Treasure in Jars of Clay: New Family Lenten Devotional

My wife, Sue, and I are pleased to announce the “birth” of a new co-creation. ‘Treasure in Jars of Clay’ is an ecumenical, 40-day family walk with Jesus through the holy season of Lent. At the center of this journey is a large jar (or maybe a bowl) around which your family can gather each day over the six weeks of lent for prayerful reflection and the chance to share with each other. Included in each time of prayer is one or two minutes of silence guided by this question: What is Jesus saying to you today?

The jar is a container into which you will place visible signs of your prayers, concerns, requests, and offerings. Anything relatively small can go into the jar, including written prayers to God, requests for forgiveness, coins (as an offering to be given away at the end of Lent), even a leaf or a small rock you might find while on a walk.

At the end of Lent, the jar can be placed somewhere in your home as a permanent reminder of your family’s commitment to a life of prayer and faith. Or, as another option, the contents of the jar can be burned as a ritual sign of your prayers rising like incense to God. Exactly what you do with your jar and its contents is up to you!

Below is a sample, a prayer for Ash Wednesday.

This Week’s Treasure: Lent Begins

Ash Wednesday
: God made us for…what?

Listen: “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

Today, as we begin Lent and receive ashes on our foreheads, we are reminded that, “we are dust and to dust we shall return.” In some ways, we are just like any other animal. But we are also different because God loves us and made us for a very special purpose.

Be Still: What is Jesus saying to you today?

Act: Write down on a small piece of paper something that you are very good at, like a specific talent or ability, and then put it in the jar. Share what you wrote down with your family and talk about everyone’s talents.

Pray: Jesus, walk beside me. Live in me. Help me find you today. Forgive me. Fill my life with everything you know I need, for that will always be enough. Amen.

To order copies, including special packs for families and church communities, visit Creative Communications for the Parish.

P.S. We’re also pleased to announce the arrival of TWO new grandchildren on the same day! Jacob Steven Givens (son of my son, Jon and his wife, Jess) arrived at 8:06 p.m. on January 16, followed a few hours later at 11:11 p.m. by Jason Parker Deffenbaugh (son of my daughter, Jenny and her husband, Zach.) All are doing well, but Jason arrived about seven weeks early and will be in the NICU for the next month or so. Please offer up a prayer especially for him and his continued growth.