Here are worship resources for Sunday, March 29, the fifth Sunday of Lent.

This is the day that God has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Holy God,
God of all creation,
In this time of certain uncertainty, draw us close to you.
We confess that sometimes we fall into the abyss of fear and worry.   Open our eyes and hearts and ears to the wonder around us.
We confess that we worry about our own well being and turn away from those who have less.
We confess that we fail to be present to the gifts of each day.  Open our eyes and hearts and ears to the blessings of today.
Slow us down.  Calm us down.  Let us rest in your love.
Amen.

Assurance of Grace:  You are God’s beloved.  You are forgiven.  You are always drawing us back to your presence.  Thanks be to you, O God.

Joe Cough playing ‘Smile’ by Charlie Chaplin

Scripture Reading:  Mark 13:1-8, 24-37

1 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

24 “But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27 Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Therefore, keep awake — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36 or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

We are in the midst of Lent, the time of walking in the wilderness, pondering the ways of life and death.  While I don’t think that God decided to smite us with a pandemic, we are presented with a different Lenten journey than most of us have ever experienced.

It is hard and filled with fear and grief and anxiety for many of us.

Jesus told us to pay attention and to watch and stay awake.   This is the beginning of birth pangs.  Stay awake.  Awake to the opportunities to love our neighbors by keeping our distance and being intentional about picking up the phone because we won’t see them at church, at work, or in the community.

We are learning in this time.  Learning about how we react to fear.  Learning to smile at one another.   Learning to share.  Learning to be followers of Jesus in the community–not in the church building.  We can find the holy in this time.   Learning to preach from the places of death instead of within the walls of a building.

Holy is the decision to keep our distance.  Holy is the recognition that we cannot close our borders to illness.  Holy is the recognition that we are in this together.  Holy is the care of those who are working in our hospitals and grocery stores.  Holy is the care of those who are providing essential services from first responders to utility workers.

Jesus calls us to stay awake and pay attention to what God is doing in our midst.  Pay attention to the coming of spring and to the ways in which we are pulling together to love God and love our neighbor.  Where and how do we see signs of God’s love? In the smile of a neighbor, the kindness of a stranger, the faithfulness of those who serve our community.

We journey with Jesus to the cross.  We journey with Jesus to the places of death and the places of healing.  We journey with the women to the empty tomb where we will learn again that death is not the end of the story.

May you find peace and joy this week. Amen.

Take some time for quiet and prayer.

Listen to God.  Bring your prayers.  Listen.

A version of The Lord’s Prayer
from The New Zealand Prayer Book

Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever. Amen.

I hope you enjoy the video below.  You are the seed that will bring new life, sending sparkles of faith, hope and love.  Go in peace and joy.  Amen.