onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Saturday after the Second Sunday in Lent: Year 2

Psalm 75, 76; Psalm 23, 27 Gen. 43:16-34; 1 Cor. 7:10-24; Mark 5:1-20

“They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.” (Mark 5:15)

Why were they afraid?  They should have rejoiced because the man was healed.  We don’t have the man’s name.  He is one of our Bible’s mysteries who, while important in the message of healing, was not considered worthy to have his name recorded. Strangely, we do have the demons collective name; “Legion” but not the host of Legion.  Our Lord Jesus gives the man back to himself. Thank you Lord Jesus.

I have been informed that due to the spread of the Coronavirus or COVID 19 our Church services have been suspended until perhaps Psalm Sunday!  We don’t know all the names of the people that this will impact but have at least two names of the virus. The sadness is, that like the man cleansed by Jesus, people only want to talk about who gets the virus, and not so much about who heals from the virus.  Fortunately, now we have some famous people (Tom Hanks and others) who have contracted the virus and we will undoubtedly keep up with them.  Jesus is still cleanses us and we will celebrate all healings.

Jesus performed this miracle outside of Israel, in country of the Gerasenes.  Then, as our Lord Jesus was leaving, “As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.” (Mark 5: 18 – 20)

The Coronavirus started outside the U.S. but migrated globally.  We must realize that the problems of one people are the problems of all people. We can’t just leave or turn off the news and hope it goes away when we fear what’s happening. We must confront whatever it is and see what the Lord is doing in our midst and be thankful.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Friday, after the Second Sunday of Lent: Year A

Psalm 95  69:1-23(24-30)31-38; Psalm 73 Gen. 43:1-15; 1 Cor. 7:1-9; Mark 4:35-41

“Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again” (1 Corinthians 7:5)

I do not accept all of Saint Paul’s advice or his beliefs about the husband wife relationship.  But buried deep in this counsel is the recommendation that each should pray.  And from the way he says it I feel it means for each to find their own time alone and apart to do so.  As he writes “and then come together again,” suggests to me that they are apart during some of their praying time, but later join one another again.

I do premarital counseling for couples engaged to be married.  Of the several categories of questions I ask, I ask about their faith (or faiths).  As they come to me (a priest) for conducting the wedding it should be understood that the marriage is a Christian matter. My Book of Common Prayer says that at least one of them must be baptized.  Personally I prefer both of them to be Christian (even better if both are Episcopalian, but not necessary). I don’t expect the couple to provide me with what they have resolved about any of the subjects I put before them, I just want to know that they had the conversations. 

Prayer, like finance, division of household labor, employment and careers, raising children, education, extended family, sex, and support of their worship house, I have often suggested that for prayer they pray together.  Listening to Paul now, I am re-thinking that part.  Perhaps it would be better if at some point they each had some “alone” time with God. They can still do their regular prayers together, but they each should also have some quiet meditation time with God alone. Thanks Paul.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Readings for Gregory the Great: March 12

Psalm 57 1 Chronicles 25:1-8  Mark 10:42-45

“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.” (Mark 10: 42 – 44)

Our Lord Jesus flips the understanding of leader upside down.  The closer one is to the top, the more of a servant one should become.

Today we remember Gregory the Great.  “Gregory’s pontificate was one of strenuous activity. He organized the defense of Rome against the attacks of the Lombards and fed its populace from papal granaries in Sicily. In this, as in other matters, he administered “the patrimony of St. Peter” with energy and efficiency. His ordering of the Church’s liturgy and chant has molded the spirituality of the Western Church until the present day. Though unoriginal in theology, his writings provided succeeding generations with basic texts, especially the Pastoral Care, a classic on the work of the ministry. In the midst of all his cares and duties, Gregory prepared and fostered the evangelizing mission to the Anglo-Saxons under Augustine and other monks from his own monastery. The Venerable Bede justly called Gregory “The Apostle of the English.”  Gregory died on March 12, 604, and was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica. His life was a true witness to the title he assumed for his office: “Servant of the servants of God.””  (Great Cloud of Witnesses for March 12)

Gregory’s contribution of chant and hymnody has contributed greatly to our worship.  This is probably why the crafters of his biography included biblical writings that included the importance of music as in 1 Chronicles 25:1 – 8 and the verses 6 – 7 of Psalm 57.  Music was important to Gregory.

My biggest take-away is his personal identifier as “Servant of the servants of God.”  He spared no means of helping his people, especially in times of famine or war. Today that means assisting people with their needs in carrying out God’s love to the world.  As our Lord Jesus says in our Gospel reading from Mark, “we must be a servant, and even servant of all.”  This reminds me of the Foot Washing in the Gospel of John.  This is about being nice to people in their need and comforting them in order that they might go out and do the same. It is the loving and sacrificial Spirit of our Lord Jesus working in us.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday after the Second Sunday of Lent: Year 2

Psalm 72; Psalm 119:73-96 Gen. 42:18-28; 1 Cor. 5:9-6:8; Mark 4:1-20

“Do you not know that we are to judge angels—to say nothing of ordinary matters? If you have ordinary cases, then, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church?” (1 Corinthians 6: 3 – 4)

I believe that people who are regular worship attendees make the best police persons, military personal, and lawyers and judges. There should always be some kind of community moral compass in place and activated in such work as police, military and the judicial system. 

Humane treatment and decency should always be at the forefront of all public service or conflict. People that do such work should come from a community of faith. I don’t believe such a faith community has to be Christian.  But it should be a community whose beliefs recognize the godly value of all people regardless of ethnicity, religion, nationality, language, or sexual orientation.  Yes, we must appoint or elect judges to make decisions about how to proceed in terms of what to do about offenders. However, compassion must be given to people who themselves often show no compassion. Being tough on crime does not mean being hateful to those who are different or who have made mistakes or even those who show no desire to improve.

Preachers or priests, or imams, or rabbis must be mindful of the message they plant in the hearts of their listeners, from whom such public servants are called.  We all have the same loving God.  We have found different ways to relate to and worship God.  But just as we look up to God, we must also look to our right and left at our neighbor and remember to love them through this same God. I agree with Saint Paul, I think our judges (and other public service providers and military) should come from people who have an understanding of some kind of loving worship community. The religious leaders who plant the seeds of morality have a huge responsibility for making sure such seeds are loving and inclusive.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday after the Second Sunday of Lent. Year 2

Psalm 61, 62; Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 Gen. 42:1-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-8; Mark 3:19b-35

“And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)

Our Lord Jesus is saying that those who come to God in the way he does are his family.  I have a huge biological family but we often differ regarding the way we interpret the inclusiveness of God and the inherent Christian service required.

It’s Church.  I have friends here in Cumberland and Hoke counties of North Carolina who are not members of my Church; some are not members of any church.  They are also somewhat relationally distant from me. My Church family however shares with me our understanding of God in our lives and the lives of our collective community.  For me, the good news about our church is that we love providing Christian hospitality to all people.  Yes, there may be individuals some of us may have a problem with but for the most part, all are welcome.  We don’t care about what others believe or don’t believe. Our covenant Baptismal Creed requires us to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves and to strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being. (BCP 305)  To all this (and more), we answer “I will with God’s help.” 

My Pondering is from the Episcopal Church perspective.  I don’t apologize for that.  I have found spiritual family in this Church.  Our Presiding Bishop, The Most Reverend Michael Curry, says that we are the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement. There are many paths but this one is mine. I believe everybody should have a worship family of some kind.  Even if you say you believe in little green frogs, fine, but if you do, you should be found down by the pond ever now and then.

Not being in my family is in no way a bad thing.  In fact if you are not, then you are on the receiving end of our love, care, and hospitality. As the Most Reverend William Temple, former Archbishop of Canterbury (1942–1944) said, “The Church is the one institution that exists for the benefit of those who do not belong to it.” Being an Episcopalian/Anglican means treating so called outsiders as a beloved guest even in their own home as our Lord Jesus did with Zacchaeus in his home as found in the beginning chapter 19 of the Gospel of Luke.

So you see, it is as our Lord Jesus says, “Whoever does the will of God is my family.”  Thank you Lord Jesus.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Readings for Gregory of Nyssa (March 9, 394)

Psalm 119:97-104 Wisdom 7:24-28  John 14:23-26 

“Though she [Wisdom] is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets.”  (Wisdom 7:27)

These words from the Wisdom of Solomon really work for the story of Gregory of Nyssa. “Gregory was a man enchanted with Christ and dazzled by the meaning of his Passion. He was born in Caesarea in Cappadocia (Turkey) about 334, the younger brother of Basil the Great, and, in his youth, was but a reluctant Christian.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for March 9)

Sometimes however, the best people for an important position are the people who really don’t want it. “His brother Basil, in his struggle against the Emperor Valens, compelled Gregory to become Bishop of Nyssa, a town ten miles from Caesarea. Knowing himself to be unfit for the charge, Gregory described his ordination as the most miserable day of his life. He lacked the important Episcopal skills of tact and understanding, and had no sense of the value of money. Falsely accused of embezzling Church funds, Gregory went into hiding for two years, not returning to his diocese until Valens died.”  (Great Cloud of Witnesses for March 9)

