Category: Lesson
What Now? ~ The Rt. Rev. Michael Beckett, OPI
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone. (Matthew 27: 57-66_
I went back to the cemetery the day after Daddy was buried and just sat on the ground beside his grave, trying to absorb the enormity of what had happened. He was gone. This man who had been so strong, so faith filled, so always there to make things better, whose piercing blue eyes communicated for than his voice ever did. He was gone. The man who held the reins in our family, our rock, our hero. Could this have really happened? How could this man die? We thought he was invincible. What now?
How much more so did the Disciples feel, those men and women whose lives had been totally centered around Jesus? How could this have happened? In spite of raising the dead, in spite of healing lepers and changing water into wine and feeding thousands of people with a couple of fish, in spite of the belief that he was the Messiah, that he was believed to be the son of God, that he was supposed to be invincible, he was gone…
Emptiness.
Confusion.
Fear.
Emptiness.
And this is where we are today. All of us have experienced “Holy Saturdays” in our lives.
Holy Saturday is the in between time. The tragedy of the crucifixion is past but the glories of the resurrection are not yet here. We are neither here nor there. We are stuck in the middle. What was is no more and what will be is not yet clear or known. It feels as if there is nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Holy Saturday comes to us in many ways but it always seems to involve death; the death of Jesus, the death of a loved one, the death of a relationship, the death of hopes and dreams. In the church calendar Holy Saturday is only one dreaded day a year. Not so in life. Those of you us who have suffered the death of a loved one know that you do not move from Good Friday to Easter Sunday in just one day. Holy Saturday can last months, years, even a lifetime. Holy Saturday calls us to the tomb. Where else is there to go?
That’s where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary are today. Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, laid it in the tomb, rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and went away. He left. Some will do that in the Holy Saturday of life. They will close up the tomb and walk away as if there is nothing there, no possibilities for anything new. The two women, however, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, are sitting opposite the tomb. They are silent. There is not much to say on Holy Saturday. What can be said? There are no answers.
Emptiness.
Confusion.
Fear.
Emptiness.
Holy Saturday is a day of silence and stillness, waiting and wondering, remembering and hoping. Perhaps that is what faithfulness looks like on Holy Saturday. There is not much to do except be present to what is, to sit beside the tomb.
“Media vita in morte sumus ; quem quaerimus adjutorem, nisi te Domine, qui pro peccatis nostris juste irasceris? Sancte Deus, sancte fortis, sancte et misericors Salvator, amarae morti ne tradas nos.”
“In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.”
Holy Saturday is a difficult day. We so much want joy to replace sorrow. That’s not what Jesus does. Instead, sorrow is transformed into joy, the tomb becomes a womb, and death gives birth to new life. Christ’s triumph is not apart from death but within death. Christ is trampling down death by death and giving life to those in the tombs.
The two women of Holy Saturday will become the first people Jesus greets on Easter Sunday. So trust the silence and the waiting. Be still. Remember, wonder, hope. Pray. It is Holy Saturday and your Lord who loves you is at work.
Good Friday: The Day Death Died ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
Today`s readings:
1st Reading: Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Responsorial Psalm: 31: 2,6,12-13,15-16,17, 25
2nd Reading: Hebrews 4: 14-16, 5:7-9
Gospel Reading: JN 18:1-19:42
Today we are called to remember the Passion of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Today, he took the sins of the whole world upon his shoulders and out of his love for each and every one of us, he gave himself willing as the ultimate sacrifice. Our dear Lord suffered beyond our human comprehension. He was totured by scourging and beating, he was spat upon, mocked and humiliated, he had a crown of thorns pushed deep into his head and he suffered death nailed upon the cross so that our sins may be forgiven and that we may have the chance of eternal life.
Let us now spiritually accompany our Lord on this his sacrifice of ultimate love.
Jesus Is Tried by the Sanhedrin:
After Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was taken to the house of the High priest Caiaphas. Even though Peter had vowed to Jesus that he would never desert him, Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” When Jesus was arrested and taken to the house of the High priest,all the disciples fled in fear except for Peter, who followed to the courtyard at a distance. It was there that three people recognised him as one of Jesus` disciples, but each time Peter strongly denied the fact. Then a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered what Jesus had told him. Peter felt very ashamed of what he had done and he began to cry.
