Second Sunday in Lent and a Letter - 2022

 

The Second Sunday in Lent.

Psalm 38. Domine, ne in furore.

PUT me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger; * neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure:

2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, * and thy hand presseth me sore.

3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure; * neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.

4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head, * and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.

5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt, * through my foolishness.

6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery, * that I go mourning all the day long.

7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease, * and there is no whole part in my body.

8 I am feeble and sore smitten; * I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.

9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire; * and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me, * and the light of mine eyes is gone from me.

11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble, * and my kinsmen stood afar off.

12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me; * and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long.

13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not; * and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.

14 I became even as a man that heareth not, * and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust; * thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.

16 I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me; * for when my foot slipt, they rejoiced greatly against me.

17 And I truly am set in the plague, * and my heaviness is ever in my sight.

18 For I will confess my wickedness, * and be sorry for my sin.

19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty; * and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.

20 They also that reward evil for good are against me; * because I follow the thing that good is.

21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God; * be not thou far from me.

22 Haste thee to help me, * O Lord God of my salvation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, who seest 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. Amen. 

{The Collect from the First Day of Lent is to be read every day in Lent after the Collect appointed for the Day.} 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: 1 Kings 8.37-43

Psalter: Psalm 6, 38 | 119.33-72

Epistle Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4.1-8

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 15.21-28 

Homily

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My letter to my congregation sent out on Wednesday:

This Sunday we’ll be examining 1 Peter 5:6-14 as we end Peter’s first letter and get ready to move into his second. Peter’s words in 5:6-7 have stuck with me for many, many years and one specific statement has been heavy on my mind recently. It goes like this, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” You’ll get an ear full on these two verses and more this coming Sunday. But the part that has weighed heavy on me is what I underlined, “at the proper time”. The proper time is God’s time, not ours. 

This came home to me this morning in my devotional reading as I was working through Genesis 41-42. It’s Joseph’s story. It was when his brothers first came to purchase grain in the deep famine that was unfolding. As they arrive before Joseph to petition for grain, they didn’t recognize him – but he recognized them. And before they even spoke “Jospeph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them” (42:9). These were the dreams way back when he was a young teen in Genesis 37. And it’s now many, many years later, at the proper time, he perceives those dreams beginning to be played out. That’s when the words of 1 Peter 5:6-7, “at the proper time” jumped out at me. 

Joseph had those dreams before his brothers had trafficked him on the slave market. Back around the time when he was 17 years old (37:2) he had those dreams, and then shortly afterward he brothers disposed of him, assuming they’d never see him again, “we will see what will become of his dreams” (37:20). After he is sold off, he then is bought by Potipher (39:18) where he has a long, good season of success but then is falsely accused and condemned, without any trial, to prison (39:19 – 40:23). Several years later, he is brought out of prison to explain two of Pharaoh’s dreams that are forecasting a seven year season of bumper crops and then a seven year time of hard famine (41:1-36). Because he seems to have God’s wisdom, Pharaoh exalts him to become the chief administrator of his emergency operations and national administration. At this point he was 30 years old (41:46). Thus, he spends the next seven years beefing up the grain reserves (41:47), gets married and has two sons (41:51-52). Now he’s 37 years old and then comes the famine. Somewhere early in the famine his brothers arrive (42:1-11). 

That’s where it hit me! At least 20 years after the dreams, Joseph is humbled and must cast his anxieties upon him who cares for him. And then, “at the proper time” God exalts him. Over 20 years! Then it was God’s proper time! It wasn’t Joseph’s timing, it wasn’t Jacob’s timing, it wasn’t anyone else’s timing. It was at God’s proper time. 

And so, dear brothers and sisters, our task is to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, to cast our anxieties on him knowing – trusting – convinced that he really does care for us, and rest in God’s proper time which is rarely our concept of the proper time. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”