10%, Minus Sundays

Four days down, and a reminder that, technically speaking, Sundays don't count in the 40 days of Lent. Part of it is just the way the calendar works, and part of it is tradition that has really deep roots in our Christian life of discipleship. Since it began, Lent has been marked by a very stringent and strident manner of observance: daily fasting, prayer, penitence, confession. All of these practices lead towards the goal of strengthening our resolution to follow Christ and take up our cross (Mark 8:34). And yet, some group back in the beginning of things was wise enough to realize that yes, indeed, we are human and can't possibly keep up this enormous effort for 7 out of 7 days. We need a break. And what is more, the theology of the Lord's Day was robust enough, building off of the even more ancient practice of Sabbath, that to be sullen and gloomy on a day in which the Children of God gathered to Celebrate the Lord's Supper in Holy Communion and Worship God with an Outpouring of Praise... well, that simply was not acceptable. Indeed, Luke 5:34 states: "You cannot make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?" And what stronger affirmation do we have of Christ's enduring and steadfast presence with us in all things than the celebration of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion?

All this to say that, well, I'm a little off-base posting on Sunday (okay, late Sunday), but since I fell a day behind on Friday, we'll make it a clean slate by revving into the actual Day 5 tomorrow, Monday.

For those of us who received our *official* copies of Ron Klug's "40-Day Journey with Deitrich Bonhoeffer" today after worshipping at the First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette, it will be great to have that resource and begin digging into it in the days and weeks to come.

There has been a swelling of interest in the 40-Day Journey, so even more copies of the book have been ordered, and will be available in the next two or three days for anyone interested in getting their own copy. Again, just shoot me an email: erik.wiebe@gmail.com

Our question of the day: (A good one to start off the week...)

In what ways are prayer and work related to each other?

"After the first morning hour [of prayer], the Christian's day until evening belongs to work. 'People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening' (Psalm 104:23). In most cases a community of Christians living together will separate for the duration of the working hours. Praying and working are two different things. Prayer should not be hindered by work, but neither should work be hindered by prayer. Just as it was God's will that human beings should work six days and rest and celebrate before the face of God on the seventh, so it is also God's will that every day should be marked for the Christian both by prayer and work. Prayer also requires its own time. But the longest part of the day belongs to work. The inseparable unity of both will become clear when work and prayer each receives its own undivided due."

- from his book Life Together

Consider these words from Scripture:

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands --

O prosper the work of our hands!

-Psalm 90:17

Prayer for the day

Lord, when I go out to work may I go joyfully and with enthusiasm for the tasks at hand. May my work be good for me and good for others.

Amen