onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 27: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;
Joel 1:1to13; Revelation  18:15to24; Luke 14:12to24

“Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.” (Joel 1: 1 to 4)

In the Joel reading we hear of four different kinds of locusts.  There are cutting locusts, swarming locusts, hopping locusts and destroying locusts.  Therefore, no matter what kind of defense they plan, there comes a different kind of attack. It sounds similar to our Covid pandemic a few years ago.

But Thanks be to God, we are never without hope. We have had to endure many social limitations and when I read “Grain-offering and drink-offering are withheld from the house of your God”  (Joel 1:13), I remember that we, in the Church, had to omit the chalice part of our Holy Communion. We did however get the bread or grain-offering.

The ever restructuring locusts were not too different from our Covid Virus.  Some catch it, and some re-catch it.  In Joel we read, “For a nation has invaded my land, powerful and innumerable; its teeth are lions’ teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness” (Joel 1:6).  However, we believers must remember that no virus or any “bug,” is more powerful than our God.  And as the hymn goes, “Our God Reigns.”

And while the virus made us isolate for a time, I believe it is coming together again in the right way that we were able to substantially reduce the effects of Covid.  Perhaps these words came from the Spirit of God down through the saints of God.  I think the worst effect of Covid was the breaking of the habit of going to Church. We still have not re-gained our pre-Covid numbers. We are only a remnant of what we used to be. But wait! The remnant is the build-back folks that God used to re-establish believers. If we hang in there, believing, we will be okay after all.

Today we remember Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton, and Margery Kempe, Mystics, 1349, 1396 and 1440 respectively. And their information may be found at: Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton & Margery Kempe.

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 Future of the Human Race (BCP p. 828)

O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 27: Year A

Matthew 25:1to13

Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25: 13)

There are a couple of things to ponder here in this Eucharistic Gospel reading from Matthew.  First, the foolish are called foolish because of their neglect in not having a reserve supply of oil for their lamps.  Likewise, the wise are called wise because they brought along an extra supply of oil. 

Secondly, the point that Matthew has Jesus to make in this parable, is to, stay awake.  But in the parable, they all became drowsy and slept.  This then, is not literally about sleep deprivation. It’s about discipleship. It is about being forever diligent in prayer.

Being wise, or wisdom itself, must be based on caring; caring for yourself, and caring for others. The wise bridesmaids cared for themselves but were not able to give additional care for those who didn’t think things through. We, today, must first make sure we are taking care of ourselves, and, if we are able, to help those who didn’t think ahead. I guess the old adage is true, “It is better to have and not need, than to need and not have.” This should have been the thinking of all the bridesmaids.

To stay awake, we must stay focused. Yes, we must get our rest, our sleep. But we should go to sleep praying, and we should wake the same way. As children we learned, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep….”  Our Church adult version of this before bed prayer can be found in our Compline words, “Guide us waking O Lord, and Guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace. Lord you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised. For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A light to enlighten the nations, and the glory of your people Israel. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever; Guide us waking O Lord, and Guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.”  (BCP p. 134)

The wise bridesmaids thought ahead about what the requirements would be if they were really serious about not only being at the right place, but also about sustaining themselves if things went longer than expected, and indeed, they did.  We too, of today, must take those first steps in not only doing what is wise, but also thinking through the process and preparing for the “what ifs” of life, and, “whatever is right.” And my beloved in the Lord, staying awake in prayer.

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 27: The Sunday closest to November 9 (BCP p. 236)

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 75 and 76; Evening, Psalms 23 and 27;
Ecclesiasticus 51:1to12; Revelation 18:1to14; Luke 14:1to11

“On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, ‘Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath, or not?’  But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away.  Then he said to them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a Sabbath day?’  And they could not reply to this.” (Luke 14: 1 to 6)

Jesus asks a question about how closely they follow their own laws.  This is God in Christ Jesus who sees “in secret” and knows all that we do.  But what he is trying to show them is that the Sabbath is a gift from God to them for their own health of body, mind and spirit. The Sabbath is not some tool of wrath for God, by which God might condemn us just for the sake of enforcing a law.

Besides all this, who prepared the meal they were partaking of on the Sabbath?  No faith should have laws whereby only certain humans are to abide by.  This includes my own tradition.  Maybe one day we will let all persons desiring to partake of Holy Communion do so.  We are not there yet unfortunately.  I am not so sure that baptism was a requirement with our Lord Jesus to receive the Bread and Wine (Body and Blood), but it is for us today.

