onewhoponders

Eucharistic Readings for the Day of Pentecost: Year C

Psalm 104:25-35 and 37; Acts 2:1 to 21; Romans 8:14 to 17; John 14:8 to 17:

 ^“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” (John 14:16)

These words from The Gospel of John were recited and remembered well before the writings of the Acts of the Apostles, in our Acts reading for today.  But even in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells of a coming time when God will send the Holy Spirit to be with, and lead our assembled Church.

What does “another” advocate mean?  Our Lord Jesus was an advocate for us, not so much for human authorities, but for believers, as the real intercessor of our faithful presence before God.

Perhaps the greatest harm that Covid did to us was to stop us from coming together. Many of us have now gone to live streaming worship or other Church telecommunications as a way of worship. I fear something is missing with “e-worship.”  Our parish has gone to ending our Old and New Testament readings with the words, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people:” rather than “The Word of the Lord.”  The Holy Spirit of God can speak two different meanings to two different people sitting side by side using the same words. It is far more important to feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit than to be fixated on the literal words that were read. But we must be together for this to happen.  We have become so accustomed to not coming to Church that some find it difficult to come back now that Covid is declining.  We need to turn this around.  

In Acts we have New Testament people recalling Old Testament prophecy. What we have this time in our Acts reading is a repeat of the Prophet Joel, Chapter 2, verse 28 to 32. Whether it’s Acts or Joel, the point is that God will pour out the Spirit of God on all “gathered” community who accept it and call on God so that they will be saved. Saved in this sense is different from cured.  This “saved” refers to life after death, eternal life. 

The Acts message is so inclusive that it is spoken by people who did not know the language of the Gentiles to whom the message went to but was heard clearly by those Gentiles who never knew Jesus.  It makes no difference.  If they too call on Jesus, they will be saved. If we call on Jesus we will be saved, forever.

As we receive the Holy Spirit let us not forget Ukraine in our prayers. This same Spirit of God who speaks the universal language of love and togetherness is completely understood by the people of Ukraine. They are not cut off by Covid but rather they are trying to be cut off by tyranny. We must not let that happen. We will continue to pray in the Spirit, in the Advocate that God has sent to be with us forever. We are all one in the Spirit.

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 7^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 107:33-43 and Psalm 108; Evening, Eve of Pentecost Psalm 33;

Ezekiel 36:22 to 27; Ephesians 6:10 to 24; Matthew 9:18 to 26:

“ Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.  To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”  (Ephesians 6: 18)

Paul says to “pray in the Spirit.”  How do I do that?  Do I sit quietly and meditate on what I want God to do?  Do I ask the Spirit to pray through me?  That has been said by Paul, that it is not we who pray but the Spirit who prays through us. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words. And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God;” (Romans 8: 26 and 27).  I think both of these concepts are correct.

It is at least an American tradition to incorporate prayer into events. We have become accustomed to asking someone to pray at meals, or, for the opening or closing of meetings or ceremonies.  And we have framed prayer as religious words heard at key points of events.  I am normally chosen to perform these prayer duties when I am present, or asked to be present.   I think the writers that were read by our early Christian parents encouraged our parents to pray quietly. In fact, we may not have been able to tell when they were praying and when they were not.  Prayer is not restricted to Church. Church depends on prayer prayed outside itself.

Prayer, sitting with our Creator and being open to divine instruction, is the most important experience we can have on any day, but more especially on a Sabbath Day like today.  

Occasionally however, people need to hear words of adoration to assist them in their spiritual focus.  When it’s needed, it should be provided. When audible prayer is needed it should be remembered that what is heard comes from the silent, loving heart of a faithful person.  Just as St. Francis said “go out and preach the Gospel and when necessary use words,” I say, pray always, and when necessary use words, words that others may actually hear.

Tomorrow we begin the Season of Pentecost.  It is the annual remembering of the Church receiving the Holy Spirit. I pray that the Holy Spirit leads all houses of worship in ways that end the Russian war against Ukraine. I pray for Ukraine both silently and aloud. Please God, help them. I pray that we all keep alert and persevere in supplication for all the saints in 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 Friday of the 7^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1-32;
Jeremiah 31:27 to 34; Ephesians 5:1 to 20; Matthew 9:9 to 17:

 “No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31: 34)

At St. Paul’s in the Pines I have kept our chapel Bible open to Jeremiah 31: 31 to 34, open for all who come into the chapel to see this important reading. I believe it is one of many a prophecy foretelling the coming of our Lord Jesus found in the Hebrew Testament.

In this passage Jeremiah speaks for God and says, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 34:33).  I interpret this to mean that with the coming of Jesus all of us will realize our connection with God.  The love-law of God is written on our hearts and minds.  We may not use it, but it is there.

