Showing posts with label Lenten. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lenten. Show all posts

3/05/2014

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.      



3/03/2014

Pre-Passover MEDITATIONS for the Lenten Season

Photo by The ORDER of The GOOD SHEPHERD+
 Azaleas Hidden in the Woods
The season known commonly as Lent in the Christian church calendar is the season of fasting and repenting of one's sins during a 40-day period preceding Holy Week and The Resurrection.  

The word "lent" itself is from the German, according to Wikipedia, and it simply means "spring" ~ ~ ~ derived from the Germanic word "long" , relating to the "longer" days when springtime arrives after winter. 

Thus, the word "lent" or "lenten" is a secular term and the name LENT has nothing to do with Christianity, in and of itself, nor does it even mean "repentance." 

Therefore, we at the Order of the GOOD SHEPHERD+ have re-named this season of repentance with a term associated with What Happened at this season of the year in the ancient Holy Calendar: "Pre-Passover Preparations."    

Repentance --- removing the old leaven as was commanded before the Passover Season --- is certainly the central theme of this important Christian season leading up to Holy Week.

During Holy Week, we remember Our LORD'S death and sacrifice for our transgressions, HIM+ being bruised for our iniquities. We remember the chastisement of our peace was upon HIM+, and that with HIS+ stripes --- not ours --- we are healed.

During this season in which we remove the old leaven of malice and wickedness, we search our hearts before GOD, asking HIM+ to show us areas hidden to our own deceitful hearts, areas where we need to repent.

It starts with Ash Wednesday, with the acknowledgement that WE INDEED ARE SINNERS... and have need of a SAVIOR+. 

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER 
IS SACRIFICED FOR US
THEREFORE, LET US KEEP THE FEAST. 

Not with old leaven, 
neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness
but with the un-leavened bread 
of purity and Truth. 

Let us search our hearts... beginning now.  

2/12/2013

Behold, The LAMB+ .... #1


Preparations for the Passover Season...
Photo by Sonomachristianhome.com
During this Lenten Season we will be focusing on WORSHIP during times of Private, Individual Meditation... in order to draw near to The LAMB+ of GOD Who+ taketh away the sin of the word. 

In order to do this, we will learn to practice "Guided Meditation" during Quiet times of prayer. Recommended Quiet Times are early in the morning, 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. ( the hours of the Crucifixion ) and  / or 6 p.m. 

During this season, it is GOOD to practice fasting of some sort: fast some sleep times, some entertainments, some foods or days, fast from temporal activities and normal friendly "interaction" via emails or phone... in order to MAKE IT A PRIORITY to sit quietly with HIM+ Who+ is the LAMB+ of GOD. 

Thus, during this particular Season of the Preparation for Passover,  the posts will be about how to come into worship during devotional times within the individual prayer closet. 

The Guided Meditations may be printed out and made into a personal prayer booklet.  Each one is MOST effective if prayed aloud, very slowly, meditating on Who+ HE+ is. 

It is recommended that each Guided Meditation will be prayed through, contemplatively, 3 times. Spontaneous prayer, worship, and most likely, tears of healing will follow such a Meditation.

Psalms or other Scripture verses can be added at will. 

So, on this Ash Wednesday, our first Guided Meditation will be the familiar "spiritual song"... 

Agnus Dei... The LAMB+ of GOD. 

O  LAMB+ of GOD,  
LORD JESUS CHRIST, 
Who+ taketh away the sin of the world...

have mercy upon us. 


O LAMB+ of GOD, 
LORD JESUS CHRIST, 
Bearer of our sins... 

have mercy upon us. 


O LAMB+ of GOD, 
LORD JESUS CHRIST, 
SAVIOR of the world... 

grant us Thy+ Peace.


Rubrics: 
This is to be repeated 2 X, slowly and reverently, pausing between the phrases, in order to become quieted enough to be aware of  His+ Presence.+  

The 3rd time through, replace US with "me",  OUR with "my" or your name. 

In The Name of The FATHER, 
HIS HOLY SON+, 
Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, 
and The Blessed 
HOLY SPIRIT. 
Amen.