Category: Lesson

Saint Martin de Porres

Blessed Martin de Porres was born in the city of Lima, in the Viceroyalty of Peru, on December 9, 1579, the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a black former slave. He grew up in poverty; when his mother could not support him and his sister, Martin was confided to a primary school for two years, and then placed with a barber/surgeon to learn the medical arts. This caused him great joy, though he was only ten years old, for he could exercise charity to his neighbor while earning his living. Already he was spending hours of the night in prayer, a practice that increased rather than diminished as he grew older.

At the age of 15, he asked for admission to the Dominican Convent of the Rosary in Lima and was received first as a servant boy; as his duties grew, he was promoted to almoner. Eventually he felt the call to enter the Dominican Order, and was received as a tertiary. Years later, his piety and miraculous cures led his superiors to drop the racial limits on admission to the friars, and he was made a full Dominican. It is said that when his convent was in debt, he implored them: “I am only a poor mulatto, sell me.” Martin was deeply attached to the Blessed Sacrament, and he was praying in front of it one night when the step of the altar he was kneeling on caught fire. Throughout all the confusion and chaos that followed, he remained where he was, unaware of what was happening around him.

When he was 34, after he had been given the habit of a Coadjutor Brother, Martin was assigned to the infirmary, where he was placed in charge and would remain in service until his death at the age of sixty. His superiors saw in him the virtues necessary to exercise unfailing patience in this difficult role, and he never disappointed them. It was not long before miracles were attributed to him. Saint Martin also cared for the sick outside his convent, often bringing them healing with only a simple glass of water. He begged for alms to procure necessities the Convent could not provide, and Providence always supplied.

One day an aged beggar, covered with ulcers and almost naked, stretched out his hand, and Saint Martin, seeing the Divine Mendicant in him, took him to his own bed. One of his brethren reproved him. Saint Martin replied: “Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness.”

When an epidemic struck Lima, there were in this single Convent of the Rosary sixty friars who were sick, many of them novices in a distant and locked section of the convent, separated from the professed. Saint Martin is said to have passed through the locked doors to care for them, a phenomenon which was reported in the residence more than once. The professed, too, saw him suddenly beside them without the doors having been opened. Martin continued to transport the sick to the convent until the provincial superior, alarmed by the contagion threatening the religious, forbade him to continue to do so. His sister, who lived in the country, offered her house to lodge those whom the residence of the religious could not hold. One day he found on the street a poor Indian, bleeding to death from a dagger wound, and took him to his own room until he could transport him to his sister’s hospice. The superior, when he heard of this, reprimanded his subject for disobedience. He was extremely edified by his reply: “Forgive my error, and please instruct me, for I did not know that the precept of obedience took precedence over that of charity.” The superior gave him liberty thereafter to follow his inspirations in the exercise of mercy.

Martin would not use any animal as food—he was a vegetarian.

In normal times, Saint Martin succeeded with his alms to feed 160 poor persons every day, and distributed a remarkable sum of money every week to the indigent. To Saint Martin the city of Lima owed a famous residence founded for orphans and abandoned children, where they were formed in piety for a creative Christian life. This lay brother had always wanted to be a missionary, but never left his native city; yet even during his lifetime he was seen elsewhere, in regions as far distant as Africa, China, Algeria and Japan. An African slave who had been in irons said he had known Martin when he came to relieve and console many like himself, telling them of heaven. When later the same slave saw him in Peru, he was very happy to meet him again and asked him if he had had a good voyage; only later did he learn that Saint Martin had never left Lima. A merchant from Lima was in Mexico and fell ill; he said aloud: “Oh, Brother Martin, if only you were here to care for me!” and immediately saw him enter his room. And again, this man did not know until later that he had never been in Mexico.

Martin was a friend of both Saint John de Massias and Saint Rose of Lima. When he died in Lima on November 3, 1639, Martin was known to the entire city. Word of his miracles had made him known as a saint throughout the region. As his body was displayed to allow the people of the city to pay their respects, each person snipped a tiny piece of his habit to keep as a relic. It is said that three habits were taken from the body. His body was then interred in the grounds of the monastery.

