Tag: jesus

Daily Office Readings for Thursday, of Proper 15: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 131, 132, and 133; Evening, Psalms 134 and 135;
2^nd Samuel 19:1 to 23; Acts 24:1 to 23; Mark 12:28 to 34:

“I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous:” (Acts 24: 15).

After his accusers use their smooth talk by buttering up Felix the Governor, trying to persuade him to execute Paul, Paul now speaks and states his case about how he has not changed the Hebrew Law and still believes in what they believe, to include the resurrection.

Paul proclaims that there will be a resurrection of both the Good and the bad – the righteous and the unrighteous.  And just as he stood before Felix then, all humanity will stand before the Great Throne of God where the Judge with gaze upon the content of our hearts.

I believe what is found in our hearts will state our case far more than whatever our earthly actions were. Our earthly witnesses may have seen us do or say something that they considered sinful, or even evil. But God looks upon us and loves us and sees the “why” of our ways. Back when Paul was Saul, he went about doing what he thought in his heart, was what God wanted of him.  It was not until our Risen Lord Jesus met him on the Road to Damascus that he was changed forever.

Our Lord Jesus teaches us that God knows our hearts and has mercy on us.  Our only hope in the resurrection is that God in Christ Jesus has mercy on us, forgives us, and accepts us into eternal glory. But like Saul to Paul who stands before Felix, we stand before our Lord. We can’t fix ourselves. We need our Maker to fix us but we have to want it first. 

We must understand that we will be raised from the dead.  Of course, I don’t know what that will be like. I haven’t been there.  It doesn’t really make any difference how we die or how our end of life is remembered, be it cremation, traditional burial, drowned at sea or blown to smithereens.  God will bring us before the Great Throne. There we will be judged. It is important that we believe this and in believing it, we conduct our lives now in accordance with a righteous heart. We do this with the help of our Lord. And the Lord of lords will help us if we just try to love one another.

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. 355 

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 15: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:145 to 176; Evening, Psalms 128, 129 and 130;
2^nd Samuel 18:19 to 33; Acts 23:23 to 35; Mark 12:13 to 27:

“And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth:” (Mark 12:14)

Our Daily Office Lectionary Reading of Mark is long for today and has two components. There is the issue of whether or not they, or we, should pay the tax.  Then there are the Sadducees who do not believe in the resurrection. This is why they are “SAD-U-SEE!”  I will try to deal with both.

Jesus walks into human history about five thousand years after we have been using money.  Money, especially metal coins have a pretty long shelf life, the coins will last several human life times and therefore can be handed down from generation to generation. And pretty much as long as we have had money we have had public servants who do not work fields or ply the craftsman’s trades.  Such public officials are the governing body from Cesar himself right down to the lowest soldier enforcing Roman, or whatever national law or constitution, he or she is instructed to enforce.  We need these public servants. We would be hard-pressed to have a community life without them. We also need a reserve for those who have no income.  So yes, we should pay the tax.  However, our Lord Jesus is right; God does not want the tax.  God wants our hearts and souls to be with God for all eternity; which brings us to the next issue, the Resurrection.

Jesus refuses to use the example put before him by the Sadducees regarding the woman who married several brothers, all of whom died, and finally she died as well.  The question put before Jesus is, “Whose wife will she be in the Resurrection?”  Jesus informs them that they don’t understand the scriptures.  Life in the Resurrection is independent of human traditions and laws. We are all God’s own in the Resurrection without having the limitations of our mortal restrictions. Jesus uses God’s words about being the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  God does not say He “was” the God of them, but rather, He IS, the God of them.  They still Live!

I think they spoke correctly when they approached Jesus in the beginning. “And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth:”  There was no need to go any further after saying that.  Since Jesus teaches the Way of God in accordance with the truth; then they, and we, should be done with any further questions. There should be nothing further to discuss. We should just listen to Him and obey the commands to love God and neighbor.

