Reflections from your Co-Pastors March 8, 2021
2 Kings 5: 1-15ab
"Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel."
(verse 15b)
Today's first reading is "The Cure of Naaman." Now this is a reading we never hear on a Sunday at Mass. It comes up only in the daily lectionary and it is a very meaningful passage during this season of Lent.
Naaman is a great man. He is the commander of the Aramean army. A man who was held in high esteem and respect, for through him, God had brought many victories to Aram some of which had been over the Israelites. He was a hero in the kingdom of Aram.
Just one thing was troubling about Naaman, and that was he had leprosy. Now the Arameans did not treat lepers in the same manner as the Jews did, or Naaman would have been outcast from his people. But it still was a burden for this man who lived with his disease noticing that some people were actually repulsed by his appearance. He saw the expressions on their faces day after day, week after week, year after year. Valiant as he was as an army commander, he was a leper, and he questioned why God favored him as a warrior but did not make him well.
One day a young Jewish girl, slave of his wife, who had been taken captive during one of Naaman's raids on Israel, told Naaman's wife of a prophet in Israel who could cure his leprosy. Naaman's wife shared this girl's knowing with him and against all odds, on the advice of a pre- adolescent girl, he approached his King asking to be allowed to seek out this prophet.
His King backed him 100% and even wrote a letter to the King of Israel saying that "I am sending my servant Naaman to you that you may cure him of his leprosy." Naaman, not knowing what the cost of the cure might be, loaded up 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and 10 sets of fine clothing ready to give all he had to be cleansed.
After reading the letter from the King of Aram, Jehoam, Israel's King, rends his clothing and shouts, "Am I a God with power over life and death?" He then re-directs Naaman to the home of the prophet Elisha. Once there,
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Naaman is met by Elisha's messenger who tells him to go and wash seven times in the Jordan and his flesh will heal.
Naaman, commander of the army of Aram, known for his bravery and prowess. Warrior extraordinare. Yet, the prophet could not even come out to greet him, say some "magic" words and miraculously cure him so that all present would remember this day forever? Doesn't the prophet know of this "Great Man" standing outside his door with his entire life's earnings and riches?
Naaman went away angry. He grumbled, "Are not the rivers of Damascus better" than the muddy Jordan? "Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?" He was about to leave and return to Aram, when his servants approached him saying, "My Father, if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, 'Wash and be clean,' should you do as he said."
So Naaman, listening to his servants for the second time, went down to the Jordan, stripped himself of his clothing, and bathed in the river seven times "at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." In response Naaman said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel."
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What a miraculous story! What an invaluable gift given to Naaman--a gift from God--given through Naaman's servants and the prophet Elisha. A free gift. A no strings attached gift. God works for free.
During this Lenten season what do we need to shed of our status, our wealth, our worldly attachments, the burdens and guilt we carry, to come before God in our nakedness, clothed in nothing but our identity as children of God that we might be cleansed of all that might obstruct the depth of our relationship with God?
God created Naaman all over again and he was made new. God will do the same for us.
Create in us a clean heart,O God.
Amen
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Service, Prayer and Participation |
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Social Justice Lenten Project
During the February Sundays of Lent, our community was still honoring Black History Month. In March, we transition our Social Justice focus to more local concerns, specifically, injustices towards immigrants and indigenous peoples.
The Social Justice Ministry is asking the community to make donations
in support of Casa De Paz in Denver, CO.
Please make our you donation checks to Mary of Magdala with 'Casa de Paz Lenten Project' on the memo line. Although, you can always give directly to Casa de Paz, donating through Mary of Magdala allows us to more easily track our community’s gift.
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Community Garden -
The 301 Faith Partners are discussing the possibility of having a garden this year.
If you are interested, reach out to Julie Shoenbauer via this email.
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Kans for Kids
There is a container at the East side of the Trinity parking lot that is for collecting aluminum cans. It is part of a program funding youth programs.
Bring your aluminum cans here for the kids and for the environment.
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Participate in Holy Thursday's three community video
In lieu of foot washing in person we are asking the three communities to wash each others feet early, take pictures and send them in to be included in a video played as part of the Holy Thursday service. Or/and....
