Lent
“A journey, a pilgrimage! Yet, as we begin it, as we make the first step into the ‘bright sadness’ of Lent, we see - far, far away - the destination. It is the joy of Easter, it is the entrance into the glory of the Kingdom.”
- Alexander Schmemann.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are at the heart of the Christian gospel, and Good Friday and Easter are two of the most significant celebrations of the Christian year. Lent is a season of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate Good Friday and Easter. Just as we carefully prepare for big events in our personal lives... Lent invites us to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ passion and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection (From The Worship Sourcebook).
- Calling -
O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim Your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy:
O come, let us adore him.
- Constitution -
Read/Listen, Meditate, Pray, and Contemplate on God’s Word, remembering that God is with you and ready to speak to you because he loves you.
Praying the Psalms
Psalm 31
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
[1] In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
[2] Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
[3] For you are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
[4] you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
[5] Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
[6] I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the LORD.
[7] I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
[8] and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
[9] Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also.
[10] For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
and my bones waste away.
[11] Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
[12] I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
[13] For I hear the whispering of many—
terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
[14] But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
[15] My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
[16] Make your face shine on your servant;
save me in your steadfast love!
[17] O LORD, let me not be put to shame,
for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
let them go silently to Sheol.
[18] Let the lying lips be mute,
which speak insolently against the righteous
in pride and contempt.
[19] Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
[20] In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.
[21] Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
[22] I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
[23] Love the LORD, all you his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
[24] Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the LORD!
Psalm 32
A Maskil of David.
[1] Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
[2] Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
[3] For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
[4] For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
[5] I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
[6] Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
[7] You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
[8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
[9] Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
[10] Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
[11] Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Old Testament Reading
Proverbs 16
[1] The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
[2] All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the LORD weighs the spirit.
[3] Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established.
[4] The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
[5] Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
[6] By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
[7] When a man’s ways please the LORD,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
[8] Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.
[9] The heart of man plans his way,
but the LORD establishes his steps.
[10] An oracle is on the lips of a king;
his mouth does not sin in judgment.
[11] A just balance and scales are the LORD’s;
all the weights in the bag are his work.
[12] It is an abomination to kings to do evil,
for the throne is established by righteousness.
[13] Righteous lips are the delight of a king,
and he loves him who speaks what is right.
[14] A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
and a wise man will appease it.
[15] In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.
[16] How much better to get wisdom than gold!
To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
[17] The highway of the upright turns aside from evil;
whoever guards his way preserves his life.
[18] Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
[19] It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor
than to divide the spoil with the proud.
[20] Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
[21] The wise of heart is called discerning,
and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
[22] Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.
[23] The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious
and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
[24] Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
[25] There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
[26] A worker’s appetite works for him;
his mouth urges him on.
[27] A worthless man plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.
[28] A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
[29] A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
[30] Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
[31] Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
[32] Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
[33] The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.
New Testament Reading
Philippians 3
[1] Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
[2] Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. [3] For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—[4] though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
[12] Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. [13] Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. [16] Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
[17] Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. [18] For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
- Communion -
Pray for yourself, others, our church, our neighbors, and the world.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer & the collect of the week:
Our Father who art in heaven...
Give us grace and courage to hope, and to risk disappointment. Teach us to pray expectantly, and when our prayers seem to fail, bring us to pray again and again; for you are our God, who acts, and will act again. Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.
- Commission -
After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. (1 Peter 5:10-11)
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.