Tag: jesus

Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48;
Lamentation  2:8 to 15; 1^st Corinthians 15:51 to 58; Matthew 12:1 to 14:

“Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed:” (1^st Corinthians 15: 51 and 52).

I know Paul is talking about the rising to life again in Christ Jesus.  However, there is also a mystery in the change we go through when enlightened by sitting through thoughtful prayer with believers around the subject of Church mission.

In our Book of Common Prayer, page 855, the question is asked “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.”

Paul says to the people of Corinth that while the dead will be raised imperishable, we, will be changed! Restoring people back to God and each other is tricky work.

If we ask, how we will be changed? I think the answer is, we will die to our old selves and be changed into the true loving servants that God in Christ Jesus wants us to be.  It is not about making the needy need us; it is about us making them to be not needy.  And then, for me at least, it is about more dialogue to get them to some kind of place of independence through education and training. I am reminded of the old saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for today; teach a man to fish and you have fed him for life.” To this I add, that I must first ask him what his way of fishing might look like. That is, how might he think himself best suited to participate in community, vocationally? Then I am best able to find the resources to get him “fishing” better.

The key is dialogue. Then, as Paul says, “in the twinkling of an eye,” the person once thought dead to society will be transformed. He or she will have dignity again. And he or she will have it in this life, fed for life, before that last trumpet will sound. Thank You Lord Jesus.

A note to my readers: I have purchased a new laptop. I am turning this one in so that information may be transferred to the new one. This is going to cause some away time from my public pondering. As soon as I have the new laptop up and running I will be back with you. It shouldn’t be more than a day of two. I will miss you.

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. 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 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.