onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 4^th Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening,  Psalm 146 and 147;
2^nd Samuel 7:18 to 29; Galatians 3:1 to 14; Luke 1:57 to 66:

“He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed.” (Luke 1:63)

I think it is important to look at Zachariah’s response carefully.  He did not say his name will be John. He said his name is John. The author of Christening is Christened “John” before he was born!

Zachariah had to write his response as he was still under the penalty of the angel Gabriel and therefore not able to speak.  As soon as he wrote the truth as had been told to him from the beginning, he got his voice back. I believe Gabriel was present with them but did not allow them to see him; just as I believe angels are present with us now, but do not allow us to see them. Zachariah got his voice back and so he spoke praising God:

“Then, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
 ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
   for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
   in the house of his servant David,
 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
  that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
   and has remembered his holy covenant,
 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
   to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
   before him all our days.
 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
   for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
   by the forgiveness of their sins.
 By the tender mercy of our God,
   the dawn from on high will break upon us,                                                   to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
   to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1: 67 to 79)

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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 111and 113;
2^nd  Samuel 7:1 to 17; Titus 2:11 to 3:8a; Luke 1:39to 56:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1:46 to 48).

It is from prior words of this reading of Luke that we get the words for praying the Rosary. The words come from Elizabeth, the relative of Mary who said of Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  It is with these words the Rosary is prayed.

I like Mary’s response, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.”  Her soul magnifies the Lord and so we call her words the “Magnificat.” This Mary who answered to the angel Gabriel, “let it be with me as you have said,” has opened herself to God for the benefit of all people for all time; those who like her and the many who neither know her nor love her. But, she agrees to the service of the Lord for the benefit of all people.

Mary listens to her soul as it is in communication with God. She understands that her soul is in conversation with God, about her.  So too, our souls are in conversation with God about us.

If we empty ourselves of human busyness, God will fill it with divine purpose, God will look upon the lowliness of us who have forsaken human preoccupation with money, power and greed. God always seeks those who proclaim, “let it be with me as you have said,” or, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 66 and 67; Evening,  Psalm 116 and 117;
1^st  Samuel 2:1b to 10; Titus 2:1 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)

The angel Gabriel approaches Mary and shares with God’s plan for humanity. Mary is of the lower middle class of her day and place. There are people around her who look down on her. The whole land of her home is occupied and dominated by a foreign army, Rome. What God is proposing is for her to be a co-creator with God to create a space in human history for God to be made manifest with us, Emmanuel. This service is for the benefit of those who love her and those who don’t.

Here is yet another example of the true believer emptying themselves in order to be useful for God. Mary, the Mother of God Incarnate literally gives her body in the service of the will of God. “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Today we reflect on Thomas the apostle.  But before we get into Thomas as the so-called “Doubting Thomas,” let’s ask why Thomas was not with the other disciples.  The now eleven apostles (Judas has killed himself) are continually locked in a room.  Only Mary Magdalene and some other women are running back and forth getting provisions and giving updates on Jesus sightings to the apostles, save Thomas. Why?

This makes me ponder.  Perhaps the decisions of the group are going in a direction that Thomas didn’t agree with.   These men are human just like me.  The feelings I have today are some of the same feelings they, and in particular Thomas, might have had then. When Thomas says, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe,” (John 20:25), maybe this statement was about his disbelief of the ten, not something he thought Jesus couldn’t do.

Thomas has courage in the Gospel of John.  When Jesus is warned about going back to Jerusalem that he might be killed there, “Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him,” (John 11: 16). This surely shows both his character and his courage.  Also, Thomas speaks up when he doesn’t understand something that Jesus said.  When Jesus announces his death and tells them that they know the way he is going, the confused Thomas speaks up,  “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”  (John 14:5).  To doubt, if in fact we do, is to reflect on the uncertainty of our faith. There have been a number of times I have had some doubt but followed my faith anyway. So too I believe Thomas was a faithful apostle even before he was invited to touch the wounds of Jesus.

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 the 4^th Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 112 and 115; 

Zephaniah  3:14 to 20; Titus 1:1 to 16; Luke 1:1 to 25:

“He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’” (Luke 1:16 – 17)

(Edited an republished from December 23, 2019)

In this passage the angel Gabriel is speaking with Zechariah about things that will happen and how all this will be good news. He is telling him about a son that he will have through Elizabeth his wife and that he is to name the child John.

Gabriel tells Elijah that this child will turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. This is amazing.  These are Israelites.  They are raised in the Holy Scriptures of the Lord our God from birth.  Yet, this John the Baptist is going to have them love their children again, as they always should have. And he is going to shine a light on the ignorance of disobedience. This adds clearer meaning to making crooked paths straight and leveling hills and valleys.