The High priest, together with the chief priests, the elders and the scribes were at the High priests house waiting. This was a meeting of the Jewish ruling council-the Sanhedrin-which had been called to put Jesus on trial. The trial was to be anything but a fair trial as the religious leaders had the agenda of looking for evidence to justify sentencing Jesus to death. However hard they tried, the leaders were unable to find any evidence against Jesus and although many witnesses were called to testify against Jesus,none of them were able to agree with each other.
Eventually the High priest demanded to Jesus, “Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” To this Jesus replied, “I am, and you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God`s right hand and coming back on clouds of heaven.” To this response the High priest said, “You have just heard this blasphemy! why do we need anymore witnesses?” He asked the leaders for their verdict and they all shouted, “He deserves death!” Then they spat on Jesus` face and beat him.
Jesus is Tried by Pilate:
In their mockery of a trial, the religious leaders had agreed that Jesus should be put to death. However under Roman law, they did not have the authority to put anyone to death so they took Jesus to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. To Pontius Pilate, the leaders falsely accused Jesus of treason against the Roman Empire for claiming to be the King of the Jews and for urging people not to pay their taxes. Pilate could see that Jesus was innocent of any crime and wanted to release him but he didnt want any problems with the religious leaders so he asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my followers would have fought to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But my kingdom is from another place.”
At that time, it was the governor`s custom to release one prisoner at the Passover Feast-anyone the people chose to be released. The Jewish religious leaders knew this, so they had persuaded the gathered people to demand the release of Barabbas and to demand the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilate asked the crowd of people who they wanted to be released and this was answered by shouts for Barabbas. Pilate then asked the crowd what he should do with Jesus and this was met with yells of “Crucify him, crucify him!” So Pilate ordered the Roman soldiers to crucify Jesus.
Jesus is crucified:
Crucifixion was a very cruel form of execution reserved both for criminals and for slaves. First Jesus was beaten and scourged by the Roman soldiers and he had a crown of the sharpest thorns forced around his head. Then weak from his scourging and from hunger, he was made to carry his own cross to the place of his crucifixion. Jesus was obviously far too weak from the scourging and beatings to carry the cross all the way himself, and after Jesus fell several times on the journey to his death, the soldiers forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry it the rest of the way. Jesus`s cross was placed between two convicted criminals who were also to be crucified alongside him. The soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross and left him hanging there to die. They put a sign on the cross to mock Jesus that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Around noon, darkness came over the land for three hours. Then finally, Jesus cried out, “Father, into your hands I commend my Spirit”, and with that Jesus died.
One of Jesus` followers, a man from Arimathea named Joseph, went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He took Jesus`body and hastily placed it in a new tomb carved out of rock and he rolled a large stone into the opening to seal it. Jesus` death was an essential part of God`s plan for our salvation. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice to atone for the sins of all people.
Through the death of Jesus, we are freed from the deadly grip of sin and from death.
Without the death of Jesus upon the cross for our sins, no-one would have eternal life. “No one comes to the Father except through me”(JN 14:6).
In this statement, Jesus is telling us the reason for his birth, death and resurrection-to provide the way to heaven for sinful mankind, who could never manage to get their by themselves.
As a result of our past sins, all mankind is subject to both physical and eternal death by virtue of our sinful nature. But Jesus came and willingly died to become the ultimate perfect and unblemished sacrifice for our sins (Col 1:22, 1 peter1:19). Through him, the promise of eternal life with God becomes effective through faith to all who believe in Jesus.
“So that what was promised, being given to those who believe”(Gal 3:22). It is through our believing in the shed blood of Christ for our sins that death is forever banished and that we receive eternal life.
Let us pray:
Remember your mercies, O Lord, and with your eternal protection sanctify your servants for whom Christ your Son, by shedding of his Blood, established the Paschal Mystery.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Lent and Noah and Reflections ~ The Rev. Jay Van Lieshout
Lent, a time according to the church where we fast, pray, focus on works of love and charity all as a solemn remembrance of the time Jesus spent alone in the wilderness. A time where we are to prepare ourselves for the ministry of God’s Word and where we prepare ourselves to not only preach the Gospels but to live the Gospels just as Jesus did some 2000 years ago. For me, lent this year has been less about the fasting, or the prayer, or the contemplative repentance and loving charity and more a wandering in my own wilderness of emotions, changes and preparation of ministry.
My 2015 was a year of dynamic change, growth, accomplishments, tragic losses, grief and renewal. I began my life as a transitional deacon and my ministry to others and was ordained to priesthood later in the year. I also progressed from postulate to novice and finally to brother in the Dominican Order. I watched my partner and soul mate deteriorate both physical and mentally as he lost his battle with mortality. I cared for my mother as she lay bedridden, her mind becoming confused and spending more and more time in the past until she suddenly and unexpectantly left this plain without saying good bye. I lost one church family, then another only to renew the prior again. I sat lonely, grieving losses, to paralyzed to move forward and rebuild, to hurt to let anyone else in. In the end, I found strength in new beginnings, God gave me someone new to heal my hurt and strength to grow again. This is all what I have reflected on, relived, grieved and celebrated this Lenten season.
As I ponder my Lenten journey, I do not feel as if I have missed the meaning of or failed to journey “the path” to renewal in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, I believe I have walked the path that is the essence of the Lenten journey! Life, like nature’s seasons, is cyclic. The renewal of spring, the growth, hard work and joy of summer, the bounty of the harvest and celebrations of fall, and winter’s waning of life, ending of festivals and hope of spring’s renewal. The end of winter is cold, dark, and dreary. The bounties of the harvest dwindle, holidays are fewer, we hunker down in our homes, nesting in the darkness and think of the past as we wait for the break of spring. Late winter and so too Lent about “me time”; a time to process all that has happen in the previous months, a time to heal, a time to focus on those around us in our nest and a time to plan and change for the new season of growth.
We are told Jesus spent 40 days alone in the wilderness of the desert. It is hard to say if He was truly alone in the “wasteland” of the desert or if he was perhaps just wandering unknown cities, with unknown people, without His friends, family or support network. In either case He was alone with His thoughts, alone with His God, alone with His memories, His knowledge, His experiences, His losses, His wins, His experiences and His emotions. So much learned, so much seen, so many questions, so much hard work to get ready for His ministry; He was baptized and it was time to begin His work, but what did it all mean?
I wonder if Jesus looked to Noah for inspiration. Here was a man with a similarly daunting call from the Creator: “Noah, I want you to build a huge ark, the biggest thing ever build by a human. It must be designed so as to hold a pair of each of the creatures on Earth. You will have to build it with little help while others mock you and think you are crazy. You are to give your life to Me for through you I will save many and renew the Earth.” What torment Noah (and his family) went through to do God’s will, how they must have been derided by others, seen as crazy, trouble makers and even feared by those in power. The agony Noah must have endured as he closed up ship and watch everyone and everything he knew disappear in the chaotic waters. The fear and struggles his family faced as they floated on the vast waters, subject to the winds and currents with no control over their journey and no idea of their destination. The loss of hope as hours became days, days turned into weeks, and weeks extended beyond a month. The wear of daily drudgeries in caring for the ship, the animals, each other and the ever growing “cabin fever”. Will we ever reach land? What will it be like? How will we restart everything? Maybe we are just crazy, perhaps God has forgotten us and will end up just dying alone on this ship. 40 days alone, to think, to exist, to possibly loose hope or loose oneself in the darkness of our own souls.
I wonder if Jesus felt akin to Noah as He walked alone in the confusion of His own journey of questioning, growing and establishing His own faith in God. 40 days of struggling, thinking, arguing, looking temptation and despair in the eye over and over again. Looking out over the chaotic waters of His baptism into the Ministry of God’s word, looking for the simple sign of peace and hope carried in on the wings of the Holy Spirit. 40 long and lonely days and there, on the horizon, hope comes, the sign that God is with Him and His new life is about to begin. The seeds are ready to plant, the work is ready to be done and the harvest will indeed be the reward. It will not be easy, life rarely is, but there is hope, purpose and God will take care of the rest.
