onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;
Habakkuk 3:1to18; James 3:1to12; Luke 17:1to10

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies” (James 3:1 to 3).

James’ words suggest that we, at some level, ought to practice what we are taught. Teachers then are probably the most important service providers in any community. Over the years I have taught many classes and counseled many people with various concerns.  I pray that my words to them are what I also practice, but more than that, it helps them to live better, more faithful lives. 

James is not original in using the metaphor of a bridle as an example of holding the attention of those we are trying to teach. This example appears in the Psalms. “Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle ,else it will not stay near you; (Psalm 32: 9).

Our very first teachers are our parents. Even school teachers depend on parents to have taught the children the local language and behaviors.  On the very first day in school the child must understand simple instruction such as “sit here,” or “come here,” or “what is your name?”  From there the teacher takes hold of the bit and bridle, the reins, if you will, and guides us into more productive citizenry. 

Another very important person in teaching, and in particular the behavior of a community, is the pastor.  The pastor teacher is a special gift given to some in each community by God as a guide to righteous living. St. Paul teaches, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). The pastor-teacher gift is a combined vocation implanted in some of us for the purpose of comforting and guiding the people of God in righteous living.  And as James says, such people will be judged with greater strictness.

All parents are pastor teachers. Parents are called by God to comfort and guide their children in ways that promote harmony in the family, in their church, in their community, and in the world. Perhaps even bit and bridle is better than leaving them idle.

Today we remember Elizabeth of Hungary, Princess and Philanthropist (19 November 1231) and her information can be found at: Elizabeth of Hungary.

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 God, you have given us each other to love, lead and teach one another in ways that are pleasing in your sight. Equip us, we pray dear God, with your bit and bridle of righteousness, that we may be guided in righteous ways and to also teach our young ones in your holy ways. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 89:1to18; Evening, Psalm 89:19to52:
Habakkuk. 2:1to4,and 9-20; James 2:14to26; Luke 16:19to31

“He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames,”  (Luke 16: 24).

There are so many stories to tell or talk about from the readings we have for today.  I will stick with this one from Luke.

It is written that what we have in us on earth, we will take to heaven with us.  Where we wind up in the afterlife is determined by the sinful toxins found in us.  We should be careful. What we take with us could prevent us from entry into that side of the great chasm where Father Abraham resides. The rich man in this parable never respected the dignity of Lazarus. This attitude of arrogance has become the toxin that stuck with him even in the afterlife.  We know this because even in the afterlife he does not address Lazarus himself or apologize for neglecting him in their previous life. But rather, he addresses Father Abraham to “send” Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. Earthly arrogance and disrespect does not work in the realm of God.

Greed, jealousy, hate, lust, gluttony and all other such self-serving desires inside us can separate us from the Love of God, even though Paul says differently in the thirteenth chapter of  his letter to the Romans.  God will still love us but we won’t be able to be with God due to the internal properties that we should have ridded ourselves of before we passed on to the afterlife. Paul speaks of environmental and external events that fall on us that he says can’t separate us from the love of God, (Romans 8: 35 to 39).  But we must hold this good news next to the words of our Lord Jesus who cautions us that “whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven.”  This is said twice in the Gospel of Matthew; chapter 16, verse 19; and chapter 18, verse 18.  This is surely a lesson the rich man could have used.  Continuing in the parable, the rich man tries to negotiate a path for his brothers so that they will not meet his fate.  Father Abraham reminds him that if his brothers just follow the lessons of the prophets they will be alright. But the rich man insists that if Lazarus returns to them from the dead his brothers would believe.  But Father Abraham told him that if they wouldn’t follow the teachings of the prophets they wouldn’t believe even if Lazarus returned from the dead.  This of course is an allusion to Jesus himself rising from the dead and some of us still not believing.

You and I have our Lord Jesus and all of these lessons to assist us in correcting our lives before we enter the afterlife.  We have the same prophets in addition to the saints who have gone before us.

Today we remember Hilda of Whitby; Abbess and Peacemaker (18 November 680), and her information can be found at: Hilda of Whitby

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: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor as found on p. 358 of the BCP.

