Category: Sermon

Passing the Test~The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood

Genesis 22:1-14

22:1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 22:2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 22:3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.  22:4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away.22:5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.”  22:6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.  22:7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”  22:8 Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.  22:9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.  22:10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.  22:11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”  22:12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”  22:13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.  22:14 So Abraham called that place “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

When we have times in our lives of severe hardship or difficulties, Illness, bereavement, debts, homelessness,or employment issues ,it can be all too easy for us  to either blame God or to think God has abandoned us. But this is far from the truth. As true Christians and children of God we should know that our Father in heaven loves us far too much to abandon us. Just as in the scripture above when the Lord tested Abraham’s trust and faith when he asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac, we also must from time to time have our faith and trust tested. This is because it is far too easy for us to say we love and follow the Lord when we are in the good times and all is going well. It is in the difficult and trying times when we prove to our heavenly Father that we are indeed sincere in our relationship with him and as such, at times we need to be tested. Abraham shows us by his actions just how strong his love and faith in God truly was and we should strive to be likewise.Even the hard times that may not in themselves be a test of faith may indeed be true blessings in disguise which the Lord will show us if we love and have true faith in him as our heavenly father and saviour. An example of this from my own life is that I was brought up in an extremely abusive family, where I was put in care and forgotten as I was not loved and wanted. I was placed in horrid places with locked doors at aged 10 because they mistook my young age temper tantrums as bad instead of realising I was hurting inside. Everyone always treated me as a nuisance to the world. However my love and faith even at that young age was strong and I knew in my heart that the Father loved me and had plans for my life.Yes, I went through years of illness and trauma, but no matter what, my faith remained, and in fact heightened. The Lord showed me the hate and dischord that was in the world, and I knew more and more as I grew older that I was being called to show the Father’s light of love to those we as human’s have placed in darkness by hardening our hearts. I remained strong in my faith and the Lord brought me to a place where now I can do that which the Lord has called and prepared me to do for his people. Although not the same test as was given Abraham, it still has shown my sincere love, trust and faith in God. There has been, and no doubt there will be further, tests, but my heart will remain strong and faithful to God as did Abraham’s. The Lord will always be there eternally for each of us, we only need to trust and have faith in him and he will never fail us. So we should accept troubles and tests with joy in our hearts. My trust and faith in our God is strong, How about yours?

E Pluribus….WHAT? Trinity Sunday

Trinity Sunday is a difficult day for priests, who often feel they have to try to explain the idea of God as Trinity. It’s sometimes an even more difficult day for our parishioners, because they have to listen to us priests, trying to explain the Trinity.  It’s a difficult day for priests because we find we have to talk about God.  You may think we are always talking about God, but in my experience most of us actually talk rather little about God. We talk a lot about what God wants of us.  We talk even more of what God has done for us and is doing for us. That, after all, is the Gospel. But we don’t talk very much about who God is. Perhaps they leave that to the liturgy and the hymns, which probably do it better than sermons usually can.

Have you ever tried to express your feelings when you feel something very deeply?  That’s what usually happens when we talk about God, really talk about God, actually trying to say who God is – this is one of those times when language fails us.   The only words you can find are terribly makeshift, totally inadequate, and not at all what you want to express, but you must use what you’ve got and try to express yourself.  Not to say anything would be worse. You must say what you can and hope the words point to what you can’t really say.  So it is with the Trinity.  There are several Christian ways of trying to say who God is. The one that says the most about God is the one we use in the creeds, when we say we believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God is those Three and the Three are one God. The Christian shorthand for that is: God is Trinity. But if that says the most about God, it is also the most difficult thing Christians say about God.

How to explain the Trinity?  We haven’t done that yet, simply because we can’t wrap our heads around the concept.   The story is told of St Augustine of Hippo, the great philosopher and theologian. He was preoccupied with the doctrine of the Trinity. He wanted so much to understand the doctrine of one God in three persons and to be able to explain it logically. One day he was walking along the sea shore and trying to understand just how one God can be in three persons. Suddenly, he saw a  child all alone on the shore. The child made a hole in the sand, ran to the sea with a little cup, filled her cup with sea water, ran up and emptied the cup into the hole she had made in the sand. Back and forth she went to the sea, filled her cup and went and poured it into the hole. Augustine drew up and said to her, “Little child, what are you doing?”   She replied, “I am trying to empty the sea into this hole.”   “How do you think,” Augustine asked her, “that you can empty this immense sea into this tiny hole and with this tiny cup?”  She answered back, “And you, how do you suppose that with your small head you can comprehend the immensity of God?” With that the child disappeared.

