onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the 1^st Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 16, and 17; Evening, Psalm 22;
Amos 5:1 to 17; Jude 1 to 16; Matthew  22:1 to 14:

“All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, upon those who are noble among the people.” (Psalm 16:2)

We need to appreciate good people more.  It seems all the news goes to the negative folk in our communities; to the mass shooters, the crooked politicians, and today, the smash and grabbers.

We need to show appreciation for the godly that are in the land, those who are courteous in the store and in traffic. We need to take a moment to award those who, while they do not agree with the majority on an issue, will behave as if the opposing view was their own.

We need to give thanks for good parents, and for me, good fathers who raise children who are not biologically theirs, and care for their mothers.  This is what Joseph, the human father of Jesus, did. And yet, we have no words from him.

There are plenty of people who are trying every day to do what is right in the world. Let’s reach out and compliment the goodness of people who go unnoticed. They bring harmony to our communities and are standing right beside us as we witness those who do wrong and get all kinds of attention. If we honored those among us who live godly lives, perhaps more people would be inclined to be the same, the godly people God is making them to be.  Let’s do this this weekend as we enter 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.  

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 First Week of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 18:1 to 20; Evening, Psalm 18:21 to 50
Amos 4:6 to 13; 2^nd Peter 3:11 to 18; Matthew 21:33 to 46:

“I called upon the Lord in my distress
and cried out to my God for help.

He heard my voice from his heavenly dwelling;
my cry of anguish came to his ears.” (Psalm 18: 6 and 7)

These words from Psalm 18 are just another affirmation of my long standing belief that God’s ears hears tears.

God, our loving Creator, has hardwired her humans to resort to crying when sorrowful or distressed.  When it happens, a signal is sent straight to God where God decides what, and when, divine action will occur. Crying is universal prayer. It matters not what the crier believes, or does not believe. We, all of us, are God’s own.  God fashions us as God wants. And so it is, when we cry, God is brought near.

We should not want to be sorrowful or in distress, but sometimes it happens. It happens through natural disaster, disease and human evil and sin. It happens and it causes hurt in our lives. These are times we must hold fast to our faith in God, no matter what.

Our Crying makes the place where we are, holy ground. I have come to believe that while God may not “fix” my woes in this life, there is another life that I hope to reach wherein the same God reigns. Yes, as the hymn goes, “Our God Reigns.”

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

(Edited and republished from December 4, 2019)

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Week 1 of Advent: Year 2

Morning,  Psalm 119:1 to 24; Evening, Psalm 12, 13 and 14;

 Amos 3:12 to 4:5; 2^nd Peter 3:1 to 10; Matthew 21:23 to 32

“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.”  (2^nd Peter 3: 8 to 10)

Peter reminds us that the time we experience is nothing like that with God.  God knows no time.  God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega.  Words like fast and slow have no value to God, God does things in God’s time (Kairos).  Peter also shares with us that God does not want any of us to perish.  We have a universal God.  A God who loves everybody, even the people we don’t like.  This is something we are going to have to get over. God loves people in the other skin color, in the other political party, in the other country and so on.  We have a universal loving God and we should be as well.

The last part of our 2^nd Peter passage for today is the hint of accountability.  Peter says “and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.”  My beloved, disclosed is not destroyed.  Disclosed means revealed!  I had a military leader once tell me that forewarned is forearmed.  This means that if we know something is going to happen we have time to make it right before that time comes.  How do you want your report read out loud in that heavenly court?  Think about that.  And remember that we are dealing with a God who knows no time.  God could bring us to accountability right now! Are you ready?  Forewarned is forearmed.

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

(Edited and republished from December 3, 2019)

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Week 1 of Advent: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 5 and 6; Evening, Psalms 10 and 11;                     

 Amos 3:1 to 11; 2nd Peter1:12 to 21; Matthew 21:12 to 22:

“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  (2 Peter 1: 20 – 21)

This is one of the readings that I have read at our Education for Ministry (EfM) graduations.  We have a Holy Eucharist with our graduation.  We want the Holy Spirit to be present with us.  After four years of study, graduating participants stand before the gathered community, some of whom are also graduates of EfM, and express what EfM has meant for them.  It is always a moving experience.

