Second Sunday in Lent
This week is the second Sunday in Lent. Something noteworthy about the language here. In other seasons we would say, “The first Sunday of Advent,” but for Lent we say it is a Sunday in Lent. Sundays are in Lent, but not of Lent. That is because Sunday is always a feast day, even in the season of fasting. Sunday is always a celebration of the resurrection!
Liturgical Color – Purple
This color is used during the season of Lent for multiple reasons. The first being that Jesus was clothed in a purple robe during his passion. Purple cloth, due to its expensive nature, was reserved typically for royalty who could afford it. The color is also associated with the bruising and bleeding that Christ experienced during his passion and crucifixion. The purple used during this season reminds us that Christ is King and his Kingdom is unlike any the world had seen before as it is one of service, compassion, and love for others.
Call to Worship – Psalm 22:22-31
One: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins; Many: His mercy endures for ever. One: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! Many: For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him. One: From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. Many: The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever! One: All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. Many: For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. One: To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him. Many: Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord, One: and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it. Many: Amen
Collect
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, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Liturgy of the Table
(From Lift Up Your Hearts: Year B, OSL Publications) One: The Lord be with you. Many: And also with you. One: Lift up your hearts. Many: We lift them up to the Lord One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Many: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One: It is right, and a good and joyful thing Always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. Teach us to pray, to journey alongside you as we go through our lives. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join in their unending hymn:
Many: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
One: Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. He taught us to pray, To be contemplative and active To have silent prayer and moving with our feet prayers. Your Spirit anointed him to preach the good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery of sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. And he said “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to his disciples, and said “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” And so, in remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ, We offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Many: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
**Placing hands over the elements to consecrate them**
One: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood, for we are called to be saints and bring the world to Christ. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world. until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen
And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray: Many: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil; For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
One: Come, receive the elements.
**Taking the bread**
One: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. Receive, and eat.
**Taking the Cup**
The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ. Receive, and drink. [Prayer After All Receive] Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. May our lives be prayers unto you. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. ☩ Amen.
Benediction One: Follow Christ wherever he may lead. Deny yourself and take up your cross for that is the path Christ calls us to. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go in grace and peace to love and serve the Lord and neighbor. Many – Thanks be to God