onewhoponders

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Third Sunday of Easter: Year A

Luke 24:13-35

“They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”

Back in my Marine Corps days, and on one of my deployments to Italy, I had an Aircraft Maintenance Officer who would often come by my desk in our open hangar bay and say, “Top” (That was what I was called) “Walk with me, talk with me.”  This was his way of having some time to share each other’s thoughts about how aircraft maintenance Marines were doing in our aircraft squadron. I remember these occasions as “catch up” times.

In more recent years, and as a priest, I once had a young woman who asked if she could do spiritual guidance with me, and if so, could we walk around outside as we did it. I agreed but first wanted to have the traditional office conference and then try the “walk with me, talk with me” sessions.  As it turned out she moved away suddenly and we never got to do the “walk with me, talk with me” part, This was my loss.

In our Lord Jesus’ walk in this story on the road to Emmaus, Cleopas and his companion couldn’t seem to recognize Jesus until he served them dinner, later and at “their” home. After Jesus had left, they confided between themselves that the opening of the Scriptures caused a burning in their hearts. It truly was an “Ah, ha” moment for them. Our Lord Jesus took both the Scriptures and the Bread and blessed them, and opened (or divided) them, and then gave them. Are you seeing what is happening here?  Are you having a moment now?

You and I are Monday morning quarterbacks here, given that we know the story well. But too many of us still don’t get it. Jesus’ story didn’t just begin with his birth.  It began long ago in the mighty acts of God in human history. We human beings are the people of our stories. We need to tell them, and we need to listen to the stories of others. Walking guidance may very well be the best spiritual guidance there is. Walking is just an example of doing something that eases the smooth transition of conversation.  We could just as easily converse as we did food preparation, yard work, or a board game. Walking and talking may be the best way to converse because it is casual and allows for deep attention to be given to content.  It worked well in Navel Aviation while deployed in Italy with my boss and me. Perhaps we all can soar beyond the clouds step by step.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: Third Sunday of Easter (BCP  p.224)

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 2^nd Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 20 and 21: Evening, Psalms 110:1-5(6-7) and Psalms 116 and 117;

 Exodus 17:1 to 16; 1^st Peter 4:7 to 19; John 16:16 to 33:

“When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world.”  (John 16: 21)

Perhaps labor pain is the one pain that Jesus did not actually experience but it doesn’t take away from the point he is making, and that is that we go through some discomfort that brings about more than just relief, it brings newness of life and great pleasure. 

The book of Ecclesiastes seems to me to have as its running theme that “all is vanity.”  This suggests to me that perhaps our whole life is but the off-and-on-again labor of love until we finally come into new life as a heavenly being. As a dedicated believer and a person of prayer, my default, or go-to, position is the spiritual realm. Armed with the understanding that I will not live forever, it is through my spiritual self that I believe is my eternal path. 

So, as St. Peter says in our readings for today:

“The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”  (1 Peter 4: 7 – 11)

Today we remember Juana Ines De La Cruz, Monastic and Theologian, 1695 and her information may be found at: Juna Ines de la Cruz.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Dear Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of all life, please help us to know and understand the difficult challenges we must undertake to reach real and everlasting joy. Strengthen our patience in suffering when it is a part of your plan for us in order that we may fully appreciate eternal joy. In Your most Holy Name: Amen.

Daily Office Reading for Friday of the 2^nd Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 16 and 17; Evening, Psalms 134 and 135;

Exodus 16:23 to 36; 1^st Peter 3:13 to 4:6; John 16:1 to 15:

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)

I used to wonder why people in the Superman comic book series, especially Lois Lane, didn’t realize that if she never saw Clark Kent and Superman at the same time, they might be the same person! It is amazing what a business suit and a pair of glasses will hide. 

Jesus says “if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” It sounds like a phone booth transformation to me.  So, they are one and the same perhaps. I just feel like Jesus is God’s way of really knowing what it is like to be one of us.  In Christ Jesus, God experiences our joy, pain, sorrow, abuse, tyranny, foods, relationships, work, play and on and on. There is no existence, or experience, in human life that God has not experienced personally in the person of Jesus except for maybe giving birth. Therefore, God knows all, and every kind of our delights and our troubles.  As the old hymn goes, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, Nobody knows but Jesus.”

Our Advocate, sent by our Lord Jesus, can best be summed up in the words of the Preacher to the Hebrews as he writes, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin;” (Hebrews 4:15).  I think it is very important to believe in, and hope for, eternal life. Without the expected accountability and judgment to come, and the possibility of life everlasting, where is the governance of our conduct now, in this life? We need to learn this message now and improve ourselves daily. I believe in the Creating Word through the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word in Whom we live, move, love and have our being, and to Whom we must give an account.

Today we remember Kateri Tekakwitha, Lay Contemplative, 1680 and her information may be found at  Kateri Tekakwitha: and we also remember Emily Cooper, Deaconess, April 16, 1909, and her information may be found at: Emily Cooper

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom. 

