The Rev. Shannan Hudgins delights in a good poem, pre-dawn walks, and serves as a Chaplain at Baystate Hospice, West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
Reflection: Temptation
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PRAYER
God, you know our temptations and you know our hearts. Lead us in our Lenten journey to bring our temptations to the very heart of our beings, where you reside with eternal protection. Amen.
New Prayer Requests:
We ask churches and church leaders to join us in the following prayers either by sharing them during worship, printing them in bulletins, or sharing them in some other way. To make a prayer request, please contact Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane at cochranem@sneucc.org.
Prayers of Intercession:
- For the people of Ukraine whose lives continue to be shattered by war.
- For those grieving or suffering due to the ~5,500 gun violence deaths that happened in the US since the start of the new year, including the mass shooting at Michigan State University.
- For those suffering due to the Turkey–Syria earthquake, where ~42,000 people are known to have lost their lives, with thousands more injured, and for those affected by the storms in the southern US.
Prayers of Joy and Thanksgiving:
- For the impact made because of contributions to Proportional Giving to Our Church’s Wider Mission.
- For the partnership of Incredible Days with the Conference's Edwards House Meeting and Retreat Center that will focus on addressing urban poverty in Greater Boston.
- For Chapel of the Heart virtual devotional time with sessions of prayer, reflection and music.
This Week in History:
February 26, 2012 (11 years ago): Florida teen Trayvon Martin was shot and killed, and the subsequent court case sparked protests and ignited national debates about racial profiling and self-defense laws. [History]
“Study the past if you would define the future.”
—

Shannan Hudgins
The Rev. Shannan Hudgins serves as a Chaplain at Baystate Hospice, West Springfield, Massachusetts.