onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Easter Week: Year 1

Morning,  Psalms 146 and 147; Evening, Psalms 148 and 149; 
Ezekiel  37:1 to 14; Acts 3:11 to 26 or 1^st  Corinthians 15:41 to 50; John 15:12 to 27:

“You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, “And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Acts 3:25)

Most of today’s readings are very instructional. I highly encourage everyone to read and savor all of the readings for today.  It was hard for me to select a verse to spring from for today.  All of the readings are just that meaningful. The Acts 3 reading however is assigned for both the Daily Office reading and our Eucharistic readings. It is a very inclusive message from God. I believe that while God called the descendents of Abraham to become Israelites, the Israelites were commissioned to spread the news about the love that God has for all the people of the earth regardless of their lineage. The message is, “And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Psalm 8 is assigned in our Eucharistic reading for today. There are words in this Psalm that causes me to ponder. It says, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,  What is man that you should be mindful of him, the son of man that you should seek him out?  (Psalm 8: 4 and 5)  Our Creating God loves humanity so much that God’s self deemed us worthy enough to come among us as one of us in our Lord Jesus. And according to the Gospel of Luke, the Resurrected Jesus opened our minds  in order that we might better understand the scriptures. “Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,  that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24: 44 and 45). Still today, such understanding of scripture only comes with prayer and the company of other believers with open hearts and minds. Then our Lord Jesus will open us even further.

 Peter tells the amazed witnesses of the healing that they should not be so surprised. He says, ‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets,” (Acts 3:17 to 21).  It seems then that there is a correlation between ignorance, awareness, repentance and forgiveness.  Acts that we have done from ignorance may be forgiven. God is so good and merciful. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 Easter Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 115;        
Micah 7:7 to 15; Acts 3:1 to 10 or 1^st Corinthians 15:(29)30 to 41; John 15:1 to 11

“But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.” (Micah 7:7)

So for the second day we read from yet another prophet the instruction to wait for the Lord our God.  I don’t think we (in particular, Americans), wait very well.  I don’t think we like the perceived “nothingness” of it. As I listen to the news on the television or even the commercials, there is a non-stop barrage of noise coming at me. There is no break. It is sometimes hard to fully digest what was just said, or offered, and to discern where one subject stopped, and the next began.

We don’t wait for each other in conversation either. Listening coaches will tell us not to be thinking about a “one-up” response while pretending to be listing to the speaker. Deep down, we don’t want to listen. Unfortunately, this practice of not listening will be made manifest in our diminishing relationship with God.

We have developed the bad habit of “noise now.”  If who we are pretending to listen to, is not making noise, we will fill the gap with our own generated noise. We have been doing this with neighbors for so long the practice has unfortunately influenced our prayers. But Isaiah yesterday, and Micah today, instruct us to “wait” for the Lord. At the heart of waiting is patience. Patience is developed in the bosom where there should be care and concern for the speaker, be that speaker your child, your spouse, your parent, your brother or sister, your neighbor, or your God.

The care and concern in the bosom of patience is also the stuff of love. Waiting therefore, is indicative of the capacity we have to love God, and to love our fellow human beings, (in that order).  To be able to wait is the demonstrated control we have to resist the non-stop barrage of noise.  Remember that it is from nothingness that God created all that is.  Let’s have small breaks between topics. Let’s wait with loving care for one another when in conversation. This loving care helps us to wait for one another, and more importantly, to wait for God. Two prophets can’t be wrong. Let us heed their words.  

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 Easter Week: Year 1

 Morning, Psalm, 103; Evening, Psalms 111 and 114; 
Isaiah 30:18 to 21; Acts 2:26 to 41 or 1^st  Corinthians 15:12 to 28; John 14:15 to 31 

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isaiah 30: 18)

This sounds like a two-way waiting proposal – and an invitation to be patient, for us, created in the waiting Patience of God to be like God in our own patience. The Lord waits to be gracious to us, the prophet Isaiah says. And then he adds that we are blessed if we wait on the Lord.

Is it easier to wait for the Lord if we know that the Lord is also waiting for us?  Which also begs the question, what is it about us that the Lord is waiting for?  Is the Lord waiting for us to be good and pardoning of one another?  Is the Lord waiting for us to acknowledge that God is God alone?

“He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you,” (Isaiah 30:19). I have a saying that God’s ears, hears tears.  Probably not correct grammar but the point is that God is always attentive when tears roll down cheeks. Such tears make no detectable sound that the human ear can hear. But even through the modern, clanging, busy world of today, God can, and does hear, and responds, to our tears, that sounds like rushing waters over our face to God. And God is all around us, always listening.

