Category: Member Posts

Whoever~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ( John 3:16 NIV )

Perhaps one of the most quoted passages in the Bible.  Perhaps the single most important verse.  The one line that can sum up what everything else in the Bible is laying the foundation for.  It is this one line- like a one sentence guarantee in a long written contract, that God is telling us; no matter what your situation is in life or what sins you have committed- you are being offered the promise of eternal life.

Throughout scripture, indeed throughout his life- Jesus is embracing or found in the company of those many of us would consider “undesirables”.  Unlike Jesus, we are quick to condemn and judge.  We point fingers and offer our unsolicited opinion, as well as our expertise- and how people should live their lives.  On the other hand, Jesus surrounded himself with prostitutes, tax collectors, the sick, the insane, the destitute and dispossessed. Any and all forms on the social maladies affecting mankind, Jesus would be with them and embraced them. Inviting and encouraging. They sought to be with him. Jesus belonged to them, even before they believed or, for that matter- behaved.

There are many people- many religions and religious leaders, who seek to impose their judgment upon others. Their morality.  From the pulpit, there are those who would state the requirements of those needed to be accepted by God or entitled to His love.  These clerics will issue the criterion by which it will be determined who is worthy of God or accepted by God.

They must remember, God is love. Jesus is love. Jesus is grace and mercy.  In his book, Jesus Is– Pastor Judah Smith warns us; “when the sin becomes more important that the sinner, an alarm bell should go off in our heads.” God sees us and accepts us unconditionally as we are. With whatever sins, faults or baggage we carry with us.  Society is quick to judge and condemn the sinner; forgetting for the most part that their own guilt and shame torment them.  “All they [ the sinner ] can see,” Pastor Smith continues, “is a Jesus who glares down from the ceiling of a cathedral or hangs bloodied on a cross. They heard that Jesus was a good man, but do they know he is a close friend of sinners?  Do they know that he is not angry with them? Do they know he is here to help?”

Pastor Smith shares a most profound though- Jesus is not angry with them-  with us.  Perhaps, like a good close personal friend, Jesus is disappointed- much as we are disappointed in ourselves for our shortfalls, but he is not angry with us. We are probably more angry with ourselves.

But Jesus is there for us- always. He understands our concerns and anxieties, and God has already addressed answered these in his once sentence guarantee.  Our contract with God.  Iron clad.  “Whoever believes”

God has not reserved his great promise of eternal life and salvation for the righteous. Not only for the faithful or the weekly church goers.  It is not just for the ones who can quote chapter and verse from scripture and those who are chaste or beyond reproach.  Indeed eternal life and salvation is not just for the saints- but for the sinner as well.  Pastor Smith writes; “whether we are good people or bad people, whether we have followed Jesus for decades or are just now finding him, whether we are pastors or prostitutes- we all need Jesus.”

So God has given us his guarantee.  His unconditional love, acceptance, forgiveness and salvation.  It is in Christ Jesus. “that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ( John 3:16 NIV )

“Mom, please can I have it?”

“Mom, please can I have it?” “All my friends have one!” “I saw it on TV.” Any parent, whether of a school-age child, or younger, has most certainly heard these words at some point in their child’s life. I know mine have uttered just such phrases when they were little. So as parents we feel the pressure to give our child the newest toy, video game, sports star-sponsored apparel, or latest, coolest mp3 music player. We do this because society tells us we must, to provide all these gadgets, toys, etc. so our children will not feel deprived (or unloved, ugly, an outcast, disadvantaged).

How do we provide all this-we work, we toil, often so many long hours that time actually spent with our children is now the rarest of treasures. Our children will understand, we tell ourselves. “I am working so hard, to labor to provide you with a comfortable, happy home.” Is the message we send our children, as we dash off to yet another long day at work. Yes, there are those of us who must work long hours, even in a two-parent house, when both parents must work, just to put food on the table, roof over our childrens’ head.
But what about those who work to acquire wealth, so they can buy the latest gadget, toy, video game, bigger home or car, just for themselves? Shouldn’t we applaud their tenacity, their strong work ethic? Aren’t they setting an example for us all, in their acquisition of wordly goods? In Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23, we are told this is Vanity.
“ Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem, applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me–and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.”
Here we are cautioned against working, toiling, just for the sake of acquiring things. We cannot take anything with us when our earthly bodies are no more. Even those who work to leave their belongings to others, thinking they are saving a great treasure for those left behind, are reminded of this “great evil”-Vanity.

