onewhoponders

The Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 15: Year A

Matthew 15: 10 to 28

“She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” (Matthew 15: 27 and 28)

Prior to this incident (and part of our Gospel Reading for today) Jesus had just explained about what defiles a person.  He said it is not what goes into a person (certain foods considered unclean) but rather, it is what comes out of a person, sinful acts and words that defile a person.  I know for myself, when I have said or done something revengeful or retaliatory, I feel sad about it.  I am still a work in progress.  Pray for me please.

And then, we have this Canaanite woman with words of requests for her daughter’s cure coming out of her mouth.  This is intercessory prayer. What comes out of this mother’s mouth is the love she has for her daughter. This is coming to our Lord Jesus, whom she did not know, but whom she needed very much.  This is about Jesus himself learning truly who he is. (this part of the Gospel according to Matthew is only concerned with the people of Israel.) But here we are shown the world-wide intention of God’s Salvation.  God loves, and wants all people to be saved.

The very nature of God is inclusiveness, all people; period.  I know that all people are not baptized.  But we, who follow our Lord Jesus, continue to insist on this soul saving practice of grace. There is no exclusion from the love of God.  Canaanite or Israelite, black or white, rich or poor, democrat or republican, boy or girl, bald or with curls, Jesus loves the little children of the world. All are precious in his sight.

This is again, another example where Jesus informs us about the faith that is already in us; the faith of the mother was the source of her daughter’s healing. It is what came out of her that defines her.  So it is with us today.  But we must first believe.

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 15, The Sunday closest to August 17 (BCP p. 232)

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper14: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1-32; 

Judges 14:20-15:20;  Acts 7:17-29;  John 4:43-54

“Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.  As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive.  So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.”  The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household.  Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.” (John 4: 50 – 54)

Once again we see that Jesus does not have to be physically where the trouble or sickness is to fix the problem or heal the sick. All our Lord Jesus has to do is say the word, and it is done.

But let me also draw your attention to the fact that the man “believed” the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.  As I have said many times before, believing is everything.  As I have studied the language and culture of antiquity, I find that the word trust is the more definitive word for what we have as the word believe. The man with the dying son “trusted” in our Lord Jesus. And so do I.

Notice that the word faith is not a word that any English Christian translation of the Bible uses in the Gospel according to John. Faith is a noun.  Faith is the word used in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  John’s Gospel wants action.  Believing (or trusting) is a verb.  This again is why I crafted my own personal statement of faith.  Here it is (again):

“I Trust in the Creating Word through the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word, in whom we live and move and love and have our being, and to whom, we all must give an account.”

How would you sum up your faith, or just your outlook about life?  Try to write a simple sentence that says what you believe, or trust in.  My own creed does not replace our Prayer Book Nicene Creed, or Apostle’s Creed.  It is just a quick explanation of what I believe that can be said while standing on one foot, or in an elevator.  My faith statement has evolved as I have pondered over the years.  So might yours also, as you ponder anew what Christian life means to you.

Today we remember Jonathan Myrick Daniels, Seminarian and Martyr, (August 14, 1965) and his information may be found at: Jonathan Daniels.

“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:

O most holy Lord Jesus, through whom all life has its existence, help each of us to trust more and more in your word, that same word that sustains the life you brought into being. Help us dear Lord Jesus, for without your help we are lost. We trust in you Lord Jesus; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 14: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 105; 1 -22: Evening, Psalm 105:23- 45;

Judges 14:1 to 19; Acts 6:15 to 7:16; John 4:27 to 42:

“They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)

Yes true, but they would not have even known that the Savior of the world was near if it had not been for the unnamed woman coming to them with this valuable information. Once again, the most valuable information a community could have, is delivered by a woman. And in this case, perhaps not a woman the village is proud of, or has been shown any degree of love and respect.

She comes to the well alone at noonday, the hottest part of the day. She avoids others and their judgmental attitudes.  Maybe she has not made the best of her life.  Then again, maybe she played the cards that she was dealt in life the best she could.  She has had several husbands, which does not escape Jesus, but yet he loves her, and offers her the full life of living waters. Our Lord Jesus can, and does, use anybody to bring messages of hope. Even if we give up on ourselves, our Lord Jesus does not give up on us.

This is where we are today.  As a preacher, it has been my privilege and honor to inform people that God, in Christ Jesus, is near. And that God loves you no matter how many mistakes you have made or what others think of you.  Do not believe this only because I said so.  Believe this because you have heard it for yourselves throughout your lives, and have experienced little glimmers of grace in your own life.  Thank You Lord Jesus. God is good, all the time.

Today we remember Jeremy Taylor, Bishop and Theologian, August 13, 1667) and his information may be found at Jeremy Taylor.

