MICAH 6.8

WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK—THE SECOND ANOINTING
		A PREPARED MEDITATION DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A PRAYER AND A BEAD. YOU MAY, HOWEVER, CHOOSE TO USE THE FOLLOWING IN WHATEVER MANNER IS MEANINGFUL FOR YOU.
		CROSS	Psalm 23. 5 O God, You spread a table for me in the presence of my enemies, and you anoint my head with oil—my cup overflows!
		INVITATORY	Luke 4. 16-19 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. Entering the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his habit, Jesus stood up to do the reading. When the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed him, he unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of our God is upon me: because the Most High has anointed me to bring Good News to those who are poor. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to those held  captive, recovery of sight to those who are blind, and release to those in prison— to proclaim the year of our God’s favor.” Rolling up the scroll, Jesus gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  Then he said to them, “Today, in your hearing, this scripture passage is fulfilled.”
		CRUCIFORM	I John 2. 20, 27 You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. the anointing that you received from God abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as God's anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in the Anointed One.
		WEEK I	1 Samuel 16. 1-13 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And God said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to God, the Holy One.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.”  Samuel did what God commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to ; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the God’s anointed is now before the Holy One.” But the God said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has God chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has God chosen this one.”  Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Holy One has not chosen any of these.”  Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. God said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of God came mightily upon David from that day forward.
		CRUCIFORM	I John 2. 20, 27 You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. the anointing that you received from God abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as God's anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in the Anointed One.
		WEEK II	Psalm 2-3 (selected verses) Why are the nations creating such an uproar? Why all this commotion among the peoples? Those who hold power are taking their stand, gathering their forces against God Most High and against God’s Anointed One. “Let’s break their chains!” they say. “Let’s throw off their shackles!” But the One who sits enthroned in the heavens laughs; the Sovereign One derides them, then rebukes them in anger and, enraged, terrifies them: “It is I who installed my ruler on Zion, on the mountain of my holiness!” I will proclaim God’s decree—God Most High said to me: “You are my own; I’ve given birth to you today. Just ask—I’ll give you the nations as your inheritance! I’ll give you the ends of the earth as your possession! You’ll break them with an iron scepter; you’ll shatter them as easily as a clay pot.” So, you rulers, be wise! And you who hold power, stand warned! Serve God Most High and rejoice—but do so with reverent fear and trembling. Pay homage to God’s Own lest you be destroyed on your way in a blaze of anger— for God’s passion can flare up without warning. Happiness comes to those who make God their refuge! For you, O God Most High, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.  I cry aloud to you, O God, and you answer me from the mountain of your holiness. Rise up, O God! Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Deliverance belongs to God Most High; may your blessing be on your people!
		CRUCIFORM	I John 2. 20, 27 You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. the anointing that you received from God abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as God's anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in the Anointed One.
		WEEK 3	Hebrews 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by the Only Begotten, who has been made heir of all things and through whom the universe was first created. The Anointed One is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being, all things are sustained by God’s powerful Word.  Having cleansed us from our sins, the Beloved Anointed One sat down at the right hand of the Glory of heaven—as far superior to the angels as the name the Anointed One has inherited is superior to theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Own; my Begotten; today you are the Beloved in whom I am well pleased”? Or, as when God said upon bringing the Firstborn into the world, “Let all the angels of God worship you”?  Of the angels God says, “I make the angels winds, my servants flames of fire.” But to the Only Begotten, God says, “Your throne, my Child, will last forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of your reign. You love justice as much as you deplore evilness; therefore, God, your God, has set you above your companions and anointed you with the oil of gladness.” “In the beginning, O God, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a cloak, and like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years never end.”  But to which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand and I will place your enemies under your foot”? The truth is, all angels are ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation. The salvation, which was first announced by the Anointed One, was confirmed for us by those who heard the message. God also confirmed their witness to it with signs, wonders, miracles of all kinds—and by freely distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
		CRUCIFORM	I John 2. 20, 27 You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. the anointing that you received from God abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as God's anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in the Anointed One.
		Week 4	Luke 7. 36-50 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
		CRUCIFORM	I John 2. 20, 27 You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. the anointing that you received from God abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as God's anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in the Anointed One.
		INVITATORY	Ezekiel 16. 8-14 I passed by you again and looked on you; you were at the age for love. I spread the edge of my cloak over you, and covered your nakedness: I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Holy One Most High, and you became mine. Then I bathed you with water and washed off the blood from you, and anointed you with oil. I clothed you with embroidered cloth and with sandals of fine leather; I bound you in fine linen and covered you with rich fabric. I adorned you with ornaments: I put bracelets on your arms, a chain on your neck, a ring on your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, rich fabric, and embroidered cloth. You had choice flour and honey and oil for food. You grew exceedingly beautiful, fit to be a queen. Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of my splendor that I had bestowed on you, says God Most High.
		CROSS	Psalm 23. 6 Only goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in your house, O God Most High,for days without end.