In Psalm 49:5-12, We are once again reminded of that trite phrase-”You can’t take it with you.”

“Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life, there is no price one can give to God for it. For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice that one should live on forever and never see the grave. When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own. Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.”

So we have learned we can’t buy our way in to heaven. That working all of our lives, just to acquire wealth, is seen as vanity in the eyes of our Lord. So what do we do? Sit around moaning about the things we don’t have (but think we should), expecting a handout from others? This is not what God is commanding His children to do, but rather first look to Him for your needs, putting aside your old self, and “things that are on earth.” As stated in Colossians 3:1-11:

“ So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things–anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all

In Luke 12:13-21, a parable is used to teach the lesson that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”:

“ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.””

Instead of spending our days toiling, striving to acquire material wealth, we should spend that time cloaking ourselves in God’s love and mercy, casting our eyes on Him. We really cannot take our possessions with us, nor should we strive to leave an over-abundance of material wealth for those left behind. All this is Vanity, considered a great evil in the eyes of our Lord. Time spent praising and serving Him, by helping those less fortunate (and not with just a monthly donation), is time very well spent.

So what are we to do the next time our children ask for those things we are sure they can do without? Instead of spending dollars ON your children, spend time WITH your children. Yes, I know this is not always so easy when you are struggling to just put food on the table, or trying to provide a safe, comfortable place to live, but even a few minutes, or an hour, is time well spent. Will they always want the newest toy or gadget on the market? Maybe, but toys break, music and fashion always go out of style, and all earthly possessions are temporary. But love, a parents love for a child, our heavenly Father’s love for His children, will never break or lose its luster. This treasure will be with us always.

Whats in a Name~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf

I must confess, I became somewhat concerned earlier this summer when I learned our Church was considering a name change.  In my pursuit of God, I have experienced change and often saw it as the foreboding of something else to come. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There are mainstream denominations, the churches we see daily on our drives about town and then there are those that tend to be more obscure.  As with most things we do not understand, we tend to be skeptical and cautious of them.  To provide an example, driving to my sister’s home in rural Pennsylvania I register no emotion at all when I pass a Presbyterian church or Lutheran.  But I do look with wonder when I pass an Amish buggy, clopping along slowly on the shoulder of the road.  Inquisitive, I have come to somewhat understand Amish beliefs and traditions. My sister even graduated a Mennonite university for her Masters in Nursing degree.  I will admit however, being absolutely confused when I learned of another sect within the Amish known as Hutterites.  This is all very bewildering.

Then I reflected on my own situation. Baptized Methodist, my spiritual journey took me from Roman Catholic to Anglican to Evangelical Anglican to Anglican Catholic to Reformed Catholic to Old Catholic. At each pause along the way friends looked at me perplexed as I sought to explain the difference in my latest transformation.  Now at long last, confident that my spiritual journey to God is at an end, I found myself selfishly anxious that I would need to do some explaining yet again; especially to closest friends and family who are all Roman Catholic.  Recalling the basic history and foundation of Old Catholics, Roman Catholics usually see us as a break away child who will one day return to their senses, and “the church”.  Though even the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church as addressed at the Second Vatican Council states; “Those who believe in Christ and have been baptized are put in certain, though somewhat imperfect, communion with the Church.” (Catechism 838)

As I pondered consideration of how changing the name of my church would actually affect me, several concepts danced about my thoughts.  In hindsight, which is always “twenty-twenty”, perhaps they even danced to music that God was playing to help me come to terms.

The first music to overwhelm me was George Gershwin’s 1937 hit song by Fred Astaire, “Lets Call the Whole Thing Off”. You know… toe-MAY-toe, toe-MAH-toe, poe-TAY-toe, poe-TAH-toe, EEE-ther, EYE-ther… lets call the whole thing off! Then as if this wasn’t strange enough, here comes William Shakespeare quoting to me, “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”

Names and labels, I thought- whats in a name. We have first names and last names. Some of us even have middle names, and then there are those of us who explain to some friends what our “confirmation names” are. This all seemed childish to me, though still disconcerting. Why, did my Church have to change it’s name?  I prayed to understand and to prevent that other shoe from dropping.  Then God seemed to whisper an answer, put the composers’ and classics away and refer to Scripture for my answer.

