Category: Sermon
Angels Unaware….Are You One? ~ The Rev. Deacon Dollie Wilkinson, OPI
There is an elderly gentleman in my neighborhood, who lives alone, and seems to spend most of his days hitting plastic golf balls in his yard, or feeding stray cats who appear every evening on his front porch. When we moved in to our new home a few years ago, he at first appeared distant, not very friendly. Since then, I have learned that this is just his way. He had a severe brain injury many years ago, so he doesn’t relate to others like you and I would. But, he has a big heart, and is very generous. See, most of my neighbors are elderly, and thus on a fixed income. So money is usually tight for these folks, as it is for most of us. This kind gentleman has a daughter who brings him boxes of produce and bread every week. And, he gladly shares these with every one, including myself. He could be selfish, and keep this bounty all to himself, but he doesn’t. We are blessed by his generosity, but I believe he is likewise favored in the eyes of the Lord, as described in Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23:
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD is the maker of them all. Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger will fail. Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor. Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the LORD pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them.”
This generous neighbor could turn around and try to sell the produce, or pick and choose who he gives it to, but instead he freely shares with whomever needs it. I know many of you may donate to a worthy cause, such as an orphanage, or maybe you buy gifts for a Secret Santa child during the holidays. Yet, when a scruffy bum approaches you on the street as you rush through your day, do you speak harsh words to him, or her……do you even politely say “No” when they ask for spare change……or do you just rush past, having already passed judgment on someone you really do not know? But, then you see a group of school children collecting money for a field trip, and decide to donate, considering them a better use of your time and money? I’m not saying we should not support our children in their endeavors, but I just want to caution you to heed the message in James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17:
“My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
Please do support our children, or those in orphanages, or Secret Santa, but also do not ignore your next door neighbor, or the dearheart who comes up to you on the street. Just as my neighbor exemplified in his generosity, to pick and chose who receives our money, time, or gifts, is to serve in judgment over others. As we all know, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” is not only commanded by God, but should serve as a basis for all we say and do in our daily lives. Because what good is it to say we have faith, we believe in our heavenly Father, if we do nothing else but spend our days worrying about just ourselves? “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” So, what works, or actions, have you committed to doing here lately to help others?
More than Lip Service ~ The Rev. Deacon Joshua Hatten, OPI
St. Mark 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. —For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders. And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed, the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. — So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?” He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” He summoned the crowd again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile. “From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”
In today’s Gospel we see Jesus calling out the Pharisees for their hypocrisy – the fact that they placed more importance on man made rules and regulations rather than purity of the mind and heart. I wonder how many of us Christ would find ourselves guilty of the very same hypocrisy today?
So often, too often, many Christians sew their wild oats Monday through Saturday and then find themselves praying for a crop failure on Sunday. Sure, we may wear our crucifixes or crosses, have all the right bumper stickers and even do volunteer work for this organization or another – all the outward show to identify ourselves as Christians – but is it in vain? Just for the show? Really meaning nothing because of the conditions of our hearts?
Do we harbor hatred in our minds? Lusts in our bellies? Unforgiveness? Addictions? Do we gossip or spread rumours? Do we murmur and complain? I think you get the gist; we know the list could go on and on.
While we know that, for us, perfection in this life is an impossibility, we ARE to strive for it. We are called to be in this world, but not of it. We are called to be holy as our God is holy. After all, we are made in the divine image! But, we will fall. We will fail.
So what is the point? It lies in this: that when we do falter, when we do fail – that we get back up, seek out forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings and get back in the race toward holiness. Keeping our focus on Jesus Christ, with the aide of the Holy Spirit, that is GOD within us, we can accomplish what is pleasing to the Almighty. What finds favour in His sight we can choose to do, but only with His help. We must seek out, with humility and singleness of heart and a hatred of what is unholy, to do what makes us truly the sons and daughters of God. Not merely putting on an outward show. But, truly, in our heart of hearts desiring that which is pleasing and good in the eyes of the Lord.
