Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Wednesday of the First Week In Lent

March 7, 2017 by Fr. C.


atonement

We can do nothing to make atonement for our misdoings, or to deserve forgiveness. But God has provided a ransom, He has made the needful atonement, He has rendered the perfect obedience. In Him who has thus redeemed us we are called to put our trust.

The purpose which He had in view in His Incarnation, Temptation, Passion, and Resurrection, was to redeem us from all iniquity. His name, Jesus, testifies that He came to save us from our sins, and not merely from the bitter consequences of them. He cannot save us from these unless He saves us from our sins themselves. The impure must become pure; the ill-tempered, patient and forbearing; the proud, humble and gentle towards all; the selfish, generous, kind, and charitable, or they have little reason to think that they have as yet any part in His salvation.

So, then, real repentance must issue in amendment of life. Plainly our sorrow has not been real, and our confession has not been honest, if we go away and willingly do as we have done before.

Even the most perfect reformation of ourselves would not, however, make full amends to God for any wrong that we have done in disobedience to His commandments; but the perfect obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ has made full amends. In His atonement we can have no part, neither can we make adequate amends to God for the wrong we have done to Him. But if we have done any injury or unkindness to anyone else, we must ask his pardon, and seek to be reconciled to him, as also we must be willing to forgive any that have injured us, if we desire to be forgiven by God.

We must also, if we are the wrong-doers, do anything we can do to make reparation for the wrong done, if that is at all possible. If we are really sorry for it, we shall wish to make good the wrong we have done. And if we desire God’s pardon we shall wish to do His will; and His commandment is, that if we have done any wrong to another, then, for love’s sake, we should endeavor to make it good.

Prayer

O Lord Jesu Christ, I humbly beseech Thee to save me from all my sins, and to help me to forgive that I may be forgiven. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Medititions, Prayer, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Tuesday of the First Week in Lent

March 6, 2017 by Fr. C.


MISERERE-CONFESSION

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but he whose confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”  God naturally desires and expects that if we are sorry for our sins we shall tell Him that this is so, and also confess to Him the sins and misdoings which have thus made us sorry. He knows what our faults are better than we know ourselves; but nevertheless it is only reasonable that He should require us to acknowledge them before Him if we would obtain forgiveness from Him.

A father asks no less of his child who has disobeyed him: “Only tell me what you have done,” he is likely to say, “and I will forgive you; “and a master expects no less of a servant who has failed in his service. Any one of us, indeed, who has been wronged expects him who did the wrong to acknowledge it if he desires to be reconciled. And shall we treat God with less respect than we demand from one another? He does not wish to worry us if He asks us thus to make confession to Him; it is for our profit no less than for the satisfaction of His honor. “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou halt transgressed against the Lord.”

To do this is a great advantage to ourselves also. For our sins are thus made to pass before our own eyes also, and we also are brought face to face with our faults so that we must thenceforward be aware of them, and know what they are. Again, by confession we also unburden ourselves of our sins before God, and lay them down at the foot of the cross of our Savior, that His blood may wash them all away.

It may be humbling to do this, but that, again, is just what we need. When we have been thoroughly humbled we are spiritually safer. When we have honestly confessed any sin with a true, penitent heart we shall be the less likely to repeat it, and the better able to resist all temptations to yield to it again.

Prayer

Grant me grace, O God, I beseech Thee, with all humility and earnestness to confess my sins unto Thee, that Thou mayest forgive me all my sins, and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Posted in Confession, Lent, Penance, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Monday of the First Week of Lent

March 5, 2017 by Fr. C.


during-the-lenten-season-meme

AFTER self-examination naturally comes repentance, which is not merely sorrow for sin, nor merely confession of sin, nor merely the amendment of our lives; but all these three taken together.

