Week 1 – Lent series 2025
Lent, Stories | March 24, 2025 | Author: Stevie Wills
Being held by Jesus…held together by Jesus, invites us to lean into solidarity.
As we begin Lent today, we will be reflecting on the theme of Solidarity. Lent is a time of reflection and preparation as we draw near to Good Friday…the remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross.
Jesus holds us…together with all people…with all creation.
Colossians 1:15-17 says “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
This holding together invites us to lean into solidarity. Solidarity with all people. Solidarity with all creation. For CBM Australia, our focus is on solidarity with people with disabilities who live in poverty; some of the most marginalised people in the world. We invite you to join us.
What is solidarity? Solidarity is stepping into empathy for others. It is adopting a responsibility for their welfare. Solidarity is a mutual concern and support for one another.
Jesus is love. We are held by him, in him and through him. We are held together by love. We are sustained by his presence and his life.
Love is not passive. It is not stagnant. Love seeks the welfare of others. Love stirs us into action.
Let us lean into solidarity for people with disabilities who live in poverty. Let us pray for an inclusive, equitable world for people with disabilities. Let us raise our voices and partner with people with disabilities to see barriers to access removed.
Just a little further in Colossians 1, we find hope for inclusion, equity and access.
Colossians 1:19-20 says “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Through his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus is at work, reconciling all things. He is repairing equity, restoring inclusion and redeeming the dignity of all people.
As Jesus works to this end, CBM works in solidarity. We invite you to lean into solidarity as together we draw near to the cross.
Pray with us.
Lord Jesus, we are thankful that you hold us together with your love and presence. May we recognise the solidarity that we share with all people and all creation. May people who love you share a responsibility for the welfare of people with disabilities who live in poverty. We pray that as you reconcile the world, you remove barriers and restore inclusion and equity for people with disabilities. Amen.
You can continue joining us in prayer via our prayer diary.
CBM’s Luke14 program helps churches better include people with disabilities. You can find free Luke14 resources here.
Read more
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/lent-2025-leaning-into-solidarity
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