No religious tradition is perfect. Sometimes it takes people from other traditions to show us our shortcomings.  “Is it lawful to cure people on the Sabbath, or not?”  Is it lawful to for the un-baptized to receive Communion or not? We all must follow our own paths.  I am on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement as our former Presiding Bishop said. And, I am thankful.  But I also see paths for improvement. I think Jesus is saying that not all laws should be absolute save loving God and loving our neighbors. These two laws of love are absolute laws under which all other lower laws must yield. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Today we remember Willibrord of Utrecht, Archbishop and Missionary (November 7, 739)  and his information may be found at; Willibrord.

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: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)        

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 69: Evening, Psalm 73;
Ecclesiasticus. 50:1,11to24; Revelation 17:1to18; Luke 13:31to35

“At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.  Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.”  Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13: 31 to 34)

I was blessed to be able to go on a Christian pilgrimage to Israel in February of 2018.  I am thankful to God for that opportunity.  Before going I prayed to God to let me be open to accept and receive whatever God saw fit to bless me with.  And God answered me with truth.  My pilgrimage began in Northern Israel (Galilee) and then ended in the city of Jerusalem in the south.

The two landscapes are totally different.  Galilee, to the north, has fertile fields and little hills, and is the span of land that our Lord Jesus conducted his three-year ministry of teaching, preaching and healing. I was impressed with Capernaum, Nazareth, Cana, and Mount Tabor. Also, I was impressed with Lake Galilee, of which, I use my picture from a boat in Lake Galilee looking back at the shoreline of Galilee as the heading of my daily blog. The picture shows all the places Jesus walked to do His ministry more than 2000 years ago.

We ended our trip down in Jerusalem.  To get there we went down to Jericho and then the long ride by bus up to the top of a mountain of sand some 2,474 feet above sea level.  It must have been a real task to get water up there 2000 years ago. Much praise and worshipful attention has been centered on Jerusalem.  Judaism, Christianity and Islam all claim a religious heritage to the place. I went to, and visited, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Given all of its splendor, I was not that impressed.  Then I remembered that I prayed to God to show me what God wanted me to see.

I also recalled that our Lord Jesus, of his own free will and accord, chose the land of Galilee to bring the good news of the kingdom of heaven. And when he was raised from the dead, he told his followers to again meet him in Galilee from which he gave the Great Commission (Matthew 28). If I am again blessed to go to Israel, I would only go to Galilee and again take in as much as I can. If you ask God for something in serious prayer, please understand, God’s response to you is not guided by what humanity values. Ponder, pray and perceive.

Today we remember William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury (November 6, 1944) and his information may be found at: William Temple

“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: (BCP p. 831)

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel, surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 71; Evening, Psalm 74;
Ecclesiasticus 44:1to15; Revelation 16:12 to21; Luke 13:18 to 30

“Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13: 23 and 24)

I guess the answer to the question of whoever “someone” is, is yes, only a few will be saved.  There is a wide door that many will walk through, but that door does not mean it is the entry into paradise and eternal life.

Each one of us has the personal responsibility to do what we think is right to do, no matter how unpopular it might be. I have a poster that shows an old man walking alone down a road.  Under it the caption reads, “It is better to walk alone than in a crowd going the wrong way.”

The wide door can surely accommodate the large crowd. But through the wide door it may lead the large crowd over the side of a steep cliff, and down into the abyss to their own demise. We all must make our own decisions about where we are going.  Even to follow a crowd is a decision; it is a decision to let others decide for us.  We can’t follow the crowd and then later, when trouble comes, allege innocents saying “I thought they knew what they were doing.”

Two biblical crowd decisions that I can recall show where the wrong decisions were made. One is when the crowd persuaded Aaron to make a golden calf for the Israelites to worship while in the wilderness; and the other is when the crowd around the jailed Jesus insisted that he be crucified. Crowds are made up of individuals who have handed over their independent conscience to mob rule. Don’t do that.  Be who God made you to be, and do what God asks you to do in your prayers.

God’s Way is often a little more difficult and sometimes the unpopular path to travel. Too many of us look for the short cut, the easy way, the wide door.  Our Lord Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.” Being able is a matter of personal determination and life discipline. Each one of us must make our own decisions about each next step in our lives.  And if you find that you are joined by other disciplined and determined persons who also chose the same path, great! But first strive to find your own path to our Lord Jesus. Roll your heart sleeves up, it’s hard work, it’s the narrow door.

