The Second Sunday of Lent - Reflection by Canon Leslie

​Today is the Second Sunday of Lent, the season of the Church’s year when we prepare for the events of Holy Week and Good Friday. It is a season of reflection and penitence. Today’s Gospel reading from Mark invites us to call to mind how Jesus foretells his death and resurrection to his disciples. In Mark’s Gospel Jesus begins to teach his disciples about his forthcoming crucifixion as soon as Peter has publicly acknowledged him as the Christ at Caesarea Philippi. There are two other predictions of the crucifixion later in Mark’s Gospel, each becoming more explicit and precise. On this first occasion the disciples fail to understand and the crowds are invited to take up their cross and to follow him.
 
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 the cross. Today’s picture of the wooden cross has been taken from the illustrated communion book, The Lord is Here!
 
Next Sunday, the Third Sunday of Lent, focuses our attention on how Jesus cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem. The image to help us prepare for next Sunday is spring cleaning. 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 find out more about the book, The Lord is Here!, please follow this link to the relevant page of the St. Mary’s Centre website: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/childrenandcommunion.html.
 
We warmly invite you to join us in worship online here: 

To find the Order of Service for the liturgy, please follow this link to the Resources Page of our prayer blog, Prayer for Liverpool, where it will be available on the left hand column under the heading "Worship on Lent 2": https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.
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With Lenten regards,
 
Canon Leslie
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