Tag: christianity

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 12: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36;
2^nd Samuel 3:6 to 21; Acts 16:6 to 15; Mark 6:30 to 46:

“On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there:” (Acts 16:13).

Paul was in Philippi but apparently there was no synagogue. So Paul went outside the gate by the river.  I ponder about whether or not this was the normal custom that an Israelite, or Christian, or any traveling worshiper looking for his or her faith community might do if there was no designated place for prayer.

I feel like there is something wonderful about being outside in nature that provides a closeness to God. I especially connect with the Holy at the beach or in the mountains.  But I have also felt a closeness to God in open plains as well.  God is everywhere.  Buildings built especially for the purpose of drawing us into the spiritual sense sometimes fail.  We perhaps, maybe just need to get outside more often and save buildings for rainy days.  Our Lord Jesus performed most of his healing and teaching outside.  Every part of this earth is sacred and holds a spiritual conduit to God.

Lydia is a person to ponder. While she obviously has a spacious home, large enough to house Paul and his companions, she herself was outside for worship. She was a business woman and a prominent member of her community. But it seems that going down by the water to pray is as ancient a human calling as is keeping a fire going.  It sometimes can’t be explained, it just is.

Lastly, there is something else in the verse that I want to explore, or ponder about. When we read words like “When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us:” (Acts 16: 15) 

 I wonder who the “us” were that the writer is talking about?  Many believe that it was Luke who wrote the Gospel named after him as well as the Acts of the Apostles.  Perhaps Luke is a hidden tag-a-long on Paul’s journeys.  He records everything but does not mention himself. For me, this is another lesson in the humility of invisibility. I am learning that I don’t need to be the center of things and certainly should not bring attention to myself for some kind of human credit. The only credit we should care about is how God sees the love in our hearts.

Today we remember Mary and Martha of Bethany, (July 29) and the First Ordination of Women to the Priesthood in the Episcopal Church (July 29, 1974) and their information may be found at: Mary & Martha of Bethany; and First Ordination of Women to the Priesthood in The; respectively.

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

Let us pray: (BCP p. 825)                    

O God, in the course of this busy life, give us times of refreshment and peace; and grant that we may so use our leisure to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds, that our spirits may be opened to the goodness of your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper12: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 56 and 57, ; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65;
2^nd  Samuel 2:1 to 11; Acts 15:36 to 16:5; Mark 6:14 to 29:

“The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord:” (Acts 15: 39 and 40).

Splitting in the Christian Church is as old as the Church itself.  There is a little evidence of this at the Resurrection of our Lord when Thomas was not with the eleven and had to be told that they had seen the Risen Jesus. If we look closely we can see a little divisiveness in many places.

As our Church grew it split more and more. I have traced the thread that leads to the Episcopal Church of the United States.  The Church starts at the foot of the Cross. From there it moves to Rome. But some who doubted that path never made it to Rome but rather went to Egypt, Asia, and other places. 

From the Church in Rome came the Western and Eastern Churches. From the Western Church came the Roman Catholic Church and from this Church came the Church of England. From the Church of England came the Episcopal Church of the United States of America.

Even our Episcopal Church has had a split as those of us who opposed the leadership of women; and also could not accept the full embrace of our brothers and sisters whose sexual orientation is not heterosexual, felt that they could no longer worship with us.

Many of our splits are not well thought out.  While it sounds old fashioned to say “What would Jesus do?” there is truth in it.  Any step away that encourages us not to love another is not Christ-like. Women had leadership positions with Jesus and we have no language from Jesus regarding homosexual rejection.  I feel like, sadly, we look for reasons (any reason), to separate from the main body of Christ. 

My hope and prayer is that at some level, no matter how small, we began the process of coming back together. It may take another thousand years or more. But I would like to see a Christian body reject the notion of splitting because something didn’t go their way. I would like to see something like a Lutheran, Methodist, and/or Episcopal merger. Wow! This would reverse what Paul and Barnabas did 2000 years ago.  If we could let our love of Jesus hold us together regardless of our selfish desires for the path of the Church, we would indeed be more Christ-like.

