HOPE40 - Day 36 - Hope When It Hurts

Tuesday of Holy Week

Today's Scripture:John 13:21-33, 36-38

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“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” ~John 13:21 “Will you lay down your life for me?” ~John 13:38

Holy Week invites us into the raw reality of Jesus’ journey to the Cross; not just His physical suffering, but the deep emotional ache of betrayal, abandonment, and misunderstanding.

Today’s Gospel is heavy. Judas prepares to hand Jesus over. Peter, full of zeal, proclaims his loyalty, only to be told he will deny the Lord before sunrise. The room is filled with confusion, tension, and heartbreak.

And still...Jesus stays. Still...He loves. Still...He walks forward, knowing the Cross is near.

This is the kind of love and hope you are invited into: not naïve, but anchored. Hope that sees the brokenness in others, and even in ourselves, but clings to Christ anyway. Hope that walks through the darkness because we trust the Light is on the other side.

Making Room for Resurrection

In ancient Catholic tradition, the first three days after Palm Sunday were set aside for a thorough and meticulous household cleaning, a practical and symbolic way to prepare our homes and hearts for Easter joy.

Jesus is coming close. We clear the clutter, scrub the surfaces, and make space for His presence...not just in your home, but in your heart and soul.

WHAT TO DO:

Clean out closets
Wipe down the bathrooms
Dust the nooks and crannies
Scrub the kitchen counters
Sweep and vacuum the floors
Donate anything you come across that you no longer use or need

Offer every sweep of the broom, every folded shirt, every sparkling counter as a silent yes to hope...a gesture of readiness for the Resurrection.

Reflection/Journal Prompt

Where in my heart have I felt betrayed, misunderstood, or like I’ve failed?
What clutter - physical or spiritual - needs clearing to prepare my heart for Christ’s resurrection?

LET US PRAY

Lord Jesus, You stayed even when You knew betrayal was coming. You loved even when Your heart ached. Today, I prepare a place for You. As I clean my home, clean my heart. Remove the dust of fear, failure, and resentment. Anchor me in Your hope - A hope that rises, even in the darkest hour. Amen

HOPE For Your Health - STRENGTH IN SURRENDER

This weeks fasting schedule:

TUESDAY: 16:8

WEDNESDAY: 16:8

THURSDAY: 16:8

FRIDAY: Extended fast from Thursday after dinner until Friday at 3PM (if you are able).

SATURDAY: 16:8 or you may choose to not fast, but keep meals simple and light, preparing for the great feast of Easter.

Reminders: 16:8 means fasting for 16 hours (water, tea, broth, black coffee) and 8 hours for eating healthy and nourishing food. NO alcohol, sugar or white flour.

Encouragement for Today:

In today’s Gospel, Peter wants to be strong for Jesus, but Jesus gently reveals that Peter will fall short. It's a humbling moment, and yet not without hope. Peter’s failure isn’t the end of the story.

Fasting calls to mind the same truth: you are not strong on your own. Hunger reveals your dependence. Lean on Christ as you pour out your comfort and control. The discipline of the 16:8 window teaches you to make space - not just in your day, but in your soul - for grace.

Today, let your fasting be a quiet surrender, a reminder that your hope doesn’t come from your own strength, but from the One who loves you through every weakness.

Try this:

Offer the hardest hour of your fast for someone in your life who’s struggling to hold onto hope.
As you break your fast, thank Jesus for nourishing you with His mercy, body and soul.

Nutrition Tip: Break Your Fast with Slow, Mindful Eating

After your fasting window, your body isn’t just hungry, it’s ready to absorb and respond. Rushing into a big meal or eating distractedly can overwhelm your digestive system and spike blood sugar, leaving you feeling sluggish or irritable.

Instead, use your first bites as an act of prayer and presence. Sit down, breathe, and eat slowly and thankfully. Chew well, pause between bites, and give your body space to respond.

Let this be a time not just of nourishment, but of noticing - how God provides, how your body responds, how grace flows into even the small moments.

HOPE For Your Marriage: When You Miss the Mark

“Will you lay down your life for me?” ~John 13:38

Peter meant it when he said it. His love for Jesus was real, but so was his fear...and he fell short. In marriage, we often mean well, too. We say “for better or worse,” and we try to live that daily… but then we snap, we withdraw, we miss each other’s hearts.

Like Peter, you may overestimate your strength, underestimate your weakness, and forget to rely on grace.

And still, Jesus looks at Peter (and at you) with love. He doesn't cancel him. He restores him.

This Tuesday of Holy Week, let Christ’s gentleness toward Peter be a model for how you respond when your spouse falls short. Betrayals may not always be dramatic, sometimes it’s just the sting of feeling unseen, misunderstood, or emotionally abandoned. But hope doesn’t run away. Hope stays. Hope forgives. Hope says, “Come back. Let’s try again.”

Reflection/Discussion:

Have there been moments lately where we’ve missed the mark with each other?
Is there something we need to confess, apologize for, or gently bring into the light?

Speak these questions with gentleness. Listen with humility. Respond with grace.

Mini Challenge:

Clean something together: a closet, the kitchen, or the bathroom. Offer the work as a symbolic way of preparing your shared life for the joy of Resurrection. Let it be quiet, intentional, and a small act of unity.

Spanish Rice and Chicken

This 1-dish simple recipe, packed full of southwest flavor, is adaptable to adding more veggies and using precooked chicken instead of a cut-up fryer. Be creative and make it your own! The original recipe is from Taste of Home and can be seen by clicking the title above or the picture on the right. Below is my adaptation. We like to have leftovers to turn into burritos or eat "bowl-style" over a bed of fresh spinach and arugula.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6)

1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut up (or 1 1/2 - ish pounds pre-cooked chicken)
1 Tbsp Emeril's Southwest Seasoning
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh tomato (or 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies)
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Skip steps 1-4 if using pre-cooked chicken.

Preheat oven to 425°.
Place chicken in a greased 9X13-in. baking dish. Generously sprinkle southwest seasoning over all the chicken.
Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from dish to a plate.
Combine rice, onion, green pepper and cilantro in the pan. In a saucepan, bring broth, tomatoes, chili powder and salt to a boil. Pour over rice mixture; mix well. (If using pre-cooked chicken, generously sprinkle with southwest seasoning.) Place chicken pieces and any juices that have collected on the plate, on top of the rice mixture.
Cover tightly with foil and bake until chicken registers at least 165° and rice is tender, 40-45 minutes.
Serve with your favorite toppings: salsa, guacamole, etc...