Notable Feast Days this Week
 
March 5 - Kieran, Saighir, 530
March 6 - Tibba, Castor, c.680
March 7 - Perpetua, Felicity & Co, 203 AD (Western)
March 7 - Paul the Simple, Egypt, 339
March 8 - Hermes, Romans 16:14 (Eastern)
March 9 - Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, 320 (Eastern)
March 9 - Gregory of Nyssa, 395 (Anglican and Roman)
March 10 - Quadratus & Co, Corinth, 258 AD
March 11 - Angus the Culdee, Ireland, 624

Revised Common Lectionary

Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 3:14-21

Daily Readings (RCL)
Liturgical Color - Purple

Share
Tweet
Forward
------- Fourth Sunday in Lent ------- March 11, 2018 (Year B)
He Gave His Son
Give thanks to the Lord (Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22), for the power of sin was broken on the cross (Numbers 21:4-9). For God so loved the world that he gave his Son (John 3:14-21); by his grace and mercy, we are saved (Ephesians 2:1-10).
-Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional
Psalm of the Week
Scripture Readings
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south...Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy...

Commentary on Psalm 107
Augustine, Calvin, Spurgeon

Audio
Psalm 107, Numbers 21, 
Ephesians 2, John 3
Numbers 21:4-9
The serpent is lifted up in the wilderness

Ephesians 2:1-10
Alive in Christ

John 3:14-21
The Son of Man is lifted up

Daily Readings
Revised Common Lectionary

Daily Readings
Book of Common Prayer

The Entire Bible in One Year
Chronological
Prayer for Lent

God of infinite goodness and mercy, we cannot escape your presence. Your promise remains with us in every situation. When we are desolate, your Spirit comes to comfort us. Amid our tribulation, your Chosen One remains our firm hope. We can sing your song in whatever land we find our abode. We shall forever give thanks for the gift of your grace. You are God who never forsakes us. To you be glory and praise now and forever. Amen. - Rev. James Kirk, from When We Gather: A Book of Prayers for Worship


Quotes
 
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. (Ave crux spes unica - Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope)
-Traditional phrase associated with the Stations of the Cross

"The Cross to me is certain salvation. The Cross is that which I ever adore. The Cross of the Lord is with me. The Cross is my refuge." - Thomas Aquinas

"Even in the depth of any spiritual night, in the shadow of death, in the midnight of afflictions and tribulations, God brings light out of darkness and gives his saints occasion of glorifying him, not only in the dark (though it be dark) but from the dark (because it is dark). . . . This is a way inconceivable by any, inexpressible to any, but those that have felt that manner of God’s proceeding in themselves, that be the night what night it will . . . they see God better in the dark." - John Donne

“Lent is here to remind us that the mercy of God is ours provided we embrace his law of love; provided we realize that it’s going to hurt, and hurt plenty, but that the very hurting will be a healing. That is the paradox of God, that while you hurt, you heal. That’s true healing. - Catherine De Hueck Doherty

Resources
Practicing Prayer
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; 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
Hymn suggestions for The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B) from Hymnary.org 

Hymns related to Psalm 107 from Hymnary.com

Christ is Made the Sure Foundation | Music: Henry Purcell / Words: Latin, c7th--8th century, translated by John Mason Neale | Leadsheet (SATB)

Good to Me | by Craig Musseau | Leadsheet | Chord Chart

We Are Not Overcome | by Robert Heiskell | Leadsheet 

Psalm 107 (Give Thanks to God Who Hears Our Cries) | Words: Ruth C. Duck / from Psalm 107 / Music: Elkanah K. Dare Consolation (Kentucky Harmony) and Morning Song | Leadsheet | Capo Leadsheet

Praise the Name of the Lord (Psalm 107) | Jazz Psalm by Daniel Richardson and Angel Napieralski | Leadsheet

Psalm 107 Refrain | from The Emergent Psalter | Leadsheet

Psalm 107 | Metrical Options

Psalm 107 | Genevan Resources 

Psalm 107 Anglican Chant | Anglican Chant Psalter

Psalm 107 Pointed Chant | Chart | How to Sing Pointed Chant
Commentary on John 3:14-21
"The text, “God so loved the world,” shows such an intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. The immortal, the infinite majesty without beginning or end loved those who were but dust and ashes, who were loaded with ten thousand sins but remained ungrateful even as they constantly offended him. This is who he “loved.” For God did not give a servant, or an angel or even an archangel “but his only begotten Son." -Chrysostom
Music for Listening
Art 
Enjoying this newsletter? Become a patron of the Liturgy Letter on Patreon; an on-going crowd funding service where you can commit to as little as $1 a month or set a maximum limit. Anything helps!

Thank you for your support.
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*