Fourth Sunday of Lent by Alissa Conner

Fourth Sunday of Lent Reflection

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.  2 Corinthians 5 17-19

Recently as a part of a community garden our church began composting. Composting is something that people have done for generations, but with our separation from our food source it has become easy to see our food scraps as nothing more than trash. In addition to our garden team and church members, members of the community have called to ask if they can bring their banana peels and vegetable scraps. People feel pulled to participate in a more ecologically friendly way of taking care of their trash. The leftovers, the organic trash, and even the leaves raked from our lawn are collected together. With time and tending the decomposing generates heat and these items break down. They become rich soil for new planting.

On this Lenten journey we embrace God’s desire to create in us a new creation. It is not an instant process. Instead it is perhaps more similar to composting. You take all of the hurts, mistakes, problems and bring them together. Talk them through with God and one another. There may be heat, but the continued result of forgiveness, reconciliation, and healthier relationships is worth it. We are indeed a new creation in Christ. As a new creation we are entrusted with the message of reconciliation for the world. This isn’t about pointing fingers, but as a part of the voice of reconciliation we join our voices to the stones that cry out for an honest appraisal and correction of behaviors that cause harm to God’s creation. We can carry the message of reconciliation by looking to new ways of being and by reinstating healthy old ways of being. We are a new creation. Being a new creation means a willingness to continue to change and to recognize that reconciliation can and does change the world.  

Dear God help us to be a new creation in you. Reconcile us to the world and to one another. Add our voices to the voices of the stones that cannot help but shout of your reconciling power.  Amen.  

Rev. Alissa Conner is the Associate Pastor at St. Philip Presbyterian church Hurst, Texas. She received degrees from Austin College and Louisville Presbyterian theological seminary. She is inspired by the work of growing and eco reconciliation going on in her community.