Lent Meditation: Day 25 - March 14, 2026

📖 Scripture Verse

And [Jesus] said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly.” — Mark 7:20-22

🕯️Meditation

Jesus, in a debate about ritual purity issues this list of vices—not as a comprehensive catalogue of sins (though this list does cover a lot of ground!).  But as a call to personal responsibility.  It is not out of our control that we err (the devil made me do it), but “from within, from the human heart”.  In church we often talk about grace, transformation, and forgiveness, but it is important to pause and reflect on for what and from what?  Lent calls us to self-examination.  This is not for the purpose of inducing shame, but for calling us to be honest about ourselves and our lives.  This honesty allows for us to grow, to be healed, and to be more gracious to others than we could otherwise be when we live under the illusions of our own moral superiority.

A note about sexual sins: this list roughly follows the shape of the Ten Commandments, but why place “fornication” (Greek porneia)  at the head of the list?  The ancient Israelites placed the prohibition of idolatry as the first commandment, but they also saw idolatry as a kind of sexual sin in that idolatry breaks our fellowship with the God who has placed covenant faithfulness at the center of his relationship with his people.  Sexual sins can cause tremendous damage to ourselves and others, yet they are not somehow in a separate category from deceit, envy, pride, or slander.  Idolatry is not just bowing down to other gods (Zeus, etc), but replacing God with other things that might de facto act as our principle Lord—money, power, personal fame, etc.

🙏 Prayer

Loving God, help me to take an honest look at my life, my actions, the inclinations of my heart.  Help me to see myself as I truly am, to know myself as profoundly loved, and to turn to you with my heart, mind, and soul for healing, for redemption, for grace.  Help me to grow into Jesus’ likeness. Help me to love others and forgive even as I have been forgiven. Amen.

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