Self-examination has shown me that I need forgiveness. That I may obtain it I must be sorry for my sins, but why should I thus be sorry? If we have sinned, we have sinned against God the Father, who made us, and gave us all that we have.  We have sinned against God the Son.  We have sinned against Christ ho so loved mankind that He humbled Himself to be made man, that as man He might share in our labours, sorrows, and temptations.  This is the One who, having perfectly obeyed in all things so that He did not deserve to die, laid down His life in weakness, agony, and shame for us. Despite our sins and betrayals, H rose triumphant over death, and ascended into Heaven, there to prepare a place for us also, and to plead on our behalf until His coming again.

As well, we have sinned against God the Holy Ghost, who regenerated us in baptism, and is grieved when we sin, and so constrain Him to withdraw from us. So, then, if God is grieved by my sins surely I should feel sorry for it. If He offered Himself a sacrifice in tears and blood that my sin might be blotted out, shall I not also weep

Moreover, sin, whether great or small, is always a source of unhappiness. If I do anything that spoils my happiness I naturally regret it. And if I have any regard for my happiness and peace should I not, then, be sorry for the wrong things I have thought, or said, or done, inasmuch as they will most surely sooner or later have this effect? I have dared to disregard God’s Law, and to disobey His Word; and now, instead of punishing me, He desires to forgive me. But this Ho cannot do unless I am sorry. “The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, 0 God, thou wilt not despise.”  Psalm 11.17.

Prayer

Almighty God, I beseech Thee by Thy Holy Spirit to fill me with godly sorrow that I may offer unto Thee the acceptable sacrifice of a broken spirit; and so obtain forgiveness from Thee, through Him Who by His perfect sacrifice of Himself taketh away the sin of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Prayer | 2 Comments »

First Sunday in Lent-A Prayer

March 4, 2017 by Fr. C.


lent-i

A Prayer for My Parish

Gracious and loving God, we ask you to send
your Holy Spirit upon our parish to fill us
with love. Make us instruments of your love to
everyone that we encounter at home, at work,
in our neighborhoods, and in our parish community.

Work through us so that we can bring your
truth to those who are searching for you.
Help us to grow in gratitude so that we can
recognize and thank you for all the good
things you have given us.

Instill in us a deep sense of generosity so
that we are willing to share our gifts,
our talents, our time, and our treasure.

Deepen our desire to follow your will and to
do all things for your honor and glory.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord
and Savior. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Prayer, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

March 3, 2017 by Fr. C.


lenten-prayer

But why should I take self-examination in hand now? Because that which may be done at any time is often not done at all, and it is well, therefore, to have a time for everything. And if our self-examination be sincere and thorough it ought to lead to our having a share in the sorrow of our blessed Lord in the wilderness, who sorrowed on account of our sins, and because of the ruin and unhappiness which sin inevitably produces.

  1. If He asks us to put away our sins it is for our own good that He does so, that, purifying ourselves even as He is pure, we may have a share in His peace now and a place in His everlasting kingdom hereafter.
  2. There is no real difficulty in self-examination if we are honest with ourselves. All we have to do is to open our eyes and endeavor to see things as they are, not to deceive ourselves, nor to blind ourselves to the truth, but to endeavour to make out clearly whether we are in all things striving to live according to God’s will or not. “Know thyself,” was one of the maxims of ancient wisdom. To have self-knowledge is to be forearmed.
  3. If anything is worth doing at all it is worth doing well; but no one can do his work well who does not examine it from time to time as he goes on, that he may be sure that he is making no mistake in doing it. In our service of God, to which we were pledged in our baptism, we may, in like manner, make many mistakes if we do not seek guidance and advice from others, and if we do not now and then look at our lives that we may see what the course of them may be, and examine our consciences that we may take note of what they have to say with regard to our daily lives. ” Examine yourselves,” wrote St. Paul to the Corinthians, “examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” II Corinthians xiii. 5

Prayer

Teach me, O God, I beseech Thee, and show me all my faults; and then make me to be truly sorry for them, and help me to put them from me, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Medititions, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Friday after Ash Wednesday

March 2, 2017 by Fr. C.


spiritual-direction

I have thought of self-examination as a duty to be performed in Lent.  Now let’s consider what self-examination is.  As its name implies, it is a taking of ourselves to task at set seasons.  We take stock of ourselves so that we may see whether we are going backward or forward in our love and obedience towards God.

