onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 9: Year 2

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

Deuteronomy 1:1-18; Romans 9:1-18; Matthew 23:27-39:

“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery,”  I will rise up,” says the Lord, “and give them the help they long for.” (Psalm 12: 5)

It seems that most of our readings for today talk about the cruelty of human kind. Perhaps even the Psalms do as well. But this verse of Psalm 12, verse 5 caused me to stand back and try to take a look at us from God’s point of view.  God sees the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised.

How do you think God does the heavenly work of restoration?  My beloved of the Lord, God helps the oppressed and the poor who cry out in misery through us who believe in God.  God works through us, for us. I pray God works through us for the peace and benefit of Ukraine and other oppressed nations.

God works through people who sometimes don’t even realize that their own souls believe in God.  I have met them.  They have good hearts and are full of loving kindness. These people give children from broken homes hope and love. They are friends to those who are alienated from so called “normal” people.  Many agnostics are used by God without knowing it and provide success for God by providing “them the help they longed for.”  While God will sometimes work through people with little or no faith, God prefers to work through those of us with acknowledged faith.

Because of some bad preaching and some dogmatic church doctrine, many have been turned away from what God wants them to do – that is, to make a positive and loving difference in the world.  God’s plan was revealed in the readings we have for today. Leaders picked for Moses are told by Moses, “You must not be partial in judging: hear out the small and the great alike,” in the reading from Deuteronomy; Paul, in Romans, reminds his listeners about their ancestry and that the blessings they have comes from the mercy of God.  And our Lord Jesus continually rebukes religious leaders in our Matthew reading with the words, “woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.” 

Spiritual leaders must truly believe and walk the example of faith no matter what. Where is God today?  God is watching the poor and oppressed, and God is watching you and me.  Are we going to rise up with God and give the oppressed the help they long for?  I pray that we turn and really listen to the Holy Spirit and do the work of the Lord.

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: For a Person in Trouble or Bereavement (BCP p. 831)

O merciful Father, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men: Look with pity upon the sorrows of thy servant for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy, nourish their souls with patience, comfort them with a sense of thy goodness, lift up thy countenance upon them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 9: Year 2

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

Numbers 35:1-3,9-15 and 30-34; Romans 8:31-39; Matthew 23:13-26

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8: 38 and 39)

This is such a powerful statement from Paul.  And, while some of Paul’s rhetoric comes from his own somewhat vague personal understanding, there are moments like Corinthians 13: 1 – 13, and this one for today, that I believe come straight from God as made manifest in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s break it down.  First of all, Paul is “convinced.”  This means that his mind has been set, it is a revelation from God.  This kind of revelation is from God and not only to Paul but to us today as well.  And for all of us, once we know, we can’t “un-know.” We too are convinced.

Second, the love that God has for us overcomes all obstacles outside of ourselves.  I say outside of ourselves because it will be inside our deliberate and stubborn refusal to listen and learn from our Lord Jesus that hinders us from following our life path, and eternal path, that God has placed before each person.

I read once from a Russian priest that as we transition from this life to the next, as we all will, we begin our ascent to the divine.  As we approach the purity of heaven, whatever is amiss in us begins to diminish us. Whatever hate, or jealousy, or any unloving way we have about us will hinder us from our approach to God.  God will not stop us. According to the priest, the toxic baggage we attempt to bring with us will reduce us and may completely eliminate us. So it is nothing outside of ourselves that will hinder us from the love of God.  But any continued sinfulness within us will.

It is therefore of the utmost importance then, that we work on ridding ourselves of all such maliciousness now, so that we will be unimpeded as we approach the throne.  Nothing outside of ourselves will impede our journey to God.  For I too am convinced that nothing outside of us will separate us (whatever is left of us), from the love of God.

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: A Prayer of Self-Dedication (BCP p. 832)

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 9: Year A 

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11: 28 – 30)

When our Lord Jesus invites us to come and take his yoke upon us, this is not an exchange of yokes, as I once thought.  No, this is an invitation to join him in his yoke.  And it’s more than that; it’s an invitation to connect with Jesus through someone we know in Christ Jesus.

This is an invitation to come and be a Trinitarian partner. I am still learning to play guitar and piano.  I am blessed to be led in my musical instruction by fellow Christians –  fellow Christians who may not follow Christ in the exact same way that I do, but then, we are all evolving theologically.

