The 2nd Lenten Service is coming up. We´re following the propers of the local lectionary. The Introit starts us off with the 2nd penitential Psalm:
How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven,
Psalm 32
whose sin is pardoned.
How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish,
in whose spirit there is no deceit.
When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long.
For day and night you tormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah)
Then I confessed my sin;
I no longer covered up my wrongdoing.
I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.”
And then you forgave my sins. (Selah)
For this reason every one of your faithful followers should pray to you while there is a window of opportunity.
Certainly when the surging water rises, it will not reach them.
You are my hiding place; you protect me from distress.
You surround me with shouts of joy from those celebrating deliverance. (Selah)
I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.
I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule, which will not obey you unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.
An evil person suffers much pain, but the Lord’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly!
Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright!
The Old Testament lesson is the account of the institution of the Passover (Exodus 12,1.3.7-8.12-14.26-27) and the Gospel lesson from St. Luke takes us to our Lord´s institution of His Holy Supper in the night He was betrayed and during their celebration of the Passover feast:
Then the day for the feast of Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us to eat.” They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” He said to them, “Listen when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, and tell the owner of the house,‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large furnished room upstairs. Make preparations there.” So they went and found thing just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
Now when the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table and the apostles joined him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
“But look, the hand of the one who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.
Gospel of St. Luke 22,7-23
The sermon text supplements this most perfectly:
Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself. Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.”
Gospel of St. John 13,1-7
Together with the church of old we sing in the translation of Robert Campbell (1814-1868):
1 At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from His piercèd side.
Alleluia!2 Praise we Him, whose love divine
Gives His sacred blood for wine,
Gives His Body for the feast–
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.
Alleluia!3 Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword;
Israel’s hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Alleluia!4 Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, paschal bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
Alleluia!5 Mighty Victim from the sky,
Hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath You lie;
You have conquered in the fight,
You have brought us life and light.
Alleluia!6 Now no more can death appall,
Now no more the grave enthrall;
You have opened paradise,
And Your saints in You shall rise.
Alleluia!7 Easter triumph, Easter joy!
This alone can sin destroy;
From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free,
Newborn souls in You to be.
Alleluia!8 Father, who the crown shall give,
Lutheran Service Book 633
Savior, by whose death we live,
Spirit, guide through all our days;
Three in One, Your name we praise.
Alleluia!
And here is the German order for this Lenten Service: II Passionsandacht (26.2.2021). We use the hymnal of our sister church (SELK): Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch
