onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 105:1 to 22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45;
2^nd  Samuel 15:1 to 18; Acts 21:27 to 36; Mark 10:32 to 45:

“So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10: 42 to 45)

Our Lord Jesus has just explained how he is to go up to Jerusalem and be humiliated and killed. Yet he is doing this willingly for the sake of the world.  Even after hearing his testimony, James and John ask for glory in the next life. Jesus further explains that he serves people and wants us to do the same. James and John were looking for glory.

 In some kind of reverse psychology our Lord Jesus pushes them to seek glory in their humility.  But I think the greater point is to not seek glory at all. But rather, just be comfortable in serving others. I believe service to others is the Christian calling.  Such service includes teaching about decency, compassion, and courtesy as they exist in the society in which they live as well as about the love that God has for us.  This is not glory seeking, but rather, being of service to others for their own benefit, and being comfortable doing it.

This way of living and leading is very different from the way of the world.  The world leads with intimidation, threats, and negative consequences for people who do not please those over them. Our Lord Jesus says of them, and of our system today, “those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.”  This kind of employee abuse has been made manifest in having people work “off the clock,” sexual intimidation or abuse, working in hazardous environments, and so forth. It seems the higher up the chain we go, the more corrupt it becomes. There is too often a severe lack of love in our chains of command. Our Lord Jesus teaches us that love should be a thread within every fabric of our societal cloth.

Today, we also remember Florence Nightingale, Nurse and Social Reformer, 1910. “Until the end of her life, although her illness prevented her from leaving her home, she continued in frequent spiritual conversation with many prominent church leaders of the day, including the local parish priest, who regularly brought Communion to her. By the time of her death on August 13, 1910, her accomplishments and legacy were widely recognized, and she is honored throughout the world as the founder of the modern profession of nursing.”  (Great Cloud of Witnesses for August 12)      

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 101 and 109; Evening,  Psalm 119:121 to 144;
2^nd  Samuel 14:21 to 33; Acts 21:15 to 26; Mark 10:17 to 31:

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

There are several points to ponder in this exchange between our Lord Jesus and this unnamed potential apostle. 

First, the article “the.” is not in the Greek version of this reading. This is at least an English interpretation of how to understand this writing.  Pondering further will ask us to look at what the message might be if the “the” was not there.  We would read, “and give money to the poor.”  The implication is that perhaps some money might be retained for himself, or as community money for the followers of our Lord Jesus who were at the mercy of whoever could help them, very often it was women who had money.

Another point to ponder is that this individual was given the invitation to “follow me,” by our Lord Jesus.  Had he accepted this invitation we would have his name.  This is how we have Levi’s name, (Also known as Matthew). Levi was collecting the tax when he was asked to by Jesus to follow Him and he dropped everything and followed our Lord Jesus; (Mark 2:13 and 14). This rich man could have done the same thing. He didn’t have possessions, possessions had him; beware!

There are some revealing words in the request of the man with wealth.  He wanted to know what he had to do to “inherit” eternal life. Perhaps this is how he acquired his earthly wealth and wanted the same for eternal life.  Also, our Lord Jesus goes through relational questions about how he responds to the needs of his neighbors; that is ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”  Jesus goes through the last six of the Ten Commandments, the Commandments dealing with how we respond to one another.  To which the man says he has done since his youth.  It seems he had a check list of how to gain eternal life. He was working on the premise of works righteousness.  But we can’t earn our way into heaven.  We love our way into heaven.

Perhaps the most important words in this passage are “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.”  And our Lord Jesus is asking the same thing of us.  If we love our neighbors we won’t have to worry about a checklist of what to do and what not to do. Our Lord Jesus says we only have really two Commandments, to love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbors as He loves us. Love for God and neighbor is the whole message of the Bible. Let us hear it and apply it. 

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;
2^nd  Samuel 14:1 to 20; Acts 21:1 to 14; Mark 10:1 to 16:

“Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’” (Acts 21:13 and 14)

I don’t know if we can call Paul’s words here, acts of courage.  For Paul has had visions and voices from our Lord Jesus and therefore had more than just belief.  Paul had certain knowledge. Once we know, we can’t un-know. Once we know what our Lord Jesus is doing, it is no longer a matter of faith, belief or courage, it is a matter of knowing and of obedience to the will of God.

We have pivotal names in the Bible that hinges our faith together.  We have Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Ruth, David, Mary and Joseph and of course our Lord Jesus. Then we have Peter, James, John and Paul. All of these names represent turning points in our journey from faith to knowledge. But the most instrumental and important Name is the Name of our Lord Jesus.