“And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it,” (Isaiah 30: 21).  These directional words may come through unsuspecting people. God uses unsuspecting people to do the work for you that needs to be done. Therefore, we must be ever vigilant in order not to miss the word before us, directing us about which way to go.  At some point we sinners become the unsuspecting saints of God. God knows what it is like to be one of us through God’s own experience in Christ Jesus.  We are all called to help one another, with, or without, our awareness. But I appeal to you to let us do this loving work willingly. This is about helping God to help us.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 Easter Week: Year 1

Morning Psalms 93 and 98; Evening Psalm, 66;
Jonah 2:1 to 9; Acts 2:14 and 22 to 32; or 1^st Corinthians 15:1 to 11; John 14:1 to 14  

“Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.  Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, “He was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh experience corruption.”  This Jesus, God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.” (Acts 2: 29 to 32)

This Acts passage is assigned for both our Daily Office reading and is a part of our Eucharistic devotion for this Monday in Easter Week. It must be important. Cephas, or Simon Peter, has come a long way since his days as a fisherman. He is now instructing Israelites on matters of theology and Hebrew history.

 According to Peter, God kept the promise made to David concerning a human born in the house of David that would be our Messiah, the Christ. Peter quotes from one of David’s Psalms concerning the future descendent in saying, “For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit,” (Psalm 16:10), attributed to David.

We know from scripture that David was a shepherd, a musician, a writer of Psalms, a warrior- giant slayer, a king, and now, a prophet, according to Peter. David, like Peter, is a part of our Christian history. Maybe this is why this passage is in both our Daily Office Reading as well as our Monday Eucharistic Reading.  Perhaps the Church, if not God also, wants us to remember that the house and line of David is important in our Christian heritage.

As we listen to Saint Peter, we must remember that we are all “Fellow Israelites.”  We may not have David’s tomb among us but we do have an empty tomb from which a descendent of David was raised, Jesus, our Messiah, our Christ.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 the Principle Service on Easter Day:

Acts 10:34 to 43;  Psalm 118:1 and 2 and 14 to 24;  1^st Corinthians 15:1 to 11;  John 20:1 to 18:

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (John: 20: 11 and 12)

The life story of Mary Magdalene is amazing. We learn from the Gospel of Luke that she was possessed by seven demons which Jesus drove out of her. Doing this, Jesus gave her back to herself. This man that has been crucified, died and was buried, the restorer of her life, has been taken away, – taken away from her before she has had time not only to attempt to repay him for all he has done for her, but now, even in his death, his body has been taken away before she can give his body the proper anointing as is the custom of her people. She feels sad that she has failed him in this way. So, yes, she is crying because of her great sadness.

My beloved of the Lord, we too have this in common with Mary Magdalene. We owe who we are to our Lord Jesus. But this is only true if we are living lives of dedication to our Lord Jesus as did Mary.  This life of dedication begins at our baptism.  And we are aided by those who say that they will do all in their power to assist the newly baptized in their walk in following Christ (with God’s help of course).

Can you only imagine how elated she must have been when the supposed gardener called her by her name, and in a voice she was all too familiar with?  “Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher)” (John 20:16).  She then gives the shortest, but most powerful sermon ever recorded; her words changed our planet forever. I can see Mary running back to the doubting apostles yet again, and running out of the pages of the Gospel and right into our hearts today, perhaps barefoot and in the rain, with tears now of great joy streaming down her cheeks, and preaching her sermon,  Alleluia; He Is Risen!

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 Holy Saturday: Year 1

Morning, Psalms, 95 and 88; Evening, Psalm, 27; 
 Job 19:21 to 27; Hebrews 4:1 to 16; Romans 8:1 to 11;

“So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.  Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.” (Hebrews 4:9 to 11)

I got so caught up in my Good Friday service and preparation for Easter Baptism that I completely forgot what day it is. I’ll do better. Now, having said that and looking over the readings for today, Holy Saturday, the idea of Sabbath stayed with me.

I don’t want to confuse worship with Sabbath. We Christians worship on the First Day of the Week, Sunday. And for many, worship is work.  However, in entering God’s rest we should cease from all our labors as God did from his, according to our text above. For me, this means a time of simple contemplation. Also, the words above make it very clear that “a Sabbath rest still remains [in effect] for the people of God.”

Today is the Sabbath Rest of God, it is a gift to us whether we are Jewish, Christian, or any walk of human life who believes in God. Frankly, even if we don’t believe in God, God believes in us. God gifts humanity with the Sabbath. It is holy. It is precious. It should not be ignored. This is how we are trained to enter into that Holy Rest of God for eternal life. The Sabbath is a part of Creation.

It is understood that some of us must stay focused on life’s important responsibilities, even during the Sabbath. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to duties like first responders, health care providers, police, the military and so forth. But a plan should be in place where such individuals could have at least an every other Sabbath rest. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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

Lessons appointed for use on Good Friday: All Years RCL

Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25;; or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42

“Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.”  (John 19:39)

Nicodemus finds himself near the beginning of the Gospel of John, in the middle, and at the end like this one for today.  Nicodemus is a secret admirer of Jesus. Because of his position with the Pharisees he has to be distant and secret.  He almost got in trouble defending Jesus with his fellow authorities. We read in John’s Gospel, “Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ^“Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”  (John 7:50 – 51) He was quickly jumped on about that question and he backed off.

