onewhoponders

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 15: Year A

Romans 11:1-2 2 and 29 to 32; Matthew 15: 10 to 28

“She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” (Matthew 15: 27 and 28)

Prior to this incident (and part of our Gospel Reading for today) Jesus had just explained about what defiles a person.  He said it is not what goes into a person (certain foods considered unclean) but rather it is what comes out of a person, sinful acts and words that defile a person.  I know for myself, when I have said or done something revengeful or retaliatory, I feel sad about it.  I am still a work in progress.  Pray for me please.

And then we have this Canaanite woman with words of requests for her daughter’s cure coming out of her mouth.  This is intercessory prayer. This is coming to our Lord Jesus of whom she did not know, but needed anyway.  This is about Jesus himself learning truly who he is. (The Gospel according to Matthew is only concerned with the people of Israel.) But here we are shown the world-wide intention of God’s Salvation.  God loves, and wants all people to be saved.

The very nature of God is inclusiveness, all people; period.  I know that all people are not baptized.  But we, who follow our Lord Jesus, continue to insist on this soul saving practice of grace. There is no exclusion from the love of God.  Canaanite or Israelite, black or white, rich or poor, democrat or republican, boy or girl, bald or with curls, Jesus loves the little children of the world. All are precious in his sight.

This is again, another example where Jesus informs us about the faith that is already in us; the faith in the mother that was the source of her daughter’s healing.  So it is with us today.  We must first believe.

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

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 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 107:33 to 43 and 108:1 to 6; Evening,  Psalm 33;
2^nd Samuel 16:1 to 23; Acts 22:17 to 29; Mark 11:1 to 11:

“The tribune answered, ‘It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.’ Paul said, ‘But I was born a citizen:” (Acts 22:28)

You and I are citizens of heaven and the price of our citizenship was paid by our Lord Jesus. Jesus tells us that we too must be born again into this citizenship from above by water and the Spirit: (John 3:3 to 7). Personally, I now understand the “born again,” as born into love and service to others. In no way are we, as citizens of heaven, to mistreat others or use others in demeaning ways.

I don’t understand “examining” with a whip, as it seems to be the normal way of interrogation in our Acts reading for today.  It’s like beating a person until they say what you want them to say.  It’s wrong. I seem to recall that Pilate did the same thing to our Lord Jesus even though he was going to have him crucified. Why?  If we truly become the other, we would feel what they feel, and therefore, not be mean and cruel to them.

You and I should be examining ourselves daily by the plumb line of Christ with which we measure our thoughts and actions on a daily basis. It is only when we see the straight and moral correctness of our Lord Jesus, and how we are not so straight when compared to him, that we correct ourselves and strive to be better. While we understand that we will never be our Lord Jesus, we should be devoted to a life of trying to be the best Jesus we can be. I’m not there yet but I haven’t given up on me.

I will strive everyday to not yield to, returning evil for evil, name calling, one-upping, racial, religious, political, or national prejudice, and other sinful practices that seem to be the norm for this world of separation and indifference. I will strive to not behave in these ways because I realize that it is not who I am as a citizen of heaven.

Jesus’ citizenship took precedence over ours for our benefit.  But we are no less citizens of heaven now because he has paid the price that God the Creator has accepted. Our citizenship is through our Lord Jesus. Therefore, we are no longer citizens of this world, but rather citizens of that heavenly country where there is life eternal, and from whence, no traveler returns.  Thank you Lord Jesus.

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

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 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1-32;
2^nd  Samuel 15:19 to 37; Acts 21:37 to 22:16; Mark 10:46 to 52:

“So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.” (Mark 10: 50)

At some point when teaching a young child to ride a bicycle, we must take off the training wheels, those added security wheels that reminds them of the days of the tricycle. What then is to be done with the old training wheels? 

When I taught my granddaughter to ride a bicycle, after many hours of walking alongside her, holding her up, we stopped for a rest; at least for me. After a few minutes, she said to me, Grandpa, let me ride it by myself.  To which I said, go ahead, but be careful.”