Today we remember Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer (1750) and his information may be found at: Johann Sebastian Bach.

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

Let us pray: For the Church (BCP p. 816)

Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.

The Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday of Proper 12: Year C

Luke 11:1-13

“And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.” (Luke 11: 5 – 8)

God has hard-wired us to seek and to assist. It is our human nature to solve mysteries, be it the rotation of the universe or the cure for cancer. We look for answers.  We have inquiring minds and we want to know stuff. Today Google is flooded with people finding information about myriads upon myriads of all kinds of things.  We are born to ask, both for what we need and for what we want. 

Within the tradition of humanity is also the concept of hospitality.  From time to time we all find ourselves in need.  When thus found, we need the help of others. It is nothing to be ashamed of. It is our human condition.  Every person that hears the request of another has to deal with how they will respond to each situation.  I have a very dear friend who carries in his upper left pocket 2 or 3 small envelopes which contain a dollar and a Bible verse in each.  When a person approaches him for money he hands the person an envelope and bids them peace. I myself will adopt this response. A dollar or two is not much but it is a response. It helps satisfy that human need to respond. Even if the timing is bad, we will help if we listen to our hearts. We have this drive to respond to the need of others (friend or stranger). I believe there are more Good Samaritans among us today than there used to be.  We are born to help.

So we ask for help, and when we can, we render help to others.  This is God’s desire for us to be a loving community.  Yes, we still have way too many bad apples.  But we don’t give up because of them.  We endure. We pursue what is good and upright.  When we need help we ask for it.  It is not a matter of pride that we should suffer loss.  We ask someone to help us and we also may help another down the road.  All resources come from God.  We’re just borrowing from God.  And we should keep our eyes open for our brothers and sisters who may not ask, yet be in need.

Being born to ask, and born to help, also means that we are born to live in harmony with each other.  I know people who are too proud to ask for the help they need.  And perhaps if they are criticized about it, they ought to feel reluctant to ask.  So those of us who can help must be vigilant in making sure that we are “grateful” to know that an unexpected opportunity has come to us. And never, never shame, or in any way speak down or look down on anyone who needs our help.  One day it could be us.  If we can Google about the universe, we surely can ask about, and respond to, our needs, and the needs of others in our midst.  We want to take comfort in knowing that we live in a community that takes care of God’s own. We are all, God’s own.

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

Let us pray: (BCP p. 231)

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 11: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:49 to 72; Evening, Psalm 49;
 1^st Samuel 25:23 to 44; Acts 14:19 to 28; Mark 4:35 to 41:

“He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4: 39 and 40)

As one who ponders, I ponder about what “rebuking” language our Lord Jesus might have used to still the wind and the sea. Did the writers of our Gospel put human, regional words in the divine mouth of God Incarnate so as to make it more palatable for us?  Remember that our Lord Jesus spoke in Aramaic.  This was translated into Greek as originally written in our New Testament, and then later the Greek into Latin, and the Latin into the tongues of various peoples across the known world.  How much was lost? How much was miss-translated? How much was added to make it more palatable?

Our Lord Jesus being fully God and fully human only has to wish it done, and it is done. Of all in creation, humanity is the only being that God attempts to reason with.  We are the only ones who God tries to appeal to, to reckon with. And for us, and for our sakes, our Lord Jesus does indeed use our words when speaking directly to us. I’m still curious about how God addresses creation outside of humanity.

God could have made us as subservient as the wind and the sea and all others in creation. But obedience then would not have been our choice so much as a God-given instinct. But we have autonomy and in our autonomy a little piece of God dwells in us.  God wants to see how that little piece of God in us makes us different from all else in creation, and hopefully, in a good and loving way.