The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her… “you are to call him Jesus” (Luke 1:31) “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)  Most importantly we are told by Peter in Acts, that disciples and followers of Christ came to be known as Christians. (Acts 11:26)

Bottom line then, wasn’t this the answer I was looking for all along? I am a follower of Christ, I am a Christian. Old Catholic, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran- even Amish, we are Christians. Together we follow Christ, and in God’s house “there are many rooms” (John 14:2) “but no one comes to the Father, but through [Christ] (John 14:6).

Jesus Christ himself seemed to understand this, and prayed: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through this message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world my believe that you have sent me. I have given them glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:21-23)

“Gracious Father, you sent you Son Jesus Christ to proclaim to all the Good News of your Kingdom, and through him you have inspired individuals to sow the seeds of your Church, guide us as we continue this work. Show to us the next field that is to be planted, and give to us the gifts to accomplish your will. Help us to understand the longings of the heart and the sufferings of your children. Enable us to feed them and refresh them. Give to us Gracious Father, your Church- your blessing and your grace, that Thy will be done. Amen.” (BOS 224)

Where is God on your To-Do List?

Where is God on your To-Do list? Is He only relegated to Sundays, and Wednesdays for Bible study? Or maybe you consider yourself His continual servant, praising him every day, while you go about your many daily tasks. Thanking Him for His many blessings in your life, but also secretly wishing you had more time, more money, more friends, etc. When is enough, actually ENOUGH? Yes we all are faced with an ever increasing To-Do list, especially if you are like me, caring for an ailing husband, while also enjoying the many blessings, and added responsibilities, of being a Grandmother.
But as Abraham learned in Genesis 18:1-10a, there will always be a blessing in putting aside our daily chores, and tending to others.

“ The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, “My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on–since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.” Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.” “

Abraham was wise to serve our Lord, but what if he did not recognize these strangers, would he have been so helpful? Would you? How many of you have passed a stranger on the street, asking for just a quarter, a dollar, and you brushed them aside, wrapped up in your daily inner dialogue and to-do list, thinking them just a street person. Though some of these individuals, may have a need beyond a hot meal, what if? What if that scraggly, homeless man you pass, while on your way to work, to the store, or to Church, was our blessed Father, seeking a respite from the heat of the day, and a nourishing meal? Would you rush to offer aide and comfort, just as Abraham did, only wishing to serve others? Or would you pass on by, with barely a glance?

Even with a crammed To-do list, helping and serving others, should be near the top . But we should also stop, take some time during our busy day, and listen………pray, and listen to the messages of hope, love, and salvation offered by the Father. As a woman, trying to be a dutiful daughter of our Lord, like Mary, while also living in our Martha Stewart world, I am immediately touched by this dilemma faced by two women in Luke 10:38-42.

“Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” “

This is such a powerful message for me. Yes, we all have so much to do each day, and in this technology-driven world, our to-do lists are getting longer, but when do we say…….STOP?! This is especially crucial for women, who tend to cram so much in to our daily lives that we forget, or minimize, one important item. Our precious Lord, and ourselves. just as Mary did. While Martha was distracted by her to-do list, Mary knew that the very most important item on that list was Him, who is our most holy Father, and Savior. So the next time you begin to feel like a slave to your To-Do lists, take some time to pause, reflect, and listen. Possibly what you really need is not another task, another item bought at the store or the mall, another phone call to return, or another boring meeting. What you need, what we all need, is to take the time to listen to our Lord, reflect on His messages, and give ourselves permission to occasionally take respite in the loving arms of our Father.

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?

 

Happy Father Day!

Happy Father Day!
Wishing all Fathers a most blessed Father’s Day! This includes those dads who shared in the birth of their children, but also those dads who are fathers by choice. Whether they helped raise their children, shared in caring for any child, or just served as a positive role model in any capacity, this day is dedicated to them. But I propose this day, as in every day, be also dedicated to the Father of us all.

Psalm 5:1-8
“ Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you. The boastful will not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me”.