The people of faith cry and try to persuade Paul, a person of certain knowledge, not to go to Jerusalem in order to save his earthly body.  But Paul has seen the will of God. And nothing will stand in his way. It is like those who comforted him said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

I ponder about how my life would change if our Lord Jesus took me aside and was present to me as he was with Paul while he was on his way to Damascus; or as Jesus was to Peter, James and john on the mountain at the Transfiguration; or even as God was with Moses as bush, fire and voice – in a Trinitarian Presence wherein Moses no longer had to rely on faith or belief, for after the burning bush experience, he knew, and he knew God’s will, at least for him.

Should we fear the Day of the Lord?  It is a trick question.  On the one hand, when God visits us all guess work and doubt is gone forever.  On the other, what possible pain awaits us as it did for Paul and the apostles and even the predicament Moses found himself in with the king of Egypt?

The good news is that no matter the outcome, we will KNOW that we will arrive in glory!  So, should we pray for God to make God’s self known to us?  I’m scared. How about you?  Sometimes just believing is a safe way out. All we have to do is live, love and trust in God. Amen; Halleluiah.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 89:1 to 18; Evening,  Psalm 89:19 to 52;
2^nd Samuel 13:23 to 39; Acts 20:17 to 38; Mark 9:42 to 50:

“Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20: 28)

Paul is giving a farewell speech to those that he does not expect to see again.  I am not a big fan of Paul but I do recognize that from time to time, from letter to letter, a divine message slips through that God managed to get to us through Paul.

I do believe that if a Church is open and receptive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit will lead that Church in godly ways. Just as we must examine all the Paul says, so too we must be attentive to what parish and church leaders say. Maybe all that they say and do is godly, maybe not. The people in the pews are not relieved of their God-given sense of reason. God’s messages are always messages of love and inclusion. It does not matter what label we put on a Christian Church, be it Baptist, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran or Episcopalian, or any denominational name we use.

Through the cup of Christ, at Holy Communion, the Christian Church is joined to Christ as adopted children of God.  For me, this is an adoption into servanthood to, and for, all people be they Christian or not; and also servants and stewards of this fragile earth our island home.

These calls to servanthood, and to stewardship, are the overseeing guidance that I sense from the Leadership of the Holy Spirit of God. Perhaps not all are called to be servants and stewards.  Following our Lord Jesus is not easy, at least, not at first.  Servanthood requires one to deny one’s self as a way to discern what a neighbor needs. Stewardship of the planet requires us to monitor our own use of resources and the potential damage we might cause to the environment through waste, negligence or excess. As environmental “overseers” empowered by the Holy Spirit, we the Church, have the individual and collective responsibility to care for our home. This earth is where our part of creation lives and moves and has its being.  

This earth, our neighbors, and our time here on earth together, are all gifts from God who loves us dearly. The cup of Christ, the very blood of the Son of God, is given to us in the Church making us all related in kindred love regardless of language, nationality, how we look, or where we live on this planet. We are all God’s possession and God loves us and wants the best for us now and forever!

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Part 1 of 2

Daily Office Readings for Sunday of Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 66 and 67; evening,  Psalms 19 and 46;
2nd Samuel 13:1 to 22; Romans 15:1 to 13; John 3:22 to 36:

“Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.  For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.” (John 3:34 and 35)

I think to study and ponder about our Lord Jesus is to look through Jesus and catch a glimpse of God.  We need the recorded words of Jesus and the witness of his signs and wonders.  I do believe that with our Gospel accounts we should bring our God-given sense of reason to bear as well. We do need to look at the times that Jesus walked with us, and we need to examine the various language translations that have been handed down to us. But even with all of this, we can still see that God is true, and that God makes our Lord Jesus a two-way path of vision whereby, as we can see God, God can also see, and be us. And through our Lord Jesus, this two-way divine path, God gives us the Spirit of God without measure. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Part 2 of 2

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 14: Year B

Ephesians 4:25 to 5:2 and John 6:35 and 41 to 51:

“It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” (John 6:45)

Our Lord Jesus says that the people who come to him are in fact sent to him by the Creator.  I think this is true for me. I remember taking chemistry and Philosophy in my undergraduate studies.  I was attending college classes at night after work.  So while it was not a normal, full class load, it was a challenge to compare the two.  On the one hand I had an elemental chart which showed all the known elements of which the simplest seemed to me to be hydrogen. How old was hydrogen?  In philosophy, there is thought, how old was thought.  Then the big question was like the chicken or the egg – which came first, the atom or the thought?  Did atoms, in some way assemble together to form thought? Or was the atom itself the product of Thought? (notice the capital “T”).  So you can see that my early ponderings brought me to a stronger belief in God.  And from God I was brought to our Lord Jesus, not necessarily to the Bible or even Church, but to the Incarnation. The Bible and the Church came later.  From the Incarnation came love. And from love, I have not moved.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 13: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 87 and 90; Evening,  Psalm 136;
2^nd  Samuel 12:15 to 31; Acts 20:1 to 16; Mark 9:30 to 41:

“Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food.’ He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.” But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me:” (2^nd Samuel 12: 21 to 23).

