Notable Feast Days this Week
 
February 19 - Clean Monday, Beginning of Orthodox Lent 
February 20 - Eleutherius, Tournai, 532
February 21 - Peter Damian, 1072 (Roman Catholic)
February 22 - Baradates of Antioch, hermit, 460
February 23 - Polycarp of Smyrna, 156 
February 24 - Matthias, Apostle (Anglican, Lutheran, Western)
February 25 - Walburga, Bavaria, 779

Revised Common Lectionary

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Psalm 22:23-31
Romans 4:13-25
Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - Purple

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------- Second Sunday in Lent ------- February 25, 2018 (Year B)
A Faith Willing to Give Everything
Peter is rebuked because he misunderstood what it meant to follow Jesus. Jesus must suffer, even be put to death. To be his disciple means sacrifice as well. Such a thought was difficult for Peter, just as it is for us today. To lose one's life for Christ sake is to put self behind and serve others without thought of reward.
-James Kirk, in When We Gather: A Book of Prayers for Worship
Psalm of the Week
Scripture Readings
You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise...

Commentary on Psalm 22
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon, 
Thomas Aquinas

Audio
Psalm 22, Genesis 17, 
Romans 4, Mark 8
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
God blesses Abraham and Sarah

Romans 4:13-25
Righteousness through faith

Mark 8:31-38
A passion prediction and call to follow

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year
Chronological
The Lenten Journey

There is a “bright sadness” to the Lenten journey - a distinct awareness, begun with ashes, that we are frail. We are called to embrace humility and repentance instead of hubris and pride. We are on a journey toward Easter.

What begins with ashes ends in resurrection.
“Hunger and Healing” A Liturgical Video Meditation from Fuller Studio
A Prayer for Lent

God, give us grace, this Lent, so to lay to heart our ways, that we may weary of all which is not His, from Him, to Him: and may, through Him, the Living Way, by new love and obedience, attain to Him, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, is the End of our being, the Fulness of bliss of all creation, “the Eternal Infinite Truth, the origin, fountain, measure, end, and cause of all created truth,” the ever-blessed, beatific Life; to which He, of His mercy, bring us sinners, to Whom be all glory and thanksgiving and adoration and praise, for ever and ever. Amen. - E.B Pusey (1800-1882)

 
Quote
 
"Peace is not automatic. It is a gift of the grace of God. It comes when hearts are exposed to the love of Christ. But this always costs something. For the love of Christ was demonstrated through suffering and those who experience that love can never put it into practice without some cost." - Festo Kivengere (1919-1988)

Resources
Practicing Prayer
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  
-The Book of Common Prayer
Contemplative Prayer (View and Download)
Morning Prayer (View and Download)
Further Prayer Resources

Morning and Evening Prayer (Church of England-Protestant)
Liturgy of the Hours and Sung Breviary (Roman Catholic)
Sung Morning Prayer by Calvin Peters (Eastern Orthodox)
Audio Prayer Meditation (Pray as You Go)
Psalm Playlists
Singing Psalms and Hymns
Hymn suggestions for The Second Sunday of Lent (Year B) from Hymnary.org 

Hymns related to Psalm 22 from Hymnary.com

Folk Versions of the Agnus Dei - Blog post from Cardiphonia

My God, My God, Parts 1 & 2 | by The Welcome Wagon | Part 1 Leadsheet | Part 2 Leadsheet 

Come Ye Disconsolate | Arranged by Green Carpet Players | Leadsheet 

Psalm 22 | by Joel Limpic | Chord Chart

Be Not Far Off, for Grief is Near (Psalm 22) | KINGSFOLD Melody | Leadsheet 

Psalm 22 (Why Have You Forsaken Me?) | by Shane Heilman | Chord Chart

Psalm 22 (My God, My God) | by Marty Haugen | Leadsheet 

My God, My God (Psalm 22) | by Scot Crandal | Leadsheets

Psalm 22 | Metrical Options

Psalm 22 | Genevan Resources 

Psalm 22 Anglican Chant | Anglican Chant Psalter

Psalm 22 Pointed Chant | Chart | How to Sing Pointed Chant
Commentary on Mark 8:31-38
"When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is imposing a burden on us. But an order is no burden when it is given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There is no cause for despair—by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have Christ’s promise."
  -Caesarius of Arles
Music for Listening
Thematic Art 
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