On the Third Sunday in Lent, March 23rd, twenty-three people joined with Julia for worship. Entitling her message “Giving Up…Entitlement” _Julia read the scripture Luke 18:9-14 which is the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector who had both gone to the temple to pray. The Pharisee expressed all his entitlements while the tax collector expressed his wrong ways. Jesus proclaimed that it was the tax collector who went home blessed because he had humbled himself before God. We have a sense of entitlement today where the people of privilege become more entitled which creates friction. Julia asked us are the following a right or a privilege. Food, free speech, shelter, freedom from conflict and war, opinion, ownership, making a living, fresh water, healthcare, education, love – how do we answer? For when we give up entitlement we live with humility as humble people know who they are. So, I ask us to consider, who gives us the right to things?
The Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 30th, saw nineteen people gather with Julia for worship. Three separate scripture passages were read: Mark 10:46-52 which tells the story of the giving of sight to blind Bartimaeus; Ephesians 4:29 which speaks of no evil talk coming from us but only what is useful for building up; and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which speaks of love being patient and kind. The message was entitled “Giving Up…The need to fix” _in which Julia asked, who is best situated to fix things, people, and situations? Jesus never felt the need to fix people; rather he waited until they came to him like Bartimaeus did. We must trust that others will seek help when they require it. We learn from our mistakes, but life is not a fixable problem. In other words, where do we desire to fix ourselves and not others? What today do I offer God, is one of the questions asked of us by Julia.
What is our answer?
By Marie Wedderburn