A merchant at certain intervals takes stock of his goods that he may see how his temporal affairs stand; whether his business is prospering and whether he is able to pay his way. He knows that, if he did not do this, his loss might be very great.  If he did not sometimes put his receipts and stock side by side with his expenses, and see on which side the balance lies, he might find some day that his expenses had outrun his receipts.  Then, his own great loss and confusion he was not able to pay his debts. It is something like this when we endeavor to see from time to time how we are going on, and how we stand towards God, lest when it is too late we find that we have been neglecting or disobeying Him, perhaps without thinking about it, or deliberately intending it.

DIRECT us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This, then, must be my endeavor. I need not worry myself, but quietly, and with all simplicity, ask myself what is my aim m life; and whether my aim, like that of the Lord Jesus Christ, is to do the will of God. But if I am not careful, I may think that I am doing God’s will when I am not; or I may be failing to obey His word, and yet perhaps not troubling myself much on account of it. Or I may be giving way to some fault which God calls me to renounce and overcome; or I may be leading myself astray by allowing myself to think that I have nothing to repent of when I have; or that sins and follies indulged in earlier life are forgiven because I have forgotten them; when I have no real reason to suppose that they are pardoned, since I have never confessed them to God, nor asked Him to forgive me through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Help me, then, 0 God, for. His sake, to look well ‘into my heart and life, that, Confessing and forsaking my sins, I may obtain forgiveness through Him. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

March 1, 2017 by Fr. C.


supreme-humility

I have resolved that, by the help of God, I will pray and strive for the fulfilment of His will con­cerning me. I want to make a new start; to begin afresh, as though I had newly come to the service of God.

If so, I shall have to begin with quiet, thoughtful, self-examination; and then I must humbly acknow­ledge my faults. And if I am to do this aright, I need the new and contrite heart for which we are taught to pray during Lent. The very word ” contrition” carries with it the idea of sorrow, but it is reasonable and manly if we have done wrong to be sorry for it, and to acknowledge it. This, then, is my first point; I need to have the evil of my past life blotted out, that free and unburdened I may make a new beginning in my endeavour to serve God, to make glad the heart of my father and mother, to gratify the good wishes of my friends, and to do credit to myself. For it would be of little avail to lay the confession of my past sins before Him who bore our sins in His own body on the cross, if I did not hope and intend to go forward in His service for the time to come.

And I must be good if I would do good. “A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit.” * If I am to live a new life, I need. a new heart. ” A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” This new creation within us, like all the works of God, is gradual. I must take my part therein. As 1 must work with God in order to the maintenance of my bodily life, and the development of my physical strength, using food, sleep, and exercise, the means which He has provided; so also I must work with Him in the maintenance and development of my spiritual life. And He who calls me to this work will –Himself work with me, that it may at length be brought to a successful issue.

Yea, 0 Almighty God, send upon me, I pray Thee, the Holy Spirit from on high, and create in me a new and contrite heart, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted in Lent, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Lent-An Opening Hymn

March 1, 2017 by Fr. C.


We are blessed to have sung Morning Prayer at Saint Alban’s daily at 8:00 a.m.   This morning we began Lent with Hymn 20, first tune, from The English Hymnal Noted.

opening-hymn2

Posted in Lent, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Meditation for Ash Wednesday-2017

February 28, 2017 by Fr. C.


ash wednesday

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children…”                                                                                                                                                                                    -Joel 2:15

WHY should I keep Lent? Lent is a time of self, denial and self-examination, and while I am young, and strong, and active I may surely put this aside until I have need to be more serious. But still is it not the case that the truest man or woman and the noblest boy or girl are they who, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, lov­ingly obey His precepts, imitate His example, and follow in His footsteps?