This is the truth in Lent. We all struggle, our candle flames flicker in the storms of life, the light seemingly dims as if about to go out but soon flashs back to full brilliance. Like the seasons, our lives wax and wane and wax again; it is an integral part of being human and no one can escape the ebb and flow of the chaotic waters. Noah lived it, the Son of Man lived it and we live it; but just like Noah and Jesus, we are never truly alone. God is always with us, guiding us, caring for us, providing us with people who love us and with whom we can share our lives and who give us hope for the new beginnings. This is the truth in our Lenten journey, it is the hope given us in the word of God, it is the message written in seasonal changes, and is the significance of our liturgical year.
If It Weren’t for Bad Luck… ~ The Rev. Jay Van Lieshout, OPI
“If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all!” Who has not cried this out in a fit of despair at one time or another? How many of us may even be thinking such a thought at this very moment? Feeling at times as if we are plagued by misfortune is really part of being human. Things sometimes just go wrong and, though events sometimes go without a hitch ending on a happy note, we as humans tend to focus on and hold tight to those events that are less than perfect events in our lives. Remembering when our actions produced undesirable results can be a good thing; it is how we learn what to avoid, what not to do or to say, etc; in fact, failures can often lead to successful and rewarding outcomes. Yes, we view our failures as bad luck or feel we are cursed in spite of all the good we have in our lives. Being raised in a Calvinist family I was taught if something goes wrong it was because I was a sinner and God was punishing me. The larger the mishap, the more dreadful a child I was, for what you sow is what you reap. From the smallest paper cut to being in pain with kidney stones, it was all part of God’s plan to punish my wickedness; God was vengeful and mean because of our sins and Jesus came to point that out to us. What a horrible teaching for a child, and what a horrible teaching that still continues today in too many a “Christian” denomination or church.
Such misconceptions of God are not new to modern times; Luke tells us Jesus dealt with similar misguided thoughts and teachings. When asked about Pilate’s slaughter of some Galileans as they were conducting ritual sacrifices (the implication being they might have been guilty in the eyes of God), Jesus asked if they thought the victims were “greater sinners” than the all other Galileans? Without delay, Jesus rebuked them saying “I say to you no! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” (Luke 13:2-3) Similarly, Jesus asked if the deaths of the 18 killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed was the result of the victims indebtedness exceeding that of the rest of the men in Jerusalem? Again without delay, Jesus rebuked them saying “I say to you no! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” (Luke 13:4-5) Two horrendous events: one the murder of innocent people as a result of hate and bigotry, another, the tragic loss of innocent lives as the result of an accident; in neither was God punishing the victims (and Jesus would know if He was), both were just random tragedies, examples of “crap happens”. Yet both revealed the delicate and fleeting nature of human life as well as how easily one can suffer a spiritual death over mundane worldly things; Jesus warns to repent now, for tomorrow may not come.
So is all lost? If we stumble and then quickly die before we can repent and ask for forgiveness, is there no hope? To quote Jesus, “I say to you no!” God is our father, and though He can be stern, His love for us in unchanging, unending and boundless. Luke continues with Jesus telling a parable in which a fig tree has failed to yield fruit for 3 years. The owner has no patience and instructs the gardener to cut it down. The gardener knows that sometimes “crap happens” and offers to tend to the tree for a year using a little manure, a little extra attention and, hence, he is giving the tree another chance to bear fruit (with a little help). This is how God works us in His garden, he sent the Son of Man to be our gardener, to spare us from the saw, to intercede for us, nurture us with the Word of the Creator, cultivate our souls and help us turn the “crap” that happens in life into fruit for the Father’s Harvest.
Yes, bad things happen to me, to you, to everyone. Part of being human and being alive is “crap happens”; this is a fundamental fact of life. What we all must realize is this is not God punishing us, it is not some divine retribution, and it surely is not a canonical license to condemn others or withhold compassion to those suffering “because they are sinners and deserve their misfortune”. I say to you nobody is undeserving of our compassion and forgiveness. In fact, many of those who have suffered some of the most horrendous crap life can muster, have turn out to be our most beloved and respected saints-and one even died so that all of humanity could, in turn, live! So the next time you feel you are getting more than your share of manure just remember, the only difference between a saint and a sinner is a saint will not sling the manure at others, but instead, they use it as fertilizer for the tree of Jesse so that it might bare the largest and sweetest of fruit.