The doctrine of the inner relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in such a way that each of them is fully and equally God, yet there are not three Gods but one, cannot be fully comprehended by the human mind. It is a mystery.  But, we continue to try.  St. Patrick certainly did it his best.  He gave us a visual example in the shamrock or three leaf clover.  As the shamrock is one composed of three, so, he said, is the Trinity:  Three in One and One in Three.  In the story of salvation we usually attribute creation to the Father, redemption to the Son and sanctification to the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, though they are distinct as persons, neither the Father nor the Son nor the Holy Spirit ever exists or acts in isolation from the other two persons of the Godhead, just as a three leaf clover without all three leaves is incomplete.

If we expected today’s readings to give us a clear and elaborate presentation of the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, we have found out that they simply do not. The doctrine of three persons in one God, equal in divinity yet distinct in personality, is not explicitly spelled out in the Bible. In fact the very word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible. Early Christians arrived at the doctrine when they applied their God-given reason to the revelation which they had received in faith. Jesus spoke about the Father who sent him (the Son) and about the Holy Spirit whom he was going to send. He said that the Father had given him (the Son) all that he has and that he in turn has given to the Holy Spirit all that he has received from the Father. In this we see the unity of purpose among the three persons of the Trinity.

We believe in the Triune God, and to embrace a doctrine we cannot fully comprehend or explain. It is another thing entirely to base our understanding of God on what we see God doing.  So, let me make the most important statement about the Trinity that I can make, and that is — Our understanding of the Trinity, or as much as we can understand of the Trinity, is based on what we see God has done and is doing in the world.  Let me give you some examples.

In the Old Testament, God is Creator of both the world, and of the nation of Israel through whom he will bless the world. Of course, God is present as Spirit, and the Messiah is both prophesied and foreshadowed in various theophanies (appearances of God, such as the angel who wrestles with Jacob). But primary on the stage of the unfolding drama of the Old Testament is the God of Israel, Yahweh, El-Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, and all the other names by which God is called and worshipped.

In the New Testament Gospel accounts, the emphasis is upon Jesus — his birth, his baptism, his message, his life, his death, and his resurrection. But God the Father approves his Son, and the Holy Spirit descends upon — anoints — Jesus for ministry.

In the New Testament Book of Acts and the epistles, the Holy Spirit is at the forefront, equipping, enabling, guiding, empowering the early church.  In the Book of Revelation, God the Father, Son, and Spirit are all present, each featured in a way that is both consistent with the Old Testament, witnesses to the New Testament, and brings fully into being the Kingdom of God in its closing chapters.

Okay, that surveys the “What is the Trinity?” question, even though I am sure you probably have more questions now than when we began. But to keep this from being merely an academic exercise, we need to turn our attention to “Why do we care?”  This is what’s important and what we need to understand. Doctrine is important, but doctrine comes from the lived experiences of God’s people as they interpret the work of God in the real world.  First, the reason we should care about the Trinity, and be aware of the uniqueness of the One-in-Three and Three-in-One is this: Without a balanced view of all three persons of the Trinity, we can misinterpret the work of God in this world.  For instance, if we emphasize some aspects of God in the Old Testament, and subordinate Jesus and the Spirit, then we come away with a picture of a god of wrath and judgment, who has little compassion. One very well known Baptist preacher did just that after the tornadoes in Oklahoma last week, when he compared the tornadoes that hit Oklahoma with the story of Job who lost all of his children to a mighty wind that collapsed Job’s house.  If we emphasize the person of Jesus to the exclusion of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, we miss out on the fact that God sent Jesus because “God so loved the world…” The purpose of God is to redeem the world, not just the individuals in it. Salvation is the work of God, and that salvation extends not just to individuals but to God’s creation as well. Another famous and trendy preacher was quoted as saying that Jesus is coming back to burn up the world, so he can drive a huge SUV because he’s not worried about this physical earth. Not a good theological position, in my estimation.  Finally, if we emphasize the Holy Spirit, and the charismatic experiences and gifts of the Spirit, it it is easy to loose sight of God as Creator, Son as Redeemer, and the role that the Holy Spirit played and plays in both of those aspects of God’s work.

Who is God? He is our heavenly Father who made us, takes cares of us and calls us his dear children.
Who is God? He is Jesus Christ who gave his life on the cross to re-establish our relationship with God. He reveals the way to God and to eternal life.
Who is God? God is the Spirit in you giving you faith in God and guiding you in your daily walk as a Christian.
Faith in the Triune God acknowledges the might and majesty of God but at the same trusts in a God who cares.  Amen.