Pope Gregory XVI beatified Martin de Porres in 1837. Nearly one hundred and twenty-five years later, Blessed Martin was canonized in Rome by Pope John XXIII on May 6, 1962. His feast day is November 3. He is the Patron Saint of people of mixed race, innkeepers, barbers, public health and more besides.

In iconography, Martin de Porres is often depicted as a young mulatto friar (he was a Dominican brother, not a priest, as evidenced by the black scapular and capuce he wears, while priests of the Dominican order wear all white) with a broom, since he considered all work to be sacred no matter how menial. He is sometimes shown with a dog, a cat and a mouse eating in peace from the same dish.

From the homily given by Blessed Pope John XXIII on the occasion of the Canonization of St. Martin de Porres:

The example of Martin’s life is ample evidence that we can strive for holiness and salvation as Christ Jesus has shown us: first, by loving God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind; and second, by loving your neighbor as yourself.”When Martin had come to realize that Christ Jesus suffered for us and that he carried our sins on his body to the cross, he would meditate with remarkable ardor and affection about Christ on the cross.  Whenever he would contemplate Christ’s terrible torture he would be reduced to tears.  He had an exceptional love for the great sacrament of the Eucharist and often spent long hours in prayer before the blessed sacrament.  His desire was to receive the sacrament in communion as often as he could.Saint Martin, always obedient and inspired by his divine teacher, dealt with his brothers with that profound love which comes from pure faith and humility of spirit.  He loved men because he honestly looked on them as God’s children and as his own brothers and sisters.  Such was his humility that he loved them even more than himself and considered them to be better and more righteous than he was.

He excused the faults of others. He forgave the bitterest injuries, convinced that he deserved much severer punishments on account of his own sins. He tried with all his might to redeem the guilty; lovingly he comforted the sick; he provided food, clothing and medicine for the poor; he helped, as best he could, farm laborers and Negroes, as well as mulattoes, who were looked upon at that time as akin to slaves: thus he deserved to be called by the name the people gave him: ‘Martin of Charity.'”

The virtuous example and even the conversation of this saintly man exerted a powerful influence in drawing men to religion.  It is remarkable how even today his influence can still come us toward the things of heaven.  Sad to say, not all of us understand these spiritual values as well as we should, nor do we give them a proper place in our lives.  Many of us, in fact, strongly attracted by sin, may look upon these values as of little moment, even something of a nuisance, or we ignore them altogether.  It is deeply rewarding for men striving for salvation to follow in Christ’s footsteps and to obey God’s commandments.  If only everyone could learn this lesson from the example that Martin gave us.

The Feast of All Saints ~ 1 November

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was very fond of preaching on All Saints’ Day. Wesley’s Journals are filled with references to his sermons on All Saints’ Day as a day of triumphant joy. In one of his many references, this one in 1756, he remarks: “November 1st was a day of triumphant joy, as All Saints’ Day generally is. How superstitious are they who scruple giving God solemn thanks for the lives and deaths of his saints.”

In a real sense, this Holy Day with its Communion and the Great Thanksgiving Prayer, is a festival day of remembrance so that we can render thanks to God for the lives and deaths of those who have labored here with us as colleagues and family in the church on earth — reminding us of our connection with the church triumphant in God’s love. And so on this day, we celebrate, with triumphant joy as we remember and celebrate those “whose rest is won, why by faith before the world confessed” the name of Jesus.”

