For three years a young man traveled around an occupied state at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, preaching, and teaching, and healing. The longer he did what he was doing, the more it became evident to him that he was engendering a growing number of theological and political enemies. While he lived, only Jesus of Nazareth understood that his crucifixion was virtually inevitable, and that his impending cross was unavoidable. Let us therefore, with confidence, worship the God who sent the man who was certain to die on a cross, and by it to show us the way to life eternal.
Pastoral Prayer
The Lenten epic continues, O God, as once again we ponder who Jesus was, why he did and said what he said and did, what it meant then, and what it means now. By Thy spirit working within us, we have been enabled to see that in Jesus of Nazareth Thou hast set about to transform the world, and to make us agents in the transformation. Prevent us from becoming so caught up in our own cares and concerns that we neglect fully to become Christ-ians, to devote ourselves to Thy kingdom which Jesus both proclaimed and founded. Enable us to see there is something unique which only each of us can do for Thee, and that until we become sufficiently committed to Jesus Christ we cannot become sufficiently committed to Thee. May the light which shone in him also shine in us, so that Thy kingdom may come more visibly on earth as surely as it is visible in heaven.
We thank Thee on this day in particular for the willingness Jesus displayed throughout his public ministry to do and say the things he knew would ultimately result in his being executed by those most reviled by his teachings. Help each of us to take up our own crosses and to follow him more devotedly. Teach us truly to count the cost of our discipleship, rather than to assume we are Christians merely because we or others say we are. Inspire us to be willing to die for our faith even as we try to convince ourselves that we are living for our faith.
We pray for people for whom faith is the most distant thing in their minds: for the broken of body or spirit, whose lives have been torn asunder by circumstance and who have become convinced that Thou dost not exist or that Thou dost not care about them or anyone else even if Thine existence is not in question to them; for those who are recently bereaved, and who wonder how they shall ever learn to live with the death of someone greatly loved; for the economically and financially burdened who are faced with straitened circumstances and can see no way out of their troubles; for the very old, who long for death and they think it is far too leisurely in its visit to them; for people in positions of any kind of leadership who must exercise wisdom and decisiveness and who feel they lack both. We are weak, but Thou art mighty; hold us with Thy powerful hand. These things we ask in Jesus’ name, praying now together as he taught his disciples, saying, Our Father….