All Saints Attleboro

Maundy Thursday

April 1, 2021

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Engaging your Frontline

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Starting from Monday March 29th through Thursday April 1st, you are encouraged to daily meditate on John 13:34-35 using Lectio Devina. The purpose is to prepare your heart and hear from the Lord, his action plan for you to Engage your Frontline. Your Frontline is simply all those places that you will be engaging other people. Out of your time of meditation develop an action plan for how you are going to serve someone on your Frontline, and then on April 1, put your plan into action. To celebrate you are encouraged to gather with your family or friends around the dinner table or via Zoom on Thursday evening, and share stories from your experience.

 

Below is a Prayer of Repentance and the outline for Lectio Devina   

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A Prayer of Repentance for our Frontline

 

"Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You, in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves."

For the times we have forgotten You, our true and ultimate manager and have not done our work with the diligence You are worthy of, and for the times our successes have lulled us into pride and self-sufficiency, Forgive us, Lord. 

For the times we have despised the place You have called us to, and for the times we have grown apathetic to our place in our comfort, Forgive us, Lord. 

For the times we have not seen or treated our co-workers, neighbors, and families as people who are precious and beloved by You, and for the times their praise and love have been of greater value to us than Your Kingdom, Forgive us, Lord.

For the times we have harbored pride, greed, bitterness, jealousy, and anger, For the times we have failed to bear Your Spirit's fruit before a watching world,  Forgive us, Lord.

 For the times we remained silent when we should have spoken a word of grace or truth, and for the times we spoke in haste when we should have remained silent, Forgive us, Lord.

For the times we have valued too highly the status quo and have failed to mold a culture where everyone can thrive, and for the times we have urged change in ways that were unduly harsh and not harnessed by love, Forgive us, Lord.

 For the times our faith has led us to withdraw and insulate, For the times we have failed to live as signposts and messengers of Your Kingdom, for the sake of the world, Forgive us, Lord.

 "We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Amen."

 

(A prayer of Repentance for the Frontline: adapted from BCP by Diana Gruver, Vere Institute)

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Lectio Devina

With Christ, there is no ordinary. With Christ, every encounter, ever task, every situation brims with divine possibility. All we do is shaped by the challenges and opportunities of the people we seek to serve. 

 

Step 1: READ   John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

 

Read this verse slowly, listening with your heart. Read it multiple times.

• Is there a word or phrase that begins to stand out to you?

• Listen and be open to how God wants to use his Word to speak into your heart.

• Begin to repeat that word or phrase over and over slowly, soaking your heart in the words.

 

Step 2: REFLECT

Reflect and meditate on the words you heard in the Scripture passage, being attentive to what speaks to your heart.

• Sit in silence and allow God the space to speak to you as you turn the words over in your mind.

• Ponder what these words mean for your life

• What hope or encouragement do these words bring to you?

• What are the next steps you feel God is asking you to take?

 

Step 3: RESPOND

Respond in prayer to what you heard from God and how the words spoke to your heart.

• Put an action plan together for how God wants you to serve someone on your frontline.

• Offer up a prayer of praise, thanksgiving, or petition, depending on how you are moved.

• Continue turning your word or phrase over and over in your mind

 

Step 4: REST

Rest in God and contemplate his words for your life. Sit in Silence and just ‘be’ with God for a few minutes. Open your heart to God’s presence and allow His word to permeate your soul.

• You may want to journal your experience so that you can see how God is moving in your life

 

Plan a Maundy Thursday meal for your family or friends in person or via zoom and discuss your experience with Lectio Divina and engaging your Frontline. 

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