|
|
Opening Prayer:
Look upon your family, Lord,
The Readings (alternate)
Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19; Matthew 6:7-15
In His Steps - A Lenten Series
Today:
Daily Meditation:
Help us grow in our desire for you.
In today's lesson we learn the Lord's Prayer again.
Today's Daily Reflection
by Robert P. Heaney
Isaiah 55:10-11
. . . hallowed be Your name . . .
When I was a young man, still in school, and at a time when although I didn't
realize it at the time Catholics didn't do much Bible reading, I set myself to
plowing through the Bible from cover to cover Genesis to Revelation. It's not
an approach I would recommend now, but I remember to this day, when I finished
the Old Testament, the strong and surprising impression I got from the fact that
the Israelites seemed constantly to be urging God to act on their behalf. That's
not surprising in itself, but their reason always seemed to be so that God could
salvage His (God's) reputation! "What will the nations say?" "What kind of God
do you Israelites have, who seems so powerless to get you out of the mess you've
gotten yourselves into?"
Reputation is critically important in the cultures of the Middle East then as
well as now. It merges into values we call "face" and "honor". It seemed that
the Israelites thought they could talk God into acting on their behalf by
appealing to His ego! His honor! Over and over again! Moreover, it seemed to
work both ways: in the Hebrew view God Himself actually was concerned about His
good name. The prophet Ezekiel relates a dialog with God (Ezek 36:2328) in
which God complains that the Hebrews have profaned His/Her name among the
nations that, by their behavior, they have made God look bad! And then God
says, I will rescue you anyway. I'll honor (i.e., "hallow") my name by the way I
save you despite your infidelities.
This background is helpful as we bump into the very first of the petitions of
the Lord's Prayer: "Hallowed be Your name." Perhaps we tend to take that as a
kind of throwaway line a polite way of opening a prayer to God. It's helpful
to recognize that the expression is in the passive voice what's called the
divine passive. Perhaps we think of that as a pious hope that people would
revere the divine name. On the contrary, the Jews of Jesus' time would have
understood that God is the one who has been asked to do the hallowing: "God,
vindicate your name", "Show everyone what kind of God you are!"
How was God to do that? In this case, by inaugurating God's reign on earth. "Thy
Kingdom come", the very next petition in the Lord's Prayer, is another divine
passive not a hope that God's reign will "happen" somehow, but a prayer that
God would directly and actively bring it about and not some day in the
hereafter but soon, and here on earth (as in heaven).
The Lord's Prayer is such a central part of the Christian liturgy that it is
recited three times a day, every day at morning and evening prayer and at
Mass. But it's so familiar that perhaps we go on autopilot when we start to
recite those words those daring words. And when we think of hallowing God's
name, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether, by our actions as Christians, we,
like the Israelites, have tarnished God's reputation . .
that, through the chastening effects of bodily discipline,
our minds may be radiant in your presence
with the strength of our yearning for you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
We are learning the intimate connection
between the "discipline" we choose these days,
and the growth of our desire.
If our desire for our Lord is weak,
if it has to compete with so many other desires that choke it out,
then we need to re-form our desiring.
We want to be disciples -
those who love Jesus, are with Jesus in our desires,
and choose to follow Jesus.
As children, we turn to our Loving Father in prayer.
John A. Creighton University Chair
Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19
Matthew 6:7-15
Preface for Meditation
by Prince Mathew
The purpose of Great Lent is to prepare the faithful to not only commemorate, but to enter into the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. The totality of the Orthodox life centers around the Resurrection. Great Lent is intended to be a "workshop" where the character of the believer is spiritually uplifted and strengthened; where his life is rededicated to the principles and ideals of the Gospel; where fasting and prayer culminate in deep conviction of life; where apathy and disinterest turn into vigorous activities of faith and good works.
Lent is not for the sake of Lent itself, as fasting is not for the sake of fasting. Rather, these are means by which and for which the individual believer prepares himself to reach for, accept and attain the calling of his Savior. The purpose of fasting is to remind us of the Scriptural teaching, Man does not live by bread alone. The needs of the body are nothing compared to the needs of the soul. Above all else, we need God, Who provides everything for both the body and the soul.
Fasting teaches us to depend on God more fully. The first sin of our parents,
Adam and Eve, was eating from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:1-19).We fast from
food, food items, as a reminder that we are to fast from sinning and doing
evil. There are several benefits of fasting. Fasting helps us pray more easily.
