onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 6: Year 1

 Morning, Psalm 34; Evening, Psalms  85 and 86;
1^st  Samuel 2:27 to 36; Acts 2:22 to 36; Luke 20:41 to 21:4:

“For David himself says in the book of Psalms, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ ” (Luke20: 42 and 43); and;  “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ ” (Acts 2: 32 and 35)

It should not be surprising that the same words are found in both Luke and Acts given that it is the same writer.  However we can also find the same quote of Psalm 110, verse 1, in Matthew 22: 43 and 44; and Mark 12: 36.  The point that Jesus is making is that the followers of David should realize that even David was aware of the coming of our Lord Jesus. The people loved David but they must have only read the Book of Chronicles regarding David where he comes out looking pretty good.

We must remember that there is a dark chapter in the life of King David.  It is 2^nd Samuel, chapter 11.  David commits adultery with the wife of his subordinate military officer and then has him put in harm’s way in order that he would be killed. I loved the story of David and Goliath, it was a childhood favorite of mine.  The truth is that all of us have at least one dark chapter in our lives.  Some of us may have more than one. But we have a merciful Savior who will forgive as He did David.

Every biblical hero has hiccups in their past but God takes them, blesses them, brakes them and gives them to us in ways that blesses us.  Thank You Lord Jesus; take me, bless me, brake me and give me. Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 6: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:97-120; Evening,  Psalms 81 and 82;
1^st  Samuel 2:12 to 26; Acts 2:1 to 21; Luke 20:27 to 40:

“Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection:” (Luke 20:36).

We humans so often try to project our own existence on life beyond our known world. We try to make God in our image rather than accept that some part of our existence is patterned after God. We also try to make our resurrected life like life on this side of the resurrection. It simply doesn’t work. We have to be open minded. For one thing, as Jesus points out to the Sadducees, we are done with the idea of death after our resurrection. Marriage too, like racism, war and money are all human constructs that don’t exist in that “next generation.”

There are two things that I believe about the resurrection. The first is that while we will not die again, we might tend to cease to exist if we can’t let go of human constructs that don’t work in heaven: that is, we will return to the nothingness from whence God brought us in the beginning.

The second is that there will be some accountability at our resurrection. This is why we should practice some sense of morality in this life. For me, it means giving all human constructs the low level of priority they deserve. It also means giving love the high priority that it deserves; that Godly construct which eternally exist in the resurrection, that house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. 

My personal living creed is; “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 must give an account.”  Our lord Jesus says that at our resurrection we will be like angels and children of God, being children of the resurrection. I pray the crafters of Luke’s Gospel got this right. I am living my whole life in these words. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 6: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;
1^st Samuel 1:21 to 2:11; Acts 1:15 to 26; Luke 20:19 to 26:

“So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth.  Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’  But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?’ They said, ‘The emperor’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s:” (Luke 20: 20 to 25)

My history sources inform me that the use of coin money predates the appearance of our Lord Jesus by about five thousand years, that is, about the year five thousand B.C. There were, and are good reasons for money. Foods and other needed products have short shelf lives. Coin money maintained its serviceability for a long time, but not forever.  Money quickly became the great tool for the establishment of the rich and the poor – the haves and the have-nots.

I have the highest admiration for people who live well within their means.  Let me say that another way: I have the highest admiration for people who, while not rich, do not wish to be.  They have learned to maintain themselves and have some enjoyment in life on the money they have coming in from month to month.  They don’t want  more money because they don’t need more money.  If they had more money, they would just become more charitable. They live happily within their means.  They have not turned to worshiping money.

Money worked its way into our relationship with God, albeit without God’s approval.  God does not want our money.  God wants our hearts, our love.  Love then is what we should give to God as our Lord Jesus teaches us in this Gospel account. Neither metal money, nor paper money or even our plastic money of today, is eternal; but love is.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 6: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;
1^st  Samuel 1:1 to 20; Acts 1:1 to 14; Luke 20:9 to 19:

“Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him; (1^st Samuel 1:17).

