[I recorded an Ash Wednesday recording on my podcast, the Ecumenist Tank -
https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/Jll81tVzJxb
The Ecumenist Tank: Ash Wednesday Episode on Apple Podcasts]
Introit. Invocabit me. Ps. 91.
He shall call on me and I will hearken unto him : I will deliver him and bring him to honour : with the length of days will I satisfy him. Ps. ibid. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High : shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. V Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Collect.
O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights : give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honour and glory. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
The epistle of blessed Paul to the Corinthians (2 Cor 6.1-)
1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—
2 for He says,
“At the acceptable time I listened to you,
And on the day of salvation I helped you.”
Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St Matthew (4.1-)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
‘He will command His angels concerning You’;
and
‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8 Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;
9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’ ”
11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
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Homily by Fr Dcn Maverick
I don't want to be long today, I only want to encourage everyone to read this as we are now in the season of Great Lent. This is the most significant of all of the Christian Fasts on the Christian calendar.
It is a time of preparation, a time of introspection, a time for asking ourselves deep questions about the meaning of Christ Jesus, and why we need him.
In Lent, we cover our crosses, and it is in this season, that start "feeling" the weightiness of our sin. We are reminded of Christ's own temptations.
How does that affect us?
Jesus carried the burden and weight of sin, and soon we will celebrate the crucifixion, death and resurrection of our beautiful Lord Jesus Christ.
Now is the time of pouring our hearts out, now is the time to realize the value of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do not want to say anything else. Let us take this time to enjoy him, to love him, and to display his nature. Jesus is good, let us drink from Him, let us bathe in his divine presence!
Let the beauty of Christ captivate us!
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