onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 26: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening,  ;Psalm 68:
Nehemiah 12:27 to 31a, and 42b to 47; Revelation 11:1 to 19; Matthew 13:44 to 52:

“The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain, at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.  You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; you refreshed the land when it was weary:” (These are two verses from Psalm 68)

I watched a video where people (many women and children of southern Madagascar) are starving due to global climate change. For them climate change is not political, it is life, or should I say, the ending of it.  To read these words of a gracious rain in today’s Psalm 68 I thought how wonderful it would be for God to have it rain for these people, even in spite of the ecological negligence the rest of us perpetrate on them, and others like them.

That God would have me catch this television article on the day of the words of Psalm 68 is no coincidence. That I am sharing these words with you is also no coincidence. You and I need to advocate for the downtrodden on our planet, this fragile earth our island home.`

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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 Proper 26: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 56 and 57; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65;
Nehemiah 6:1 to 19; Revelation10:1 to 11; Matthew 13:36 to 43

“I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord; I will sing praise to you among the nations.” (Psalm 57)

I talk God up whenever I am with others in order that they understand that my progression in life is not my strategy conceived and built by me, but rather by God.  I want people to put their trust in God again. We are not on our own to love whom we choose. We are owned by Love to love all. Hate has no place in us.

For me, “confessing God” means giving God proper credit for the good that happens to us as we journey through life.  I know that the good that has happened to me was not of my own doing. There have been opportunities and breaks in my life that were beyond anything I could ask or imagine. There have been military or government rules or regulations that were broken or changed that favored my further progression as a servant of God. And for all this I am so truly thankful.

Today our Church remembers William Temple: Archbishop of Canterbury (6 November 1944) The Temple quote that I really like is, “The Church exists primarily for the sake of those who are still outside it. It is a mistake to suppose that God is only, or even chiefly, concerned with religion.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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        

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Proper 26: Year A

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13: Matthew 23:1-12

“Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”  (Matthew 23:1 to 3)

As Jesus instructs his followers to follow the teachings of the Pharisees, he cautions them not to observe their behavior for they themselves do not follow their on words.

According to our New Testament the Pharisees and scribes have always sought recognition and glory for themselves. We are told that that give long prayers in various places and wear extravagant garments so as to be noticed and recognized by all.  And just as this lesson given by our Lord Jesus is for religious leaders of all stripes, we must remember that we are all religious leaders if we live and walk by our faith. 

We tend to follow the examples handed down to us by parents, pastors and peers.  Not all examples handed down to us by any of the three ‘P’s are necessarily noble or even decent. If we hear “do not smoke or curse,” and yet we see our leaders do so, we are inclined to do so as well.

Jesus says our leaders know better, they often just don’t do better. We then, are asked to discern the difference between their words and their actions. But this lesson goes to us as well.

You and I are called to be “doers” of our words and not just speakers of words. We are called to lead by example regardless of what title is given to us.

From Douglas R. A. Hare; “This passage is perennially relevant. It is not a mortal sin for clergy to be addressed as ‘Reverend,’ Father,’ Doctor,’ or ‘Pastor.’ The eagerness of laypeople to exalt ordained persons by those honorific titles, however, intensifies the minister’s responsibility to work diligently at breaking down the barrier between clergy and laity.”

Titles aside, God is watching. Clergy or Laity, we are all teachers of the love of Christ; especially parents, and pastors. It would even be good for parents and pastors to observe who the peers of our little ones are.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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 Proper 25: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138 and 139:1 to 17;
Nehemiah 4:1 to 23; Revelation 7:4 to17; Matthew  13:31 to 35:

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands:” (Revelation 7: 9).

In this scene in Revelation we have many people of all walks of human life.  And while they are representative of almost all aspects of human life, there is one category not mentioned; religion.

All nations, tribes and voices of humanity are brought before God without mention of how they got to God. I think this is important, very important.  And here is the good part, “They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes:” (Revelation 7: 16 and 17).

