April 1st was the 23rd day of Lent. My prayer for you is that this season of Lent is giving you time to reflect on and deepen your relationship with God. This Lenten Litany, from the ELCA website, feels like a good reminder and a good reflection of where we have been so far and where we still have to go in the days to come.
God’s Peace, Pastor Steve
A Lenten Litany
God of faithfulness, you led Israel through
the wilderness to safety with a pillar of
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
In the Spirit you led Jesus through the
wilderness to the cross and empty tomb.
God of faithfulness, lead us this holy
season to self-examination and
repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial
giving and works of love — strengthened by
the gifts of word and sacrament.
God of love, your Son Jesus longs to gather
us as a hen gathers her brood under her
wings.
God of love, gather your whole church,
your whole world, together to self examination
and repentance, prayer and
fasting, sacrificial giving and works of love
— strengthened by the gifts of word and
sacrament.
God of reconciliation, your Son the
gardener cares for the fig tree, protecting
and cultivating it, feeding it and giving it
more time to bear delicious and valuable
fruit.
God of reconciliation, cultivate us to selfexamination and repentance, prayer and
fasting, sacrificial giving and works of love
— strengthened by the gifts of word and
sacrament.
God of forgiveness, while the son who had
been lost was still far off, his father saw
him and was filled with compassion; he
ran and put his arms around him and
kissed him.
God of forgiveness, draw us into your arms
and call us to self-examination and
repentance, prayer and fasting, sacrificial
giving and works of love — strengthened by
the gifts of word and sacrament.
God of mercy, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet,
anointed them with costly perfume, and
wiped them with her hair.
God of mercy, call us to Jesus’ feet to
spend our lives loving him and call us to
self-examination and repentance, prayer
and fasting, sacrificial giving and works of
love — strengthened by the gifts of word
and sacrament.
Holy God, lead us and gather us. Cultivate,
embrace and call us. Renew us in this holy
season through your Son, Christ our Lord.
Amen.