onewhoponders

Readings for Absalom Jones whom our Church remembers today:

Psalm 126 Isaiah 42:5-9 John 15:12-15

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

This Commandment of love from Jesus is different from the Commandment we get from Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels. In Matthew, Mark and Luke we get Jesus commanding us to love our neighbor as ourselves.  The big assumption here is that we in fact love ourselves. 

The Gospel according to John does not let us off so easy.  John records Jesus commanding us to love one another as he, Jesus, loves us.  And he loves us all the way to the cross.  Jesus literally loved us to death. 

Absalom Jones loved his people too in just the same way.  He also loved the Episcopal Church.  He would not leave this Church to join Richard Allen in the African Methodist Episcopal movement. Jones was a man of conviction.  As a slave he bought the freedom of the woman he loved and married her and then bought his own freedom.

I can’t talk about Absalom Jones without also lifting up Bishop William White.  White was Bishop of Philadelphia and ordained Jones to the Deaconate and then to the Priesthood.  And while this ordination was for Jones to be a priest for people of color, he was still ordained in God’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.  Bishop White listened to God and opened his heart and the Church to make a space for this important ministry. 

Blacks were asked to relocate in a parish and they left the parish.  And as a result, Jones met with Bishop White and this brand new Episcopal Church made room for them.  Bishop White listened to the voice of God for what to do about this Episcopal Church and former slaves.  Being brought about in the midst of a revolution already, he further heard the call to be open to providing for displaced African descendents.  Absalom Jones then decided to work with Bishop White and not leave the Episcopal Church, but rather, give of himself to this unexpected opportunity.  Praise Jesus.

More detailed information about Absalom Jones can be found at:  http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Absalom_Jones.htm

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 the Last Week after the Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 25; Evening,  Psalms 9 and 15;

Proverbs  27:1 to 6 and10 to 12; Philippians  2:1 to 13; John 18:15 to 18 and 25-27:

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth – a stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2)

This is a general election year, so every day we will hear more and more of the rhetoric of political candidates telling us how good they are and how unfit their competitors are for that same office.

If I were running for an elected office I would want my campaign manager, or at least those who want me to run for an elected position to boast about my fitness for the office, and not myself.  But this is the way of the world today.  Even in the election of a Bishop for a Diocese in our Episcopal Church each candidate priest is presented with an opportunity to say how good he or she is for the office. However, and to their credit, such priests do not put down their competitors, thank God . For politicians however, we encourage narcissism rather than the instruction of humility as taught in our Philippians reading for today.

Perhaps it would be better if computers did the hard work of tabulating information and then recommend candidates best suited for election based on experience, education and history.  After a short list, candidates are identified, and sponsors can then promote their person of choice for the office. In this way all persons interested in an elected position will have to do is do the best they can every day so that the computer collecting the information can put the best qualified person’s names forth for consideration and election.

In any case, those who want a certain person in an elected office should be the ones boasting about how their choice is best suited for the position, not the person him, or herself. We all should be doing the best we can in everyday life.  While education and experience carry a lot of weight, one’s history of doing good in their respective party affiliation is probably the most valuable marker of what kind of person a candidate is, or will be.

Wait a minute! Isn’t collecting our life’s moral information what God is doing now? All we have to do is be the best we can be every day.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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

The Gospel Reading for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Year B

Mark 9:2 to 9

 Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.” (Mark 9: 2)

Peter, James and John are picked to go up the mountain with our Lord Jesus. These three were called out from the others to go to spend a special time with Jesus. I like calling them the executive council. There were other times that these three were called out to be with Jesus.

I’m guessing they were informed about who Moses and Elijah were, given that they both were historic figures and there were no “photographs” of them.  This was a revelation given to them by the Cloud of all knowing.

And after the experience of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus, the revealing Cloud of all knowing using the voice of God, and being told who Jesus is, and then Jesus telling them not to tell anyone, was asking a lot. But in hindsight, we can see why these stories were actually written much later and in different languages.

