Dear God, as I enter the first Sunday of Lent, I come to you with a full heart. I’ll confess that I’m already getting a little tired of spending this much focused time every morning, getting up early. Normally when I do these they take about 15 minutes, but the way I am doing this take a whole 30! (Sarcasm intended, but it’s also a little true.) And I’m doing it every day! (Sarcasm again intended, but it’s also a little true.)

Here are today’s readings from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer:

• AM Psalms: 63, 98
• PM Psalms: 103
• Deuteronomy 8:1-10
• Mark 2:18-22
• 1 Corinthians 1:17-31

As I wrote those, I just remembered that I forgot to read the PM Psalms from yesterday. I’ll do that now. Two things really quickly from yesterday’s PM Psalms: 42 and 43. First, the phrase from 42:4: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: How I used to with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Isn’t that what I was kind of saying about myself when I started this prayer? It’s only Day 5. I started with much enthusiasm and focus. Now, the newness of this has worn off and I’m disciplining myself to do this.

The next was the fact that both psalms used the phrase, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” I wonder if that was a phrase commonly known to the Israelites. A quick Google search didn’t show anything beyond these two psalms for this phrase, but it’s interesting that it was in both psalms.

As for today’s verses, let me see what we have here. After reading everything, including the commentary from the book, it is fasting mentioned in Mark 2:18-22 that comes up a few times. And I guess I started to understand what has always been kind of a weird parable to me: the old/new wineskins, and the patch on the old/new cloth. Jesus was saying that fasting is important to bring us closer to you, God, but while he (you) was literally and physically among them there was a new paradigm. No fasting required. This new situation did not fit any of the metaphorical old cloths or wineskins they knew. A new cloth and wineskin was required.

Father, through the Lenten season, help me to sink into you. Help me to emerge from this after Easter in some sort of new paradigm that will stick and help me to grow in you. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.

I pray this in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen