Anglican Mainstream

Third Week of Lent    

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY: On The Third Sunday of Lent  those traditions that practice the ancient Rites of the Catechumenate observe and celebrate the First Scrutiny and Exorcism for the Elect (are those in our midst who are preparing for Baptism). In the Scrutiny Rites, those preparing for baptism at the Easter Vigil as well as the entire assembly are called to examine the areas in their lives where they thirst for God and need God's healing love. During the week the presentation of the creed is celebrated with the elect as part of their preparation to be fully immersed in the Easter mysteries. These are ancient rites and they may, at first, seem strange to many but they are profoundly rooted in ancient life of the church as well as reflect the dynamics of human experience.  This Sunday like all of Lent reminds us to the need to examine (scrutinize) who we are and how who we say we are should be reflected in all areas of our lives. What truly are the realities of our lives where we face what we do and what we fail to do.  This Sunday reminds us that we need healing from our frailties but that can only happen when we face come to examine our lives and face them.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY: The story of Fig Tree is quite familiar to us and oft times sounds a bit unusual as this does not resonate with our modern experience. But if we can truly listen for a moment to the Gospel we should be moved by Jesus’ words and compelled to repent. Perhaps our inclination is to make excuses as to why we cannot give ourselves to God in complete surrender, if so we should take note about the first lesson where Moses when confronted with the Presence of God looks for a way out and uses his own sinfulness as grounds. The key is not to settle for the fact that we are sinful but to seek God’s grace to overcome our human failings. It would be wise to be mindful of the words from St. Paul in the Second Lesson:  "Let anyone who thinks they are standing upright watch out lest they fall." When one hears those words the churches uses of the scrutinies makes perfect sense, not just for those who are seeking to be baptized at the Great Vigil of Easter but for all of us!

PRAYER OF THE DAY: Lord God, you call your children from the North and the South, the East and the West to be renewed and redeemed in your saving love. Give us discernment this Lenten Journey to not in our own power and wisdom but in the mystery of your grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE:  “The life of the Christian has three distinguishing aspects: deeds, words and thought. Thought comes first, then words, since our words express openly the interior conclusions of the mind. Finally, after thoughts and words, comes action, for our deeds carry out what the mind has conceived. So when one of these results in our acting or speaking or thinking, we must make sure that all our thoughts, words and deeds are controlled by the divine ideal, the revelation of Christ. For then our thoughts, words and deeds will not fall short of the nobility of their implications.  -– St. Gregory of Nyssa

Lenten Discipline – On this Sunday of the Scrutinies, try to get a sense of what those who are seeking to be part of the community are willing to undertake. Pray and experience this with the,. For those comfortable in a more Reformed context go to http://www.worship.ca/docs/ww_147.pdf   and for those more comfortable in a more catholic context go to http://www.catholicnh.org/media/files/catholic-faith/First%20Scrutiny.pdf  visit a church member or neighbor who has lost a loved one in recent times and be in fellowship with them and hear their journey in a ministry of love and presence.

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