Tag: god

The Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday of Proper 19: Year C

 Luke 15:1-10                

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy over finding what was lost.” (Luke 15)

I call Chapter 15 of Luke the “Lost  Chapter.”  Not because it is missing but because it is about the lost.  We have the lost sheep, then the lost coin and then it concludes with the lost son.

Perhaps the most popular way to look at this reading from Luke today is from the perspective of heaven. Heaven celebrates when we repent and rejoin the Ways of God. But we may also look at what it means from our personal point of view.

This chapter also teaches us that sometimes we don’t appreciate and celebrate what we have while we have it.  But boy, let it get lost!  Whether it’s a sheep, a coin, our glasses, our keys, our job, our money, or even a human relationship, what we have lost is felt deeply and we want it back. What is being celebrated in this Luke reading is the getting back to wholeness.  It is celebrating the experience of not having lost anything in the first place.  It is celebrating “the way it was.”  How about when we first rise from sleep and see that we have our glasses, keys, wallet, and even our health, we say, “Thank You Jesus!”

So therefore, we should treasure all we have even if it’s very little.  We, in our prayers, should continually give God thanks for the benefits bestowed upon us and remember it is not ourselves that made manifest our possessions, but God. The greatest riches we have are our relationships with others, family and friends.  We need to be thankful for these relationships and celebrate them all the time, not just when, and if, we get them back.

From the perspective of the lost, it is about being re-membered.  It is about finding what was lost. Sometimes we must find our lost selves.  Sometimes we have to be found by another.  Either way, getting our selves back, our community back, our parish back, is absolutely a cause for celebration. “Just so, I tell you, there is joy over finding what was lost.”

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. 233)

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through 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 Friday of Proper 18: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54; Evening, Psalm 51;
1^st Kings 18:20 to 40; Philippians 3:1 to16; Matthew 3:1 to 12:

“Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you:” (Philippians 3:15).

Walking in faith requires constant due diligence. Maturity in faith requires us to learn and be open to evolving, even beyond the limits of Bible and Church doctrine. When we are a little silent in the company of others, we will hear and see those in the room who are also mature, and of the same mind.  While being of the same mind does not mean absolute agreement on all thing, biblically or otherwise, it does mean the acknowledgment of not having the answers to all questions. It is okay to humble ourselves into the cloud of unknowing while maintaining our sacred faith in Christ Jesus.

In our 1^st Kings reading Elijah was able to prove that the Lord is God by calling down fire for the sacrifice of a bull. Unfortunately, it also led to the slaughter of the prophets of Baal.  Being of the same mind does not mean we all have to agree. Being of the same mind, for me, means that in the end, God will decide.  We should do what we think is loving and right, then God will decide.

Fire is also the cleanser of our souls as reported by John the Baptist in our Gospel reading from Matthew today. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire:” (Matthew 3:11), John the Baptist proclaims as he acknowledges he doesn’t have all the answers. But our Lord Jesus will be the burning bush of enlightenment that will at last give us peace. 

I think the mature mind is the mind that tells itself that it still has some maturation to go. It doesn’t hastily discount other’s thoughts, but it ponders about a great many things. It’s Friday again. Let us take some time tomorrow to just contemplate where we are spiritually, “this too God will reveal to you.”

Today we remember John Henry Hobart, Bishop of New York (September 12, 1949) and his information may be found at: John Henry Hobart

 “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 to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (Taken from Psalm 51)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of your saving help again and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 17: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 31; Evening,  Psalm 35;
1^st  Kings 11:26 to 43; James 4:13 to 5:6; Mark 15:22 to 32:

“You do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that:” (James 4:14 and 15).

These are very interesting words from James.  We are not promised tomorrow. We must live the best life we can for today.  And even today, we live for what the Lord wishes.

Our 1^st Kings reading shows once again that jealousy regarding God’s choice causes us to want to destroy one another.  It happened with Cain and Abel, it happened with Saul and David, and in this reading today with Solomon and Jeroboam.  If God is acting in our midst why should we be angry with God’s choice and wish harm to the person?  God always chooses the best for the community.  If anything, we are all going to benefit from the fruit of God’s choice. Believing in God requires us to accept God’s works among us and then be comfortable with, and thankful for, what God is doing.

James is right, we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We should try to plan for the worst and pray for the best. But above all, we must learn to be contemplative enough to discern the presence of God at work in our lives and in our communities. Out of the Covid chaos, fires and floods, God saves us as God sees fit.  There is no time for jealousy of those who seem to be favored. For we are all a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes, at least in earthly form.  While we are in our earthly form, we ought to say, “If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.”

Friday evening is the perfect time to start to contemplate the presence of God in our lives. It is the eve of the time God has gifted us with, in order that we might rest, reflect and ponder. We Christians are not excused from observing the Sabbath rest as our Lord Jesus also kept the Sabbath. Let us make it a time of ridding ourselves of all potential jealousy and prejudice. The Sabbath is a cleansing time for our souls.

Today our Church remembers Katharina Zell, Church Reformer and writer (September 5,1562) and her information may be found at: Katharina Zell

“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 to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O God Almighty, You created us and gifted us as is necessary for our social living together. Help us we pray to lay aside all jealousy of what others have, and understand that Your plan of divine love is at work in our human need through the First love shown by Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 17: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 37:1 to 18; Evening, Psalm 37:19 to 42;
1 Kings 11:1 to 13; James 3:13 to 4:12; Mark 15:12 to 21:

“Pilate asked them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Crucify him!’ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified:” (Mark 15: 14 and 15).