I tell my listeners that I am not their connection to God.  My job has always been to let them know that they have a “First-hand” connection to God themselves. My job is, and has always been, to let them know about this Jeremiah revealed connection. Also, I inform them that God desires an audience with them.  As a result of this preaching, one of my beloved parishioners brought a plaque to church that reads, “We need to talk, God.”  I immediately posted it where it could be seen by all.

This Jeremiah reading, and my time in Spiritual Guidance, has taught me that every human being has the capacity to connect with God.  We only have to access it. In one of her writings the great mystic Evelyn Underhill said “mysticism [revelation of God] is not only reserved for a saintly few, but is available to all who seek to explore it” (more or less). As Jeremiah says, “for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord.” So now I tell you also, God wishes to talk with you.

I believe God is in conversation with, or wants to be in conversation with, the people of Ukraine. From the beginning, God has always sought to speak with, and listen to, those who are oppressed. God’s ears hears tears. Oppressor be ware!

“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 7^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 105:1 to 22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45;

Zechariah 4:1 to 14; Ephesians 4:17 to 32; Matthew 9:1 to 8:

“They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.” (Ephesians 4:18)

When Paul says “they,” he is referring to the people he calls the Gentiles, or the Nations. These are people outside of his believing community. The same people he feels called to, to bring the message of Good News of God in Christ.

 Today we could use the language of “alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart,” to describe even our fellow Americans who, in many cases, say they are Christian.  But they show ignorance and hardness of heart with political divisiveness and polarizing personalities. We suffer from a, “whose team are you?,” mentality.  It is not the way we Christians are suppose to live.  It is not speaking truth to our neighbors, but instead speaking handed down rhetoric parroted from misguided leadership. It is not who we are supposed to be, it is falsehood.

St. Paul says, “So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4: 25 – 26).  We can be angry without acting on such anger. I, at one time, worked with Clinical Social Workers while in the Marines as we dealt with domestic violence issues within the families of our service members.  It took a lot of time to show the young men (I only dealt with men) that there was a specific point in which they decided to move from being angry to striking out. Separating the two can be done.  In the military we couldn’t talk about Jesus while doing this work. That may be in part why I’m doing this priestly work now, it’s Jesus based.

Paul goes on and says, “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you;” (Ephesians 4: 31 – 32). Folks, if we give in to the darkened teachings of a polarized culture, we are turning our backs on who God wants us to be, and on the real love God has planted in us through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been equipped to forgive one another, but too often we choose not to. Too often we would rather be hard-hearted than tender-hearted.  We are not the Gentiles or the Nations. We are Christians. Forgiveness is the same message presented in our Gospel lesson for today in Matthew, chapter 9.

It is because we are Christians that we wholeheartedly reject the actions of the Russian government’s aggression against Ukraine. But forgiveness is still a possibility.

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 7^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 101 and 109; Evening, Psalms 119:121 to 144;

Isaiah 4:2 to 6; Ephesians 4:1 to 16; Matthew 8:28 to 34:

“Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.”  (Matthew 8:34)

There are a few observations to take note of in this story.  Matthew has two demoniacs approach Jesus.   Mark 4 and Luke 8 have only one demon possessed man approach Jesus in their similar episodes.  In all the versions the demons leave the man and enter pigs.  I don’t know whether it is a blessing or a curse but I ask different questions than the commentators I have read.  Jesus does not move the evil spirits to the pigs, but rather he allows them to move themselves.  All versions have the pigs with demons drown to death.  My question however is, cannot the evil spirits simply move into the fish; the fish that are then caught by those who fish in waters of Galilee, namely, the very disciples of Jesus, and others? This evil cycle of possession would just continue, wouldn’t it?  Am I reading too much into it?  I do ponder.

What I want to glean from this story is the fact that this was Gentile territory and raising pigs was this family’s livelihood.  Jesus destroyed an income source, or at least, allowed it to happen.  The people that place begged him to leave either because he had a scary amount of power, or that he caused poverty for a family, or for both.  My sources, did say that there is a cost associated with following Jesus.  And I would add, the cost itself can often be scary too.

My theological studies have caused changes in my life, good changes I think.  This blog is one example. My respect for Saturdays as Sabbath is another. My understanding of first good and then evil, is yet another. The cost of my evolving is made manifest in how I now divide my time. I have had to stop some activities in order to have time for my new way of living into the Spirit. I don’t consider this cost scary.  I am evolving into a more spiritual person and I like it.