We remember:

Guy Runyan Jr., Betty Jean Lemley, Gregory France

Orpha Billups

Peter, George, Milica, Biljana, Risto

Rosalia Glorioso, Giuseppe Glorioso,  343 brothers in the fire service(9/11) FDNY, Father Mychal Judge, OFM;  Paul Justin Blake, Glenn Steepleton

Winifred Wolf, John Kuhn, Mary, Leo, Edward Muller

Victor Oris and Hazel Godsey,  Robert and Theresa Stites,  Blessed Bishop John A. Parker Jr., Eugene and Ollie Mae Knight, Tina Waldrop

  EDMUND HYNSON EMORA CASS,  KENNY DRESBACK, DAVID HOLCOMBE

Melbert Taylor, Tammy Olson, Paul Elkington,  Roy Stitt

Sheila McCarter,  John Andrew, Margaret McCarter, John McCarter,  George Sherwood, Raynbird Andrew,  Prescilla (Pat) Andrew,  Margaret Greenwood

Charlene Osborne

Pat and Charlie Brown, William Richard Walker, Gladys Mae Walker, Charles Melvin Brown, Eula May Brown, Freda and Marvin Ash, Shorty Brown, Charlie Flack

Billy Beckett, Charles Beaver, Emma Frances “Snook” Beaver, Vesta Lovejoy Beaver, Veda Martin Beckett, Walter Beckett, Arthur and Emma Martin, Pete Martin, Vola Rose, Opal Rose, Lawrence Beaver, Robert Beaver, Steve Chapman

Marietta Summers, Phyllis Phares

O Almighty God, who have knit together your elect in one Communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those indescribable joys which you have prepared for those who truly love you: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.

Almighty God, who by your Holy Spirit have made us one with Your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.  Amen.

All Who Humble Themselves…..

As I read through this week’s Bible readings, I am reminded of an old saying my Grandmother would quote, “The meek shall inherit the earth” Matthew 5:5

In studying the following passages, we are reminded that “Then who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” Joel 2:32. Those whom He calls, will not only be saved, but shall also carry His message to the rest of the people, for in their meekness and humbleness, they shall be rewarded.

Joel 2:23-32
“O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the later rain, as before. The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will repay you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent against you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other. And my people shall never again be put to shame. Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.”

As many dear souls who struggle to do God’s work, with a very humble heart, I find in this next passage a very heartwarming, and reaffirming message:

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
“As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen”.

But yet it is not them who seemingly flaunt their righteousness that God calls, but those who may at first appear to be the least deserving of us to receive God’s blessing and grace. “ Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. “ Joel 2:28-29

This is best described in the following parable in Luke 18:9-14
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It is often with a troubled, and thus humble, heart that I seek God’s blessing and guidance. Of course I praise Him with every breath, but it is in times of trouble, in the midst of my wary restlessness and loneliness, that I feel His greatest presence.

Faith~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf

This sermon may be considered a “part two” to my September sermon, “Let go and Let God”.  In that, I wrote of living in faith and trusting in God no matter what the circumstance. As quoted then, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” [2 Corinthians 5:7]. This “part two” came about by having been asked a question on my original position and again, being inspired by the Lectionary for today.

Today being the twenty-first Sunday after Pentacost the Lectionary reading suggests; “Then he [Jesus] said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’” [Luke 17:19].  But for a woman I spiritually counsel, whose husband suffers terminal illness, the question is askd, “What if I have no faith?”

Many of us feel, and some of us even taught- that to doubt God or question our faith and trust in God, is biggest offense possible. It can frighten us.  A sign of weakness or sinful spirit; vulnerable to temptation and rebellion.  People facing critical circumstances, terminal illness and unexpected loss, often wrestle with these emotions.  And they need not be life altering, but sometimes even the slightest “bump in the road” can cause any of us to question. And for those of us who are clergy or religious, this can seem hypocritical and even downright treasonous.  Throughout scripture there are those who questioned God-  Jeremiah felt deceived and Job angrily challenged God.  Even Thomas doubted God, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hand and put my finger into where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” [John 20:25]

Nevertheless, we should take heart. Believe it or not, we are closest and most receptive to God,  in our doubt. Thomas Merton, a Cistercian Trappist monk [much like our beloved Saint Aelred], wrote that “Faith means doubt, not the suppression of doubt.  The only way to truly overcome doubt is to live through it. Someone who has never experience doubt, is not a person of faith.”  Mother Teresa wrote extensively of her “dark long periods of spiritual desolation; questioning whether God cared, loved or even existed at all.”  Even centuries ago, St. Augustine agreed- “Doubt is but an element of faith.”

