2024 Sun Feb 25
Lenten Study, The Creeds, A Guide to Deeper Faith
When we say the Creeds (the Apostles’ Creed at baptisms and at Morning Prayer and the Nicene Creed when we celebrate the Eucharist), we are stating our belief in what the church believes, in faith, about God—that God is one being in three persons—that is, three “persons” within the one Godhead.
It’s easy to say these words without much thought because they are so familiar. And yet, they are the words that create community among Christian believers around the world, past, present, and future, the Apostles’ Creed being the most widely used of all of Christianity’s confessions of faith. These words are so important that they are permanently attached to our altar wall, along with the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. The creeds not only bind us together in communities of faith, but these words, if taken into our hearts, can lead us to a deeper faith.
During this season of Lent, we will study these creeds, learning about how they came to be, what they mean to the Church, and we will also reflect on how they may help us grow in faith as Christians.
The study is scheduled for five Wednesday nights of Lent—Weds Feb. 21st, 28th, and March 6th, 13th, and 20th at 7PM on Zoom ID: 833 7014 5820 Passcode: 528834
Sunday’s Thoughts Lent 2, Feb. 25
Perceptions can change in scripture and your mission can change too.
On Jan 18, the date of Peter’s confession Mark 8:27-30 Jesus went to the predominately pagan region of Caesarea Philippi to question and deepen his disciples’ understanding of his role and theirs. “Who do you say that I am?” Peter got it right- Jesus is the Messiah.
On Last Epiphany on the Transfiguration (Feb. 11) Mark 9:2-9, Peter now misread the situation wanted to build three tents, preserving the event much longer.
Now this Sunday on Lent 2 (Feb. 25) with an earlier sripture Mark 8:31-38 Peter who had correctly identified Christ as the Messiah now gets Christ’s mission wrong. Peter saw Jesus as his Messiah who was to save Israel from the Romans. Peter’s view of the Messiah was not one who went to the cross, rejected, and died. He was just told he was wrong but rebuked, set in his place.
This is a different response from when Jesus called the first disciples. Jesus calls the first disciples, saying simply, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people”. In other words, there are people who want to hear Jesus’ message, and he invites them to follow and be part of spreading Good News that is eagerly received. They are part of the advertisment.
They have seen the results in healing the sick of all ills into many remote communities. He has fed the many and he has drawn huge crowds. And don’t forget his proclamation of a new Kingdom, not that of the Romans.
Now, Jesus is seemingly making an about face. Peter is questioning that saying – What is this Kingdom when the leader is tp be killed ?
Deny self, take up the cross and follow ? Now it seems to be a mission of confrontation that not everyone is up to. Peter is thinking “Did I sign up for this?”
Our confrontation is take Jesus message into the world where there is suffering is broad. We may not be setting up to be killed but there is death to many of our solitary desires to witness a larger pictures. As Debi Thomas writes “To take up a cross as Jesus did is to stand in the center of the world’s pain.”
“Taking up the cross means recognizing Christ crucified in every suffering soul and body that surrounds us, and pouring our energies and our lives into alleviating that pain — no matter what it costs.”
Our challenge for our ministries is to seek areas where is pain, trouble or other dislocation and see what we can do to ameliorate that. How can life be made better?
For instance, Sacred Ground will look at the food issue involving children. Food insecurity is higher among children than the population as a whole. While Caroline County provides free breakfast and lunches, there is the need for snacks for tutoring activities outside of the normal school day. What about meals at home on the weekends and during the summer ?
There other possible avenues involving mentoring and adopting a classroom that need to be discussed.
God’s Garden makes pretzels for Lent, Feb. 25
Pretzels for Lent date back to the early Church, perhaps sometime in the 4th century. During that time it was common for Christians to fast during the season, abstaining from meat, dairy, fats, and sweets. These quick breads are made with only a tiny bit of sugar to activate the yeast and no fat – they are entirely flour, water and yeast! The simplicity of water, salt, and flour suggested commitment and attention, not least also prayer.
As to the shape: pretzels are made in the shape of two arms crossed in prayer. In Latin, the pretzel is called “bracellae”, meaning little arms. The word “bracellae” became the German “bretzel” and “pretzel.”
Another story places the origin of the word in “pretiola” which means little reward, so pretzels might have been given as an award to a child who had learned her prayers!
The children had fun making pretzels and they even sent some home. The dough was bought so that the activity could fit in the time frame and still have time to work on the Lord’s Prayer.
Here’s a photo gallery showing the steps in making these Lenten treats
Videos, Feb. 25, 2024, Lent 2
01 Opening Hymn – The God of Abraham praise
02 Readings – Old Testament, Psalms
03 Readings – Epistle
Sermon, Lent 2, Feb. 25, 2024 – Suffering
Sermon, Second Sunday in Lent, Year B
Mark 8:31-38
Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma with their family in Poland
Although we don’t generally like to hear about or to think about suffering, Jesus reminds us in today’s gospel that following him as a disciple will include suffering.
As I’ve thought about suffering this week, it’s been useful to consider three broad categories of suffering.
The first category is physical suffering due to natural causes.