onewhoponders

Eucharistic Readings for Wednesday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 3:1 to10; Psalm 105:1 to 8 or Psalm 118:19 to 24;  Luke 24:13 to 35:

“But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” (Luke 24: 29 – 31)

Our Lord Jesus walks up and asks what was going on.  The two on the road are taken aback by this unrecognized person.  Only to discover this person knows much more than they do in terms of the destiny of Jesus. To quote Paul Harvey, “now they know, the rest of the story.” In telling the story Jesus starts with Moses.  And he ends with what they knew, that the Messiah was crucified, died, and has been seen alive.

 As it was getting late, they invite this “stranger” to their house for a meal and shelter. The stranger accepts. It was at the table that they come to realize that this stranger is in fact Jesus Himself.  They recognize him in the manner in which he performs this sacred ritual; he takes, blesses, breaks and gives the bread. This is the same thing our Lord Jesus did with his disciples; he took them in, blessed them with teaching, preaching and healing; split them up into pairs like these two we meet on the road to Emmaus and gave them to the world.   And now has given us to the world at large to continue His work of teaching, preaching and healing to the best of our ability. So now our eyes too are opened and our hearts burning within us as we are also to make people aware of the prophecy of the scriptures, the fulfillment of the destiny of our Lord Jesus.

Let us pray:                                                                                    

Oh Holy Presence of God, come among us and have us to know and believe more fully in what lies ahead in the afterlife. Encourage us to live our current lives more faithfully so that we may welcome life eternal with fewer regrets. Lead us and guide us and teach us Dear Lord; Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Tuesday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 2:36-41  Psalm 33:18-22   or Psalm 118:19-24; John 20:11-18 

“Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, for in his holy Name we put our trust.

Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.”             (Psalm 33: 21 -22)

By most translations, these are the last verses of Psalm 33.  I think “trust” is the key word here.  Some translators have suggested that the English word trust is a more accurate word for believe.  Many translations have the word “hope” in verse 22. But for me, hope has an element of uncertainty about it or, in the least, the possibility one’s hope may not be made manifest. Trust on the other hand, is putting all our eggs in one basket.  It is not having a plan “B” or a back-up plan. It’s God or nothing.

I know that on our currency we print “In God We Trust.”  I hope that is true for all of us but I have heard some self-proclaimed atheist swear there is no God, but I believe that same God loves them.  Just as our currency is a communal way of acquiring our personal and family needs, so too should our trust in God be for the welfare of ourselves, our families and our community – in that order. The God that we trust is a personal, family and Communal God.

Our Lord Jesus, an exact Image of God, began life in his earthly family.  His mother Mary, though poor by the world economy of her day, never had want as her Son and Savior could feed thousands with only a few fish and loaves. Mary trusted in Jesus. Jesus later moved out and into the community. And the communities in which he visited also followed him and trusted in him, although some didn’t. Jesus is present in our hearts, and families and communities today.  But folks, we must trust in him, though we have not seen him in a visual way, still we must trust in him. 

Let us pray:

 Oh Lord Jesus  Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you. Help us with patience and kindness and tolerance as we meet one another today. Assists us dear Lord as we live into our trust in you. This we ask in your most holy Name. Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Monday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 2:14,22b-32; Psalm 16:8-11 or Psalm 118:19-24;   Matthew 28:9-15

“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28: 12 – 15)

Our Lord Jesus walked into human history not too many years after coin money made its way into our trading markets.  While money has some good qualities insofar as having a long shelf-life while food (vegetable or animal) can’t be kept for trade for very long.  On the downside however, money quickly became the ends rather than the means of maintaining life.  So the chief priest and elders gave the soldiers a large sum of money, which is in addition to their pay as soldiers, to perpetrate a lie. 

For me, the saddest part is that these men (chief priest and elders) are supposed to be the faith and moral leadership of their community.  These clergy study and maintain the Ten Commandments of Moses, one of which says, “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Being a person of religious responsibility I must keep my eyes and ears open to other faith traditions and always ask if my own tradition could learn something from another faith walk. None of our religions are perfect. But each of us, clergy or not, has a personal responsibility to monitor our own integrity.  We should not devise schemes that lie about others nor should we become a party to such a scheme if it is proposed.

Our Lord Jesus was moved however, that is, Raised!, not by disciples or soldiers or any human being, but by God, as a way of keeping an unbreakable covenant with us, forever.

