The Reading for Today: Sun - Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 & John 20:1-18 & Luke 24:1-12

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy
He has given us a new birth
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead
and to an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
It is reserved in heaven for you,
who because of your faith in God
are being protected by His power
until the salvation
that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
–From New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book

All is quiet.

Jesus lays in the tomb.

The King of the Universe is lying cold in a dark, sealed tomb. All is on hold. We await. In silence.

Art work by Fr. Michael Obrien

The Reading for Today: Psalm 22 & John 18:1-19:42 (read it slowly & devotionally)

Why “good”? In German this Friday before Easter is “Mourning Friday” - it is a day of facing the reality of the suffering and pain Jesus endured and the way of the cross before all those who follow in His way. This day is also referred to as Holy Friday and Great Friday. But why good? It seems to be peculiar to the English language and may have found it’s root in being called God’s Friday and over time just as “God be with you” was distilled to goodbye - God’s Friday evolved to Good Friday. Or maybe in English it was always “good friday” referring to the pious retrospect we have and confess as our Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace. All that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be. [Short answer to why good? - Don’t know for sure.]

Prayer for Good Friday:

Holy Father,

Amen.

Artwork by Father Michael Obrien “Crucifixion”

The Reading for Today: Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 & John 13:1-17 & 31-35

Where did that word, “maundy” come from? Well the word comes from middle english - mandé, from the Latin mandatum - which is the first word in our text from John - “A new command I give unto you…” so the maundy of Maundy Thursday - is the mandate or new command.

He commanded us to love - then He loved.

A Prayer for Maundy Thursday:

Dear Savior,

Amen.

The Reading for Today: Psalm 70 & John 13:21-35 (Mark 14:1-11)

It was this day in antiquity that we remember Judas’ deal with the priests to “turn Jesus over to them.” It is for this reason that Wednesday of Holy Week is referred to in some circles as “spy Wednesday.”

Collect for Spy Wednesday

O God, who desired Your Son to undergo,
on our behalf, the yoke
and subjugation of the Cross;
so that You might drive away
from us the power of the enemy,
grant to us Your servants,
that we may attain the grace of the resurrection.

Amen

The Reading for Today: Psalm 71:1-14 & John 12:20-36

A Prayer for today :

Dear God,

Amen.
(by Rebecca Sharpless in morning worship, Palm Sunday, March 30, 2003 at Lake Shore Baptist Church)

Monday of Holy Week - below you will find the reading for the day and a prayer I discovered - a prayer that is appropriate to recite each day of Holy Week.

The Reading for Today - John 12:1-11 & Mark 14:3-9

A Prayer for Holy Week:
Loving God,
I am just beginning to realize how much you love me.
Your son, Jesus was humble and obedient.
He fulfilled your will for him by becoming human and suffering with us.
I ask you for the desire to become more humble
so that my own life might also bear witness to you.
I want to use the small sufferings I have in this world to give you glory.

Amen.

I worship you Lord! You did not enter your holy city Jerusalem on the back of a war horse, but humbly and on a donkey. You knew that you were surrounded by murderers, yet you came in peace.

I say, “you are my king!” … I long to live in the city where you sit on the throne! Establish your Kingdom, so that your people can live in peace. Jesus, I bow before you, and I will sing your praises until your Kingdom comes and is established, and forever after. Amen

In less than a weeks time we will be in the midst of the holiest week of the year. How have you personally prepared? How has your community of faith anticipated and focused for this important observance?

I find as I come into such “special and set-apart times” that if I “just let it happen” - often nothing does. It is when I allow myself to be transformed through personal preparation or my involvement with a communal commitment that the “special time” takes on a heightened significance and becomes transformative. One practice, apart from all the rest, that has become a way of preparation in my life is reciting a prayer for such an occasion. In this week proceeding Holy Week, I will be praying this prayer at least once a day.

O Lord my God, to you and to your service I devote myself, body, soul, and spirit.

(From the Book of Common Prayer)

Yesterday a definition for a “rule of life” was suggested. And today as promised, I wanted to suggest a way to approach supporting a rule of life through behaviors and practices. A rule really needs to be more than aspiration. IT MUST START THERE or it can dissolve into a dogmatic pharisaical practice that is more about ego than becoming more genuinely spiritual. At the same time a rule which stays at the aspiration with no plan - well then we are just “fooling ourselves.” Both aspiration and practices must be joined together to create a rule of life that is able to move us ahead in maturity.

Like David in the story of his battle with the Philistine Giant - we need to have some tools in our pouch that we are familiar with and that will take us where we need to go. We need a figurative pouch of “five smooth stones” - a set of exercises; practices; habits that we routinely visit if we desire to move toward realizing our rule of life.

There is no prescribed or right set of routines or practices that fit all folks. For different individuals and different communities these routines are different and they can change (slightly or in some cases drastically) over the seasons and years that they pursue their rule. I would suggest that once a person begins to define their rule and settles on their “five smooth stones” that they don’t divert from it for a year or so. This will allow both time and habit and God to have His way. It is only after times passes that we have the perspective to evaluate and consider what else might be needed or what should be eliminated.

I offer my “five smooth stones” (outside of Corporate Worship and service in my local church) as an example of ONE approach.

Daily - Morning and Evening Prayer; & The Jesus Prayer
Weekly - Lectio Divina
Monthly - 1 day of fasting and solitude
Yearly - Silent Retreat

Again this is my personal approach. It is definitely not for everyone. It may be worth asking though, “who am I becoming?” or “What is my desire?” It may be worth following that desire and trying to determine what behaviors and practices have Christians through the ages employed to move toward such a desire.

What five smooth stones would you put in your pouch to attain to your personal aspirations?