onewhoponders

Today is the 11^th Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for January 4, Year 1

Morning, Psalms 85 and 87; Evening, Psalm 89:1 to 29:
Exodus 3:1 to 12; Hebrews 11:23 to 31; John 14:6 to 14:

“Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.” (Exodus 3: 1 and 2)

This burning bush, or flaming tree, could perhaps be the prototype Christmas tree. And for those of us who top our Christmas trees with an angel, it is even more fitting; this tree that should be taken down tomorrow by the way. This burning bush was Trinitarian in that it was fire, remained as a continuous bush, and it had a voice, the burning bush “spoke” to Moses.

Angels still top our experiences today: Merry Christmas: Day 11

You too are gifted with an invitation to follow our Lord Jesus. Merry Christmas: Day 10

As a Christmas gift you are blessed, and you are called by God to be a blessing to all whom you come in contact with.  Merry Christmas: Day 9

Be you male or female, you were made as a gift to our community before you were born and so named at your own Christening. Merry Christmas: Day 8

God was born among us to teach us how to depend on God together for help all the time, but most especially in time of human need. Merry Christmas: Day 7

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

Today is the 10^th Day of Christmas: Readings for Tuesday, January 3: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 68; Evening, Psalm 72;

Genesis 28:10 to 22; Hebrews 11: 13 to 22; John 10: 7 to 17:

“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

Jesus speaks of more than one flock or community that hear his voice and obeys his commands. All of us are blessed with the inclusive love of God Who provides us with a path to eternal grace.

You too are gifted with an invitation to follow our Lord Jesus. Merry Christmas: Day 10

As a Christmas gift you are blessed, and you are called by God to be a blessing to all whom you come in contact with.  Merry Christmas: Day 9

Be you male or female, you were made as a gift to our community before you were born and so named at your own Christening. Merry Christmas: Day 8

God was born among us to teach us how to depend on God together for help all the time, but most especially in time of human need. Merry Christmas: Day 7

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 January 2^nd, the 9^th Day of Christmas

Morning, Psalm 34; Evening, Psalm 33;
Genesis 12:1 to 7; Hebrews11:1 to 12; John 6:35 to 42 and 48-51

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

Yes, God works in mysterious ways.  Abram does not know where God is leading him, and if we follow God, neither do we. I am now planted in Hoke County, North Carolina.  It is over the mountains from Nashville, Tennessee, far to the east of where I was born and raised. God blessed Abram for faithfully following God. I believe this same God blesses all who do the same.

As a Christmas gift you are blessed, and you are called by God to be a blessing to all whom you come in contact with.  Merry Christmas: Day 9

Be you male or female, you were made as a gift to our community before you were born and so named at your own Christening. Merry Christmas: Day 8

God was born among us to teach us how to depend on God together for help all the time, but most especially in time of human need. Merry Christmas: Day 7

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

Today is the Eighth Day of Christmas: and today happens to be Holy Name Day

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Name Day

Exodus 34:1-8; Romans 1: 1 to 7; Luke 2: 15 to 21

“After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2: 21)

I am very familiar with Luke 2: 1 to 20, in fact, I have written a poem about it. (See my Christmas Eve blog of 9 days ago)  Verse 21 for today adds a whole new element.  This goes back to the Angel Gabriel’s visit with Mary 9 months ago and that she is to Name him Jesus.  This was said and done before she conceived.  The naming is from heaven, the circumcision is from tradition.

It is the same way with you and me today.  Our names are given to God in baptism and we are brought into this world because we are needed.  We might not get the same name that God wanted us to have but God will, at some point, call us each by the name prepared for us before the foundation of the world, and we will know it when we hear it, male and female alike.

 Be you male or female, you were made as a gift to our community before you were born and so named at your own Christening. Merry Christmas: Day 8

God was born among us to teach us how to depend on God together for help all the time, but most especially in time of human need. Merry Christmas: Day 7

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

Today is the Seventh day of Christmas

Daily Office Morning Prayer Readings for December 31: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 46 and 48:
Isaiah 26:1 to 9; 2^nd  Corinthians 5:16 to 6:2; John 8:12-19:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”  (Psalm 46:1)

We are always in need of refuge and strength.  We need a very present help in our time of trouble.  Today we suffer from a triple sickness around the country, the flu, something called RSV, and various variants of Covid.  There is also present among us in this country a tribal, gang-like mentality of no tolerance for anyone different than ourselves.  And lastly, there are global threats with other world powers.  None of this makes for a Merry Christmas.

This is a time we really need God. God was born among us in order to reconcile us back to God.  God was born among us to teach us how to live in loving relationship with each other.

God was born among us to teach us how to depend on God (together) for help all the time, but most especially, in this time of our human need. Merry Christmas: Day 7

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

Today is the Sixth Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for Friday, the 6^th Day of Christmas: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 20 and 21:1 to 7; Evening, Psalms 23 and 27;

 1 Kings 17:17 to 24; Revelation 1:9 to 20; John 7:53 to 8:11;

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’”  (John 8:7 -9)

I always thought this adultery thing took two people.  Where is the other person?  Perhaps this person was in the crowd, with a stone in his hand.  How sad. Jesus taught us to forgive one another.

