SUNDAY (March 7, 2021)
The Third Sunday in Lent
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gospel Sentence
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–19)
Reading
“And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:1–6)
Meditation
The word in this section of scripture which is most jarring to our ears is the word “jealous”. Isn’t jealousy a bad thing? Usually, yes. But here, God wants to keep us for Himself for the best of reasons. He knows, in a way we never could on our own, that He loves us with an everlasting love, and that every other way leads only to death.
Silence
Prayer for Holy Cross Member
Let your grace be upon Linda, O Lord, and teach her to hope in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of the Week
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Lord’s Prayer