God knows all there is to know about us no matter our religion as expressed in Psalm 139 today:

1. Lord, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

2. You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.

3. Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

4. You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.

5. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

6. Where can I go then from your Spirit? *
where can I flee from your presence?

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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 Proper 25: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54; Evening, Psalm 51:
Nehemiah 2:1-20; Revelation 6:12-7:4; Matthew 13:24-30

 “So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.” (Matthew 13: 26)

God has made all things very good as we learn in the opening of Genesis. But soon to follow is evil.  Why?  Please note that evil does not begin and then good follows. No, first there is good, and then evil follows. This doesn’t have to be.

In today’s parable Jesus tells of the wheat sown and then an enemy plants weeds among the wheat. It seems that evil only wants to spoil the goodness for evil’s sake. We start with Creation and proceed to a fall because of evil and sin. We have homes and employment and then comes foreclosure or termination, respectively.  If the first didn’t exist, the second couldn’t exist. Evil only has its existence in corrupting goodness. If we are aware of this, then being forewarned is being forearmed.

The lesson for us today is to be alert. We are not to wait for evil, but we are to understand that evil lurks at the door and its desire is to consume us but we must master it. (Genesis 4:7)

God created us very good. But we must be on the alert for the evil and sin that shows up in community, in our Church, in our friends, in our family and in our selves. We must be vigilant.  When, (not if), you see evil, call it out; even in yourself. We must separate ourselves from any evil that tries to infest itself in us. And like in the parable, as we grow in spiritual maturity, the evil will be as distinguished as weeds among wheat, and be better identified so as to be removed.

Let us ponder all that God has made good, and very good, including our Sabbath rest.

Today we remember Richard Hooker (Priest and Theologian November 3, 1600)

Throughout my blogging year I mention Richard Hooker several times. I often refer to his three-legged stool, his metaphor of our Anglican faith that is formed by Scripture, Tradition and Reason.  He was one who sought after mature wisdom. To borrow the lesson from above of today’s blog. Richard Hooker is such a one whom God gifted with understanding beyond his own studies. It is from such people as Richard Hooker that we are able to ponder the deeper meaning of our faith-walk.

“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 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

Readings for All Souls / All Faithful Departed

Psalm 130, Wisdom 3:1 to 9, 1^st Thessalonians 4:13 to 18, and John 5:24 to 27: 

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

I like the part where it says, “does not come under judgment.”  I have had many friends who did not claim a specific denomination, nor attend Church regularly, but have now passed away.  But God knows their faith.  We are not to judge them. That will be God’s job.  These are the Faithful Departed which we remember today.

I like that our Church has set aside a day of remembrance for people we have lost to death. Some died of natural causes or disease. Some were victims of mass murder such as a school shooting or shootings at a public gathering; some were victims of terrorist attacks such as the attacks of 9/11.  We should not let the evil plan of a sinful person or group determine when we mourn our loss. Our Church has a day for this. It is today. We remember them today and again give them to God Almighty where they have “passed from death to life.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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 All Saints Day!

Eucharistic Readings for All Saints Day; Year A

Revelation 7: 9 to 17; Psalm 34: 1 to 10 and 22; 1st John 3; 1 to 3; Matthew 5: 1 to 12

Let us Pray:

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (BCP 245)

Too few people are aware of this annual remembrance. Most know about Halloween or, All Hallows Eve, the night before all Saints Day but have no idea about the day we set aside to remember the saints of old.  There are many. We have the apostle saints, Matthew, John, James, Peter and the others. We have the post resurrection saints, a list that we are still adding to, like Saints Paul, Francis, Mary (Mother of Jesus) and Mary Magdalene, Teresa and many, many others

The saints made great personal sacrifices while living out their godly lives. Many were martyred like Joan of ark and Martin Luther King Jr. and many others. Others also suffered in the teachings of God’s love but they maintained their faith no matter what, setting for us examples of righteous living. “Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself:” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:5) 

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

As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 25: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening,  Psalms 47 and 48;
Ezra 5:1 to 17; Revelation 4:1 to 11; Matthew 13:1 to 9:

“Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  Let anyone with ears listen!” (Matthew 13: 8 and 9)

I think what we are supposed to listen to with our ears is that our hearts and minds should be like the good soil.  I have never heard it preached this way, “We are to be the good dirt.”

