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Opening Prayer
In His Steps - A Lenten Series
Today: At the Jordan: The Spirit Came Like
a Dove
Preface for Meditation
Fasting is a beautiful period to do good deeds by helping the poor, feeding the
hungry, visiting the sick, and taking care of the needs of others. The person
who fasts by not yielding to the needs of the flesh, will feel the needs of
others and his heart will be moved to serve them. The asceticism of fasting
teaches us to care for the heavenly and not be concerned with the earthly. Thus
it becomes easy to forsake our material possessions and offer them to the needy.
Lent is training for simple life. Fasting and vegetarianism during the Lent are
invitation to overcome the enslaving power of consumerist culture which is based
on greed. In the midst of prosperity and over consumption we are trained to
enjoy the beauty of a simple life based on need. Lent gives us a wonderful
experience of simple life. This freedom from the grip of over luxurious life and
enslaving consumerist culture make us sensitive to the basic needs of the poor
and the suffering and share with them our resources.
Fasting is more than not eating food. It is more important to fast from sin.
Besides controlling what goes into our mouths, we must control what comes out of
our mouths as well. Are our words pleasing to God, or do we curse God or our
brother? The other members of the body also need to fast: our eyes from seeing
evil, our ears from hearing evil, our limbs from participating in anything that
is not of God. Most important of all, we need to control our thoughts, for
thoughts are the source of our actions, whether good or evil. Let the words of
GOD overcome all our five senses on this lent days.
Bible Reading:
Evening Morning Gospel Readings: Matthew 18:1-11 (KJV)
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as
little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were
drowned in the depth of the sea.
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences
come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them
from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather
than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is
better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes
to be cast into hell fire.
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you,
That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is
in heaven.
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so
in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to
us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto
him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set
before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now
shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his
friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as
he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him
that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a
stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him? Bible Verse for the Day: "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven". St. Matthew 18:4
Intercessions:
by Prince Mathew
(Read all Gospels during the Great Lent)
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he
ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John
also taught his disciples.
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a
new creation in himself,
when all would be made new. With great confidence let us ask him:
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.
Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your
Spirit,
- that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit,
- and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
- and give us joy in your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
- and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness
Closing Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I know you receive what is in my heart.
Let me be inspired by your words
and by the actions of your son, Jesus.
Guide me to make sacrifices this Lent
in the spirit of self-denial
and with greater attention to you
and to those around me.
Help me to believe that you will grant me this
because of the sacrifice Jesus made for me.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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