The Silence of the Tomb

 

Scripture: Matthew 27:59–60 (NIV)

Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb.

Reflection

Holy Saturday rests in stillness. The work of burial has been completed. The body of Jesus lies hidden from sight. No proclamation interrupts the quiet. The future remains unknown.

Lent culminates in this space of waiting. Faith stays with grief, honouring the reality of loss and the depth of silence. Communities learn to remain present when answers are absent.

Even in the tomb, God’s purposes continue unseen. Hope is carried quietly, sustained by memory and promise. The story has not ended, though it has reached its deepest silence.

Prayer

God of hidden faithfulness,

Stay with us in silence.

Hold us when words fail.

Strengthen trust in your unseen work.

Keep vigil with us

Through the night ~ Amen.

Invitation

Sit in silence for a few moments.

Release the need to resolve everything.

Say quietly:

“I wait with you.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 40 | Saturday 4 April | The Silence of the Tomb

 

The Cross

 

Scripture: Luke 23:44–46 (NIV)

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land… Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Reflection

The crucifixion confronts the full force of human violence and injustice. An innocent life is extinguished through public execution. Yet even here, Jesus entrusts himself to God. Trust remains when all visible hope appears extinguished.

Good Friday refuses easy interpretation. It calls the church to witness suffering honestly and to stand in solidarity with all who endure oppression and loss. The cross reveals both the depth of human cruelty and the depth of divine compassion.

In this surrender, love remains steadfast. God receives the life offered and holds it beyond the reach of death. The story pauses here, suspended between grief and promise.

Prayer

God of suffering love,

Hold the pain of the world in your mercy.

Strengthen those who mourn.

Give courage to all who suffer injustice.

Receive our grief

And keep us in hope ~ Amen.

Invitation

Observe a moment of silence today.

Remember those who suffer.

Say quietly:

“God, hold us.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 39 | Friday 3 April | The Cross

 

The Way of Service

 

Scripture: John 13:35 (NIV)

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Reflection

Love becomes the defining mark of discipleship, taking shape in service, forgiveness, and mutual care that restore dignity and strengthen community. Through such practices, God’s presence is made visible in the life of the people.

Holy Week places this command within the shadow of the cross. Love continues even when fear intensifies and outcomes remain uncertain. It becomes an act of resistance against division and despair.

Communities that practice such love become signs of the kingdom already unfolding. They embody a future where reconciliation replaces hostility and dignity is restored.

Prayer

God of enduring love,

Teach us to care for one another deeply.

Heal divisions within your people.

Strengthen bonds of compassion.

Let our life together reflect

Your presence among us ~ Amen.

Invitation

Reach out to someone within your community.

Offer encouragement or support.

Say quietly:

“Love binds us together.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 38 | Thursday 2 April | The Way of Service

 

The Gift of Communion

 

Scripture: Luke 22:19 (NIV)

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Reflection  

At the table, Jesus gathers his disciples around bread broken and cup shared, interpreting the life he is about to offer and shaping their future through remembrance, service, and costly love. The meal becomes a sign of covenant faithfulness, binding them to one another and to the path that lies ahead. Even as danger closes in, gratitude steadies their shared life and prepares them for the trials to come.

Holy Week reminds us that remembrance is not nostalgia but participation. Each time bread is broken, the story of sacrificial love becomes present again. The meal nourishes courage for the road ahead.

Communion binds believers to Christ and to one another. It declares that no one walks alone into suffering. In shared remembrance, hope is sustained and faith is renewed.

Prayer

God of sustaining grace,

Feed me with the life of Christ.

Deepen my gratitude.

Strengthen the bonds of community.

Let this remembrance 

Shape my living ~ Amen.

Invitation

Share food with gratitude today.

Pause before eating.

Say quietly:

“Given for us.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 37 | Wednesday 1 April | The Gift of Communion

 

Faithfulness Amid Betrayal

 

Scripture: John 13:21 (NIV)

Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” .