David models for us the position we should have as we go to God on behalf of a loved one. We pray, and perhaps we should pray with much fasting and tears as we beg God to intervene in the downward spiral, hardship or sickness, or circumstance a loved one is going through.

While David wanted the child to live, he also knew that God’s will, will be done. But more than that, David says something very truthful:  “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 

We all have lost loved ones that have gone on before us.  They will not come back to us. However, we too will one day pass away.  When we do, we will join those who have gone before us. My beloved of the Lord, this life is not the end. David was so correct in saying “I shall go to him.”

However, it is especially difficult to experience the passing of an infant or a young child. So our prayer for David and for any of us who have lost a child might be: “Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with [David and us in our] grief. Surround us with your love, that we may not be overwhelmed by our loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (BCP 494)

When these kinds of sad things happen the only thing we have left is prayer. David went into deep consultation with God but in the end, God did not spare David’s son.  And as we know, God did not spare His only Son either. Love has unknown limits as part of its makeup. Death, even the death of an innocent, cannot be a reason to leave the love and judgment of God. In the end as David said, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me:” We shall go to them, but they will not return to us.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 13: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening,  Psalms 91 and 92;
2^nd  Samuel 12:1 to 14; Acts 19:21 to 41; Mark 9:14 to 29:

“You are the man!”  (2^nd Samuel, 12:7)

When Nathan, the Prophet of God, came and told David the metaphor about the rich man who took a poor man’s only little lamb to slaughter for his guest rather than slaughtering one from his own of many sheep, David was furious and said, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity:” (2^nd Samuel 12:5 and 6).

This is when Nathan breaks out of the metaphor and informs David that, “He is the man!” and then explains how God has looked after him all his life and has given him much including many wives and yet he saw fit to go and take Uriah’s only wife to bed, and then have him killed. So after hearing Nathan’s story, David realized he passed judgment on himself.

 David was sorry for what he had done and said to Nathan, “‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan said to David, ‘Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die:” (2^nd Samuel 12: 13 and 14). The child dies. I have learned not to try to hold God in judgment.  God will do what God will do. This is what it means to be the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Perhaps the biggest take-away for me is not to put David, or any mortal on a pedestal. We all fall short, all that is except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  And it is our Lord Jesus whom we go to for forgiveness for he is our Redeemer and Advocate.  Thank you Jesus.

Today (August 6) is the Day  of the Transfiguration of our Lord.

“Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:28 to 31)

Through Peter, John and James, we all get to see who Jesus really is. Today is also Friday.

“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.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 13: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 34; Evening, Psalms 85 and 86;
2^nd  Samuel 11:1 to 27; Acts 19:11 to 20; Mark 9:2 to 13:

“In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.  In the letter he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die:” (2^nd Samuel 11:14 and 15)

What an evil sandwich this is.  Because of the lust of a woman, and the subsequent pregnancy, the almost honorable David, king of all Israel, has stooped to the betrayal and murder of one of his own.

And, if this was not bad enough, he has enlisted the aid of Joab his commander, to assist him in this sinful act.  In this case, the bottom and top pieces of bread for this sandwich are the evil parts.  In the center, between the bread, is the honorable entre, Uriah, who would not comfort himself while Joab and all his military peers were waging war and sleeping when, and where they could on the ground.  I have to say, as a U. S. Marine, a military man of thirty years, I have the utmost respect and admiration for Uriah. And I recall from this scripture, they were fighting for God’s desires as they understood it.

I can remember when President Bush (41) was told by someone during the Liberation of Kuwait, that “God was on our side”: the President responded, “I pray that we are on God’s side.”  I don’t think David was on God’s side in his self-serving lust and sinful murder of Uriah.  I also hold Joab equally as guilty for his participation in the killing of Uriah. It’s too late for me now, but I pray that if I had any ungodly proposition presented to me while in uniform, I would do the honorable thing, and also, that if witnessing immoral and ungodly acts, that I would give it all up for the sake of decency and morality. As far as I can recall, no such dilemmas occurred with me during the time and places I served.

