The Season of Lent 2016年大齋節期

The Season of Lent 2016年大齋節期

黃春生牧師

主題：與耶穌一同退到曠野

時間：大齋節期亦稱四旬期(Lent)是復活節前的四十日(扣除6個主日)。今年(2016)年的大齋節期從2/10(聖灰日)至復活節前夕為止，共46天，如果扣除六個主日，則是40天。第七個主日就是復活節主日。

大齋首日是從聖灰日(Ash Wednesday)開始的，傳統上稱為聖灰日、撒灰日、或塗灰日。從聖灰日開始就進入大齋節期(Lent)，直到受難日(Good Friday)前，在此期間教會的佈置也以象徵懺悔的紫色為主。

大齋節期是復活節節期前的四十日(扣除五個主日及棕樹主日)。大齋節期的第一日都是禮拜三，傳統上稱為大齋首日、聖灰日、撒灰節或聖灰三(Ash Wednesday)。從大齋首日開始就進入大齋節期(Lent)，前後共有六個主日，第六個主日即受難週首日—棕樹主日，在此期間教會的佈置也以象徵懺悔的紫色為主。
在聖灰日，神職人員會把去年棕樹主日所用的樹枝燒成灰，將灰在信徒額上畫十字，提醒大家：人啊！要知道你是塵土，也要歸於塵土。在大齋節期中思想生命的脆弱，並加以克己、悔罪，仰望基督的救贖所帶來永生的盼望。

羅馬天主教或具傳統的教會特別會在受難週的禮拜四晚上舉行聖餐(the Lord’s Supper)，以紀念主耶穌為門徒洗腳並設立聖餐，這一天又稱為Holy Thursday(聖週四)。在台灣基督長老教會中，則在受難日(聖週五, Good Friday)舉行受難日紀念禮拜，並舉行聖餐。

顏色：這段期間，教會的布置會以代表皇室尊貴的紫色為主，以迎接寶座上的君王。 

經課：按普世教會三年一輪的經課表，2015待降節至2016年在教會年曆上是屬於C年。

Lent Year C	First reading	Psalm	Second reading	Gospel
Ash Wednesday February 10, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12	Psalm 51:1-17	2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10	Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
First Sunday in Lent February 14, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Deuteronomy 26:1-11	Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16	Romans 10:8b-13	Luke 4:1-13
Second Sunday in Lent February 21, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18	Psalm 27	Philippians 3:17-4:1	Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)
Third Sunday in Lent February 28, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 55:1-9	Psalm 63:1-8	1 Corinthians 10:1-13	Luke 13:1-9
Fourth Sunday in Lent March 6, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Joshua 5:9-12	Psalm 32	2 Corinthians 5:16-21	Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Fifth Sunday in Lent March 13, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 43:16-21	Psalm 126	Philippians 3:4b-14	John 12:1-8
Liturgy of the Palms March 20, 2016 Sixth Sunday in Lent ART -- PRAYER		Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29		Luke 19:28-40
Liturgy of the Passion March 20, 2016 Sixth Sunday in Lent ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 50:4-9a	Psalm 31:9-16	Philippians 2:5-11	Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49

受難週的經課：

Holy Week Year C	First reading	Psalm	Second reading	Gospel
Monday of Holy Week March 21, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 42:1-9	Psalm 36:5-11	Hebrews 9:11-15	John 12:1-11
Tuesday of Holy Week March 22, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 49:1-7	Psalm 71:1-14	1 Corinthians 1:18-31	John 12:20-36
Wednesday of Holy Week March 23, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 50:4-9a	Psalm 70	Hebrews 12:1-3	John 13:21-32
Maundy Thursday March 24, 2016 Holy Thursday ART -- PRAYER	Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14	Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19	1 Corinthians 11:23-26	John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Good Friday March 25, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 52:13-53:12	Psalm 22	Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9	John 18:1-19:42
Holy Saturday March 26, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24	Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16	1 Peter 4:1-8	Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42

復活節經課： 

Easter Year C	First reading	Psalm	Second reading	Gospel
Easter Vigil March 26, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Old Testament Readings and Psalms Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26 Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46 Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16 Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18 Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6 Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19 Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 42, 43 Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143 Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Psalm 98 New Testament Reading and Psalm Romans 6:3-11 and Psalm 114 Gospel Luke 24:1-12
Resurrection of the Lord March 27, 2016 Easter Day ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 65:17-25	Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24	1 Corinthians 15:19-26 or Acts 10:34-43	John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12
Easter Evening March 27, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	Isaiah 25:6-9	Psalm 114	1 Corinthians 5:6b-8	Luke 24:13-49
Second Sunday of Easter April 3, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 5:27-32	Psalm 118:14-29 or Psalm 150	Revelation 1:4-8	John 20:19-31
Third Sunday of Easter April 10, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)	Psalm 30	Revelation 5:11-14	John 21:1-19
Fourth Sunday of Easter April 17, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 9:36-43	Psalm 23	Revelation 7:9-17	John 10:22-30
Fifth Sunday of Easter April 24, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 11:1-18	Psalm 148	Revelation 21:1-6	John 13:31-35
Sixth Sunday of Easter May 1, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 16:9-15	Psalm 67	Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5	John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9
Ascension of the Lord May 5, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 1:1-11	Psalm 47 or Psalm 93	Ephesians 1:15-23	Luke 24:44-53
Seventh Sunday of Easter May 8, 2016 (If Ascension not observed here) ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 16:16-34	Psalm 97	Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21	John 17:20-26
Day of Pentecost May 15, 2016 ART -- PRAYER	*Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9	Psalm 104:24-34, 35b	Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21	John 14:8-17, (25-27)

省思：

初代教會以來，基督徒在這段時間必須潔淨、齋戒，以撒灰懺悔的態度等待受難週的來臨。這個傳統如今仍保留在東方正教(又稱希臘正教)裡，也見於羅馬天主教、聖公會、英國安立甘教會及少數基督新教裡面。

通過為期四十日之久的齋戒，一方面是體驗耶穌在曠野受魔鬼試探四十日的精神，一方面也是為了幫助信徒在受難週來臨前，過個警醒與悔改的生活。雖然今日長老教會不要求信徒禁食嚴守四十日的大齋節期，但是我們也可以利用這段時間懺悔、靈修，體驗耶穌在曠野四十天的操練。至少，我們可以在大齋節期的最後一週--耶穌基督受難週(2016.3.20-26)，一起來思考耶穌為人類的救贖所受的苦難。因此，在受難週期間我們應該避免參加喜慶宴樂，也不要外出旅遊，一起和全世界的教會兄姊一起守節，一起參加教會在受難週所舉辦的祈禱會與禮拜。