Ah, Lent, come again
To lay bare our sins
Of mortality and hatred
That wither joy and
Throw broken bones of peace against parched earth.
- Sheila Nelson-McJilton

Perpetua and her Companions

Today we remember the martyr Perpetua, and her companions, who died with her. Perpetua was a young widow living in the third century. During a time when it was required for all to make sacrifices to the divinity of the current Caesar, Perpetua and her companions entered the catechumenate, the process required for baptism and admission into the Christian faith. Perpetua and the other women were arrested for their Christian faith, and when brought to trial, answered only, "I am a Christian." Nothing could persuade them to leave their faith and worship Caesar. As a result, the women were condemned to die in the arena to be mangled by a variety of animals. Death was not easy, and indeed prompted this report of her death: "Perhaps so great a woman, feared by the unclean spirit, could not have been killed unless she so willed it."

Living in a place where we do not suffer for our faith, we sometimes forget that Perpetua’s story, or ones like it, still continue today in areas around the world. In places like Somalia, Christians are still dying for their faith. Believers are being interrogated for their faith in Uzbekistan. Other places of persecution include Vietnam, Yemen, and North Korea.

During Lent, let us offer our prayers for those who are being persecuted. As we do, we not only remember those in need before God, we also remind ourselves of the great blessings we have in this country, and in doing so, challenge ourselves anew to strengthen our faith.

Collect for Perpetua and her Companions:

Oh God the King of saints, you strengthened your servants Perpetua and Felicitas and their companions to make a good confession, staunchly resisting, for the cause of Christ, the claims of human affection, and encouraging one another in their time of trial: Grant that we who cherish their blessed memory may share their pure and steadfast faith, and win with them the palm of victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Love’s as Warm as Tears

Love’s as warm as tears,
Love is tears;
Pressure within the brain,
Tension at the throat,
Deluge, weeks of rain
Haystacks afloat
Featureless seas between
Hedges, where once was green.

Love’s as fierce as fire,
Love is fire:
All sorts – infernal heat
Clinkered with greed and pride,
Lyric desire, sharp-sweet,
Laughing, even when denied,
And that empyreal flame
Whence all loves came.

Love’s as fresh as spring,
Love is spring:
Bird-song hung in the air,
Cool smells in a wood,
Whispering "Dare! Dare!"
To sap, to blood,
Telling ‘Ease, safety, rest,
Are good; not best.’

Love’s as hard as nails,
Love is nails:
Blunt, thick, hammered through
The medial nerves of One
Who, having made us, knew
The thing He had done,
Seeing (with all that is)
Our cross, and His.
- CS Lewis

Debra's Midweek Meditation
Thirsting for God

O God, you are my God
I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you
My flesh faints for you
As in a dry and weary land
Where there is no water.
Psalm 63

Lent is the time of year where we allow ourselves to become aware of our deep longing for God. We give up things so that we can spend more time seeking God,
or we take on things that point us toward our home in God.
When we come face to face with God's desire for us and our need for God,
we find ourselves echoing the sentiment of the Psalmist.
Our very souls faint with longing for the Living Lord.
Lent encourages us to cast off the inhibitions and self-reliance
that keep us from giving ourselves to God.
As many have discovered before us,
we are not alone, we don't operate alone,
and God is walking with us even when we think we are walking alone.
So--turn around and embrace the One who is waiting for you.
Let yourself experience the depth of your longing for God.
Let your longing lead you on a path that is straight,
with a single goal in view.
Walk toward God,
and let distractions take care of themselves.
Let go of self and let God love you.

Blessings,
Debra

PS. Don't forget about daylight savings time-March 11th-Spring forward!

Love

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lacked anything.

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?

Truth, Lord, but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
- George Herbert

Daily Morning Prayer:
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/churchonthewebpage.htm

This Week at St. James:

Tonight: 6 pm Soup Supper; 7 pm Lenten Meditation: Praying with Icons (we’re still on, in spite of the weather!)
Thursday: 6:30 pm Entertaining Angels meeting
Sunday: Daylight Savings Begins! Don’t forget to turn your clock forward Saturday night!; No Sunday School today
Monday: 10:00 CS Lewis Book Study
Tuesday: 7:30 Vestry Meeting
Wednesday: 8:30 Healing Eucharist/Bible study

Prayers Etc.

For those on our Prayer List:
Pam; Owen B.; Dot; Ken; Nancy; Sue
Brittany; Craig; Jason; The Parker Family; David
Martina; Rob; Poppa B.; Annabelle; The Hamill Family; Andy B.
Mac K.; J.B.; Lori; Rosemary; Donna and Jim
Jeffrey; Mary Beth; Mike H.; Matt S.; Jude E.; Mimi
Mike P.

For Laura and Lyle
For those who are deployed and their families.
For peace in the Middle East.

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
Book of Common Prayer

In Closing:

Teach us to know and love you, Lord,
and humbly follow in your way.
Speak to our souls the quickening word,
And turn our darkness into day.
- The Hymnal 1982, 148.

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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