I spent nearly a decade as a raging alcoholic. During that time I never missed a church service, I always sang the loudest in the choir and I volunteered with many, many different organizations… but for what? It was all a song and dance – pure show. Internally, I was rotten. My life was as far off the tracks as it could be. And with all that show, I was only fooling myself. I wasn’t right with the Lord. I was not pleasing Him. I was a Pharisee. So long as other people could see the “great” works I was doing then I felt holy and most of the time holier-than-thou. It was all in vain. All for naught, nothing, nada, zip, zilch.
Once I turned my inner life around and stopped drinking and put God back where He belonged, as the most important part of my life, then everything changed. I wasn’t any longer concerned about putting on the “show” for others. No more did all the “lip service” matter. I had to take a long and painful and difficult look at my life. At the way not only did it affect me, but how it effected others. The show mattered, not in any good way. Not in any way that was gainful spiritually. It hurt me and those I loved and those I associated with – most of all, it hurt God. I was letting Him down. All the outward folderol was costing me a true relationship with the Almighty. It was making a mockery of the cross – of the work, the price that Christ had paid for me.
Now I ask each of us to take our finger of deep introspection and turn it toward ourselves. WE typically have no problem pointing out the faults and hypocrisies in others, but it is much harder to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings. However, when we do get honest with ourselves about ourselves, then – and only then – can we take a moral inventory and see what was purely lip service, eliminate it and live our lives for Christ and in Christ and BY CHRIST, be victorious!
This is the lesson of today’s Gospel. This is what Christ is teaching us. Not simply to have a pretense of honoring him with a great outward show – what does it matter if your hands are dirty or clean when your mind and emotions, that is, YOUR SPIRIT, is filthy?? Take that first step of trust in Christ, and allow the divine guidance to lead our thoughts into line with the thoughts of God. To have our actions FOLLOW what we are internally. To truly love and serve the Lord with gladness and singleness of heart. By doing this, then we are really the children of God and please Him with our works. And then, we can be led onto His path of peace. Amen.
Memorial of Saint Augustine ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Novice
Augustine of Hippo lived from 354 to 430, and was an early Christian theologian and philosopher whose writings influenced the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy. He was the bishop of Hippo Regius. He is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers in Western Christianity for his writings in the Patristic Era. Among his most important works are City of God and Confessions. In the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, he is a saint, a preeminent Doctor of the Church, and the patron of the Augustinians. His memorial is celebrated on 28 August, the day of his death. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, the alleviation of sore eyes, and a number of cities and dioceses. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider him to be one of the theological fathers of the Protestant Reformation due to his teachings on salvation and divine grace.
In the summer of 386, at the age of 31, after having heard and been inspired and moved by the story of Ponticianus’s and his friends’ first reading of the life of Saint Anthony of the Desert, Augustine converted to Christianity. As Augustine later told it, his conversion was prompted by a childlike voice he heard telling him to “take up and read” which he took as a divine command to open the Bible and read the first thing he saw. Augustine read from Paul’s Epistle to the Romans – the so-called “Transformation of Believers” section, consisting of chapters 12 through 15 – wherein Paul outlines how the Gospel transforms believers, and the believers’ resulting behavior.
In 391 Augustine was ordained a priest and became a famous preacher (more than 350 preserved sermons are believed to be authentic), and was noted for combating the Manichaean religion, to which he had formerly adhered.
In 395 he was made coadjutor Bishop of Hippo, and became full Bishop shortly thereafter, hence the name “Augustine of Hippo”; and he gave his property to the church of Thagaste. He remained in that position until his death in 430. He wrote his autobiographical Confessions in 397-398. His work The City of God was written to console his fellow Christians shortly after the Visigoths had sacked Rome in 410. Augustine worked tirelessly in trying to convince the people of Hippo to convert to Christianity. Though he had left his monastery, he continued to lead a monastic life in the episcopal residence. He left a regula for his monastery that led to his designation as the “patron saint of regular clergy.”
