MARK A TAV on the FOREHEADS ~ The Man with the Inkhorn ~ Ezekiel 9: 4

 

Mark a TAV   ( t )   upon the Foreheads . . .

The MAN Clothed with LINENS*

Ezekiel 9 and 10

*( Yes, LINENS  is PLURAL in this passage. )

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE ~ A Passover Observance of Fasting and Prayer, in Remembrance of the PASSION and DEATH of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST . . . Before His+ GREAT RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD !

WORTHY is The LAMB+, our Great High Priest,

JESUS, the SON+ of GOD, Who+ loved us and gave His+ Life for us.

REMEMBER: You Are DUST, and to DUST You Shall Return

REMEMBER:

You are dust, and to dust you shall return.

REPENT,

and believe the GOSPEL+. 

+  +  +

ALMIGHTY GOD . . .

THOU hast created us out of the dust of the earth. 

Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and repentance, that we may remember that it is ONLY by Thy gracious gift that we are given Everlasting Life, through JESUS CHRIST our SAVIOR+.  Amen.

+  +  +

ALMIGHTY and Everlasting GOD Who hates nothing that THOU hast made and Who forgiveth the sins of all who  heartily repent; 

  Create in me a clean heart, O GOD; 

and renew a right spirit within me. 

That I, lamenting my sins and acknowledging my wretchedness before THEE, 

May obtain of THEE, the GOD of all mercy and truth, a perfect remission of my sins, 

Through The LAMB+ of GOD, JESUS CHRIST our LORD, 

WHO+ lives and reigns with THEE and Thy HOLY SPIRIT, 

ONE ELOHIM,

to the ages of the ages. 

Amen.  

+  +  +

 Repent, and be baptized 

every one of you 

in the name of JESUS CHRIST

for the remission of sins, 

 and ye shall receive the gift 

of the HOLY SPIRIT. 

Acts 2:38

+  +  +

Ashes to ashes, 

dust to dust 

in sure and certain hope 

of the resurrection 

unto Eternal Life, 

through  

Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA , 

our LORD. 

+  +  +

 

ASH WEDNESDAY MEDITATION 2014

Photo by The ORDER of The GOOD SHEPHERD+

Azaleas Hidden in The Woods

Ash Wednesday Meditation

the first day

of the Pre-Passover Preparations 

for the sacrifice of the Passover LAMB+

commonly known as "Lent"

The Collect from 

The Book of Common Prayer... 

Almighty and everlasting GOD, 

Who hatest nothing that THOU hast made, 

and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; 

Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, 

that we, 

worthily lamenting our sins 

and acknowledging our wretchedness, 

may obtain of THEE, The GOD of all mercy, 

perfect remission and forgiveness; 

through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. 

Amen.

Old Testament Lesson: Leviticus 17:11

For the Life of the flesh is in the BLOOD, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an ATONEMENT for your souls; for it is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

QUIETUDE: A time to Reflect about the BLOOD+

RESPONSE: 

Worthy is The LAMB+. 

Worthy is The LAMB+. 

WORTHY is The LAMB+ that was slain,

to receive power and riches and wisdom 

and strength and honor and glory 

and blessing! 

Amen. 

Lesson from the Epistles: 2 Corinthians 5:9,10

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent to be well pleasing to HIM+.  

For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 

QUIETUDE: A time to repent.

RESPONSE:  

LORD, have mercy upon us. 

CHRIST, have mercy upon us. 

LORD, have mercy upon us. 

And let not the enemy exact upon us, 

for our trust is in THEE+. 

AMEN.

The GOSPEL Lesson: Mark 9:43- 44  ~ ~ ~ 

The Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST ~ ~ ~ 

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. 

It is better for you to enter into LIFE maimed, 

rather than having two hands, 

to go into Hell, 

... into the fire that never shall be quenched, 

... where their worm dieth not 

and the fire is not quenched."

The WORD of The LORD.  

THANKS BE TO GOD !

Meditation ~ ~ ~

Just how AWFUL is sin ... to you ? Your sin is worse than others' sins, you know.  Do you hate sin in your life so badly that you are willing to cut off your own hand rather than to keep sinning ? 

Few of us are willing to do this. 

Yet, the Promise of Life to those who hate their own sin rightfully is this: your hand will be RESTORED WHOLE again when you Enter the Kingdom of Life Eternal with JESUS ! You will lose nothing that you have discarded in fighting your own sinful flesh when you pass into the Heavenlies. You will be rewarded for every stand you have taken against your own sin. 

As a matter of fact, you WIN ! 

Let us pray: 

O Gracious Heavenly FATHER, in the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ JESUS CHRIST,  WHO+ for the joy that was set before HIM+ endured the Cross, I come to THEE, afraid of the consequences of my own sin in my own life.  

I have not loved THEE+ as I ought.

   

I have not forsaken all.

  

I have harbored things in my heart 

that I KNOW are unworthy of a follower of THEE+.

   

I have lifted up my "know-it-all" spirit 

and done presumptuous sin.

I acknowledge myself to be in need of Thy+ cleansing 

and reformation power.

O, LORD, I am in desperate need of Thy+ cleansing. Change me, O LORD. Have mercy upon me. Extend Thy+ mercy with Thy+ Cleansing BLOOD unto me, a sinner.

This I pray in The Sight of The FATHER, The SON+, and The HOLY SPIRIT. 

Amen.      

ASH WEDNESDAY: Passover Meditations for the Lenten Season 2012

~ ~  ~  The Door of the Cross ~ ~ ~

    JESUS answered them and said, Verily, verily, I+ say unto you, Ye seek ME+, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto Everlasting Life, which the SON+ of MAN shall give unto you: for HIM+ hath GOD the FATHER sealed. John 6: 26 and 27.

+  +  +

You do not pursue ME+

-- the First and the Last,
Who+ was dead and IS ALIVE--

because you see supernatural works

that should draw you

upward

toward the Heavenlies,

toward Spiritural Life,

towards Who+ I+ am.

I+

-- I+, JESUS,

SON+ of The LIVING GOD,

Who+ trieth

the hearts and minds--

tell you that you seek ME+

because I+ help you

in pursuit of your own happiness.

.

You pursue ME+

because I+ make

your way easier.

.

But I+

--- I+ JESUS ,

Who+ have

the Keys of hell and death ---

tell you to

STOP FOCUSING

UPON THINGS

NOT PROFITABLE

for you in Eternity.

.

Perishable things WILL perish.

.

Separate yourself

from pursuit of the perishable

and come,

come unto ME+,

for I+ will give you rest...

the only rest available

for you.
.
Come through
the Door of The Cross.

+  +  +

ASH WEDNESDAY at the Hermitage, 2007

This picture was taken in 2007 of my husband, the administrator of the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ , and myself (Sister Judith Hannah) at the Hermitage, following the Ash Wednesday service last year.

Only one Life, 'Twill soon be past;

Only what's done for CHRIST will last.