With my guitar I mostly play music for Cursillo songs but I am comfortable knowing that our Lord Jesus binds us together in a common brotherhood, a blessed yoke of learning. The same is true for piano. The weight of trying to learn to play these instruments on my own is more than I can do.  But Jesus assists me through my albeit younger teachers, to share this load in His Holy name. 

The Bible is replete with examples of pairs of people through whom God (or Jesus) works through for our communal good.  Some examples are; Moses and Aaron; Ruth and Naomi; Elijah and Elisha; Simon Peter and Andrew; John and James; and Paul and several others.  My point is, that in our biblical tradition, we are called to seek out our Lord Jesus through another believer and share the yoked burden of doing the work put before us. When we yoke ourselves together, Jesus himself is the yoke, and we who attach ourselves to another believer become a small trinity as we learn from our gentle Jesus who is humble in heart as we find rest for our souls. When we do this Jesus has an arm around each of us and becomes the yoke we are invited to take upon ourselves.

Most of the tasks before us are far more serious than playing music, but I needed to show an example of what we are able to do when yoked with Christ. Today we have racism, sexism, and just plain egoism. We need to partner with one another in fighting the “isms” of today.  I begin to think all isms are bad and cannot be overcome without teaming up with a fellow believer wherein we are yoked with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The work before us is plentiful but we laborers are few. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Who do you know in Christ that you could work with for learning something new; or our communal good?  Let’s be fitted in the yoke of Christ, and get to work.

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: Proper 9: The Sunday closest to July 6 (BCP p. 230)

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 137:1-6 and Psalm 144; Evening, Psalm 104;

Numbers 24:12-25; Romans 8:18-25; Matthew 22:23-40:

“Jesus answered them, ‘You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

It was in this Gospel according to Matthew that we have Jesus re-interpreting the Scriptures, particularly in chapter 5.  Now we have Jesus telling the Sadducees (and many of us), that they have interpreted the ancient writings incorrectly. And he informs them that they also don’t really know about the power of God. 

I look at the ancient biblical writings, mostly written by men, as recording their experiences with God as best they could in accordance with their very limited understanding of the planet and space and themselves.  They did not always get it correct as Jesus informs this group of theologians. As an Education for Ministry (EfM) mentor and Christian Education teacher, I always explain that with God’s help, and with prayer before and after, we conduct our studies looking for truth, not facts. So called facts are sometimes shown to be not true but the truth always is.

I believe God is truth, pure goodness and merciful love. I believe God loves this fragile earth our island home and has caused all life to be good (until it is corrupted). I also believe there is a different, and holy realm that we pass on to when we expire from this life. And, as Jesus says in our Matthew reading for today, we will then be like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30).

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

Today we remember Independence Day, in the United States of America, July 4^th

Let us pray: (BCP p. 242)

Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1 -12);

 Numbers 24:1-13; Romans 8:12-17; Matthew 22:15-22:

“Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  (Matthew 22:21)

In trying to trick our Lord Jesus, the disciples of the Pharisees, along with the Herodians actually learn something about the real use of money and the reality of what belongs to God.

The real use of money is to purchase the necessities we need for living healthy lives.  Also, money can be used for fun and comfort. However, as money is a nonperishable trade commodity that the whole community needs to make use of, it should never be hoarded to the deprivation of others.

The emperor can be seen as the government, and money back to the emperor is the same as paying taxes. The emperor, or our government, are the printers of the money (hopefully) as a means of enabling citizens the ability to get their needs met and maintain their common good which includes paying wages for those who work for the emperor or our government.  Money is too often misused.

Our souls and hearts on the other hand, belong to the One who loaned it to us, Almighty God.  While money is a human construct, our being, is the design and creation of God. Loans of money can, and should, be paid in full.  What we owe God can never be paid.  But then, who we are, and how we are made, never really stops being the property of God.  And the fact that we cannot pay God back for our being, we must inevitably return  “to God the things that are God’s.”  This has always been true, even before time, since before the heavens and the earth were finished.

“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: For the Right Use of God’s Gifts (BCP p. 827)

Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:145-176; Evening, Psalms 128, 129 and 130; 

Numbers 22:41-23:12; Romans 7:13-25; Matthew 21:33-46:

“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.” (Matthew 21: 3)

This starts out as a beautiful parable then quickly goes south.  It goes into evil, self-serving people (the tenants), who beat up and killed the prophets and then killed the Son of the owner of the vineyard. The preferential Christian understanding for many Christians is that God has sent His Son into the world, the vineyard, and he was crucified by those who thought themselves to be first in authority, and the vineyard was given to Christians. Not all Christians adhere to this idea but many do.