 

Towers to Heaven?

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.

Divine Mercy~by Fr. Bryan Wolf

“I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy. Even a sinner most hardened, if only once recite the Chaplet, he will obtain grace from My infinite mercy.”  The Diary of Sister Mary Faustina

The Sunday after Easter has been designated Divine Mercy Sunday, a devotion actively promoted by Pope John Paul II before his death and instituted edictally by him in 2000 when he Canonized Sister Mary Faustina a Saint.  In fact it was Pope John Paul II, when being Archbishop of Krakow in 1965 began the informative process to certify the testaments of Sister Faustina.

Born in 1905 Maria Faustina Kowalska, became a nun at the young age of 20 after relating her many visions of a suffering Christ she had through her childhood and adolescents.  So passionate were her claims that, even without much formal education, she so moved superiors to admit her to the Convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. There in 1931, after having been diagnosed the year before with tuberculosis, she records in her spiritual diary of having mystic visitations from Jesus; who she described as appearing to her as the “King of Divine Mercy.”

In her diary, Sister Faustina details how Christ delegated to her a sacred mission to have people implore His Divine Mercy. Jesus commanded her to have painted His image, as it appears in Divine Mercy representations. Jesus told her to accompany the image with the prayerful words, “Jesus, I trust in you.”  Lastly Jesus inspired Sister Faustina to compose a simple prayer that He begged people recite- The Chaplet of Divine Mercy.  “Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. When prayed in the presence of a dying person, truly I shall stand between them and My Father not as a judge, but as the Merciful Savior. Even a sinner most hardened, if only once recite the Chaplet, he will obtain grace from My infinite mercy. Truly I tell you, the greater the sin- the greater claim they have to My mercy and justice.”

This final thoughts are the ones that strike me as the most profound. No matter what transgressions, how far removed we might feel from the promise of salvation because of our own failings- through His Divine Mercy and the Chaplet to pray, Christ assures us of His infinite mercy. This is key.

Without doubt many of us- dare I say all of us, fall short in our desire to be a good Christian. We may pray, attend church and even do good works- but the road is narrow and difficult. Our tempers get the best of us. Pressed for time, our religious responsibilities become moved to “the back burner”.  We procrastinate ( I know I do, often ) and waste away time on things that seem important at the moment and then, truly are not at all.

But through Sister Faustina, Christ tells us He knows this. He understands this. “Tell them to surrender to My mercy and to call upon Me. To trust in Me and My infinite mercy.” Almost knowing there would be many who will not even find the time or ability to recite the prayerful Chaplet, Jesus inspired Sister Faustina to record the one sentence summation- “Jesus, I trust in you.”

Furthermore, I am struck by the investigation of then Archbishop Wojtyla ( Pope John Paul II ) where he considers the writings of Sister Faustina and her claims of mystical visitation. “I feel obliged to believe. For one so simple, so inwardly reflective- ( Sister Faustina ) possessed a great knowledge. She knew of the Trisagion without any formal exposure. Indeed, Our Lord has spoken to her.”  The Trisagion ( Holy Three Times ) is an introductory prayer of sorts used in the Divine Liturgies of the Eastern Orthodox and Byzatine Rite Churches. It are these words, “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One” that were written by Sister Faustina to conclude the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Archbishop Wojityla discovered that these words dismayed Sister Faustina as she found them obscure, thought this evidence that Jesus desired to unify the many Christians religions unto himself. ( We ourselves should take example from the devotion of Pope John Paul II to Sister Faustina and The Divine Mercy Chaplet, as he himself today is to be Canonized Saint by Pope Francis.)

Sister Faustina died from her illness at the young age of 33, the same age as our Savior. She left us a beautiful prayer and legacy to impart Christ’s mercy upon even the most stubborn of us. In all the hectic moments of our day- in the constant whirlwind of unimportant things that seem to demand our attention, we are offered a moment of pause and reflection. A sublime prayer that offers up the Divine Mercy of Christ himself, as King of Divine Mercy, to stand- not before us, but with us- at our hour of greatest need.

“Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” ( The basic foundation of The Divine Mercy Chaplet, though structure and recited to accord with Rosary beads. )

“Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasure of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us; that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your Holy will- which is love and mercy itself. Amen.”

Judas – Devil or Angel?

Holy Wednesday
April 16, 2014

1st Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a
Response: Psalm 70
2nd Reading: Hebrews 12:1-3
Gospel: John 13:21-32

Oh God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me.

