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.
- LENTEN MEDITATION & PRAYER -
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that, if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
- Thoughts in Solitude, Thomas Merton
REMEMBER – Today is a feast day! Sundays are in Lent, but not of Lent. Break your fast, gather for worship with God’s people, and celebrate Christ’s resurrection.
- 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 33
[1] Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
[2] Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
[3] Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
[4] For the word of the LORD is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
[5] He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
[6] By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
[7] He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
he puts the deeps in storehouses.
[8] Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
[9] For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
[10] The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
[11] The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
the plans of his heart to all generations.
[12] Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
[13] The LORD looks down from heaven;
he sees all the children of man;
[14] from where he sits enthroned he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
[15] he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
[16] The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
[17] The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.
[18] Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
[19] that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.
[20] Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
[21] For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
[22] Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.
Psalm 34
Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.
[1] I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
[2] My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
[3] Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
[4] I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
[5] Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
[6] This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
[7] The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
[8] Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
[9] Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
[10] The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
[11] Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
[12] What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
[13] Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
[14] Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
[15] The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
[16] The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
[17] When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
[18] The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
[19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
[20] He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
[21] Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
[22] The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Old Testament Reading
Proverbs 17
[1] Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
[2] A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
[3] The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the LORD tests hearts.
[4] An evildoer listens to wicked lips,
and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.
[5] Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;
he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
[6] Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.
[7] Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;
still less is false speech to a prince.
[8] A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;
wherever he turns he prospers.
[9] Whoever covers an offense seeks love,
but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
[10] A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding
than a hundred blows into a fool.
[11] An evil man seeks only rebellion,
and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
[12] Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
[13] If anyone returns evil for good,
evil will not depart from his house.
[14] The beginning of strife is like letting out water,
so quit before the quarrel breaks out.
[15] He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
[16] Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom
when he has no sense?
[17] A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
[18] One who lacks sense gives a pledge
and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.
[19] Whoever loves transgression loves strife;
he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
[20] A man of crooked heart does not discover good,
and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
[21] He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
[22] A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
[23] The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
to pervert the ways of justice.
[24] The discerning sets his face toward wisdom,
but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
[25] A foolish son is a grief to his father
and bitterness to her who bore him.
[26] To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,
nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
[27] Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
[28] Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
New Testament Reading
Philippians 4
[1] Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
[2] I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. [3] Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. [5] Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; [6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
[8] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. [9] What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
[10] I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. [11] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. [12] I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
[14] Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. [15] And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. [16] Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. [17] Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. [18] I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. [19] And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. [20] To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
[21] Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. [22] All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.
[23] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
- 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...
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. 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.