Themes of Faith from the Third Sunday in Lent

Running On Empty Lyrics by Jackson Browne © Swallow Turn Music
(excerpt)

Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe. ...
I don't know about anyone but me

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels ...

Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Prayer Intention

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;

Let my people go hymn text
(excerpt)

O let us all from bondage flee, Let my people go,
And let us all in Christ be free, Let my people go.

Exodus 3:13-15

Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM Who I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

Psalm 42: 1-3 is the text set to music in the compostion featured in the following video. The theme is similar to the thought introduced in Psalm 63:1, from the RCL psalm reading for this Sunday. The compostion, by Herbert Howells, is presented by the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, London.




First Corinthians 10:11,13

These [disasters chronicled in the books of Exodus and Numbers] ... were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Luke 13:4-9

"Do you think that [the victims of a certain recent disaster] were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." Then [Jesus] told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

Quotation from Burt Rutan, aircraft designer: Source: brainyquote.com

Testing leads to failure, and failure leads to understanding.