About Disfiguring Your Face
First Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be
tempted of Satan; Make speed to help thy servants who are
assaulted by manifold temptations; and, as thou knowest
their several infirmities, let each one find thee mighty to save;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
tempted of Satan; Make speed to help thy servants who are
assaulted by manifold temptations; and, as thou knowest
their several infirmities, let each one find thee mighty to save;
through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
On page 237 of William Bright’s book Ancient Collects is this collect, from which comes our present Collect for the First Sunday in Lent:
For the Tempted. Merciful and faithful High Priest, Who didst deign for us to be tempted of Satan; make speed to aid Thy servants who are assaulted by manifold temptations; and as Thou knowest their several infirmities, let each one find Thee mighty to save, Who livest, &c.
Amazing what’s available on the internet. Bright’s book is there, including the ownership annotation that someone wrote inside the front cover in December 1865; his book, for which he paid sixteen farthings if I read that correctly, waiting to be opened and read, thumbing pages cover to cover. It’s no longer necessary to go to the library and search, the web browser does all the searching and puts everything imaginable on the screen just like getting an old book out of the stacks. Remember when you weren’t allowed in the stacks? Well, you are now. Remembering that I am dust and to dust I shall return, maybe I’ll pray God to add more years to my life so I have time to discover and read everything that’s out there. And while I’m at it, to see and enjoy the cars that will be on the road long after I’m dead and gone.
Although they'll never be better than this, sorry if you're so young that you missed it:
We’re now in the Lenten Season, “Lenten” which means lengthen because it’s the spring season of lengthening daylight. Through Lent I’m supposed to be examining myself, stirring up consciousness of my sinfulness and making haste to repent, “to repent” meaning literally not just to be sorry but to turn around and go in the opposite direction.
Not feeling very sinful actually, and don’t anticipate being able to stir up much shame and guilt, nor even inclined to try. I’m rather with the Ash Wednesday sermon we heard last evening, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, not disposed to beat myself up, but to enjoy a defiant Lent.
Who’s in?
And Lent is here. Wash your face like Jesus said.
TW+
William Bright, Ancient Collects And Other Prayers, Selected For Devotional Use From Various Rituals, With An Appendix, on the Collects in the Prayer-Book By William Bright, MA, Fellow of University College, Oxford. Third Edition. Oxford & London: J. H. and Jas. Parker 1864.
http://archive.org/stream/ancientcollects00collgoog#page/n2/mode/2up
http://archive.org/stream/ancientcollects00collgoog#page/n256/mode/2up
Thanks, Bonnie, and thanks, Tass!