A big component of EfM are the Theological Reflections.  This is a time of deep pondering of what the Holy Spirit is really saying to us.  The message of the Holy Spirit can be in accordance with the words of scripture or the words of scripture can be a catalyst for where the Spirit wants us to be. It is prophetic.  And “no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 

The Bible should be read within prayer.  One’s reading of the Bible should be in the context of believing that God has made all things good (including us), and loves us more than we can imagine.  In this way we will see, even words of war and wrath, in a merciful way.  The prayer we pray will help us to see where God is in the readings.  We should not pry into the Bible but rather pray into the Bible. If a person doesn’t pray into the Bible, he or she shouldn’t even bother reading the Bible.  The prophetic message comes through the words in the Bible riding on the faith of the reader.

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 1 Advent (revised and republished from December 2 of 2019)

Morning, Psalm 1, 2, and 3; Evening,  Psalm 4 and 7;                         Amos 2:6 to 16; 2^nd Peter 1:1 to 11; Matthew 21:1 to 11:

“His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  (2^nd Peter1: 3)

St. Peter proclaims that God has given us all that we need for both life and godliness.  The life part we share with all living creatures.  We all breathe and consume and grow.  What makes humanity different is that we also have all that we need to live our God-given lives in a godly way.

Perhaps the first thing that we should recognize about God is that God is the Creator.  Notice the big “C.”  We humans then, created in the Image of God and being godly are created creators.  Notice the little “c.”

God is Creator in all ways.  Most of us are creators in specific ways.  Some of us are creators in just a few ways or maybe only one way, but it is the godly part of us and we should not deny it.

Also part of the godly part is the implanted love of God that is in us but too often denied.  This love part was modeled for us by God in the person of our Lord Jesus. And we have it “through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

When I read these words attributed to Peter I realize that God, acting in our Lord Jesus Christ, was still at work in Peter who denied Him three times.  When we deny our gifts we too deny God who created us and gifted us.  Our life’s search should be to discover our hidden talents.  All of us have a godly part within us. If we have life (check your pulse) then we have love and a godly gift.

Let me say that it is through love that your godly gift is discovered.  Don’t resist the urge to just let go and let God.  Experiment through love of the many and manifold ways that you might express happiness.  The rest of us are waiting to see what God has given you.  We are waiting in this Advent time of expectation to see something new born in 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

Happy Church New Year and welcome to Year C of our Eucharistic Lectionary and to Year 2 of our Daily Office.

Eucharistic Readings for the First Sunday in Advent: Year C

Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:33)

Our Lord Jesus informs us that this fragile earth, our island home, will pass away.  This earth is our spaceship of life as we know it now.  But we have an invitation to board the Love ship of God.

Just like everything that we design and make, eventually breaks down, so too God has engineered an Escaton Day (End of Days) wherein creation as we know it, ends.  The only thing that continues to have life is the Word of Christ.

We can live in His Eternal Word. But it requires some effort on our part. First and foremost, we must simply believe the words of our Lord Jesus. All three of the Synoptic Gospel accounts has an “End of Days” revelation. The John account has its own Revelation that closes our Bible.

With our belief, we must put forth action.  We must live lives of service to others modeling our love for our neighbor, regardless of their beliefs or unbelief.  We are to love them, not judge them. This is a tough calling.  Christianity is not for the faint of heart.  We know that we will individually pass away. Now we are informed that this earth, this planet we live on and that provides for us, will also pass away.  Now is our opportunity to adjust to the love-life of Christ Jesus and his words for us, which are eternal and will never, never, never pass away. Advent is a time of expectation. Let us look for Christ to come.

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 Proper 29: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 137:1- to 6, and Psalm 144; Evening,  Psalm 104:
Micah 7:11 to 20; 1^st Peter 4:7 to 19; Matthew 20:29 to 34:

“Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1^st Peter 4: 8)

Saint Peter makes me very happy with these words.  I am a sinner. But, I am also a lover of people.  It is good to know that love covers a multitude of sins.

I believe our hearts are what lead us to do most of the things we do in life, whether it’s a passion for one of the art forms, or for particular people we want in our lives. I know that there are people who only act on logic and what makes sense as they see it. Perhaps they are the hardest to defend when sin occurs. 

I do also believe that most just laws seek to understand where the lawbreaker’s heart was when a tragic event happens. I know someone who hit a person with her car. The person ran out in front of traffic at night before the driver had time to stop. The hit person died.  While it was sad, it was not intentional. The driver had to have therapy before she was able to drive again.

If this event had been intentional, it would be sin, because the heart was not acting out of love. The courts also would hold the perpetrator accountable.  Acting outside the realm of love for reason of revenge or whatever caused the crime or sin does not hold with “covers a multitude of sins.” It takes doing everything we do to be from love that will see us through.

