Weekly Update// Alina Saucedo Asbury Pastoral Intern

Hello everyone,

 February is here! Can you believe it? As I look back to January, I have been reflecting on how I am meditating and praying the Lord’s Prayer more purposely, understanding better what I say, remembering what it means and its challenges to our Christian life. How is it going on your side? I’m not sure about you, but my prayer practice has changed. I am feeling more connected to God, somewhat like growing in prayer.

 And talking about challenges and growing: What is more difficult for you, to ask for forgiveness or forgive others? If I am honest, I find it more challenging to forgive others. And it is not that asking forgiveness is less complicated, but that dealing with the hurt takes so much effort and involves so many emotions. I am not good at it yet. However, until I heard a story about what failing to forgive does, I did not understand why it is worth working on forgiveness.

 The story was about a wise man who had classes with a teacher. In this class, there were many disagreements between all the students. So-and-so was angry with someone else; someone else was mad with another one. Another said that so-and-so had told him this or that. They were arguing all the time, and they were all kids. The teacher requested each student bring 10 to 12 potatoes in a sack. In his words, the wise man said: “Each student took the potatoes to class. The teacher told us that on each potato, we should write down the name of the person with whom we were angry and resentful. And so, we wrote on each potato, and for the ones that needed more potatoes, the teacher would give us extras to complete. Then the teacher made us put all the potatoes in the sack.” “Mine,” said the wise man, “had 14 potatoes, each one written with the name of the 14 students in that class.” He had a conflict with everyone in the class. “Part of the task was that we had to carry that bag all day. At the end of the day, it was cumbersome, and we already wanted to get that bag off our backs. But the teacher told us we needed to continue it for the rest of the week. On Friday, when we returned to class, everyone had completed their homework, and the potatoes had begun to rot; not only had the weight hurt our shoulders, but also the nauseating smell that came out of each bag made us sick, and anyone else who might be around us.  The teacher told us that that’s how it hurts and resentments are; they are an enormous weight that each of us carries and can rot inside us and begin to smell and make us sick. Resentment and not working towards forgiveness is material that could rot. Each of us must get rid of it to walk our path lighter.” As I see it, our journey as Christians is meant to be free from this type of weight and full of love for one another.

 In the Sermon this Sunday, Pastor Will will be talking more about forgiveness. We invite you to join us as we continue to learn together the Lord’s Prayer. We will be waiting for you in the 9:30 Contemporary Service and at 11 am in the Traditional service. 

 Don’t forget to check the information below about all the activities happening in our church.

 Let’s continue the path ahead together!

 Have a blessed week!

 Alina Saucedo

Asbury Pastoral Intern