| Fri Mar 20 | am: 107:1-32 pm: 107:33-43 | Exod 2:1-22 | 1 Cor 12:27-13:3 | Mark 9:2-13 |
FOURTH FRIDAY OF LENT – St. Cuthbert, Missionary Bishop of Lindisfarne, 697
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: From his earliest days, he felt drawn to the rhythm of monastic prayer, eventually joining the community at Melrose. Yet the clamor of the cloister could not satisfy his yearning for deeper communion, and he fled to the desolate Farne Islands. There, in a lone stone cell, he spent long hours in silence, fasting, and prayer, discovering that true listening often requires stepping away from the world’s noise.
Even in that stark solitude, people came seeking his help. The sick and the weary arrived, and Cuthbert’s gentle hands and fervent prayers brought relief—miraculous healings that testified to a faith lived out in compassion. When the monks of Lindisfarne elected him bishop, he hesitated, preferring the simple life of a hermit. Reluctantly accepting the role, he led with humility, keeping his plain clothes and modest meals, reminding all that authority is meant for service, not prestige.
Cuthbert urged his community to hold fast to God’s promises, embodying steadfast faith amid turmoil. After his death, his relics were moved repeatedly to protect them, yet his memory grew, inspiring pilgrimages and shaping liturgy for centuries.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION OF THE DAY: “In the lesson from the Gospel today, we revisit the transfiguration, which shows that even in the midst of ordinary struggle, God can reveal Himself in radiant, unexpected ways. The heavenly voice commands, “Listen to Him.” Lent is a season for us to listen and embrace the quiet of the noise of daily life, open our hearts, and truly hear Christ’s invitation to follow Him—to love, to serve, and ultimately to die to ourselves. We are reminded again in this story that our Lenten conversion is not a single moment but a gradual unfolding of the light of Christ within us.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: “Lord, when we look around us today, we see so much destruction, so much negative and bad. You created everything and have defeated many enemies. Lord, we ask that you remember your people and make right the things that need to be made right. We beseech you to refresh our Spirit to move toward you.” Amen.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: ” Almighty God, who called your servant Cuthbert from following the flock to follow your Son and to be a shepherd of your people: in your mercy, grant that we, following his example, may bring those who are lost home to your fold; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
Lenten Discipline – St. Cuthbert was well known for his affinity for nature and was given to the protection and gentleness of birds and sea creatures, which is derived from the Celtic tradition. Today, take an opportunity to spend some time in nature and, where possible, make an act of preservation of God’s gift to us in his creation.
SONG OF THE HEART, SONG OF THE SEASON – “Cuthbert’s Song” by Colib Symes