Making it Through the Wilderness

First Sunday in Lent (Year C)

Deuteronomy 26.1-11; Luke 4.1-13

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:25)

 

While Lent officially began four days ago on Ash Wednesday, there is a part of me that feels like the period between Ash Wednesday and the First Sunday in Lent is a time to ease into our Lenten journey. A time to get up to speed, as it were. Now, that is not the official position of the Church; it’s just my personal view. I think it is because on the First Sunday in Lent, our Gospel reading is always the temptation of Jesus. Perhaps my personal sense that Lent begins in earnest on this day is precisely because the Gospel reading recounts Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, where he is tempted by the devil. And that our 40-day Lenten journey—with its own temptations as we struggle with our Lenten disciples—is intended to call to mind, even parallel in some ways, Jesus’ 40 days of being tempted and tested.

Read more!

Are You Ready?

Ash Wednesday

Isaiah 58.1-12; 2 Corinthians 5.20b—6.10; Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21

St. Thomas of Canterbury, Long Beach (7:00 AM)

and St. Gregory’s, Long Beach (7:00 PM)

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 15:00)

 

Are you ready? Today is the beginning of Lent—the 40-day journey of preparation for Easter. Traditionally, this is a time when we engage in special Lenten disciplines to help us in our preparations. So, have you decided what you are going to be doing for your Lenten discipline this year?

 

Traditionally, our Lenten practices revolve around the three disciplines outlined in our reading from the Gospel according to Matthew: giving of alms, prayer, and fasting. We most commonly think of this as including giving up something, like your morning Starbucks beverage of choice, television, chocolate, or any other number of things. Reminiscent of the discipline of fasting Jesus talks about in our Gospel reading. For some, this is a time to take on something additional, particularly by way of outreach ministry—helping at a food pantry, or a homeless shelter, or making additional charitable contributions. Reminiscent of the discipline of almsgiving Jesus talks about in our Gospel reading. And for many, there are additional spiritual practices, such as special devotional readings, like the “Living Well Through Lent” book our two congregations are using, or extra worship services, or study programs, like our joint Lenten program exploring various versions of the Stations of the Cross. Reminiscent of the discipline of prayer Jesus talks about in our Gospel reading.

Read more!