Anglican Mainstream

LENT III – St. Gerard Bishop of Mayo ( 668)

LITURGICAL THEME FOR THE DAY:  St. Gerald Bishop of Mayo, was an English monk who died on this day in who came to Ireland after the Synod of Whitby and settled in Innisboffin, in 668. Gerald’s circumstances remind us of today’s church as dissensions arose, after a time, between the Irish and the English monks.

St. Colman the Abbot decided to found a separate monastery for the thirty English monks so that they may have safe practice of the faith given the difference between the Celtic and Saxon expressions of the faith.  There arose the Abbey of Mayo of which St.Bede wrote "This monastery occupied by English monks contained an exemplary body who gathered there from England, and lived after the manner of the church fathers.

MEDITATION OF THE DAY:   In today’s Gospel familiar Jesus tells the story of two people praying in the temple.  One is a tax collector and the other is a Pharisee.  The Pharisee exalts himself and the tax collector humbles himself.  Jesus is very clear about how he sees these two dispositions teaching that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke uses this parable because his invitation and challenge in today’s gospel is for us to consider our own “righteousness.” Perhaps another way to think about this is by understanding Luke’s challenge by reflecting on the “right” rather than “righteousness.”  Most of us would probably say we aren’t righteous but are there times in our lives in which we feel that we are right?  Are we right for rights sake or are we right at the expense of insuring another is wrong an demeaned. Something to think about

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE:  “God descends to the humble as waters flow down from the hills into the valleys”. – Sy. Tikhon

PRAYER OF THE DAY:  Father of  of all that is right and good, in you is found no shadow of malice, but only the fullness of life and limitless truth. Open our heart to the voice of Your Word and free us from the self righteousness.
Restore us to your grace that we may look upon your Son who calls us to repentance and a change of heart, for he lives and reigns with you for ever and ever..  Amen

Lenten Discipline – Sit in the Church for 30 minutes of quiet prayer. Just sit there affirming your belief in God's presence with you and of God's love for you. Let it be a prayer of affirmation. Don't ask for anything!

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