onewhoponders

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; 2 Pet. 1:12 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 prayers 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. All people are invited to be a part of this, men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 

Today our Church remembers Channing More Williams, Missionary to Asia (December 2, 1910), and his information may be found at: Channing Moore Williams.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Most holy and glorious Lord God, as we have the Bible as a guide for our lives here in this life, we pray for Your Holy Spirit to also lead us and guide us in understanding your teachings as we regularly come together for Christian study, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of 1 Advent: Year 2

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 byhis 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 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 newborn in you.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP p. 827)

Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gospel Reading for the 1^st Sunday of Advent: Year A

Matthew 24:36-44

“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father:”    “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”  (Matthew 24: 36 and 44)

According to Douglas Hare writing for Interpretation; a Bible Commentary; on the Gospel of Matthew. “God is postponing the last judgment so that many more might have a chance to hear and accept the Gospel. This is a time for worldwide evangelism.”

To hear and accept the Gospel is reminiscent of the “come and believe” message that we have often heard.  It is the bread of coming and the drink of believing.  Very often in scripture the same coded message is reconfigured or repackaged with the same lesson. We get this message in Church, or, we should.

Perhaps the best message we can both receive and give to others is to, “Try Church again.”  Bring a friend to Church. Be that friend who brings someone to Church and when you do, stay with them through the opening readings, prayers and hymns, that Liturgy of the Word.  Stay with them through the liturgy of the Table (Communion). Stay with them at coffee hour.  And then invite them back.  This is the time for worldwide evangelism! We don’t know when the end is coming. We are not to “get ready,” we are to “be ready.”

But wait, there’s more!  Now is the time to let people know that they should not be complacent in their good intentions.  We need to recognize that our God reigns and that our God is good (All the time). God wants all humanity to be saved. God is not a scarce resource.  Heaven has the capacity to house all the people of the world and then some. “Red, Yellow, Black or White, we are precious in His sight.”  But people need to be told about it. And you need to tell them. Or, bring them to Church and we’ll tell them together.

If God is postponing the last judgment as Hare suggests, we have this narrow door to walk through. Each of us should play our part in leading others through the narrow door.  We must stay vigilant however, to keep our eye on the door.   Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day or hour our Lord is coming.

Now is our chance to challenge our Lord Jesus!  Since we don’t know when our Lord Jesus is coming, we have to be ready all the time.  That means living our lives in constant reverence.  Our Lord Jesus says he is coming at an unexpected hour. The way to counter that is to make every hour “expected.”  So we must expect him all the time, every hour.  In this way we show him (our Lord Jesus) that we can be persistent. We can overcome His low expectation of us by expecting the unexpected. And then we can say, “Lord, I was expecting you Lord Jesus.”

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: Collect for the First Sunday of Advent (BCP p. 211)

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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: Thank You Jesus.

I believe our hearts are what leads 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.

In our Church, this is the last day of Pentecost. Tomorrow begins our Church new year, Advent, Year 2 of the Daily Office and Year A for our Eucharistic Lectionary.

On Tomorrow we remember Andrew the Apostle of the NT  and his information may be found at: St. Andrew the Apostle. While St Andrew’s day was transferred to Monday, I want to catch it now.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)      

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 29 Year 1

Morning, Psalm 140, 142; Evening, Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12)

Isaiah 24:14-23; 1^st Peter 3:13-4:6; Matthew 20:17-28

“Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3: 15)

Peter says to figure out what your heart is set on and hope for the best.   Hope for good to be done and that all people are given what they need to be the best that they can be. 

I have said that as we age and mature our values shift or change.  How about hope?  Can, or should what we hope for shift or change?  I think so.  I think our hopes are directly linked to our values. All who are not living their best lives should hope for better times.

Some people have no hope.  Often, they are down trodden and sadly want you to be the same.  Resist this kind of negative influence.  Be strong. Hope well. Give people hope.  I am reminded of a lady who came to see me during a meeting years ago.  I went to her to explain that now is not a good time but that after my meeting I would attend to her if she could just give me a few minutes.

The woman, needing financial assistance, was tired and apparently had a sense of urgency.  To cut to the chase, she asked if this Church had ever “hoped” anyone before.  I didn’t’ know what she meant at first. But then I realized that she was using an improper form of the past tense of the word “help” and wanted to know if our Church had ever helped anyone before.  I told her yes but asked her to sit in the sanctuary until my meeting was over.  When the meeting was over, she was gone.  I wished I could have helped her.  But she helped me.  Using her language I believe we are called to give people hope.  I know hope is not a verb but we should hope people.  And good hope will do.  Over time it will evolve along God’s will. But first people must have hope.  We Christians are supposed to hope them.

We must understand that God has provided all creation with all that we need. Since we believe that God’s will, will be done, our hope is personal. We hope that we can witness God’s will being done during our earthly lifetime. So this then is our defense, that we give hope to others as they live into the path that God has set them on.