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Oh Holy Lord Christ, as you have sent us Your Holy Spirit to be our Advocate in this life, so open each of our minds to see and behave more faithfully each day, until that day we come to you. In Your most holy Presence we pray. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 2^nd Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 18:1 to 20; Evening, Psalm 18: 21 to 50;

Exodus 16:10-22; 1^st Peter 2:11 to 25; John 15:12 to 27

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15: 12)

I really like this “John” version of the love commandment better than the ones in the Synoptic Gospel accounts where it is said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  The presupposition is that you love yourself. I have met people who do not love themselves. How then can they be expected to love others? 

I am not trying to promote narcissism here but a great many people need to know that they are loved by God, and to suggest that God can’t act in them is not saying they are not good enough, but that God, in all God’s unlimited ability, they feel that God is not able to act in them. Balderdash! God can, and will, use any person to do God’s will. 

We are definitely commanded to love ourselves as part of the commandment to love. But just in case we don’t get it, St. John records our Lord Jesus as saying love “one another” (which includes yourself), as I have loved you. Jesus says, “As I have loved you.”  And remember, Jesus loved you all the way to the cross. Every human being is so worthy, and so loved.  Thank you Lord Jesus.

Today we remember Peter Williams Cassey, Priest, and Anna Besant Cassey, 1917and 1875, respectively. And their information may be found at: Peter Williams Cassey & Annie Besant Cassey.

 As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Lord God, who showed us how to love one another through Your time with us in our Lord Jesus Christ, please help us to tear down whatever hinders our affection for one another, be it language, culture, nationality, color of skin, or whatever. Continue teaching us even now, through one another, to love one another, and ourselves, as You love us. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 2^nd Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:1-24; Evening,  Psalms 12, 13 and 14; 

Exodus 15:22 to16:10;  1^st Peter 2:1 to 10;  John 15:1 to11: 

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2: 9)

When Peter says we are a chosen race he is not talking about Jews or whites or blacks or Asians or Hispanics or Europeans.  All are included in the faith. But specifically, he is talking about God-believing humans of all walks of life. He is talking about those of us who have said that we believe and are in fact God’s people no matter how we are packaged.  And we will proclaim God’s mighty acts, of old, and what we witness God doing now.

How has God acted in your life?  What good has happened in your life that is not easily explained outside of God’s mighty acts?  God is all around us and God knows that when, we who believe, see something mysteriously happen, we know God is doing this work and it delights us.  When it happens, we pause and say, “Thank you God,” and we chuckle to ourselves.  It is in such ways that God calls us out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.

The Bible does not really end with the Revelation to John, at least not for the record of humanity’s relationship with God.  We, you and I, are the continuation of the Living Bible. God still lives and will always live. And we are invited to join in the heavenly kingdom beyond the pages of scripture. Scripture will remain here for God’s own chosen race of faith to continue to read, heed and even lead.  There comes a time however when we leap from our earthly relationship to that all spiritual relationship into the full identity as a child of God in our Lord Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. My beloved of the Lord, please do all in your power to live fully into a life of faith.

Today we remember Damien, Priest and Leper, 1889; and Marianne Cope, Religious, 1918, respectively, both of Hawaii. And their information may be found at: Damien & Marianne of Molokai.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, Crafter and Creator of all that is, enlighten us more and more as we age to see Your will being done in both outwardly and inwardly ways. And these ways encourage us to share Your acts among all so that others might also come to believe. We give You thanks Dear God for our lives, and Your care of us. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 5 and 6; Evening, Psalm 10 and 11; 

Exodus 15:1 to 21;  1^st Pet. 1:13 to 25;  John 14:18 to 31;

“Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.” (1^st Peter 1: 21)

I think Peter in his first letter here is correct about who our Lord Jesus was then, what he was doing, and is still doing now.  It is through our Lord Jesus that we Christians have come to trust in God.  Often we only focus on Jesus and not on where he is still pointing us to, that is, to the Creator of all creation. It is in the early hours that I ponder these things. “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.” (Psalm 5:3)

God is Creator, Sustainer and Sanctifier.  God is everywhere all the time.  Peter tells us that through God raising Jesus from the dead, and then placed in our midst, our faith and hope should be set on God, the “All Mighty, Invincible, God only wise.”  We all should be looking to God for answers to all our problems.  God cares for us and wants us to come to God for spiritual survival.

Regardless of how we build and use a path to God, there is only One Source of love and life. Some individuals, institutions and even some countries don’t get it. Love and life come from the same Source, and it is to this Source that Jesus was directing us so that our faith and hope are set on this same Source of love and life. The Spirit of the Source was surely speaking through Saint Peter. Thank you Saint Peter.

