Lenten Meditations: Sunday 18 February 2024

Feb 18, 2024 by Jill

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: The liturgical season reminds us that we are faced with clear choices and we can’t have it both ways: we can put our faith in God

or the devil. The Old Testament reminds us in this season how the Jewish people had to choose to put their faith in the one God who had chosen and gathered them. Like them, we must believe, confess and live our faith. During Lent God asks us to scrutinize the choices we make, so that at Easter we can truly “confess that Jesus is Lord.” Whose side will you choose?

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: We hear again the story of Jesus’ baptism which marks the beginning of his ministry with immediacy immediately as the Spirit drives him into the wilderness, after which he returns to healing the divides between Jew and Gentile, clean and unclean, man and woman, rich and poor. Jesus is sensitive to God’s movement and so he submits to the baptism and as a result offers to those present an experience of God even more profoundly. But we should note to experience God more profoundly Jesus needs to take time apart and this should instruct us as to how we set out on our Lenten journey. Seeking an experience of God both in the world and set apart. That is our challenge.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Father, you have shown us through the example of Your Son, Jesus, that we must set aside a regular time and quiet place to meet with You, to hear Your voice, to recognize Your presence, and to invite Your transforming power to renew our hearts and minds every day. We want Your kingdom of light to guide us through this world of darkness as You stamp Your image deep in our hearts like carpenters who embed nails deep in planks of wood. Amen

LENTEN LYRICS: Holy Ground

LENTEN DISCIPLINE – Review the Rite of Baptism and reflect on how God is moving  in your life through the promises you made at Baptism/

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “When you perceive that God is chastening you, fly not to his enemies . . . but to his friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to him, and who have great power in God”- St. Augustine (Orations 8:6 ).

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