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Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47 and 48:
Isaiah  9:1 to 7; 2^nd Peter 1:12 to 21; Luke 22:54 to 69

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’  We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.”  (2^nd Peter 1:16 to 18)

Peter must have had a heavy heart as he framed his letters. He had to be burning with shame being fully aware of his denial of Jesus as told in our Luke Gospel reading for today. But he presses on.

Simon Peter’s testimony of God recognizing our Lord Jesus as the Messiah is one of the most compelling affirmations we have in the Bible. We hear of the Transfiguration in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. But then this repeat of the event outside the Gospel is the icing on the cake. The voice from heaven declaring that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God in whom God was well pleased to dwell was first proclaimed at the Baptism of Jesus in the Same Gospel accounts.  However, in the Transfiguration Gospel accounts, the words, “Listen to Him,” were added. What more do we need?

Peter, and the others, did indeed not follow cleverly devised myths about who God was, and is, and is doing, and neither should we today.  Our faith heritage is the most precious gift we could ever receive.  Since reading “Sabbath” by Abraham Heschel, I am convinced that the Transfiguration itself, is more important than being on a holy mountain. Our Lord Jesus could have shown his true Self anywhere; and when that happens, it is the Sabbath. Our Lord Jesus will still do this today and wherever it happens, it will be Holy Ground and a Sabbath time.

 Our Lord Jesus can invite you to follow him into a certain place in your own home and reveal who he really is to you and how you are to go forward from that point on.  Are you ready for that? Our Lord Jesus is no made up story.  And, it is not so much that he “was” real, It is that He “IS” Real! Funny how the English words “Is Real,” sounds like the Hebrew word, “Israel,” don’t you think? He is Risen, and working through us, for the benefit of us, and will still reveal himself to us in our prayers and through the written works of the saints of God. 

Today we remember Dorothy Sayers, and William Lloyd Garrison & Maria Stewart and their information may be found by clicking on their respective names.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, Creator and Lover of all humanity, You have made known to us the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray, let us hear again Your voice from heaven making wherever we are, Holy ground, and in hearing You, I pray we listen, and heed. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 41 and 52; Evening, Psalm 44:
Isaiah 8:16 to 9:1; 2^nd Peter 1:1to11; Luke 22:39 to 53

“Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.” (2^nd Peter 1:4 to 7)

The people of the world are full of lust for personal desires.  Such lust ranges from the desire for power, money, fame, and many other such self-serving intentions. From Genesis we learn, “Then God, seeing that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth and that every thought of their heart was intent upon evil at all times.” (Genesis 6:5)  We must be careful not to fall into the traps of this world.  I think this lesson from Peter’s second letter should be well studied.

We must first have faith and then support our faith with good works believing in the good Lord.  We must study the holy writings in order to acquire the knowledge needed for self-control. Passions will come but we must keep control over them. The only way to do this is through religious practices like regular prayer and worship. We must do this daily, and as Peter says, with endurance. There are no excuses. What I tell people all the time is that we first have to have what we want to do, or be, in our minds.  If we don’t first determine in our minds and hearts where we are going, we will never get anywhere. And we must be consistent, we must control the self.

It is no surprise that Peter ends his progression with love.  Peter has experienced the love of our Lord Jesus who forgave him and loved him even through Peter’s denial of him.  This is the kind of love that will get us to where we want to be.  If who we want to be is not based on love that is made manifest by mutual affection, then who we want to be may be based upon evil as is God’s criticism of humanity from Genesis above. Much, but not all, of Saint Peter’s words are definitely words we should read and heed.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, be with us daily, we pray, in order that we may become participants in Your divine nature and think, do, and say, all such things which are pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the 3^rd Sunday of Advent: Year C

Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. (Luke 3: 7 and 8)

In this pronouncement John informs us that biological heritage is of no consequence to God or what really makes us who we are, or should be. Abraham is the father of faith. Faith then, is the spiritual heritage we should cling to. And God can raise up faith-based spiritual children of Abraham from any walk of humanity.  So-called race, culture, country, politic, language, sex or sexual orientation, has absolutely nothing to do with being a spiritual descendant of Abraham.

After this lesson, John gives them, and us, lessons regarding how to show love to neighbor. “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise,” (Luke 3:11).