“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 of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Lord God almighty, Creator and lover of all souls, help us we pray to not only keep our hope for eternal life and good works here in this present life; but help us also to “hope” others who are in despair. Help us to hope for Your dream, yet unseen but very real, to come true through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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 worldly, secular society.

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 it makes us acceptable through our Savior Jesus Christ. Those of us who believe in the love of God and live a life of love, have so much to be thankful for. So also do those who don’t believe but don’t know it; they too should be thankful.

 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 for all believers 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 then value life, all life. 

Today we remember Isaac Watts, Hymnwriter (November 25, 1748)   and his information may be found at: Isaac Watts.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:  For Joy in God’s Creation (BCP p. 814)

O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 29: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 121, 122, and 123; Evening,  Psalm 124, 125, and 126;
Nahum 1:1 to 13; 1 Peter 1:13 to 25; Matthew 19:13 to 22:

“If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in reverent fear during the time of your exile.” (1^st Peter 1:17)

There are two meaningful words in the above words from Saint Peter; “deeds” and “exile”. 

It seems there is a certain amount of judgment for us in the next life based on our deeds in this life. I note the absence of what we say we believe religiously.  The charitable deeds we do in life remind me of the feeding, clothing, and visiting of the sheep in Matthew 25 as they are separated from the goats. Regardless of what we say we believe or don’t believe, we need to be good for goodness sake.

I am also reminded that here on earth we are in exile. We have a Father in that heavenly realm who watches how we are living while we are here. We are not meant to live here for all eternity. We are citizens of heaven. 

We have been taught by our Savior to love and worship God Almighty and to worship no one else, or nothing else.  Peter says of Jesus, “Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God:” (1^st Peter 1:21). With our faith and hope set on God we learn to love one another and to do good deeds whenever, and wherever we can, while still here in our exile.

Today we remember James Otis Sargent Huntingto(November 25, 1935)   and his information may be found at: James Otis Sargent Huntington

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: For Quiet Confidence (BCP p. 832)

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 29: Year 1

Psalm 106:1to 18; Evening, Psalm 106:19 to 48;
Joel 3:1-2 and 9-17; 1^st Peter 1:1to12; Matthew 19:1to 12

“His disciples said to him, ‘If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.’ But he said to them, ‘Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given.” (Matthew 19:10 and 11)

There are many people who perhaps should not marry, both men and women. Jesus himself did not marry. There are a lot of societal pressures exerted on us to get married but once we do, that same pressure is not there to help us maintain our marital relationships. 

Too many young men and women are not aware of the option of monastic or, personal religious life – a life dedicated to the service of the Lord. It would be wonderful if brothers and sisters from monasteries and convents could have their turn in high schools and universities explaining the monastic way of life.  How many young people would accept a call to this vocation rather than the military, or college, or secular employment and marriage, or, on the negative side, gang involvement and incarceration with  perhaps too early a death?

As our Lord Jesus says, only those to whom it is given can accept such a vocation. I believe that we should make available to our young folk every possible way of honorable life, including and also beyond marriage, as they may have been given such a call. Life is not one size fits all. And our communities need the variety of all sorts of dedicated discernments.

Today we remember Catherine of Alexandria, Barbara of Nicomedia and Margaret of Antioch, Martyrs, c.300   and their information may be found at: Catherine of Alexandria, Barbara of Nicomedia, & Margaret of Antioch

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Help us dear Lord God to discern the life You have designed for each of us. Be it marriage or group communal life; assist us in living the life You have called us to. Amen.

Gospel Reading for the Last Sunday of Pentecost Proper 29: Christ the King Sunday: Year C

Luke 23:33-43

“There was also an inscription over him,“This is the King of the Jews.”  (Luke 23:38)

Wait, what? How did this come to be?  It started roughly a thousand years before the birth of Our Lord Jesus. This was during the time Israel wanted a king for themselves even though God had told them not to be like the other nations.

Here is how it started: “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him [Samuel], “You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to govern us.” Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.  Just as they have done to me,from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:4 – 9)

All of the kings of Israel, from Saul the first king, to Zedekiah the last king of Judah were flawed men, including David and Solomon. From this we arrive at the mockery and evil in John’s Gospel:

“Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He, Pontius Pilate, said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”  They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.”  (John 19: 14 – 15) How sad this statement must have been for God to hear. For God had warned them that this would happen.

Our Lord Jesus was crucified between two criminals. “One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39) I am aware that this writing in Luke guides us into seeing this first crucified criminal as a harasser of our Lord Jesus.  But we don’t know this until we hear the second criminal rebuke him.  In defense of the first speaker, I remind us that he is the first to say, “save yourself, and us.”  It is the “and us” part that stands out for me. None of the other mockersbothered to ask Our Lord Jesus to save them as well, not the Israelites and especially not the soldiers.  Jesus is the One who forgives even those who harm him, not knowing what they are doing.  Sometimes we fit in that category.  So Jesus tells not only the other man on the cross, but us too, that, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 43)

Let us not be too quick to limit our understanding of scripture only by the way we are guided by the author. If we have the words, then let us ponder beyond the page.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: The Sunday closest to November 23 (BCP p. 236)

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.