Sharing the Easter Story

Author Sally Welch
Publisher BRF £8.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781800390980

Sally Welch leads us through Lent from reading, to living the gospel. In her introduction, she explains how we might share the Easter story as individuals, or as a group. She also offers a study structure that might be used by a group from opening prayer, discussion, forum, reflection, plenary and through to a closing prayer. Her seven weeks take us through repenting, forgiving, hoping, trusting, sacrificing, loving and changing. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, each daily bible reading is followed by the author’s reflection, then she offers some questions for discussion or for self-examination: questions such as ‘Learning to trust is one of life’s most difficult tasks. Who do you trust and why? Do you find it easy or difficult to trust God?’ Each session ends with a closing prayer appropriate to that day’s subject.

Reading and praying my way through this beautiful Lent book has helped me to focus more deeply on my personal faith as well as understanding more about how God has been, and still is, at work in me and the world around me. I have been made to examine my own human frailties and sharing together in a group would help me understand more about myself and those with whom I share. In her epilogue the author gives us some final reflections such as: ‘What have I learned about myself during this Lenten period?’ and ‘How might I share all that God means to me – and all that he could mean to others?’ Are you brave enough to take on this loving Lenten challenge?

Reviewed by SUE PIPER

Lenten devotion