Being told not to talk about something gives one time to process what happened. Today we say that the introvert processes quietly while the extrovert processes by “talking it out.”  This might be the reason for taking these three, but then there is Peter. Peter can’t hold back even in the midst of the Transfiguration.  “Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified; (Mark 9: 5 and 6). 

So Jesus took with him both the extrovert and the introverts. Jesus takes with him both you and me.  We are invited to see God Incarnate who is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).  Moses didn’t want to go but was sent anyway.  Elijah was all in, even taunting the prophets of Baal, “At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened;” (1 Kings 18:27).  Elijah mocked the prophets.

So God calls any of us to do the Lord’s work.  Be attentive therefore, Our Lord will call you also to have that mountain top experience.  Dr Martin Luther King Jr. says that he experienced it in his kitchen after a hateful phone call.  This mountain top experience can happen anywhere. When it happens, it is life changing. The place it happens has nothing to do with the time God chooses. God is everywhere, all the time. 

Jesus can be transformed in your presence today,  anywhere, and any time of God’s choosing. And may still ask you to not tell anyone about what you have experienced; just live out what has been revealed to you in word and deed.

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907 to 1972 was internationally known as a scholar, activist, and theologian. He was Professor of Ethics and Mysticism. Heshel says in his book, The Sabbath, that “it is not the event that makes time significant, but rather, the time that makes an event significant, it is the time that an event happens that makes the place significant.”  Jesus could have taken these followers out on a boat ride, or in a cave or a barn.  He just needed time to be alone with them. Jesus just needs time to be with you today!

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 Saturday of the 5^th Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 87 and 90; Evening,  Psalm 136:
Genesis 29:1 to 20; Romans 14:1 to 23; John 8:47 to 59:

“The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve.” (Romans 14:22)

Some of us believe in God based on what our faith leaders have taught us. Some of us believe in God based on our own interpretation of our reading the Bible, or other ancient writings. And, some believe in God based on both, that is, our faith leaders have instructed us in how we should understand what our ancient writings mean.

But there are some of us who believe in God based on our God-given reflective pondering and God’s revelation to us. This latter group, of which I am proud to be a member, also reads our Holy Words but are guided by God in our interpretation of them. In my walk and sitting with God, I stand almost alone in my convictions that there is no such thing as race, and that God uses both male and female humans in God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. These are only two that stand out for me now.

While Paul used dietary habits to explain his theological conviction, his words work for me as I continue to sit with God day to day. I am always learning and evolving in what I believe and then I try to live accordingly.  I think we should take into consideration our holy writings and sound teachings from well informed teachers. But we have a personal responsibility to sit with God in prayer and revelation regularly while forming our own convictions. Paul says to us, “The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve.” 

Today is our Sabbath from God. Our Lord Jesus never changed that. Sit quietly today and ponder about what God is saying to you.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 Friday of the FifthWeek of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalm 91and 92:   

Genesis 27:46 to chapter28:4 and10 to22; Romans 13:1 to 14; John 8:33 to 47;

Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”  (John 8: 42)

All of the reports of the Gospel, from all four of its sources, complement each other.  From Matthew’s account we read, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)  Those of us who insist on peace are truly children of God.  And as our Lord Jesus says, “If God is our Father we would love him,” and not only him, but all people.

Loving people does not necessarily mean agreeing with them. We can come away from an issue with different concerns about how things should be done.  However, there should be some fairness and reasonable decency on both sides without harm or detriment to anyone; just different interests. Love bridges differences. 

Love makes room for forgiving even when harm is done. If we are the victim, we pray for the strength to overcome what has happened. And, with God’s help, we can.  If we are the perpetrator we pray for the strength to repent, acknowledge the wrong we’ve done and be accountable for what we have done.  And we face those we have hurt. I believe it is the perpetrator’s soul that is most damaged when sinful acts are done.  Repenting is truly an act of sincere love and thus, soul repair.