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

Reading for Sunday, Proper 28: Year B

  Mark 13:1 to 8:

“Then Jesus began to say to Gospel them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.” (Mark 13:5)

Heaven knows we have had more than our share of what I call “Jesus-want-to-bees.”  We have had Jim Jones, David Koresh, any number of politicians (on both sides of the isle), plenty from the traditional preacher pool, as well as a few from the lawyer and business brand.

I think sometimes we are just too easily, led astray. We need to know what to look for in leaders, be they spiritual, political, or just plain community leaders. None of us are Jesus, nor will we ever be. I like leadership by consensus. This is where elected persons, representative of  all walks of community life, come together to work out reasonable solutions to problems as well as sort out productive ways forward for all in the community. With such a body of concerned people we would be as close as we could get to being like Jesus. We would still miss the mark but it would be a good start.

We have to look hard to see even fair news in Mark 13. But if we examine the words closely we will find some consolation. Jesus tells us, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.” (Mark 13:7)

It is the “do not be alarmed” part, that we should pay attention to.  We must calm ourselves. No matter what happens in this world, God is still in charge and what we think is our end is not our end at all. To quote Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” But even this Yogi-ism is turned upside down with God’s invitation into eternity. While Mark 13 seems all doom and gloom, there is guidance within it for whatever might come our way.

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: 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.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 27: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 87and 90; Evening, Psalm 136;
Joel 3:9 to17; James 2:1 to13; Luke 16:10 to17:

“So he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15)

So why does it have to be this way?  Why is it that what is prized by God cannot also be prized by human beings as well?  And we know what that is, right?  It is “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God,” (Micah 6:8), and, “to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1: 27). We have the Bible as a rule and guide for our behavior fully knowing that it contains all things necessary for our salvation.

All we have to do is read, learn and heed.  Perhaps I am being a little naïve. We first have to believe. We have to believe what our parents have handed down to us.  I, myself, did not come from a “Churched” family.  And the Bible was not read as a part of our family life.  My father was an over-the-road truck driver.  He was away for much of my up-bringing. My mother was a business woman who operated restaurants for as long as I can remember as a child growing up.  They enrolled me in Catholic School in Nashville, Tennessee.  Both parents seemed interested in me having a belief in God, and in our Lord Jesus in particular, notwithstanding their lack of Church attendance or Bible teachings.

Now, I have both the Church, (not Roman Catholic but Episcopalian), and the Holy Bible. Because I later joined the Church and attended regular services, I followed the guidance of my last priest and discerned a call to the priesthood.  I also have a seminary education now.  I am blessed.

None of us are blessed for our own personal benefit.  When we are blessed, we are blessed to pass it on.  I sincerely pray that I have a loving heart. Only God knows. But where I am failing I pray God straightens me out. God knows every human heart. But regardless of where your heart is, God can make it better. You cannot, but God can. For God, all things are possible.  But you have to ask for a righteous heart in prayer. 

I was supposed to remind us about Samuel Seabury yesterday but accidently omitted him. Sorry. Here now is his information: we remember the Consecration of Samuel Seabury, (14 November 1784) the First Bishop to the Americas; (Bestowal of the American Episcopate). And this information can be found at: Consecration of Samuel Seabury.

Today we remember Margaret, Queen of Scotland (16 November 1093) and information about her can be found at: Margaret of Scotland

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: (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 27: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalms 91and 92;
Joel 2:28to3:8; James 1:16to27; Luke 16:1to9

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.” (James 1: 19 to 21)

I love reading the letter of James.  This James was the brother of our Lord Jesus and later Bishop of Jerusalem.  We don’t hear much about him in the Gospel accounts but here he is now sharing his insights and ponderings. The above verses remind me of the words of the prophet Jeremiah as it pertains to the “implanted word.”  Jeremiah writes, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”(Jeremiah 31:33) 

My beloved in the Lord, we, (you and I), already have this implanted word written in our hearts. When Jeremiah says, “after those days,” he is speaking of the days after our Lord Jesus comes to be with us (this generation) and shows us just how to live by that same word implanted in us. All we have to do is welcome it with meekness as James says. We must be quick to listen and slow to speak, in person or on social media.  And when we do speak, do so from inclusive love.  And this inclusive love, sometimes brings with it a certain amount of discomfort.

