onewhoponders

Eucharistic Readings for The Annunciation

Isaiah 7:10 to 14; Canticle 15: Hebrews 10:4 to 10: Luke 1:26 to 38:

“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:38)

I ponder often about Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus.  She was young, of lower socio-economic status, and to this point, not yet married but now pregnant. Earlier in this reading of Luke, in the NRSV translation of the Bible, we have Mary’s feelings about the proposition God is making with her through the angel Gabriel, “But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be; (Luke 1:29). Luke also has Mary ponder about the shepherd’s words concerning the Baby Jesus when they visited her and Joseph in a stable in Bethlehem; (Luke 2:19). It is from Mary’s “ponderings” that I named this blog.

God has come to us as a Baby human, vulnerable and needing love and tender care.  Regardless of what anyone might say about Mary’s credentials, she was hand-picked by God Almighty. Enough said on that.

According to the Gospels, Jesus shared a home with his Mother Mary all of his earthly life, at least until the start of his traveling ministry. And as we know Jesus has a habit of multiplying food and even changing water into wine. This Mother of lower socio-economic status would not have wanted for food or even refreshment. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Perhaps the saddest point in Mary’s earthly life was seeing her Son nailed to a cross; so sad.  Sad too are the Ukrainian mothers witnessing their sons killed by Russian troops in Ukraine. As we remember Saint Mary today, I pray we also hold today’s Ukrainian mothers in our prayers. If God didn’t think much of human mothers God would not have come to us through one. Birth too is creation.  Let us also ponder about what God must have seen in the nature of Mary and pray for all mothers, especially Ukrainian mothers during our Sabbath time.

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

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 42 and 43; Evening,  Psalms 85 and 86;

Genesis 46:1 to 7 and 28 to 34; 1^st Corinthians 9:1 to 15; Mark 6:30 to 46:

“You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37)

The crowd has been following our Lord Jesus until late in the day.  They were tired and now hungry.  The disciples warned Jesus to send them home so that they could feed themselves.  Jesus said no, “You give them something to eat.”

True Christians take responsibility for what needs to be done. Our Lord Jesus has them to take stock of what they have, five loaves and two fish. Admittedly not enough without God getting involved but Jesus takes it, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it. This is the same four-fold table action at Holy Communion. The Priest or Bishop takes the presented sacraments, blesses them, breaks the bread and pours the wine, and then distributes the Lord’s body and blood to the waiting people.

The lesson here is not to be concerned about what we don’t have, but to take stock of what we do have; and then to bless it to God, divide it up, and distribute it as we are able. With God, all things are possible. This action should be repeated at family meals as well.  Breakfast or supper should be first prepared, prayed over in thanksgiving to God, portioned out, and given to family members, all according to their needs from the eldest to the youngest with love.

Perhaps the most important lesson our Lord Jesus is teaching is that we should not push our problems aside. Hungry and tired people needing sustenance is probably as serious as it gets. We have hungry people all around us today. And even if someone gives them a meal, it is rarely “blessed by the giver.”  So, when we provide the hungry with a meal, bless it for them.  I believe blessed food makes the body healthier. The hungry are not the problem of somebody else, Our Lord Jesus says to us; “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37)

Please continue to keep the Ukrainian people and their Russian advocates in your prayers. Thanks.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:97 to 120; Evening,  Psalms 81and 82;  

Genesis 45:16 to 28; 1^st  Corinthians 8:1 to 13; Mark 6:13 to 29: 

“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.” (1^st Corinthians 8:9)

Paul here is talking about not eating food dedicated to idols. But we can all look deeper into our own lives as thinking Christians. Reason is one of the three legs of the three-legged stool that Richard Hooker used as a metaphor for us to think about in terms of our Church; Scripture, Tradition and Reason.  They all carry the same and equal guidance in our Church tradition as taught in our Anglican/Episcopal faith. We have the Holy Scriptures, our Church liturgy and leadership, and we each have our God-given sense of morality and right behavior given to us by God in Christ Jesus.

