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Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 5^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 56  and 57; Evening,  Psalms 64 and 65;

 Leviticus 16:1 to 19; 1^st Thessalonians 4:13 to 18; Matthew 6:1 to 6 and 16 to 18:

“Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Psalm 57:1)

The Psalmist speaks of trust in God.  God is love. Trust in God is the only sure trust we can count on. All over the earth we have been hiding from the Coronavirus.  But it has still taken its toll. In the U.S. we have passed the one million death mark.  Many all over the world have died as a result of this pandemic.  However, at some point, with God’s help, we will survive this sickness.

At some point in our lives we must admit that we are God’s own.  We belong to God. God will do what God will do.  We go to God for protection and wellbeing. We are seeing that we can’t always trust politicians (either side of the isle), or the military, or any human construct when it comes to unimaginable challenges that we face. It is only in God’s mercy that can we trust completely. 

And when we come out on the other side of this (here or in heaven), we must give thanks and praise to God in word and song.  In this same Psalm we read, “My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast;  I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.” (Psalm 57:7 – 8).  We must learn to put as much effort in giving thanks after God has helped us as we put in the asking for help in the beginning.

So we must always trust in God and then praise God always. We are now trying to come out of our tight isolations all over the planet.  Stores are opening back up.  We are looking to see what our new normal will be like. But God is the same yesterday, today and forever.   God is here in this world and in the heavenly world after our temporal death.  Therefore, it is God in whom we must take refuge and in the shadow of God’s wings until the disaster has passed, or we have passed it.

It is in God that Ukraine must take refuge. While some have died, the faithful will not stay dead. And those who survive in this life will be a beacon of light for our whole planet – they, the faithful of Ukraine, will be a light shining in the darkness and will bring the rest of us into the light of faith. 

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 Sunday of Week 5 of Easter: Year C

Acts 11:1-18 Psalm 148 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Jesus gives us a new commandment!  He commands us to love one another.  Why is this commandment new?  Has not the commandments always commanded us to love one another?  Actually, according to the Ten Commandments we are told, in list form, how to “treat” one another.  While this laundry list of commandments attempts to keep us in good relationship with one another, it inculcates what God really wants of us. And that is for us to love one another. 

This message comes to us as we hear of ten people killed in Buffalo, NY by a young gunman bent on what he believes is racial vengeance. This is very sad. His whole action is based on false teachings drilled into him by mentally sick people solely based on how we look different from one another.

Jesus has us to love each other as he has loved us, all of us.  As I have pointed out in earlier talks, this Command differs from the Synoptic Gospels in that it does not say “love your neighbor as yourself” (Hoping, of course, that you love yourself).  But rather, requires us to love our neighbor as Jesus loves us – and it must be remembered that Jesus loved us all the way to his death on the cross.  This is sacrificial love, unconditional love, agape love.

In the first expressions of love the word love is used as a verb, that is an action we are to do, that is to love one another.  Jesus ends with love as a noun.  That is, he says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  To have love makes love a thing we have, and, we most certainly do.  And it is in us to share with and relate to others with care and compassion.

And while our so-called race classifications based on looks, differentiate us in many ways, We humans are so good, unfortunately, at finding new ways to not love each other.  Take for example Russia’s  anger at Ukraine. Take for example Israel’s anger at Palestine. Why?  Is there not enough food in the world for all to be fed.  Speaking of which, our most vulnerable are going without formula.  I’m talking about our babies. All of these are signs of the lack of love that we are not using, love, one for another. I believe hatred is also a form of mental illness.  Let the shoe fit the foot it fits.

Our whole world needs prayer. We need to change the way we see others.  We already have love for one another, God has put it inside us, but we fail to act from our God-given love. So let us listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us and make that change.  It may not be easy, but it’s doable.

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 4^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23);

Exodus 40:18 to 38; 1^st Thessalonians 4:1 to 12; Matthew 5:38 to 48:

Psalm 139 Verses 1 – 3

1. Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

2. You trace my journeys and my resting-places and are acquainted with all my ways.

3. Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

These are only the first three verses of Psalm 139.  I look at this Psalm as a meditation.  Verses 1 through 17 remind us of how well God knows us. Verses 1 through 17 are also the ones most frequently treasured.  The remaining verses tend to deal with what the Psalmist wants to happen to the wicked. I try not to go there.