That little piece of God in us is what we English speakers call faith. (I invite non English speakers to examine their own word for faith). Why then do we too often fear one another and other forms of existence in creation? We, all humanity, are connected through the divine Presence of God that dwells in us.  And nothing, within, or outside of humanity, can separate us from the love of God. We are God’s own, in this world, and with faith, in the next world as well. This is why our frustrated Lord Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”

Today we remember John Cassian, Abbot at Marseilles (433) and his information may be found at: John Cassian.

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

Let us pray: For the Human Family (BCP p. 815)

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 11: Year 1

Morning,  Psalm 45; Evening,  Psalms 47 and 48;
 1^st Samuel 25:1 to 22; Acts 14:1 to 18; Mark 4:21 to 34:

“And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to maltreat them and to stone them, the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; and there they continued proclaiming the good news:” (Acts 14:5 to 7).

Normally I am not one to be scared off when the going gets rough. But maybe, this is God’s way of getting the Word of God to more, and different people and places.  Sometimes we just have to move on. Perhaps it’s a way of “shaking the dust off your shoes as a testimony against them.”

There are several places in the Bible where God believing people have had to flee only to continue in the faith.   Moses, David, Elijah, Paul and others have had to relocate in order to perpetuate the word.

In more near modern times, The Amish of Europe were all but exterminated. But they fled to America and even then had to settle in Pennsylvania in order to continue in their faith. Sometimes we have to choose to run away in order to live and teach another day,

So it’s not a matter of being scared off.  It is more a matter of recognizing that the current people around you are not ready to receive the Good News. But God knows that there are people very near you who long for sustaining words. We just have to keep moving. We are not to give up, or give in.  We are to move on.

Such moving on is not always a physical location.  In our time of “E” relationships, moving on could just be a matter of deselecting one group and selecting another. In this blog I have reached people all over the globe who have selected me.  My words do not always fall on ears of welcome. But again, I’m not scared off, I just knock the dust off and keep sharing. Somewhere, someone is moved by the words that God is speaking through me.

I receive God’s words as words of love and inclusion. I also know when God holds me in silence because the words that come to me are not God’s but mine. It is perhaps more important today in our “E” community to discern what is from God and what is not, before one hits the send, or publish button. I strive to be one of the communicating saints of God and I invite all the selfless saints to be filled with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and join me in spreading the Word to all who are longing for it.  It is so much easier today to just move on if there is no love found in a few folks for what God is trying to do through you.

Today we remember Mary Magdalene, First Witness of the Resurrection (July 22 NT) and her information may be found at: Mary Magdalene.

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

Let us pray:

Help us dear God, the Creator and Lover of heaven and earth, to live and teach Your instruction wherever we are, and then use us as it pleases You to relocate if that is Your will in order that we may be of even greater service where needed, in Your Holy Spirit we pray, Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 11: Year C

Luke 10:38-42      

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing, Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41- 42)

This is a story about hospitality. It is also a story about priority.  The hospitality part shows how important listening to our guests is over the efforts of making them comfortable. This Gospel lesson is paired up in track 2 with the Genesis story of the three visitors to Abraham as he sat by the oaks of Mamre at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. (Genesis 18: 1-10) Abraham makes provision for them and then stands by them as they refresh themselves.  He listens to his guests.  He is present with them as Mary is present with Jesus in our Gospel lesson from Luke today.

I have learned through my EfM (Education for Ministry) classes, that hospitality is more than just offering a meal and refreshments.  It is about presence. It is about listening.  If someone goes to a home gathering and grabs food and sits alone without conversing with anyone else and then just leaves after consuming the food, no relationship or real hospitality was accomplished. The better part is to have dialogue, conversation.  It doesn’t necessarily mean agreement, just sharing and listening. This is the better part of hospitality. We must be attentive to the better parts and then thank God that it will not be taken away from us, which brings us to the priority part.

