Lent 2: 28th February 2021
Genesis 17:1 – 7, 15 – 16; Mark 8:31 – 38
Mark 8:31 – 38
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
Every year at this time in the liturgical calendar we find that there is plenty of advice given about what we might do and what we might not do – things we might do and things we might give up for the next few weeks. And it seems to me that they are all fine – but that we have to discern what is the right and appropriate course of action.
And perhaps that’s where the opening words of our collect for today comes in: that it is all to do with prayer and discipline. Certainly, prayer is a central feature of what we do in Lent, as is discipline. Taking things on for Lent – which is often what I favour – requires considerable discipline- to put time aside for reading (even secular reading) or learning new things is a disciplined exercise.
And so in Lent, whatever we do, there is prayer and discipline involved, and through that we might discover more deeply what it is to a Christian – that we might understand more of the suffering of Christ, and of his glory.And a part of all of that, of course is also understanding more deeply his life death and resurrection on earth.
I hope Lent is going well.
God bless
| We pray together…. Almighty God, by the prayer and discipline of Lent may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings, and by following in his Way come to share in his glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |
| Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy 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 those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. |
Go in the peace of Christ
Thanks be to God
Grateful thanks to the Revd. Jeanne Males for writing
Thought for the Day in 2020 and for continuing this in 2021