My heart and prayers continue to go out for Ukraine and her people.  I ask you who read this blog to see the evil attacking her and to pray for Ukraine also.  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 Tuesday of the 7^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;

1^st  Samuel 16:1 to 13a; Ephesians 3:14 to 21; Matthew 8:18  to 27:

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1^st Samuel 16: 7)

For the first king, God allowed the people of Israel to have a say in the selection of their king.  But now, even though God does not like the idea of them having a king other than God’s self, God will select from among mortals for them.  

God is not looking at height, or intellect from among the Israelites. God is only concerned with a potential king’s heart, with his compassion for others. We should be the same way. When we select leaders we should be most concerned with the heart and compassion of a potential leader.

Today we recall the Visitation of Mary (the Mother of Jesus) as she visited Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist). This again shows that God wants leaders who love people to lead people.

Elizabeth cries out the greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” (Luke 1:42).  I believe that it is from her words as recorded in the Gospel according to Luke that the Roman Catholic Church have the words used in part for their Rosary prayers. 

All of this shows God’s desire for us to have leaders based on their love for others. Such love in our leader should be for those close to us and live the way we do; and for those who are our neighbors with different lifestyles.  We are all God’s children.  We should not look for human ideals such as height or race or gender for leadership.  We should look for what’s in their heart.  It is what the Spirit is saying to 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 Monday of the 7^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 89:1to18: Evening, Psalm 89:19 to 52;

Joshua 1:1 to 9; Ephesians 3:1 to 13; Matthew 8:5 to 17:

“When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’ The centurion answered, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed.”  (Matthew 8: 5 – 8)

A believing Roman commander (centurion) approaches our Lord Jesus for help.  In as much as he is asking Jesus for healing for his servant (whom he must truly love), but was not present,  this is intercessory prayer.

 I know parents who took their sick child to Europe for healing, healing that was not offered in the U. S. My point here is that we tend to drop boundaries when it comes to the lives of those we love. This centurion is a hoping believer.  He has already accepted the one true God in place of the many gods of Rome of that day and has now heard about the healing power of the man called Jesus. He is desperate.  He has nothing to lose.  Jesus senses the anxiety of the centurion and says ‘yes’ to his request and the servant is healed.

The commander shows a deeper than average faith in the power of Jesus.  When Jesus offers to come to his house the centurion shows that he has an understanding of the kind of power that Jesus has. He didn’t have to see it being done to witness it.  He just needed Jesus to say ‘yes.’

There are more healing stories in this assigned reading for today; Peter’s mother in law was healed; and Jesus cast out demons and performed more healings in, and around Capernaum.

The take-away for me (and maybe you also) is that our Lord Jesus seems to be as moved by the anxiety of those asking for others, as he is moved for the person in trouble themselves, maybe even more.  Jesus says in John’s Gospel, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, believe in God, Believe also in me” (John 14:1).  I say often that God’s ears hears tears.  I am now seeing also that a troubled heart attracts our Lord Jesus. Maybe we can take a page from the centurion’s playbook and take our concerns to Jesus and know that we don’t have to physically see Jesus follow us.  We will see the healing in Jesus saying ‘yes.’ 

I continue to ask for prayers on behalf of Ukraine. God is particularly attentive to prayers for others, even those across the world.  Let us pray for Ukraine to have healing and peace and hear our Lord Jesus say, “ yes.”

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 Seventh Week of Easter: Year C

Acts 16:16 to34; Psalm 97; Revelation 22:12 to 14 and16 to17 and 20-21; John 17:20 to 26:

“Jesus prayed for his disciples, and then he said. “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” (John 17:20 and 21)

Jesus prays not only for those standing with him more than 2000 years ago, but also for us today who have come to believe through their teachings and tradition of worship. The story of Jesus is the greatest hand-me-down gift we could ever receive or give. And, to believe in order that we all might be one with our Lord Jesus, is life-saving and redeeming.

As we continue to follow the apostles and disciples of Jesus, their words continue on from Jerusalem, through the Church in Rome, and for us, on the Episcopal path, through England, to and through, Christ Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  We have the Gospel words of Matthew, Mark and John. And we have Paul, Peter, James and others.  I didn’t forget about Luke but he did not know Jesus personally as did those I named. Luke, like us today, is a recipient of the original follower’s words in which we too come to believe just as Jesus prayed that “also on behalf of [us] who will believe in me through their word, that [we] may all be one.”  These sacred words are still being passed on to us and from us to those put in our path today.

We are a mouth to ear people. We talk about our Lord Jesus and we try as best we can to follow him. It is by word and deed that we show who we are. The Word of Jesus is to Love God and love our neighbor as Jesus loved us. And Jesus loved us to death. So too we are called to love others in the same way, to death.  I will confess there are people that I am willing to lay my life down for.  I will also say that the more people that are in danger, the more likely I am to give my life, and yes, especially children.  I enlisted in the Marines and was sent to many hazardous clime and places during my 30 years on active duty. It could have cost me my life for this nation. And I understood that.  This weekend we remember all who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.

