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February 22, 2026
See TodayLent 1
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
- First Reading
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Gen. 3:1–21 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
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- Psalm
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Psalm 32:1–7 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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A Psalm of David, Maschil.
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
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- Epistle
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Rom. 5:12–19 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
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- Gospel
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Matt. 4:1–11 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
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Lent 1
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
About this service
Jesus’ Righteous Obedience to the Father Leads to the Justification of All
Following His Baptism, Jesus is “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1). As He takes upon Himself the curse of our sin and sets Himself against our enemy, He trusts His Father’s voice and waits upon His Father’s hand for all things. The devil questions His sonship, but the beloved and well-pleasing Son remains faithful and lives “by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Jesus patiently suffers hunger in His mortal flesh and returns to the dust whence man was taken, and by His pain He brings forth food for all the children of men (Gen. 3:18–19). By the sweat of His brow, we eat the fruit of His cross, even as our nakedness is covered by His righteousness. Although all people live in bondage to death through the trespass of the first man, Adam, all the more “have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many” (Rom. 5:15). His righteous obedience “leads to justification and life for all men” (Rom. 5:18).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — Three-Year Lectionary Series A (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
- Gradual (seasonal)
- Hebrews 12:2 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
Source: LCMS Three-Year Series (A) Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for February 22, 2026 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
O Lord, in the midst of this life we are beset by many temptations. Fix our eyes on our Lord Jesus, who bore temptation for us and resisted to the point of death, and bring us through the evils of this fallen world to dwell with You forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desire that they turn from evil and live. Give pastors courage to warn of sin and death. Give all Christians strength to defend that message. Turn sinners to life by the proclamation of Christ, who delivers from all unrighteousness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, preserve all catechumens and their teachers, all children and their parents, and every Christian home from the assaults of the evil one. As Your Son overcame Satan in the desert by the Word of God, so also give us the victory through Christ and His Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You have established earthly authorities to punish evil and praise those who do good. Grant our rulers humble hearts to resist the allure of power and to worship You alone. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Father, though we deserve nothing of Your kindness, You have shown Yourself to be the strength of the weak, the healer of the sick and the hope of those who mourn. Hear us on behalf of those who are troubled in mind or body, the dying and those who grieve [especially _____________]. Sustain them through their afflictions and pain, heal them according to Your gracious will and deliver them at the last to everlasting life in Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You covered the shame of our first parents with animal skin and thereby foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of Your Son’s blood by which we are cleansed and clothed. Give us the garments of repentance and faith, that we may receive Your Son’s body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Father, though You gave us stewardship of Your good creation, we love the gifts more than the giver. Save us from trusting in our possessions more than in Your Son. Teach us to use what You have provided to help those in need and to relieve the poor, the unemployed and the oppressed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You have given us a refuge from the world in the Body of Christ. Protect us from all evils of body and soul, that we would find rest in this life and eternal rest in Your heavenly embrace; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for February 22, 2026 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For faith to follow our Lord Jesus and resist temptation, that we would come through this fallen world to dwell with Him forever, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For a faithful proclamation of truth, that God would embolden pastors to warn of sin and death and give all Christians strength to defend that message; and that sinners would be turned to life through the proclamation of Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all catechumens and their teachers, all children and their parents, and every Christian home, that God would preserve us from the assaults of the evil one and, as Christ overcame Satan in the desert by the Word of God, give us the victory through Him and His Word, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those with worldly authority, that they would resist the allure of power and would worship God alone, punish evil and praise those who do good, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those troubled in mind or body, the dying and those who grieve, [especially _____________,] that in their afflictions and pain the Lord would sustain and heal them according to His will and deliver them at last to everlasting life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who commune, that God, who once covered the sin of our first parents with animal skin, foreshadowing Christ’s perfect sacrifice by which we are cleansed and clothed, would give us the garments of repentance and faith to receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In gratefulness for God’s good creation and His gifts, that we may be good stewards of all that He has given and be preserved from trusting in our possessions more than in Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You have given us a refuge from the world in the Body of Christ. Protect us from all evils of body and soul, that we would find rest in this life and eternal rest in Your heavenly embrace; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
Hymn of the Day — A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656 or 657)
Lutheran Service Book 656 or 657
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for First Sunday in Lent (One-Year), Reformation Day (One-Year and Series A, B and C) and Lent 1 (Series A, B and C). This record preserves the appointment identity only; it does not reproduce the Lutheran Service Book hymn text.
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, pp. 167, 171 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 424 O Christ, You Walked the Road
- Distribution LSB 561 The Tree of Life
- Distribution LSB 572 In the Shattered Bliss of Eden
- Closing LSB 422 On My Heart Imprint Your Image
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — Three-Year Lectionary Series A 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.