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 129
A Song of Ascents.
[1] “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
[2] “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
[3] The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
[4] The LORD is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
[5] May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
[6] Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
[7] with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
[8] nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
[1] Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
[2] O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
[3] If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
[4] But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
[5] I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
[6] my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
[7] O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
[8] And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
Psalm 131
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
[1] O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
[2] But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
[3] O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
Old Testament Reading
Job 36
[1] And Elihu continued, and said:
[2] “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
[3] I will get my knowledge from afar
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
[4] For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
[5] “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.
[6] He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives the afflicted their right.
[7] He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
[8] And if they are bound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
[9] then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
[10] He opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they return from iniquity.
[11] If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
[12] But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword
and die without knowledge.
[13] “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
[14] They die in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
[15] He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ear by adversity.
[16] He also allured you out of distress
into a broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your table was full of fatness.
[17] “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
[18] Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
[19] Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
[20] Do not long for the night,
when peoples vanish in their place.
[21] Take care; do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
[22] Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
[23] Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?
[24] “Remember to extol his work,
of which men have sung.
[25] All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
[26] Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
[27] For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his mist in rain,
[28] which the skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
[29] Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
[30] Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
[31] For by these he judges peoples;
he gives food in abundance.
[32] He covers his hands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.
[33] Its crashing declares his presence;
the cattle also declare that he rises.
New Testament Reading
2 Corinthians 6
[1] Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. [2] For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. [3] We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, [4] but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, [5] beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; [6] by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; [7] by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; [8] through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; [9] as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; [10] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
[11] We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. [12] You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. [13] In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
[14] Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? [15] What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? [16] What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
[17] Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
[18] and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
- 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...
God of the desert, as we follow Jesus into the unknown, may we recognize the tempter when he comes; let it be your bread we eat, your world we serve and you alone we worship. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. 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.