My Sisters and Brothers;

Today, I think, I am going to turn things around just a little bit. I am going to dive right into the Gospel message and then end on a lighter note; in all honesty, our Gospel is fairly dark. We do, however, need to honor the journey and focus on what is happening at this moment in the Celebration of the Word.

Today we bring into our minds the account of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, but there is a very small snippet of information I feel is overlooked every time this story is told – (John 13:27) “After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” The intimation in this verse is that Judas was possessed and not in control of his own actions or deeds. The opposite, of course, could also be true – perhaps, just maybe, Judas was evil all along and Jesus was smarter than Judas thought. But aside from arguing whether or not Judas is evil and condemned for all time think about this: what if Judas had never handed Jesus over to the guards? What if, instead, Jesus lived? Think about it for a moment.

Now think about this: would you listen to a modern news report of a man who walked from town to town healing the sick and nurturing the poor, or would you instead take notice of a man who did those things, but was now being condemned and put to death for healing others? In today’s world of instant news and instant gratification we call such a thing “sensationalism,” but sadly, it works. That is just how we humans sit up and take notice. That’s how we remember important events – by the controversy surrounding said events.

Did Judas do a bad thing, or was he actually a herald who showed the world who the Christ really was? Was Judas a betrayer, or was he the betrayed? All Judas did was point (or kiss) the Divine human who was the proclaimed Son of God.

Perhaps we have this whole Judas thing wrong. Perhaps Judas was a herald announcing the new era of the Redeemer – the Son of the Almighty God – the Christ. Maybe, just maybe, Judas had no choice. Maybe he HAD to deliver the “good news” to the rest of the world through a sensational act. If Judas did NOT turn the Christ over to the soldiers would we today know about the resurrection? Would there have even been a resurrection if there hadn’t been a passing from this world?

Look, we spend so much time condemning that we forget the other possibilities – the ones of greatness – the proclamations. Judas was no worse than any of his fellow disciples and yet history portrays him as evil and soulless – despite that there is evidence pointing to Judas other than this betrayal story.

The other disciples rejected the Christ by claiming they had no idea who he was. Even after His resurrection, they still denied his very existence until he showed them his wounds; yet this Judas person proclaimed to the world that not only did he know him, but then showed the world who was the Man born Divine so there could be no question of His existence.

Without Judas the Gospel messages may have never been fulfilled. Why exactly is that a bad thing? Even our Christ tells him to go and do what he MUST do. Why then can’t we accept that Judas too had a role to play in the Divine script? Something else to consider: was Judas also forgiven? Didn’t the Christ suffer, die and resurrect for ALL sins?

Was Judas a devil or an angel? What is it you teach: hatred or love?

With that in mind, let’s go back to our first reading for a moment. We are teachers, preachers, healers, and lovers. We are constantly listening for the Word of God – the presence of the Christ in our midst – so that we might be able to share what we learn and participate in the celebration of life eternal. But what is it we are teaching – what we want to see or what we are called to see? Is there a difference? How can I not preach what I have experienced in my own life and how can others not do the same?

We are, each of us, called to be present to all aspects of our being, yet we readily deny those aspects of ourselves which make us uncomfortable. We cast away those parts of our being which are natural and instinctive, while at the same time trying to force others to live in the shadows of some contrived sense of perfection. One of the greatest beings of our history is made to look like a monster because he did what he was supposed to do – announce to everyone the beginning of the new world through the birth and coming resurrection of the Christ, our Messiah. Judas told the world exactly who the Christ was – and is. It was up to the people at that point to either love Him or destroy him. Judas didn’t kill Jesus – the people who professed to love Him did – and still do.

Have we really heard the real message of the Christ’s life and ministry, or are we again forcing our own perceptions and interpretations onto something which could have important implications in our lives? What do we teach through our actions? How do we show the world around us what we have discovered through the loving and FORGIVING God?

(Isaiah 50:5) “The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.” I hear you my God, and I am here.

In the name of the Creator God, the Redeemer Son, and the Sanctifying Spirit. +Amen

For the Sake of Love~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf

” Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! ”  John 12:13

The crowds had gathered for the festival.  There was even a greater excitement and anticipation among them as word spread that Jesus, the “king of Israel ” ( John 12:13 ) was himself coming into Jerusalem!  The people lined the streets. They spread their cloaks on the ground before him.  They waved palm branches and threw them at the feet of the donkey he rode upon. It was indeed a triumphant welcome, befitting a king.  Reports of his miracles had preceded Jesus, most especially and recently how he had raised Lazarus from the dead.