The Origins of Father’s Day
The campaign to celebrate the nation’s fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm–perhaps because, as one florist explained, “fathers haven’t the same sentimental appeal that mothers have.” A West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers. A “Father’s Day” service was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, in the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father when, on December 1907, the Monongah Mining Disaster in nearby Monongah killed 361 men, 250 of them fathers, leaving around a thousand fatherless children. Clayton suggested her pastor Robert Thomas Webb to honor all those fathers. Clayton chose the Sunday nearest to the birthday of her father, Methodist minister Fletcher Golden. Clayton’s event did not have repercussions outside of Fairmont for several reasons, among them: the city was overwhelmed by other events, the celebration was never promoted outside of the town itself and no proclamation was made in the City Council.. The original sermon was not reproduced in press and it was lost. Finally, Clayton was a quiet person, who never promoted the event or even talked to other persons about it. Clayton also may have been inspired by Anna Jarvis’ crusade to establish Mother’s Day; two months prior, Jarvis had held a celebration for her dead mother in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) away from Fairmont. A Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on July 19, 1910. In 1911, Jane Addams proposed a city-wide Father’s Day in Chicago, but she was turned down. In 1912, there was a Father’s Day celebration in Vancouver, Washington, suggested by Methodist pastor J. J. Berringer of the Irvingtom Methodist Church. They believed mistakenly that they had been the first to celebrate such a day. They followed a 1911 suggestion by the Portland Oregonian. Harry C. Meek, member of Lions Clubs International, claimed that he had first the idea for Father’s Day in 1915. Meek claimed that the third Sunday of June was chosen because it was his birthday . The Lions Club has named him “Originator of Father’s Day”. Meek made many efforts to promote Father’s Day and make it an official holiday.
Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day. However, many men continued to disdain the day. As one historian writes, they “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.” In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father’s Day a federal holiday at last.  Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father’s Day gifts.

So as we celebrate dads everywhere on this day, I suggest we also celebrate our Father, who has given His children so much. By simply confessing our sins to the most holy Father, all is forgiven and we are surrounded by His “steadfast love”. Palm 32 reminds us of this: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart”.

In Luke 7:36-8:3, we learn about a woman, a sinner, who learning of Jesus’ visit to one of the Pharisee’s, brings in an alabaster jar. What happens to her, serves as an example of God’s love, and how, only through faith, are we truly saved.
“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him–that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.”

On this day, I give thanks to my own father, our most heavenly Father, and also to those men now in my life who daily help this wayward daughter find her own path in faith. To my Dominican Father, and Brothers, and to those “fathers” in OCACNA, I am honored and humbled by your generosity and love. Thank you for not only showing me the way, but also giving me a helping hand when I stumble.

Neither shall they learn war~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf

“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks- for nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Today in the United States we celebrate Memorial Day.  We honor and remember those who dedicated their lives in service to our nation, our values and freedoms.  But as a man of God and peace, I am challenged by those who would ask the whereabouts of our love and peace in these times of war, terrorism and aggression.

In the early days of the Christian Church, Saint Augustine of Hippo (b.354-d.430) rationalized that there were indeed “just wars”.  That God had given the sword to governments to protect the peace and punish the wicked.  Upon this foundation, Saint Thomas Aquinas (b.1225-d.1274); a Dominican priest, influential philosopher and theologian- theorized three pillars in which a “just war” could be fought: for a good and just cause not simply for gain, that it be done by a legitimate and lawful authority and that ultimately peace must be sought.

In paradox, God is seen in the Old Testament as a great warrior. He leads and inspires his people into battle to gain freedom and correct injustice.  In the New Testament, Christ is the great peacemaker- calling upon us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek and commanding Peter to put away his sword.

Likewise song inspires us.  The Battle Hymn of The Republic, tells us “His truth is marching on” and challenges us where Christ “died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.”  Another commands us- “Onward, Christian soldiers marching as to war, the the Cross of Jesus going on before.”  There are many different types of wars. Wars against sin, injustice and oppression. Wars against tyranny, fanaticism and scourge.

