Lenten & Easter Reading Plan
During Lent we invite you to make space for growing in your awareness of the Lord’s loving presence. Let your longing for ‘experiencing more of God’ be your motivation. If the Lord draws your attention to something blocking that longing, don’t try fixing it by mustering up your own strength to self-improve, but invite that part of you to share a place at the table in the Lord’s presence. He is making all things new.
These daily Scripture selections (five per week) are adapted from ““A Lenten Journey: A Contemplative Devotional on the Passion and Resurrection of Christ," by Bill O'Byrne. Whether you choose to read and meditate on the passages on your own, or purchase the devotional meditations ($4.08 at Amazon), we pray and hope that they will prepare you to enter into Easter with the soil of your heart well tilled for new depths of His love. If meditating on Scripture is new to you, please see the brief primer on Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) below. Above all, read them slowly and receptively, allowing the Spirit to speak to your mind and heart.
If you are preparing a Resurrection Garden, consider asking the Lord to highlight a single word from your meditation for your stone for that day.
Here on the website, we will post each week’s readings as “events,” but this is the full list:
Desiring Life
Sunday, February 27 - Saturday, March 5
Declare the Fast · Joel 2: 12-18
Choices for Life and Love · Deuteronomy 30: 15-20
The Invasion of Light · John 1: 1-18
The Bread of Life · John 6: 25-35, 47-58
Life with the Good Shepherd · John 10: 1-21
Hindrances to Receiving Life
Sunday, March 6 - Saturday, March 12
The Crucified Life · Mark 8: 27-37
Become like a Child · Mark 10: 13-16
One Thing Lacking · Mark 10: 17-31
The Essence of Humility · Mark 10: 32-45
What Do You Want? · Mark 10: 46-52
The Life of Selfless Love
Sunday, March 13 - Saturday, March 19
The Anointing at Bethany · Mark 14: 1-9
Judas’ Betrayal · Luke 22: 1-6
The Full Extent of Love · John 13: 1-11, 12-17
The Lord’s Passover · Mark 14: 12-25
The Obedient Life of Faith and Love · John 14: 15-24, 25-31
The Abandoned Life
Sunday, March 20 - Saturday, March 26
The Source and Surrender of Abiding Love · John 15: 1-17
Gethsemane · Mark 14: 32-42
Submitting to Injustice · John 18: 1-13
Peter’s Self-Absorption · Luke 22: 54-62
Self-Abandon on Trial · John 18: 19-24 and Matthew 26: 59-68
The True King Despised and Rejected
Sunday, March 27 - Saturday, April 2
The King of Truth · John 18: 28-40
The True King Mocked · Luke 23: 4-16
The Great Exchange: Criminal or Christ? · Matthew 27: 15-26
Behold Your King! · John 19: 1-16
Mocked by Soldiers · Matthew 27: 27-31
Jesus on the Cross
Sunday, April 3 - Saturday, April 9
Abandoned to the Cross · Luke 23: 26-31
The Crucified King · Matthew 27: 33-44
The King of Forgiveness · Luke 23: 32-37
Paradise with Jesus · Luke 23: 38-43
There They Crucified Him · John 19: 17-24
Jesus Submits to Die
Palm Sunday, April 10 - Saturday, April 16
Unmovable Compassion · John 19: 25-27
Darkness and Desolation · Mark 15: 33-39
Jesus Gives Up His Spirit · John 19: 28-30
Jesus is Pierced · John 19: 31-37
The Burial of Jesus · John 19: 38-42
Easter Morning, Unconquerable Life
Easter Sunday, April 17 - Saturday, April 23
Wonder at the Empty Tomb · Mark 16: 1-8
Jesus Appears to Mary · John 20: 11-17
Jesus Appears to the Despondent · Luke 24: 13-35
Jesus Shows Himself to the Ten Disciples · Luke 24: 36-49
Jesus Appears to Thomas · John 20: 24-31
Sun Apr 24: Repercussions of the Resurrection
Sunday, April 24 - Saturday, April 30
Inspiration and Commission · John 20: 19-23
Jesus Appears in Galilee · John 21: 1-14
Jesus Reinstates Peter · John 21: 15-25
Jesus’ Final Command · Matthew 28: 16-20
Jesus Ascends to the Father · Luke 24: 50-53 and Acts 1: 1-11
