daily Thoughts lent to easter 2022
Each day from Ash Wednesday (2 March 2022) until Easter Sunday (17 April 2022) you'll find here a short piece of text, some from the Holy Bible, others from Christian writers. There is no particular sequence or scheme, rather a few words for you to read and, hopefully, contemplate during the day. Maybe you will also find some inspiration for a prayer based on the words or the idea behind the text. If you want to let us know your own thoughts which have arisen from what you've read or thought, do please drop us a line using the 'Contact Us' form on the menu.
(Note: Start from the end and work upwards)
17 April - Easter Day:
Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:
"I have seen the Lord!"
(Luke 20: verses 1 and 18)
16 April - Holy Saturday: † ‡ †
15 April - Good Friday: † ‡ †
14 April - Maundy Thursday:
34 Mandatum novum do
vobis: ut diligatis invicem: sicut dilexi vos, ut et vos diligatis invicem.
35 In hoc cognoscent omnes quia discipuli mei estis, si
dilectionem habueritis ad invicem.
Ioannes 13: 34-35
(Biblia Sacra Vulgata [The Vulgate])
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you,
that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.
John 13: 34-35
(Authorised Version [King James Version])
34 Gorchymyn
newydd yr wyf yn ei roddi i chwi, Ar garu ohonoch eich gilydd; fel y cerais i
chwi, ar garu ohonoch chwithau bawb eich gilydd.
35 Wrth hyn y gwybydd pawb mai disgyblion i mi ydych, os bydd
gennych gariad i’ch gilydd.
Ioan
13:34-35 (Beibl William Morgan [Welsh])
13 April - Holy Wednesday:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for your goodness, your beauty, your love, and for yourself.
I thank you for the world, for life, for friends and colleagues, and for friends. (Julian of Norwich)
12 April - Holy Tuesday:
In the tender compassion of our God: the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine upon those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and guide our feet into the way of peace. (From the Song of Zechariah)
11 April - Holy Monday:
It pleases God that by the help of his grace we shall work away at our praying and living,
directing all our powers to him, until in the fullness of joy we have him whom we seek.
(Julian of Norwich)
10 April - Palm Sunday:
Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey, not as a warrior King but humbly, yet King of All.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"
The crowd answered. "This is Jesus. the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee." (Matthew 21: 10-11)
9 April:
I said, O Lord, be merciful toward me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you. (Psalm 41: 4)
8 April:
Were we to be in all the pain the heart can think and the tongue can tell,
if at that time we could see his fair and blessed face,
then all this pain could not grieve us. (Julian of Norwich)
7 April:
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things,
to Him be glory forever. (Romans 11: 36)
6 April:
Carefully observe the way your heart draws you
and then choose that way with all your strength. (An old Hasidic saying for pilgrims)
5 April:
God will show us the path of life;
in his presence is the fulness of joy
and at his right hand there is pleasure for evermore. (Psalm 16: 11)
4 April:
When we come to receive the reward that grace has won for us.
then we shall thank and bless the Lord,
for ever rejoicing that we were called upon to suffer. (Julian of Norwich)
3 April - Passion Sunday:
A Prayer for Ukraine
at the Shrine of St Thomas Cantilupe
Hereford Cathedral:
Lord God,
whose compassion never fails:
comfort and support, we pray,
the people on whom
the terrors of invasion have fallen;
and
if their liberty be lost to the oppressor,
let not their spirit be broken,
but stayed upon your strength
until the day of deliverance;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
2 April:
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9: 6, 10)
1 April:
If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1: 7)
31 March:
As by his courtesy Go forgives our sins when we repent, even so he wills that we should forgive our sin, and so give up our senseless worrying and faithless fear. (Julian of Norwich)
30 March:
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you!