I cannot help feeling that it is infinitely better to be pure than to be impure, to be true than to be false, to be humble than to be proud, to be brave than to be a coward. I also know that it is impossible to be pure, and true, and humble, and brave without a struggle. It is through toil and trouble that we enter into almost everything that is worth entering into in this life; and it is only through much tribula­tion that we can enter into the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of truth and purity and love.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself spent forty days in the wilderness, and when He was tempted, overcame every temptation. The two great saints who appeared with Him in His glory on the Mount of the Transfigu­ration, also spent a like period of retirement, Moses twice and Elijah once. Moses was preparing himself for his great work of giving God’s law to His people; and Elijah for God’s revelation of Himself to him by means of the “still, small, voice.”

And I, too, may have much to learn this Lent both concerning God and concerning myself; and per­chance some faults to overcome, whether I be well aware of them or only dimly conscious of them, or indeed not yet aware of them at all. Or I may have some virtues to gain, of which, perhaps, I am now sadly in need.

Therefore, O God, teach me by Thy Holy Spirit to know Thee, and to know myself; and help me, I pray Thee, to keep this Lent devoutly and profitably, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Posted in Lent, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

February 27, 2017 by Fr. C.


lent-prayer

Morning.

Earnest, regular prayer If you are unaccustomed to keeping the Daily Offices, here are some patterns of prayer that you can use during Lent.  It is a desirable thing that you learn to take on Morning and Evening Prayer as a regular discipline, but, these patterns and prayers are a good place to start and, for the really busy person, they form a sufficient pattern of prayer for the day.

Do not allow yourself to be rushed.  Get out of bed early enough that you can say your prayers with attention and clarity.  Kneel down, and try to put away for the moment all other thoughts, and to feel that you are in God’s presence.

Lord, have mercy upon me.
Christ, have mercy upon me.
Lord, have mercy upon me.

Our Father, &c.

The Collect or Collects for the week (or for the day, if it be a holy day or feast day).

Praised be the Lord daily;
Even the God who helpeth us, and poureth His benefits upon us.
I laid me down and slept, and rose up again:
For the Lord sustained me.

Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

Lord, hear my prayer,
And let my cry come unto Thee.

ALMIGHTY GOD, our Heavenly Father, who hath graciously preserved me during the past night, have mercy, upon me, I pray Thee, and vouchsafe to cleanse me from all stain of sin in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour; keep me, I beseech Thee, from all harm and evil during this day, and grant that through the grace of Thy Holy Spirit I may truly love, and serve, and warship, Thee, O God, to the glory of Thy Name, both this and all the days of my life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYERS.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, Son of the living God, and Saviour of the world, who west made man, and nailed to the bitter Cross to save us from sin and to redeem us from death; help me, I humbly beseech Thee, O My Lord and Saviour, to resist all tempta­tions, and to overcome all my faults, to be watchful over myself, and to follow Thee in the blessed steps of Thy most holy life, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.

Read over, quietly and thoughtfully, the reading for the day in the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer; and when you rise and go to your occupation, remember that the love of God should be in all things our motive, and that the fear of God is always a great protection against temptation.

Midday.

If your occupations afford you the opportunity, try to secure a few moments for a short prayer at mid­day. Thus:

O Saviour of the world, who by Thy cross and precious blood hath redeemed us; save me, and help me, I humbly beseech Thee, O Lord.

Our Father, &c.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and. the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Evening.

Kneel down, clear you mind and try to forget everything else, and say: O God, Thou searcher of our hearts, I am in Thy presence, have mercy upon me and help me truly to examine myself, I beseech Thee.

  1. Did I get up in proper time this morning, and did I say my prayers reverently and carefully?
  2. Have I done all things to-day faithfully and well that I might please God, and glorify His name?
  3. Have I today done, or said, or thought anything I am ashamed of; anything that I know and feel must offend God, and. grieve His Holy Spirit? (Don’t hurry over this question, but think well before you answer it)
  4. Have I today done any wrong to any one, or led any one to do wrong?
  5. Have I any reason to think that I am growing better, and living more and more according to God’s Will.