This opening of 1^st Samuel is important as it opens for us the beginnings of the prophet Samuel. But there is a lesson here about parental responsibility.  Hannah is distressed because she has not given birth to a child.  While her husband’s other wife has given birth to a few children.  So she prays for the ability to become pregnant. Eli, the priest also had sons but his sons did not follow the pattern of the parent, they were rude and gluttonous and disrespectful.  Eli did not hold them accountable. Such negligence will come back to bite him later.

While Hannah is devoted to God in her inmost self, the priest, Eli, doesn’t know her well enough to see that she is a pious woman. He assumes the worst, and he is wrong. To his credit however, when he sees his mistake, he works with God to grant her petition.

Our Church today is wrong when it takes part in judging people.  We forget that we, the Church, are not called to judge, we are called to love, and to love unconditionally. But even our Church must hold parishioners accountable less they too become rude and gluttonous and disrespectful.

As each of its members are the Church, we each must maintain accountability for how we conduct ourselves. We must listen past the surface of what we see or hear in others, and in ourselves.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday Proper 6:  Year A

Genesis 18:1-15; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35 to 10:23.

“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child.” (Matthew 10: 19 and 20)  

It is very difficult to talk about a father betraying his child, especially on Father’s Day.  But it is good to remember that it is our Father in heaven that will speak through us in our time of trial.

We all face times of trial. It stresses us out.  As Father John, I am often called to be the spiritual father of many who cannot deal with the stresses of life on their own.  I have had some troubled people in counseling sessions to just stop, breathe and concentrate on a clock, or their watch.  I had them to specifically focus on the seconds.  As the seconds ticked by, I would remind them that they survived those seconds successfully.  When a minute was reached it seemed almost appropriate to celebrate, just a little.  Maybe even silently saying the Lord’s Prayer, which begins with “Our Father.” This prayer given to us by our Brother Christ helps to pass the seconds and minutes. But don’t stop noticing the seconds and minutes that tick by.  And maybe an occasional “Help Me Jesus” would fit in between prayers; tick, tock, tick tock.

On Father’s Day I am reminded of our Saint Joseph, the earthly father of our Lord Jesus.  We cannot talk about fatherhood without mentioning Joseph. Only in this Gospel according to Matthew, and Luke, do we hear the history of Jesus being born and raised. Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the best example of fatherhood there is. And even though Matthew and Luke tell the story of Joseph, neither have any words that come from the mouth of Joseph.  Joseph keeps his silence. Yet he is obedient to any and all instruction that comes from above. “Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

If we look, we will find that while Joseph was planning to discretely dismiss Mary because she was already pregnant, an angel spoke to him and explained the that his fatherhood of Jesus was God’s plan for the salvation of all humanity, (Matthew 1). And later Joseph was told to take the baby to Egypt, and then even later return to Israel, (Matthew 2). All this Joseph did in silent obedience to God. As fathers today we are distressed but we are not to worry about how we are to speak or what we are to say. We follow Joseph’s example until the Lord gives us words.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 75 and 76; Evening, Psalms 23 and 27;
Ecclesiasticus 46:1 to 10; 2^nd Corinthians 13:1 to14; Luke 20:1 to 8:

“Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever:” (Last verse of Psalm 23).

I think Psalm23 is the most famous Psalm of all. Many people know it by heart, including me.  For this evening we also have Psalm 27.  There is a related verse in it. It reads, “One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life:” (from Psalm 27). There is a difference here. Psalm 23 proclaims “for ever,” whereas Psalm 27 asks for as long as the Psalmist lives.

I know it sounds petty but my requests are “eternal” requests.  I don’t know what the eternal life is like.  Do we eat food in the next life? Do we even get hungry?  Do we breathe, in the next life? Do we need air?   I am of this earth and I don’t know any other way to exist. “O God I need you to help me understand.”  I want dwell in your house regardless of what that existence is like. But I am afraid. I need your help and your counsel. Or else I am not sure I will be able to handle eternal life which I so desperately want.

“Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” Your face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not your face from me, nor turn away your servant in displeasure. You have been my helper; cast me not away; do not forsake me, O God of my salvation:” (Verses from Psalm 27). This is my prayer as well.

I truly feel that God is the God of my salvation.  I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, for whatever that living is like. God’s ears hears my tears. And I am so thankful.  I also remind myself that God is the God of loving surprises. We must expect the unexpected.

Pray with me if you will: “Surely God’s goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and with God’s guidance, we will dwell in comfort and joy in the house of the Lord for ever, Amen:”  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 69; Evening,  Psalm 73;
Ecclesiasticus  45:6 to 16; 2^nd Corinthians 12:11 to 21; Luke 19:41 to 48:

“As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes:” (Luke 19: 41 and 42).

We have a slightly different take on Jesus’ emotions from the Gospel of Matthew as he assessed Jerusalem; He says, “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!” (Matthew 23: 37) 

But even from our Luke version we learn that it is not so much the place, (Jerusalem), but the recognition of the events that make for peace. I borrow from Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book “Sabbath,” where he writes, “The Bible is more concerned with time than with space. It sees the world in the dimension of time. It pays more attention to generations, to events, than to countries, to things; it is more concerned with history than with geography:” (pages 6 and 7).

In February of 2018 I visited Israel for 10 days.  Our tour started in the Galilee area of Israel and concluded with Jerusalem.  I, personally, was more impressed with the events of Jesus’ baptism, healings, sermon on the Mount, changing water into wine, walking on the water, Transfiguration, the feeding of the multitude with only a few fish and loaves, his discussions with Pharisees and the woman at the well, and many other events that Jesus did in Galilee, rather than the what we did to him in Jerusalem; that is, killing him.  The whole earth is the holy land because God made the whole earth.

For me, in the Bible and in our lives today, first and foremost is the “What;” then, the “why.”   Of course then there is the “Who.” And, lastly, the “where,” becomes obvious. 

I have found that this formula works today. If we first ask what needs to be done, and then why it needs to be done, and then who should do it, we are well on our way to resolution.  The “where” will become obvious but in the end, it makes no difference.  Resolution happens where the problem is, whether its voter suppression in the South, cyber attacks or a virus from other countries, or whatever. We must ask what the problem is, why we need to resolve it, and who should lead the work with God’s help. But first, let us remember our sacred time given to us by God.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, and our schools.

 “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 serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 70 and  71; Evening,  Psalm 74;
Ecclesiasticus 44:19 to 45:5; 2^nd Corinthians 12:1 to10; Luke 19:28 to 40:

“And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come:” (words from Psalm 71).

I went to our state DMV a couple of years ago to renew my driver’s license. The DMV clerk asked me to take the standard vision test and she looked at me and gave me the description of 6 feet tall, brown eyes and black hair.  Two weeks later I went back for my “Real ID Driver’s license and another clerk looked at me and gave me the description of 6 feet tall, brown eyes and gray hair.  Perhaps this truly is my “Real ID.”  I am in my seventies now.  I don’t deny it. And yes, my hair is mostly gray now. 

God has invested a lot in me all these years. And I pray, “O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come:” This is in part why I write this blog.  I want people to know about God and God’s loving care for all of us, gray haired or no haired.

I practice music and much of my music is centered on hymns and spiritual songs.  My favorite is “Praise to the Lord,” it is Hymn number 390 in the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church. But I have heard it from different hymnals and from different Churches.  The third verse says in part, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, when with His love doth befriend thee.” 

I am of the English tongue. It is who I am. There is no denying it. Some people try to express who or what they are based on their skin color or ethnic ancestry. Not me. I am the language I speak. I don’t know how to even express it any other way. I am who I am. I love people of all languages.  I just happen to be an English speaker.

To take it to the next level, beyond the language I speak, I also sing in the same language. These are the hymns and songs of faith that I pass on to children and their children after them so that they too might have faith. Our reading from the Psalm 71 continues, “Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel: (Words from Psalm 71). The Psalmist continues from his soul, “My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed: (words from Psalm 71).

