to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Isaiah 58:6-9

Welcome to Lent, friends.

The post The Kind of Fast I Have Chosen. appeared first on Chris Morton.

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The books feature a unique and easy to read translation, followed by the exegesis and commentary.  The most amazing thing is, despite writing some of the densest tomes in recently theology, Wright is quite capable of writing on the popular level.  The commentaries work quite well as an extended introduction, a basic academic study, or even devotional reading.

Speaking of devotional reading, I’ll be working through Lent for Everyone. Wright’s commentaries have been reworked to line up with the lectionary calendar for the year.

Lent for Everyone, as well as the other books in the For Everyone series are available in paperback and kindle.

The post Wednesday Spotlight: Tom Wright’s “For Everyone” appeared first on Chris Morton.

1.  We give things up for Lent because it leads us to Easter.  Rather than indulging in what me missed during our fast, we seek to find this small part of our life resurrected.  We give up what controls us through Lent so we can be free of it come Easter.

2.  I failed at Lent, in a deep fundamental way.  Posting on this site, Facebook and elsewhere what I had given up is a direct contradiction of Christ’s words on fasting.  This cheapened my fast and misled others.  My apologies.

The post Failing at Lent appeared first on Chris Morton.

I know of nothing darker in scripture, and nothing better to ruminate on the day after our Lord’s death.  Please take a moment to read it all.

LORD, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.

I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.

You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, LORD, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

But I cry to you for help, LORD;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Why, LORD, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?

From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.

The post Only the Darkest Will Do on Holy Saturday appeared first on Chris Morton.