There is heavy sadness in this story. Uriah is given his own death certificate unknowingly. I ponder if any eye-contact was made between Joab and Uriah as Joab read the letter ordering him to leave Uriah unprotected.  What kind of sick allegiance would have Joab follow this sinful betrayal of his subordinate?  Did he not love his troops as he did his king?  Real love forbids such acts of betrayal. I hope that if I was in Joab’s place, I would have hidden the letter and later faced David with it. The Love of those placed in your charge must be a greater priority than the love of those in whose charge you have been placed. We must love down in order to be lifted up.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 13: Year 1

Morning,  Psalm 119:97 to 120; Evening, Psalms 81and 82;
2^nd  Samuel 9:1to 13; Acts 19:1 to 10; Mark 8:34 to 9:1;

“He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me:” (Mark 8:34).

Our Lord Jesus calls those further from him, but who wants to be followers of him like those who are close to him, closer to what’s really important.  I don’t know if Jesus actually knew he would die on a Roman cross, but he did know that if he kept up his reflection of the love of God with humanity, humanity would kill him.

With this invitation he opens the door to those out there who may have been yearning for a deeper truth about God and eternal life. I think the deepest truth is the call to deny one’s self.  The cross carrying is metaphor for any of life’s situations that we must contend with as we journey toward the day we are called to our final home.

The real truth is that most of us (Americans) have far more than we need in terms of what is required for a comfortable life. Most of us have the resources for food, shelter, clothing, communications – (phones), and even transportation – (public or private).  How we choose to use the resources at our disposal is where some more self-denial may need to be considered. 

I have met people who have come to me for money for food with an expensive hairdo, fancy fingernails, a really nice car or one with detailed work not necessary for basic transportation while living well within an established bus route.  I fully agree that it is their business about how they spend their money. But when they don’t have money for food, for themselves or their children, I see little self denial in these professed Christians.  And self-denial is not just about how we can spend less on ourselves. Some of our discretionary spending could be used to help someone in more desperate straits than ourselves.  This latter is the Christian self-denial.

The cross we carry is the pain we suffer as we maintain our faith to the very end. This could be any of various terminal sicknesses, a financial debt that we may never be able to overcome, and even the knowledge that we are falsely convicted of something we know we didn’t do. It could also be something that we did do but are sorry for and regret for the rest of our lives. God knows our sorrow and feels the pain our cross puts on us.  We are not to deny our cross, but instead to take it up and carry it.

In all of this, for ourselves, or against ourselves, we must live to love through it, as Jesus loves us and calls us closer to him.

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 13: Year 1

 Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening,  Psalm 78:40 to 72;
2^nd  Samuel 7:18 to 29; Acts 18:12 to 28; Mark 8:22 to 33

“Now there came to Ephesus a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria. He was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures.  He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord; and he spoke with burning enthusiasm and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John:” (Acts 18: 24 and 25).

My initial thought about Apollos’ baptism of John is that that is the only baptism that Jesus himself knew. Now John the Baptist did talk of a baptism by fire and the Holy Spirit by Jesus, but there is no record of any baptism by Jesus himself, although he did set the example for all who choose to follow him by being baptized.

It was the 17^th Century Anglican Priest, Richard Hooker, who said as Anglicans we have Scripture, Tradition, and Reason as our three-legged stool.  And, unlike other Christian traditions of faith, we acknowledge that if any one of the three legs were missing, the stool would topple. Not only that, each leg must be the same length or there is unbalance.

Baptism breaches the line between Scripture and Church Tradition.  It is Scripture that has been interpreted by the Church in many different ways depending on one’s particular Christian faith tradition. While everyone in the Bible were consenting adults, at least the individuals we read about, there are occasions where like with Lydia’s “household” being baptized, we don’t know the makeup of such households.  There are other cases where households were moved to being baptized due to miraculous signs by the apostles.  It is the Acts of the Apostles that really begins our Christian Church no matter what stripe we are.  Baptism is the making of the Christian.

We must acknowledge however, that Apollos, in our Acts reading for today, “was an eloquent man, well-versed in the scriptures.”  And, he was baptized.  So as far as he was concerned, he had done everything right.

The Acts story continues, “[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately:” (Acts 18: 27). This still happens today. People move around from Church to Church as they grow in the faith.  Apollos listened to Priscilla and Aquila and their teaching made sense to him. He already had the gifts, they just needed to be focused. Later, he greatly helped those who through grace had become believers.  Grace then is the love component poured on us by God in Baptism (water poured on, or immersed in).

Let us live to love, rather than just live to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John