Sunday, 

April 13, 2014

Lenten Reflections
Diocese of Newark


Thank you for joining us in prayer and reflection during this season of Lent. We will travel through daily scripture, reflection and prayer.  Additional people have been joining us each day. Please feel free to forward these reflections to others. We invite you to explore the other resources for the season found at the bottom of the page as we continue the journey together.

Scripture  

 

Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" All of them said, "Let him be crucified!" Then he asked, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."

 

Then the people as a whole answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"

So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross.

 

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, 'I am God's Son.'" The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way. From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah." At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."

 

Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

 Matthew 27:11-54


Prayer
 

Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Today we enter Holy Week, with its cycle of life, and death, and new life.

Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

 

Jesus, the Holy One, the whole one, enters Jerusalem as he rides on the back of a donkey colt.  Crowds wave palms and cry out,

 Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

 

Jesus, Holy One, enter the gates of our hearts today as we join you in this time of your Passion.  With you, let us remember and celebrate your birth, your calling, your ministry.

 Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Jesus, our mentor of wholeness, guide us through the streets of our journey.  Open our eyes and our ears to the guiding of God's spirit who calls us to costly faithfulness and to joyous wholeness.  Let us sing with all our selves.

Hosanna!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest heaven. Amen.

Beth Richardson, "Passion Sunday"


You are invited to click these links and explore more resources:

 

 

 

Praying Lent - Resources for Lent - from Creighton University (A Jesuit Catholic University)

 

Holy Week and Good Friday Resources - from The Episcopal Church

 

The Meaning of Lent - from Vibrant Faith @ Home   

         

Prayers and Liturgies for Lent - from Faith and Worship   

 

Lenten Meditations and Bulletin Inserts (English & Spanish) from Episcopal Relief & Development

 

Lenten Giving Calendar - from Jenifer Gamber

 

Love Life - from the Brothers of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE)

 

Lent Madness 

 

Resources for Lent 2014 - from Bread for the World 

 

Lent 2014-Hunger:A Matter of the Heart - from the Upper Susquehanna Synod/Evangelical Lutheran Church

 

Living the Easter Mystery - 5 session Ecumenical Lenten Program from the South Australian Council of Churches

 

Lent and Easter Ideas to Use at Home - from Barnabas in Churches (UK)

 

Labyrinth for Lent - from Barnabas in Churches (UK)

 

Lent and Easter Plays for Children - from Skiturgies  

 

Pro/Claim - Engaging the Baptismal Covenant - from the Diocese of California

 

 

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