The inclusive person professes to be receptive to all persons, even those with whom they often disagree. Therein is the discomfort. The “exclusive” person has no such tolerance. The exclusive person makes it clear that only likeminded people are welcome. That is not who Christ wants Christians to be. Jesus ate at the home of Pharisees and healed people of the household of a centurion. Jesus received those who were his own and reached out to those who were of a different perspective, like Nicodemus.  “Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls,” the word that is already written on your heart.

“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:

O God Almighty, who crafted us from the elements of your vast universe and wrote love on our hearts, help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for our anger does not produce Your righteousness. And it is Your righteousness that our inmost selves most desire, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 27: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 23 and 27; Evening, Psalms 85 and 86;
Joel 2:21to27; James 1:1to15; Luke 15:1to2 and 11to32.

“If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.” (James 1:5)

These are powerful words of truth from James.  We are all lacking wisdom at some level.  We must realize this and then ask God for more wisdom. But let us have this basic and primary understanding, God will know the reason for our wanting more understanding.  And such desires should be in order that we might love God more and more; and love our neighbor more and more.  Desire for knowledge to only benefit ourselves and to our personal advantage among our neighbors, is frowned on by God.

Let us remember Solomon who asked God for wisdom, for understanding, not so much for himself, but so that he could be a better leader for God’s people. Solomon prayed to God, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” (1^st Kings 3:9).  Solomon, living a thousand years before James, also knew that God is the source of understanding of all that is good. And God liked the reasons for which Solomon was asking for understanding.  It is written, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind” (1Kings 3: 10 to 12).

My primary method of prayer is meditation.  It is in meditation that I ponder things.  I do this by sitting quietly in a room alone.  I follow the guidance of Blaise Pascal who said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” It is in such a way that I follow Solomon’s example and the advice of James.  I invite you who are reading this blog to do the same.  Just find some time to sit quietly and be open to God, God who so much wants to be with you and talk to you.  James says, “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”

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 Creating and Loving God, you brought forth the human being with memory, reason, and skill; help us we pray, in our reasoning such that we may follow the breadcrumbs that lead to your will and pleasure, and which will also bring us eternal joy through your love for us. In your Name we pray, Amen.

Daily Office readings for Wednesday of Proper 27: Year 2

Morning,  Psalm 119:97-120; Evening,  Psalms  81and  82:
Joel 2:12to19; Revelation 19:11to21; Luke 15:1to10

“Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain-offering and a drink-offering for the Lord, your God?” (Joel 2: 12 to 14)

The real good news about God is that God is merciful, God will forgive us. Too often we will not forgive one another, but God will forgive each of us. God will forgive you.

This forgiveness comes from God’s deep, abiding and steadfast love for us.  It is a sacrificial love as expressed in our Lord Jesus going to the cross.  And nothing can separate us from that divine love. Paul said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38 and 39).

It has occurred to me then, that such a love makes it easier to forgive someone when offended. Forgiveness for children and family might come a little easier than forgiveness for friends, and certainly easier than for strangers and folks who are different from us.  And there’s the rub.  God, especially in Christ Jesus, is family. While not really denying his earthly mother and family he declares also that those who do the will of God are his family (Matthew 12:50). He also blurs the line between family and neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan where a stranger, a Samaritan, cares for a wounded man left for dead by robbers (Luke 10:29 to 37).  And finally, as he was crucified, our Lord Jesus ask God our creator to forgive the act we were committing (Luke 23:34).

It is impossible to forgive if we don’t first love. We are asked by God to first love God and then to love one another. There is a direct connection between love and forgiveness.  If you don’t want to forgive, you never wanted to love in the first place.  To not love is ungodly. To change we must “return to the Lord, our God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.” I don’t know about you, but I could use some of that grain-offering and a drink-offering “from” the Lord, our God.

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, (and I find the Lord’s prayer most appropriate for this ponder):

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, forever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 27:Year 2

Morning, Psalm 78:1to39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to72;
Joel 1:15-2:2(3-11); Revelation 19:1-10; Luke 14:25-35

“To you, O Lord, I cry. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flames have burned all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals cry to you because the watercourses are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.” (Joel 1:19 and 20)

At the time that I am reading this Daily office I empathize with my brothers and sisters on both coasts.  Terrible fires have driven people out of their homes and many have lost everything. It is a very sad situation.

People in California and New York have had to deal with finding shelter for people who were temporarily housed in close proximity with one another and yet, be thankful that their lives are spared.  I ask your prayers for, and responses to, those who are still in desperate need.