I think we are what we experience.  Significant events in our lives can change us, hopefully for the better.  “Although he resented his brother’s dominance, Gregory was shocked by Basil’s death in 379. Several months later, he received another shock: his beloved sister Macrina was dying. Gregory hastened to Annesi and conversed with her for two days about death, and the soul, and the meaning of the resurrection. Choking with asthma, Macrina died in her brother’s arms. The two deaths, while stunning Gregory, also freed him to develop as a deeper and richer philosopher and theologian. He reveals his delight in the created order in his treatise, On the Making of Man. He exposes the depth of his contemplative and mystical nature in his Life of Moses and again in his Commentary on the Song of Songs. His Great Catechism is still considered second only to Origen’s treatise, On First Principles.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for March 9)

Again, “[Wisdom] renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets.”  (Wisdom 7:27)  I studied Gregory while in Seminary but have not read some of the material mentioned above, but I plan to.  I also often refer to the life of Moses when advising people to depend on God to act in their lives, especially when they are at the water’s edge.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Eucharistic Readings for the Second Sunday of Lent: Year A

Genesis 12:1-4a  Psalm 121  Romans 4:1-5, 13-17  John 3:1-17

“He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” (John 3:2)

Why then do we need to go any further?  If we can see clearly that someone is doing things that only a person whom God is working through can do, why ask any further questions regarding proofs?  And if God is the source of the “what” that is being done, we already know the answer to why.  It is because God loves us.

Nicodemus comes to our Lord Jesus “by night.”  This darkness of night may also allude to his ignorance. He comes to Jesus in his not-knowing and his not believing even though, self-admittedly he says “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God.”  Nicodemus and his cohorts do regard Jesus, knowing, as he says, “for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”  Some theologians will say it is not about doing.  But even Nicodemus recognizes the signs that Jesus is “doing.”  But the doing is from God. Yes, God made us human being not human doing. I have said that many times.  Our doing however must come from God acting through us, using our hands and feet and mind and words to the glory of God.

God is God of heaven and earth. Nicodemus (and we today) ought to know this.  Jesus tells of things earthly and heavenly.  And he says, “If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (John 3:12)

Our Lord Jesus’ mission is to save the world.  Perhaps the most famous statement in the New Testament is  John 3:16; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Our Lord Jesus makes us aware of an invitation from God to live joyfully in eternity, to have life and have it abundantly.   We do this by believing.  But believing in this sense means living out our lives in truth and love. 

I really liked the words of the Reverend Helen Van Koevering, rector of Saint Raphael the Archangel Episcopal church in Lexington, Kentucky as she writes in Forward Day by Day for today, “When we follow Jesus we learn to respond to life with generosity, reconciliation, acceptance, compassion, and encouragement.  GRACE.”  Thank you Helen.

Being our Lord Jesus’ hands and feet and mouth and mind is more than just saying what we believe; we must demonstrate what we believe through acts of caring, hospitality, and doing for others, putting others before ourselves.  In living this way we accept the invitation from God to join the company of heaven in eternal life as promised by God.  For those who believe and live it out in godly ways may not perish but have eternal life.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Readings for Perpetua, March 7, Lent

Psalm 124  Hebrews 10:32-39 Matthew 24:9-14 

“But recall those earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and persecution, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.”   (Hebrews 10:32-32)

(Edited and reprinted from year)

I strongly suggest that you read all of Hebrews 10: 32 – 39.  It was so fitting for Perpetua and also for us today as we profess our Christian faith.

Today we remember Perpetua, who with Felicity her former slave but later sister in Christ and others, who were slaughtered in an arena in Carthage, North Africa, on 7 March 202. There are many details in her story but there are three pieces that I want to share with you in this pondering.

First, she was the 22 year old mother of an infant and hoping to be baptized soon. She already assumed the title Christian which is why she was on the death row of her day.  Even with her old grey haired father coming to her in her prison and on his knees begging her to just say she was not a Christian, she would not deny being a follower of Jesus.  How many of us would do that?

Second, in the account of her torture and death she handed off her journal to a person who continued to record her ordeal.  This is how we have it today.  It is thought by many that this person was Tertullian, Christian Theologian and writer.  My fascination here is that Perpetua had the forethought of ensure her story was told even when she knew she would not be able to tell it. How many of us today would do that?