I think a little bit of Bible education needs to be understood before this training can take place. The crowds to whom John was speaking were well informed about who Abraham is. I’m not so sure we of today are so informed, especially our little ones. This is sad to me. We should be telling our spiritual stories from the Bible to our children.

There is joy in hearing children tell biblical stories to other children. And, eventually to those children they are blessed to raise or teach. Just as they love to hear stories about Santa Claus, they will also be excited about Abraham, Samson, John and Jesus. But they must be told. Joy comes in sharing our stories. This week of Advent is about Joy, thus the pink candle.

Please continue to keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP 212)

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 2^nd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 30 and 32; Evening, Psalms 42 and 43;
Isaiah 8:1 to 15; 2^nd  Thessalonians 3:6 to 18; Luke 22:31 to 38:

“But I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32)

It seems that our Lord Jesus already knows that Peter will fall away, and he does.  But it also seems that Jesus knows that Peter will come to himself, and return to the Lord, and Peter does that too.

To this point the apostles had been believing primarily on the faith of Jesus.  But Jesus prays that they, and we, come into our own faith. Jesus tells Peter about his denial of him three times before the rooster crows. I have heard that rooster crow.  I hear that rooster crow every time I do something that is inconsistent with the teachings of our Lord Jesus. I hear the rooster and look into the eyes of a disappointed, yet, loving and forgiving Jesus.

It is my sincere intention to “come to myself.”  I am tired of what that rooster’s crow means to me.  I want to be in a place where I can hear the crow and smile because I will know it no longer applies to my denial of the teachings of Jesus.  How about you?  Have you heard the crow of the rooster?  When you hear it, do you ponder about how you might have done or said something that you would not want our Lord Jesus to witness? 

Come into your own faith. Our Lord Jesus is still praying that we come into our own faith. We will fail from time to time to be who we are created to be.  But it’s not over. We also have the responsibility, when we turn back, to assist our brothers and sisters with their struggle with the rooster’s crow.  Let’s let that rooster remind us of what we are taught by our Lord Jesus, and like Peter, turn our lives around so that the rooster’s crow will be the sound of happiness because we have moved on.

Today we remember John of the Cross, Mystic and Monastic and his information may be found at: Juan de la Cruz (John of the Cross)

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 the 2^nd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 31; Evening, Psalm 35;
Isaiah 7:10 to 25; 2^nd Thessalonians 2:13 to 3:5; Luke 22:14 to 30

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.” (2^nd Thessalonians 2:15)

I did not grow up Churched.  I wish I had been. I raised three of my daughters with a Church tradition however; but I still don’t know if it stuck.  At least they have it in their bones if they ever want to revert back to it.  I probably should have done more lecturing about “holding fast” to their tradition. 

I have been a practicing Christian along the Episcopal path since my Baptism at the Easter Vigil of 1980. So I have over forty years of ingrained Episcopal Church tradition.  If you say, “The Lord be with you,” I can’t help but respond with, “And also with you.”  It even slips out when I am watching a Star Wars movie and I hear, “The Force be with you.” In a low voice I whisper back, “And also with you.”  It has become “my” tradition.

In Education for Ministry (EfM), we do Theological Reflection. With Theological Reflection we are shown that there are four sources from which all major concerns come.  Of the four sources, Tradition means Christian Tradition which includes our Church, the Bible, Christian music or writings as well as Christian art. Theological Reflection asks us to consider our Tradition when pondering our experiences in life. As Paul says, we must stand firm in our Church traditions as we consider our thoughts and actions.

I was an active duty Marine for 30 years, I have been an active duty Christian now for more than 40 years, almost twenty of those forty years as clergy.  I have a lot of ingrained discipline and tradition, and I’m thankful for all of it.

All of us have some kind of life tradition taught to us by parents, or, as in my case, the institutions we joined and grow up in. While I support young people in participating in the military as part of their personal development and as a civic and patriotic duty, I strongly encourage them to become participating and practicing members of a faith community. They should keep up with the passing weeks in their lives not by their days off, but rather, by their meetings with like-minded worshipers on a weekly basis. Our place of worship needs to be our bedrock tradition and we should hold fast to those traditions that we were taught by parents, pastors and personal mentors in our faith tradition.