Crying to the Lord is prayer, and prayer works. I believe “God’s ears hears tears.”  God hears our prayers, and God will respond. And God responds in surprising ways.  However, we must remember that God comes to us, through us. And, as revealed in the Joel reading, we must keep our non-human friends in thought, prayer, and response as well. You may be God’s response to a squirrel or rabbit or even a wolf.  I believe we humans were brought into being to care for, and maintain this fragile earth, our island home.

Today we remember Charles Simeon; Teacher, and Promoter of Missionary work (12 November 1836). His information can be found at: Charles Simeon

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, through whom all life came into being, please let your life-giving had extinguish the fires that harm life and turn our tears into waters of life, for the sake of all life. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 27: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77, [79];
Joel 1:1to13; Revelation  18:15to24; Luke 14:12to24

“Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.” (Joel 1: 1 to 4)

In the Joel reading we hear of four different kinds of locusts.  There are cutting locusts, swarming locusts, hopping locusts and destroying locusts.  Therefore, no matter what kind of defense they plan, there comes a different kind of attack. It sounds similar to our Covid pandemic a few years ago.

But Thanks be to God, we are never without hope.  We have had to endure many social limitations and when I read “Grain-offering and drink-offering are withheld from the house of your God”  (Joel 1:13), I remember that we, in the Church, had to omit the chalice part of our Holy Communion. We did however get the bread or grain-offering.

The ever restructuring locusts were not too different from our Corona Virus.  Some catch it, and some re-catch it.  In Joel we read, “For a nation has invaded my land, powerful and innumerable; its teeth are lions’ teeth, and it has the fangs of a lioness” (Joel 1:6).  However, we believers must remember that no virus or any “bug,” is more powerful than our God.  And as the hymn goes, “Our God Reigns.”

And while the virus made us separate, I believe it is coming together again in the right way that we were able to substantially reduce the effects of Covid.  Perhaps, just perhaps, these words came from the Spirit of God down through the saints of God.  I think the worst effect of Covid was the breaking of the habit of going to Church. We still have not re-gained our pre-Covid numbers. We are only a remnant of what we used to be. But wait! The remnant is the build-back folks that God used to re-establish believers. If we hang in there, believing, we might be okay after all.

Today we remember Martin of Tours; Bishop and Theologian (11 November 397).  How fitting as Martin was also a soldier as we remember all who have served in our armed forces. His information can be found at: Martin of Tours.

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, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home and abroad; [those who have served and those who are currently serving]. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 823)

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 27: Year B

Mark 12:38-44

“Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mark 12: 43 and 44)

I think the phrase “she put in more,” has to do with the ratio, or what part of what one has, that was given. Those who contributed out of their abundance surely put in more than what the poor woman did.

Giving to our house of worship is a matter of concern for our continued fellowship together. The widow, being a widow, has lost her husband. She really needs to stay connected, if just for the sake of her children. You and I need to stay connected to one another in Christ Jesus for the sake of our fellowship together. And that can’t be replicated anywhere else except in our own weekly meeting place.

Before our taxed based welfare system, the Church was the primary provider of the needs of the poor.  And of course, our welfare system is structured to be responsible for how money is given. And because close scrutiny of how the money is allocated, rules are made, hopefully to ensure the real people in need are the ones who receive, based on their needs and our biases.  

Maybe the widow’s story is the basis of our helping today. But this widow based helping leads us to not help a nuclear family where dad is still in the home. The underpaid are still in poverty and need help. Perhaps there is a need for the Church to re-visit our helping and consider all family situations as we plan to do the Lord’s work. Let us again remember the words of William Temple, former Archbishop of Canterbury who said, “The Church exists primarily for the sake of those who are still outside it.” We shouldn’t broad-stroke the needy base on how we think a family should be together or whether or not they sit in our pews. We base our helping on our love, and their need.

So, like the poor widow, we give a part, or maybe most, of what we have in the hope of maintaining a continued connection with one another in our unique Christian faith where indeed, all are loved and all are welcomed. We want our family here to be a part of Christ’s family in the loving care of God Almighty. But God Almighty loves all families whether they proclaim Jesus or not. Ours is not to judge, but to love, and to respond in that love in whatever way we can.

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: 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.