Today our Church remembers Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot, Theologian and Poet (August 20,1153) and his information may be found at: Bernard of Clairvaux.

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. 824

O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 15: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 120, 121, 122, and 123; Evening, Psalms 124, 125, 126 and 127;
2^nd Samuel 18:9 to 18; Acts 23:12 to 24; Mark 11:27 to 12:12:

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others:” (Mark 12:9).

Reading Marks version of this vineyard parable is somewhat confusing.  Let us review Matthew’s version of the same parable.  In Matthew we read Jesus saying, “When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons:” (Matthew 21:40 and 41).  We can clearly see in Matthew’s version of this parable that it is the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders who are saying that God will destroy those who killed the son of the owner of the vineyard.  Why does our justice, in too many cases, have to have others suffer? I fully support incarceration of those deemed too dangerous to allow to go free. But I am totally against abusing people in some kind of retribution.

I ponder much from this lesson. First, why is it that too many of us want to bring violent judgment on those we find guilty? This is especially troubling when we remember that all of us have some guilt even if only a little.  If we live long enough perhaps we will grow up and never sin again. We want to wreak havoc on those we find guilty, we want to justify it by saying “[God] will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others:” Could we not just say, “God will come and give the vineyard to others?

But even after hearing the parable and passing judgment on the people of the parable, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders now want to harm Jesus for telling the parable against them.  Do we ever learn? If we hear something, perhaps a story wherein we can see ourselves in the story in an unflattering way, perhaps this then is the opportunity to repent and change.  This is what pondering does for me. It opens me up to seeing myself in the parables and other stories, not only of the Bible, but in any story.  I want to be the good guy, but it takes work; it takes pondering about love; love even for those who are undoubtedly guilty, just as I have been. We should take retaliation and revenge off the table of how to respond to unpleasant acts done by others and ourselves.

We need to replace retaliation and revenge with love, compassion and mercy, even as we acknowledge that some of us must be restrained for the safety of our communities.  It is the loving care of our vineyard that produces the fruit that the owner wants when he returns.

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: A Prayer attributed to St. Francis (BCP p. 833)

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 15: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 106:1 to 18; Evening,  Psalm 106:19 to 48;
2^nd  Samuel 17:24 to 18:8; Acts 22:30 to 23:11; Mark 11:12 to 26:

“When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.’ When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.)” (Acts 23: 6 to 8)

Perhaps our Risen Lord Jesus selected Saul/Paul because he was born and raised as a Pharisee. The Pharisee believed in the resurrection, in angels, and in the Holy Spirit.

The scribes of the Pharisees then asked a very important question; we read, “Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” (Acts 23:9).  This is what we all should be asking ourselves today if and when we hear someone witnessing an experience beyond what scripture reveals, and beyond our limited understanding of what God wants of us, and what God is doing in our very midst.

Even the asking of the question by the scribes is some evidence that the Holy Spirit of God is at work in the human situation. But the stubbornness of some will not allow room for the Spirit to work. The dissension became violent and the soldiers had to intervene. Even the intervention of the tribunes might have been a way in which God was acting.

I found that when I went to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in 2018, there was dissension among the various Christian Churches about how to divide up the times each would have for worship in this sacred Church building. They gave authority to a Muslim family to manage which Church would worship and when. So for just over 500 years ago, descendants of a Muslim family still manage which Christian Church worships at what time.  An outside family acts as God’s regulatory hand amidst the dissension.

We too often argue about issues that we don’t follow ourselves because we are not living them out. God is watching. God wants community love for all communities. And God will cause it to happen within, or without of the community, with angels or the Holy Spirit or outside people acting in God’s interest.

