Opening Prayer Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Readings for 2nd Sunday before Lent: 2 before Lent; Genesis 1.1 - 2.3; Psalm 136; Romans 8.18-25; Matthew 6.25-34
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen
A reflection to ponder: I began thinking about and reading up on the traditional practices of Lent. These are to pray, fast and give alms. I found this enlightening because I realised that the ancient writers who advocated these traditional Christian Lenten Practices were probably reasonably well fed and comfortable. So I could see that their message and teaching was fit for themselves and other well off people. However, what they said and advocated creates a terrible burden for those who are sick, or starving or poor!
For, since I was a child, I have thought that the Church's pressure to fast and give alms was unkind because I saw so many hungry and sick people doing without the little they had to survive on, in order to fast. I also saw people getting into debt with the "tally-man" in order to give alms to the Church. From childhood, this all looked wrong to me and made me think that a good God would not want this. So, when I grew up and was called into ministry, I have favoured and encouraged the more modern Lenten practices. These include: taking action to enhance our prayer lives; to give up something other than food (or take on something extra); as well as doing something positive for the benefit of others (other than giving money).
So here are some new ways of interpreting the Lenten Fast by maintaining its spirit (rather than the letter). For, new ways of taking part can help all of us to participate appropriately in Lent - without some of the inherent problems of the traditional Lenten Fast.
- For surely all of us can enhance our prayer lives by beginning to pray regularly for the first time, or by increasing what we pray about or by praying at times, in places or with words that are different to our usual pattern.
- Then for those of us with capacity to fast, maybe we should be looking to give up things we do in excess that distract us from God and the world.? Things such as: gaming, internet, social media, shopping, to name but a few of the things.
- Then as we think about giving, maybe we ought to think about giving in accordance with what we have available to share with others. This may include: our time, our gifts, our skills, our compassion, our love and care, our attention or support.
I hope these ideas will inspire you to think about what you could do for Lent in order to draw closer to God. For surely the most appropriate Lenten Fast is to do without and give from what God has given to us in plenty and to share this with His world.
The Lord's Prayer Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be they name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Deliver us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
Prayer: Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: graft in our hearts the love of your name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, make us perfect in your love and by your great mercy keep us in the same, so we may share in his glory; through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, the true vine and the source of life, ever giving himself that the world may live. Amen
Prayer of blessing: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.
Closing Note This message is sent to you with love and prayers as: a word of encouragement and a sign of hope.