listening ear. I say it time and time again, God put Second Presbyterian exactly where he wanted us to be, on the East Side of the great city of Charleston. May we pray for the power of Christ to help our city recover.
ACT
Consider these ideas to extend acts of service, mercy, or grace to those around you and for your own well-being.
If you are able, take a walk (while respecting appropriate social distancing) and take the time to appreciate all of the flowers in bloom and the return of leaves to what were recently bare trees. Be grateful for the annual reminder of resilience that spring brings with it. Tag #2ndpc if you take the time to snap a photo!
Look into getting a local produce share. While we might be missing out on the farmers markets this spring, many local farmers are offering no-contact drop off or pickup produce boxes, even if you don't have a CSA. This is a great way save a trip to the grocery store, support a local business, and start a good ecological habit of eating local!
Wake up early tomorrow and watch the sunrise! The sun rises at 6:58 a.m. tomorrow and there's nothing like daybreak to remind us of the resilient nature of the God we serve.