Lenten Reflections: Give Us Compassionate Hearts

Photo by Flickr user Lel4nd

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during Lent, we offer reflections from Bread staff and others who faithfully work to end hunger.

Lectionary readings (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 13:21-32

For your Holy Week journey, we wanted to share a prayer from Ron Sider’s book, For They Shall be Fed:

"Gracious Lord, we bow before you in obedience and humility, for we know that we have life eternal only because of your wonderful grace. Your saving grace has been lovingly offered to us, and our faith in you and your grace makes it possible for us to claim your forgiveness and love. Please help us to share that joyful message of hope with our lost and starving world. Give us compassionate hearts that ever reach out to broken hearts around us. Give us eyes to see the tears that flow from others’ eyes. And give us hands to help the helpless in our own communities and the world. Give us your heart of grace and mercy, Lord, and help us to share it daily. Amen."

Ron Sider is a Christian theologian and activist, founder of Evangelicals for Social Action and author of several books including Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.

+Read all of our Lent reflections.