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 those who Influence Public Opinion: (BCP p. 811)

Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 119:73to96
Ecclesiasticus 43:23-33; Revelation 16:1to11; Luke 13:10 to17

“When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.” (Luke 13:13)

The leader of the synagogue gets upset because Jesus heals her on the Sabbath day.  The leader himself probably could not heal the woman on any day of the week.  And he forgets that the Sabbath was made for us, not us for the Sabbath.

Jesus does more than just heal this woman; he opens her mind to the  praise of God.  I wonder how many people who regularly attended the synagogue came away with a renewed sense of being thankful to God and praising God. How many of us come away from our places of worship with a renewed sense of giving thanks to God and praising God?

Here is the truth; we shouldn’t wait for the Sabbath or our Day of worship to turn people to God. And, turning people to God doesn’t have to take place in a house of worship. We can turn people to God at work, at home, at school, at the bus stop or even in a tavern. The opportunity to show people the love of God comes everyday and anywhere.

Every day brings us an opportunity to do something good. We may not be able to heal infirmities but we can share with the sick the power and love of God.  We can give them hope in their distress.  Every day brings us an opportunity to teach people to praise God; anywhere, anytime. Let us do more to turn people to God.

Today we remember Adeline Blanchard Tyler and her Companions and her information may be found at: Adeline Blanchard Tyler

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 God Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of all life, lead those of us who have experienced Your healing, blessing and revelation, to at least tell our stories to those who say they don’t know You. Let us touch the hearts of non-believers in order that they may stand up straight and began praising You also. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 61and 62; Evening, Psalm 68:

Ecclesiasticus 43:1to 22; Revelation 14:14to15:8; Luke 13:1to9

“It is the moon that marks the changing seasons, governing the times, their everlasting sign.  From the moon comes the sign for festal days, a light that wanes when it completes its course. The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself; how marvelous it is in this change, a beacon to the hosts on high, shining in the vault of the heavens!” (Ecclesiasticus 43: 6 to 8)

As an Education for Ministry (EfM) mentor, I have learned to make use of metaphor to explain many life situations and our call as Christians.  This is a fine opportunity to do it now with the words from the writer of Ecclesiasticus.

The moon waxes and wanes.  It grows, from our earthly perspective, and then shrinks again. When the moon is directly between earth and the sun it is invisible.  We call this the New Moon. It is almost like it is born again.  It starts out small again and then fills in as the days advance.

We too, as we grow in Christ, we reflect the light of the “Son.” We also have a continual need to find a quiet place for solace and contemplation. We have no light of our own. We reflect the Light of our Lord Jesus. As the Church, we signal the changing seasons. Advent is approaching, then comes Christmas. Christmas is followed by the light of Epiphany which leads us into Lent. Then the Great Day and season of Easter! Then we’re back to Pentecost or Ordinary time. The Church, like the moon, has a huge responsibility. We must signal the changing of the seasons, the times, the festal days, the everlasting sign.  And we do this by “renewing” ourselves regularly. It’s important to remember to do self-care.  Those outside of us count on us. This earth needs the moon to keep it in balance in our solar system, just as all souls (our Church or not) needs our Church to provide the Light of the Son by which decency and morality prevails.

Today we remember Richard Hooker, Priest and Theologian (November 3, 1600) and his information may be found at: Richard Hooker.

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 Joy in God’s Creation (BCP p. 814)

O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 26: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 56, 57; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65
Ecclesiasticus. 38:24 to 34; Revelation 14:1 to 13; Luke 12:49 to 59

“How different the one who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High!” (Ecclesiasticus 38:34)

I have a friend who really appreciates the life lessons she received from her former pastor. She said he would take his own money to post bail for one of his parishioners when he was arrested; he broke his own Church tradition and served real wine at their Holy Communions, and other such acts that taught her to live a faithful Christian life. He was a barber by trade.

Our Ecclesiasticus reading for today tells us that we cannot be both. The author says that we either devote ourselves to secular work or we devote ourselves totally to the work of spiritual healing and worship. The writer tells us that we can’t effectively do both. I disagree.