She rode and rode up and down our driveway again and again, without me, without training wheels. She just needed me to get out of the way. She just needed to be released from both me, and the training wheels.

Bartimaeus needed to be released from his cloak. If one is blind it is so important to either hold on to personal things or put a lot of attention in where things are laid in order that the item may be found again when needed. So throwing off his cloak and springing up to meet Jesus demonstrates his strong faith in what Jesus will do for him. He let go of his safety in order to gain sight.

We too must let go of whatever hinders our path to the healing of our Lord Jesus. And yes, there will be some folks trying to prevent us from being with Jesus alone.  They have become our cloak or our training wheels. They too must be removed in order to fully absorb the life changing love of our Lord Jesus.

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

 “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

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 Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 105:1 to 22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45;
2^nd  Samuel 15:1 to 18; Acts 21:27 to 36; Mark 10:32 to 45:

“So Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10: 42 to 45)

Our Lord Jesus has just explained how he is to go up to Jerusalem and be humiliated and killed. He is doing this willingly for the sake of the world.  Yet, even after hearing his testimony, James and John ask for glory in the next life. Jesus further explains that he serves people and wants us to do the same. James and John were looking for glory.

 In some kind of reverse psychology our Lord Jesus pushes them to seek glory in their humility.  But I think the greater point is to not seek glory at all. But rather, just be comfortable in serving others. I believe service to others is the Christian calling.  Such service includes teaching about decency, compassion, and courtesy as we live in community, as well as, about the love that God has for us.  This is not glory seeking, but rather, being of service to others for their own benefit, and being comfortable doing it.

This way of living and leading is very different from the way of the world.  The world leads with intimidation, threats, and negative consequences for people who do not please those over them. Our Lord Jesus says of them, and of our system today, “those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.”  This kind of employee abuse has been made manifest in having people work “off the clock,” sexual intimidation or abuse, working in hazardous environments, and so forth. It seems the higher up the chain we go, the more corrupt it becomes. There is too often a severe lack of love in our chains of command. Our Lord Jesus teaches us that love should be a thread within every fabric of our societal cloth.

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

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 Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 101 and 109; Evening,  Psalm 119:121 to 144;
2^nd  Samuel 14:21 to 33; Acts 21:15 to 26; Mark 10:17 to 31:

“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

There are several points to ponder in this exchange between our Lord Jesus and this unnamed potential apostle. 

First, the article “the.” is not in the Greek version of this reading. This is at least an English interpretation of how to understand this writing.  Pondering further will ask us to look at what the message might be if the “the” was not there.  We would read, “and give money to the poor.”  The implication is that perhaps some money might be retained for himself, or as community money for the followers of our Lord Jesus who were at the mercy of whoever could help them, very often it was women who had money.

Another point to ponder is that this individual was given the invitation to “follow me,” by our Lord Jesus.  Had he accepted this invitation we would have his name.  This is how we have Levi’s name, (Also known as Matthew). Levi was collecting the tax when he was asked by Jesus to follow Him and he dropped everything and followed our Lord Jesus; (Mark 2:13 and 14). This rich man could have done the same thing. He didn’t have possessions, possessions had him; beware!

There are some revealing words in the request of the man with wealth.  He wanted to know what he had to do to “inherit” eternal life. Perhaps this is how he acquired his earthly wealth and wanted the same for eternal life.  Also, our Lord Jesus goes through relational questions about how he responds to the needs of his neighbors; that is ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”  Jesus goes through the last six of the Ten Commandments, the Commandments dealing with how we respond to one another.  To which the man says he has done since his youth.  It seems he had a check list of how to gain eternal life. He was working on the premise of works righteousness.  But we can’t earn our way into heaven.  We love our way into heaven.

Perhaps the most important words in this passage are “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.”  And our Lord Jesus is asking the same thing of us.  If we love our neighbors we won’t have to worry about a checklist of what to do and what not to do. Our Lord Jesus says we only have really two Commandments, to love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbors as He loves us. Love for God and neighbor is the whole message of the Bible. Let us hear it and apply it.