When we contemplate whether the cost and weight of war is ever balanced, we need only to think back to the atrocities of World War Two.  The Holocaust and war crimes perpetrated by the Nazis against an unknowing world.  In one of the pivotal battles of the war, made famous in the movie Patton– American forces are besieged in the Belgian town of Bastogne in December 1944.  Surrounded and running short on supplies, a bitter winter storm prevents their relief.  Nazis demand their surrender or threaten their total destruction.

Charged with their reinforcement, General George Patton’s Third Army is frustrated to move forward and make an impact.  Himself a paradox- a military man who prays on his knees, he summons an army chaplain to write him a prayer for improved weather in which to attack.  The chaplain questions the motivations for a prayer in which to kill and conduct war.

The Chaplain was Army Colonel James H. O’Neill, an ordained Catholic priest who would later rise to become Brigadier General and Deputy Chief of the US Army Chaplain Corps and be elevated to Monsignor.  The prayer he wrote and presented to General Patton was ultimately disseminated to all soldiers within the Third Army, that winter:

“Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee of Thy great goodness, to restrain the immoderate weather for which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations.  Amen.”

I began this reflection with a quote from the prophet Isaiah.  That quote, is engraved on a bronze statute of war humbling his sword into a plowshare.  It was sculpted by famous Russian artist Yevgeny Vuchetich and presented on behalf of the people of Russia to the United Nations in 1957.  It is displayed in the peace garden at their headquarters in New York City.

God alone knows if mankind will ever truly know peace.  He sent to us his Son, who is the Prince of Peace and showed us how to live for peace and in love for each other. God gave to us His example, we only need to have the courage and sense to follow.

Most almighty and merciful God, grant your eternal rest upon all those who sought to establish your justice and peace. Let us not belittle their sacrifice, by not beseeching your grace upon us.  Help us to know that we only have ourselves to provide for and help each other.  Let us come to know that those of different languages and different colors, are ineed our brother as we are all your children. Protect those even now who stand guard at home and aboard, and seek to rid your world of injustice and oppression. Grant their families comfort while they serve away from them. And most importantly, give to us thankful and respectful hearts for their service and the blessing of your peace- so that we might not learn war any more. Amen.

Babbling? ~ Fr. Terry Elkington

The Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 is one of those Bible stories that we tend to learn as children and rarely revisit. We remember the unsuccessful effort of the people to build a tower to heaven so they could get to God. Perhaps we were even given the chance to color this tower or build one with Popsicle sticks and glue. The lesson I remember learning from this as a child is that God punished the tower builders by making life more difficult for them. What is your memory from your first hearing of the Tower of Babel?

I am very grateful for the spiritual discipline of daily Bible reading which gives me the opportunity to return to stories like the Tower of Babel and bring my adult sense to bear on its meaning. The lesson I draw from it now is different from my Sunday school days.

What I find now in Genesis is an endearing depiction of both people and God as we figure out how life in community is going to work.

When the story starts, all people share one language with the same words. The people set about building a city and conceive the idea of building a tower by which they will “make a name for” themselves. Their fear is, if they don’t do this, then they “shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth” (Genesis 11:4). However, this tower building provokes exactly that response from God.

Seeing the city and the tower, God concludes, “This is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible to them.” God’s solution to limiting possibility is to “confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech” and to scatter them abroad over the face of all the earth.

What are we to make of this encounter between God and us?

I find in the Tower of Babel an encouraging indication of how God holds together our unity and our diversity as God’s creation — God’s children. In order to keep us humble — that is, knowing that we are human beings and not God — God ends the period of one language. God then establishes within humanity the same diversity that was given to all creation in the opening chapters of Genesis, a wealth of variety that remains throughout Scripture.

In a nutshell – the key to humility is diversity. Wow!

Of course, God provides unity for human beings after restoring the covenant with us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit brings one understanding even as the people from different nations across the world continue to speak and hear their own language. Here is an amazing moment of both unity and diversity held together by God’s loving Spirit at work in us.

Of course, language is not the only thing that is different about people. We have come to understand that God has endowed human beings with diversity in race, gender identity, sexual orientation, culture and perspective. Future generations may discover other realms of diversity still not revealed to us. And the Holy Spirit gives us the means by which we find unity even as we delight, as God does, in such variety.

This is how the parable of the Tower of Babel informs my faith.

I look forward to hearing about how it informs yours.

 

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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