February 2009
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
While not of the same significance as “a new heaven and a new earth,” here in Washington, a new Congress and a new administration are a big deal! The new president has carried campaign themes of change and hope into office. The new Congress has plenty of fresh faces and a new balance of power. We pray that this signals an openness to our messages about making sure low-income Americans are not left out of the economic recovery efforts and refocusing foreign assistance on the needs of the world’s poor people. But other forces remain at work as well. In a time of great economic challenges, fear, greed, hopelessness, and callousness all conspire against hope.
Our collective Christian voice must be heard, echoing the prophets’ calls for justice, and their promises of hope. Especially now, it is both a challenge and a privilege to stand before our congregations to bring “a word from the Lord.” I hope that you will find this month’s lectionary reflections helpful in fulfilling that calling.
In the upcoming months, thousands of Christians will raise their voices through Bread for the World’s 2009 Offering of Letters to Congress. Together, we will ask our nation’s leaders to change our foreign assistance programs so that they more clearly focus on the alleviation of hunger and poverty. Please invite the members of your congregation to claim their own prophetic calling by joining in this effort. Learn more »
Grace and peace,
Rev. Gary R. Cook
Director of Church Relations
Lectionary Reflections
The lectionary readings for the month of February point the way toward Isaiah’s description of true fasting in the readings for Ash Wednesday. As we move through Ordinary time to the beginning of Lent, Father Clarence Williams helps us explore the call to prophetic witness . . .
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 1
. . . The writer of Deuteronomy says that God sends prophets to speak God’s word to us, and if those prophets do not do their job correctly, the consequences for them and for us are severe. What a challenge this is to those who see themselves doing prophetic ministry in the world today. We are compelled to keep teaching, preaching, and organizing lest we die. Read more
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 8
. . . For us in today’s world, our work can degrade us or ennoble us. What determines this is our attitude. If we see our life as meaningless, our work reflects this. When we see the meaningfulness of our life, everything we do shares in uplifting this meaning. Read more
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 15
. . . Today many religious groups and leaders take positions on social issues that affect the health of the global village. Together they decry racism, casteism, ethnocentrism, and tribalism, because these are social illnesses that continue to destroy the mental, moral, and spiritual health of our communities throughout the world. These leaders challenge us Christians to lift our gaze from our everyday agendas and focus our vision on the “bronze serpents” of social evil. Read more
Transfiguration of the Lord, February 22
. . . The voice of God the Father breaking through the transfiguration is clear: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” (9:7, NAB). We must be ready to respond to the Word of God we hear today. We no longer have a secret to keep about our salvation; in fact, we have a proclamation to share. Read more
Ash Wednesday, February 25
. . . Isaiah offers an explicit corrective for unhealthy worship practices, calling for concrete, specific acts of justice as an act of worship. These include sharing bread with those who are hungry, stopping oppression of workers, housing homeless people, clothing those without clothes, practicing Sabbath as part of the Jubilee tradition, ministering to relatives, and reducing violence. Read more
Praying Together
Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Book of Common Prayer.
Children's Activities
Bread for the World will release a six to eight week children’s curriculum, “Helping Hungry People,” in early February. Designed for middle elementary classes, but easily adapted for younger and older groups, the lessons take children on imaginary journeys around their community and world to observe hunger and learn what they can do about it. The class concludes with a chance to write letters to Congress and the opportunity to lead the congregation in a worship service focused on responding to hunger. The curriculum provides an ideal way to prepare your congregation for an Offering of Letters. Visit Bread.org/OL2009 to learn more.
Resources for Your Ministry
Bread for the World’s 2009 Offering of Letters calls on Congress to rework U.S. foreign assistance programs so that they are more clearly focused on reducing hunger and poverty. Spring is the best time to hold an Offering of Letters, and the OL kits (including background information on foreign assistance reform, educational resources, an eight-minute DVD video, and complete instructions) are now available. Congregations that held an Offering of Letters last year and those making recent gifts to Bread for the World will soon receive free kits in the mail. Others can order them at www.breadstore.org at the discounted price of $5 (including shipping and handling), by entering promotional code OL09CR on the payment page of your online order. Learn more about the 2009 Offering of Letters.
Bread for the World Institute’s 2009 Hunger Report, Global Development: Charting a New Course, provides an accessible analysis of issues surrounding global development and problems that limit its effectiveness. It also includes helpful data on global hunger and poverty and a study guide. The 2009 Hunger Report can be ordered online at www.breadstore.org.
