Lent Devotional March 10, 2024

Lenten Devotional March 10, 2024

Scripture

John 6:27-40

27 "Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30 So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; 38 for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day."

Devotion

The Rev. Dr. Cindy Parker ’10

In December of 1991 I married my college sweetheart. He was raised Catholic in a small town in western Pennsylvania, and I grew up attending The First Presbyterian Church of Bernardsville, N.J. During the seventeen years we were married, I occasionally accompanied him to mass and agreed to baptize our three daughters in the Catholic Church. Whenever I visited his church, I was never welcome at the Lord’s Table. I was invited to walk forward with my children, but was always denied the bread and the cup because I was not Catholic.

We divorced in the spring of 2007, and I began my studies at PTS in the fall of that same year. The following year I was able to travel to Israel with a group from PTS and it was there that I understood Jesus’ words for the first time, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Our group spent Saturday night in the small town of Jifna, where we were invited to worship the following morning with Father Emil’s Catholic congregation. As the priest stood up at the communion table my stomach sank. “Another table where I won’t be welcome,” I thought. Then Father Emil did something surprising—he invited all of us up to receive communion!

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I walked forward to celebrate, truly celebrate, that I was excluded no longer, there was a place for me at the Lord’s Table!

Prayer

Bread of Life, help us to understand that your grace is sufficient to welcome ALL to your table. Amen.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of students for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Hybrid Student

PTS Neighborhood Collaborative Resource Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Center for Adaptive and Innovative Ministry, Continuing Education, Kelso Museum, Metro-Urban Institute, Miller Summer Youth Institute, and World Mission Initiative. Alums, there's also one for you!