Weekly Lent Devotional: Week 1

John 21:21-22, NRSV
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”
“But Lord,” said Peter, “I’m kind of worried about him. Like, I always thought I was sort of your favorite. But then, at our Passover Seder you were all cozy with John. Now everybody says you love him the most.”
“Ah,” said Jesus. “Sounds like you’re jealous. Follow me.”
Peter thought about it for a minute. “Well, yeah, I guess I am jealous. You said I was the ‘Rock’ and all that. You were going to build the church on my faith.”
“Ah,” said Jesus. “Now it sounds more like you’re ambitious. Here’s what you do: follow me.”
“But-- But--,” sputtered Peter.
“What’s the problem, Simon?” asked Jesus. “Go ahead and tell me.”
“It’s just -- you know -- that’s what you said at the beginning. You said, ‘Follow me,’ so I left my career and followed you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful. I’ve learned a ton. I’ve made great friends. But now you say you’re leaving. I’m thinking I need some new instructions. Like, for the next phase of the mission.”
“Um, Peter,” said Jesus, “I just gave you your new instructions: follow me.”
“But I already did that!”
“It’s a new day, my friend. Follow me. Again. That’s the whole plan."

• I wonder how following Jesus is different now from when you first started?
• I wonder when in your day, and in your week, you most want to think consciously about following Jesus?

Ingredients
• 1 whole chicken
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters at the stem so the pieces hold together
• 4 whole cloves
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp. dry)
• 1 whole star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt (not iodized)
• 1 cup frozen petite peas
• 1 batch of homemade egg noodles (see below)
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Instructions
1. Remove any packaged or loose giblets from inside the chicken. Place the chicken in a soup pot with the carrots and celery.
2. Pierce each quarter onion with one whole clove and add them to the pot.
3. Make a sachet (cheesecloth or a disposable tea bag for loose tea will work well) with the bay leaves, garlic, star anise, peppercorns, and thyme, and add the sachet to the pot.
4. Add the salt, and enough water to cover the chicken. Put the pot on the burner and bring it to a simmer -- just little bubbles very slowly rising, not a boil.
5. Simmer for two hours. Skim off any scummy foam that rises to the surface. If you want to put on the lid, leave the lid ajar, so heat escapes and the soup doesn’t rise to a boil. (The partial covering of the lid will allow water from the steam to condense and return to the pot.)
6. Turn off the heat. Carefully remove the chicken, putting it in a bowl to cool. Remove and discard the onions, celery and sachet. If the carrots are still fairly firm, remove them and chop into dice and return them to the pot. If the carrots are mushy, discard them.
7. When the chicken has cooled enough to handle it, take it apart. Discard the skin and the bones. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot.
8. Half an hour before you are ready to serve the soup, turn the heat back on, to return the soup to a simmer, and make the noodles.

Ingredients
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. non-iodized salt
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, mix the flour and the salt.
2. Add the egg, and stir with a fork to combine.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly-floured surface and knead a few times to make it a coherent ball. (Do not kneed more than a few times.)
4. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough on the floured surface, dusting it with flour and flipping as needed. Roll it quite thin, about 4 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches long. (You may need to run a bench scraper or knife underneath to free it from the surface now and again.)
5. Using a bench scraper or knife, slice into noodles 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. As you cut each noodle, scoot it onto the floured surface.

1. Five minutes before serving, carefully scoop up the noodles a few at a time, and add them one by one to the simmering soup. Don’t try to scoop or add them all at once or they will glob together.
2. When the noodles are in, add the cup of frozen peas. Simmer 3 minutes.
3. Ladle into bowls, topping each bowl with fresh grated parmesan cheese.