The Grain of Wheat 2018

Saturday, March 31, 2018 - HOLY SATURDAY Commemoration of John Donne, 1631, and Joseph, Patriarch Full Moon, Blue Moon (12:37 UTC) Commemoration of Benedict of Africa, 1589 Vigil of Easter, 8:30 pm Rom. 6:3-11; John 20:1-18 From a sermon by St. Epiphanias of Salamis: Something strange is happening - there is great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh, and has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. God has gone in search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, God has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, He who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight

Friday, March 30, 2018 - GOOD FRIDAY (From “God’s Friday”) Passover begins at sunset Worship: 12 Noon and 7 pm   Is. 52:13-53:12; Ps. 22; Heb. 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42 Sing, my tongue the glorious battle; tell the triumph far and wide; tell aloud the wondrous story of the cross, the Crucified; tell how Christ, the world's Redeemer, vanquished death the day he died. (ELW 355, st. 1: Venantius Fortunatus, tr. John Mason Neale) •        Bake hot cross buns to break the fast (see recipe.) leave the radio and tv off today. Hot Cross Buns        375° oven             In a small bowl, combine: 1 pkg. dry yeast ¼ c. warm water In a small saucepan, scald: 1 c. milk (or soymilk) Add:  1 t. salt ¼ c. sugar ¼ c. butter Pour milk mixture into a large bowl. Let cool to lukewarm. Stir in: 1 c. flour Add: yeast mixture 1 egg, beaten ½ t. ground cinnamon ½ c. raisins or currants Mix well.  Add: 2½ - 3 c. flou

Thursday, March 29, 2018 - MAUNDY THURSDAY (From “ Mandare ” – to command) Worship: 7 pm Ex. 12:1-14; Ps. 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Where true charity and love abide, God is dwelling there. We are gathered by the one love of Christ Jesus; let us lift our voices to God and be joyful. In holy wonder let us love the living God, and may our hearts ever be one in faithful love. Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. ( ELW 653, st. 1: Latin hymn, 9th c.) •           Clean out a closet. Give away what you don’t need.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Worship: 12 Noon I have a feeling that my boat has struck, down there in the depths against a great thing.             And nothing happens! Nothing…Silence…Waves…             -Nothing happens? Or has everything happened, and we are standing now, quietly, in the new life? Juan Ramon Jimenez (1881-1958) •        Take a walk. Look for signs of Spring.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Worship: 12 Noon Glory to You! You built your cross as a bridge over death, so that departed souls might pass from the realm of death to the realm of life. Your murderers handled your life like farmers: they sowed it like grain deep in the earth, for it to spring up and raise with itself a multitude of people. Come, let us offer Christ the great, universal sacrifice of our love, and pour out before him our richest hymns and prayers. Ephrem the Syrian (307-363) •        Pray for someone in distress. Send them a card.

Monday, March 26, 2018 Worship: 12 Noon Reading: Mark 11:1-11 "Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut."    (Mark 11:8)             Jesus chose the way of the prophet Zechariah for entering into Jerusalem, on the back of an unridden colt. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." God of peace, we enter now with Christ into Jerusalem. May we have the same mind among ourselves that was in Christ Jesus. Amen •        Place the palms from the Palm Sunday liturgy on your altar.