Personally, I like to have a beer every now and then.  But I will not stop at a store and purchase beer while wearing clericals (clergy shirt with tab or collar).  North Carolina, being part of the Southern “Bible belt” where beliefs are pretty fundamental, right or wrong, I don’t want people to think ill of me, or of my Church.  If the people in my community saw me purchasing beer, dressed as clergy they might think me to be a hypocrite.

Are there any practices or enjoyments that you have that could become a stumbling-block to the weak? The field of misleading activities are wide ranging; the movies we enjoy, the books we read, the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the company we keep, and on and on. I think we will be okay in our individual ways if we use moderation and discretion, but we must use caution with regard to what we reveal about ourselves, in person, and especially on social media platforms. “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.” (1^st Corinthians 8:9)

Personal note: I continue to ask everyone to keep the Ukrainian people in your prayers. Prayers work.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;

Genesis 45:1 to 15; 1^st Corinthians 7:32 to 40; Mark 6:1 to 13:

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him.” (Mark 6:3)

Just because we know someone and their family, and our opinion of them is not very favorable to us, does not mean that God is not making good use of them for a better life in the community in which that person lives. But in this case, we’re talking about God Incarnate. His community thought they knew everything about Jesus solely because they knew his earth family and had already decided that he was not Godly.  They were so wrong.  Besides that, God is able to use anybody to do God’s work, which includes you.

When we judge someone as unusable by God, we are not judging them, we are judging, and limiting, the power of God.  God can use any human, (and in some cases our pets or even animals in nature, or a burning bush) to affect our path or direction in life.  Every one of us must be open and remain open to God’s desire to use us for the good of the communities in which we live, or quite possibly, for a distant community.

Ukraine is a distant community that can surely use God’s guidance working through us. You may not be known as a charitable person. And perhaps you did not come from a charitable family. But you can surprise the people who think they know you by doing deeds of wonder in giving to organizations that support the welfare of the Ukrainian people.  Listen to what the Spirit is saying to you on this matter.  And then respond with compassion.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;

Genesis 44:18 to 34; 1^st Corinthians 7:25 to 31; Mark 5:21 to 43:

“Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.” (Mark 5: 25)

Jesus was on his way to heal a child when this hemorrhaging woman acted from her faith and touched Jesus and was healed. So our Lord Jesus, while on his way to do a good work, did an additional good work.  In the Cursillo movement we call this an “unexpected opportunity.”

Opportunities to do unexpected good works abound.  Our Lord Jesus models for us that there will be people in need all around.  We may not know them but they need us.  They come to us from their faith, trusting in God to work through us for what they need. These are unexpected opportunities. Had not our Lord Jesus been going to do a good work already, the woman in need may not have ever crossed his path.  The same is true for us today.  As we go about our business to do good, God will put people in our path who need us. From that point on, God is watching us, to see how we might respond. Remember, it is their faith in God working through you that works in, and for them.

Today we need to be open and receptive to the needs of the Ukrainian people. As America is on her way to Covid recovery, good work, we are presented with an unexpected opportunity in terms of helping the Ukrainian people.  We must take a page from Jesus’ playbook and stand up for Ukraine and her people dispersed throughout the world. It is and unexpected opportunity and the right thing to do.

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

Eucharistic Readings for the Third Sunday of Lent: Year C

Exodus 3:1 to15;  Psalm 63:1 to 8; 1^st Corinthians 10:1 to 13; Luke 13:1 to 9:

 “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” (Luke 13: 3 &5 NRSV)

Verses 3 and 5 say the same thing about people being killed.  One was caused by human evil and one caused by an unexplained mishap.  In any case, bad stuff happened that caused human loss of life.

A word or two about what it means to perish before we look into what repentance is all about.  To perish here means (to me), to cease to exist. It is not the being brought into the heavenly realm promised to those who believe and repent of their sins.  To perish is the opposite of eternal life. Repentance avoids perishing.

Denial, retaliation, and minimization are sometimes the reasons we feel we don’t have to repent.

Denial of wrongs we have done or left undone does not alleviate or lessen the wrong done or undone. It still happened.  It is what God is aware of and we have to own it.  Then the process of repentance can begin.

Retaliation or eye for an eye is no excuse for evil done to another.  There is no excuse to perpetrate evil of any kind.  We are Christians, retaliation is not what we are called to do.

