#WatchAndPray Lent reflections – Week 5: Tuesday Healing the mind Week 5: Tuesday Reading Mark 5.1-4 They came to the other side of the lake, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could…

#WatchAndPray Lent reflections – Week 5: Monday Week 5: Healing We turn to the theme of healing which features strongly in Black Spiritual traditions. Healing is complex and multi-faceted – affecting mind and body, the physical and the spiritual, the individual and the community. This week we will focus on an important sequence of events from Mark’s Gospel to help us explore…

#WatchAndPray Lent reflections – Week 4: Weekend Jesus in the garden Week 4: Weekend Reading Matthew 26.36-46 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he…

Jeremiah in a cistern Week 4: Friday Reading Jeremiah 38.1-13 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people, Thus says the Lord, Those who stay in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but those who…

Jonah in the whale’s belly Week 4: Thursday Reading Jonah 1.1-4,7-17 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down…

Job on the dung hill Week 4: Wednesday Reading Job 2.1-10 One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and…

Elijah on the mountain Week 4: Tuesday Reading 1 Kings 19.1-13 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them…

Week 4: Quiet This week we consider moments in the lives of the prophets when – even amidst terrible suffering and oppression – they encounter the divine presence. Black Spirituality is ancient, and in many ways can be related to the themes and worldviews of the Hebrew prophets we will encounter this week. Prayer for the Week God of our wilderness and…

Abiding with the Spirit Week 3: Weekend Reading John 16.1-15 ‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known…

The indwelling Spirit Week 3: Friday Reading Acts 2.43-47 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in…