by Heidi Kim
When the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!”
Luke 11:29–32
What would it look like for all of us who are members of the Body of Christ to acknowledge that “this generation is an evil generation” in our daily lives? Sometimes the violence and suffering around us can feel overwhelming, and we begin to feel helpless and hopeless. Many of my friends engage a Lenten discipline that looks something like fasting and putting on sackcloth, but I have found that my own journey through Lent is much more meaningful when I make the choice to pray more simply.
As you journey through Lent, may you embody the prayer of Psalm 51 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Start small, start now, and may your own heart be renewed.
Virginia Bluebell – Mertensia virginica
These photographs, shared each day during Lent, capture the beauty of plants native to the Upper Midwest. As we spend time in Lenten reflection, these images of new life can remind us daily of our calling to be caretakers of God’s Creation.
Photo by Jo Anna Hebberger
