The ministers of God's grace preached on repentance with the help of the Holy Spirit. And the Lord of all things Himself spoke of repentance, with an oath:

For as I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the sinner but his repentance.

He added this kindly assurance:

Repent, O house of Israel, of your wickedness. Say to the sons of my people: "If your sins reach from the earth to Heaven, and if they be redder than scarlet, and blacker than sackcloth, and you return to Me with all your heart and say, Father, I will listen to you as a holy people." - Clement of Rome, Epistle to the Corinthians, VIII

#Patristics #Penance #Soteriology

By the word of His majesty He has set up all things, and by a word He can overturn them. 'Who shall say to Him, "What hast Thou done?" or who shall stand against the force of His power?'

When He wishes, and as He wishes, He will do all things, and none of the things decreed by Him shall fail. All things are before Him, and nothing is hid from His planning. - St Clement of Rome, Ibid.

#Patristics #Providence #Predestination

“Why shouldst thou fear to be stripped of that which thou hast resigned already to Christ?… Thou hast no life to lose, because thou hast given it already to Christ, nor can man take away that without God’s leave.”

— Fr. William Gurnall

Sweetest Saviour, I come to thee upon thy invitation, and thy commandment; I could not come to thee but by thee; O let me never go from thee any more, but enter into my heart; feed me with thy word; sustain me with thy Spirit; refresh me with thy comforts, and let me in this divine mystery receive thee, my dearest Saviour: and be thou my wisdom and my righteousness, my sanctification and redemption.

Let me receive this holy nutriment, as the earnest of an eternal inheritance, as a defensative against all spiritual danger, for the eviction of all the powers of the enemy: as an incentive of holy love, and a strengthening of my faith for the increasing of a holy hope, and the consummation of a heavenly love; that thou being one with me, and I with thee, I may, by thee, be gracious in the eyes of thy heavenly Father, and may receive my portion among the inheritance of sons, O eternal and most gracious Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen, Amen. - Jeremy Taylor, Devotions to be used upon the Morning of Communion

This wouldn't happen if she followed Lenten fast

brethren, if the Lord endured suffering for our souls although He is the Lord of the whole world, to Whom God said at the foundation of the world:

Let us make man in our image and likeness,

how then did He allow Himself to suffer at the hands of men?

Here is the reason. The Prophets, with His grace, prophesied concerning Him, and He, to destroy death and manifest the Resurrection from the dead, allowed Himself to suffer because He must necessarily be manifested in the flesh. It was also to fulfill the promise made to the fathers, and prepare for Himself the new people; also to show, while still on earth, that, having effected the Resurrection, He Himself will be the judge. - Epistle of Barnabas 5.5

#Patristics #Christology #Soteriology

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Who was the guilty?
Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason,
Jesus, hath undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus,
I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.

-Johann Crueger, 1640

See, O Lord, my tribulations and the afflictions of my soul,
for I am burdened by my many sins. Return, grant pardon and lead me back to You,
for You said, “Return to Me and I will return to you.”
Have mercy on me for I am languishing;
Help me for I am so wretched,
Shine on me for I am so dark
Guide me for I have gone astray;
I am filled with sins and uncountable transgressions,
I am floundering and tossed about in torrents of iniquity.
But I take refuge in You,
Reach out Your hand to me as You did to Peter.
I call upon You to justify me as You did that tax-collector;
Pardon my transgressions as You did those of the thief.
Open to me the gate to the Way of Life,
and bring me into the royal bridal-chamber.

St Ephrem the Syrian

#Patristics #Soteriology #Penance

I will keep Thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

Numbered with the transgressors, O Christ, Thou dost free us all from the guilt brought upon us of old by the deceiver.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By keeping Thy words.

Fairer in His beauty than all mortal men, He appears now as a corpse without form or comeliness, He who has made beautiful the nature of all things.

With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.

How could hell endure Thy coming, O Saviour? Was it not shattered and struck blind by the dazzling radiance of Thy light?

O Saviour, as thou hang'st upon the tree;
I turne my backe to thee, but to receive
Corrections,
till thy mercies bid thee leave.
O thinke mee worth thine anger, punish mee,
Burne off my rusts, and my deformity,
Restore thine Image, so much, by thy grace,
That thou may'st know mee,
and I'll turne my face. -John Donne, Good Friday, 1613. Riding Westward

#Anglican #Soteriology #Christology

I raise up my eyes to You, O Lord,
along with my whole heart,
I implore You, O Christ God, Only-Begotten Son of God.

You who willingly descended from [Your] ineffable glory,
took on the form of a servant and, without guilt,
[and] because of our condemnation, You endured [even] to take on the punishment of the cross and death for the salvation of Your creatures.

Now You who have such love toward the race of mankind and who wish that all men should live,
and come to the knowledge of truth,
have mercy on me who am such a great sinner,
O merciful Lord and Lover of mankind

-Ephrem the Syrian, Armenian prayers

#Patristics #Christology #Soteriology #Penance

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

Today is Good Friday.

Remember He who was numbered among transgressors and took on punishment for our sins. Today He who hung the stars is hung on a tree.

May these prayers on Christ's sufferings posted today help us see His Love. He paid no small price for our ransom. May we who sin always treasure it in our hearts.