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Image: "Jesus is tempted," (1973), JESUS MAFA. Cameroon. JESUS MAFA is a response to the New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected  and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings.

Theme of the Day

These forty days called Lent are like no other. It is our opportune time to return to the God who rescues, to receive the gifts of God’s grace, to believe with the heart and confess with the mouth the wonder of God’s love in Jesus, and to resist temptation at every turn. This is no small pilgrimage on which we have just embarked. It is a struggle Jesus knew. It is a struggle Jesus shares. The nearness of the Lord, in bread and wine, water and word, will uphold and sustain us.

The Collect for Sunday

Almighty God, your Son confronted the powers of darkness that obscure your compassion and love for all of creation: help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer, so that we may witness to that saving love proclaimed in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Prayer Intentions

The prayers of the church are offered especially:

  • for peace in the world and especially for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine;
  • for refugees who flee war and violence;
  • for the needs of the world, especially at this time global pandemic;
  • for safety in the midst of widespread reopenings;
  • for those who are particularly vulnerable to this virus;
  • for those who are sick and those awaiting surgeries postponed;
  • for those who are isolated and anxious;
  • for the healing of racial inequality, prejudice, bigotry, systemic racism, injustice, and hatred;
  • for the First Peoples of this land and for the work of healing and reconcilation; 
  • for all who grieve for lost children, for the survivors of Indian Residential Schools, and for generational healing;
  • for those who are hungry and homeless;
  • for those who are unemployed or underemployed;
  • for all those who mourn, who are lonely, or suffer from depression;
  • for Elizabeth our Queen and all those set in authority under her, for Justin, the Prime Minister of Canada and all members of parliament; Doug, the Premier of Ontario and all members of the legislature; Fred, the mayor of Hamilton and those who serve city council; for the First Nations of this land, for elders, chiefs, and band councils; for all in civil authority and for all citizens that we might work together for the common good;
  • for the whole church: for Susan, our Diocesan Bishop; for David and Brian, our priests; for Tom, our intern; for all bish­ops, priests and dea­cons; and for all the bap­tized: that God may accomplish God's work in and through us for the sake of the world;
  • for all for whom we have been asked to pray;
  • for those who are dying and all those who have departed from this life and are at rest, especially Beth (Karen Southon's mother).

In our cycles of prayer:

  • With the worldwide Anglican Communion, we pray for The Anglican Church of Korea.
  • In our diocese, we pray for All Saints, Erin, The Reverend Joan Dunn, Rector; the Reverend Deacon Irene Walback, Deacon, and the people of that parish.
  • In our neighbourhood we pray for Beth Jacob Synagogue, Rabbi Hillel Israel and the people of that congregation. 
  • In our parish cycle of prayer we pray for Linda, Erzebet, Tibor, Adam, Marton, David, Kathy, Fiona, Kaelynn, Lydell, Ann, Arza, Emory, Liska, and Eileen.

Prayer requests to be included on the following Sunday can be submitted here by the Thursday morning before.

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

The annual harvest festival, called the Feast of Weeks, provides the setting for this reading. This festival celebrates the first fruits of the produce of the land offered back to God in thanks. In this text, worshipers announce God’s gracious acts on behalf of Israel.

1When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, 2you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. 3You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, 5you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. 6When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, 7we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

God will give the angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways. (Ps. 91:11)

 1You who dwell in the shelter of | the Most High,
  who abide in the shadow of | the Almighty—
 2you will say to the Lord, “My refuge | and my stronghold,
  my God in whom I | put my trust.” R
 9Because you have made the | Lord your refuge,
  and the Most High your | habitation,
 10no evil | will befall you,
  nor shall affliction come | near your dwelling.
 11For God will give the angels charge | over you,
  to guard you in | all your ways.
 12Upon their hands they will | bear you up,
  lest you strike your foot a- | gainst a stone. R
 13You will tread upon the lion | cub and viper;
  you will trample down the lion | and the serpent.
 14I will deliver those who | cling to me;
  I will uphold them, because they | know my name.
 15They will call me, and I will | answer them;
  I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue and | honor them.
 16With long life will I | satisfy them,
  and show them | my salvation. R

Second Reading: Romans 10:8b-13

Paul reminds the Christians at Rome of the foundation of their creed, the confession of faith in the risen Christ as Lord.

 8b“The word is near you,
  on your lips and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Gospel: Luke 4:1-13

After being filled with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, Jesus is led in the wilderness. Through his responses to the temptations of the devil, he defines what it means to be called “the Son of God.”

1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ”
  5Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8Jesus answered him, “It is written,
 ‘Worship the Lord your God,
  and serve only him.’ ”
  9Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10for it is written,
 ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
  to protect you,’
11and
 ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
  so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
12Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” 13When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

This Week

  • Sunday (6): The First Sunday in Lent (The Lord's Day).
  • Monday (7): Perpetua and her Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202 (Memorial, day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Tuesday (8): Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, Educator and Pastor, 1910 (Commemoration, day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Wednesday (9): Lenten Ember Day. Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop, Teacher of the Faith, c. 395 (Memorial, day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Thursday (10): Roberty Machray, First Primate of Canada, 1904 (Commemoration, day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Friday (11): Lenten Ember Day (day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Saturday (12): Lenten Ember Day (day of discipline and self-denial).
  • Sunday (13): The Second Sunday in Lent (The Lord's Day).

For readings appropriate to the day visit here.

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