onewhoponders

Today is the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for January 4^th: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 85 and 87; Evening, Psalm 136;

Joshua 3:14 to 4:7;  Ephesians 5:1 to 20;  John 9:1 to 12 and 35 to 38:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  (John 9: 5)

The Gospel according to John opens with words explaining that Jesus, the Logos of God, He is the Word and Light of the world.  This light is more than just visual illumination.  The light of Christ is a moral plumb line guiding right behavior. It is as the Christmas song says, “being good for goodness sake.”

Among the many and glorious names we have picked out for God, Goodness is one that I hold in high praise. In my parish when one person often says, “God is Good.” The next person responds with, “All the time.”  This is so true. But not only is God good all the time, God is good everywhere.  There is no place that God is not. God made every place there is. Every place on earth and in the universe, belongs to God. Therefore, the light of God is always present, even at night. So, we must understand that what is being taught here is moral light, not daylight.

The light of morality is a human thing. Jesus is God’s way of doing a human thing.  Perhaps this is why God cane to us as one of us in the Person of Jesus, to show us how to see more clearly in the light of morality, that is in righteousness.  Jesus shows us the righteousness of living lovingly with one another.

Let us strive to maintain the light of Christ in the world all year long and everywhere we go. Merry Christmas: Day 11

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

Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for Monday January 3^rd: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 68; Evening, Psalm 72;

1^st Kings 19:9 to 18; Ephesians 4:17 to 32; John 6:15 to 27:

“So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)

Before saying the above, Paul reminds the Church that the sad and unloving patterns of the outside world, that is the Gentiles, is not the way they should live.  Gentiles for us today would be represented by any antisocial person, culture or government that is hostile to neighbors.

Paul reminds the Church in Ephesus (and us today) that we have moved on from the old ways of looking at life, as he says “Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart:” (Ephesians 4:17 to 18).

We too should want to let go of old ways that do not build up relationships. We should start with the bridge of listening. Listening leads to learning; learning leads to loving; and loving eradicates ignorance and hardness of heart. 

Let us always listen, learn, love and lead with the mind of Christ. Merry Christmas: Day 10

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

This is the Ninth Day of Christmas

Daily Office  Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Christmas: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 34; Evening,  Psalm 33:
1 Kings 19:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:1-14

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them and delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

I have a saying that God’s ears, hears tears. Perhaps this is not correct grammar but it expresses my belief that whoever cries, they are also praying.  God has encoded in every human an alarm that signals God of our distress. And God responds to us as God sees fit.

I know people who cry often. And, often they are not sure of their faith. But it doesn’t matter. If we cry, God hears us and will attend to us.  In the Bible, from Hagar with her son Ishmael, to Mary Magdalene at the grave of Jesus,  God is with those who cry even as he was with David at the loss of his son Absalom. Emanuel, God is with us.

Therefore, if you are distressed but don’t have words, don’t worry. “Just let the tears flow, and  God will know.”  God will feel your pain and attend to you. God engineered us this way. Merry Christmas: Day 9

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

This is the Eighth Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Name Day: January 1

Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7; or Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses, What is man that you should be mindful of him? the son of man that you should seek him out?” (Psalm 8: 4 and 5)

There is no doubt in my mind that the goodness of God called creation into being. And, as the Psalmist considers, with the moon and the stars in their respective courses, God also caused humanity to also come into being.  But then God became mindful of us, so much so that God actually walked among us as one of us!  Yes, God sought us out.

This is further illustrated by the words of Paul as he teaches us that when our human creation part was ready, then, and only then, God joined us, Emanuel; God with us. Paul writes, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. (Galatians 4:4 and 5).

And of course, the technical details can be found in our  Gospel passage from Luke in our reading for today. The over arching point I want to ponder is God’s interest and fascination with humanity. “What is man that you should be mindful of him?”  We humans have such a divine opportunity through our Brother Jesus Christ to join God for eternity. It is now time for us to be mindful, that is, fascinated with, and thankful to, God.  Merry Christmas: Day 8.

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

Today is the Seventh Day of Christmas.

Eucharistic Readings for the First Sunday after Christmas Day: All Years

Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 147 or 147:13-21; Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7; John 1:1-18

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

These words are the beginning to what we call the Prologue to the Gospel according to John. It does my heart and faith good to stop and read these words (John 1: 1 to 118) regularly.

It was a clergy person of another denomination who made my Episcopal Seminary class slow down and hear what was not being said.  In the beginning was the Word, not the book. The book, and that means the Bible, like our houses of prayer, are man-made.  While the greatest of human effort was made to ensure all glory is attributed To God, the Bible and our Churches, Mosques,  Synagogues, and Temples are imperfectly human made.

The One Who has no beginning created our beginning. This opening of John is reminiscent of the opening of Genesis. Perhaps this was John’s intent. In this opening of John we also have a creation story, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being” (John 1:3).  From this I gather that the Word proclaimed, and life, all life, came into being.

Then, in all unassuming nature, the Creating Word walked among us as one of us and we did not see that there was something different about this Person. But when we listen to the words of the Eternal, Creating Word,we are awakened into an everlasting light; the light of love, both for God and for one another.

 It does us good to read the first 18 verses of John from time to time. Merry Christmas: Day 7

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

This is the Sixth Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for December 30^th: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 20 and 21:1to 7; Evening, Psalms 23 and  27;

1^st Kings 17:17 to 24; 3^rd Letter of John 1 to 15; John 4:46 to 54:

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.” (John 4:50)

Going to our Lord Jesus is the most powerful act we can perform for someone. It is more important than money. The Scripture in today’s Gospel reading says that the man believed and started back home. However, he did inquire about the time the boy was healed, and scripture says he believed (again).   Regardless of when he really believed, he obeyed Jesus and started for home.  Jesus is everywhere. He didn’t have to be standing above the child to heal him. He healed him across space and time.