Then confess to God the sins and faults which your self-examination may have brought to light, and pray for forgiveness. You may use some such form as this:

O GOD, the FATHER, the Son, and the HOLY GHOST, I am sorry that I have sinned against Thee, and I confess unto Thee my faults; I confess that I have sinned, that I have . . . O Heavenly Father, I beseech Thee to pardon me for His sake who bore our sins in His own body on the cross, and now ever liveth to make intercession for us: make me, I pray Thee, more sorry. for my faults, and help me by Thy Holy Spirit to over. come them all, through the Same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(If your examination and confession are made in a merely formal way without any earnest feeling, it may do you no good, and you will not receive pardon from God.)

OUT FATHER, &C.

Unto Thee, O LORD, will I pay my vows;
Unto Thee do I give thanks.
I will lay me down in peace and take my rest;
For it is Thou, Lord, only that makest me dwell in
safety.

Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.

Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto Thee.

ALMIGHTY God, our Heavenly Father, who halt given us the day for work and the night for rest, I humbly beseech Thee to take me under Thy gracious care during this night, and to grant that as Thy holy angels always do Thee service in heaven, so by Thy ap­pointment they may succour and defend us on earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ADDITIONAL PRAYERS

O GOD, with whom the darkness is as clear as the light, and who art about our path and about our bed, keep me, I beseech Thee, that in nothing I may offend Thee; and grant that at morning light I may rise refreshed and glad to enjoy Thy mercies, and by Thy grace to do Thee service, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O GOD, whom I desire to love and obey, grant, I beseech Thee, that, abiding by faith in Thy blessed Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, I may be evermore guided, strengthened, and sanctified by Thy Holy Spirit, that so I may in all things do Thy will, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I thank Thee, O God, for the blessings of the day past, and of this life in general ; and for my crea­tion, redemption, and regeneration, for Thy grace, and for my faith in Thee, I desire most humbly to thank Thee, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be­seeching Thee graciously to hear my prayers, and to grant me Thy peace and Thy blessing, both this night and for evermore. Amen.

You may add prayers for other blessings in your own words. The following are suggested as blessings which you will always do well to pray for, although of course you need not pray for them all at any one time.

  • That you may have grace to purify yourself in thought, word, and deed, even as the Lord Jesus Christ is pure; and that you may grow more and more like unto Him in all things.
  • That you may be sanctified in body, soul, and spirit, through the grace of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.
  • That God will teach you to pray, and also to do His will.
  • That He will help you to worship Him in spirit and in truth, and to obey His commandments.
  • That He will help you, fighting manfully under Christ’s banner, to conqueryour besetting sin, and to cast it from you.
  • That He will give you grace to watch and pray, and to resist all the temptations by which you may be assailed.
  • That you may increase in every Christian grace, and persevere in every good word and work.
  • That you may be able to live peaceably with all, and that you may have grace always to do to all as you would have them do to you.
  • That you may do all your work honestly, diligently, and faithfully.
  • That you may have strength and energy to do all things thoroughly and well.
  • That you may be prospered in all things according to God’s will.
  • That you may always set before you your duty, and be enabled always to do that which is right.
  • That you may be blessed with health and strength, with vigour and activity.
  • That God will pour upon your father and mother His grace and heavenly benediction.
  • That He will keep your brothers and sisters from all harm and evil, and guide and prosper them in all things.
  • That to all your relations and friends He will grant His mercy, and His grace according to the need of each of them.
  • That you and your daily companions may live in brotherly love, helping one another in all good things.
  • That God will guide and strengthen your Bishop and Clergy, and prosper their work according to His will.
  • That He will comfort and succour the sick, the sor­rowful, and all who are in need, or danger.
  • That He will strengthen and encourage the faint­hearted, the desponding, and all who are sorely tempted.
  • That He will awaken the sinful and the careless, and lead them to repentance.
  • That the heathen may everywhere be gathered into the fold of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted in Lent, Prayer, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »