Lenten Meditations: Sunday 25 February 2024
| Sun Feb 25 |
am: 30, 32 pm: 42, 43 |
Gen 17.1–7, 15–16 | Rom 4.13–25 | Mark 8.31–38 |
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann once wrote about the idea of Lent “To understand the various liturgical particularities of the Lenten period, we must remember that they express and convey to us the spiritual meaning of Lent and are related to the central idea of Lent, to its function in the liturgical life of the Church. It is the idea of repentance. This repentance is known as a metanoia/ metanoia . Repentance, for us in this context addresses the idea of a deep, radical reevaluation of our whole life, of all our ideas, judgments, and concerns. The hope for us in making such a conversion is that we will be faithful in resisting temptation and living each day in our Lenten journey with renewal and a new commitment to Christ.
BIBLICAL MEDITATION OF THE DAY: Many of us live our lives offering different dimensions of ourselves to different people. To some, we may be a parent, or sibling, to others a friend or a colleague. If we asked the people in those relationships who they say we are we might be surprised at the answer. Ideally, as people of character and faith, there should be a line of continuity despite the different relationships. The fact is that we reveal ourselves differently to different people and we perceive others the same way.
When Jesus asks the question, he gets a range of perspectives from Elijah to John the Baptist. The Disciples when pressed answer in a way most of us probably would searching for the best of what we were told in Christian Education class or testing how well we grasped the catechism and say a bunch of names and titles for Jesus ranging from Prince of Peace and King of Kings to the Lord; Messiah; Son of God; Son of Man; Redeemer of us All!
The fact of the matter is that the question today is answered differently than the apostles were faced with. We answer that question every day knowingly or unknowingly not only by what we proclaim with our lips, but as the General Thanksgiving in the Book of Common Prayer reminds us with the testimony of our lives. This Lent in carrying out Lenten Disciplines that reflect mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, we make a clear statement about who we say Christ is. We are living proof that His Gospel is true, and he is who he says he is because by His Grace we are redeemed and renewed.
PRAYER OF THE DAY: Lord God, you know we have no strength by ourselves.
Defend us from all calamities that may happen to the body, and cleanse us from all evil thoughts that may attack the soul. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “There is of both one Christ and one Son; for the difference of the natures is not taken away by the union, but rather the divinity and the humanity make perfect for us the one Lord Jesus Christ by their ineffable and inexpressible union”. –Saint Cyril of Alexandria
LENTEN LYRICS: Who Do You Say That I Am by David Phelps from Freedom
Lenten Discipline – As you go about the day seek circumstances to express compassion as Christ did. It might be necessary to breach social barriers in seeking to reach the least and lost. How can you identify with those who suffer?
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