Liberation Lectionary - Womxn’s History Month

Healing Generational Wounds

“I always tell young people to hold on to their dreams. And sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right even if you have to stand alone.” Claudette Colvin

Throughout history, people have caused harm to one another. Generational wounds are a type of harm from oppression that is passed down through age groups. Generational wounds can look like minimizing and denying how much we hurt each other, on purpose, and on accident. Sometimes the wounds cause ageism, which is when people of different ages mistreat each other. In our devotional “We Are Healed”, we learn about Generational Healing in history through the story of Claudette Colvin. On March 2nd, 1955, nine months before Rosa Parks’ famous act of resistance, 15 year old Claudette resisted the same unjust law. She was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus. We learn about Generational healing in the Bible through the story of Lois, Eunice and Timothy, who lived in a multi-generational home which resulted in a ministry rooted in faith and godliness.

Download the full Lent Devotional here.

Daily Scripture Readings: Isaiah 53.1-2 / John 13

During the Season of Lent, the daily readings focus on the final teachings of Jesus (as recorded in the Gospel of John) juxtaposed with the Suffering Servant prophetic prose from Isaiah’s second scroll. This week we will meditate on the humility and service of Jesus, looking at the new commandment given during foot washing.

Sunday: Isaiah 53.1-2 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

Monday: John 13.1-5 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.

Tuesday: John 13.6-11 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Wednesday: John 13.12-20 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”

Thursday: John 13.21-30 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

Friday: John 13.31-35 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Saturday: John 31.36-38 36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Music: FFJ Playlist for Lent x Womxn’s History Month

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Reflection: Healing Generational Wounds

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who never had descendants; because more are the children of the forgotten people than the ones who have much wealth, says the Lord. “Make room in your house, open your welcoming doors wide, do not live in scarcity; strengthen your structures to receive an abundant blessing. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess their oppressors, and settle in their desolate cities.” Isaiah 54.1-3

We might have family members and loved ones who suffer from addiction. It can be painful to be present during this experience and to know more intimately what our dear ones are going through. Sometimes we wish we did not know. We need God's mercy to travel through these bewildering mazes of hurt and tireless cycles of frustration. It is difficult to see someone you love fall to pieces over and over again. We might wonder if the next fall is going to be the plunge that they won't be able to come back from. Day after day, we enter another cycle of distress after only a short time of fresh air. There will be hospital visits, missed hours from work, the inconvenience of having to reschedule plans, another flurry of late nights, and tons of worry before a cloud of numbness finally rests on the caregiver’s spirit. The numbness is what scares us the most. Sometimes it’s the long steady slip into apathy and consignment that shows the real wound. The once fresh wound now crusted over by our weariness that gives us the pretense of healing. If we ignore it long enough.

Generational wounds are like that. Sometimes they cycle through our family stories for so long that we get weary from the exposure and too familiar with the pain. They become spiraling chains of history, emotion, and trauma that keep us weighted down from being our full selves, our free selves. We need healing from those wounds. We need healing narratives to be discovered, explored, and applied like ointment to the hurt. Sometimes they lay on the edge of our wildest dreams and with a brave stretch we can grasp them. Other times, they are so far away that not even a scent remains. In all circumstances, God is present and with God all things are possible. Ancient wounds can be healed. New stories can be written. Sins can be forgiven. Trust that all things can be made new.

Breath Prayers

Inhale. Fill your whole self with breath

Then say: Lord, heal my wounds // Exhale Slowly: so that I may pass on healing

Lord, heal my wounds // Exhale Slowly: so that I may pass on hope

Lord, Heal my wounds // Exhale Slowly: That I may do no harm

Rev. Aaron Rogers

Lent - Week One

Liberation Lectionary - Womxn’s History Month

Healing Generational Wounds

Daily Scripture Readings: Isaiah 53.1-2 / John 13

Music: FFJ Playlist for Lent x Womxn’s History Month

Reflection: Healing Generational Wounds

Breath Prayers

Recommended Reading for Women’s History Month

Youth, Children, Read Along

History, Culture, Economy

Theology

Activists & Advocates

Prose, Poetry, Essay, Anthology