Third and last, as Perpetua and Felicity were being slaughtered, and after Perpetua had already been injured and thrown by what she called a wild cow and having her clothing ripped away, she quickly gather herself together and then attended to Felicity, comforting her and telling her to “maintain your dignity even if we are attacked by that wild cow or whatever it is.”  I can imagine the look on Felicity’s face realizing that Perpetua is forgetting that they had already been attacked.  Further, Perpetua’s attention to decency and comfort to Felicity quieted the jeering crowd.  They wanted to see people screaming and running for their lives. What they saw was a woman who stared down her oncoming slaughter.  I can imagine her thoughts being that she might be killed but she will not be entertaining. Finally, when they were ordered to be killed by the sword, a bumbling young soldier could only kill Perpetua with her own hand guiding him. How many of us could do that? 

This 22 year old young mother is one of my most favorite heroes.  She chose Jesus over family; she told her Christian story and passed it on to be told for future generations; and she respected the dignity of all human beings including her own.  How many of us can do that?

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Friday after the First Sunday of Lent: Year 2

Psalm 95 [for the Invitatory] 40, 54; Psalm 51 Gen. 40:1-23; 1 Cor. 3:16-23; Mark 2:13-22

“Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”  (Mark 2:18)

I can still remember my parents asking me if my friends went and jumped off a cliff, would I do it too?  Peer pressure and new fads and even old traditions sometimes should be called into question.  Because “it has always been done that way” doesn’t mean it should always be done that way. Everybody does something a certain way and it becomes expected that all must do it the same way.  This moves into the food we eat, the clothes we ware, and all other social trends we are peered into.

There is something to be said for “dare to be different.”  This is especially true if one has set down and really thought about habits and practices.  In our Episcopal Church, Holy Communion was a once or twice a month practice before the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. After that, and ever since, every Sunday is considered the Feast Day of our Lord.  Wasn’t it always?

In this Gospel reading, Levi (Matthew) is invited to “follow” Jesus.  He did.  He quit what he had always done to do the Lord’s work.  When opportunity knocks…

Enough cannot be said about pondering over decisions before acting.  Let us again review Pascal Blaise who said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”  I would say then, that after pondering over a practice (or anything), all activities around the practice may also have to be changed as well.  My ponderings and daily exercise program requires me to rise early in the morning.  Therefore I have had to adjust my sleep habits in order to accommodate this schedule.  In this same Gospel reading for today our Lord Jesus says, “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”  (Mark 2:22)  My new wine of blogging and working out would not work in the old wineskin of going to bed at 10 or 11 pm.

When we sit in a room alone and ponder, we often come up with new ways of looking at life.  When we do, we modify our practices (if we are smart), not according to what everybody else is doing, but what really works best for us.  This applies to all positive possibilities of life.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Thursday after the First Sunday of Lent: Year 2

Psalm 50;  Psalm [59, 60] or 19, 46 Gen. 39:1-23; 1 Cor. 2:14-3:15; Mark 2:1-12

“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and take your mat and walk”? (Mark 2: 9)

Even today, in most cases, medical science is not able to restore nerve tissue that enables a paralyzed person to walk again when that nerve has been severed. So forgiving others, while not impossible, is the easier of the two.

Forgiveness can be taught in the family but often a household will tend to see the incident the same way and forgiveness is hard to come by.

The below is corrected from the previous Ponder blog;  and, my sincere apologies to Joanna Walters for naming her as the shooter.  She actually reported the story for the Guardian.

Maybe forgiveness begins in the church with corporate pardon. The classic example of this is the Amish community of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and the milk truck driver and their school house. On 2 October 2006, 10 Amish girls were shot in their school house by Charles Carl Roberts IV who took hostages and shot eight out of ten girls (aged 6–13), killing five, before committing suicide in the schoolhouse.

Five died and five survived – and their families immediately bestowed their forgiveness.” (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/02/amish-shooting)  Also, On the day of the shooting, a grandfather of one of the murdered Amish girls was heard warning some young relatives not to hate the killer, saying, “We must not think evil of this man.” Another Amish father noted, “He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he’s standing before a just God.”  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nickel_Mines_School_shooting)  The point is, the Amish community has a Church that really practices what it means to forgive for healing.

We should practice forgiveness individually.  But perhaps it starts in our spiritual families. The continual reading, studying, discussing and, above all, praying and practicing, forgiveness will help all of us to at least look at the healing power of forgiveness. But folks, you have to want it.

Maybe forgiveness of self and others is the first step to nerve regeneration. Maybe, just maybe, our Lord Jesus had it right all along, “Your sins are forgiven, stand up and take your mat and walk”?

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John