But before all that, I want to focus on our human duty to care for this earth, this vineyard, regardless of any particular religion.  The Great Creator of the universe has caused us to come into being in this perfect life support system for all living creation upon it.  And, call it what you will, creation or evolution, humanity came into being last.  I think we are the flagship of God’s work and placed here, in part, to care for this earth.  This earth is perfect for our wellbeing.  But there is more to it than that.

We have a responsibility to help maintain this precious life-support system that we depend on. We have made telescopes and cameras and we have placed them in space such that we can look back and see this fragile earth, our island home as God would see it. I truly believe that God enjoys looking at this earth and sees that it is (or was) very good. This earth is a unique blue ball giving life to countless forms of life.  This blue ball is the vineyard, and we, all humans, are the tenants, given the responsibility to maintain it until the owner, either sends someone for a report, or returns personally.  So, what do you think our Earth-care grade should be on our report card to God?

Today we remember Pauli Murray, Priest (July 1, 1985) and Harriet Beecher Stowe, Writer and Prophetic witness (July 1, 1896) their information may be found at: Pauli Murray and Harriet Beecher Stowe, respectively.

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 Architect and Crafter of all life and especially of this earth; be present with us and teach us to better care for this planet our place of life, not only for ourselves, but for all your living creatures.  Make all humanity more aware of our planetary needs and inspire us to monitor our actions so as to make it clean again and to keep it clean as you have intended from the beginning; Amen

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalms  121, 122, and 123; Evening, Psalms 124, 125 and 126;

Numbers 22:21-38; Romans 7:1-12; Matthew 21:23-32:

“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went.  The fatherwent to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.” (Matthew 21: 28 – 32)

Our Lord Jesus points out that those who made the wrong decision initially, but then turned their lives around and did the will of God were forgiven and accepted; while those who gave the pleasing lip response initially, but did not change for the better suffered a more difficult fate. It seems, over time, we tend to improve.  I hope this is true for most of us anyway.

I must confess that I think that I am a much better person now than I was 40 years ago.  How do I know this?  I evaluate this by how I now see and listen to people; I evaluate it by the friends I cherish. And finally, I evaluate it by the fewer regrets I have for things done, and left undone.

The son who said no but did the will of the Father was, I believe, happier with himself in the end.  The son who said yes, but did not do the Father’s will, lived a double life of shame, shame for not pleasing the Father, and shame for lying about it in the first place.  The first son did not follow through with his emotional resentment of not wanting to do the work, but after deeper thought, did the work anyway.  The second son told the Father what he thought the father wanted to hear, either knowing he had no intention of doing the work; or, deciding later that he would not keep his word.

The words we produce with our mouths are important, especially if they truly represent what we are thinking and believing.   But the words we produce with our actions are the most important because they validate what is really in our heart.  Jesus has cornered the chief priests and elders in a situation wherein they would not say what they truly thought about John the Baptist. Rather, they conspired to say words pleasing to each other.  And unlike the tax-collectors and the prostitutes, the chief priests and elders would not change their ways.  How about us?  Do we always say what we really mean?  And “when” we err, will we repent and change?

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. 393)

Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 106:1-18; Evening,  Psalm 106:19-48;

Numbers 22:1-21; Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 21:12-22

“In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.  And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once.” (Matthew 21:18 – 19)

A fig tree born of creation, yet refuses to provide food for the One through whom it has its being.  We might argue that it was not the “proper” time for the tree to produce fruit; therefore, it is not the tree’s fault.  But we don’t know the hidden relationship that the Creator had with this tree.

I have read where as Jesus was on his way back to the Temple, which was also in full leaf insofar as its population was concerned, but produced no fruit in terms of spiritually feeding the people who came to it for spiritual nourishment.  The Temple was there for the pleasure of the Temple authorities only. There was a similarity between the fruitless tree and the fruitless temple.

How about you and me and our Church?  What is the spiritual fruit of our labors or the labors of our worship houses?  Are we found visiting the sick, or assisting those with no transportation to the store or medical appointments?  These are especially challenging questions.  But we must not use our difficult times as an excuse, or free pass, to not help our neighbors, less we too become the fruitless tree. Our parishes should feed our faith as we meet with regular attendance so that God is not disappointed when looking for the fruits of our faith.

Today we remember Saints Peter and Paul, and their information may be found at: St. Peter and St. Paul.

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:

Energize us O Lord God to love and participate in the fruitful well-being of our community in ways that bring people closer to you. Rejuvenate our heart’s desire to bring people together again for your love’s sake; Amen.