We have an early start today so we went to a vigil at St. Joseph Catholic Church last night at 6:30pm. The oldest Catholic Church in Hobart (1841) was across the street from our hotel.
A vigil is a church service on the eve of a festival or holy day as an occasion of religious observance. A Christmas Eve service is by definition a vigil.
I loved that all was quiet in the church. There were less than 50 in attendance but all were reverent.
We started the service by lighting a Lenten candle. This was the second Sunday of Lent. I light Advent candles at Christmas, but I had never heard of Lenten candles. I love that!
Old Testament reading: Genesis 22:1-3; 9-12; 15-18
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.
New Testament reading: Mark 9: 2-10 And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here; let’s make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For he did not know how to reply; for they became terrified. Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!” And suddenly they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant.
Moses went to the mountain and he came down with the Ten Commandments. The glory shined from his face. He came down from the mountain where he saw and experienced God.
Tree of Life
The Father was Asian and his accent was hard to understand but he had some good points.
- We move fast, but God does not. He is there.
- Examine your life.
- What is unnecessary? Give up what keeps you from God.
- Give up what is unnecessary to experience God.
- Give God the best of your lives.
- Celebrate courage to give up your life to the glory of God
The Apostles Creed
- I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
- and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers were given for the world, the church and the sick. I am not Catholic but the parishioners knew how to respond. It sounded like a lot of mumbling and not very heartfelt. Lord hear our prayer.
Trinity Church, our church back in the USA, sends Lenten devotionals by email. It isn’t a replacement for fellowship but I thought this week was especially good about “Spending Time”. If you need a little motivation to clicking the hotlink below, my pastor looks like Tom Cruise!!
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