Let us pray:

Dear Raised and eternal Lord Jesus, please keep each of us ever mindful of the trust placed on us to be faithful to the truth no matter what situation we might find ourselves in.  Help us dear Lord to be a people of integrity and honesty after the example you set for us, You who now live in unity with God Almighty, Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

A Gospel Reading for Easter Sunday: All Years

John 20: 1 to 18

“Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (John 20:11 – 12)

All of us share with Mary in the fact that it is through Jesus that we even know who we are. We read from the Gospel of Luke that our Lord Jesus casts out 7 demons from Mary; (Luke 8:2).  It is in this way that Mary even knows who she is. She owes her identity to her Lord Jesus. It was when she heard him call her name, “Mary,” that she knew beyond any doubt that her Lord and Savior was back! Which to her means, she can remain who she is supposed to be. Because Jesus lives, she lives.  Because Jesus lives, we live.

We, you and I, are who we are only through our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. I am sure that throughout my life I have had some demons. However, knowing and loving Jesus has enabled me to rid some demons and more fully know who I am supposed to be. Like Mary Magdalene, we come to know fully who we are in Christ Jesus our Savior.  We have a Covenant of knowing ourselves in Christ. This Covenant in Christ Jesus will never be broken.  

God has had many covenants with humanity.  All were broken at some point.  We had a covenant with Noah symbolized by a rainbow; we had a covenant with Abraham that all nations will be blessed through him; we had covenant through Moses with the Law, whether it was the 10 Commandments or the 613 recorded in the Hebrew Book of the Law: we broke covenant with God every time. 

In Jesus, we again tried to break covenant by crucifixion.  But God knowing we are not able to hold a covenant, became one of us and “un-broke” the attempted brake by Raising our Lord Jesus, the living Covenant, thus, not allowing His covenant with us to be broken. In this move by Christ death itself has died.  “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues?   Where, O grave, is your destruction? (Hosea 13:14).  What we get from this is that death does not win.  Our Lord Jesus defeats death and keeps us with him forever in Covenant.

We have so much to be thankful for.  God loves us and has walked among us to experience what it is like to be us, the good and the bad.  Easter is about God keeping Covenant with us in order that we can be who we are intended to be, a Covenant we are not able to break. Thank You Lord Jesus.  Happy Easter Everybody!

Let us pray:

All mighty God, who lives and reigns and loves forever, we give you thanks for being one of us in our Lord Jesus Christ and enduring the pain and suffering that came with it as well as what it means to be family and to live in community. Thank you for inviting us into your family and community of eternal life and love through baptism by breaking the bonds of death as we remember this Holy act this day. In your most Holy Name we pray: Amen.

 Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Saturday: All Years

Job 14:1-14; or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24;   Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66; or John 19:38-42

“Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1^st Peter 4: 8)

In this 1^st Peter writing, Peter admonishes believers to stop living reckless lives and to live like Christ wants us to live. He says that while we have sinned in our past, following the example of people who knew no better, we are held to a higher standard because we have been taught by our Lord.

To this I will add that once we know, we can’t un-know. As we pray for things to be better, we must live into our prayers in a better way.  Our behavior must be a continuation of our prayers.

Let us pray:

Most Holy Lord Jesus, You walked among us as a prayer from God Almighty. You set the example of what it means to live as a holy people. And now as we await the celebration of your Resurrection, we ask you to give us new life in loving one another and to lay aside our sins. O Lord we cannot continue without you. Be with us Lord Christ, lead us and guide us still. Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Lessons appointed for use on Good Friday: All Years

Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42

 “Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.”  (John 19:39)

Nicodemus finds himself near the beginning of the Gospel according to John, in the middle, and at the end like this reading for today.  Nicodemus is a secret admirer of Jesus.  But because of his position with the Pharisees he was distant and secret.  He almost got in trouble defending Jesus with his fellow authorities. We read in John’s Gospel, “Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ^“Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:50 – 51). He was quickly jumped on about that question and he backed off.

Nicodemus is another follower of Jesus who felt shame for not standing up for Jesus more than he did. Perhaps this is why he brought well more than enough mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint his body.  When we act outside of our Christian values we too disown Jesus. Today we remember his crucifixion. This is a very sad thing we did.  I say we, as in humanity.  I think God looks upon this act as an example of our ignorance.  For the most part, we still are.  Many theologians believe this was a necessary sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. Because of this sacrifice, we dub today “Good Friday.” I must confess, I have a hard time connecting “good” and murder together.

Let us pray:

Most Holy Lord Jesus, who has gone through death’s dark door and kept it open for all who believe in you, stay with us as we strive to stay with you as Nicodemus did. You were with us at the beginning of our lives, and we ask you to visit with us throughout our lives so as to strengthen our faith. Help us Dear Lord to not have regret for our neglect of You, You who live and love all people in this life and the next, forever and ever. Amen.