Reflection

Holy Week exposes human frailty as betrayal emerges from within the circle of trust, where the pain cuts more deeply because it comes from those who have walked closest. Jesus receives that wound with clear-eyed truth, naming what is unfolding even as he remains steadfast in the mission entrusted by God.

Communities often carry wounds inflicted from inside as well as outside. Lent acknowledges this complexity. Faithfulness continues even when relationships fracture and trust is strained.

Jesus remains committed to love, choosing the path of obedience rather than retaliation. Such steadfastness reveals a courage grounded in God’s purposes rather than human reliability.

Prayer

God of unwavering faithfulness,

Hold me when trust is shaken.

Heal the wounds of betrayal.

Strengthen my commitment to love.

Guide me in wisdom

Through fragile relationships ~ Amen.

Invitation

Pray for someone with whom trust has been strained.

Entrust the relationship to God’s care.

Say quietly:

“God, bring healing.”

 

Daily Lent Devotions Revd Mark Robinson | Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson Lent Day 36 | Tuesday 31 March | Faithfulness Amid Betrayal

His Passion

 

Defined as “any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling”, “enthusiastic enjoyment of an interest or activity”, “an emotion that is deeply stirring”, we see that our English word “passion” primarily deals with emotion, ardent affection or an intense desire, however, in years gone by, this word “passion”, referred to other senses, including “suffering”.

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God – Acts 1:3 (KJV)

The prologue of the Book of Acts speaks of Jesus appearing alive “after His passion”. Clearly this has nothing to do with the modern-day use of the word.

Our English word passion is derived from Latin, “patior”, meaning “to experience, undergo, endure, suffer” with its perfective aspect “passus” expressing a completed action.

And it is in this regard that the New Testament consistently utilises this word and when capitalized, refers specifically to Jesus Christ’s last sufferings and death – the betrayal, the arrest, the trial, the scourging, the journey to Golgotha, the cross…

Beloved, as you journey along this last week of Lent, I encourage you to meditate upon His Passion and everything that Jesus experienced, underwent, endured, and suffered on your behalf, all because God so loves you.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “His Passion” ©2026 March 30, 2026

 

 

 

A Triumphal Entry

 

Many people carpeted the road in front of him with their cloaks and prayer shawls, while others gathered palm branches and spread them before him. Jesus rode in the center of the procession, with crowds going before him and behind him. They all shouted in celebration, “Bring the victory! We welcome the one coming with blessings sent from the Lord YAHWEH! Blessings rest on this kingdom he ushers in—the kingdom of our father David! Bring us the victory in the highest realms of heaven!” Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem and up to the temple… – Mark 11:8-11 (TPT)

What an entry! Picture it, cloaks, prayer shawls and palm branches covering the road like a carpet together with celebratory shouts of victory to welcome Jesus to Jerusalem – that was a triumphal entry!

Jesus entered Jerusalem as the conqueror and King that He is but by the end of that week the same people who lauded praise over Him would reject Him.

Despite the expressions of praise and joy, the multitude would eventually question Jesus’ identity and the claims of Him being their saviour, as He was not the Messiah they imagined.

Today, the day known as Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of one of the most important periods on the Christian calendar, Holy Week – the seven days which led up to an event that turned the entire world on its head. A triumphal entry which led to a heartbreaking crucifixion which led to an amazing resurrection, and the world was forever changed.

These last days of Lent, invite each of us to walk with Jesus, step by step. Too often, we want to move from a triumphal entry straight to a glorious resurrection, conveniently ignoring everything in between – the betrayal, the surrender, the testing, and the sacrifice.

Beloved, understand that this is the same in between that you, as a believer, must encounter on your personal journey to spiritual resurrection. It is not an easy road, but a necessary one. With each step you may feel defeated, but do not give up, focus on Jesus and keep walking, it is the road that leads you to victory and a triumphal entry into eternal life.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “A Triumphal Entry” ©2026 March 28, 2026