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 in Christ Jesus, you meet us where we are and offer us living waters. Refresh us daily I pray, in order that we might also carry your message of salvation as living waters to those perishing of spiritual thirst. Thank you Lord Jesus for your forgiving us our sins and your example of compassion that we should emulate as we meet others in like condition. In your most holy Name we pray; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 14: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 101, and 109: Evening, Psalm 119:121 to 144;

Judges 13:15 to 24; Acts 6:1 to 15; John 4:1 to 26:

I chose two readings for today to ponder about:

“And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables.  (Acts 6:2)

And also, John: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  (John 4: 24)

Today’s readings presented me with hard choices.  On the one hand I am disappointed about the self-righteous attitude of the apostles; on the other hand, I love the words of our Lord Jesus about who God is, the nature of God. 

I think the apostles wrongly decided that, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables.” I beg to differ.  Servitude IS the Word of God. After John and James were caught trying to get good positions in heaven, and the rest of the apostles became angry, Jesus explains the importance of servitude. He told them,  “It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”  (Matthew 20:26 – 28) Therefore, in my humble opinion, the apostles were wrong. Serving tables IS following Christ, it IS carrying out the word of God.

From the Gospel of John, Jesus explains to the woman at the well that God is not some old human looking man on a throne far away.  God is Spirit! God is Truth!  We must get rid of any notion that God is humanlike, save God Incarnate, Jesus himself.  God can, and should, be worshiped everywhere, and always. But my beloved of the Lord, don’t forget that, “God is spirit, and those who worship [God] must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4: 24)

Today we remember Florence Nightingale, Nurse, Re-newer of Society (August 12, 1910) and her information may be found at Florence Nightingale.

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, who created us to be with, and to love and serve one another, you covered our spiritual selves with flesh, blood and bones, whereas you remained Spirit, Holy Spirit. Constantly remind us that we are spiritual beings learning to be human, not humans learning to be spiritual. You who live and love forever and ever, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 14: Year 2

Morning, Psalms  97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94; 

Judges 13:1 to 15; Acts 5:27 to 42; John 3:22 to 36:

“But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.  Then he said to them, ‘Fellow-Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men.  For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared.  After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered.  So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail;  but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!”  (Acts 5:34 – 39)

This is very wise counsel from the Pharisee Gamaliel. He uses their history to show that there have been people who have come before but did not prove lasting.  When these former leaders rose up to change things, people followed as long as the leader was alive.  But when he died, they scattered. 

Our Lord Jesus said the same thing about “striking the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.”  But Jesus left good and faithful shepherds in his place.  And as Jesus rose from the dead, more and more followers came to follow him. It is still hard for me to wrap my head around having the apostles flogged before releasing them but that is what happened.  I think the flogging of them is because of the jealousy of the High Priests. They were about human designs, not Godly ones.

So while the other want-to-be leaders lost people when they died, our Lord Jesus gained more and more followers, and, is still gaining followers today.  Yes, Gamaliel, Jesus is from God, and no one will be able to overthrow us.  With daily Christian practices of prayer, and where two or three come together, in person or virtually, we will always have someone who keeps the Christian fires going even if something happens to those who lead. We will prevail in this life, and certainly in the next.

Today we remember Clare of Assisi, Nun (August 11, 1253) and her information may be found at Clare of Assisi

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.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 14: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 89: 1 – 18: Evening, Psalm 89: 19 – 52;

Judges 12:1to 7; Acts 5:12 to 26; John 3:1 to 21:

“Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by.  A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.” (Acts 5: 14 – 16)

This is a testament to the power of faith.  I am a Star Wars fan (fanatic).  In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker’s spacecraft is submerged in a swamp.  Yoda, the Jedi Master, tries to have Luke raise it using the Force.  Luke fails and replies, “You want the impossible.” Yoda then uses the Force and lifts the craft out of the muck.  Luke tells Yoda “I didn’t believe it could be done.”  Yoda replies, “That is why you failed.”  Star Wars is fictional art but beautifully crafted and contains certain truths in terms of our human story and the real power of faith. 

The people, both men and women, who carried their sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats in order that Peter’s shadow might pass over them were beyond asking Peter personally to see them and heal them.  They believed in the presence and healing power of one who was handpicked by our Lord Jesus and who was with him after he was raised from the dead by God. If he has a shadow then he exists. They needed nothing else.  They “believed” that the evidence of his presence, his shadow, would heal their loved ones and cast out unclean spirits, and they were vindicated.

Beloved of the Lord, all the medicine we will ever need is already in us.  Time after time when people were praising Jesus for their healing, Jesus would tell them, “Go, your faith has made you well.” Our faith still makes us well.  And like the men and women who took their loved ones to Peter’s shadow, it was not the faith of sick ones that brought the healings, rather, it was the faith of the believing family and friends that brought them near to Peter that brought about the cure.  And this happened whether Peter even knew about it or not.  Faith still moves mountains.  All we need to do is believe and we too will be made well, or cause to be made well, those dear to us. If we don’t have faith, we have failed already.

