Happy Fourth Sunday in Lent.
The AOC Sunday report can be downloaded RIGHT HERE.
There is news from Pakistan and Bishop Jack’s write up on the Madrid trip; Bishop Jerry will have one in a week or two.
We have excellent sermons today from Bishops Jerry, Roy, Yves and Jack, as well as Rev Bryan. Jack’s sermon is below the propers and can be viewed on video HERE -> https://youtu.be/AcNrGm8DkHA
Bishop Jack’s sermon looks at the unifying message of the Collect, Epistle and Gospel and examine how they share a common message of action as we near the end of Lent, a season of preparation. In the Collect, we acknowledge without God’s great goodness and divine intervention, we cannot be preserved in either body or soul. in order to get into heaven one must be perfect. But as we all know as Saint Paul says, all fall short. So how do we get in then? In the Gospel, Jesus explained to the Pharisees before Abraham had even been conceived, He was. Action, not diction is what counts. It all comes together.
As always, we have a lot of people who desire your prayers. I know that seems to never change, that is because it doesn’t ever change. Today we ask you start with Alan Ridenour’s father who has just been released to him after two months on a ventilator in ICU with Covid then work your way through Candy, Shamu, Tricia, Laurie, and continue from there when you have time.
As we near the end of Lent, season of preparation for the coming of the Lord into Jerusalem amongst other things, we all need to see if we are really opening our heart to God’s guidance in the form of the Holy Ghost. If we’re not, and I doubt any of us really are as much as we could, we need to try harder and harder to do that. It is very difficult to follow God’s instructions if you don’t listen to them.
May you see the epic week ahead.
Godspeed,
Hap Arnold
Bishop Coadjutor
Anglican Orthodox Church Worldwide