Shortly before Augustine’s death the Vandals, a Germanic tribe that had converted to Arianism, invaded Roman Africa. The Vandals besieged Hippo in the spring of 430, when Augustine entered his final illness. According to Possidius, one of the few miracles attributed to Augustine, the healing of an ill man, took place during the siege. According to Possidius, Augustine spent his final days in prayer and repentance, requesting that the penitential Psalms of David be hung on his walls so that he could read them. He directed that the library of the church in Hippo and all the books therein should be carefully preserved. He died on 28 August 430. Shortly after his death, the Vandals lifted the siege of Hippo, but they returned not long thereafter and burned the city. They destroyed all of it but Augustine’s cathedral and library, which they left untouched. Augustine was canonized by popular acclaim, and later recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII. His feast day is 28 August, the day on which he died. His prominence as a Doctor of the Church is mostly due to the many topics in which he took a theological stance. Here is a list of key topics: Creation, ecclesiology, eschatology, just war, Mariology, natural knowledge and biblical interpretation, original sin, free will, sacramental theology, and views on sexuality.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God–
and as you are conducting yourselves–
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This is the will of God, your holiness:
that you refrain from immorality,
that each of you know how to acquire a wife for himself
in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion
as do the Gentiles who do not know God;
not to take advantage of or exploit a brother or sister in this matter,
for the Lord is an avenger in all these things,
as we told you before and solemnly affirmed.
For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.
Therefore, whoever disregards this,
disregards not a human being but God,
who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise ones replied,
‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
The familiar image of an angel and the devil sitting on a person’s shoulders has been shown in movies and television many times. An angel and the devil have not literally sat on my shoulders, but I can identify with that image. A thought of wanting to do something that may not be the best idea comes to my mind… I think about it, and I hear the devil say to me something like, “Life’s short, do it!” Then look over at the angel which is waving its finger at me and saying, “Oh no! You know better than that!!!” I eventually weigh the consequences of both actions, and 99% of the time I do the right thing because I know what is responsible and right.
The readings for today speak to the subject of responsibility and doing what is right. Paul is instructing the Thessalonians on how to live according to how God intends humanity to live if they truly are to follow the teachings of Jesus. Following Jesus means letting go of any immoral behavior. The parable which Jesus tells is about being responsible enough to take time to be prepared, knowing that negative consequences will result if one is not prepared. This preparedness is about living a life in which one desires to follow God instead of going astray.
We know that God loves us unconditionally, but it is our responsibility to live according to his commandments and teachings given to us through Jesus. We cannot allow the devil sitting on our left shoulder tell us it is okay to do things which we know are not of God. When the angel is saying, “You know better!” we need to listen to the angel.
How do we do the right thing? We do not put ourselves in a position which presents the opportunity for the devil to convince us that it is okay to do something; we spend time around positive and responsible people, we take time to read Scripture, we pray, we recognize our vices in life and stay away from them. Are you doing the right thing?
The Armor of God~ The Rev. Deacon Dollie Wilkinson, OPI
If any of you read popular fiction, have been to a movie theater recently, or even followed posts on popular media, the trend now a days is to be a hero. From firefighters, and policemen (who are real-life heroes), to the multitude of Super Hero characters, such as Ironman, The Hulk, or Batman. There seems to be a need for heroes in our lives. We want someone to protect us, to fight off bad guys, to fight the good fight. Anyone who has served in the military, especially if they have gone in to combat in defense of their country, truly knows what it means to be a hero. Can you imagine going into the middle of a war zone? Bullets whizzing by over your head. Rockets, grenades, shells, land mines going off all around you? It would be frightening, wouldn’t it? What if you went back in time? Can you imagine being in the middle of a field of knights on horseback and foot soldiers, wildly swinging huge swords, maces, and battle axes, as arrows whizzed by over your head? I don’t think any of us would really want to be down in the middle of that. But think about this: is it even conceivable to imagine that you, if you knew you were headed into that kind of war zone, that you would do so with the clothes you have on right now? Take a look at what you’re wearing. How do you think those clothes would fare in the middle of battle like the ones I just described? Any good soldier, or hero knows you must prepare to do battle, and this includes putting on armor, equipping ourselves for the upcoming battle.