I ponder about how it feels to know that when I have a thought or a feeling, that God knows about it as soon as I do (maybe even before I do).  I am truly not alone, not even in my inmost thoughts. I like to think that sometimes God is not so passive in my thinking. That is, God also “prompts” my thinking in one direction or another.  It’s like God allows me to see a “burning bush.” I, like Moses, must then decide if I am going to go check it out. The words of scripture are like the burning bush, the pages burn in us, but they are never consumed.  And through them, the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

Here’s the thing, God is a participant with all of us.  The divine hints are already with us.  But it’s up to us to check them out.  God discerns your thoughts from afar and is acquainted with all your ways.  Indeed, there is not a word on your lips, but God, O Lord, knows it altogether. This does not mean that God approves of all your words or thoughts.  Think about this and allow yourself to follow God’s lead in your life, not your own idea about what you should do. Try not to go there.

My beloved in the Lord, please continue to pray with me for Ukraine. God, and God only, knows the thoughts, hopes and fears of the Ukrainian people. However, as we witness this burning bush let us not cast it off as some insignificant sideline event in the world, but rather, take notice of it and discern how God wants us to be a part of the plan for their victory over tyranny.   Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to us. “Lord, you have searched us out and known us; you know our sitting down and our rising up; you discern our thoughts from afar.”

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 4^th Week of Easter: Year 2

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

Exodus 34:18 to 35;  1^st  Thessalonians 3:1 to 13; Matthew 5:27 to 37:

“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you?”  (1^st Thessalonians 3:9)

Paul is thanking God for the faith of the Church in Thessalonica.  Timothy brought him the good news of how they worshiped the Lord and kept the faith. I pray we do as well for those we know who keep the faith.

Today we remember Frances Perkins.  “President Roosevelt appointed her to a Cabinet post as Secretary of Labor, a position she would hold for twelve years. As Secretary of Labor, Perkins would have a major role in shaping the New Deal legislation signed into law by President Roosevelt, most notably the establishment of the Social Security program. During her years of public service, Frances Perkins depended upon her faith, her life of prayer, and the guidance of her church for the support she needed to assist the United States and its leadership to face the enormous problems of the time. During her time as Secretary of Labor, she would take time away from her duties on a monthly basis and make a retreat with the All Saints Sisters of the Poor in nearby Catonsville, Maryland. She spoke publicly of how the Incarnation informed her conviction that humans ought to work with God to create a just Christian social order,” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13).

As we remember and thank God for the faith of those we love, and for Frances Perkins, let us also thank God for the strong faith of the people of Ukraine.  It is because of their faith and resilience that both Finland and Sweden are now seeking to join NATO. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Faith in God is the most powerful tool (or weapon) against tyranny that we have.  If Goodness stands firm, Goodness will succeed. The best form of goodness is having faith in our Good God.

 “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 4^th Week of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 50;  Evening, Psalm  60;

Exodus 34:1 to 17; 1^st Thessalonians 2:13 to 20; Matthew 5:21to 26:

“We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.”  (1 Thessalonians 2:3)

We are the vessels of the Word of God! God speaks of love.  That means we, as we carry out the word of God, we present love in word and deed to all whom we encounter.  We are the cup of Christ.  This is the Baptism that brought us into the Christian faith. 

Please remember and fully accept that, “In the beginning was the Word.” The Word came to us for hearing and believing. Many times I have said that we are people of stories. God is in your story no matter who you are.  You are God’s own.  Therefore, God’s Self is in you.  I give thanks for you knowing and believing that you are continuing the Word of God by telling your own truths about how God has acted, and is acting, in your life.  Thank You Jesus.

Yes, we are human. But we are also God’s Word. This Word of God is at work in each of us whether we acknowledge it or not.  Just as our Lord Jesus is the Word of God, so too are we the Word of God being made in the Image of God and therefore brothers and sisters of Christ Jesus.

This relationship does not stop with us. The people of Ukraine are also our brothers and sisters in Christ. They are made up of both Christians and Jews who fully accept God, albeit on different paths. Let us also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when they received the Word of God, that they heard from their faith leaders, they accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s Word, which is also at work in them as believers. Their trust is in the same God Almighty that we also trust in and worship.  There is only one God Who loves Ukrainians, Russians, Americans, Africans, Europeans,  Asians, and every nation, people and language that walks this planet.  And for this we also should constantly give thanks to our One God for this.