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:

Continue with us Lord Christ as we struggle with those who believe differently than we do. Help us to love all people regardless of what they believe as beliefs sometimes change, even ours. Let us always see Your hand at work in the world about us making life better no matter who’s hand it is, as long as it is doing Your work, Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday, Proper 15: Year C

Luke 12:49-56:

“Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!”  (Luke 12: 51)

Jesus is now informing them (and us) that a moment of decision has come, and we must decide which side we are going to follow.  This is literally a fork in the road of our faith.  It is to believe, or not to believe, and then to act accordingly. To turn toward one person or value or goal, is to turn away from another. “Peace in the sense of status quo has been disrupted.” (Says Fred B. Craddock writing for Interpretation; a Bible Commentary on this Luke Chapter, (p.166).

God is acting toward the world in Jesus of Nazareth and has created a breaking point.  We must break to one side or the other. We cannot have it both ways. It is one thing to say that you don’t believe in God or Jesus or the Church.  It is a much weightier thing to try to live that out. Lord have mercy.  We all are going to be cast out of this life. And there is only One who will catch us, if we are to be caught at all; Jesus our Savior.

When I told my mother many years ago that I had joined the Episcopal Church, I noticed a sudden sense of urgency in her. She wanted to know if I still believed in Jesus.  And, she wanted to know if I still celebrated Christmas and Easter.  After I assured her that I did to all of the above, she was fine. I am always amazed about how little people know about the Episcopal Church.

While my mother did not bring us up as a “churched family,” It was important to her that we trusted in Jesus.  She wanted us to believe. This brings us back to the division that Jesus talks about in Luke today that could happen in families.  There will be division on this issue even within households and families. What does it mean to choose Jesus? I have found four truths and a possible fifth.

First, If you believe in Jesus, you already believe in God. And God is good, All the time.

Second, you can believe God sent Jesus or that God is acting in Jesus. Christian Churches have waged war over this issue rather than care for their needy. They seemed to worry more about what people say they believed about Jesus rather than how they followed Jesus in life.

Third, believing in Jesus means we are called together with love-minded (not hate minded), worshipers weekly to remember him in the Sacraments, the Body and Blood, as He commanded us to do.

Fourth, (and this is too often missed) we are called to care for those who differ from us: Even those who don’t believe, to feed them, clothe them, heal them, and if their time comes, to bury them.

The possible fifth truth, is to teach and baptize and or confirm those who want to come and join us.

This can be a division, a breaking point in our faith lives. Often it is a decision of division. But this is what Jesus came to do. He said, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!”  And, he has done it. This is the Baptism he came to receive and has now accomplished. A decision of division lies in our path. Which way will we go?

Will we just set back and worship Jesus? Or, will we have the courage to actually follow our Lord Jesus. Will we respect the dignity of Every human being? This is what we are called by the Holy Spirit of God in Christ Jesus to do. Are we listening? Are we believing? Are we living likewise?

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 most Holy Lord Jesus; stay with us in our temptations to travel the ungodly path. Keep us we pray, steadfast on the road that leads to you, who lives and loves forever and ever: Amen.

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 Pilot 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 actually 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 divisiveness. 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.

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 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.

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.  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.

Today our Church remembers The Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus (August 15 NT) and her information may be found at: St. Mary the Virgin

 “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

Let us pray: For the Poor and the Neglected (BCP p. 826)

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 sadly looking for their own 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 it exists in the society in which we live as well as about the love that God has for us all.  This is not glory seeking, but rather, being of service to others for the benefit of others 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.

Today our Church remembers Jonathan Myrick Daniels, Seminarian and Martyr (August 14, 1965) and his information may be found at: Jonathan Daniels.

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. 260)

Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of him who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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 a few 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 to 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.

Today our Church remembers Jeremy Taylor, Bishop and Theologian (August 13, 1667) and his information may be found at: Jeremy Taylor.

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 Right Use of God’s Gifts (BCP p. 827)

Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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 un-know. Once we know what our Lord Jesus is doing, it is no longer a matter of faith, belief or courage, it is a matter 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 afraid. 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 our Church remembers Florence Nightingale, Nurse, Re-newer of Society, (August 12, 1910) and her information may be found at: Florence Nightingale.

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. 100

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.