Did you know that there is an unseen battle that you and I are engaged in every single day; a conflict, a fight for your heart and your mind? Ephesians 6:10-20 is perhaps the clearest definition of the spiritual war. the Apostle Paul has several things he wants us to understand, several things God wants us to understand about the unseen battle that is raging all around us; the battle, if we belong to Jesus through faith, the battle we are always fighting.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.”
In this spiritual war, we are “A Band of Brothers.” We fight side by side. We watch each other’s backs. We protect each other and defend each other. We go to the wall for each other. We march with each other. This is key for us to understand, and especially for us to practice. When you see another brother or sister in Christ who is facing problems, you need to come along side them and help them. See what you can do to serve and support them. In a battle, the heroic soldiers are those who stay and help the wounded get off the battlefield. Those who flee just to protect themselves are seen as cowards. As Christians, we are in this battle together, which means we must help those around us who get injured and damaged in the fight. We must come around them and give them the encouragement and support that they need. That is good to know in a war like this. It is good to know that we are not fighting alone. It is good to know that we have friends and allies. It is good to know that we are watching out for one another.
That is what Paul means here by using those encouraging words…….we are never alone! If we are going to survive spiritual warfare, we must constantly be in training for battle so that we can become stronger. However, when we do these things, we need to remember that we ourselves are not getting stronger, nor is it our strength by which we are doing these things. Notice that the strength comes from the Lord and in the power of His might. This strength comes to us from God as we exercise and train and discipline ourselves. As we engage in the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, praying, attending church, tithing, evangelism, etc., we naturally grow stronger in the Lord and His might is able to work in and through us more easily.
And in verses 11-20, Paul explains in much greater detail how to prepare yourselves for battle. Putting on the spiritual armor is another way to grow in the strength of the Lord. So Ephesians 6:10 is a battle cry. It is a rallying cry. It is a motivational challenge. Wake up! Get up! Be strong! If you want to survive in this fight, you must get into the training. You must put on the Armor of God. What does this mean? Ultimately, to put on the armor of God is to put on (by grace, through faith) the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready to be a hero? Do you have what it takes to fight the good fight? Remember, your strength will always come from the Lord, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.”
St. Bernard of Clairvaux ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Novice
Memorial of Saint Bernard, Doctor of the Church – August 20th
Saint Bernard was born in 1090. Early in life, he studied Scripture and was well-versed in it. He sought admission into a religious order which we know as the Cistercians today, and eventually established an Abbey in Clairvaux. The abbey struggled initially but eventually men entered in numbers. Saint Bernard was instrumental in addressing issues between local royalty and Church affairs, by defending the rights of the Church. In 1130, a schism occurred and during that time two popes (Innocent II and Anacletus II) were elected; and Saint Bernard was selected by King Louis de Gros with consent of the bishops to be a judge of the rivalry between the popes. He was in favor of Innocent II, which caused him to be recognized by all the great Catholic powers, and went to Italy with Innocent II, and later returned to France to further progress of resolution of the conflict which led to the schism. While still in France, another schism took place due to William X, and Saint Bernard was able to resolve this conflict by inviting William to the Mass which he celebrated in the Church of La Couldre. At the moment of the Communion, placing the Sacred Host upon the paten, he went to the door of the church where William was, and pointing to the Host, he adjured the Duke not to despise God as he did His servants. William yielded and the schism ended. Saint Bernard then travelled to Italy to face more tension within the local church, and then finally returned to Clairvaux where he spent time in his cloister to compose many important writings which led him to be declared a Doctor of the Church. Because of conflict and turmoil in the East, Saint Bernard was sent to preach a new Crusade which failed. Bernard died in the sixty-third year of his age, after forty years spent in the cloister. He founded one hundred and sixty-three monasteries in different parts of Europe; at his death they numbered three hundred and forty-three. He was the first Cistercian monk placed on the calendar of saints and was canonized by Alexander III, 18 January 1174. Pope Pius VIII bestowed on him the title of Doctor of the Church. The Cistercians honor him as only the founders of orders are honored, because of the wonderful and widespread activity which he gave to the Order of Citeux.
Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”.
This Gospel reading is a very challenging one to digest. The parable which Jesus is presenting to the people is about preparedness for entering the Kingdom of Heaven. I would say that the majority of Christians approach this from the viewpoint of what is considered moral versus what is considered as immoral. But I will not go down that path. In the parable, Jesus is using the King to represent God, and that God has invited humanity to the reward of heaven.
“Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.”
In this passage from the reading, Jesus is trying to explain that God will put people in their place because of their actions which go against what God wants of humanity, as much as they believe they are doing what God wants. The parable goes onto tell that the king has kept the invitation open even though some do not show up, but many do show up. When the person who does not show up fully prepared due to not being appropriately dressed, he is cast out and not allowed into the feast.
I am challenging you to look at the message in a different way other than from the perspective of morality. I am challenging all of us to think about how we treat others; whether we help those in need when possible, or if we just avoid the situation; if we spend time with God in prayer; and if we are self-absorbed. Being prepared pertains to every aspect of our lives. Are we doing what we need to in order to be prepared?
Do we pray? Do we read and study our Bibles. Do we spend time in Christian fellowship? I challenge to you spend a period of time in honest self-reflection, in honest self-evaluation, and then, with all haste, make yourselves prepared for the wedding feast. Amen.
The True Bread of Life ~ The Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI
Based on Jn 6:24-35
Today our Lord Jesus is telling us that it is not the physical food of bread that we should be looking for and that we should be looking to be fed by the Holy Spirit. The bread of life is not the loaf in a packet that we buy from a shelf in the supermarket, but is indeed Jesus himself. Jesus was referring to himself as it is he that we need for life, he is essential for true life itself.
If we leave a loaf out overnight it is likely to become stale and perhaps mouldy as it is quickly perishable, whereas the true bread of live-Jesus is erernal. He is the bread that lasts and sustains us forever.
In my life I often come across people who are hungry because of their life circumstances, but many of these people regardless of this are filled with joy, love and hope as they know that Jesus is the truth and that he will always sustain them.
This is exactly what Jesus is telling us when he said, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus feeds us with love, hope, grace and forgiveness and he the true bread from heaven which we need to live the full lives which we were all created to live.
When we partake of the Holy Eucharist, we share in this bread of life. We share in our Lord Jesus with all our Christian brothers and sisters across all the world and across all of time.
We are to share the bread of life with others, to work for food which endures forever. We are called by God our Father to work for him, to share his love, and the good news of the salvation of Jesus.
We are called to be preach the word, to be peacemakers, to love each other for who we are irrespective of any differences. We are called to work to share the unconditional love and acceptance of our Lord Jesus to all and to live our lives as an outpouring of that love.
In whichever way you are called, let us go forth bringing the love and peace and the completeness of the bread of life into the world and into people’s hearts and lives.
Seventeenth Sunday in Kingdomtide – July 26, 2015
John 6:1-15
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
“Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little.”
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
“Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted.”
