Second Sunday in Lent

A Pentecostal woman visits beautiful St. Paul Cathedral and is taken aback by its beauty. Intrigued by what she sees she decides to go to service. The priest begins a touching Homily about Jesus and the woman shouts, "Amen." The priest loses his spot on his notes and when he finds his place begins again. The priest continues with his homily and then he says something she agrees with strongly again and she shouts, "Hallelujah, preach it brother." An usher comes up to the woman and taps her nervously and says, "Madam, you can't do that here." The woman replies, "Brother, I have religion." The usher says, "That you may have, but you didn't get it here." Now that we are all in a good mood let's talk about Lent. We have to examine ourselves. We should do this all the time, but in Lent we do this as a large community of believers. We celebrate together as a community. Likewise, we mourn together as a community. Our community is built of individuals from all walks of life. We are strongest when we are together. Just one person can make a difference, but imagine how much of a difference a community can make. In our Epistle we read about the covenant God made with Abraham and Sarah. God says to Abraham, "I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you." God, in effect, makes a community with Abraham and Sarah as the head. The Second Reading also reflects on Abraham stating, "The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith." Our faith is made stronger when we realize our attachments to worldly possessions, items, or people should not be our greatest desire. Jesus speaks to his disciples concerning his pending rejection, suffering, and death. Jesus says, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'' To paraphrase our Lord, you should forget about your troubles and follow Jesus unapologetically, and everything else will fall into place. May we let our light so shine that He smiles upon us. Let us be ever mindful that while he was on the cross we were on his mind. Imagine the sense of community we have when our ambition is to individually follow Christ, and then come together and share all that this means. To God be the glory for all that he has done. Amen.

Collect:
O GOD, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy Word, Jesus Christ thy Son; who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Pray especially for healing for:
John Cunningham, Betty Stenger, Terese Gluck, Rose Mauzy, David Garber, Pete Walburg, Tommy Thompson, John & Delberta Allen, Pete Stanish, Nathan McConnell, Peggy Ann Turner, Pam Shinault, Donald Kaltenback, and Susan Beeler.

(1st Reading Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Psalm 22:22-30, 2nd Reading Romans 4:13-25, Gospel Mark 8:31-38)

Announcements:
**Lenten Work Days are being held every Saturday morning at 9:00AM during Lent.
**We thank Carolyn Thomas for filing in on the organ in the absence of David.
**Father Swann will be available to hear confessions during Lent (by appointment).
**Boyd's Creek Community Outreach will be meeting this Saturday (03/10/12) at 10:00AM at Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church.