I will delight myself in your statutes: I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119: 11, 16)
29 March:
This is the princely friendship from our courteous Lord that he still sustains us secretly even while we are in sin. He touches us gently and shows us our sin by the kingly light of mercy and grace. (Julian of Norwich)
28 March:
Surely the Lord will grant his loving mercy in the daytime:
and in the night his song will be with me as a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42: 10)
27 March - Mothering Sunday:
As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (1 Peter 2: 2)
Fel rhai bychain newydd-eni, chwenychwch ddidwyll laeth y gair, fel y cynyddoch trwyddo ef. (1 Pedr 2: 2)
26 March:
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
(Psalm 33:6)
25 March:
Truth sees God, wisdom beholds God, and from these two comes a third, a holy wondering in God,
which is love. Where there is truth and wisdom there is also true love springing from them both. (Julian of Norwich)
24 March:
Bless
them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Luke 6:28)
Bendithiwch y rhai a'ch melltithiant, a gweddÏwch dros y rhai a'ch dtygant. (Luc 6:28)
23 March:
Lord Jesus Christ, light shining in our darkness; have mercy on our tired and doubting hearts. Renew in us the courage we need, to bring to completion the work your calling has begun in us. (Taizé)
22 March:
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1: 22)
21 March:
Dysg i mi, O Arglwydd, ffordd dy ddeddfau, a chadwaf hi hyd diwedd. Gwna i mi ddeall, a chawaf dy gyfraith; ie, cadwaf hi â'm holl galon. Gwna i mi gerdded yn llwybr dy orchmynion: canys ynddo y mae fy ewylls. (Salmau 119, vv. 33-35)
Teach me , O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will honour it to the end. Give me understanding that I may keep your law, that I may keep it with my whole heart. Guide me in the path of your commandments, for therein is my delight. (Psalm 119, vv. 33-35)
20 March - Third Sunday in Lent
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the reading of your word, for the preaching of your truth, for the prayers of your people, for the singing of your praise, and for the blessing of your love. (Hugh Temple)
19 March:
My help comes from the Lord, Fy nghymorth a ddaw oddi wrth yr Arglwydd,
who made heaven and earth yr hwn a wnaeth nefoedd a daear.
He will not allow your foot to be moved; Ni ad efe i’th droed lithro:
He who keeps you will not slumber. ac ni huna dy geidwad.
(Psalm 121, vv. 2-3) (Salmau 121, vv. 2-3)
18 March:
Listen to our prayer, Lord, pardon our sins according to your love, deliver us for the honour of you name. Let the whole world know that you are the Lord, our God, and that we are the people who bear your name. (Lucien Deiss)
17 March:
Dwi'n gallu gwneud popeth trwy Crist sy'n fy nghythruddo.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
16 March:
Day after day, Lord, and during every moment of each hour, allow us to place oir hands in yours and walk with you. (Mary Turner)
15 March:
It gives more praise to God and more delight if we pray steadfast in love, trusting in his goodness, clinging to him by grace, than if we ask for everything our thoughts can name. (Julian of Norwich)
14 March:
The Lord loves those who hate evil, the Lord guards the life of the faithful and delivers them from the hand of the ungodly. Light dawns from the righteous, and joy from the true heart. (Psalm 97, vv. 10-11)
13 March - Second Sunday in Lent
The best prayer is to rest in the goodness of God, knowing that the goodness can reach right down to our lowest depth of need. (Julian of Norwich)
12 March:
Grant me, O Lord, the single eye, that I may see the one thing needful, the thing that you want done. Don't let my vision be blurred by looking at too many things, or longing to to please anyone but you. Give me simplicity of heart, quiet confidence in you, and eagerness to know and do your will. (George Appleton)
11 March:
Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort mewith your mercy, protect me with your power.
10 March:
Blessed be the Lord our God, for he has wonderfully shown me his steadfast love when I was a city besieged. When I was afraid I said in my haste, 'I am cut off from your sight,' but you heard the voice of my supplication when I cried to you for help. (Psalm 31, vv. 23-25)
9 March:
We pray you, Lord, to direct and guide your people with your unfailing care, that it may be vigilant in times of quiet, and daring in times of trouble.
8 March:
The Lord is my shepherd. Therefore can I lack nothing. he will make me lie down in green pastures, and lead me beside still waters. He will refresh my soul; and guide me in right pathways for his name's sake.
(Psalm 23, vv. 1-3)
7 March:
In the tender compassion of our God: the dawn from on high will break upon us, to shine of those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
(From the Song of Zachariah)
6 March - First Sunday in Lent
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land,
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven,
Feed me now and evermore.
(William Williams)
5 March:
The Lord will always guide you. He will give strength to your bones. You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry. (From the Book of Jeremiah)
4 March:
Be for me a rock of refuge, a fortress to defend me. For you are my high rock and my stronghold. Lead me and guide me for your name's sake, bring me out of the net that they have secretly laid for me, for you are my strength. (Psalm 31, vv. 3-4)
3 March:
It pleases God that by the help of his grace we shall work away at our praying and living, directing all our powers to him, until the fullness of joy we have him whom we seek - Jesus. (Julian of Norwich)
2 March - Ash Wednesday:
I am always with you, for you hold me by the right hand. You will guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will lead me to glory. whom have I in heaven but you? and there is no one upon earth that I desire in comparison with you. (Psalm 73, vv. 23-25)
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