Monday: Week 4 in Lent Year B

Lent for Everyone
Mark Year B
WEEK 4 MONDAY...

In the last days of the old regime, the hardest thing for ordinary people in the capital was not knowing who they could trust. The old dictator was still in power, though increasingly weakened by rebellions from inside his country and attacks by forces from outside. But people were still divided. Many couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t been their leader; they had always been loyal to him up to now, why should they change? Besides, if there were foreigners attacking the country, shouldn’t they stand firm, with proper national pride? But others – often in the same family – were quite clear. The man has to go. We belong to tomorrow’s world, we follow the new leaders, we are going to win.

And when you walk out of your front door, you don’t know who is going to be on which side. Which conversations will be ‘safe’, and which will be full of danger? Is this person – this family – this shopkeeper – is he on our side? You can see how easily this turns into paranoia. Trust nobody but the tight circle you already know...

Taken from Lent for Everyone Mark Year B by Tom Wright