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THE
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT FEBRUARY 29, 2004 “Lenten
Disciplines” Fr. John Spencer The season of Lent has begun. Are we ready for it?
We have anticipated Lent this year with a preparation time in response
to our bishop's call to a season of repentance, prayer and fasting for our
diocese and our church. Historically the church has advocated two cardinal disciplines
for the observance of Lent - prayer and fasting. (Cardinal comes from the Latin word for "hinge,"
and indicates something that is pivotal.) We are also called to reading Scripture. Why is Scripture reading not mentioned as another cardinal
discipline of the Lenten season?
Reading Scripture is a form of prayer. In its simplest definition, prayer is communication with
God. When we think of prayer, we
often think only of what we say to God.
We have a tendency to forget that communication is a two-way street
and that God also has things to say to us. Most of us have not heard God speak to us audibly, although this
sometimes happens. More of us
have had God speak to us through thoughts and impressions. When God speaks in this way, speaking
to our hearts, it is not always clear.
It may take time for us to discern what God is impressing on our
hearts and minds and time to verify His message. We do have, however, clear communication from God in
Scripture. We call the Bible
"the word of God," and it is His word, His communication with
us. As we read Scripture and
become familiar with it, we hear God's word to us. Knowledge of Scripture also helps us clarify and verify
the messages we receive from God when He speaks to our hearts. Today's gospel, Luke 4:1-13, is the account of the temptation of Jesus,
after his forty-day fast in the dessert. Note that Jesus answered Satan's temptation by quoting the
Scriptures. Now Jesus didn't have a Bible in His hands or a pocket-sized Old
Testament in His hip pocket.
When we think of the Scripture, we think of compact books which are
easily portable. In Jesus' day, the
Scripture was in rolls, bulky and difficult to handle. Jesus didn't listen to Satan's
temptation, say, "Just a minute," consult with the concordance in
the back of His Bible and then answer. Jesus carried the Scripture with Him in His mind and heart. His knowledge of Scripture was
largely by memorization. He know
Scripture well, especially the Psalms.
During His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, using the words of the 22nd Psalm. We can pray in the same words in which our Lord prayed, by using
the Scriptures in our prayers.
Make Scripture reading a part of your Lenten discipline. Read the Scripture, asking God to
speak to you in the words you read.
Use the Psalms and the epistles as you praise God in prayer and pray
for others in intercession. A few comments about the movie, The Passion of Christ. This movie shows us the truth. It tells us what happened and depicts
the magnitude of what Christ suffered for us. The movie starts in the Garden of Gethsemane. The temptation of Christ didn’t end
in the desert. Satan kept
looking for “an opportune time” to continue his temptation of Christ. He was continually trying to side-track
Him from His purpose. Satan’s temptations, of Christ and of us, are lies. Satan is a liar; he doesn’t keep his
promises. He tempted Christ, as he tempts us, to take a short-cut, to rely on
miracles and popularity instead of obedience to God. Jesus overcame the temptations with prayer. He used the Scriptures to pray. Remember, when God set out His plan to redeem a sinful world, He
didn’t make a movie! Recommendations:
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