One suggestion for a Lenten devotion is reading through the prophets (except Isaiah, save that for Advent) during Lent. Below is a schedule adapted from Presentation Ministries out of Cincinnati. [Note that Daniel is tricky to categorize. It may better be described by the genre of apocalyptic.]
Ash Wednesday: Jeremiah (chapters) 1-4
Thursday: Jeremiah 5-8
Friday: Jeremiah 9-12
Saturday: Jeremiah 13-16
First Sunday of Lent: Jeremiah 17-20
Monday: Jeremiah 21-24
Tuesday: Jeremiah 25-29:23
Wednesday: Jeremiah 29:24-33:26
Thursday: Jeremiah 34-37
Friday: Jeremiah 38-45
Saturday: Jeremiah 46-49
Second Sunday of Lent: Jeremiah 50-52
Monday: Lamentations
Tuesday: Baruch
Wednesday: Ezekiel 1-6
Thursday: Ezekiel 7-12
Friday: Ezekiel 13-17
Saturday: Ezekiel 18-21
Third Sunday of Lent: Ezekiel 22-24
Monday: Ezekiel 25-29
Tuesday: Ezekiel 29-32
Wednesday: Ezekiel 33-37
Thursday: Ezekiel 38-42
Friday: Ezekiel 43-45
Saturday: Ezekiel 46-48
Fourth Sunday of Lent: Daniel 1-3:97
Monday: Daniel 3:98-6:29
Tuesday: Daniel 7-9
Wednesday: Daniel 10-12
Thursday: Daniel 13-14
Friday: Hosea 1-4
Saturday: Hosea 5:1-9:9
Fifth Sunday of Lent: Hosea 9:10-14:10
Monday: Joel
Tuesday: Amos 1-4
Wednesday: Amos 5-9
Thursday: Obadiah and Jonah
Friday: Micah 1-3
Saturday: Micah 4-7
Palm (Passion) Sunday: Zechariah 1-5
Monday of Holy Week: Zechariah 6-11:3
Tuesday of Holy Week: Zechariah 11:4-14:21
Wednesday of Holy Week: Malachi
Friday, February 23, 2007
Lent 2007
In my devotions for Ash Wednesday I ran across a line that caught my attention: "Lent is not about losing weight." What a wonderful critique of Lenten practices that betray the true sense of the season.
I think what the author meant was this: the temptation of Lent, as in all of life, is to turn even our spiritual practices (yes, even our Lenten discipline) into a narcissistic self-improvement program. Truth be told, it is my hope that all emerge from Lent "better people"--if the practice of repentance "takes"--but that is a different matter.
Has this in fact been what we have turned Lent into: another set of New Year's resolutions, or Christian weight-loss/self-improvement program? I hope not.
Perhaps careful attention to (and practice of) the three traditional Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and works of mercy/almsgiving may serve to reverse this.
I think what the author meant was this: the temptation of Lent, as in all of life, is to turn even our spiritual practices (yes, even our Lenten discipline) into a narcissistic self-improvement program. Truth be told, it is my hope that all emerge from Lent "better people"--if the practice of repentance "takes"--but that is a different matter.
Has this in fact been what we have turned Lent into: another set of New Year's resolutions, or Christian weight-loss/self-improvement program? I hope not.
Perhaps careful attention to (and practice of) the three traditional Lenten disciplines of prayer, fasting and works of mercy/almsgiving may serve to reverse this.
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