Last night our family experienced something very new to all of us. While we are in a Western Christian Church (Anglican) and are thus nearing the end of the Lenten season, our brothers and sisters in Christ of the Eastern Orthodox Church have just begun their Lenten season. We had an open evening last night so we decided to attend a service where the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete was read. We don't know a whole lot about Orthodoxy, but we knew that this was a very important part of their Lenten observance. We had no idea what we were in for...
When talking about prayer Christians frequently use catchy phrases like "time to hit our knees in prayer" or "offer God some knee mail." The Orthodox mean it when it comes to "hitting their knees in prayer." We began the Canon, which consists of the priest singing a line or two and the choir and people responding with the words
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me
This goes on back and forth dozens and dozens of times. And each time we sang "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me" we hit our knees (literally), kneeling and then touching our heads to the ground before God. This is called a prostration (we read about that in Scripture and sing about it in some of our hymns, but I have never experienced actually doing it). Dozens and dozens of times knelt down and stood up, then knelt down and stood up. about half way through I was exhausted and my legs felt like jello! It was humbling, incredibly humbling. And painful. And it got the point across.
The point is that we all continue to fall short of God's glory, we still rebel, we become lost and in need of rescue, in need of God's mercy. Mercy, over and over, we beg for God's mercy.
Here is how the Canon begins:
How shall I begin to mourn the deeds of my wretched life? What can I offer as first fruits of repentance? In Your compassion, O Christ, forgive my sins.
Come, my wretched soul, and confess your sins in the flesh to the Creator of all. From this moment forsake your former foolishness and offer to God tears of repentance.
My transgressions rival those of first created Adam, and because of my sins I find myself naked of God and of His everlasting kingdom.
Some might object and say that this focus on our sin and brokenness will just make us feel bad and hate ourselves. That is not the goal - this is not focusing in sin just for the sake of focusing on sin. It is about being honest with ourselves about how we are and what we need. We are in need of healing and God is the Healer.
I think Stephanie and I both cried at different times during the service as the meaning of the service hit home for both of us. It's easy to not take our need seriously. It is tragic if we don't take God's mercy seriously.
As I have been reflecting on the experience God reminded me of a few passages from Scripture that deal with repentance and the need to take seriously, with determination, focus and discipline, the work of turning to God again and again, acknowledging our fault and asking for his mercy.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
2 Corinthians 7:10
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Luke 7:36-45
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
Even though we in the West are beginning to feel the excitement of Easter approaching and are ready to leave Lent behind and enter into the joyous Resurrection season, I am glad we went last night. I am glad for the reminder. I am glad for the soreness that still lingers in my legs this morning. I am glad for mercy.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy.
Bear Witness to His Reign
We believe that the church is called to proclaim and be a sign of the kingdom of God. Christ ahs commissioned the Church to be his witnesses. ~Article 10, Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, 1995. http://www.mcusa-archives.org/library/resolutions/1995/1995-10.html
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”~Matthew 28:18-20
The [next] building-block in following Jesus is to be involved in the mission of King Jesus. IT is to let his Spirit guide us outwards – to speak in his name, to show acts of love and compassion which speak deeply of his heart for all, and to do all that we can to bring the world under his just and kindly rule. By our words and actions, we are to bear witness to others that Jesus is the world’s true king; each of us has a part to play in this vital task. Peter Walker, The Jesus Way, (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2009), 89
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Daily Readings For the Week:
Monday – Matthew 13:1-9
Tuesday – Matthew 13:24-30
Wednesday – Matthew 13:44-52
Thursday – James 2:22-27
Friday – James 2:14-26
Saturday – Acts 1:1-14
Meditation For the Week:
To you is entrusted this demanding responsibility: to bear witness to the kingdom of God, to the truth. This means working to bring out ever more clearly the priority of God and his will over the interests of the world and its powers. Become imitators of Jesus, who, before Pilate, in the humiliating scene described by the Gospel, manifested his glory: that of loving to the utmost, giving his own life for those whom he loves. This is the revelation of the kingdom of Jesus. And for this reason, with one heart and one soul, let us pray: Thy kingdom come. Amen. ~Pope Benedict XVI, Homily on the Solemnity of Christ the King, 2012.