The What’s and Why’s of Lent ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
Lent is a Christian season that is a period of prayer, preparation, fasting and Alms-giving which leads us to Holy Week and Easter. It recalls the 40 day fast in the desert of our Lord Jesus Christ. Catholic Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts through to the evening Masses of Holy Thursday, although Lenten penance continues until Holy Saturday. The purpose of the Lenten season is for Christians a time of fasting, self-denial, prayer, spiritual growth and simplicity.
The word Lent comes from the Teutonic (German) word meaning `springtime,` and it can be viewed as a Christian time of spiritual deep-cleaning. It is a season when we as Christians take a spiritual inventory of our lives and of our faith and then the cleansing of those things which only serve to hinder us in our personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and also our service to him. This being the case, it is fitting and significant that we begin the Lenten season with the symbol of repentance: that of placing ashes mixed with oil on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday.
We must remember however, that our disciplines throughout Lent are supposed to ultimately transform our entire person: Our body, our soul and our Spirit and to help us to become more like our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Athansius, describes this as `becoming by grace what God is by nature. The idea of fasting during Lent is so that we learn to control particular parts of our lives which require self-discipline and this helps us to be able to sustain this after the Lenten season is ended.
Lent is a very important season and I personally see it as walking the journey together with Christ as part of Christ. I feel it is a blessing to walk with our dear Lord, and to suffer in some ways no matter how small just as our dear Lord suffered for the benefit of each and every single one of us.
I pray that this Lenten season may bring each of us to that closer relationship with our Lord for which all of us as true Christians yearn.
Jesus,The Internet and The Devil ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
He said, “Go into the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15 NABRE)
We as Christians are commanded by the Lord to spread his word around the world, and with today’s modern technology and the use of the internet, websites such as Facebook are a very useful ministry tool that helps enable us to do just that.
By today’s modern technology, we are able to use the internet to spread the true word and the good news of the Lord’s salvation to many people throughout the world who otherwise may not be in the position to receive this in their lives.
Using this technology, we as servants of God are able to preach the Holy Word, to offer prayer, to give advice, love and support to people around the world enabling us to better serve those who may live in countries or other places where we couldn’t possibly serve them in person.
So whilst posting online certainly has its positive advantages, as we are made clearly aware in 1 Peter 5:8, that the devil is always prowling around. Let us look again at what we are told:
“Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NABRE).
We must be always on our guard as, like we as Christians can use online technology to spread the word and the true love and salvation of God, the devil can also use it to deceive and mislead us. Not all things that may appear to be Christian posted online is truly of holy nature, and may be merely a trick of the devil.
Posts such as the variety we see almost daily on pages such as Facebook, where blessings are supposedly given if we `like and share` are an example of such unholy works because God’s blessings are granted from his grace, and out of his love for us and this does not depend on whether we have liked and shared online postings.
We must also realise that posts offering blessings of money or other materialistic things are not true Christian works and are devil led.
The Lord our God is not our personal magician, or a magical Genie who is there to grant our earthy wishes and wants of materialism.
Our God and Father is there out of his pure and unconditional love for us and out of his grace and mercy as he wants to give us that true and full relationship with him that will lead to our salvation.
Be watchful online as well as in our daily lives for the deceit and lies of the devil and do not give him the foothold which he so desperately seeks.
Online Ordination-The facts
Based on Second Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Today I wish to address the subject of online ‘ordination’ and issues that surround the subject.
So sitting at my desk with my laptop or mobile phone in hand it is so easy to see on the internet just how many so-called online ordained ministries there actually are. I find a site and quickly apply by ticking a few boxes. So this means a person who takes all of five minutes is validly ordained then does it? Well in actual fact, online ordinations are NOT valid ordinations and most if not all true Churches of God would refuse to accept this type of ‘ordination’.