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Large events like town or parish festivals, Komen benefit runs, and other charity functions… There is usually a team with a chairperson that organizes these events. Yet there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people show up to get in on the fun and action. Have you ever wondered how these events happen, when it appears impossible to make such events happen with only a few people organizing them? My previous parish’s youth group wanted to put on an annual event for the parish community, and as an adult leader for the youth ministry, I was part of the planning committee. Being part of a planning team for the inaugural event, I can tell you that it is not easy getting things off the ground. We had a budget and very little other resources, and we were reconsidering whether to have the event at all because the youth leaders were not sure it could be done. We were asked, “How can 15 of us make this happen?” The paid youth minister suggested the youth brainstorm about how to get additional resources, and that necessarily did not mean money. What he was trying to convey to them that the parish community was excited about the youth wanting to put on this event; so there were adults in the community that were willing to help. The event committee went from 15 being involved to 50; people working at the food tent, people setting up and taking down tables, and attendees even donated money to make it a success. Over 500 people came to the event, and with what donations were given, the youth group had money to put toward the event the following year.
Applying this to us… Ministry is often rewarding yet it can be very difficult, especially when there are only a few in ministry but so many need to be ministered to. We, as the UOCC, have seen many challenges in order to be effective in building the Kingdom, yet so much has happened to minister to others. The Church is small yet global, and growing by the grace of God. We have a presence, especially with Facebook and different broadcasted Media. Yet is there something missing? Are the clergy and people in formation taking it all on? Are there so many more people being missed? The laity that is out there is a great resource, and are we inviting them to get involved in things other than “liking” our posts on Facebook? I believe God was working through the youth minister to empower the youth, just as Jesus fed the 5000 through obtaining the resources to make it happen. God will provide the opportunity for growth if we take the time to understand how to utilize resources available to us. If we take on all of the ministry, we may get burned out.
Feast of Saint James, Apostle ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Novice
Feast of Saint James, Apostle – July 25th
A boy who was in middle school showed sincere interest because he knew the fundamentals of the game and so his parents signed him up in a recreational soccer league. He was able to play the game better than the other boys who were on his team. While at practice he saw others having a hard time with fundamentals, such as dribbling the ball and how to head the ball with accuracy. Because he thought he was better than the other team members, he felt as if practice was a joke. Instead of assisting the coaches to help the rest of us learn the skills, he decided he was going to skip practice because he did not need to be there, and his dad agreed it was a waste of time.
When the kid showed up for the first game, he expected to be in the starting rotation and play a position in which he would have control of the ball most of the game. To his surprise, he was placed on the substitute list and never was put in the game. The team lost the game by a significant margin. When the game was over the kid’s dad gave one of the coaches an earful about why the “best player on the team” was not put in the game, and that the team would have won if his son had been in the game. The dad was disappointed that he could not see his son play, more than wanting to win the game, but he used that argument in defense of his son. The coach asked the boy’s dad if he knew what it meant to be a team player, but the boy’s dad retorted with the request that his son simply be in the next game, and evading the question. So the coach was bold enough to say that that being at practice is part of being on the team and required in order to play in the games, regardless of how good a player is.
We see the same desire from the mother of James and John when she approaches Jesus.
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
“What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom.” (Matthew (20:20-21)
She wanted good things for her sons as followers of Jesus, and we read that James and John wanted the same. Yet Jesus states that it is not that simple; that just because they long to sit beside him in the Kingdom, it is not going to happen unless they accept the responsibility in order to do so.
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” (Matthew 20:22-23)
The dad of the boy sat down and had a talk about what the coach had said about being part of the team. The boy still felt it was not fair, and his dad asked him if he was really serious about playing, and if so, the needed to understand that the coach has the right to decide who plays and does not play; the reward of playing in the games results from being a team player, and not being a team player results in being benched. The following Scripture ties into this point.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)
Now let’s apply this to ourselves… Are we so into ourselves to the point we claim to be followers of Jesus, yet we do not reach out to those in need? Are we being superior over others, and telling them we can do ministry better? Are we part of a Christian community? Essentially, are we like the boy who plays soccer for himself? If so, it’s time to change!