Prayer For the Week:
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. ~A Collect for the Reign of Christ, 1979 Book of Common Prayer, 254.
Participate in His Meal
Vouchsafe to bless and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine; that we, receiving them according to thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood. ~Service of Holy Eucharist, Rite I in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, 335.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:26
We should not treat this meal lightly. There is a real sharing in the body and blood of Christ. Even if this is hard to define more exactly, the Lord Jesus is present by his Holy Spirit and he is opposed to anything in our lives that stands against him. Though invisible, Jesus is effectively the true leader or ‘host’ at this meal; we are meeting, not just in his name, but actually in his presence. Peter Walker, The Jesus Way, (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2009), 85.
Daily Readings For the Week:
Monday – John 6:35-51
Tuesday – John 6:52-69
Wednesday – Luke 22:1-14
Thursday – Matthew 26:17-29
Friday – 1 Corinthians 10:1-22
Saturday – 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Meditation For the Week:
"Our Lord Jesus took in His hands what in the beginning was only bread; and He blessed it, and signed it, and made it holy in the name of the Father and in the name of the Spirit; and He broke it and in His gracious kindness He distributed it to all His disciples one by one. He called the bread His living Body, and did Himself fill it with Himself and the Spirit… After the disciples had eaten the new and holy Bread, and when they understood by faith that they had eaten of Christ's …He took and mixed a cup of wine. The He blessed it, and signed it, and made it holy, declaring that it was His own Blood, which was about to be poured out. ...Christ commanded them to drink, and He explained to them that the cup which they were drinking was His own Blood: 'This is truly My Blood, which is shed for all of you. Take, all of you, drink of this, because it is a new covenant in My Blood, As you have seen Me do, do you also in My memory. Whenever you are gathered together in My name in Churches everywhere, do what I have done, in memory of Me. Eat My Body, and drink My Blood, a covenant new and old.", ~Saint Ephraim the Syrian, Homilies 4.4, ca. A.D. 350.
Prayer For the Week:
May your holy Body and Precious Blood be the food of eternal life for me, O merciful Lord and the healing of all my pains. Though I am unworthy, O Master, grant that with faith and love I may worthily eat your most pure Body and drink your precious Blood. O Lord, grant me to partake without condemnation of your pure Body and your precious Blood that I may glorify your righteousness. ~Prayers Before Communion in A Prayer Book in Accordance With the Tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, (Victoria, Canada: St Arseny Press, 2008), 122-3.
Feed on His Scriptures
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. ~Collect for Proper 28, The 1979 Book of Common Prayer, 236.
I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. ~Psalm 119:11-16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17
As Jesus’ followers we should commit ourselves to read the Bible (or listen to it) whenever we can. And we should commit ourselves in advance to believe and obey everything that it clearly teaches. Peter Walker, The Jesus Way, (Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2009), 70.
Daily Readings For the Week:
Monday – Psalm 119:1-32
Tuesday – Psalm 119:33-48
Wednesday – Psalm 119:49-72
Thursday – Psalm 119:73 - 104
Friday – Psalm 119:105-136
Saturday – Psalm 137 - 176
Meditation For the Week:
Praying the Scripture is a unique way of dealing with the Scripture; it involves both reading and prayer. Turn to the Scripture; choose some passage that is simple and fairly practical. Next, come to the Lord. Come quietly and humbly. There, before him, read a small portion of the passage of Scripture you have opened to. Be careful as you read. Take in fully, gently, and carefully what you are reading. Take and digest it as you read…after you have sensed something of the passage, and after you know the essence of the portion has been extracted…very slowly, gently, and in a calm manner begin to read the next portion of that passage. ~Madam Guyon, Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, (New York: Harper One, 2005), 302-3.
Prayer For the Week:
O Lord Jesus Christ, open Thou the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy word and understand and do Thy will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth. Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open mine eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Thy law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom. On Thee do I set my hope, O my God, that Thou shalt enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Thy knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; for Thou are the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from Thee cometh every good deed and every gift. Amen. ~From a prayer of Saint John Chrysostom to be prayed before the reading of Holy Scripture
