SCRIPTURE: Corinthians 5: 17-21

7 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

(Colossians 3:12-13) You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.

Musical Meditation*

* Used with permission from Rev. Tobias Anderson

Questions for Reflection and Journaling:

• In what ways do the words ‘mending,’ ‘healing,’ ‘reconciliation,’ speak to you similarly? Differently?
• Is there something broken you have mended? A fence? A picture frame? Clothing? A broken relationship?
• Where in your life have you experienced mending? What in your life needs mending?
• What does God’s charge to us to live a “ministry of reconciliation” mean to you?
• What acts of reconciliation might you engage in this week with your family or with others? In thought, word and deed?
• What would it mean for you to be a “peacemaker?”

Additional Musical Reflection:

You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. (Colossians 3:12-13)

Here is the link to the Wednesday Evening Service: Poetry of Lent