And They Went Out Two by Two ~ The Rev. Deacon M. Scott Brown, OPI
And they went two by two: Not Noah and the Ark – The Apostles silly!
Jesus told the twelve Apostles to go out two by two and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord. How far did they go? How long did it take them? Did they do this until they died? Did they do it for a few years until they got tired? They were to heal the sick, cast out evil spirits, and proclaim the gospel. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but I imagine that would have been a daunting task in those days. Cities were many miles apart, there were no paved roads, no mass transportation, and they were not even allowed to ride a camel per Jesus’s instructions.
We should consider these as our instruction as modern day Christians. We should be proclaiming the gospel of the Lord to everyone we meet, in every situation, and every day. We can heal the sick by helping the homeless and the poor with nutrition and food, we can cast out evil spirits by teaching people about Jesus and the love of our God. Not just on Sundays, but every day of the week; every place we go; and in every situation in which we find ourselves.
Jesus also told the apostles that if any place would not accept them to leave and shake the dust of that place off their feet. By this I believe he meant that only so much can be done in some situations. If someone does not want to listen to what you have to say then move on to the next. Not everyone is going to be open and accepting as we see in our world today in so many other areas such as equal rights and marriage equality. Do the best you can; if they won’t listen or don’t seem open then leave them and go where you are accepted and welcomed. I am sure the apostles were not welcomed with open arms everywhere they went. I highly suspect that they were even run out of some areas before they were even able to speak simply because of who they were. We run into that type of discrimination in our lives every day also. So what do we do when we encounter this type of rejection? We pray for those who are not willing to listen that the Lord will open their hearts and minds. We pray that the Lord will open their ears that they may hear the good news of salvation available to those who believe. I am sure that is how the Apostles handled the rejection they must have faced.
Jesus told the Apostles “You may take along a walking stick, but carry no food or money.” Because Jesus knew that the believers would take care of the Apostle’s needs as they traveled proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord, just as we should be taking care of our brothers and sisters that do this same work in this day and age. Jesus knew that his Apostles’ needs would be met and none of them would suffer while on their journey. Jesus said “When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town,”meaning that the Apostles should stay and preach until they felt they had accomplished all they could in that town. Not to just preach one sermon, but stay and listen to and answer questions, minister to the people of that town until the Apostles felt that they had reached every person who was willing to listen, and wanted to hear what they had to say.
Mark tells us that the Apostles healed many sick people and cast out many demons on their journeys. We still don’t know for certain how long it took them, how far they went, or how many people they had contact with. All we have is Church Tradition to fall back on, but I believe they carried out Jesus’s instructions well into their old age or even until their deaths, without ceasing and without fail. As modern day Christians we should pattern our lives in the same way: go and preach the Gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. For if we do the Lord will see to it that our spiritual and physical needs will be met. Go on and be a modern day Apostle.
“Perfect in Weakness” ~ Sister Dollie Wilkinson, OPI
Our reading today comes from 2 Corinthians 12:2-10:
“I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows–was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.”
In this second letter to the Corinthians, Paul is at first trying to explain why the people should listen to him, and follow his lead, in becoming children of a loving Father. He starts at first by boasting, but quickly realizes that that is not the right way to go. In the process, he learns a couple of valuable lessons. A couple of crucial lessons that are still relevant today.
The Lesson of Humility:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Paul had to learn two lessons. The first was the the lesson of humility. Paul had to learn that grace had to replace ego. This was difficult for Paul. We live in a culture that prizes strength. It was no different in Paul’s time. In spite of this fact, Paul said, “My authority comes because of my weakness.” Paul had revelations from God in which he was taken up into paradise. Paul could have said, “Look at all of these revelations I’ve had. These are my authority.” No, he said he would boast only of his weaknesses. He was a very learned man. He demonstrated great intellectual skills so God gave Paul an infirmity. He called it his thorn in the flesh. Scholars have expended a great deal of time, ink and paper speculating on the nature of the ailment but are not even close to an agreement. Some think it was an inflammation of his eyes that caused swelling, others contend that it was severe headaches or even malaria. While we do not know the precise infirmity we do know that Paul’s opponents used it against him. They argued that if he had enough faith or was truly called to be an apostle, God would have healed him.
