Tag: god

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 24; Year 1

Morning, Psalm 26 and 28; Evening,  Psalm 36 and 39:
Lamentations 1:1to12; 1^st Corinthians 15:41 to 50; Matthew 11:25 to 30:

“It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.  Thus it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.”  (1^st Corinthians 15: 44 to 46)

Paul shares with us what he presents as facts; that is, if there is a physical body then there is a spiritual body attached to it.  Really?  He says, “in fact,” our physical bodies are first and then we get the spiritual bodies or presence. Do animals have a spiritual presence as well? I don’t know.  Do all people have a spiritual presence?  I don’t know that either.

What I do know is that when I meditate quietly and alone, I feel the presence of the Other, the Holy Other! Maybe this is where mystics and contemplatives enjoy a richer spirituality than the less meditative personas.  The truth is however, we all, as humans, can receive this.  It is said of  Evelyn Underhill, Twentieth century Theologian and Mystic (June 15,1941), that her “most valuable contribution to spiritual literature must surely be her conviction that the mystical life is not only open to a saintly few, but to anyone who cares to nurture it and weave it into everyday experience:” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for June 15).

If we study Paul’s and Underhill’s teachings, any of us can make use of our spiritual bodies now.  Yes, we were given our physical bodies first. But, being Baptized into the Death and Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, we also have our spiritual bodies. Both Paul and Evelyn were followers and learners of our Lord Jesus. So are we as Christians of today.  Too many Christians ascribe meditation and mysticism to Mid-Eastern and Far Eastern faith traditions. We Christians have a contemplative tradition handed down to us from our Lord Jesus as He Himself often went to a quiet place to pray.

These mornings and evenings whenever I can, I make time to be with my Lord and God.  I breathe deeply and slowly, and relax into the spiritual comfort of my own spirit and the Holy Spirit of my Creator.  Thank You Lord Jesus. Wherever you are, settle down into some quiet time and be still, and know yourself, as explained by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who said we are, “to be a spiritual being who is also learning to be the human animal.”

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:

Oh God, through Whose eternal Spirit brought all life into being, visit with us as we seek You in our times of prayer and meditation. Give us, we pray, a foretaste of that heavenly abode where the faithful return to You and live in love for all eternity. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 23: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 20 and 21:1-7; Evening, Psalms 110:1-5, 116 and 117;
2^nd Kings 25:8-12 and 22-26; 1^st Corinthians 15:12 to 29; Matthew 11:7 to 15:

“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1^st Corinthians 15:19)

Indeed, it is for life after death that I am hoping in Christ. Except for books and movies, I have no experience or evidence of life before I was born. It is like I was dead before I was alive. It was Mark Twain who said, “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

While I don’t think I fear death, I am very curious about it.  What is it like to not have to breathe, or eat, or any of the human functions we have depended on for all of our mortal lives?  Or, will some of these creature customs continue in the afterlife?  I don’t know.

What I do know is that whatever level of existence God will let me have, I want it.  This is why I am a Christian. As Paul says, being a Christian is not about this life, it is about our resurrection in Christ Jesus. This is our hope. This is why we pray in the Name of our Lord Jesus. This is why we believe the way we do.

Personally, I don’t believe that God has set a date for us to die (as many Christians do), but I do believe that God, in Christ Jesus, is always waiting for us when we do.  While death is often untimely, death is not ungodly. God is present in this world and the next.

There are many human beliefs about our relationship with God. Christianity is just one and there are many versions of it.  As our past Presiding Bishop says, “We are on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement.”  And, Paul again, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” To this I will add, that our Lord Jesus did teach us how to live in love of neighbor while we walk this earth. And so, I will leave what happens to me after my death in His most capable and loving hands. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Today we remember Luke the Evangelist (October 18 NT) and his information may be found at: St. Luke the Evangelist.

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. 504)

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 23: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 16 and 17; Evening, Psalm 22;
Jeremiah 38:14 to 28; 1^st Corinthians 15:1 to 11; Matthew 11:1 to 6:

“But by the grace of God I am who I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain.” (1^st Corinthians 15:10)

When, and if, we ever come to the realization that we are in a good place, and that we did not bring ourselves to where we are, we must realize that the Grace of God has guarded us along the way. I can look back on many occasions where things could have gone very differently, and in a bad way. But it didn’t. I am thankful for being “carried” past conflict and then allowed to try again.

I just heard on a Western that I like to watch where the star says, “I don’t judge a man by where he’s been, but rather, by where he’s going.”  I have found that there are two kinds of people who were mistreated as children or young adults.  Some want to mistreat others because they were mistreated.  Others, because they were mistreated, not only will not do such to others, but they also will not allow it to be done by anybody else if they can prevent it.  Where we have been and what we have experienced will have an impact on us now. We can do evil or we can do good. The decision we make about this determines our character and shows the caliber of our moral compass.

If we read good books, including The Good Book, especially the New Testament, and watch good movies, especially the old Westerns where the good guys always won, and if we surrounded ourselves with people of integrity, we will still need the Grace of God Almighty to make us people of righteousness.

We need to be people of meditative prayer in order to open a way for the Grace of God to enter into our souls and guide our hearts.  If we were abused as a child, or bullied as an adolescent, or wrongly convicted of a crime for which we served time in prison; none of these evil experiences have to make us an evil person. With God’s Grace we overcome our tragic histories and make promising futures with God’s help.  Nothing is impossible for God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life. And, when graced by God, we cannot let this divine intervention be in vain. Ponder this.

“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

Today we remember Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr ( October 17, 107) and his information may be found at: Ignatius of Antioch.