Our spirit is lighter when we are not weighed down by too much food or food that
is too rich. Through fasting, we also learn to feel compassion for the poor and
hungry and to save our own resources so that we can help those in need.
Evening
Morning
Gospel Readings:
38Give, and it shall
be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running
over, shall men give into
your bosom. For with the
same measure that ye mete
withal it shall be measured
to you again.
39And he spake a
parable unto them, Can the
blind lead the blind? shall
they not both fall into the
ditch?
40The disciple is not
above his master: but every
one that is perfect shall be
as his master.
41And why beholdest
thou the mote that is in thy
brother's eye, but
perceivest not the beam that
is in thine own eye?
42Either how canst
thou say to thy brother,
Brother, let me pull out the
mote that is in thine eye,
when thou thyself beholdest
not the beam that is in
thine own eye? Thou
hypocrite, cast out first
the beam out of thine own
eye, and then shalt thou see
clearly to pull out the mote
that is in thy brother's
eye.
43For a good tree
bringeth not forth corrupt
fruit; neither doth a
corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit.
44For every tree is
known by his own fruit. For
of thorns men do not gather
figs, nor of a bramble bush
gather they grapes.
45A good man out of
the good treasure of his
heart bringeth forth that
which is good; and an evil
man out of the evil treasure
of his heart bringeth forth
that which is evil: for of
the abundance of the heart
his mouth speaketh.
46And why call ye me,
Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?
47Whosoever cometh to
me, and heareth my sayings,
and doeth them, I will shew
you to whom he is like:
48He is like a man
which built an house, and
digged deep, and laid the
foundation on a rock: and
when the flood arose, the
stream beat vehemently upon
that house, and could not
shake it: for it was founded
upon a rock.
49But he that heareth,
and doeth not, is like a man
that without a foundation
built an house upon the
earth; against which the
stream did beat vehemently,
and immediately it fell; and
the ruin of that house was
great.
22For there is nothing
hid, which shall not be
manifested; neither was any
thing kept secret, but that
it should come abroad.
23If any man have ears
to hear, let him hear.
24And he said unto
them, Take heed what ye
hear: with what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured
to you: and unto you that
hear shall more be given.
25For he that hath, to
him shall be given: and he
that hath not, from him
shall be taken even that
which he hath.
26And he said, So is
the kingdom of God, as if a
man should cast seed into
the ground;
27And should sleep,
and rise night and day, and
the seed should spring and
grow up, he knoweth not how.
28For the earth
bringeth forth fruit of
herself; first the blade,
then the ear, after that the
full corn in the ear.
29But when the fruit
is brought forth,
immediately he putteth in
the sickle, because the
harvest is come.
30And he said,
Whereunto shall we liken the
kingdom of God? or with what
comparison shall we compare
it?
31It is like a grain
of mustard seed, which, when
it is sown in the earth, is
less than all the seeds that
be in the earth:
32But when it is sown,
it groweth up, and becometh
greater than all herbs, and
shooteth out great branches;
so that the fowls of the air
may lodge under the shadow
of it.
33And with many such
parables spake he the word
unto them, as they were able
to hear it.
34But without a
parable spake he not unto
them: and when they were
alone, he expounded all
things to his disciples.
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" - St. Luke 6: 46
Praise to Christ, who has given us himself as the bread from heaven.
Lord, feed us at the banquet of the Eucharist,
Closing Prayer:
Father of my soul,
May the Lord bless us, Great Lent Today Archives |
Yesterday | Tomorrow Great Lent
Home | Sermons Home
| General Sermons and Essays | Articles Home | Library -
Home | Baselios Church Home -------
(Read all Gospels during the Great Lent)
Luke 6:37-49 (KJV)
37Judge not, and ye
shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be
condemned: forgive, and ye
shall be forgiven:
Mark
4:21-34 (KJV)
21And he said unto
them, Is a candle brought to
be put under a bushel, or
under a bed? and not to be
set on a candlestick?
Intercessions:
Let us pray to him, saying:
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.
- with all the gifts of your paschal sacrifice.
Give us a perfect heart to receive your word,
- that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Make us eager to work with you in building a better world,
- so that it may listen to your Church and its gospel of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
- wash us clean by your gift of salvation.
Mother of my heart,
I know your love for me is limitless beyond imagining.
You care for me as a loving parent.
Through my smallest Lenten sacrifices,
help me to become less selfish
and more aware of your ways.
Fan the flame of my desire
to draw ever closer to you.
Guide me to seek your love.
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox
Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by
International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio
