The Fifth Sunday of Lent - Reflection by Canon Leslie

​Today is the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the season in the Church’s year when we prepare for the events of Holy Week and Good Friday. It is a season for reflection and penitence. Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to call to mind how Jesus prepared his followers for his death on Good Friday. Like them, we need to approach Good Friday and the death of Jesus in confidence of the resurrection. In this passage from John’s Gospel (that follows immediately after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey) Jesus offers the model of the grain of wheat being buried in the earth and dying before growing into new life.
 
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited you to reflect on the image of seeds. In today’s picture from his book Water, Aled is taking care of the seeds that he has planted, and making sure that they have enough water to germinate. He has a picture too to remind him of what will grow from the seeds he has planted.
 
Next Sunday, Palm Sunday, focuses our attention on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. The image to help us prepare for next Sunday’s theme is processional banners. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to [email protected].
 
To read Aled and Sian’s book, Water, follow this link to the resource on the St. Mary’s Centre website: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/Exploring%20Why%20Series/Water/Water%20Short%202016%20WEB.pdf. For more adventures, see the Exploring Why section of the St. Mary’s Centre RE Resources page: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/Exploring%20Why.html.
 
You are warmly invited to join us in worship streamed live from the Cathedral Facebook page. The service will go live just before 10:30 on Sunday morning, so tune in then to watch the service live: https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolCathedral.
 
Aled and Sian send their Sunday greetings to all.
 
Canon Leslie