The Fourth Sunday
in Lent.
Psalm 130. De profundis.
OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord; * Lord,
hear my voice.
2 O let thine ears consider well * the voice of my
complaint.
3 If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is
done amiss, * O Lord, who may abide it?
4 For there is mercy with thee; * therefore shalt
thou be feared.
5 I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; *
in his word is my trust.
6 My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch;
* I say, before the morning watch.
7 O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord
there is mercy, * and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel * from all his sins.
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.
GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do
worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be
relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 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: Ezekiel 39.21-29
Psalter:
Psalm 142, 143 | 119.105-144
Epistle
Reading: Galatians 4.21-31
Gospel
Reading: St. John 6.1-14
Homily
-----
My letter to my congregation this week:
I have been interacting with some people, of late,
who are dear to me, whose mental wellbeing is being hit very hard, blanketing
them with dark miseries, turning their mental health inside-out and upside-down.
You probably know one or two people, yourself, who are in some serious emotional
or mental difficulties right now. There are parents grieving over their kids
(younger ones and adults). Relationship plights that are sucking hope out of
some souls. Hearts breaking. Tears flowing. Bleak futures that seem empty of
direction. Therefore, Psalm 102 should catch our attention and give us focus in
prayer for these we know. The inscription of the Psalm tells it all: “A
Prayer for One Afflicted, When He Is Faint and Pours Out His Complaint before
the LORD.” After contemplating that Psalm, here is how my prayer looked:
“Thank
you for providing this Psalm and making it part of your Sacred Scriptures and
giving us words to say! There are some I know right now who are afflicted and
faint, some aggrieved by heartbreaking troubles in their immediate families,
and other circumstances, such as _________, ___________, ____________,
_____________, and ______________, etc. Lord, hear their prayer, hide not your
face from them in this day of their distress. Answer them speedily, for they
have become thin wisps like smoke, withered hearts with loud groanings,
desiccated by grief, lonely, sleepless, and more. It feels as if your
indignation and anger are washing over them; that you have taken them up and
thrown them down and made them sheer as shadows.
But,
you are sovereign over all, and especially over your church. It is time to rise
up and replenish your church. And thank you that you have regard for the prayer
of the destitute, and do not despise their prayer. May it be told for
generations to come how you have rescued them from dire straits.
Ah,
Lord, nevertheless, it feels as if you have broken their strength in midcourse
and shortened their days. I say with, and for, these ‘take me not away in the
midst of my days – you whose years endure throughout all generations!’ Even in
the midst of the most calamitous situations, the most world-shattering events,
you do not change and you will ensure that your children will dwell secure and
be established before you. It is to you, then, we pour out our grief and pain
and fear. Hear our prayer, and let our cry come unto you, for the sake of your
dearly loved Son, who walks with us even through the valley of the shadow of
death. Amen.”
For those of you up to your eyeballs in dark
worries and conditions, Psalm 102 was written just for you. I hope today’s
letter encourages you. Spend time in that Psalm and maybe use this prayer if it
helps. And if you know others going through catastrophic circumstances, pray
things like this for them. Spend time in Psalm 102 for their sakes.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those
who weep” (Romans 12:15).
Pastor Mike
