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Notable Feast Days this Week

March 12 - Gregory the Great, Rome, 604
March 13 - Gerald of Mayo, 732
March 14 - Benedict of Nursia, 547 (Eastern)
March 15 - Leocritia, Spain, 859
March 16 - Julian of Antioch, 302
March 17 - Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, 460
March 17 - Gertrude, Nivelles, 659
March 18 - Cyril of Jerusalem, 386

Revised Common Lectionary

Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 51:1-12
or Psalm 119:9-16
Hebrew 5:5-10
John 12:20-33

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - Purple

Forward

-------- Fifth Sunday in Lent -------- March 18, 2018 (Year B)

Fresh Faith and a Clean Heart

"The old passes away, the new emerges. The grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies. From it springs the stalk that in time produces much fruit. Death's sting is tempered by the promise of new life. Do not cling to old ways that hinder your ability to realize the hope of the gospel. Rather, let what you glean from the past lead to fresh insight, so that you may mature in faith."

- Rev. James Kirk, from When We Gather: A Book of Prayers for Worship

"Create in us clean hearts, O Lord (Psalm 51:1-12); write your law on our hearts and forget our sins forever (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Christ, who was divine, took on human flesh in order to give us eternal salvation (Hebrews 5:5-10). Follow him. Walk in the light (John 12:20-33)."

-Thomas Oden, from Ancient Christian Devotional

Psalm of the Week

Scripture Readings

Psalm 51:1-12

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil...

Commentary on Psalm 51
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon,
Aquinas, John Paul II

Audio
Psalm 51, Jeremiah 31,
Hebrews 5, John 12

Jeremiah 31:31-34
A covenant that is written on the heart

Hebrews 5:5-10
Salvation through suffering

John 12:20-33
A grain of wheat dies to bring new life

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year

Chronological

Prayer for Lent

O Lord, the helper of the helpless, the hope of those who are past hope, the savior of the tempest-tossed, the harbor of the voyagers, the physician of the sick; you know each soul and our prayer, each home and its need; become to each one of us what we most dearly require, receiving us all into your kingdom, making us children of light; and pour on us your peace and love, O Lord our God. Amen.
-Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

Quotes

Temptations, of course, cannot be avoided, but because we cannot prevent the birds from flying over our heads, there is no need that we should let them nest in our hair.
—Martin Luther (1483-1546)

"And in His will is our peace."
—Dante, Paradiso, Canto III, line 85.

"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
— Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (The Gulag Archipelago)

"The meaning of redemption is precisely that we do not have to BE our history."
- Flannery O' Connor

Resources

The Bible Project Videos: Jeremiah, Hebrews, and John 1-12
Holy Week and Easter Resource Guide from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Simplified Stations of the Cross for Kids
Art Meditation - Vincent Van Gogh, “The Sower”
Lectionary Sermon Resources for Lent and Holy Week 2018
Confession, Absolution, Kyrie - Article by Peter Leithart

Practicing Prayer

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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

Commentary on John 12:20-33

“Father, save me from this hour, deliver me, rescue me from the moment of death that now threatens me.” This prayer corresponds with the one he offered on the Mount of Olives, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” But here he directly adds this correction, “But for this reason I came to this hour.” That is to say, “For this reason I have come to the earth, to submit to this decisive moment.” This is also the way he prays on the Mount of Olives, “But not mine, but your will be done.” -Heinrich Bullinger

More Historic Commentary
(View and Download)

Music for Listening

Art

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