St. Vincent de Paul wrote;  “We belong to God. We must give ourselves to God everyday. Repeatedly and consistently, with all our doubts and cares, so that God can give to us His charity, so that we may be blessed to give it to others.”

In his book, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, Pope John Paul II reflects that, as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote we must be allowed to have doubt, to search for God and truth on our own terms.  To do this- to have doubt, is “a manifestation of the grace of the Holy Spirit at work”, wrote Pope John Paul, “questioning God reveals your faith in him.”

But Pope John Paul takes us another step further. He reflects on our recitation of the Apostles Creed, where we declare our faith in the Church. “We are the Church,” the pontiff writes- “so we are to have faith in each other- a reliance on each other, to do God’s will and be God’s love.”  John Paul charges us, “to pray and be as the father of the possessed boy,  “I do believe; help me to overcome my unbelief.” [Mark 9:24].”

Inasmuch as we pray and portray to have faith, we must understand and accept that doubt is part of that faith. When we are frightened, exhausted, angry or suffering, it is then that we are most open to God. It is in these moments that we know in our hearts we believe in God, we just need God’s help in overcoming our unbelief. To let go and let God.

There is an old anecdote- when it comes to faith, for those who do not believe- no explanation is possible and for those who do believe, no explanation is necessary.  Thank God, I do believe!

Let us pray. 

Almighty God, you are my God. You know all things and have made all things. Make within us true and certain hearts. We give to you our doubts and uncertainties. Give to us the peace and strength of your presence. Send upon us your Holy Spirit to renew, restore and refresh us. Let the light of Your truth cast away all shadows from within us. In silent prayer let our cares and concerns be calm. Let us be still, and know that Thou art God. Amen.

Am I where God wants me to be? ~ Brother Scott Brown

I look at where I am in my life and I ask this question. I think in the back of my mind that I have had a lot of time to get to where God wants me to be, but did I take the right steps to get to this point? Did I answer the questions correctly, did I drive the right roads or did my GPS get me lost? I often hear a little voice in the back of my head that tells me to do one particular thing, take a particular path, do a particular deed and I sometimes wonder if it’s God or the Devil. I use my best judgment and the common sense God gave me to make the decision to go left or right, up or down, top or bottom. Did I make the right choice? Only time will tell, and only God knows the answer to that. Even when I don’t know what the future holds, God does. He has a plan for me and my future. All I have to do is let go of the selfish part of me that wants to make all the decisions, wants to be in total control, wants to be the leader and let God make the decisions and lead me where I am supposed to be.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that he has everything under control and knows what is in our futures and what His plans are for us. So why don’t we know what God has planned for us? That would take all the fun out of it. If we knew what was going to happen next we would get really bored and tired of living. There wouldn’t be any surprise to anything. Imagine if you woke up every morning and knew what was going to happen at every moment of the coming day. You would avoid answering a phone call from that person that irritates you, but that person may need your kind words and wisdom that day. You would know not to take your usual route to work because of that stop light that isn’t working today, but you may miss seeing that rainbow on your way to the office. What a boring life it would be. But, God has our days, weeks, months, years,  even our whole lives  planned out for us. We just need to put our trust in Him and roll with the flow. We may not know what lies around the corner but God does and He will not lead us into peril or give us more than we can handle. He will use his plan for our lives to teach us patience, humility, understanding and love.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Acknowledge the Lord and praise him with all your heart and soul and God will guide your path through life. God will help you around the curves and corners and you can lean on Him for guidance. Keep God in everything you do and He will continue to direct your path through life so you don’t have to make the big decisions. God gives us the ability to ignore his guidance and choose our own paths, but when we do we risk straying too far off the path that God has planned for us. When we wander too far off that path things start to go wrong in our lives and we tend to blame God for our problems. If we would just pay attention to the little voices in our head and use our God-given common sense to sort out the situation we can have happy lives, good relationships, and the inner peace that God has planned for us in the first place.

Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Don’t succumb to peer pressure as this is usually the Devil trying to persuade you to deviate from Gods path for you and stray from his plan for your life. Test the waters before you dive in head first and use your best judgment to figure out if the journey you are about to embark on is guided by the Devil or God. God will always let you know that you have taken the correct path by rewarding you. Not always with big rewards like winning the lottery or getting a massive raise at work, but sometimes his reward to you is simply a smile or a kind word from a friend or passerby on the street.  Maybe you hear from an old friend that you have lost touch with years ago. This may be Gods way of guiding you down the path he wants you to go. God has brought this person into your life again as an example or to teach you a lesson. That lesson may not be evident at first but at some point will become clear to you just as The Lord has planned.

Romans 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Pray to the Lord and ask him to guide your path and be your GPS through life. He will not let you down. You may not understand why he has chosen a particular direction for you but trust that the path he leads you on is the correct one and will be to your advantage and to His glory. 

Questions, Questions, Questions ~ The Very Rev. Terry Elkington

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

1: “We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong.
Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law.”

13: “My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self.
Serve each other with love.”

15: “If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.”

17: “Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves.”

19-21: “The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, 20worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, 21feeling envy, being drunk, have wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom.”

22-23: “But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control.”

25: “We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit.”

Please consider the questions I have proposed and their effect on your spiritual journey.

Are you making excuses? Are you stepping on toes as you push through your agenda in the name of Jesus? Has your passion for His kingdom created a bull-in-the-china-closet approach in your ministry? Have you enjoyed being righteous? Are all of your actions acceptable simply because you feel you are responding to God’s vision and plan for your life? Is your ministry so important that the end justify the means?

What was your latest battle? Who did you fight? Could there have been a different approach? Did blood have to flow or fur fly? How do you balance the importance of a ministry program that God has instilled in your heart with a loving spirit towards those who seemingly are standing in the way? How do you overcome barriers of resistance without injuring those in your path? How can you accomplish what God has called you to do if you are humbly stepping aside to avoid conflict?

Are you causing divisions among people? Are your actions tearing down the kingdom while your words attempt to build it up? Are you doing more harm than good? Do you realize that one harmful act can undo years of ministry efforts?

Is the Spirit producing good in your life? Can others see evidence of Him working in you? If the leaders of your church were putting together a list of people whose lives exhibited goodness from being Spirit-led, would your name appear? After this reflection, what steps should you take to allow Christ’s transforming love into your heart?
Should you find new ways to be sensitive to His Spirit to insure you are following Him every step of the way? Should you constantly pray for God to reveal your faults and mend your spirit?

 

Indifference ~ Br. Scott Brown

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.     Author unknown

This is a very important quote for many reasons. The author is unknown, but I have heard this many times in my life and it seems to pop up at very opportune times when things seem to be going downhill for me. The last few days I have been struggling with some demons in my mind that are apparently placed there by Satan to keep me confused and in doubt about my relationship with God. The details are not important, but the fact that they have had me doubting my status with the Lord is what is important. It seems that I have had doubts about God, doubts about my status with God and doubts about where I am in relation to God’s plan for me. Little things seem to bother me, unimportant things seem to get on my nerves, little noises and dogs barking seem to tick me off. I know these things are not important in the grand scheme of things, and they are placed there by the devil to put fear and doubt in my heart. Prayer is the answer – the only answer! Once I realized that the source of all this trouble was Satan I began to pray and it seems that the little things suddenly were not so important, and didn’t seem to bother me so much. Prayer is the answer to all of life’s dilemmas and tribulations; especially the small ones that seem to add up and compile on top of each other until you feel like you are just not able to dig out from under them. So what does the above quote have to do with all of this?