In today’s world of modern technology, it seems all too easy for people who do not have a genuine calling from the Lord Our God in their hearts and in their lives to become online ‘ordained’ via the internet or by simply sending an email.
True ordination is not something to be taken lightly and is a lifelong vocation of service to God and to his people which needs knowledge, formation and discernment and thus ordination takes much time to realise and this can often take years and which is definitely not able to be done online or via email.
When God calls us in our hearts to his service, he is calling all that we are, heart, mind, and our very soul to serve him with our whole lives.
We are called to be shepherds to God’s people, we represent the Lord on earth until he comes again in Glory. We are called to teach and to guide the Lord’s people to have a fuller and loving relationship with God our Father so enabling them to gain the salvation that only God can give.
Online ordination is not done by the laying on of hands in Apostolic Succession and not to be ordained by Apostolic succession means the person is not receiving the necessary gifts of blessing, sanctification and grace that is passed to us through the Holy spirit.
Let us look at what we are told in Second Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14:
6. That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift of God that you possess through the laying on of hands. 7. God did not give us spirit of timidity, but the spirit of power, love and self-control. 8. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to our Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but share in my hardships for the sake of the gospel, relying on the power of God. 13. Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14. With the help of the Holy spirit who dwells in us, look after that precious thing given in trust. We are given the gift and blessing of the Holy Spirit through the act of the laying on of hands in Apostolic succession in trust and this blessing and gift is most wondrous and must never be belittled or taken for granted and we need to be in a personal place of true readiness to receive this most wonderful blessing and this is why ordination requires knowledge, formation and true devotion before we even attempt this wondrous, trusted and vital role of the service as the voice of God within the world.
Simply getting ‘ordained’ online usually entails either none or very little training and formation and hence does not give the vital preparation that is necessary and is an issue that can cause danger to the people we are sent to serve. Another very dangerous issue with this type of invalid ordination is the fact that we often serve very vulnerable people who it is our duty to care for and to protect and there are no criminal background or other checks in place so that even those with dangerous backgrounds can use their so called `clergy status` to cause harm to those who are most often those who need us most.
If anyone is online ordained and feels they are truly called into the Lord’s service, contact a true church who will help you to do it correctly.
New Year Resolutions, Earthly or Holy?? ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
So as we enter the brand new year of 2016, we have the gift from God of another clean chapter in our lives and in our relationship with our heavenly Father and also with each other. A crisp new page in our life and faith story ready for us to write upon.
So what should we do? We could follow the footsteps of many who decide to make earthly resolutions. How about deciding to lose weight? How about stopping smoking? Maybe keeping more fit this year? Well these earthly resolutions are fine, but these tend to sadly be forgotten far too easily.
How about seeing this New year as a completely new chance, a blessing of a new beginning in which we can focus ourselves on that fuller and closer relationship with the Father and with our brothers and sisters.
We can use this new beginning to look closely at our relationships and how to apply them even more fully into our lives.
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our being? Do we truly follow the Commandments about loving God and our neighbours? When we are wronged, do we totally forgive out of love of Christ as we ought? None of us is perfect, each and every single one of us falls down in our faith and with our relationships both with God and with each other, so we can all use this new year as a new start to further become more as our lord wants us to be by looking at these things within ourselves and improving upon them.
So instead of making an earthly resolution this year, myself and my house will serve the Lord. My resolutions will be holy rather than earthly and will be to gain more fully that true relationship both with God and with each of you, no matter where in the world you may happen to be as true love and faith have no earthly boundaries.
So will it be weight loss? Smoking? Keep fit? Will your resolutions this year be earthly or holy? I will be focusing on what truly matters. Will you join me?
Where Is He? ~ The Rt. Rev. Michael Beckett, OPI
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV)
Today we mark the end of the Christmas season – the Day of Epiphany. We celebrate this day to reflect on the visit of the Magi – the wise men – to Jesus and the giving of their gifts. We reflect on the meaning of this visit of those wise ones to see Jesus.
Epiphany is about Jesus and his message being available and relevant to people of every age and race. Jesus isn’t just a Jewish prophet with an exciting message, but God made present amongst us and available to all of us to worship and follow. God’s love reaches beyond the everyday barriers of race and class; something the Magi didn’t quite get at first.