If being forgiven is the greatest gift we can ever receive from someone, then it is also the greatest gift we can ever give to someone. Can’t find it in a store, it’s in your heart.

Forgive someone this Christmas and accept being forgiven. Merry Christmas: Day 6

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead.  Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

 “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 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

This is the Fifth Day of Christmas.

Daily Office Readings for December 29

Morning, Psalm 18:1-20; Evening, Psalm 18:21-50;

Isaiah 12:1 to 6; Revelation 1:1 to 8; John 7:37 to 52

“Now he [Jesus] said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39)

It often happens in the Gospel of John that the Evangelist speaks directly to the reader.  The Evangelist wants to inform, or shape, how we interpret what we read, or in this case, fill in the details we might not realize.  In this writing we are told of the absence of the Holy Spirit.  Perhaps the absence was only in our earthly sphere.  For we know that our Triune God has always been, and will always be, in all God’s holy manifestations, Three in One. In John’s Gospel, chapter 15:26 we read: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” Therefore, in my humble understanding, the Holy Spirit comes to us from God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

All this leads me to share with you the basis of my own belief.  I affirm and hold as sacred our Nicene and Apostles Creeds.  But, I have also crafted my own words that for me, more accurately describe what is really going on in my faith.  And while Jesus, and Mary and Pontius Pilate are not mentioned by name, Jesus is at least implied as the Incarnate Word and my statement of faith is Trinitarian. I also borrowed and modified Paul’s words.  But here it is: I trust in God 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. So, I believe it is the Holy Spirit of Jesus that enables me to believe in God just as it is also laid out in the Gospel of Matthew where it is written: “ But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven;” (Matthew 16:15 – 17).  Therefore, our ability to believe is a gift from God. We however, must have patience so as to let God in and install the “belief” program, and then we must use it.

Let us believe with patience, and have patience in believing. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

For, had Jesus not been born, he could not have died.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

We need to stop fighting and start loving because that’s who we are really made to be. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

This is the Fourth Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Innocence

Jeremiah 31:15-17; Psalm 124; Revelation 21:1-7; Matthew2:13-18;

“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:18 and Jeremiah 31:15)

This Matthew reading comes from the sadness of the atrocities of Herod in the slaughter of the innocent babies in and around Bethlehem in his effort to kill the new born King.

I know of a Rachel today who has no children, and yet, she is a perfect mother. She is kind and gentle, very smart and nurturing.  Children, when we are blessed with them, are a gift from God. And because they are precious in God’s sight, they should be precious in our sight as well.  After all, we are made in the Image of God.

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

For, had Jesus not been born, he could not have died.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

We need to stop fighting and start loving because that’s who we are really made to be. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

Today is the Third Day of Christmas and it is St John’s Day

Eucharist Readings for St John the Evangelist

Exodus 33:18-23; Psalm 92; 1John 1:1 – 9: John 21: 19b – 24;

“This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24)

John is one of at least five Apostles that the Gospel shows evidence of being handpicked by Jesus.  True, the Gospel says he had 12 but some were just joiners I guess.  John, James, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and later Matthew (Levi; Matthew 9:9) were actually invited with the words, “follow me,” and they accepted.  There was also the rich young man but he declined. (Matthew 19:21)  His name could have been among the 12, He was invited but his many possessions had control of him.

John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1: 1 – 3). We have a beginning from One who has no beginning.

We must recognize the testimony of John as a divine message. All of his words, from the Gospel according to John, his pastoral letters, and the Divine Revelation from our Lord Jesus, are God’s doing, and it is for our benefit. Thank You Lord Jesus.

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

For, had Jesus not been born, he could not have died.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

We need to stop fighting and start loving because that’s who we are really made to be. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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

This is the Second Day of Christmas, and it is St Stephen’s Day

Eucharistic Readings for St. Stephens

Jeremiah 26:1-9,12-15  Psalm 31; Acts 6:8-7:2a,51c-60;  Matthew 23:34-39

“Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.” (Acts 7:60)

As a priest, and a servant of our Lord Jesus, I am not in total agreement with how our first deacons were formed.  As I understand it, deacons were formed in order to excuse priests, or the apostles as they were known, from the responsibility of feeding those who were hungry, (Acts 6), but which is what Jesus did at every opportunity he found. In fact he said to the apostles, “You feed them.”  (Matthew 14:16)  However, more than that, and in keeping with today’s focus, Deacon Stephen’s devotion to God through Jesus is most remarkable.

Stephen knows his faith history and relates it to those who falsely judge him.  He has every right to be angry about how they are treating him, however, he lets love prevail. Psalm 31:13 – 16 may hold comforting words for Stephen and for any who are held in contempt.  For it reads:

13: For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.

14: But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. I have said, “You are my God.

15: My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16: Make your face to shine upon your servant, and in your loving-kindness save me.”   (Psalm 31:13 -16)

I believe Stephen was saved, not from mortal death, but from eternal death. And as he goes, he shares with us a very important lesson. Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does for his Resurrection from the dead.

For, had he not been born, he could not have died.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

We need to stop fighting and start loving because that’s who we are really made to be. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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