Anglican Mainstream

From Church of the Resurrection, Tampa, Florida

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: Originally, the period began on what is now the first Sunday in Lent; but, it being found that, when Sundays, as improper for fasting, were omitted, there remained only thirty-six days, the period was made by Pope Gregory to commence four days earlier  namely, on what has since been called Ash Wednesday.

Today’s liturgy gives us basic directions for the next 40 days. As a first step to clearing our hearts and mind of obstacles to God, this day is an opportunity to engage in prayer and fasting. Today, and every day this Lent, is an opportunity to spend time with God, read over the Scriptures for the day, listening to what God is saying  and committing to Acts of Charity to me, and writing down what I hear.?

MEDITATION OF THE DAY Lent is a time of remembering—remembering who we are and whose we are. The disciplines and liturgical practices of Lent are about turning our focus away from the deadening distractions that sometimes fill our days toward the essentials of life and love. We pray. We fast. We give alms. We turn our attention toward God, toward our interior lives, and toward others. And we do so in order

to remember, to put back together again our covenant with God, and to realign ourselves with the grace of our baptism. Perhaps we as a community could consider the disciplines of Lent not as disciplines but rather as a way to deepen the covenant that binds us to Christ and each other.

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Lord, as we begin the discipline of the Lenten Journey,   make us holy through these holy disciplines and help us to avoid evil and temptation.  Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE:  “To take up the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all; it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us.” – John Henry Newman

Lenten Discipline – Keep a Solemn or Simple Fast, using the money for the Mite Box and the time spent eating pondering the countless throngs suffering who are suffering in Haiti.

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