Unlike past Lenten Studies, this year we are not looking at specific Biblical characters or working through books of the Bible. This year we are taking a survey approach to finding hope in scripture, and getting some pragmatic examples of how to be God’s people, bringing justice through our actions.
Our world is different in 2025, especially those of us who are Canadian and find our borders threatened by our oldest political neighbour. These are uncertain times, and so many who want to support fascism are claiming to represent the Biblical narrative. They are not.
This study will work its way through various books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, then look at historical figures who lived the faith of peace, justice and equity through our 2000 years of history.
Unlike past Lenten Studies, this year we are not looking at specific Biblical characters or working through books of the Bible. This year we are taking a survey approach to finding hope in scripture, and getting some pragmatic examples of how to be God’s people, bringing justice through our actions.
Our world is different in 2025, especially those of us who are Canadian and find our borders threatened by our oldest political neighbour. These are uncertain times, and so many who want to support fascism are claiming to represent the Biblical narrative. They are not.
This study will work its way through various books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, then look at historical figures who lived the faith of peace, justice and equity through our 2000 years of history.
Unlike past Lenten Studies, this year we are not looking at specific Biblical characters or working through books of the Bible. This year we are taking a survey approach to finding hope in scripture, and getting some pragmatic examples of how to be God’s people, bringing justice through our actions.
Our world is different in 2025, especially those of us who are Canadian and find our borders threatened by our oldest political neighbour. These are uncertain times, and so many who want to support fascism are claiming to represent the Biblical narrative. They are not.
This study will work its way through various books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, then look at historical figures who lived the faith of peace, justice and equity through our 2000 years of history.
Unlike past Lenten Studies, this year we are not looking at specific Biblical characters or working through books of the Bible. This year we are taking a survey approach to finding hope in scripture, and getting some pragmatic examples of how to be God’s people, bringing justice through our actions.
Our world is different in 2025, especially those of us who are Canadian and find our borders threatened by our oldest political neighbour. These are uncertain times, and so many who want to support fascism are claiming to represent the Biblical narrative. They are not.
This study will work its way through various books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, then look at historical figures who lived the faith of peace, justice and equity through our 2000 years of history.
Unlike past Lenten Studies, this year we are not looking at specific Biblical characters or working through books of the Bible. This year we are taking a survey approach to finding hope in scripture, and getting some pragmatic examples of how to be God’s people, bringing justice through our actions.
Our world is different in 2025, especially those of us who are Canadian and find our borders threatened by our oldest political neighbour. These are uncertain times, and so many who want to support fascism are claiming to represent the Biblical narrative. They are not.
This study will work its way through various books of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, then look at historical figures who lived the faith of peace, justice and equity through our 2000 years of history.
Matthew6 When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.
2 When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn. That’s what show-offs do in the synagogues and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
3 When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. 4 Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret and will reward you.
5 When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
6 When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private and will reward you.
16 When you go without eating, don’t try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward. 17 Instead, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then others won’t know you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.
19 Don’t store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. 20 Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them. 21 Your heart will always be where your treasure is.
I don’t know about you, but this year Lent came upon me before I was ready. The events of the world, and the political and social action in Canada, have been my focus of late. We are in a very different place as we approach this Lent than we have been in years past, and our Lenten study this year will reflect that.
How to Lent for Teens and How to Lent with Kids are now up on the website. These are journeys that can be shared by all ages, not just those who fall into the age categories of Teens or Kids.
On Ash Wednesday, March 5th, I will be posting an Ash Wednesday reflection.
The following five weeks beginning Wednesday, March 12th, will include a Lenten Study on how to be inspired by scripture as we deal with a new social order and face some of the fears that have arisen along with the rise in fascist governments. We will be turning to the shorter prophetic books along with other Biblical reflections and Jesus teachings on how to resist and challenge authority, how to be brave when we are full of fear, and how to stand on our principles in a world that seem to be sacrificing people to the highest bidder while forcing others into abject poverty, all so a small group of people can indulge their greed.
For Holy Week we will be walking through Jerusalem with Jesus and his followers, this year inspired by insights from John Legend’s version of Jesus Christ Superstar, which can be purchased on YouTube (I don’t get any financial benefit from that recommendation). Watching it recently, the staging helped me look at the story in a new light.
Our podcast The Preacher & The Pagan will return during Lent with a new tone and focus, influenced by the changing world around us. Rather than just looking at history and contemporary discussions, we will be discussing the Christian and Pagan traditions of social and political action and what we can learn from our past that will help us stand strong in our present, and hopefully change our future.
John 1212 The next day a large crowd was in Jerusalem for Passover. When they heard that Jesus was coming for the festival, 13 they took palm branches and went out to greet him. They shouted,
“Hosanna! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the Scriptures say,
15 “People of Jerusalem, don’t be afraid! Your King is now coming, and he is riding on a donkey.”
16 At first, Jesus’ disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory, they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as the Scriptures said it would.
There are a lot of ideas about who Jesus was 2000 years ago and who he is today. People have ideas about God… some of them about a God who love us, and some of the ideas are that God is always judging us.
Our story of Palm Sunday reminds us that people misunderstood Jesus as Messiah 2000 years ago just like they do today.
The people in Jerusalem were expecting the Messiah to be a king, like King David, who would have armies and huge parades of soldiers. He would be dressed in the richest, most colourful clothing they could find, and when he entered Jerusalem it would be to tell the Romans to get out of Judea and Galilee. The Messiah was supposed to save the people from the Romans and restore the Hebrew people to independent government and no more foreign taxes or soldiers.
However, that was not who Jesus was, and it is understandable that the people who didn’t know Jesus were disappointed.
Instead of riding a big horse like a king, Jesus rode a small donkey. Instead of wearing rich clothes, he looked like everyone else. Instead of a big parade, he had his followers and children waving palm branches walking beside him. And when Jesus came, he did not tell the Romans to get out. Instead he told the leaders in the Temple to smarten up and behave the way God wanted them to behave.
Jesus was not the Messiah they had been expecting.
There are many children in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, but they are often overlooked or by-passed by Sunday lectionaries and Bible studies. Even Sunday School curriculums rarely take time just to focus on the children, or the childhood of significant people in Scripture.
Through this Lenten series we will be looking at some of the children found in Scripture, why their stories are significant, how they are related, and their influence on the growth of our spiritual tradition.
The Barefoot Evangelist 