Physical health is often used as a sign of God’s blessings. How many times have you heard someone remark, “Why doesn’t God heal me?” “What have I done to deserve this?” We assume that if we live a good life we will be free from chronic physical ailments or that spiritual maturity can be measured by good health. This argument may appear ridiculous to hear now, but how often do we think about this in moments of frustration. Or how often do we use some form of disability or physical ailment as a reason for not doing what we feel God has called us to do? I know, I do….for example, I have hand tremors. How many times have I let this neurological ailment prevent me from doing things? More often than I can count.
God had given Paul a vision so incredible that words could not describe it. Anyone who has had such a mystical experience would be tempted to brag about it. Paul’s thorn prevented that because the severe pain or the physical disfigurement reminded him each day that he was still just a mortal man. He had to rely on the grace of God, not on his good looks or skillful speaking to accomplish God’s work.
Sometimes, fear is what’s holding us back from becoming a better Christian, or from taking a more active role within the church. We are reluctant to try something new because we are afraid of failing. Or we are embarrassed by the quality of our work compared to someone elses. In the back of our mind we are saying that unless we can do an excellent job, then we will not risk doing the project. Of course there are some jobs that this attitude is indeed important. We do not want a NASA scientist doing a less than a precise job on the design and construction of the Space Station. We do not want our doctor saying when writing the prescription for our medication to make us feel better, “Now was that dosage 15mg or 150mg or 1500mg.” Nor do we want to hear the teller at the bank make a mistake in adding up our bank deposit. Those professions require an exactness. But God does not expect that every person will produce an award winning performance in every task, job, project or ministry.
Sometimes, its just showing up, and trying your best, that truly reveals how gifted you really are. You may not be able to teach Sunday School like a trained school teacher, but if you can share your love for Jesus who cares if you follow the lesson plan. You may not be able to heal the sick or say elegant prayers, but if you can just sit with someone who is sick and hold their hand no one will fault you. You may not be able to pound a nail in straight or climb onto the roof, but if you can mix up fruit drinks and serve sandwiches during a Habitat for Humanity project, then you will be just as important as the people doing the hard labor.
The Lesson of Weakness:
“my power is made perfect in weakness.”
We may consider ourselves inexperienced, unpolished, and unskilled. We may consider ourselves unqualified to serve God in the church because of our past or even a present that is not consistent with the teachings of Christ. We may consider ourselves unprepared because of a lack of education. We all have our weaknesses. We all have “flaws” but whatever we lack God can take it and make it into our source of strength.
Our weaknesses can lead to strength. Our weaknesses, struggles, and shortcomings, though they are painful and may be embarrassing, can keep us from that awful smugness and arrogance and open us to God. I myself have found that my own personal experiences and struggles, whether as a mom, wife, grandmother, and a Sister in the Church, have better allowed me to help others. If someone is talking to me on a matter with which they’re dealing, and if I can say, “Maybe I haven’t struggled with exactly that same thing, but, I have dealt with something similar”, then that recognition is my credential, not the college degree or formal training. A person can have all that and come off as pompous. I don’t think people are very helpful when they feel like they have not experienced the usual sufferings of life. When a person can say, “I understand that. I have experienced something similar”, a person may then go on to say, “My power really does come from God.” Paul is saying here that it is his personal weaknesses, including the thorn gifted to him by God, that reveals his greatest strengths. In this he feels justified in boasting, as should we all. For it is in being our most humble, and human, that brings us into a closer relationship with our heavenly Father.
The Order of Preachers, Independent 
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