Azariah's Prayer of Repentance

The following prayer of repentance is found in an apocryphal portion of the book of Daniel 3:25, 34-45. It is included in "Catholic versions" of the Bible. It is said to be the prayer Azariah (his Hebrew name, Abednego was his Babylonian name) prayed while in the fiery furnace. It is a beautiful prayer for the Lenten season.

²⁵ Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:
34  For your name’s sake do not give us up forever,
    and do not annul your covenant.
³⁵ Do not withdraw your mercy from us,
    for the sake of Abraham your beloved
    and for the sake of your servant Isaac
    and Israel your holy one,
³⁶ to whom you promised
    to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven
    and like the sand on the shore of the sea.
³⁷ For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation,
    and are brought low this day in all the world because of our     sins.
³⁸ In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader,
    no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,
    no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.
³⁹ Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be    accepted,
⁴⁰  as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls,
    or with tens of thousands of fat lambs;
    such may our sacrifice be in your sight today,
    and may we unreservedly follow you,
    for no shame will come to those who trust in you.
⁴¹ And now with all our heart we follow you;
    we fear you and seek your presence.
⁴² Do not put us to shame,
    but deal with us in your patience
    and in your abundant mercy.
⁴³ Deliver us in accordance with your marvelous works,
    and bring glory to your name, O Lord.
44Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame;
    let them be disgraced and deprived of all power,
    and let their strength be broken.
⁴⁵ Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,
    glorious over the whole world.”
~ ~ ~ Taken from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Worthy Fruits

John the Baptist came preaching a message of repentance. Part of that message was that the repentant was to “bear fruits worthy of repentance.” (Luke 3:8) Some may refer to these fruits as “penance.” Penance doesn't produce repentance, penance should be the fruit – the evidence - that shows repentance has taken place or is in the process of taking place. Penance doesn't pay a debt of sin, the Cross took care of that. Acts of penance express a desire to “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work.” (Colossians 1:10)

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1275 a.d.) said there were conditions necessary for true penance:

• Contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment

• Confession of sins without omissions

• Satisfaction by means of good works

With that in mind, may you have a very fruitful Lenten season.

Another Consideration for Lent

Give up complaining——focus on gratitude.

Give up pessimism——become an optimist.

Give up harsh judgments——think kindly thoughts.

Give up worry——trust Divine Providence.

Give up discouragement——be full of hope.

Give up bitterness——turn to forgiveness.

Give up hatred——return good for evil.

Give up negativism——be positive.

Give up anger——be more patient.

Give up pettiness——become mature.

Give up gloom——enjoy the beauty that is all around you.

Give up jealousy——pray for trust.

Give up gossiping——control your tongue.

Give up sin——turn to virtue.

Give up giving up——hang in there!

--Anonymous

Fasting and Feasting During Lent

I came across the following list and thought it would be of interest to the readers of this blog as we approach this Lenten season. We often think of giving something up for Lent, which is fine and can have great spiritual value. Others speak of adding a discipline rather than giving something up. A discipline might be an additional time of daily prayer and meditation or Scripture reading. It might be a community service activity of some kind, or volunteering for some worthwhile cause.

Whether you add or subtract during this Lenten season, may do it with the goal of becoming more like Jesus. The list that follows may give you some ideas for Lent that, hopefully, will continue on past the Lenten season and help you to reshape and redirect your life in the areas where needed.

Fast and Feasting During Lent

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on divine order.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on non-resistance.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal Truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds.

-
William Arthur Ward
(American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

So, what are you doing for Lent?

Tomorrow begins the season of Lent. Lent the period of 40 days that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday. You may notice that there are actually more than 40 days in this time period. That is because Sundays are not counted in the calculation. Lent is a time of self-examination, repentance, fasting and purposeful focus on the sufferings of Christ leading to His crucifixion on Good Friday. The reason Sundays are not “counted” is because Sunday is looked upon as a day of celebration – a mini-Easter if you will.

You may choose to do something special during Lent this year. Perhaps you have chosen a special book to read or topical Bible study to go through from now to Easter. Others may deny themselves a certain luxury or pleasure and “give up” such things as deserts or other food items, eating between meals,
$5 daily lattes, going out to eat, television, etc. Really, it could be just about anything.

Still others may choose add something to their lives instead of or in addition to giving something up. This could be spending extra time in prayer or Bible reading. I could be helping out at a food shelf or shelter or volunteering in some other worthy cause.

Whatever one chooses to do or not do during Lent should be done as unto the Lord, with the purpose of drawing closer to Him during this time. Ultimately, some of these practices will continue once we get past Easter and become part of our daily discipline as we seek to be molded by Him into His image and as we seek to honor Him in every aspect of our lives.

For those who have chosen to fast during Lent, whether it be a day a week, a meal or two a day, or a complete fast for an extended period of time, I have included an original prayer for fasting. Perhaps it will be of help to you.



PRAYER FOR FASTING

Lord, I commit this fast to you.
Grant that I would draw close to You during this time,
and not simply abstain from the pleasures of food.

When I feel hungry and desire to eat,
give me a greater hunger for You;
remind me that “man does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God;”
move me to feed upon Jesus, the Bread of Life,
the True Manna come down from heaven;
place within me a hunger and thirst for righteousness
with the assurance from Your word that I shall be filled.

Should I be troubled by headaches or stomach pain,
cause me to remember and meditate upon
the sufferings You willingly endured for me.

If I should become crabby or irritable,
draw me into Your presence; for in Your presence is
is fullness of joy.

If I am feeling particularly weak,
let me experience
the joy of the Lord which is my strength;
let me understand
that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness;
let me know
that when I am weak, then I can be truly strong.

If I wonder if I will be able to continue,
pour out Your abundant grace and that will be sufficient for me.

Throughout my fast,
increase my hunger for You;
allow me to taste and see that the Lord is good;
let me feast at the spiritual table You have set for me.

I ask these things for Your glory. Amen.