Lenten Reflection for Day 26
Date: Thursday March 7, 2011
Author: John Harris
Bible Passage:
Romans 12:4–5 (NRSV)
4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
Reflection:
As individuals, we can accept Jesus’ gift of grace or, we can turn our backs on this gift, and walk away. In Paul’s language, we individually say yes to become part of the body of Christ, that is, we say yes to become part of the Christian Community, and we now have entered into a relationship with all those other Christians who have said yes to the gift of grace. But what does this mean to me as an individual? Does this mean I give up my own responsibility to listen to God’s word, to pray, and to those “random acts of kindness” to our neighbor. Of course not! Just as an arm, a leg, or a mouth have important functions in keeping our bodies working, to use Paul’s powerful metaphor, we are called to put our individual affirmations of Christ’s grace to use as members of a Christian Community. Yes, we carry our crosses and struggle and give an account to God as individuals, yet we are members of a Christian Community and we carry our struggles and burdens as members of a faith community. It gives us solace and comfort to know that all others in our Community are carrying similar struggles and burdens and that we can unburden ourselves to God and each other when we meet as a Christian Community in order to confess our sins, reflect on our baptism, listen to God’s word, and receive His Body and Blood.
Prayer:
Jesus, we know that Your yoke is easy and Your burdens are light. It is your gift of grace to us, as individuals and as members of a community of faith that makes this so. Help us to say yes to Your great gift of grace and let it transform our individual lives as we strive to transform the world through our Christian Community. In Your Name, we pray, Amen.
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