Minimization is the act of reducing the damage done in our own minds so that we don’t feel so bad about the harm done to others.  Minimization is the act of lying to ourselves. We must empathize with the one we have impacted and get their feelings in our head.  Only when we become the victims we created will we fully understand the damage caused.

The point of this Luke reading is repentance, and to repent as early as possible.  Whether it’s human fault or natures fault, it makes no difference.  This very evening is not promised to us. Are their acts, words, and/or thoughts that we wish we had not had or committed?  The time to set it right is now. 

We must remember that God brought us into being from nothing, and it will be into nothing that we will return if we do not accept God’s invitation to live in eternity through repentance as did those for whom Jesus spoke, and from whom we are no different.

The tree in the story is a metaphor for us as we are given another chance for repentance with the help of the Pastor/Prophet/Son of God. This Holy Helper (Jesus) will assist us in turning back to God.  Thanks be to God. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Continue to pray for Ukraine.

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

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 2^nd Week in Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 75 and 76; Evening, Psalm 23 and 27;

Genesis 43:16 to 34; 1^st Corinthians 7:10 to 24; Mark 5:1 to 20:

“Though an army should encamp against me, yet my heart shall not be afraid.” (Psalm 27:3)

It is amazing that this Psalm is given to us at this time. It depicts the situation in Ukraine today.  But I am pleased to hear of two internationally known celebrities of the world who are speaking out against Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

Olga Smirnova, an international Russian ballet star has publicly denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And, she has left Russia and joined the Dutch national ballet in Amsterdam.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Mr. Universe, Movie Star and former Governor of California, and admired by the Russian people including their soldiers, has made an anti-war video wherein he speaks of his admiration of a Russian weight lifter who was at one time the strongest man in the world and how much this man inspired him.  It is hoped that this video makes it to both the Russian people and their soldiers. He addresses them in the video as well as President Putin appealing for an end to the hostilities.

These good people are just two examples of prayers being answered. Unfortunately the Russian people are fed false reports about what is going on. The Psalmist prays, “Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, and also those who speak malice,” (Psalm 27:16); but you and I must continue to pray for the well-being of the Ukrainian people. Olga and Arnold are God’s ways of getting the truth out to the Russian people and the Russian troops. And, I pray, also to President Putin himself.   

Again from Psalm 27, “Though an army should encamp against me, yet my heart shall not be afraid.”

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

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the Second Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 95 and 69; Evening, Psalm 73;

 Genesis 43:1 to 15; 1^st Corinthians 7:1 to 9; Mark 4:35 to 41:

“Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again” (1^st Corinthians 7:5)

I do not accept all of Saint Paul’s advice or his beliefs about the husband wife relationships given that he himself was never married.  But buried deep in his counsel is the recommendation that each of us should pray.  And from the way he says it I feel it means for each of us to find our own time alone to do so.  And then he writes “And then come together again.” This suggests that we are alone during our praying, but later we join with one another again. This means corporate and paired.

I do premarital counseling for couples engaged to be married.  Of the several categories of questions I ask, I ask about their faith (or faiths).  As they come to me (a priest) for doing the wedding it should be understood that the marriage is a Christian matter. My Book of Common Prayer says that at least one of them must be baptized.  Personally I prefer both of them to be Christian (even better if both are Episcopalian, but not necessary). I don’t expect the couple to provide me with what they resolved about any of the subjects that I want them to discuss, I just want to know that they had the conversations, especially about praying together. 

The importance of prayers said by people in love cannot be over emphasized.  As I have been, and continue to be, very concerned about the Ukrainian people since the Russian invasion began, I can’t help but ponder about how the Ukrainian husband and wife might have prayed together before she was sent out of the country, while he stayed back to fight.  I want our prayers to join their prayers as all of our prayers ascend to heaven as “Radiant Energy,” (a term I heard at my Shalem Circle Spiritual directors meeting last Monday).  I called these Radiant Energy prayers “Universal Prayers.”  I am again reminded that as such prayers go up, even in tears, that God’s ears, hears tears. Let us spend some time during our Sabbath time in prayer for Ukraine; Please.