Send photos or short videos (20 sec) of you/family doing a service project. The deadline for sending photos is March 24th by 5pm.
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Instructions:
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Send to Tom at tjmoos@aol.com with only 2 images per email (multiple emails ok.) Use good/higher resolution (2-3 MB)
- Clearly identify individuals pictured with first/last name as well as the community name
- By sending via email, you grant Tom permission to use the images explicitly for Holy Thursday worship service.
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Lenten Daily Prayer
Join us for daily prayer, week days at 4:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) This 15 min prayer time includes contemplative prayer and sharing prayers for our own Lenten journey.
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Sanctuary Open for Silent Prayer on Wednesdays
The Sanctuary at 301 East Stuart will be open every Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 pm for silent prayer. Only 10 people are allowed within the space at one time. Please wear a mask and remain at least 6 feet apart. Hand sanitizer is available at the church.
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Recordings and Prayer Requests |
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Service Recordings
The video recording of just the homily by Father Teri Harroun is available here.
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Honoring the Underground Railroad to Mexico
In a forgotten cemetery on the edge of Texas, Olga Webber-Vasques says she's proud of her family's legacy — even if she only recently learned the full story. Her great-great-grandparents, who are buried there, were agents in the little-known underground railroad that led through South Texas to Mexico during the 1800s. Thousands of enslaved people fled plantations to make their way to the Rio Grande.
In the Webber Cemetery lie the remains of John Webber and his wife, Silvia Hector Webber. John, a white settler new to Texas, fell in love with Silvia, an enslaved woman. They had three children together, and he bought their freedom from his business partner. They homesteaded in the hamlet that now bears his name — Webberville.
Texas was still a slave state. The suffocating racial codes of antebellum Texas eventually drove the family away to the Rio Grande Valley, where they bought a ranch just downstream from another interracial abolitionist family — Nathaniel Jackson and his African American wife, Matilda Hicks Jackson.
Both the Webbers and the Jacksons were well-known in the clandestine grapevine of runaways. Mexico began to gradually abolish slavery soon after it declared independence from Spain in 1821. The Mexican Congress fully outlawed slavery in 1837, well before the United States did so with the 13th Amendment in 1865.
Today’s refugees of oppression are moving north. What will it take for America to receive those seeking asylum here?
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Prayer Requests
Prayers of healing and complete recovery for Jerry Padilla, father and Ryan Cordova nephew of Lisa Jones - member. Healing prayers for Lisa Moos - member, Joanne Gallagher - member, and for her sister, Dr. Barbara Immroth. For Aidan - grandson of Mother Kae.
For Lauren Roob - friend of Rosanna Bateman.
Healing prayers for Dianna Padilla, sister of Lisa Jones, who underwent surgery for cancer. For Liz and Ken Zornes and family, friends of Sandra and Dick Life, whose daughter is struggling with addiction. For Michael Keefe, son of member Yvonne Keefe.
For Dona Bosse - community member and
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Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother. For Dani - niece of the Cloyds and Mary Crosby – parishioner. Recovery for Jim and Lucille Bowen friends of Suzanne King, member
For Ruth Parker, sister of Dori Carroll. And Leo Six – father of Michael Six, Mike Gudim, Suzanne King, Robert Browell
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For the peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the families.
For Clint Wisdom - brother-in-law of Joan Chapman-Smith. For Leon - father of Mother Cynthia and Kristin - daughter of ECC priest Scott Jenkins. For Joan Kneeland - sister-in-law of Bill Kneeland.
For Rita Ortiz, friend of Deacon Rosean, and for Margie Weitz - member. For Chris Bachman, friend of Lisa Jones.
For Bob, husband of Joyce Dehaven -
friend of Cathy Engel
For David Heyman - member,
Teri Kent - member,
Bill McClellan - Father of Jennifer Pfeister,
Father of Julie Shoenbauer, member, and
Edwin White - brother in law of Pastor Jane
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For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during our hiatus from celebrating together, visit our webpage. Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for better connection with and for the community - marymagdalafc@gmail.com
Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal
What are our partners in ministry here up to? Go here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin
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