I just talked about the importance of our souls yesterday. You might want to review it. Whether we are aware of it or not, our souls long for God’s salvation.  Beloved of the Lord, we must put our hope and trust in God’s Word and God’s guidance in our everyday lives, gray haired or no haired.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 119:73 to 96;
Deuteronomy 31:30 to 32:14; 2^nd Corinthians 11:21b to 33; Luke 19:11 to 27:

 “My soul has longed for your salvation; I have put my hope in your word:” (Psalm 119:81)

I understand that Psalm 119 is patterned after the Hebrew alphabet with each alphabet having eight verses. From the letter Kaph, and in our verse 81, we have the above words, words of hope for our salvation. 

We have souls.  For far too many of us we are not in touch with our souls.  Our souls are our connection with God. It is within our souls that we have hope.

Hope, as Paul explains, is not something seen, but rather, unseen, God’s unrevealed plan for us is coming into being in spite of ourselves.  And by God’s design, we are clueless. We can never see it coming.  Paul says, “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience:” (Romans 8:24 and 25).  So, we are driving blind.  We trust in God to work God’s magic. The Israelites did not see the sea parting for their escape from the oncoming Egyptians. No one saw, or expected, God almighty to come to us as an infant.  God always surprises us, but at the same time, fulfills our hopes in ways we don’t see coming.

In my quiet moments I come into close contact with the presence of God. It is the almost, but not yet.  It is Peter, James and John at the transfiguration. It is about feeling the presence of the Almighty, the Creator of all that is, and yet, concerned about humanity, about you and me.

There really is hope for all of us.  God has implanted a soul in each of us. We are special among living creatures.  We need to be more attentive to the nudging we get from God in our daily lives. God wants good for each of us.  God wants it for us more than we want it for ourselves. Yes we hope for what is not seen and yet desired.  This too is the action of our God given souls.  I believe the hope that is in us is part of the Image of God who is the God of hope. Paul prays for us in saying, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit:” (Romans 15:13).

Whether we are aware of it or not, our souls long for God’s salvation.  My beloved of the Lord, we must put our hope and trust in God’s Word and God’s guidance in our everyday lives.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 68:
Deuteronomy 30:11 to 20; 2^nd Corinthians 11:1 to 21; Luke 19:1 to 10:

“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” (Luke 19:8)

Meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus in good ways. But this Jesus experience requires us to look deeper into what’s going on.  Zacchaeus is the only tax collector in the Bible referred to as a “Chief” tax collector.  Such a title would even further remove him from the house of Israel.

Zacchaeus says that, “if,” he has defrauded anyone he would pay it back four times as much.  This was the requirement of the Law of Moses, the upholders of which, have rejected Zacchaeus from their society.  But Zacchaeus remembers and respects the house from which he came.  From pondering this statement it is quite possible that Zacchaeus has not knowingly cheated anyone. He limited his authority to only what was required. We can’t assume that people in positions of authority are evil.  Remember, our Lord Jesus was very deliberate when he stopped under that sycamore tree and looked up at Zacchaeus and invited himself to his home.  People are not always who we think they are, but they are always who Jesus knows them to be. And that includes you.

Regardless of how the temple authorities and the people have labeled Zacchaeus, our Lord Jesus has circumvented their authority and positioned Zacchaeus in a place of honor – a place of honor that predates the Law and its often misguided interpretations. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham: (Luke 19:9). Yes, a son to Abraham. This is a place of real honor. Jesus says something that might get past an inattentive reader. He says “salvation has come to this house.”  Yes Lord, because you are the salvation of the world and you are in his house.

Lastly Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost,”(Luke 19:10). I think some of us are lost. But I think, like Zacchaeus, some of us are thrown away. Being thrown away also makes us lost, but let us take a page from Zacchaeus’ playbook.  Even if we are rejected from our community of faith, let us remember the practices of prayer and our baptismal covenant and commandment of loving others anyway.  Zacchaeus remembered the Law of his tradition even though he was rejected by them. Bless Zacchaeus. Bless the lost of today. Our Lord Jesus has come to seek you out.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

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