So Nicodemus is another follower of Jesus who felt shame for not standing up for Jesus. Perhaps this is why he brought well more than enough mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint his body.  When we act outside of our Christian values we too disown Jesus. We refuse to acknowledge we know and follow him.  Today we remember the crucifixion of Jesus. This is a very sad thing we did.  I say we as in humanity.  I think God looks upon this act as an example of our ignorance.  For the most part, we still are.  Most theologians believe this was a necessary sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. Because of this sacrifice, we dub today “Good Friday.” I must confess, I have a hard time connecting good and murder together.

For me, our Lord Jesus was born as one of us by the Holy Spirit working through Mary, was raised in Galilee setting the example for how we should live together and teaching and preaching the Good News of the Gospel. He healed, cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, enabled the lame to walk, raised the dead back to life, and most importantly, forgave sins. This latter is something we can all do if we try.  I think forgiving sins is our Lord Jesus’ most important lesson. Perhaps Good Friday is good for him because he gets to go back to the Father from whence he came, but not before he says good bye to us at his “Resurrection.” (Oops, I’ve jumped the gun)

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia and our school children.

 “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

Eucharistic Readings for Maundy Thursday: All Years

Exodus 12:1 to 4 and 11-14: Psalm 116:1 to 10 and 17: 1^st  Corinthians 11:23 to 26: John 13:1 to 17 and 31 to 35:

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.  Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them,” (John 13:14 to 17)

Our Lord Jesus has just washed the feet of his disciples. They have been taught the Way and are now to be sent into the world to teach and to further set the example of what it means to heal, to comfort and to evangelize. Jesus has just prepared their feet for carrying out the Good News. It is written, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  (Isaiah 52:7)

Foot washing is so much more than the hygienic cleansing.  It is comfort for the one who is on their feet all day.  Such comfort is demonstrated appreciation, and radical hospitality.  When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, He immediately was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Now, in this reading for today, Jesus baptises the feet of his followers, thus preparing their feet for the journey of carrying out the Gospel. Jesus points out that if he is doing this for his friends, then so should we. We are not greater than he is. We too are being sent into the world with the Good News (the Gospel).  We have the beautiful feet for the job.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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 in Holy Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalm 74; 
 Jeremiah 17:5 to 10 and 14 to 17; Philippians 4:1 to 13; John 12:27 to 36:

“I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” (Jeremiah 17:10)

So what is in my heart?  What is on my mind? What does my mouth say, or not say, as a result of my mind or heart?   What acts do my hands perform, or not perform, as a result of what of what’s on my mind or in my heart?  I can only pray to God to make me better. “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14) 

God knows that without God we lack what is good in our hearts and minds. I also think that God wonders if we know it.  The sooner we acknowledge our dependency on God and strive for goodness by asking for God’s assistance, the better off we will be. We can’t fix ourselves. But God can fix us if we only ask. So, we pray; “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,  that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord Amen.  (BCP 355)

Ultimately we should want to please God. Ironically, we can’t please God without God. Therefore, let us take the advice of Jeremiah and all of our saints since the time of our Lord Jesus and live lives of love – love for all people while striving to see God in the same people.   So that when God tests our minds and searches our hearts the fruit of our doing will be found favorable by God.

I will close today with Paul’s words to the Philippians as I find them relevant for today, “Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5 to 7) This is all about our hearts and minds. Praise Jesus.

Today the Church also remembers Pandita Mary Ramabai Prophetic Witness and Evangelist in India, 1922: She was awesome.  Google her and check her out.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia and ourSchools.

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 Holy Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 6 and 12; Evening, Psalm 94; 
 Jeremiah 15:10 to 21; Philippians  3:15 to 21; John 12:20 to 26; 

“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.”  (John 12: 21 and 22)

Taking a child fishing is perhaps one of the happiest moments a fishing person can have with a child. It ranks right up there with a baby taking their first step, or a child learning to ride a bicycle. When the fish is caught, patience is required of the experienced fisherman. We must let the child experience “bringing it in” and, maybe even taking it off the hook.  It’s all a part of fishing.

The Greeks in today’s Gospel lesson have bit the hook of Philip who is being taught by Andrew, (a fisherman by trade), how to fish. Jesus himself is the Master Fisherman, (who has already told them that he would teach them to fish for people). And while Jesus goes on to talk about how sad he is that he has to depart back to his eternal realm, there has to be some degree of happiness about the fishing seed that has been planted, and how it will continue to multiply over and over again.

As you live out your Church life, people will approach you about wanting to see “your” Jesus. When this happens, and it will, take them to the priest or the wardens of your parish and invite them to a Sunday service.  Our Lord Jesus will take it from there. Jesus trained us to be fishermen for the kingdom.  The fishing seed is planted in you. It is now time for you to bloom. It’s all a part of fishing.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and 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