Today we remember Laurence of Rome, Deacon and Martyr (August 10, 258) and his information may be found at: St. Laurence

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 Risen Lord Jesus, as you are the creating and sustaining portion of God; sustain our believing in your healing and allow our faith in you, to make manifest in us, healing in whatever way we believe it will work for us. You who live and love forever and ever, Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 14: Year A

Matthew 14:22-33

“Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”   (Matthew 14: 28 – 30)

There are several places in the Gospel accounts when people take their eyes off Jesus, and when they do, they fall from faith and lose grace.  When Martha stares at Mary her sister sitting at Jesus’ feet, she complains about having to do all the work herself (Luke 10: 38 – 42). In that same house from another perspective (and another Gospel), Judas complains about an expensive perfume used to anoint Jesus’ feet (John 12: 1 – 8). Again, Judas was not looking at Jesus himself but rather at Mary anointing the feet of Jesus, – a distraction.  Folks, we must maintain our focus on the Lord.

Distractions abound.  We must focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, everyday.  If not, we get lost. We lose faith. We fall from grace. We can remind ourselves of our daily focus on Jesus through scripture readings, gazing up the cross, through prayer beads, through pictures, paintings and icons.  We can use our daily office as found in the Book of Common Prayer. There are so many ways to keep our Lord Jesus at the center of our being.  But the first thing we must do is “Want To!”  If we go to bed with a prayer on our lips, we wake with Christ on our minds.  Dreams work this way.

Feelings of fear, jealousy and anger tend to be the biggest obstacles that hinder our view of Jesus and His guidance in our daily lives. We must stay focused.

Peter took his eyes off of Jesus to look at the wind and sank into the water.  He then prayed, “Lord Save Me! And of course, our Lord did, but at the same time, reminded him, and us, of our lackluster faith.  We must stay focused.  Even when the winds hurl and toss the storms of our lives to and fro, we must still, stay focused. Let us never, never, never, take our eyes off the Prize.

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 14 The Sunday closest to August 10 (BCP p. 232)

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; 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 of Saturday of Proper 13: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 87 and 90; Evening, Psalm 136; 

Judges 9:22 to 25 and 50 to 57; Acts 4:32 to 5:11; John 2:13 to 25:

“But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.” (John 2: 24 – 25)

This Gospel says that our Lord Jesus knows what is in everyone.  This reminds me of Jesus’ remark about Nathanael when he saw Nathanael approaching him. “When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1: 47).  Yes, we perhaps can fool one another, but we can’t fool Jesus.  Jesus knows what is in you.

Sometimes, I think we try to even fool ourselves.  If we tell ourselves the same lie often enough we will start to believe it.  At some point in our lives we need to be honest with ourselves, even if not honest with others. Perhaps if we start with ourselves, in time, we will expand out to others as well.  We have no choice with Jesus; He already knows what is in us.

I am no Nathanael.  But I am a work in progress.  I am in the crowd prepared to throw a stone at someone guilty when I hear my Lord Jesus say “let those who have not sinned cast the first stone.”   And that makes the stone fall from my hand. (John 8:7).  Once again he knew that each person who wanted to stone the woman carried their own sin. And the truth is, they each knew of their own sin also.

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we all fall short.  We are probably not Nathanael. But most of us are works in progress.  We must persevere.  More than just being aware of our sin, Jesus wants to cure us of our sins. We must ponder, persevere and pray, “Help Me Lord Jesus.”

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:

Most Holy Lord Jesus, as you already know what is in each of us, help us to acknowledge it ourselves and then help us to strive to perfect our short-comings in order that we might be more like Nathaniel in whom you found no faults. Amen.

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening,  Psalms 91 and 92;
Judges 9:1 to 16 and 19 to 21; Acts 4:13 to 31; John 2:2 to12:

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2: 5)

I confess, I am a Mary fan. Mary was a thinking person, a pondering person. Perhaps it was this pondering quality that impressed God and why God chose her to be the Mother of our Lord Jesus. Mary gave birth to her Lord who in turn gave her eternal salvation, and also us today who believe.

We will learn as we read the Gospels that Jesus can multiply fishes and loaves.  Therefore, Mary never ran out of food during the thirty or so years that she shared a house with her Son.  All she had to do was ask, and it was done.  We can see then that when the wedding hosts ran out of wine, it was natural for Mary to let Jesus know about the situation with full expectation that he would respond.  This too is true for us today.  We must ask with full expectation that our Lord Jesus will respond, but the response requires our obedience.

While Jesus sort of rebuffs her requests, she has already turned away from him and looking intently into the eyes of the “servants”, into our eyes, and she says to us, “Do whatever he tells you.”  For me, this is the most powerful, albeit shortest, sermon in the Bible.  All we need to do is make our needs known and then do whatever he tells us.  From Mary, I learn that as Christians, we ponder, we pray and we obey.

Today we remember John Mason Neale, Priest, Scholar and Translator (August 7, 1866) and his information may be found at John Mason Neale.  We also remember Catherine Winkworth, Poet (August 7, 1878) and her information may be found at: Catherine Winkworth.

“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 Quiet Confidence (BCP p. 832)

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.