So Who Were the Magi?
We don’t know much about the Magi from Scripture. All Saint Matthew tells us is that they were “Magi from the East”. Some translations have “Wise men from the East”. The word in Greek refers to priests of the Zoroastrian religion. They came from Persia, the countries now known as Iran and Iraq, and they saw meaning in the movement of the stars. Their visit fits an Eastern pattern of great births being accompanied by momentous events in the sky. Certainly we know of a comet in 11BCE in Gemini with its head towards Leo, seen by many as a symbol of Judah. We also know of planetary conjunctions in both 7 BCE and 6 BCE which would have added to a sense that momentous happenings were on the way. The Magi would have noticed these things and taken them seriously. But who were they?
One commentator, Brian Stoffregen puts it like this;
“Originally in Persia, Magi were dream- interpreters. By Jesus’ time, the term referred to astronomers, fortune-tellers, or star-gazers. They were horoscope fanatics – a practice condemned by Jewish standards. We might compare them to people in fortune – telling booths, or people on the “psychic hotline” or other “occupations” that foretell the future by stars, tea leaves, Tarot cards etc. They were magicians, astronomers, star-gazers, pseudo-scientists, fortune tellers…”
Another writer, Nathan Nettleton, puts it like this;
“They were the speakers of the sacred words at the pagan sacrifices. At worst, the term referred to a magician or sorcerer, or even a deceiver. Magi were people whose activities were repeatedly condemned and prohibited throughout the scriptures and were completely anathema to the people of Israel.”
Whilst in English we get the words “magic” and “magician” from Magi, the Zoroastrian religion forbade sorcery. They clearly were looking for a new king and had found meaning in the movement of the planets and stars which led them to come to Israel to greet the new-born king. They journeyed from their homes in Persia to Bethlehem in search of this baby. Instead of angels and visions, we have the image of the Magi following a sign in the skies – in nature – and for a long period of time. The magi see the intentions of God in the skies. This is not new: Psalm 19 tells us that the heavens themselves declare who God is, and that his handiwork is seen in created nature. “We observed his star at its rising”. The magi know that there is something significant happening.
When did they come?
The Gospel of Saint Luke doesn’t mention the Magi and holds that the Holy Family returned to Nazareth after the presentation of Jesus at the Temple where he was circumcised. It’s probable that Saint Luke didn’t know of this episode in Jesus’ early life. Saint Matthew seems to place the visit of the Magi some time after Jesus’ birth. The Holy Family are in a “house” not in the stable of the inn. Herod kills all the newborn boys under the age of two years. So it’s likely that the Holy Family had stayed for some time in Bethlehem and the Magi came some time after Jesus’ birth, perhaps as long as two years after.
WHY did they come?
Clearly, the Magi were searching. The Magi recognized much of the truth of Jesus, who he was and what he would become. The Magi had a general idea of this God and this King of the Jews, but they didn’t really know who or what they were looking for. Bono and U2 were criticized some years ago by some supposedly orthodox Christians when they produced a song entitled, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which is about searching for fulfillment. You see, the example of the Magi was that they were searchers, not really knowing what or who they were looking for. They didn’t claim to have it all but they saw their lives as a journey of discovery. And in that they are an example to us. We don’t know it all. But if we, like them, are prepared to be diligent seekers, then, like them, we may be graced by God’s light, by our own Epiphany. When the wise men finally found Jesus, we are told that their first response was joy – “they were overwhelmed with joy”. That is what happens when we find Jesus. This is what awaits us at the end of the journey. Next, they paid him homage – they worshiped him and acknowledged Him as King. After the joy comes the worship. That means acknowledging Jesus as King. Jesus as the center. Jesus as Lord. And then, after joy and after worship, comes offering of their gifts. In response to who Jesus is and the joy He gives, we offer ourselves and our gifts to Him.
So my message for today is to dare, like them, to take the risk of seeking, and God may well bless us with our own Epiphanies which transform us, as doubtless the Magi were transformed by what must have been a surprising experience for them as they knelt before the infant Jesus.
