Friday 20 March 2026
Wisdom 2:1, 12-22. The Lord is near to broken hearts – Ps 33(34):16, 18-21, 23. John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30.
Make space for God
There were times when people used to dread Fridays in Lent. They were days of special self-denial. Now we appreciate that a little fasting, some extra prayer and special generosity, are ways of making life simpler, not harder. They help us move from self-denial to self-acceptance. If we can step aside from our usual routine and allow extra space for God, we may well remember that the Lord wraps us in tenderness. We don’t need shallow substitutes. As the psalm says, ‘the Lord is close to the broken hearted’. The Book of Wisdom similarly has some sharp words for those who are trapped in negative thinking and selfish plans. The writer describes this as ‘malice’ and ‘filth’: ‘They do not know the hidden things of God.’ Lent invites us to bring those mysteries into uncluttered light.
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