There is so much senseless evil here. The clergy of the temple want to crucify of their own, a fellow Israelite. Pilate, the Roman authority, goes along with the local majority rather than stick to his conviction that Jesus has done nothing warranting the death penalty. And even though Jesus is going to be crucified, he is made to undergo flogging also.  So much evil, is there a lesson for us?

First of all, none of us should seek to take a life, and especially those of us whose vocation is to live and teach the godly life.  And second, if you are in a place of authority, you need to not yield to mob rule just to satisfy the crowd.  You need to stick to following Micah’s instructions, “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God, (Micah 6:8). The Bible really does contain all things necessary for salvation but it should be approached with prayer, caution and inclusive minded believers. 

While Pilate never had the injunction to love neighbor, the temple authorities did.  They were under the Commandment to love neighbor as self, as are we also. Being tolerant and merciful is a trait of love.  We are not to judge others but rather, see in them the love of God, regardless of how they act. All evil is senseless. Our sense of right and wrong were given to us to connect us, not divide us.

We were brought into being by Love, to love. The next person that you meet, try to stretch out with your heart and “sense” them. Do not use words, just spiritually feel them. It is amazing what God has empowered us to do.  Harming another, outside of self defense or the protection of the weak, should never find a place in your heart. Our calling is love, justice, mercy and humility.

Today our Church remembers Albert Schweitzer and his information may be found at: Albert Schweitzer.

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:

O Lord God Almighty, lover of all souls, be with us in our daily experience as we encounter others and keep us ever mindful that all are precious in Your sight, and should be in ours as well. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 17: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48;
1^st Kings 9:24 to10:13; James 3:1 to 12;  Mark 15:1 to11:

“How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire.” (James 3:5 and6)

I live in the country in North Carolina. Occasionally a neighbor will burn their rubbish rather than take it to the dump.  My prayer in such situations is that they are watching it closely.  As James says, a small fire out of control can burn down a neighborhood. This is what has been experienced in California and other places.

The point that James is making is about our tongues and how left unguarded they can cause more harm than can be repaired.  This is especially true today where lives are ruined because someone “posted” something said by a person years ago on a social media platform.  I have witnessed sports journalist fired because of some statement they said which was often taken out of context, or was their own entitled opinion.  The opinion a person had years ago, may not be the opinion they have today.  Hopefully, we evolve over time. What our tongues have expressed in the past may not be what we feel today. We should be asking people where they are now, not where they were then.

To the point James is making, we can’t be too careful about what we say, privately or publicly.  The line between private and public today may be blurred by re-sent or forwarded emails, and by what was thought to be fun videos.  These are what small fires look like today that can also cause people to lose all they have.

James also talks about mistakes in today’s reading.  I teach. And I’m here to tell you, we teachers also make mistakes.  The real test of the heat of a fire is in what was intended.  If love and respect and decency were the intent, then the fire (or the tongue) is well guarded. My personal rule is, if I don’t say it or do it from love, then I don’t say it or do it at all.

Today our Church remembers Phoebe, Deacon (October 25 NT) and her information may be found at: Phoebe.

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 Lord, to always be mindful of what we are about to say or write. Keep us, we pray, ever mindful of the thoughts of our hearts that we may say and even think in loving ways towards one another through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 17: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 26 and 28; Evening, Psalms 36 and 39;
1^st Kings 8:65 to 9:9; James 2:14 to 26; Mark 14:66 to 72:

“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

The biggest and most important word in this verse has only two letters, (i and f).  I was once told that “if” is half of life.  I know that in my life I have looked back and said, “If I had only known;” or, “If I had only done this or that, life would have been different for me.”  Faith is a word that means belief.  If we believe something then we act on that belief or faith.  If we believe that the earth is flat, and we are sailors, then we restrict how far out we sail. If we believe in God, and have faith in God, who wants the best for us, then we act on that faith also. Our actions, that is, our works are guided by our faith, that is, what we believe in.

In the English translation of the Gospel according to John the word faith is not used.  Faith is a noun. The writer of the Gospel according to John uses the verb believe because this writer wants action. Faith is belief in action, that is, works. So in the Gospel according to John only believe is used.

We help the homeless by assisting them, and the organizations that help them, with our money. This is works following faith. So, what is faith without works?   It is merely “wishing” everything goes well.  Wishing is for fairytales. It is as James says when we see someone in distress and say to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? There is no good in that. It’s fairytales.  Faith is for the believer.

James uses the story of Abraham and his faith, in the almost sacrifice of his son Isaac. The point being made is that Abraham followed his faith with dedicated works, until he was stopped by God. “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God:” (James 2: 22 and 23).

Faith in the human being is also the soul of the human being. Therefore, it is the spirit of the human being. It is what makes us different among all God’s creation.  This is why James, the brother of our Lord Jesus says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.” (James 2:26)

Today our Church remembers The Martyrs of New Guinea, (September 2, 1942) and their information may be found at: Martyrs of New Guinea.

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. 828)

O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.