Our Lord Jesus is still doing this today for those who ask, across time and space. The catch is, we must believe. Believing is about going to Jesus in prayer, but it is also about following Jesus’ teachings regarding forgiveness. Few of us, even if we struggled with all medical learning could not come close to the healing that Jesus can do,  But, if we learned to forgive like Jesus does, all of us could achieve His merciful likeness.

Prayer, with forgiveness, is the greatest of gifts we can ever give to anyone, for Christmas, or anytime. Jesus is everywhere.  Merry Christmas: Day 6

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

This is the 5^th Day of Christmas.

Daily Office Readings for December 29: Year 2:

Morning, Psalm 18: 1 to 20; Evening, Psalm 18: 21 to 50:

2^nd Samuel 23: 13 to 17; 2^nd John 1 to 13; John 2:1 to 11:

“His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)

I agree with the Late Verna Dozier in her book, “The Dream of God,” that we, as Christians should be more concerned with following (obeying), our Lord Jesus than worshiping him. I also hold these words of the Mother of Jesus as one of two most powerful (although shortest) sermons in the Christian Testament; “Do whatever he tells you.” She is talking to the servants. Jesus gives them instructions about what to do, and they do it.

Jesus also gives us, his servants, instructions about what we are to do. Will we do them?

As followers of the Christ of Christmas, we should do whatever he tells us.  Merry Christmas: Day 5.

Today our Church remembers Thomas Becket. “On December 29, we remember Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, slain in his own cathedral in 1170, for his defiance of King Henry II. The death of Thomas reminds us that a Christian, even when safe from pagans, can be in danger from his fellow-Christians. It also reminds us that one can be martyred in a cause where the merits of the particular issue at hand are not obvious to all men of good will.” Taken from Thomas a Becket (satucket.com) and can be further read at this site.

“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

This is the Fourth Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Innocence

Jeremiah 31:15 to 17;  Psalm 124;  Revelation 21:1 to 7;  Matthew 2:13 to 18:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”  (Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:18)

The writer of the Gospel according to Matthew repeats words written in the journal of Jeremiah. He adds to them as one builds on a previous foundation.  I think we all should do this.  I will do so here.

I know a Rachel who has no children and yet she is a perfect mother. She is kind and gentle, very smart and nurturing.  Children, when we are blessed with them, are a gift from God. And because they are precious in God’s sight, they should be precious in our sight as well.  After all, we are made in the Image of God. We should all be Rachel; we should all be Saint Nicolas (Santa Claus).

 The first Herod who ruled Judah around birth of our Lord Jesus was not great as a compassionate, yet appointed, ruler. He was an evil monster and baby killer as recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew. He felt threatened by a New Born King.  This is sad.

Is there a biblical foundation that inspires you to build on?  Please do it, we need it.

We are never to hurt or harm children, only love them, teach them, save and help them. Children are what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

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

This is the Third Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for St John the Evangelist

Exodus 33:18 to 23; Psalm 92; 1^st John 1:1  to  9: John 21: 19 to  24:

“This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.”  (John 21:24)

John is one of at least five Apostles that the Gospel shows evidence of being handpicked by Jesus.  Oh the Gospel says he had 12 but some were just joiners I guess.  John and James, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and later Matthew (Levi; Matthew 9:9), were actually invited with the words, “follow me,” and they accepted.  There was also the rich young man but he declined the invitation of our Lord, (Matthew 19:21).  His name could have been among the 12 (or five), He was invited but his many possessions had control of him. There is a lesson in this for you and me.

John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1: 1 to 3). We have a beginning from One who has no beginning.

We must recognize the testimony of John as a divine revelation and message. All of his words, from the Gospel according to John, his pastoral letters, and the Divine Revelation from our Lord Jesus, are God’s doing and it is for our benefit. Thank You Lord Jesus.

I have come to recognize and appreciate that our Church, has been built on the written words from past experiences of people, and primarily from the Bible.  Perhaps the greatest contribution we could do for those who come after us is to also write something of our own experiences.  In this way we give back, even if just a little, as a token of our appreciation for what has been given to us.

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe.  Merry Christmas: Day 3

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

This is the Second Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for St. Stephens

Jeremiah 26:1-9,12-15;  Psalm 31;  Acts 6:8-7:2a,51c-60;  Matthew 23:34-39:

“Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.” (Acts 7:60)

As a priest retired, but still considered a servant of our Lord Jesus, I am not in total agreement with how our first deacons were formed.  As I understand it deacons were formed in order to excuse priests from the responsibility of feeding those who were hungry, (Acts 6), which is in contrast with what Jesus did at every opportunity he could. In fact he said to the apostles, “You feed them,”  (Matthew 14:16).  However, more than that, and in keeping with today’s focus, Deacon Stephen’s devotion to God through the examples of Jesus is most remarkable.

Stephen knows his faith history and relates it to those who falsely judge him.  He has every right to be angry about how they are treating him, however, he lets love prevail. Psalm 31:13 – 16 may hold comforting words for Stephen and for all of us who are held in contempt.  For it reads:

13. For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.

14. But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. I have said, “You are my God.

15. My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16. Make your face to shine upon your servant, and in your loving-kindness save me.” (Psalm 31:13 -16)

I believe Stephen was saved, not from mortal death but form eternal death. And as he goes, he shares with us a very important lesson. Let us not take our hate or ill-will for another with us to our mortal death. Let us forgive, ask God to forgive, and then move on.  Merry Christmas: Day 2

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