So how do you find Jesus? Maybe you can start out like the Magi – with a general idea of God, and a general idea that He is guiding you. Like the Magi, we need to turn to the scriptures. If you don’t read them, you will never really get the specific directions that God is trying to give you. Approach them with the right spirit, the right purpose. Ask for help along the way – the church, we, God’s people, are meant to help you along that way. The wise men knew when they needed to ask someone else for help. And pray. Ask God. When you find Jesus, rejoice. After all, He is God. Put Him in the center of your life. Ask yourself whether what you are doing honors him a King. Offer to him what you have, who you are.
Where can this Jesus be found? He is with you now. Won’t you seek Him? Won’t you recognize Him? Won’t you let Him fill YOUR life with joy? Amen.
Feast of the Holy Innocents ~ The Rev. Dcn Dollie Wilkinson, OPI
Imagine, if you will, that you are a young couple, who, like most young people your age, find out that you are expecting your first child. Whether you have tried to have children, or this is an unexpected gift, doesn’t matter. Just the fact that you will soon welcome a blessed addition to your family, should fill your heart with joy. I have a niece who was told she would never have children, who now has suddenly discovered she is pregnant. I cannot imagine the joy, and fear, this young soon-to-be (hopefully) mother must feel. Yet, I can. After the birth of my first daughter, I suffered a miscarriage. I was blessed to have another child, a daughter, just a couple years later. But I will always remember the loss of my second child, even if I never gazed upon his (or her) sweet face. This is a tragedy that wounds a mother deeply.
But there is another loss that is even more heart-breaking. I know my niece will welcome her baby boy (or girl) with gratitude and love. Sadly, if this dear child is a boy, he will be taken from her arms before his second birthday. Or he would have, if he had lived during the time of King Herod. Losing a child from miscarriage is hard. But to give birth to a child, then have this precious one snatched away from you, whether by illness, tragedy, or in the case of Jesus’ time, by the decree of a tyrannical king, is almost too terrible to imagine. Yet, it happened to many new parents of this time.
Today, dearhearts, we celebrate the feast day of those children who were snatched from their Mothers’ arms, as the Gospel tells us, by the very cruel king, Herod. According to Mathew 2:1-18, Herod was “greatly troubled” when astrologers from the east came asking the whereabouts of “the newborn king of the Jews,” whose star they had seen. They were told that the Jewish Scriptures named Bethlehem as the place where the Messiah would be born. Herod cunningly told them to report back to him so that he could also “do him homage.” The Magi found Jesus, offered him their gifts but warned by an angel, avoided Herod on their way home. As detailed in Matthew 2:16, King Herod then ordered all young boys in Bethlehem, who were two years old and under, to be executed in an attempt to kill the baby Jesus. However, an angel warned Jesus’ parents and they fled to safety in Egypt.
“Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.”
Some believe that the children who were killed were the first Christian martyrs. Today, the Feast of the Holy Innocents is celebrated in churches worldwide. It is also called The Innocents’ Day or Childermas or Children’s Mass.
Today, we offer prayer for those innocent children who were slaughtered. By no fault of their own, by the fact that they were born male, and because a cruel man decided this must be done, these young souls were taken from their parents way too soon. I am thankful every single day for the blessed gift of my daughters. To have a child, whether boy or girl, but to then have someone decree they must be put to death, well I cannot imagine the heartbreak their parents must have experienced. Let us today, and always, remember these young children, the Holy Innocents.
“Blessed are you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah! You suffered the inhumanity of King Herod in the murder of your babes and thereby have become worthy to offer to the Lord a pure host of infants. In full right do we celebrate the heavenly birthday of these children whom the world caused to be born unto an eternally blessed life rather than that from their mothers’ womb, for they attained the grace of everlasting life before the enjoyment of the present. The precious death of any martyr deserves high praise because of his heroic confession; the death of these children is precious in the sight of God because of the beatitude they gained so quickly. For already at the beginning of their lives they pass on. The end of the present life is for them the beginning of glory. These then, whom Herod’s cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers’ bosom, are justly hailed as “infant martyr flowers”; they were the Church’s first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief.
St. Augustine
The Order of Preachers, Independent 
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