The priority part causes us to be mindful of the presence of Christ over all else and the; “this will not be taken away from her” part, shows its eternal nature. Food and work comes and goes.  Being in the presence of God is eternal. I have been, and still become, both Martha and Mary.  Martha is a good tool to use when we don’t want to face what’s really going on.

Inevitably the reality of the eternal sets in.  We must choose the better part. Within the context of hospitality there is a priority that should be established.  This is true whether your guests are family, old or new friends, or neighborhood children. Our house rules should require us to listen, learn and love.

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

Let us pray (BCP p. 231)

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 10: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 30 and 32; evening,  Psalms 42 and 43.

1^st  Samuel 22:1 to 23; Acts 13:26 to 43; Mark 3:19b to 35:

“The king said to the guard who stood around him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David; they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not raise their hand to attack the priests of the Lord” (1^st Samuel 22:17).

I was an active duty U. S. Marine for thirty years.  I must admit that while I was often told to do something that I did not want to do, I was never ordered to do something immoral or against my faith as I understood my faith.  I now also belong to a fraternity which makes it very clear that before I swear to an obligation, that obligation will not conflict with my duty to God, my country, my neighbor or myself.  I can live with this understanding.

I have the utmost respect for the guards who refused to obey Saul and kill Ahimelech, priest of the Lord. At some point in each life we must listen to our conscience. Our conscience resides in our souls.  This is where God speaks to us. Any government or ruler who requires us to go against our conscience, our soul, our God, must not be obeyed.  Who knows? There may be others around you who are on the fence about what to do, but witnessing your steadfastness about what is right to do, helps them to do the right thing also. When confused about what is right to do, try to err on the side of love, compassion and mercy.

Today we remember Macrina the Younger, Monastic and Teacher (July 19, 379) and her information may be found at: Macrina the Younger

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

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)                    

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 9: Year 1:

Morning, Psalms 20, 21:1-78-14); Evening,  Psalms 110:1 to 5, 116 and  117;
1^st  Samuel 17:31 to 49; Acts 11:1 to 18; Mark 1:14-28:

“Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God.  So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” (Acts 11:1 to 3).

You readers of this passage perhaps do not need an extended translation of this passage.  But indulge me if you will.  Here I go: “Now the apostles and the disciples who were in Judea, but still down the hill from Jerusalem, heard that some non-Jew Greeks have also believed and accepted the word of God in Christ Jesus.  Peter (also a Jew), climbed the mountain to Jerusalem and who had visited with these non-Jew Greeks, found himself in the presence of Jews who heard about him, and who believed in God but perhaps not in Jesus. They believed in God, whom they also believed brought all life into being and who made all humankind in the image of God, yet they found fault in Peter for trying to reconcile the stranger to the belief in God through Christ Jesus.” End extended translation.

Peter will go on to share his story about inclusivity in his food example wherein nothing that God has made is profane, including the uncircumcised, or Greek non-Jews.

Maybe it would be a good idea to review our Church stance on this matter.  In our Book of Common Prayer, on page 855 of the Catechism, we are asked the question; “What is the mission of the Church?” The answer: “The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.”

Any time we frame a question wherein it is an “us – them” scenario we have missed the holy mark. In God’s eyes we are all the same. However, some of us have been set apart to show the humble life. Some of us have been called and set aside to serve others regardless of what they believe or don’t believe. Some of us have been called and set apart to make charitable contributions that will assist those in need regardless of who they are.  Those of us who are called in this way and set aside, are called Christians. Christianity is not for the faint of heart. It is a high calling for a low walk. We are called to love those thought to be unlovable. We are called to pray for those who curse us; we are called to withstand some abuse and continue to march as Christian soldiers.  We are fortified with the Love of God, for the desire of God, that all humanity will be reconciled back to God. We do this work with love. If this is God’s desire as Peter says, who are we to hinder God?

Today we remember Nathan Soderrblom, Archbishop of Uppsala (1931)  and his information may be found at: Nathan Söderblom.

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

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)                    

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.