We are children of God as we make peace and have love for one another as our Lord Jesus has taught us. We have the Holy Spirit of God within us.  This Spirit is trying to lead us and guide us.  All we have to do is listen and follow. We should look at every person and understand that they too are saying that “if we are God’s child we would love them.”  This is what the Holy Spirit of God is teaching us.  We need to listen and do likewise.

“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.

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 Thursday of the Fifth Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm  146; Evening,  Psalms 85 and 86;
Genesis 27:30 to 45; Romans 12:9 to 21; John 8:21 to 32:

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free:” (John 8: 31 and 32).

The reality is that we can change the word “Jews,” to “those” who believed in him. Because all of us who believe in our Lord Jesus and continue in His word are truly His disciples. The person of Jesus was more than just another human being. He was, and is, God almighty. He came among us to model what it means to live out our lives as God’s loving creation. To follow in Jesus’ word means to love God back and to love each other. It ain’t easy folks but we can do it, God has equipped us to love all if we but try.

To know the truth is to know about the reality of God among us in Spirit and truth. When we move beyond just believing, to knowing, we live differently. We don’t succumb to small temporal things and ideas. As we come to know the truth about God among us, we are free to live eternally even now in this life where our earthly death will not hold us, but is overcome by our Lord Jesus who has defeated death for us. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Today our Church remembers Bakhita, monastic (1947); click on her name and read her story.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 the Fifth Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:97 to 120; Evening,  Psalms 81 and 82;
Genesis 27:1 to 29; Romans 12:1 to 8; John 8:12 to 20:

“Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you.  Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he likes; and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” (Genesis 27:8 to 10) 

These are Rebecca’s words to her son Jacob after overhearing Isaac talking with Esau. I think most of us today would judge Rebecca as untruthful and deceptive.  However, God is pleased to have Jacob rather than Esau as the keeper of the Promise  and to become Father Israel from whom the twelve tribes will come.  We can never guess what God will approve of.

I will say this about my observation of the scriptural writers about God, God preferred Able over Cain, that is the younger over the elder brother.  And God will prefer Joseph over his older brothers born of Jacob. God will also choose the youngest son of Jesse, David, over his older brothers. Does God favor those who have bad examples to proceed them as a lesson in right behavior? That is to say, “don’t do as my elder did.”  I don’t know.  All I know is that God often favors the only child, or the last child. This is not good news for me as I am the older son of my mother.  However I must admit that Joseph was not the last son of his mother, Benjamin was.  None the less, God will select who God will select. God will judge us, we will not be our own final judge.

Our job is to live the best life we can regardless of which child we are knowing that we will one day stand in God’s judgment.  The only consolation we have is in knowing that God is loving and merciful. This love and mercy is not to be taken for granted, but rather it is to be humbly received, even now in this life, and then shared by us on those we are with everyday. I pray that we too may be as Rebecca, that is, that the outward looking untruthful and deceptive acts that we do may be what God wants. But this only happens if we are listening to the Holy Spirit of God.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 the Fifth Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;

Genesis 26:1 to 6 and 12 to 33; Hebrews 13:17 to 25; John 7:53 to 8:11:

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls and will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with sighing—for that would be harmful to you.” (Hebrews 13: 17)

I believe we all are led by another person or persons.  From our president down to the least followed person on the planet.  Sometimes our leaders are a group of people as in a council or a cabinet, or vestry or board of directors. The reason we have this body of leadership is because in, and of themselves individually, leaders often can’t figure out the next best move. And, not many leaders today are concerned about our souls.

As we care about the spiritual and physical health of our leaders we should keep them in prayer, asking God to aid and assist them in good thoughts and right actions for the welfare of their charge.  Whether our leaders are one person or a group, they are not outside the influence of God.  Even if we don’t like our leader, it would be all the more reason to pray to God for them.  God will make them who they need to be in order that they “keep watch over our souls.”

God can, and will, also have our leadership be joyful in doing the good works pleasing in God’s sight.  As one who served in the Marines for thirty years under all kinds of leaders, and now being led by a faithful bishop and a loving parish vestry, I know firsthand that prayer for leaders work.