Today we remember Zenaida, Philonella and Hermione, Unmercenary Physicians (c. 100, c. 117) and their information may be found at:  Zenaida, Philonella & Hermione: and we also remember Henry Beard Delany and Edward Thomas Demby, Bishops, c.1928 and 1957 respectively. And their information may be found at: Henry Delany & Edward Demby.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, the great Source of life and love, You came to us as one of us to show us Yourself. Let us learn and trust in You as did Peter, your apostle. Help us to follow our Lord Jesus’ instruction to look to You in all matters of life, now and forever; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 2^nd Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 1, 2, 3; Evening, Psalms 4 and 7;   

Exodus 14:21-31; 1 Pet. 1:1-12; John 14:1-17:

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2 – 3)

There are few things that can compare with a well thought-out plan. One of the lessons I am still learning is to have a place for things before I get them. It is really upsetting to order and have delivered a new gym apparatus and nowhere to put it in an already crowded garage.   I’ve gotten to the point that when I am asked to move something for someone, I ask where do you want me to move it to?  If there is something already occupying that space, then the question becomes, where does that item then go? and on and on.

For our eternal home, this work has already been done by our Lord Jesus. Jesus says he has gone to prepare a place for us. This preparing that Jesus speaks of may even be “create” a space for us. The good news is that there is a space, a dwelling-place for us. You have heard that there should be a place for everything, and everything in its place, right?  We are co-creating a space in our eternal home right now as we go about believing in, and following Jesus.

In what I call my “man-cave” are many photos, plaques, and memorabilia I have collected over the years. It’s not much, it’s just me. Jesus is decorating a room for me with the good works I have done, and hopefully, will do as I await his call to my eternal home. How about you my friend?  What personal souvenirs or memorabilia is our Lord Jesus preparing your space with? The good news is, if you are reading this you still have time to put forward some good works, or fruits of the spirit, to our Lord Jesus as he prepares your space. For as he says, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” Let me be clear, this is not “works righteousness,” but rather, “living the dream.”

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP p.505)

Merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life: Raise us, we humbly pray, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; that when we depart this life we may rest in him, and at the resurrection receive that blessing which your well-beloved Son shall then pronounce: “Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.” Grant this, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Second Sunday of Easter: Year A

John 20:19-31 

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”  (John 20: 29)

Although we have not “seen” Jesus, at least, not in human form as a Palestinian Jew.  We see him in the acts of people who believe in him.

In scripture we see Jesus come to people huddled up in a room as did the apostles. They had their own quarantine so to speak. They were behind a locked door but that did not stop Jesus.

Jesus seems to really get upset about people who have first heard and then did not believe. Jesus was upset with the disciples who heard Mary Magdalene declare “He has risen,” but they didn’t believe her.  Jesus reprimanded the two on the road to Emmaus.  You see, “In the beginning was the Word!” not the sight.  I think Jesus is trying to make the point that we should believe the Jesus stories we are told, at least believe until we find out different, and I don’t believe we ever will. 

We can see the presence of Jesus through the acts of believers today. I saw and heard Jesus in a Doctor at Chapel Hill University Hospital many, many years ago, who asked if she could pray with us for one of our then teenage high school boys who was run over by a school bus. She asked to pray with us before she performed surgery on him.  I was so moved by her asking.  It is good to witness doctors of faith and feel the presence of Jesus today in our presence. We can hear and see our Lord Jesus in doctors and nurses and store clerks, and truck drivers cooped up in their various, and sometimes locked-in environments today. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Even more blessed are those who have heard and then come to see our Lord Jesus in the loving acts of his people. I bid you all, to go and be blessed, and then be a blessing to others. Tell your own Jesus stories so that others may first hear and then see our Lord Jesus in their own way.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: Second Sunday of Easter (BCP p. 224)

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Eucahristic Readings for Saturday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 4:13-21;  Psalm 118:14-18 or Psalm 118:19-24;  Mark 16:9-15,20

“But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4: 19 – 20)

This is something we don’t think about enough, that is, what is right in God’s eyes.  No matter where we are, or who we are with, God is always present, looking and listening. I will confess that I still find myself in situations where I am saying things about a person (not present) to someone else, that I wouldn’t say if the subject person was present.  I forget that God is standing right beside me. I’m getting better, but not quite there yet.

Sometimes it is hard to hear what God is saying.  Many people try to find similar life situations or problems in the Bible in order to discern what God said then, and apply it to now.  This does not often work, and it may not be what God is saying to us now.  Each time, each situation and each people have their own, and often, very different responses, from God.

Peter and John learned from our Lord Jesus that prayer brings about the voice of God. And just as they were partnered in their standing before the rulers and elders and scribes as formerly uneducated men, being only fishermen, they consoled with God and fed off each other for even wiser counsel with God in the mix.

Each one of us, clergy or not, needs another person, of whom we have respect for their caring and nurture that we can voice our concerns with.  And then we must be willing to heed their counsel given to us. This is not to take away our own “alone” time. But sometimes God needs to use the voice of a trusted friend to say a word or two that will enhance our discernment and decision making. God is good, all the time. God wants what is good for us. Often our traditions and laws conflict with the good that God wants for us.  We must listen to the Holy Spirit of God speaking through others and understand what is right in God’s eyes. It varies from situation to situation.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Dear Lord God in Christ Jesus, as You were witnessed by Peter and John about Who You are and what is right to do and say, so also be with us in our time now so that we too may share Your truth and love to the world. In Your eternal presence we pray: Amen.