For one thing, the secular work we find ourselves in was either handed down to us as the family business or, it was evaluated for us in some kind of career test, or something we thought would be nice to do,  or such a craft pays well.  Real spiritual healing and Church worship are not career choices. Such Godly vocations are Callings.  Jesus Called fishermen to follow him.  He didn’t stop them from being fishermen, he qualified them to do the Lord’s work in addition to being fisherman. We still need both today.  I don’t believe we must forgo one in order to do the other.  We don’t qualify ourselves for the Lord’s work.  God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the Called.

There are many doctors and scientists today who are people of faith and some are also life changing Christian clergy. The point is, that many of us are like Saint Paul who was a tentmaker and who was also called to take the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. You too may be such a saint who God is calling to do such work, the Lord’s work.

Today we remember All Faithful Departed, All Souls Day, (November 2) and information about this commemoration may be found at: All Faithful Departed (All Souls)

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.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for All Saint’s Day

Matthew 5: 1 to 12

“Blessed are”

These are the words we have from the Gospel according to Matthew who presents the Beatitudes in Chapter 5.  There are 9 “Blessed Are’s” beginning with verse 3 of chapter 5. 

Today is All Saints Day.  Today we remember those who are lifted up from our midst and honored for their devotion and service to others in Jesus’ Name.  We have those who are famous like St Francis and Joan of Arc. And we have those not so famous on the world stage, like people in our own life where only a few of us knew of their good and honorable deeds.  This latter category of saints is normally recognized on November 2^nd as we commemorate the lives of the faithful departed or, All Souls Day. I am doing a combined service this Sunday to remember all Saints, famous and personal.

Something to notice from the famous saints are the challenges they were required to endure on their unintended climb to sainthood. The Beatitudes mentioned in Matthew speak to this.  Each and every “Blessed Are,” shows a challenge or some level of suffering before eternal joy comes.  The Saints also underwent challenges. Certainly St Francis and Joan of Arc did, as did all those we hold in high esteem.

As we look at those whom we want to recognize as saints we must ask ourselves if they too faced challenges and faced them with steadfast Christian courage.  In our later years we have Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others.  I don’t think we have to depend on any one Church to determine for us who is a saint and who is not.  St Paul typically referred to all worshiping communities as saints of that city.  It is an inclusive term of endearment meant for those recognized as determined people of faith, no matter what. And so, let us recall the words (by Lesbia Scott) of the hymn “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” as found in our 1982 Hymnal where the words of the last verse are:

“They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still, the world is bright with the joyous saints who loved to do Jesus’ will.  You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea, for the saints of God are just folk like me and I mean to be one too.”

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: All Saints’ Day November 1 (BCP p. 245)

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 25: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138 and 139:
Ecclesiasticus. 35:1to17; Revelation 13:11to18; Luke 12:32to48

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Luke 12: 34)

I really had to look at this passage closely. I have heard that if you really want to know what a person’s priorities are just look at their checkbook, or perhaps today, their receipts, as fewer people are writing actual checks today. The point is the same, what we really care about is revealed by where we put our money.

This means our money follows our heart’s desire rather than our hearts following our money. Money, all by itself, has no desire at all. Some of us may not have the money that will allow us to follow our heart’s desire.  That doesn’t mean we don’t have desires.  Of course we do.

I think the most important lesson here is that we can learn to love and desire what God wants us to desire, and that is, to do God’s will. Over the years I have outgrown some selfish desires in life.  I don’t care about fancy cars, or clothes anymore. Unfortunately, I had to experience some of these things to realize they aren’t that important. Blessed is the person who has never had these material things and never wanted them.

Real happiness for me now is seeing to it that others have the simple things in life, food, health care, housing, education, and a way to get around as they need to. My happiness in part, is based on the happiness of my neighbor. I believe this is the desire that God wants me to have.  So where is my treasure?

I give to my church and to charitable organizations. I join clubs and organizations who also share my desire to care for the poor and disenfranchised. I know my little treasure won’t bring an end to their plight but it makes me feel better and brings some joy to my heart, knowing that I helped with some relief for them.

Money is not meant to be worshiped but it will reveal the nature of our worship. We are to love God and love our neighbor. As far as I know, God does not need any money.  Some of our neighbors do. These are the neighbors we are asked by God to love. Loving our neighbor should be our heart’s desire.

Today we remember Paul Sinji and Philip Lendel Tsen Bishop of Tokyo, 1946 and Bishop of Honan, China1954: October 31 and their information may be found at: Paul Shinji Sasaki & Philip Lendel Tsen.

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: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.