“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

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, the Giver of all good gifts and graces, you have brought us into being to be creatures of habit and tradition. As we are introduced to your Church, help us we pray, to stand firm and hold fast to the traditions of fellowship and love for all persons and respect the dignity of every human being following the example of Christ our Lord, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 2^nd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 37:1 to 18; Evening, Psalm 37:19 to 42;
Isaiah. 7:1 to 9; 2^nd Thessalonians 2:1to 2; Luke 22:1 to 13

“If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:9)

This is the second half of verse 9 of chapter 7.  But it says everything.  We were created in the  prayers of God to be a people of faith.  God embedded in us the faith connection that informs us about the existence of the Creator. God also gives us the free will to not realize it or live by it.

We may get fairly far in life only counting on our money, physical strength, family connections, political position, or some other human idolatrous anomaly. But all of these can be lost in life.  Some would argue that we could also lose our faith; perhaps, and if so, it is the saddest of all.

 Losing one’s faith will almost certainly cause the loss of at least one of the human attributes; money, health, family or social position. And if faith is lost, where are we when we are called to judgment? And my beloved of the Lord, each and every one of us will be called to judgment.

Belief, moreover, trust and faith in a Power greater than ourselves, who loves us, is the deal breaker in human existence.  We need faith to keep us going when we find ourselves against the wall and there seems to be no way out.  Our heart screams, “Where are you Lord?” I feel sad for the person who has no faith and yet is in a desperate situation.

We have wonderful examples of Biblical figures who walked by faith.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Ruth, Esther and Mordecai, and John the Baptist and the apostles of our Lord Jesus, all walked by faith and not by sight, nor money, nor power, nor any human icon of importance. So I like what Isaiah says, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.”  Let us listen to this prophet and use our God-given faith, and then walk the rest of this life in our faith in God.

Today we remember Francis de Sales, Bishop (1622) and Jane de Chantal, Monastic (1641), and their information may be found at: Francis de Sales – Jane de Chantal

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God who embedded faith in our souls before we even knew ourselves, assist us we pray, to first stand firm in faith before we attempt to walk, and then guide our steps that lead us only to do Your will, in Your most Holy Name we pray, Amen.

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

Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48:
Isaiah 6:1 to 13; 2^nd  Thessalonians 1:1 to 12; John 7:53 to 8:11

“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.”  (John 8:3 and 4)

She was not caught alone, she, (and someone else with her), were caught in adultery.  It might have even been one of the men standing in the crowd of scribes and Pharisees with a stone in his hand.  But then our Lord Jesus says to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8: 3 and 4).  They all, one by one, had to deal with their own shortfalls, and walk away. None of us today are without sin.

Twice during this scene Jesus stoops to the ground and writes something. I wish we had what he wrote, if he was writing.  Maybe with his hand touching the ground, his Spirit moved through the ground and touched the conscience of the scribes and Pharisees and elders who were accusing the woman. Therefore, maybe he didn’t even write at all. I ponder these kinds of things. Something shook the men into knowing that they were not innocent of various sins.

Look at what’s going on here.  Jesus reaches down to touch the ground, to write or whatever. The accusing men reach down to pick up a stone. What do we reach down for when something or someone we don’t like comes before us?  Maybe such a time is the time to take notes, with pen and paper, or just a mental note about what is going on in our hearts and minds, and about our own spotted history. We too, are still “works in progress.”  Even with our flaws, in Christ Jesus, we are the saints of God. Saints pardon and forgive. Reach down, but be careful about what you pick up.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Morning, Psalms 26 and 28; Evening, Psalms 36 and 39;
Isaiah 5:13 to 17 and 24 to 25; 1^st  Thessalonians 5:12 to 28; Luke 21:29 to 38

“And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good;” (1^St Thessalonians, 5: 14 to 21)

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he gives them, and us, lessons in how to relate with each other. His instruction requires us to at least notice others; are they idlers, are they faint-hearted, are they weak?  We can’t live in community in a vacuum.  The implied answer to Cain’s question of “Am I my brother’s keeper?” is, yes. (Genesis 4:9)

It is hard to be patient and to rejoice always. We have sad times.  We can however pray without ceasing.  Such prayer is not formal, spoken prayers, but rather, thoughts of appealing to God for help.  This can, and often should be done, quietly. It is being thankful and saying “Thank You Jesus” when you realize things could have been worse.