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 Easter: Year 2

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

Exodus 33:1 to 23 ; 1^st Thessalonians  2:1 to 12;  Matthew 5:17 to 20:

“For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.” (Exodus 33:5)

I guess “stiff-necked” is a good way to describe our arrogance toward people who differ from us or our ungratefulness towards God, forgetting all that God has done, and is doing, for us..  Moreover, God lets them (and us) know that the pureness, goodness and immediate presence of God would be detrimental to our physical, and spiritual, well-being if we are not on a path of purity.

This reminds me of a Russian priest (I forget his name), who said that when we die, our soul gravitates towards God. And as our souls get close to the Divine, whatever it has about it that is not good and loving begins to disintegrate. This could happen to the point that there is nothing of us left.  This journey of our soul could be our destruction, in whole or in part, depending on what we can rid ourselves of now while we have time. This may even explain the innocence of babies and young ones who make it to God. They haven’t had time to be corrupted yet.

So, my beloved in the Lord, we, like the Israelites in the wilderness, are on a journey.  Whatever it is that makes our necks stiff, let’s rid ourselves of it now so that when our souls are on its journey home, only a little of it will be lost on the Way. And we didn’t need that part of us anyway.

I have a book of past Russian monks, priests and Bishops whose writings are wonderful and inspire me to live a more prayerful life. This book was given to me by a Russian citizen living here in the United States.  However, it seems that the current priests of the Russian Orthodox Church are condoning the Russian leadership in their attack on Ukraine. How sad.

Perhaps the current Russian clergy are a stiff-necked people who are not reading the writings of their predecessors who would not agree with today’s military action against Ukraine.  For if God came among them, the Divine pureness of God would consume them and there would be nothing left of them to be present with God in their next life.  Let us therefore, listen to, and heed the message of love from God, and loosen our necks.

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 Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47 and 48;

Exodus 32:21 to 34;  Thessalonians 1:1 to 10;  Matthew 5:11 to16:

“They said to me, “Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.””  (Exodus 32:23)

There are so many problems going on in this reading that we should be made aware of.  First, Aaron is weak.  He is intimidated  by a vicious mob. Second, Aaron tries to convince Moses of the “sensibility” of his weakness.  Third, we can’t “make” gods.  The very nature of a god is that such a one is well beyond our existence.  Of course it is possible to make representative images of what we believe such gods to look like. But our God has a strict Commandment against that. Here’s a hint; if we can make it, it cannot really be a god, especially not our God.  We ourselves were created by God our Parent. Lastly, if we do not know what happened to someone, we should always assume they are still alive until otherwise is shown. They should never have given up on Moses.

Now for me, there is sadness in this reading because it tells of mass murder from Moses and the Levites.  I leave it to you to think what you will about that.

The point here is that there is only one God, and God is not made with hands or anything.  God always was and always will be.  And this is true before we existed and will be true long after we exist no more. God does not need us to be God.

While we are ordered not to make anything to resemble God, we can, and should, use the earth provided materials of art to help, and aid us in the worship of God. In fact in Chapter 35 of Exodus God begins to give Moses specific instructions about how to craft a worship space and worship  items. Today, using our God-given memory, reason and skill, we have continued in making items that assist us in our worship of God.  Today we have stained glass windows, paintings and icons, music, candles and incense, our Book of Common Prayer and the Bible itself, which are not items to worship, but rather, to assist us in our worship of God.

Without doubt, prayer is the most powerful source for worship. Prayer is something that all humans can produce even if a person has no hands or discerned gifts of art.  To just sit quietly and opening one’s self to God is the greatest worship practice anyone can do. Aaron could have used this advice to strengthen him against the insistence of the people to make a calf.  We too must be diligent in prayer.  There are always anxieties around from some kind of fear that tries to move our loyalty from God to something human made. Let us continue to lift Ukraine in prayer as they struggle with the onslaught from Russia. We don’t have to make gods, we have God Almighty.

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 4^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 41 and 52; Evening,  Psalm 44;

Exodus 32:1 to 20; Colossians 3:18 to 4:18; Matthew 5:1 to10:

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Of all the Beatitudes, (as they are called), I like “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,” the best.  I have become aware of the Enneagram personality types.  I am a 9 on their spectrum.  The 9’s are traditionally those who try to bring people together, they are peace makers. They listen to others and work to find consensus.

Of  Matthew 5:9, I prefer the Spanish translation of verse 9 of this chapter of Matthew. It reads, “Dichosos los que trabajan por la paz,porque Dios los llamará hijos suyos.” Roughly translated it says blessed are those who “work” for peace, they will be called children of God.”  It might be nitpicking but in the English translation, if peace is not actually accomplished, you fall short of the title peacemaker.  However in the Spanish version you are called a child of God if you “work” for peace.  None of us knows for sure if our efforts will bring about the intended results, whether it’s planning a conference or actually bringing about peace.  All we can do is work towards the goal.