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

Morning, Psalm  71; Evening,  Psalm 74;
Genesis 42:29 to 38; 1^st Corinthians 6:12 to 20; Mark 4:21 to 34:

“Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts” (Psalm 74:18).

The Psalmist speaks about a persecution taking place in Israel. A similar persecution is taking place today in Ukraine. All of Psalm 74 can be recited and meant by the people of Ukraine. They are not without help or hope, yet they struggle against the wild beast of the Russian military.

I feel like most of the rest of the west are going to feel ashamed for not getting involved in support of Ukraine. World War III or bust, nuclear devastation or come what may, just standing by and watching homes and hospitals  being bombed is not going to pass from our memory quickly. While the rest of the west is fearing what might happen if we get involved, Ukraine is feeling it now, with no choice of not getting involved. There comes a point that the wild beast should feel the sting of the whip.  It trains the beast.

Today is Saint Patrick’s day

Readings for St. Patrick

Psalm 96; 1^st Thessalonians 2:1 to 8;  Matthew 28:16 to 20:

“When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.”  (Matthew 28:17)

“Patrick was born into a Christian family somewhere on the northwest coast of Britain in about 390. His grandfather had been a Christian priest and his father, Calpornius, a deacon. Calpornius was an important official in the late Roman imperial government of Britain. It was not unusual in this post-Constantinian period for such state officials to be in holy orders. When Patrick was about sixteen, he was captured by a band of Irish slave-raiders. He was carried off to Ireland and forced to serve as a shepherd. When he was about twenty-one, he escaped and returned to Britain, where he was educated as a Christian. He tells us that he took holy orders as both presbyter and bishop, although no particular see is known as his at this time. A vision then called him to return to Ireland. This he did about the year 431.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for March 17)

Like our Lord Jesus who when the eleven met him after His Resurrection, “some doubted.” So too some in Ireland may have doubted that this returned person, now a bishop, was actually the escaped shepherd youth named Patrick. Some doubted Patrick’s education for Holy Orders. But I am reminded that God does not call the qualified, but rather, God qualifies the called. If you live and learn and love, long enough, you too will be made over.  You will be better.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 2^nd Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 119:73-96;

Genesis 42:18 to 28; 1^st  Corinthians 5:9 to 6:8; Mark 4:1 to 20:

“Do you not know that we are to judge angels—to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church?” (1 Corinthians 6: 3 – 4)

I believe that people who are regular church attendees make the best police persons, military personnel , and lawyers and judges. There should always be some kind of community moral compass in place and activated in such work as police, military and the judicial system. 

Humane treatment and decency should always be at the forefront of all public service or conflict. People that do such work should come from a community of faith. I don’t believe such a faith community has to be Christian.  But it should be a community whose beliefs recognize the godly value of all people regardless of ethnicity, religion, nationality, language, or sexual orientation.  Yes, we must appoint or elect judges to make decisions about how to proceed in terms of what to do about offenders. However, compassion must be given to people, even those who themselves show no compassion. Being tough on crime does not mean being hateful to those who are different or who have made mistakes or even those who show no desire to improve.

Preachers or priests, or imams, or rabbis, must be mindful of the message they plant in the hearts of their listeners, from whom such public servants are called.  We all have the same loving God.  We have found different ways to relate to and worship God.  But just as we look up to God, we must also look to our right and left at our neighbor and remember to love them through this same God. I agree with Saint Paul, I think our judges (and other public service providers and military) should come from people who have an understanding of some kind of loving worship community. The religious leaders who plant the seeds of morality have a huge responsibility for making sure such seeds are loving and inclusive.

I was an active duty Marine for 30 years. I have been in several conflicts. While I have never been responsible for prisoners of war, I hold a vow of decency regarding the treatment of captives. This also applies to those whom we fire upon. There is an awful upheaval taking place in Ukraine right now perpetrated by the Russian military. It is sinful. If these military persons were God-fearing they would not be bombing civilians, hospitals and other non combatants. Further, if the people who sent them understood the right of a government to be free, they would not have invaded Ukraine at all. It is so wrong, and as Paul explains, they will be judged accordingly.  Meanwhile, let us never cease from praying for Ukraine and the Russians who speak out against such evil.

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