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. Be indifferent to the devil, pray about what is bothering you and he will leave you alone. Prayer is the strongest medicine against him, and he can’t fight back against prayer because the Lord takes your side every time you go to him in prayer. Resist the devil just as Jesus did as we see in Matthew 4:1-4 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Jesus was able to resist Satan in the flesh face to face, so should we be able to resist daily temptations and thoughts placed in our heads by him. Prayer is your strongest weapon against Satan and the temptations and obstacles he places in front of us daily.

The opposite of art isn’t ugliness, it’s indifference. Prayer is an art in itself. Don’t be indifferent with your prayer – treat it as a form of art and miraculous things will happen. Think about what you want to talk to the Lord about and form your words carefully much like a painter carefully plans each brush stroke before he puts brush to canvas. Romans 12:2 tells us that prayer will transform our minds and reveal what is the will of God. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Just as the Lord guides the painters hand and brush he will guide you in your everyday life and take the burden of the little things away from you, giving you the strength to carry on past them.

The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. Don’t be indifferent with your faith, keep strong, keep firm, and stay steadfast with your faith and your beliefs. The devil will try to break your faith by throwing obstacles in your path but with prayer and strong faith the Lord will help you avoid the obstacles and give you the courage and strength to carry on with his work. Keep positive thoughts in your mind, pray steadfastly and diligently and the devil won’t be have room to plant evil thoughts or place doubt in your head. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us that our prayers will be heard and answered.” And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

Don’t sweat the little things, pray about them and the Lord will either resolve them for you or give you the strength and resources to resolve them yourself.

The opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. Life is a gift from God that we should be thankful for every day of our lives. We should give thanks to the Lord every day when we wake up and live that day to serve the Lord and do his bidding. Indifference to life would be a form of spiritual death in that if we are indifferent to life, we are rejecting a gift from God. Accept the gift that God has given you and go about your life with a song in your heart and a smile on your face. People will know from your outward appearance that you are grateful for the gift of life and happy to do the Lords work with a song of thanksgiving in your heart.

This quote is not something you should have tattooed on your arm so that you see it every day of your life, but if that is what it takes to keep us happy, keep us in tune with the Lord, and keep us focused on the path that the Lord wants us to travel then by all means, go for it. Just remember that God has a plan for you, for your life, for your salvation, and for your soul eternal. Pray regularly, pray diligently, pray fervently and pray with a happy and open heart. The Lord will bless you by taking away your problems and troubles and replace them with joy and comfort.

Thoughts on the 23rd Psalm ~ Fr. Terry Elkington

Everybody knows Psalm 23. I’ve been reciting that psalm since I was in primary school. I only began to truly understand it recently. So I decided to read it and not just recite it. I’m reading it and then I begin to understand the meaning of those words.

Vs 1: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (KJV). NIV says: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. This means I [will] have everything I need.

Vs 2 & 3: He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. (NIV) He will give me peace. He will lead me to the right places. I will get to where He wants me. He will help me do the right things.

Vs 4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (KJV) Even when I get into trouble, When I’m ever in a bad situation, when I face trials and tribulations, I will not be afraid because He is with me. I find comfort and stability in His discipline.

Vs 5 & 6: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (KJV) I will not be put to shame. My enemies will not laugh at me. I will be lifted up above those who hate me. I am anointed by God; hence no harm shall befall me. His love, goodness, mercy and favour shall follow me everywhere I go and everyday of my life and I will be in His house/presence always.

It’s amazing how we never see what is right in front of us.

It’s also amazing how we just read our Bibles and know memory verses but don’t take time out to understand what we have read.

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New Monasticism: What It Has to Say to Today’s Church: A Review

New Monasticism: What It Has to Say to Today’s Church by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Monasticism conjures up images of monks quietly moving through dark monasteries, sequestered from the “real” world as they seek God’s will through meditation, prayer and communal living.

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove brings fresh perspective to the age-old concept of living in Christian community in “New Monasticism: What It Has to Say to Today’s Church”. Starting with a strong historical foundation, the author explores ancient concepts of community through an informative study of the early church at Antioch, as well as more contemporary figures in the monastic movement such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, St. Benedict, and Mother Teresa.