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

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 Proper 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;
2^nd  Samuel 14:1 to 20; Acts 21:1 to 14; Mark 10:1 to 16:

“Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’” (Acts 21:13 and 14)

I don’t know if we can call Paul’s words here, acts of courage.  For Paul has had visions and voices from our Lord Jesus and therefore had more than just belief.  Paul had certain knowledge. Once we know, we can’t unknow. Once we know what our Lord Jesus is doing, it is no longer a matter of faith, belief or courage, it is a matter of knowing and of obedience to the will of God.

We have pivotal names in the Bible that hinges our faith together.  We have Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Ruth, David, Mary and Joseph and of course our Lord Jesus. Then we have Peter, James, John and Paul. All of these names represent turning points in our journey from faith to knowledge. But the most instrumental and important Name is the Name of our Lord Jesus.

The people of faith cry and try to persuade Paul, a person of certain knowledge, not to go to Jerusalem in order to save his earthly body.  But Paul has seen the will of God. And nothing will stand in his way. It is like those who comforted him said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

I ponder about how my life would change if our Lord Jesus took me aside and was present with me as he was with Paul while he was on his way to Damascus; or as Jesus was with Peter, James and John on the mountain at the Transfiguration; or even as God was with Moses as bush, fire, and voice, – in a Trinitarian Presence wherein Moses no longer had to rely on faith or belief, for after the burning bush experience, he knew, and he knew God’s will, at least for himself.

Should we fear the Day of the Lord?  It is a trick question.  On the one hand, when God visits us all guess work and doubt is gone forever.  On the other, what possible pain awaits us as it did for Paul and the apostles and even the predicament Moses found himself in with the king of Egypt?

The good news is that no matter the outcome, we will KNOW that we will arrive in glory!  So, should we pray for God to make God’s self known to us?  I’m scared. How about you?  Sometimes just believing is a safe way out. All we have to do is live, love and trust in God. Amen; Halleluiah.

Today we remember and honor Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools , and the people of Maui, Hawaii.

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 14: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 89:1 to 18; Evening,  Psalm 89:19 to 52;
2^nd Samuel 13:23 to 39; Acts 20:17 to 38; Mark 9:42 to 50:

“Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20: 28)

Paul gives a farewell speech to those that he does not expect to see again.  I am not a big fan of Paul but I do recognize that from time to time, from letter to letter, a divine message slips through that God managed to get to us through Paul.

I believe that if a Church is open and receptive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit will lead that Church in godly ways. Just as we must examine all that Paul says, so too we must be attentive to what parish and church leaders say. Maybe all that they say and do is godly, maybe not. The people in the pews are not relieved of their God-given sense of reason. God’s messages are always messages of love and inclusion. It does not matter what label we put on a Christian Church, be it Baptist, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran or Episcopalian, or any denominational name we use.

Through the cup of Christ at Holy Communion the Christian Church, is joined to Christ as adopted children of God.  For me, this is an adoption into servanthood to, and for, all people be they Christian or not; and also servants and stewards of this fragile earth our island home.

These calls to servanthood and to stewardship are the overseeing guidance that I sense from the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God. Perhaps not all are called to be servants and stewards.  Following our Lord Jesus is not easy, at least, not at first.  Servanthood requires one to deny one’s self as a way to discern what a neighbor needs. Stewardship of the planet requires us to monitor our own use of resources and the potential damage we might cause to the environment through waste, negligence or excess. As environmental “overseers” empowered by the Holy Spirit, we the Church, have the responsibility to care for our home. This earth is where our part of creation lives and moves and has its being.  This earth, our neighbors, and our time here on earth, are all gifts from God who loves us dearly. The cup of Christ makes all Christians kindred regardless of language, nationality, how we look, or where we live on this planet.

We Christians are God’s servants even for those who are not Christians because God loves all every human being.

Today our Church Remembers Jonathan Myrick Daniels (August 14, 1965):a seminarian who gave his life to save another during civil unrest in Mississippi.

 Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, 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 Sunday of Proper 14: Year A

Romans 10:5-15:  Matthew 14:22-33

“Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”   (Matthew 14: 28 – 30)

There are several places in the Gospel accounts when people take their eyes off Jesus, and when they do, they fall from faith or lose grace.  When Martha stares at Mary her sister sitting at Jesus’ feet, she complains about having to do all the work herself (Luke 10: 38 – 42).   In that same house from another perspective, (another Gospel account), Judas complains about an expensive perfume used to anoint Jesus’ feet by the same Mary, (John 12: 1 – 8). Again, Judas was not looking at Jesus himself but rather at Mary anointing the feet of Jesus, – a distraction.  Folks, we must maintain our focus on the Lord.

Distractions abound.  We must focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, everyday.  If not, we get lost. We lose faith. We fall from grace. We can remind ourselves of our daily focus on Jesus through scripture readings, gazing up the cross, through prayer beads, through pictures, paintings and icons.  We can use our daily office as found in the Book of Common Prayer. There are so many ways to keep our Lord Jesus at the center of our being.  But the first thing we must do is “Want To!”  If we go to bed with a prayer on our lips, we wake with Christ on our minds.  Dreams work this way.

Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and sank into the water.  He then prayed, “Lord Save Me! And of course, our Lord did, but at the same time, reminded him, and us, of our lackluster faith.  We must stay focused.  Even when the winds hurl and toss the storms of our lives to and fro, we must still stay focused. Let us never take our eyes off the Prize.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, 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 13: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 87 and 90; Evening,  Psalm 136;
2^nd  Samuel 12:15 to 31; Acts 20:1 to 16; Mark 9:30 to 41:

“Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food.’ He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.” But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me:” (2^nd Samuel 12: 21 to 23).

David models for us the position that we should have as we go to God on behalf of a loved one. We pray, and perhaps we should pray with much fasting and tears as we beg God to intervene in the downward spiral, hardship or sickness, or circumstance a loved one is going through.

While David wanted the child to live, he also knew that God’s will, will be done. But more than that, David says something very truthful:  “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 

We all have lost loved ones that have gone on before us.  They will not come back to us. However, we too will one day pass away.  When we do, we will join those who have gone before us. My beloved of the Lord, this life is not the end. David was so correct in saying “I shall go to him.”

However, it is especially difficult to experience the passing of an infant or a young child. So our prayer for David and for any of us who have lost a child might be: “Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with us in our grief. Surround us with your love, that we may not be overwhelmed by our loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (BCP 494)

When these kinds of sad things happen the only thing we have left is prayer. David went into deep consultation with God but in the end, God did not spare David’s son.  And as we know, God did not spare His only Son either. Love has unknown limits as part of its makeup. Death, even the death of an innocent, cannot be a reason to leave the love and judgment of God. In the end as David said, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me:” We shall go to them, but they will not return to us.

Today our Church remembers Florence Nightingale.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, 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 13: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening,  Psalms 91 and 92;
2^nd  Samuel 12:1 to 14; Acts 19:21 to 41; Mark 9:14 to 29:

“You are the man!”  (2^nd Samuel, 12:7)

When Nathan, the Prophet of God, came and told David the metaphor about the rich man who took a poor man’s only little lamb to slaughter for his guest rather than slaughtering one from his own of many sheep, David was furious and said, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity:” (2^nd Samuel 12:5 and 6).

This is when Nathan breaks out of the metaphor and informs David that, “He is the man!” and then explains how God has looked after him all his life and has given him much including many wives and yet he saw fit to go and take Uriah’s only wife to bed, and then have him killed. So after hearing Nathan’s story, David realized he passed judgment on himself.

 David was sorry for what he had done and said to Nathan, “‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Nathan said to David, ‘Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die:” (2^nd Samuel 12: 13 and 14). The child dies. I have learned not to try to hold God in judgment.  God will do what God will do. This is what it means to be the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

Perhaps the biggest take-away for me is not to put David, or any mortal on a pedestal. We all fall short, all that is, except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  And it is our Lord Jesus whom we go to for forgiveness for he is our Redeemer and Advocate.  Thank you Jesus.

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

 “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

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