 Inevitably we will sin. We are not perfect. But when we reflect back over our sinful event, we don’t want to have to look too hard to see where our heart was. Love must be our foundational catalyst. It covers a multitude of sins.

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 Proper 29: Year 1

 Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening,  Psalms 141 and 143:1 to 11;
 Isaiah,  24:14 to 23; 1^st Peter 3:13 to 4:6; Matthew 20:17 to 28:

“It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave:” (Matthew 20: 26 and 27).

I believe what our Lord Jesus is driving at is being comfortable with being the one who keeps everything going without being noticed. More to the point is to not seek greatness at all.

A long time ago I worked on an assembly line with a machine that made thermoses. Whenever the machine broke down we called a tech to get it going again.  These techs were not seen until something went wrong.  Most were men and women who worked with the machine as I was then doing. They did not create the machine or design it.  They gained an understanding of how it worked and with a little mechanical training they were able to wait in a quiet place until a machine failed. They didn’t want to be president of the company; they just wanted to keep things moving, making thermoses. They stood by with their tool boxes and oil cans ready when needed.

I believe the point that Jesus is really making is for us not to want to be Jesus. But rather, just keep good works happening.  We serve those who are doing the hard work of loving and helping neighbors without boasting about it.  We must learn to live lives of not being great but being ready when called upon.  And when called, we come with our Christian experience which is our tool box of Christian Education, and our oil can of compassion, with which we help bring others back on line. It is in this way that we are co-sustainers with the Great Creator.

“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

Readings for Thanksgiving Day: Year B

Joel 2:21 to 27; Psalm 126; 1^st  Timothy 2:1 to 7; Matthew 6:25 to 33:

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6: 31 to 33 NRSV)

While some other translations use the word “anxious” to describe the emotion around not having, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible uses the word worry. I think it fits with regard to the level of concern we devote to what we don’t have. We forget about what we do have and also we forget to give thanks for what we have.

I believe everyday should be a day of Thanksgiving. For everyday is a gift. Maybe the only thing worth worrying about is a shortage of days. But right living will keep us prepared for the Day that our Lord receives us into that eternal kingdom, that place of forever peace.  There will be no worries there.

Our Lord Jesus says that worrying is what the Gentiles do.  Gentiles mean Nations, or people other than Israelites.  For us who are on the Christian path of the God movement, the Gentiles mean the rest of the world and their self-serving pursuits.  It could be food, clothing, cars, houses, phones, electronics, fame, or just plain wealth.  All of these are temporal.  I once told someone that the only value gold has is that others lust after it.  If nobody wanted it, it would have no value.

Our eternal souls are valued by God.  God wants us to be among the heavenly court when we transition from this place.  While we are here, God is aware of both our deeds and needs.  And, according to our Lord Jesus, God will make sure we have what we need. And for God’s love and attention we ought to be truly thankful.

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 Proper 29: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:145 to 176; Evening, Psalm 128, 129 and 130;
Obadiah 15 to 21; 1^st Peter 2:1 to 10; Matthew 19:23 to 30:

“Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1^st Peter 2:4 and 5)

I don’t agree with all of Peter’s thinking but the words from this passage I really like.  We are living spiritual stones. Peter shows a difference between those of us who believe in God and God’s love as made manifest through our Lord Jesus, and those who don’t. The latter tend to lose sight of the sacredness of human life.  As believers we are chosen and precious in God’s sight. It seems the more we reflect and ponder about the mystery and majesty of God, and being thankful for it, the more we are rejected by the ever diminishing norms of our mortal society.

As I write this we are reeling from yet another senseless mass killing. This time it took place at a Christmas Parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Why? Why do people do evil deeds?  What didn’t happen in such a person’s life that would have made him be a better person?  However, let me say that bad things happening to a person, or good things not happening, is no excuse for bad behavior.

Time spent in prayer and giving Thanks to God for the fact that we exist, and the lives of those we love, will go up as spiritual sacrifices to God and are acceptable through our Savior Jesus Christ. This Thanksgiving, those of us who believe in the love of God and live a life of love, have so much to be thankful for. So do those who don’t believe but they don’t know it.

 I am so sorry for the untimely deaths and lives taken through evil acts.  My heart and prayers go out to the families and loved ones who are grieved by sinful acts. All of us have a responsibility to watch each other.  There is no one out there who is not our business. The path to a holy priesthood is paved through accountability. This accountability is true for us and for our neighbors. We are in fact our brother’s and sister’s keeper. We must hold ourselves in prayer asking God for hints at how we can improve the way we live together and value life, all life. 

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