As long as I am confessing, let me say that I know some people that I will not give my life for.  I have (perhaps wrongly) judged them not worthy because of what I have observed of them.  I have looked upon their addiction, their lack of compassion for others; their hatred of those different than themselves. I am not Jesus. Jesus would still die for those I  think unworthy.  I don’t think I would die for a child abuser or murderer. I don’t think I would die for a dictator bent on the annihilation of another country. I’m not Jesus. Jesus loves each and every one of us to death. I struggle with my lack of desire to be more like Jesus. Sadly, I don’t think I even want to be that much like Jesus. I am not proud of how I feel. I am being very honest. Jesus, God Incarnate, loves all people, without exception. As for me, I have heard the Word and I do believe. I pray that even I too will be included in the One with our Lord Jesus and the Creator.  And I pray the same for you.

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 Readngs for Saturday of the 6^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 87 and 90; Evening, Psalm 136;

Numbers 11:16 to 17 and 24 to 29; Ephesians 2:11 to 22; Matthew 7:28 to 8:4

“For through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18)

For through our Lord Jesus, fake race groups like, blacks and whites, along with groups like men and women, gays and straights, rich and poor, nationals and foreigners, have access in one Spirit to the Creator of all life.

This access does not mean giving up “who” we are ( although it very well may mean giving up “what” we think we are).  We have a uniting Spirit through our Lord Jesus. “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Ephesians 2:14).  So we are one Spirit group. We look different, we sound different, and we enjoy different foods and music and so on. None of what we enjoy should be based on our skin color or hair texture.  We are free to seek our own joy.  We are all pulled together for living and loving each other, and our various cultures and lifestyles, through God.  For God is the One in whom we all live and move and have our being.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone, In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.” (Ephesians 2: 19 – 22)

We are meant to approach one another knowing that we are already united by means of God’s Spirit.  It makes no difference about our language, skin color, religion, or place of origin.  We are all God’s people, we are all spiritual cousins. We should be behaving that way.

How then, or why then, should the people of God harm the people of God?  Except for self-defense, it is so anti- God to harm other human beings; especially for some senseless reason like the so called race differences, or nationality differences, or language differences.  There are no deep differences among us; black or white; Russian or Ukrainian; American or Mexican; Democrat or Republican; we are men and women of one species. All of our visual differences are insignificant “surface” differences.  We are one class of animal with one spirit which the Holy Creating Spirit of God imbedded in us. All of us are God’s special work and we should be thankful. “For through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.”

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 6^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 85 and 86: Evening,  Psalms 91 and 92;

1^st Samuel 2:1 to 10; Ephesians 2:1 to 10; Matthew 7:22 to 27:

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7: 24)

There are many people who can recite many good quotes and prayers but often fall short of living by them.  What’s important here is not only to hear these words of Jesus and to memorize them, but to act on them, and to live by them as well.  This is what our Lord Jesus meant by “hear these words of mine and act on them.”

Memorizing creeds, covenants, quotes and prayers and saying them everyday reshapes our personality.  Hopefully, we will become who we preach to be. I have created two five-pointed stars for myself to live by. The five points of the first (which I created in the 80’s) is, “ Praise God, Love All, Keep Word, Live Plain and Work Hard.  I was still in the Marines when my faith moved me to frame these five points as directions for my life.  Notice that Praise God and Love All are the first two, and are the two Commandments that our Lord Jesus gave us. The second star consists of five points that spell out the acronym DRIPP.  This represents Discipline (that I should maintain); Respect (for myself and others); Integrity (honesty in action); Prayer (always, especially Morning and Evening Prayer) and Patience (holy waiting and some quiet time alone.)

We all should have a code of conduct that we live by.  My heart is heavy because of the killing of 19 fourth graders and their teachers in Texas. The 18 year old shooter had no sense of loving God and neighbor. The Russian military carrying out atrocities against Ukraine also have no sense of loving God and neighbor. We all need holy words to live by, words that guide our lives, especially in stressful times. None of us should harm the innocent, regardless of whether they are 10 years old or adults trying to live in their own country in peace.  God created us as loving beings.

We must hear the words of our Lord Jesus and where necessary frame them in a way that makes sense for us without losing their meanings.  And then we must act or behave in the manner that our treasured words lead us.  Only when we build our lives with a solid foundation will we be “like a wise man who built his house on rock.”  What words or phrases or covenants do you live by?

“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