16th March: Lent 2
online Morning Prayer.
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Having been promised by God that he would become father to great nations, Abram complains that he is still childless. He is told to offer a sacrifice and God will then repeat his promise.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Then he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.
Luke 13:31-35
At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’
Something to think about
Some of the Pharisees were sympathetic towards Jesus and his understanding of the Jewish faith. In a cryptic answer to their warnings, Jesus pointed out that many prophets in the past had been killed in Jerusalem. Jesus however, wished to draw people into the safety that he was offering to them.
Collect
Almighty God, by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in the Way may we come to share in the glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Post Communion
Almighty God,
you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves:
keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls;
that we may be defended from all adversities
which may happen to the body,
and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Next Sunday’s (23rd) Readings:
Isaiah 55:1-9
Luke 13:1-9
Please remember in your prayers this week:
Those who are sick or suffering, including Tim Sadler, Linda Torr, Margaret Marsden, Nadia and the Rev.Prebendary Derek Tinsley, or very elderly, especially Arthur Williams.
The recently bereaved, especially the friends and relatives of Gerald Humphries, Stella Young, Angela Hunt and Molly Bradley.
Areas of conflict: the Ukraine, the Middle East and too many others.
Our local churches, as they face up to the problems of the future, such as the interregnum.
Our Ministry Team: Maggie, Nigel & Lynda and her support: Simon.