A Lenten Reflection from Rev. Cho

Jesus, teach us your ways. [Woman walking in crop field]( Dear Friend, On Valentine’s Day, many of us in the Christian church entered the season of Lent by marking ourselves with ashes and entering a period of reflection and discernment. (How romantic is that?! Very.) Ancient practices of Lent prepared new converts throughout the season so that they could be ready for baptism on Easter Sunday. Many of us consider Lent a time to reflect on our faith and practice simple disciplines that bring us back to this reflection. For Lent this year at Bread for the World, we are praying: Jesus, teach us your ways. It comes from Psalm 25:4-5 in the revised common Lectionary for the first week of Lent, which reads, “Make me know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me to your truth, teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.” This Lent, we wait for Jesus, our salvation, to teach us His paths and lead us to His truth. We live in a culture that tells us we need more and more of everything, more likes, more stuff, more attention. The mentality of scarcity can run rampant. But this is not the way of Jesus. We hear in the Psalms that the poor shall eat and be satisfied (Psalm 22:26). When we follow Jesus, we can trust that there are enough resources for everyone, and we can work with Jesus to make sure everyone has access to those resources. Jesus, teach us to be satisfied in you. The world is full of uncertainty and brokenness. We can see it so easily on our social media feeds or when we read the news. Whether it is the impacts from a severe weather crisis that impacts most those who contribute least to climate change; or conflict about borders and boundaries on land that dehumanizes the people who live there; or the continual job search that penalizes people who have not had steady employment before, we see a lack of compassion and an abundance of injustice. But Jesus’ ways call for compassion and justice. When He goes to the temple to find the money changers exploiting God’s people, with righteous anger He overturns the tables and speaks the truth. Jesus, teach us to have compassion and seek your justice. There is a deep longing for healing. Whether it is a friend or family member, a neighbor across the street or country, or children far around world, there is sickness and suffering because of reduced access to nutritious food, inequitable access to healthcare, and lasting impacts of the pandemic. We can trust that Jesus has the power to heal the world. And we are invited to participate in that healing as we pray and listen and advocate and serve. Jesus, teach us to keep our eyes on You so that we might trust in Your healing power in the world. We can turn to God’s Word to sustain us in these times. We come in Lent to develop a closer relationship with Jesus in reading the Word. We can find comfort in God’s word. We can seek God’s guidance in God’s word as we seek to follow the path God has put before us. Jesus, teach us to rely on Your Word. In the resurrection, we come to know that God is more powerful than death. We can trust in God’s power to move in our lives for justice in the world. We are promised healing and restoration for all of creation. Jesus, teach us to trust in Your power. In the last two years, I have been traveling extensively, representing Bread for the World, preaching and speaking, and best of all, meeting Bread for the World members and friends. In all of this, I am deeply moved by the faithfulness of Bread members who continue month after month, year after year to develop relationships with their members of Congress, to organize their communities, and to write letters and make calls with the goal of ending hunger. This kind of faithfulness comes from trusting God, a deep longing for justice, and being grounded in God’s word. It is these ways of Jesus that we cultivate in this Lenten season. Are you new to Bread for the World? Or have you been watching from the edges thinking about getting involved (again)? I invite you to join us. There are many ways to get involved. Consider making a [commitment to pray]( for an end to hunger. Consider taking an [advocacy action](. Considering a commitment to make a [monthly gift]( to Bread for the World? Blessing be upon you in this Lenten Season. May you come to know the ways of Jesus more deeply as we journey to Easter. [Placeholder alt text] Rev. Eugene Cho President and CEO [Give Now]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( © Bread for the World 425 3rd Street SW, Suite 1200 | Washington, DC 20024 | USA Tel: 202.639.9400 | 800.822.7323 | Fax 202.639.9401 [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Your Email Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( [bread.org]() --------------------------------------------------------------- [supporter]