Let us pray:

O Lord God Almighty, help us to be better people. Help us to truly love You, and help us to love one another. Without You, we cannot please You, and so we are not pleased with whom we’ve become. Help us to be who You have made us to be as we strive to fit lovingly into human life now, and in the age to come. Amen

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 23: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 18:1 to 20; Evening, Psalm 18:21 to 50;
Jeremiah 38:1 to 13; 1^st Cor. 14:26 to 33 and 37 to 40; Matt hew 10:34 to 42:

“What should be done then, my friends?  When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (1^st Corinthians 14: 26)

As a preacher I have been the one with a lesson and an interpretation of scripture that I have hoped will lead to a revelation. And, I pray that what I share builds up the Church. Now, I feel called to also bring a hymn. I have been studying music for some time now. I want to perform music now, but not at the expense of letting go of lessons with interpretation and the hope of revelation received from those who hear my words, or, at least the words that our Lord gives me.

As a preacher I see myself as an instrument of God who creates a space in the souls of the people sitting in the pews. Often I have had persons come to me and say “you were talking to me,” or, “about me.”  From my homily or sermon, they set a new course for themselves. There was nothing for me to add to what they heard. After all, the words were not mine, they were God’s.  If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent;” (1^st Corinthians 14:30). That is to say, let me be silent.

For me, being an instrument of God goes further than preaching. I play music. I play hymns. I am learning to preach in different languages, for example, the piano, the guitar and the trombone. Maybe God can also translate my musical message into a revelation for building up the Church.

I also plan to re-start my Spanish practice and to have conversations in Spanish with those near me who too often go unseen. Shame on us, me in particular. However, I also appeal to you.  Stretch yourself and see what gifts God has planted in you that you have not tapped. I, nor any one person, can do all that needs to be done. We must help each other. The Holy Spirit of God speaks to all of us. “What should be done then, my friends?  When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”

Today we remember Hugh Latimer, Bishop and Martyr (October 16 1555); Nicholas Ridley, Bishop and Martyr (October 15, 1555) and Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury and Martyr, 1556) and their information may be found at: Hugh Latimer & Nicholas Ridley.

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. 827)                                                                            

Almighty God, you proclaim our truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 22: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 137:1-6, and Psalm 144; Evening, Psalm 104;
Jeremiah 35:1 to 19; 1^st Corinthians 12:27 to 13:3; Matthew 9:35 to 10:4:

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.” (1^st Corinthians 12:27 and 28)

Paul is not only talking to the Church in Corinth. He is talking to all who profess to be Christian.  He says “We” are the body of Christ as the Christian Church. He goes on to say that some,  not all, are appointed bishops, or prophets or pastors and teachers.  We all bring to the Church certain God-given and needed gifts.

Some of us in the Church are doctors and teachers as well as trash collectors and grocery store clerks and all walks of community life. All are needed in order that a community might be sustained.

Some of us in the Church are pastors and teachers.  This is a huge responsibility. It is the call of pastors and teachers to fortify the people in the pews to take the love of the Gospel out into the community.  In our Matthew Gospel reading for today, Jesus is doing just that.  He is sending out the twelve.

I was told long ago, that Church service begins at the dismissal. It is when the people in the pews are dismissed at the end of the service that they began the faithful work of carrying the Gospel of Christ out into the community, in deed and word, but I pray, mostly in deed.  I think it was St Francis of Assisi who said in so many words, “go and preach the Gospel and when necessary, use words.” I like that.  We should walk it before we talk it.

In our 1^st Corinthians reading for today we also hear Paul speak of leadership and language. I believe God will from time to time call any one of us to leadership. It does not matter about their physical appearance. They could be heavy of thin, or any shade of skin. They could be male, female, heterosexual, homosexual or non-sexual. God will call who God will call and then gift them with what is needed to help communities in need.  I am reminded of another Church saying I heard long ago.  God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called. Yes, this even includes giving them the words needed to get God’s point across and for righteous teaching with love.

Today we remember Philip, Deacon and Evangelist (October 11 NT); and his information may be found at: Philip, Deacon and Evangelist.

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 Friday of Proper 22: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1-11;
2^nd Kings 23:36 to 24:17; 1^st Corinthians 12:12 to 26; Matthew 9:27 to 34:

“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you.’ And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, ‘See that no one knows of this:” (Matthew 9:27 to 30)

Can you imagine being blind?  Can you imagine being blind and trying to follow someone?  And can you imagine blind leading the blind?  Nevertheless, they did, and were rewarded for their tenacity. But pay close attention to what happened. 

Jesus asked them if they “believed” he (Jesus), was able to do this?  They said yes. They had faith in Jesus.  Jesus then touched their eyes and restored their sight while saying that in accordance with their faith, their sight is restored. 

Here again our Lord Jesus works with what we have inside of us for our own benefit. With little or no faith, we cannot be healed or cured, unless of course the faith of others, and the desire for our health comes from someone who loves us and pleads with Jesus on our behalf.  Our Lord Jesus will take what is good in us, or those who love us, and drive out of us that that is bad. Jesus connects faith with what we need. Thank You Lord Jesus.

 I too am still stumbling along following my Lord Jesus and continually asking for more and more sight.  Join me, won’t you?   Thank You Lord Jesus. Thank you for love; thank you for rest; and thank you for more sight into what our lives are all about. I pray that our faith in your ability will increase in us, in order that You may touch us in ways that improve our ability to see the love of God, and help us to love our brothers and sisters, and all creation. 

Today we remember Vida Dutton Scudder, Educator and Witness of for Peace (October 10, 1954); and her information may be found at: Vida Dutton Scudder.

“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: For Trust in God (BCP p. 461)

O God, the source of all health: So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.