Witness, Mercy, Life Together post on “Blessed Lent”

Posted today on the Witness, Mercy, Life Together blog is a “Blessed Lent” greeting by Pastor Harrison with a renewed call to the Church to pray the Litany during Lent:

As Lent begins, Rev. Matthew Harrison invites us to join him in praying “The Litany,” profound words long prayed by the church in times of need. “This is a time of need, both for our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and for Christianity around the world,” Harrison says from the kneeler in his office where he begins each morning at the LCMS International Center in prayer. Harrison shares the prayer’s history and words.

 


 

We previously posted his call to do this. The Litany is found on page 288 of The Lutheran Hymnal, page 1310 of Treasury of Daily Prayer, and BJS has prepared a PDF file containing it that you can print out and include with your devotional material.

In addition, we’ve prepared this sample bulletin insert to help spread it throughout your church members. Feel free to modify this as you see fit to meet the needs of your church:

LCMS President Pastor Matthew Harrison asks for members of LCMS churches to pray the litany daily during Lent as a way to help improve our devotion times. His wording: “Left to ourselves, bereft of texts as the foundation of our prayers, we are often left praying “Dear God, give me a mini-bike,” as I was wont to pray as a 12 year old – and am prone to pray even today! … The fulsome petitions of the Litany take us out of ourselves, to pray for the church, pastors and teachers, our enemies, women with children, the poor, the imprisoned and much much more.” The Litany is found on page 288 of The Lutheran Hymnal, page 1310 of Treasury of Daily Prayer, or more information about this can be found online at https://yaag.org/r/litany

 

Pastor Paul McCain has posted over on Cyberbrethren an updated post including “How to pray the Litany” as well as the Our Father and various collects that may be used during your devotion time.

How to pray the Litany:

  1. Set aside a time and a place for quiet meditation and prayer.
  2. Calm yourself and prepare yourself to pray in silence before you begin.
  3. If you are with others, choose one person to say the “L” parts and then all join in on the “C” parts. If you are alone say/sing each part.
  4. Kneeling is a helpful posture to assume when praying. If this is not possible, use whatever posture is most helpful to you.
  5. Use any, or all, of the concluding prayers, in the same manner as the Litany.

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