First Sunday of Lent
In fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-23
My God and my Father, every judgment of yours is trimmed with hope; every lamentation of mine is framed by your promises; every heartbreak leads to your joy. Thank you that even in this season of Lent, our solemnity is punctuated by six reminders of the resurrection, six Sundays until our resurrection day comes. Fill my heart with your goodness on all of them, and every day between. Amen.
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke—the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
“AND CAN IT BE, THAT I SHOULD GAIN?” CHARLES WESLEY