Regular reading of scripture certainly helps us in our relationship with others.  As you know, I read our Daily Office “daily.”  I don’t always really get a lot from all of the readings.  But even acknowledging what I don’t like, helps.  There is much wisdom in the Bible.  But I advise you to say a little prayer before you read asking the Holy Spirit to assist you with understanding, and then a prayer of thanks at the conclusion. Perhaps a Bible Study group would help.  The prophets still speak to us through these ancient and contemporary words like those we remember today.

Today we remember Thomas Merton, Monk, Poet, and Spiritual Writer (1968) whose information may be found at Thomas Merton. And, we remember Karl Barth, Pastor and Theologian (1968) and his information may be found at: Karl Barth.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Lord God, our only help in time of need and Companion on our journey; please help us to pray without ceasing and to give thanks to You in all circumstances. For it is only in You that we have life, and only through You that we will have eternal life. And for this we are truly Thankful. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the Second Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 25; Evening, Psalms 9 and 15;
Isaiah 5:8 to 12 and 18 to 23; 1 Thessalonians  5:1 to 11; Luke 21:20 to 28

“All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” (Psalm 25:9)

Our former Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Michael Curry, has said of our Church that we are on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement.  I like it! Judaism and Islam are a couple of other, well established faith paths that exist outside of the Christian path, but paths non-the-less.

Of these three, Judaism is the oldest, and in fact, Christianity has its roots in Judaism. The Psalmist says, “All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”  Keeping covenant is something we have failed to do over and over again.  The Bible records over and over again how the People of Israel fail to keep covenant with God and then go into repentance and God saves us again and again.  It makes no difference if covenant is made up of two laws (Love God and love your neighbor), or, if covenant is 613 laws from the Hebrew Testament. We repeatedly fail and must call on God for salvation. Failure requires love and faith.

Love is expressed in all of the above three mentioned religious traditions.  There is love of deity and love of fellow human being.  There should be no room for jealousy or hatred within our faith paths, or of another faith tradition.  We are all God’s children.  And God loves us all the same.  All humanity is “favored.”  There is no one group within humanity favored over another.

Faith is the other necessary component of a religion.  We must understand that there is a Master of Creation, the Creator and Maintainer.  There is a Presence larger and far more important than ourselves.  It is in this Presence that we place our trust. This trust is for the benefit of life in creation: a creation held together by the love of the faithful Creating Maintainer.

Love and faith make up the Christian covenant (and perhaps others faith covenants as well) that our Lord Jesus left for us Christians.  We are to love the Lord our God with all that we are.  We are also to trust in the lord in all situations, no matter what.  And the second is like onto it, we are to love our neighbor as our self, (which includes loving ourselves).  Our faith is the path that the Holy One uses to enter our heart.  From our heart, the Holy One spreads love. “All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty and Ever Loving Lord God, please continue to lead us and guide us in Your ways of love and faithfulness in whichever way we worship you. O God be that constant reminder that all of us are Yours, and to You we seek to return where all truth will be made manifest in Your heavenly realm where there will be one flock and one shepherd. Amen.

The Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the 2^nd Sunday of Advent: Year C

Luke 3: 1 to 6

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias rulerof Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” (Luke 3:1and 2)

 Luke shares with us that God is not impressed with human titles.  We have the emperor, a regional governor, a puppet king and his brother and another ruler from the political side in charge of places hard for the English tongue to even begin to pronounce.  And then we have the clergy; two high priests for that year.  But get this; the word of God Almighty, goes to a man living in the wilderness! 

There is no room left for God if we are already full of ourselves. A cup or chalice is only useful for us if it is empty in order that we might fill it with what we desire. The same is true for God as we are made the clay cup of the Potter.

 John spent his days on a low comfort budget while baptizing people for the forgiveness of their sins. He was not in it for John. He was in it for the Salvation of God coming into the world. He was all about the sweat equity of reconciliation, of making straight paths for God as proclaimed by his father Zechariah in our Canticle 16 Reading for today. He was not on any kind of EGO trip. A friend of mine told me once that EGO stood for “Edging God Out.”  Like those men in high “man-made” places of human authority. They had no, or too little, room for the Presence of God.

Let’s you and I not fall into the “ego” category.  You know, just a little time each day being quiet to let God in, is all it takes. Like John the Baptist, invite God into yourself for the benefit of us all.  All of us need reconciliation with one another.  This reconciliation begins with you.

Please continue to keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: A Collect for Sundays (BCP p. 98)

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.