But Zechariah questions Gabriel and as a result Gabriel makes Zechariah mute until the child is born. “Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’” (Luke 1: 18 – 20)

We know that Zechariah’s son, John the Baptist, becomes the herald or announcer of the coming of our Lord Jesus. John was a hard man who did not bend to the selfish desires of others, be they the Pharisee (Brood of vipers) or Herod the puppet king who married his brother’s wife.  John told it like it was.  Yes, he lost his head but he saved his soul.  We can’t lose anything that God can’t put back together and even make it better than it was before. We too need to get back to loving family and seeking righteousness as we await the coming of our Lord.

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 Sunday of the 4^th Week of Advent: Year A

Micah 5:2 to 5;  Hebrews 10:5 to 10; Luke 1:39 to 55

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1:46 to 48).

It is from this reading of Luke that we get the words for praying the Rosary. The words come from Elizabeth, the relative of Mary who said of Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  It is with these words the Rosary is prayed.

I like Mary’s response, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor of the lowliness of his servant.” This Mary who answered to the angel Gabriel, “let it be with me as you have said,” has opened herself to God for the benefit of all people for all time.

Mary listens to her soul as it is in communication with God. She understands that her soul is in conversation with God, about her.  So too, our souls are in conversation with God about us.

If we empty ourselves of human busyness, God will fill it with divine purpose, God will look upon the lowliness of us who have forsaken human preoccupation with money, power and greed. God always seeks those who proclaim, “let it be with me as you have said,”

Perhaps with these words of Mary we could find another tactile way of prayer for those of us who are not so comfortable with the Rosary or Anglican beads: maybe in this world of the creative emoji we could go a step further and have a small, pocket sized, human shaped figure, representing ourselves, with which we could hold up as ourselves, and say to God, “let it be with me as you have said.”  This little figure could also represent our souls.  Such a practice could change how we go forward in the world for the better. If not this then perhaps a lighted candle and praying the words themselves; “let it be with me as you have said.” For God is still looking for people to use for God’s purposes. Thank You Lord Jesus.

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 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalm 138 and 139:1 to 17;
Zechariah 8:9 to 17; Revelation 6:1 to 17; Matthew 25:31 to 46:

“Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” (Psalm 139:1)

The writer of Psalm 139 assures us that God knows us, through and through. And while God can discern my thoughts from afar, I have trouble discerning my thoughts, and they originate in me. God then knows me better than I know myself.

I just want to be a good and decent person. And I believe to be good, is to do good.  In the end, I believe God will judge me by the deeds that come from my faith rather than by my thoughts which range from good to not always good. At least that’s what I get from our Gospel for today – Matthew 25, 31 to 46, about the sheep and the goats.  I notice that the sheep-people are not separated by what they believe only but by their active compassion generated by their faith, their care for one another.

What then does God know about me, my sitting down and my rising up? What does God know about you, your sitting down and your rising up?  While I don’t like the negative goat metaphor, I understand that we should be more like the caring sheep than the careless goats. Our Lord Jesus set that example for us as he healed, taught, fed and served those who were not of his own people. He is leading us. We should follow Him.  In Education for Ministry (EfM), we just finished Verna Dozier’s book, “The Dream of God.” She points out that we are called to follow Jesus more than worship Him.  Jesus always pointed to God, his Father, rather than himself. We too should follow the will of God who has searched us out and knows us.

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 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 40 and 54; Evening,  Psalm 51;  

Zechariah 7:8 to 8:8; Revelation 5:6 to 14; Matthew 25:14 to 30:

“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” (Matthew 25: 14 – 15)

(Edited and republished from December 20, 2019)

This is a very familiar parable.  It is about using whatever gifts we have to the best of our abilities.  In this parable, the one servant who gets only one talent, decides not to use it.  He buries it until the return of the master. Bad move.

I ponder about the relative effects of this parable.  The man who receives the one talent witnesses the others receiving more, one gets 5, the next gets two, and finally he, the third servant, gets only one. Could he feel unappreciated?

What I want to bring to the forefront here is the responsibility we all have to do the best we can with what God has graced us with.  Whatever gift (or gifts) we have, it is what our family, or community, or the world needs.  God does not waste gifts.  Some of us have gifts of mathematics; some of us have gifts of voice as in singing; some of us have gifts of extraordinary compassion; some of us have gifts of agricultural cultivation and some of us are blessed with more than one; maybe five or two or just one like our servant above. 

I try not to focus on our neglected state due to unexplored gifts. But the saddest part for me is that we all suffer from the lack of what we could have enjoyed.  God does not waste gifts. Has God gifted you with something we need or want in our lives right now?  Please make use of it, we need it.  Remember, what the world needs, and what you enjoy doing, is where God enters our world. We are all works in progress and we are all still being created, even after a Sabbath rest.

