Septuagesima – Grace Alone
Pre-Lent is upon us.
Sometimes it’s called Gesimatide (“gesima” is latin for “days”). It just refers to the three weeks before Lent begins. Although we don’t talk about it much, this short season dates back to at least the mid-fifth century and ruction as a sort of bridge between the joyous season of Christmas and Epiphany with the more somber and penitential season of Lent.
The three Sundays of Pre-Lent function as a countdown of sorts until the Resurrection of our Lord. So yesterday was Septuagesima, which, in Latin, means “Seventy Days.” It doesn’t always work out to be exactly 70 days until Easter, but it’s close and clearly identifies this season of the church year as a steady marching toward the cross.
Each Sunday has a specific focus as well. This week, for Septuagesima, the focus is geared toward the undeserved nature of God’s grace. The Gospel lesson from Matthew 20:1-16 shows us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard who each get paid the same regardless of how long they work. For the reward of Faith is not based on work. This causes dissent among the vineyard workers, but it is not they who suffer injustice when others are paid the same. It is the vineyard owner, the Master, who suffers injustice. Christ Jesus suffers the injustice of the cross so that all men might be equally justified before God.
But there is also a good warning here for us Christians, that we might not have an evil eye when others receive good things, but rejoice that our Lord has blessed them as well as us. Likewise, God’s grace does not mean that we should live an idle life. Hence, the appointed Epistle from 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5, warning us of the need to discipline our bodies. In this way, God’s grace in His Son Jesus Christ frees us to work in the vineyard of our Lord with joy!
If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy; For when I pray, before me my foes, confounded, fly. If Christ, my Head and Master, befriend me from above, What for or what disaster can drive me from His love?
TLH 528:1