Leaders (including myself) are often conflicted about how priorities should be set, but prayer to God for right judgment always helps.  I can say to you honestly that praying for leaders makes a good and positive difference.  The big thing to overcome is that we must really “want” leadership to be better, to do good works for the people they serve.  We can’t hold grudges or wish ill upon them.  But rather, work with God for their improvement. If we didn’t have societies we wouldn’t need leaders.  So it is really for the people that we are praying. And when (not if), the leader improves, relish in the pride of working with God that changed him or her. And you know what?  They didn’t even see it coming. Bless their hearts.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 the 5^th Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;

Genesis 25:19 to 34; Hebrews 13:1 to 16; John 7:37 to 52:

“Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?’ They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.”  (John 7:50 – 52)

So this is Nicodemus who first went out to Jesus in darkness (Chapter 3 of this Gospel according to John), perhaps so as not to be seen.  But the darkness could also be used to describe the darkness of ignorance.  Albeit, he now pushes for some level of fairness for Jesus. And what happens?  His colleagues immediately turn on him.  They have that mentality that says if you are not with me, then you are against me.

Nicodemus took a risk for Jesus whom he knew in his heart was a good man and at least a prophet sent from God.  His friends want to use our Lord Jesus’ current home town as a way to say he cannot be sent from God. Now even they will admit that God can do whatever God wants to do.  And one thing is for sure; God does not depend on “the way it’s always been.” 

Neither should we use our own history as a locked-out boundary that will suppress any hope of evolving, or growing spiritually.  When writings get old, somehow they become sacred text that suggests that the people who wrote them were in some way, smarter or more holy than we are today. This kind of misguided idea, be it the Bible or our Constitution, becomes our new god.  But they are not God.  They are writings by people, all of whom had faults and misunderstandings like us of today.  While Jesus did not originate in Galilee as they thought, it really makes no difference.  God, the real God, can, and does do, whatever God wants to do.  God is always doing something new.  

How many of us today are still where we were originally from (geographically, intellectually and spiritually)?  Some of us are, but I’ll bet most of us are not. Either way, it makes no difference. God is present at our beginning, in our present and will receive us when we close. Nicodemus was right, we all deserve a hearing and God, the real God, listens.  We too should listen to one another with compassion.  Remember, listening leads to learning, which leads to loving, which can lead to outright leading others.

Today our Church remembers The Martyrs of Japan. Click on this and check it out.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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

Gospel Reading for the Fifth Sunday of Epiphany: Year B

Mark 1:29 to 39

“He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.”  (Mark 1:31)

We can miss so much when we don’t know the original words used to record our Lords deeds and healings as they were intended.  The mother-in-law of Simon Peter was healed and then she got up and “served” them.  The Greek word used to serve is (diakonie), or deacon for them.  We don’t hear any more about deacons until we get to Acts of the Apostles where seven deacons were ordained to feed the poor.

Having this understanding about Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law causes me to see Jesus as ordaining her as perhaps the first ever deacon.  We miss so much when we don’t have a complete understanding of the ancient words.  But sometimes we don’t get messages about how we should follow Jesus’ example when there is no misunderstanding of the words.  Jesus was found praying.

“In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’” (Mark 1 35 – 37)

This again reminds me that my children never disturbed me during my prayer time.  As the kids were growing up they would often come to ask me something while I was on the phone,  mowing the lawn, or watching the game; but never did they interrupt me during prayers like it seems Simon and his companions did to Jesus.  Long story short, I was never praying.  If it’s one thing I could change while raising my children it would be that I would be found praying regularly.  Kids are learners, if parents curse, their children will curse, if parents smoke, kids will smoke, it stands to reason then that if parents pray kids too will pray. 

I wish I had been found praying like Jesus was when they were searching for me. Maybe then my children would have grown up praying, and who knows, maybe they would have been called to be deacons or priests like Simon Peter’s mother-in-law.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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