 “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.  

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

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 3^rd Week of Advent Year 2

Morning, Psalm 50; Evening, Psalm 60;

Zechariah 4:1 to 14; Revelation 4:9 to 5:5; Matthew 25:1 to 13:

“The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep.”  (Zechariah 4:1)

(Edited and republished from December 19, 2019)

Our readings from Zechariah and Revelation speak of angels and their ongoing relationship with us as they carry out God’s will.  Zechariah, like Jacob and Elijah and Joseph were awakened by angels as one is wakened from sleep.  It occurs to me that sleep may just be a metaphor for ignorance.

I believe God still allows angels to be made known in our lives to move us or shift us in the direction that God wants us to travel.  Sometimes such angels may be two or three people away. For example, an angel may influence a friend of yours to ask you something that in turn causes you to act or respond in a way that is pleasing to God.  In such a case we waste time, and God’s blessing, if we judge the message by whose bringing it.  We must be attentive to what the question or message is, not the messenger.  Or, maybe we should, could be an angel after all!

There are several places in the Bible where the one who is helpful is not named but makes all the difference in the outcome. I will share two, both from Second Kings where we read, “Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.  She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”” (2 Kings 5: 2 – 3)  And again, “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (2 Kings 5: 13).  In both cases unnamed persons intervene to assist in curing Naaman of his leprosy.  Are they angels?  Only God knows.

In the reading from Revelation today we have an angel asking the question. “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (Revelation 5:2)  Angels always seem to be connecting with us in our thin places, that is, as we are in prayer, or dreaming, or otherwise letting go of business.   The angel in the Revelation that John received speaks for the “One sitting on the throne.”  Angels are both messengers, and when necessary, correctors of the human experience as may be best for us and is pleasing to God. Angels don’t arrive, they appear. They are already here!  Do you know whether or not you have had an encounter with one? Don’t expect wings; thank you artists, but scripture doesn’t support wings.

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 3^rd Week of Advent Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:49 to 72; Evening, Psalm 49;

Zechariah 3:1 to 10; Revelation 4:1 to 8; Matthew 24:45 to 51:

“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time?  Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.”  (Matthew 24: 45 – 47)

(Edited and republished from December 18, 2019)

I think the first thing to do is to clarify the word slave, or in the Biblical Greek, “δοῦλος.”   In English it is pronounced “Dulas” and it means servant as well as slave. Personally, I prefer the term servant. 

So now let’s go back and listen to what is being asked. “Who is the faithful and wise servant?” Hmm, makes me ponder.  Can we find wisdom and servitude in the same person?  Sometimes we “wise” our way right out of serving anybody, including God.  Once, when I was young, and not very bright at all, I worked at a major hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.  I saw a coworker filling an ice chest.  I had just worked my way up to a less physical requirement at the hospital and I arrogantly lied to that young man saying, “I wouldn’t do that for anybody.”  To which he quickly responded, “Would you do it for yourself?”  As you can see, I never forgot that important lesson. I don’t like sharing these details about myself but it helps me to see how far I have come.  I still have a long way to go.

In our Matthew passage we are reminded that the reward for hard work is more hard work.  When the faithful servant does all that is expected, that servant is given even greater responsibility.  But I think the wisdom lies in the training of one’s self to enjoy holding things together.  We too can learn to enjoy making sure that people receive their allowance of food, or education, or transportation, or medication, or anything they need at the proper time.  The good news is that while we are enjoying filling the ice chest, we will be blessed when our Lord Jesus arrives. “Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.”

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 3^rd Week in Advent Year 2

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalm 47 and 48;  Zechariah 2:1 to 13; Revelation 3:14 to 22; Matthew 24:32 to 44

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.  To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3: 20 – 22)

(Edited and republished from Tuesday December 17, 2019)

This picture of Jesus knocking at a door is known in the Christian world, that of our Lord Jesus knocking at our door.  There are many paintings of it. It is a reminder that it is our Lord Jesus who is seeking us well before we even thought about trying to find him.  Many people will say after they have turned their lives around for the better that they “found Jesus.”  It would be more correct to say that they finally began to follow Jesus.

No human salesperson knocks on your door, or calls you on the phone, or advertizes on your computer for your complete happiness.  They want your money.  They are in it for themselves. Many will say that quality or your safety is their first priority. However, if they didn’t make a profit they wouldn’t have a business at all. So profit is really their first priority.  

Our Lord Jesus is truly looking for you for your benefit. He will never abandon you when life challenges you.  He may not make whatever is happening to you go away but he will stay with you through it.  And it may be that whatever hell you are going through will end this life, and if so, our Lord Jesus will accompany you and continue to lead you on the other side. We must never give up.

This is what it means to conquer.  And “To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

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