Lenten Lunch Cooks, Wendy & Sheena
The Anglican congregation in Menorca, based at Santa Margarita, has been observing Lent in several ways.
Lenten soup lunch in progress
Friday, 4th April, was the occasion for a Lenten soup lunch, to which not only the Anglican congregation, but also the New Life Church and Menorquin Roman Catholics were invited. A wonderfully spicy Thai vegetarian soup and Italian chicken soup were enjoyed, together with bread and fruit.
Lenten soup lunch in progress
Also during Lent, a small group has been gathering to share lunch every Wednesday and to read and discuss the Beatitudes, as presented in Matthew’s gospel account of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We have covered a lot of ground, such as:
- What exactly does “blessed” mean to each of us? In biblical language, the word used can mean “happy,” or, as Tom Wright in Matthew for Everyone suggests, “wonderful news.”
- How does “poor in spirit” reflect itself in our own lives, as we recognise our own spiritual poverty?
- How is meekness represented in our world today, and how do we live in a spirit of humility?
- Are we able to understand Jesus’ call to see the face of God in the world around us, and to treat one another with the respect and dignity we would accord to Christ, meeting him face-to-face?
- How do we understand the “kingdom of God,” and how do we participate in making it “come nearer” in our world?
- How does “inheriting the earth,” or as more basic understanding of Judaeo-Christian tradition might suggest, “the land,” impose not just ownership, but responsibility?
- How do we approach the challenge of being peace-makers in our world? How do we approach the New Testament view of peace accomplished through justice in a world which, like the imperial Roman culture of the time, has the prevailing understanding of peace accomplished through power, or force?
- Where does Christ lead us towards cleanliness of heart?
Each of the sessions has been lively and productive, and has left us with food for thought, contemplation and reflection in the following days.
One of the Wednesday Beatitude discussion sessions
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