Lenten Meditations: Friday 8 March 2024
| Fri Mar 8 |
am 88 pm: 91, 92 |
Gen 47:1-26 | 1 Cor 9:16-27 | Mark 6:47-56 |
FRIDAY OF LENT III – Hieromartyr Theodoretus (362)
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: Today we consider the faithful from the Eastern customary of the Church universal with Theodoretus who the custodian of a great cathedral in Antioch was, built by Emperor Constantine and known in its time as ‘the golden church’ for the beauty and luxury of its appointments. When Julian the Apostate came to the throne, he denied Christ and launched a persecution of Christians. The Emperor’s uncle, also named Julian, came to Antioch to prosecute the persecution there. After plundering the church he brought Theodoretus to trial and demanded that he deny Christ. Instead, the faithful priest confessed Christ fervently and rebuked the Emperor for having denied the faith and returned to idol worship Theodoretus was beheaded and revered thereafter.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION OF THE DAY: In this final section of Genesis the drama of Jacob and his 12 sons is playing out. Jacob knew he could not stay in Canaan, or his whole family would starve to death. He also knew that Joseph was waiting for him in Egypt, which should have been a big enticement for Jacob to make this move. However, it still required him to pull up all of the stakes, gather all of his clan together, and head out from a place he could call his own, and head for a place that was new and foreign to him. Pharaoh was very kind and gracious to Joseph’s family. He gave them the best land in Egypt to settle in and pasture their flocks. Joseph presented five of his brothers and his father to Pharaoh, and then Jacob blessed Pharaoh. This is one of those stories in the Bible that seems like it almost has a fairy tale ending. However, let us not lose sight of the fact that the Egyptians valued their physical salvation so much that they gave up their money, their material goods, and even themselves to Joseph.
It should not be lost upon us in this age that these are the terms that God has laid down for us to have eternal life: unconditional surrender. We must come to the point of realizing that our condition is terminal, that we are facing death. And we must place our entire future in the hands of Jesus Christ just as the Egyptians realized they had to put their trust in Joseph. We must surrender every element of self-sufficiency, everything of value, and rely solely upon Jesus Christ May God enable you to trust in Him for our salvation.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: O God, whose face we seek. Help us be open to see you in the faces of those who suffer for the sake of your Gospel. Give us the courage and conviction to be instruments of peace and justice so that we may advocate on their behalf and help establish the Kingdom of God.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions”. — St. John Vianney, The Cure of Ars
Lenten Lyrics: On Eagles Wings by Michael Joncas sung by Shane & Shane https://youtu.be/rG_y6X2K_dM?si=7S2Z18Wbo5S5gWTi
Lenten Discipline – Visit a church today known for its beauty. Sit and ponder how the beauty of God in holiness is found in that place and listen for how God speaks in that moment.
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