This book forced me to honestly examine the Bible’s radical ideas and how its teachings should impact my choices as a 21st Century American. Wilson-Hartgrove begins with the convincing concept, beginning with Genesis and moving through Biblical history, that God’s plan to save the world was not one person at a time, but through a people. From this premise, he boldly states, “If the Bible is a story about God’s plan to save the world through a people, then my salvation and sanctification depends on finding my true home with God’s people. Apart from the story of this people, I can’t have a relationship with God. Without the church, there is no chance of becoming holy.”

The focus of the book then shifts to an examination of the movement’s current marks of distinction including: sharing economic resources; geographical proximity to other community members; peacemaking; and the active pursuit of “just reconciliation”. While Wilson-Hartgrove shares intimate details of his own monastic experiences and gives an abundance of examples of practical community living from other groups, he wisely avoids prescribing a specific formula for an ascetic, communal-driven lifestyle. Instead, he challenges his readers to shift their own ways of thinking, and allows them to imagine life from a Kingdom perspective. The author writes beautifully of his experiences with relocation, Earth’s scarcity versus God’s abundance, what it means to be a peacemaker in our war-ravaged culture, and how to live with others in a “culture of grace and truth.”

This small, easily read book, covers a lot of ground, delving into the heart of Jesus’ mission to live in relationship with others. When you pick up “New Monasticism”, be prepared to have your old ways of thinking challenged and re-worked, for you may find yourself wondering how to become a more integral part of God’s “peculiar people”.

Meditation on Psalm 116 ~ Br. Scott Brown, Postulant

Psalms 116:1-8 (ESV)

I love the Lord, because he has heard

my voice and my pleas for mercy.

2 Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

6 The Lord preserves the simple;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling;

This Psalm is one of the Psalms that Jesus and His 12 disciples sang during the Passover meal. It was sung following the eating of the Passover lamb. The author of this Psalm (possibly David) describes his deliverance from a near death experience. As a result of God’s rescue he breaks forth with the phrase “I love the LORD”. He is expressing his thanksgiving for God’s response to his call. He paints a picture of God’s gracious character and righteous purposes. He shuns self-reliance and invites total trust in God.

We don’t typically face near death experiences in our daily lives, but we do face daily trials and tribulations, stumbling blocks, road blocks, and hurdles. We should give thanks to God every day for helping us overcome these obstacles in our lives, for keeping us safe from harm when that person cuts us off in traffic, or that person on the phone runs a light that was obviously red but they just weren’t paying attention.  Because God listens to us, we should call on him in every aspect of our daily lives, when that one co-worker gets on your nerves, or the boss is being a real jerk for some reason. We should keep this Psalm in mind and know that God listens to us, cares for us, loves us, wants us to be happy people, and will give us the strength to get through whatever trial or tribulation is troubling us.

Later in this Psalm we hear the author say that the Lord preserves (protects) the simple, and when he was brought low, god saved him. God saves us every day of our lives. Each day that we are given is a gift from God. A gift that we don’t deserve, that we are not really worthy of receiving, a gift that God bestows on us out of his love for us and his abundant graciousness. Enjoy each day, thank the Lord for what we receive and what he has given us, don’t moan and complain about what we don’t have and what we think we are missing in our lives.

In verse 8 the author says that God has delivered his soul from death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from stumbling. God will lift us up and carry us through the trials and tribulations of our daily lives if we ask him for help and guidance. He supports us and keeps us from stumbling, he picks us up and dusts us off when we do fall, he heals our wounds, scrapes and bruises, he puts a Band-Aid on the wounds that are bleeding, dries the tears from our eyes and send us on our way to serve him again. We can not fail in the eyes of the Lord unless we refuse to accept him and his love for us. So the next time you fall or stumble, remember that God loves you, God protects you, God keeps you wrapped in his arms for comfort and safety. He will not fail you, and all he asks of you is your love.