... But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not us

We are afflicted in every way,

But not crushed;

Perplexed,

But not driven to despair;

Persecuted,

But not forsaken;

Struck down,

But not destroyed;

Always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,

So that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies...

...So death is at work in us,

But life in you

For this light momentary affliction is preparing us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

II Corinthians 4:7-10;11b-12; 17

Lets be honest, in the case of the Apostle Paul's affliction he saw Jewish authorities, Roman Centurions and exhausting physical hardships associated with his Missionary Journeys. We, on the other hand, see our afflictions stemming from an adversarial Post-Christian Culture, Bondage to our Finances and an Emotional Semi-Paralysis attempting to engage our Purpose and Meaning for our Life.

The question is: "Do the above passages still apply in the same way for us today?" Or: "Is God still there for us in the same manner, despite the radical change of 'affliction' in our culture?" Can the same splendor and glory burnished in the Roman Colosseum, for the afflicted faithful, comport with we contemporary sycophants, subtly afflicted (no less in bondage) metaphorically by Fitzgerald's infamous West Egg?

If we look to much to the kind of "affliction" that once was as a measure of faith and response, can we misapprehend a different kind of current affliction, that while different, is no less severe and destructive? The brick and mortar of today's Colosseum's are made up of a composite of materials we know as: Individualism, Hedonism, Materialism and Debtism.

In relationship to our "brokenness" that comes from the Fall:

Until we are willing to find another that we can truly trust for words of wisdom, that counter and constantly challenge our perception of reality, we will always be highly susceptible to some form of pathology. The constant inbreeding of thought can only birth, in the end, deformed values, beliefs and self-awareness.

HUMANLY speaking: If the severity of God's "JUSTICE" isn't a true and ever present certainty, then the beauty of God's "GRACE" can't be an ever true and meaningful reality. DIVINELY speaking: JUSTICE and GRACE are eternal and irreducible divine attributes - THE celestial polestar points on an equally balanced axis. To marginalize the function of one is to compromise the nature of the other....

If life can be compared to a game of CHESS... then just because we find ourselves constantly maneuvering out of "CHECK," doesn't necessitate we are fated to be "CHECKMATED." However, if in the end we have persevered, then more often than not, its because our opponent made a mistake - and not because of some new found genius on our part. This is why we should pray... Hebrews 7:25

There are those who naively believe that "LOVE" exclusively can overcome the world. And there are those who confidently believe that exclusivity to "TRUTH" can save the world. However, too much "love" creates "cripples" of those who openly receive it; and too much "truth" comes from "cripplers" of those who unerringly believe it. Godly WISDOM knows these two to be symbiotically balanced.

Caution about how Christians respond to the death of anyone (I.e. Osama bin Ladin), is a MUST... However, the "cautions" I read the last few days, came from mostly "half-pacifists" – the kind that blithely give benefit-of-the-doubt for those who clearly committed great evil, AND NOT the -benefit-of-the-doubt to those trying to stop them...

This kind of pacifist tends to get-in-the-way of those trying to stop evil-doers, but will rarely get-in-the-way of the evil doers themselves. This is particularly true of non-practitioner 

Academics who declare themselves to be pacifists - and vigorously pontificate to their charges to be so as well. Most are sequestered away in their book-lined ivory towers, busily reading someone, who read someone, who in turn read someone else.

Should peace be pursued, as a matter of principle, in all places, at all times and among all people? ABSOLUTELY!!! Is that always possible or even the best thing? No, not always. The ASSUMPTION here, is that violence always begets violence and less violence against an offending party always results in less suffering for all... There is simply no conclusive evidence to substantiate that assumption.... I give you the German Nazi experience as perhaps the premier example.

Many pacifists almost assume: "Evil can always be shamed into submission and insanity can always be reasoned with into complicity." This simply isn't true universally. If it were then open up all of the insane asylums and then suggest to God that He go easier on Satan.

To be fair there are a couple of stellar examples that come immediately to mind where pacifism worked well! Luminaries such as Ghandi and Martin Luther King are perhaps the best known. But does their example have to be normative? Or did their example work because the time and place were right for them to work? Is pacifism a one size fits all solution for all conflict? I think not. It’s a solution, but I don't think the solution every time.

Its telling how much many pacifists are willing to let the innocent suffer in the face of grinding evil (without even asking their permission), while stoutly defending clearly evil people, and their actions, simply to make their point that this might be a good idea.

Ash Wednesday and Holy Week Liturgal Reading

Preceded by a 24 Hour Fast

Introduction of the Ash Wednesday Service: (On Front of Service Sheet)

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior,and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, through self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature,let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. (BCP 1979)

Meditation Music:

Call To Worship: 2 Tim 2:10-13

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Meditation Music:

Ash Wednesday Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP 1979)

Mediation Music:

Homily Text: Mark 8:34-38

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

A Collect: – A Congregational Confession: (With Contributions From: The Daily Light)*

Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? (Pro 20:9)*

The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Psa 14:2-3)*

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Rom 8:8)*

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. (Rom 7:18-19)*

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isa 64:6)*

But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (Gal 3:22)*

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isa 53:6)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2Co 5:21)

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them…. (2Co 5:19)

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1Jo 1:8-10)

Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (Rev 3:3)

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear. (Rev 3:19-22)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (Jam 5:16)

Receiving of The Ash: (Officiat)

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition,in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws… "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame-- (Dan 9:3-5,7b)

This is An Outward and Public Sign of an Inward Heart Condition.

The Following Will Be Said To Each Recipient Who Receives The Ash

“Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.

Obey The Holy Spirit, That You Might Be Conformed To The Image of Christ”

Presentation of Sin to the Cross

An opportunity to write out a specific and troubling sin and present it to the Cross, either by placing it in a basket or tacking it to the Cross itself.

Time of Confession & Prayer for the Forgiveness of Sins

For those who wish, there will be prayer and confession stations throughout the Sanctuary

Closing: Congregational Responsive Reading:

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses.

Wash me through and through from my wickedness
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.

Against you only have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight.

And so you are justified when you speak
and upright in your judgment

Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth,
a sinner from my mother's womb.

For behold, you look for truth deep within me,
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.

Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure;
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.

Make me hear of joy and gladness,
that the body you have broken may rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Give me the joy of your saving help again
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.

Blessing and Benediction

May The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Meditation Music:

Please depart the sanctuary in silence, sealing to your hearts your new commitments to Christ…