Lent 2025 Day 42

Harriet Tubman, Conductor and Suffragette
Isaiah 41:10 | John 12:20–36
 
Harriet Tubman (c. 1822–1913) walked in the light when all around her was darkness. Born into slavery, she escaped to freedom in the North—but she did not stop there. Returning again and again to the South, she led over 70 enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Called “Moses” by those who followed her, Tubman never lost sight of the God who guided her steps through the night.

Her faith was not abstract. It was rooted in Scripture, prayer, and bold trust in the Holy Spirit. She spoke of God’s voice as real and present, directing her paths, warning her of danger, giving her strength. “I never ran my train off the track,” she once said, “and I never lost a passenger.” Hers was a theology of motion—one foot in front of the other, following the light even when it flickered faintly.

Jesus says in John 12, “The light is with you for a little longer... believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” This moment—just days before his death—is a turning point. The crowd wants to know more, to see signs. But Jesus speaks of glory in hiddenness, of life in death, of light in shadow. Harriet Tubman knew what it was to walk in twilight, unsure of the road but certain of the mission. Like Jesus, she knew the hour had come—and still she moved.

Isaiah 41:10 speaks words of assurance to those trembling with fear: “Do not be afraid, for I am your God.” Tubman clung to these words. She faced dogs, slave catchers, hunger, betrayal—but she was not overcome. She believed God upheld her. That belief led her not only to free others but to serve as a nurse, a spy for the Union army, and later as an advocate for women’s suffrage. Her life testifies that light is not the absence of fear, but the presence of courage.
 
Holy Tuesday invites us to walk with Jesus into the growing shadows. The cross is drawing near. But so is the light. Tubman reminds us that resurrection does not come for those who wait idly. It comes for those who move—step by step, guided by justice, trusting in the God who never leaves us.

This day in Holy Week is one of decision and direction. Jesus has set his face toward the cross. The air is thick with anticipation, tension, and truth-telling. We stand, like the crowds in Jerusalem, hearing whispers of glory and sacrifice. Holy Tuesday reminds us that we don’t get to Easter without passing through the valley of risk. It is a day to walk while we have the light—and to choose what kind of people we will be in the approaching dark.

Reflection:

• Where in your life are you being called to walk by light, even when the way is uncertain? 
• How does Harriet Tubman’s courage deepen your understanding of faith in action? 
• What “passengers” might you be called to accompany on the journey to freedom? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: Do not be afraid… Exhale: God walks with me.

May this Holy Week give us the strength to follow the light, like Harriet, with fierce faith and open hands.

Amen.