I realize that not everybody is called to be a peace maker.  I think it would be interesting for you to look up your own Enneagram type and match your own numerical personality type at http://www.enneagraminstitute.com and compare it to the Beatitudes and see how you match up.  This will require you to take an online free test that will discern your Enneagram number. Be careful not to log on to an ad.   Your strongest of three numbers is the one you should match up with the Beatitudes if you can. It may be a new way in which the Holy Spirit is speaking to you.

What kind of peace maker is necessary to bring peace, or at least work towards peace, between Ukraine and Russia?  While it sounds impossible, nothing is impossible for God, or, God working through us. Working towards peace is the work of the children of God – children who listen to 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

Eucharistic Readings for the 4^th Sunday of Easter: Year C

Acts 9:36 to 43; Psalm 23;  Revelation 7:9 to 17;  John 10:22 to 30:

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand..”  (John 10:27)

Jesus promises us eternal life because he knows those of us who follow his voice.  This is fascinating! But this is what our Christian faith is all about.  Our passport to eternal life is through Jesus Christ.  At more funerals than I can count I hear the words “he or she is in a better place now.”  We all at one point or another ponder about the “here-after.”  I have seen movies where the next life was still one of seeing and breathing and enjoying foods but seem to be in another dimension or at least another planet very similar to our earth. I ponder about the resurrection and what eternal life will be like.

In military basic training we had a very small person who served as the platoon office clerk.  This person was not physically intimidating and a very slow runner.  But this little duty clerk was the holder of the keys to our barracks.  So even though we finished our morning run early, we could not get into the barracks for showers and rest until the clerk finally got back with us.  Jesus did not appear in a way that was thought of as proper to the chief priest and the elders.  But what they did not believe is that he has the key to eternal life. Do you believe he has it?

The God in whom I trust will not let the faithful stay dead. We will see them when we transition to that next life, that eternal life. There will be people there we formally called Ukrainians. There will be no language barriers or spiritual ignorance. We will all know the Lord.  Ukrainian men, women and children, even babies have been killed by evil aggression. But they are not snatched away from the hand of the Lord. Thank You Jesus.

Eternal life that cannot be taken away is what we should seek.  All else is rubbish and temporal. In the next life we will meet those who will ask us about the experience of the people of Ukraine. We need to do those things now, in this life, that will make us glad to answer such questions.  We need to respond to their horror in ways that really help, comfort and protect them. Many believe that if we turn away from their troubles, the next troubles will be ours. We are God’s tools for fixing troubles. Our Lord Jesus is God’s Way of bringing us to God, and there to be throughout all eternity. What thoughts from this life do you want to be with you throughout all eternity?

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers everywhere today.

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 Easter: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 30 and 32; Evening, Psalm 42 and 43;

Exodus 25:1-22; Colossians 3; 1 to 17: Matthew 4:18 to 25:

“Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13)

Ourselves, and God, are all we have. God never makes mistakes, and we make them all the time. We think, say, and do things that we often regret. We hurt each other, and in doing so, we hurt ourselves. Perhaps the first lesson we ought to learn is to realize when we have offended and how to respond with “I’m sorry.”

Sometimes we are taught in our families to go and tell someone “I’m sorry.”  The trouble is that we didn’t realize we had offended in the first place. Sometimes our offense was intentional; sometimes it was unintentional.   From our family, this idea of required apologies grows even to the national stage.  I have heard national leaders say that some other country will not be pardoned unless they apologize for some wrong-doing they have done, often many years in the past.  I think if I have to tell you that you have offended me, demanding you to apologize, is a waste of time, mine, and yours. The only time this is not the case is when the offense was not intended to be offensive.  However when explained that it was taken as offensive, the appropriate, “I’m sorry,” is welcomed. Sometimes in my life I have had to reflect on my past behavior and realize I needed to apologize to someone. And when I realized it, I apologized accordingly.

So the words of the letter to the Colossians is worth heeding: “Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

I am at a loss as to how we can ask for forgiveness for not doing more to assist the People of Ukraine. There should be no limit to how many of their citizens we can receive and care for. There should be no limit to the amount of weaponry we provide for their military.  We must take a stand against bullying. And when we can’t, we should care for those hurt by it. It’s sinful not to.

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. (BCP 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