In this second week
of Lent, Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah, as God now names them. God
then establishes a covenant with Abraham and his descendants forever.
The Psalmist instructs us in the praise of God and the great and multiple
reasons for it.
Following
on with the story from Genesis, Paul explains Abraham's righteousness
of faith. In other words, his moral and virtuous faithfulness that is in
the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead
and calls into existence the things that do not exist. The promise of
Abraham’s inheritance comes not through the Law, but through his strength of faith.
Paul then says that Abraham, hoping against hope, believed
what God told him about all that was to come. Swiss theologian Heinrich Emil
Brunner [1899-1966] once said that What oxygen is for lungs,
such is hope to the meaning of life. And so, with hope in place,
Abraham and Sarah, with a few hiccups along the way, yet still giving glory to
God, journeyed on. Abraham, giving witness to his faith repeatedly, and hope
and meaning to all of our lives, has ultimately become the Patriarch of the
three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam;
in that, we ALL are the Children of Abraham. For Christians,
he is the prototype of faith in the God that brings us to Jesus.
In
the Gospel reading from Mark, Jesus gets serious with the disciples about his
imminent future. Peter decides to challenge these notions of the suffering and
death to come, and Jesus, in a stunning and rather stern moment, rebukes Peter,
calling him Satan. This is a direct cue for us. To
continue setting our minds on human things and not divine in everyday life, is
to give us pause, to stop for a moment and think about the words of
Jesus: For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit
their life? If we are so tied to “this” life, losing it for the sake
of Jesus and for the sake of the Gospel is neither comfortable
nor comforting to contemplate.
Sure,
I know “I can’t take it with me” but there’s stuff I want while I’m here.
What’s wrong with having nice things and living well? There’s not so much wrong
with it, but the real question is: when is enough enough? The constant
acquiring of “stuff” may be more of a detriment to our souls and spirits than
we recognize, and, may be more about trying to fill a hole in our human spirits
through material satisfaction rather than a faith-journey with Christ.
There is much to be gained in this human
experience in the simplicity of and gratitude for life itself, and through
discarding a false sense of need for so many possessions. We are to evaluate need
vs.want. We are then free to savor the beauty of God’s presence in the
pleasure of a sunset, a child’s glee, a piece of music or art, or even better,
in the mutually fulfilling act of giving peace to another’s soul through a
smile, a meal, or just listening.
Speaking of our faith publicly ~ witnessing ~ is difficult for many of us. But,
our human sojourn is brief, and we know not the day nor the hour that it will
end, no matter who we are or who we think we are. Following Jesus in our
thoughts, words, and actions speaks more to people than quoting the Bible.
As disciples of Christ in our own day, even as we ourselves often push forward
with hope against hope, we are called to bear personal witness
to the glory of God in Jesus and live out our days by, in, and for the sake of
the Gospel, protected by God’s everlasting covenant. The gift
of Lent is the time to explore the basics of faith, such as these three Rs: Reflect,
Repent, and Re-start our true and faithful life. Remember, Repent
in its simplest form means to turn toward God. When we do and face up to
the mistakes we make in our lives ~ some more serious than others ~ we are forgiven,
and, there’s another R, Reward, a new or even renewed sense of
spiritual well-being that begins in this life and grows in the next. Seriously!
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O
God Almighty, fill us with the faithfulness of Abraham and guide us to seek the
names You give to our souls. Open us to receive and accept, the bond of Your
everlasting covenant, as we give witness to Your saving deeds with our own
faith, our praise, and our action.
O Lord of Presence and Promise
RESPONSE: Set our minds on
You
~ O
God Almighty, infuse the leaders of our Planet, our Country, and our
Community with reason, justice, and humanity, that they may govern with clarity
of judgment and charity of spirit. We pray especially for: add
your own petitions
O Lord of Presence and Promise
Set
our minds on You
~ O
God Almighty, hear the cries and grant Your healing grace to all who are ill in
body, mind, or spirit, and grant respite for those who tend their
needs. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add
your own petitions
O Lord of Presence and Promise
Set
our minds on You
~ O
God Almighty, we commend to Your care all who sleep in the earth, yet
whose souls You gave life to again, in Your everlasting peace and
glory. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
O Lord of Presence and Promise
Set
our minds on You
~ O
God Almighty, we pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add
your own petitions
O Lord of Presence and Promise
Set
our minds on You
~ O
God Almighty, nourish the faith of all who lead us in Your Church with the
Gospel’s unchangeable Truth, as they walk with us toward salvation in
Christ. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O Lord of Presence and Promise
Set
our minds on You
The
Celebrant adds: God
of Abraham, Sarah, and all Your People, You promise us life unending and
love without limit for the mere price of our enduring faith. We come to You
imperfect, yet willing to use these days of Lent and beyond, for resisting the
temptations of this life in exchange for bliss and blessedness in the next. We
ask this through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ; and Your Holy Spirit, our
Sanctifier; who live and reign with You, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
