March 15 Lenten Meditation, Prayer and Scripture

Genesis 4:8-15 (Vespers, 1st reading)

8

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

9

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10

And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

11

So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12

When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”

13

And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!

14

Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”

15

And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

Proverbs 5:1-15 (Vespers, 2nd reading)

1

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding,

2

that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge.

3

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

4

but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

5

Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell.

6

Lest you ponder her path of life – her ways are unstable; you do not know them.

7

Therefore hear me now, my children, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8

Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,

9

lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;

10

lest aliens be filled with your wealth, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

11

and you mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,

12

and say: “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction!”

13

I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!

14

I was on the verge of total ruin, in the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

15

Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.

Conclude your time with God by taking 5 minutes to sit quietly and pray the Jesus Prayer – “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me the Sinner.”