We must notice that all the seed is the same and therefore good.  What really matters is where it lands. These seeds are like the gifts of God and faith in God, given to us to bring forth a harvest pleasing to God.

But like the diverse terrain upon which some of the good seed falls, some of us are not conducive to making the most of God’s gifts to us.  Some of us are too shallow and provide no foundation for our faith and gifts.  Some of us are too occupied with worldliness to make good use of God’s gifts to us, which would actually make this world we are in transfixed and made a better place. Some of us misuse our gifts for personal gain thus let our gifts go as if taken away by birds.

But some of us, too few of us, actually receive, and make good use of God’s good gifts and so, make our world a better place for all who dwell therein.

We are called to be absorbent soakers of God’s seed putting everything else aside. It is in this way that we will do what is pleasing in God’s sight, thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel 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 Proper 25: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 41 and 52; Evening,  Psalm 44;
Zechariah 1:7 to 17; Revelation 1:4 to 20; Matthew 12:43 to 50:

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting-place, but it finds none. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came.” When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation:” (Matthew 12: 43 to 45).

Our Lord Jesus speaks of various evil spirits that will inhabit us should they find a vacancy in us.  They can be driven out, but if we don’t work at finding worthwhile, good spirits to make a home in us, the evil spirits will return and be even worse.

It seems we humans are made to be led by one kind of spirit or another. All spirits or longings make themselves manifest in us by the way we think, our attitudes towards others, and our charitable, or self –serving greed. We have a few choices.

The only choice we do not have is to stay void of any spirit at all. Every person I have ever met pushes towards some desire, the good or the bad. When I say good I include everything from studying birds, or the universe, or medicine, or theology, or anything godly that keeps us occupied with learning that may help or inform others in a good way.  When I say bad, it tends to be all practices that bring harm, hurt or death to our neighbor. The bad practices may include, but are not limited to, identity theft, the illicit sell of drugs, any desire of trying to take something that does not belong to us, and any harm we wish to have done to others, even in the name of so called justice.

We need to monitor our emotions and desires. Are they good or bad?  If accomplished, will the spirit of our desires bring others wholeness; or new helpful information; or a way to start their own search for goodness?  We must “be” those we are in any kind of relationship with. Any notion in us that has us to not care about our neighbor is the manifestation of an evil spirit that is lurking around looking for a vacancy. We must fill our desires with ambitions that build up our neighbor and our Church. Good and positive spirits do not have to appear religious but will still have a charitable and loving outcome.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel and our schools and the families of the victims of the Maine shootings.

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

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 25: Year A

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and Matthew 22:34-46

“He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  (Matthew 22: 37 to 40)

In the Hebrew Testament there are six hundred and thirteen laws; many of which are outdated in today’s societies.  And we Christians have adopted the Ten Commandments as part of our own code of conduct.  However, in today’s Eucharistic Gospel, we see where our Lord Jesus makes it easier for us with only two Commandments. 

There was a traveler who asked an old Rabbi, “Sir, could you explain the whole of the Torah while standing on one foot?”  To which the Rabbi answered, “What you don’t like done to you, do not do to anyone else.” 

It is indeed easier to remember only two Commandments.  Love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself.  Loving God must come first.  Love God, and then we are able to love others through the love we have for God.  It is also very important that we love ourselves.  It does us no good to love others as we love ourselves if in fact, we don’t love ourselves. God loves us. Therefore, we too must love ourselves. God finds us worthy of God’s love. So we cannot, not love ourselves. After this, we stretch out to our neighbors, all on earth are our neighbors.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel and our schools and the victims and families of the mass shootings in Maine.

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.