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Mid Lent
In Church: Great Lent - Mid Lent - Raising of the Cross Liturgy (Malayalam-Samajam)
Opening Prayer:
Grant, we pray, o Lord,
The Readings In His Steps - A Lenten Series
Today: Caesarea Philippi:
Are You All In?
Daily Meditation:
Make us one in love and prayer.
This was a special liturgy in the early church.
We might reflect upon what it is that divides us,
I want all of them to be one with each other,
Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper for
Today's Daily Reflection
by Marcia Shadle Cusic, School of Medicine, Creighton University
"Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the LORD, my God, has
commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy."
A straight forward message in the First Reading today tells us that once we
become aware of the messages from God we not only have an opportunity to live
the messages BUT to also teach others and serve as a role model no matter " the
land you are entering to occupy" or no matter what situation you find yourself
in.
The First Reading then goes on to empower each of us when we are told, "For what
great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to
us whenever we call upon him?" We should be filled with hope and goodness,
knowing, that in an instant, we can call upon God to be with us in our
decisions, our anxiety our uncertainty and our joy. If we allow the true
messages of scripture to be written on our hearts, and ask God to be with us
throughout our day, the Christian journey of living life on this earth side by
side with our fellow women and men should be a journey of peace, hope and
resolve.
Our faith, trust and belief in the messages of God will and can indeed
"Strengthen the bars of our gates". The "bars of our gates", for me, symbolize
the strength of our faith which can deflect non-truths, greed, envy, evilness in
this world. The readings today express a clear message of the power and the
trust we can put in our faith to live a life filled with hope, joy and love,
trusting that, "If God is for us… who can be against us."
that, schooled through Lenten observance
and nourished by your word,
through holy restraint
we may be devoted to you with all our hearts
and be ever united in prayer.
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.
Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Matthew 5:17-19
On this day the first of the Scrutinies was celebrated.
We can see why the instruction is about fidelity, but tone of the prayer is one
of unity.
On this day when the community prayed so earnestly for those about to be
baptized,
we can feel the power of asking that we be made one.
and what I might do to let the Spirit of Unity draw us together.
just as I am one with you and you are one with me.
I also want them to be one with us.
Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.
"for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say
about me. "
John 17:21
Preface for Meditation:
How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross
there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly
beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but
life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but
opens the way for our return.
This was the tree on which Christ, like a king on a chariot, destroyed the
devil, the lord of death, and freed the human race from his tyranny. This was
the tree upon which the Lord like a brave warrior wounded in hands, feet and
side, healed the wounds of sin that the evil serpent had inflicted on our
nature. A tree once caused our death, but now a tree brings life. Once deceived
by a tree, we have now repelled the cunning serpent by a tree. What an
astonishing transformation! That death should become life, that decay should
become immortality, that shame should become glory!
The wonders accomplished through this tree were foreshadowed clearly even by the
mere types and figures that existed in the past. Was it not the wood of a tree
that enabled Noah, at God's command, to escape the destruction of the flood
together with his sons, his wife, his sons' wives and every kind of animal? And
surely the rod of Moses prefigured the cross when it changed water into blood,
swallowed up the false serpents of Pharaoh's magicians, divided the sea at one
stroke and then restored the waters to their normal course, drowning the enemy
and saving God's own people? Aaron's rod, which blossomed in one day in proof of
his true priesthood, was another figure of the cross, and did not Abraham
foreshadow the cross when he bound his son Isaac and placed him on the pile of
wood?
By the cross death was slain and Adam was restored to life. The cross is the
glory of all the apostles, the crown of the martyrs, the sanctification of the
saints. By the cross we put on Christ and cast aside our former self. By the
cross we, the sheep of Christ, have been gathered into one flock, destined for
the sheepfold of heaven.
Bible Reading Passages: Fifty-Day Gospel Planner
Evening
Morning
Before Holy Qurbana
Holy Qurbana
Gospel Readings: Matthew 17:22-27 (KJV)
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall
be betrayed into the hands of men:
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And
they were exceeding sorry.
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came
to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him,
saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take
custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the
children free.
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an
hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened
his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them
for me and thee.
John 3:13-21 (KJV)
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son
of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest, that they are wrought in God. Bible Verse of the day: "They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the
disciples were filled with grief." - St. Matthew 17:23
Intercessions:
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a
new creation in himself, when all would be made new. With great confidence let
us ask him:
Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your
Spirit,
Closing Prayer:
God, you love me as your own child.
May the Lord bless us,
Source: Portions from: Creighton University Praying Lent
by Prince Mathew
Fourth Wednesday of Great Lent (Mid Lent)
(Read all Gospels during the Great Lent)
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.
- that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit,
- and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
- and give us joy in your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
- and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness.
May I bend my life and will toward you
so that I might accept your teaching and guidance.
I am so grateful for your support in my life,
now and in the eternal life you are preparing for me.
I beg for your help and Spirit in my life today.
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
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