 “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, Russia, Israel, Palestine and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Maundy Thursday: All Years

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26: John 13:1-17, 31b-35

“For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.  Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13: 15 to 17)

Our Lord Jesus has just gotten down from the table of breaking bread and washed the feet of his followers. They were shocked and bewildered. Peter even refused, at first, to allow Jesus to wash his feet. But after an explanation, he consented. This baptizing of the feet reminds me of the importance of our feet as understood from the Prophet Isaiah where he says, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns;” (Isaiah 52:7).  Jesus has just made their feet beautiful in order for them to carry the Gospel out into the world.

We too should keep this tradition of humble access and servant ministry in order that we have the foundational feet necessary to bring Good News to all whom we meet.

Let us pray:

Oh Lord, Most Holy Lord Jesus, in the hardest of your earthly time you set us an example of how to be steadfast servants on our journey with you as our guide.  Help us to not forget that we are not greater than you who sets the example of humble compassion, wherein we serve others and also allow others to serve us. It is in your Holy Name we pray this: Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Holy Week: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalm 74;

Lamentation. 2:1-9; 2^nd Corinthians 1:23 to 2:11; Mark 12:1 to 11:

“Hear my prayer, O God; do not hide yourself from my petition.  Listen to me and answer me; I have no peace, because of my cares. (Psalm 55: 1 and 2)

The Psalmist sounds distressed about something and is begging God to be more present in what he cares about.

All of us have something, large or small, public or private, that we are concerned about and as we believe in God, we go to God for answers or at least divine intervention; as we should. As we pray, it may seem sometimes that God has hidden from us and refuses to respond to our petition. To this I say, “Balderdash!”  God works in God’s time, not ours. However, based on what I have studied and pondered about God, God truly does work in mysterious ways. God answers prayers often in ways outside of our sphere of knowledge and understanding. We should continue to pray for God to act in our lives, and then, just watch and listen and be amazed at what God is doing.

Let us Pray:

Oh Lord God, Creator and Sustainer of life and beauty, without you there is no us.  Walk with us we pray that our lives may reflect your will, on this earth, for this earth, and all its inhabitants. You are the Grand designer and lover of all life. Make yourself known in our lives in order that we might live, love and work in ways pleasing to You, You who knows our needs before we ask, be with us and help us we pray: Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Holy Week: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 6 and 12; Evening, Psalm 94;

Lamentation 1:17 to 22; 2^nd Corinthians 1:8 to 22; Mark 11:27 to 33:

“So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”  (Mark 11:33)

When our Lord Jesus says, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things,’ it suggests that the chief priests and the scribes did in fact know that John’s Baptisms were from heaven. But they would rather play the “ignorant” card than admit that John was more holy than they were.

The truth is an amazing thing.  The truth is not always pretty, but admitting it, is always noble. When our personal truth is not pretty or noble we want to conceal it. We forget that God knows the truth that is in us just as God knew about Cane killing Able. While the actions of our personal truths may not be noble, being accountable for them is very noble.   Instead of concealing their thoughts about John the Baptist, the chief priests and scribes should have just told our Lord Jesus that they truly believed his Baptisms were from heaven. God did ask Cane where his brother Able was. God was giving him a chance to be truthful.

Let us pray:                                                                                          

Almighty God in Christ Jesus, we believe that you truly are the Way, the Truth and the Life, and as you are in us, the Truth is in us. Give us the strength to be honest in our thoughts and words no matter the costs. Help us we pray, to be truthful in our walk of faith, truthful in our determination to live into the integrity of your teachings and guidance all the days of our lives. Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Holy Week: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 51:1-18(19-20); Evening, Psalm 69:1-23

Lamentations 1:1-2,6-12; 2 Corinthians. 1:1-7; Mark 11:12-25

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.” (2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 4)

When I read these biblical passages I always try to seek out the timeless messages, those passages that are still relevant for us today.  Paul identifies God as “Father of mercies and the God of all consolation.” He goes on to say that as God consoles us, so we then are able to console others. This consolation that God blesses us with is truly a blessing.  And just like God told Abram, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you:” (Genesis 12:2 and 3).  So I see this divine consolation as God’s blessing that comes upon us and then we are to console others.

Consoling, that is, the listening to, and blessing of, the other, is so important today.  We need to be spiritually present with our neighbors.  A phone call, a text message, an email, any form of spiritual consolation we can do means a lot to someone suffering from loss of work, fearing sickness, stuck in their home and are at their wits end.  Our neighbors need us and we need them, now more than ever.

God has blessed you with the blessing of consolation.  Some of it is for you, be blessed and wear it like a new suit. But some of what God has given you is for you to give to someone else. See who God puts in your path or on your mind today and give them that consolation that God gave you for them.

Let us pray:

Oh Lord God, as you provide each of us with your divine consolation, remind us to also receive this same consolation from the people you put in our path, both on line or in line, wherever we encounter them. And also remind us to be generous in proving the same to others. In your Holy Name we pray: Amen.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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