Who was this man, that the crowds struggled now to draw near to him? To catch a glimpse of him. The fervor built in a great hopeful crescendo. Here came the new “king of Israel ” who, like Moses before him, would free them this time from the opperssion of Rome.  Such was the celebration that day that not even Jesus’ own disciples could really understand everything that was going on that day, in the tumult of the moment ( John 12:16 )  There was more than likely bewilderment within the crowd as well, to see Jesus riding a simple donkey and not up upon a majestic war horse. How was this is inspire the overthrow of the Empire?

Yet, here was Jesus- peaceful, sublime and most certainly reflective. For in his divinity, Jesus knew- this began the week of his Passion. His arrival in Jerusalem would ultimately be climax of his ministry. So much so with the prospects of the events that lay before him that, ” [a]s he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it .” ( Luke 19:41 )  We need to reflect here, as Christ was both divine and human. Did he weep with his human heart of the knowledge of the suffering he was about to undergo, or did he shed tears as God?  In Genesis, God reflects on the Great Flood- ” I establish my covenant with you; Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood. I have set my rainbow in the clouds. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember my everlasting covenant with all living creatures of every kind on earth. ” ( Genesis 9:11-16 )

We hear in each Mass, as we recall the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord, that Jesus entered willingly into his Passion. Jesus knew the dark and difficult moments that lay before him. Jesus accepts the betrayal of one so close to him, informs Peter of how he would deny him and even endures the mockery of a trial.  Jesus willingly accepts the public ridicule of his cross and the isolation of that long walk up Calvary.  Even to the desperation of calling out- ” My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?” ( Matthew 27:45 ) and surrendering- ” It is finished. ” ( John 19:30 )  Jesus knew in this one brief holy week, emotions would go from joy to sadness.

Why would God allow his only son to suffer these cruel indignities?  ” For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…. ” ( John 3:16 )  Is this not the most valuable lesson that we must both practice and preach, everday?  ” Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ” ( John 15:13 )

There is not one among us who would not do everything within our power, to help a friend through painful suffering.  Not one parent who whispers a prayer for God to place the burden upon them and remove it from their child.

These are the two important lessons of our Lord’s Passion, to extend this sacrifice to our neighbors- even to strangers. To come to understand that Christ was not only making his ultimate sacrifice for us but to demonstrate to us that it must be within us to willingly sacrifice for others. Also, to understand there will be situations in life that- pray as we may, we will be unable to alter the circumstances. We must have the faith Christ had, to endure certain hardships with the knowledge that God will guide us and stand by us.

Jesus bravely embraced all the pain and sin of the world. He did that for us, for the sake of the love God has for us. Can we not too, return that love by being ready to sacrifice ourselves for the needs and wants of others? God rose Jesus to eternal glory even after that was done to him here on earth. Keeping God in our hearts, living for others to demonstrate the compassion and mercy of Christ- will God not fulfill for us His promise of eternal life? God will, as God us done for us before. For the sake of love.

Almighty God, as today you entered Jerusalem to reveal to the world your true love for us- let us not withdraw from those difficult moments that will present themselves to us. Let us be ready to offer our own sacrifice for the benefit of others. As we enter this most holy of weeks, give us your grace to keep watch and maintain our Easter vigil. Let us remember and reflect on your sacrifice, so that we may indeed be worthy of your promise of eternal life. Pray that, like Jesus we have the strength and faith to live as Christ lived. To be and do for others and for you. For the sake of Love!   Amen.

 

Choices! Choices! Choices! ~ The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPoc

Romans 8:6-118:6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  8:7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law– indeed it cannot, 8:8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 8:9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.  8:10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Do you like watching television? Perhaps you have digital TV, or cable in your home.  Maybe you like to watch soaps, or a funny comedy, or even a weepy movie. There are so many different things we can choose to watch these days isn’t there? Or maybe you might like to have a pizza for a snack or meal. Which one out of all the varieties do you choose and set you mind upon having? Cheese and tomato perhaps, or hot and spicy, or ham, or pineapple, or even some other type? Choices, choices, choices!!

In our own lives, we also have a choice to make. This choice is to set our minds on flesh, or to set our minds on Spirit. Which do we choose? Is it the Flesh, which does not serve God, and  does not have true peace or eternal salvation from death?  Or do we choose to be in Spirit? Being in Spirit means we accept God into our whole selves, loving and following his teachings in all thoughts, words and actions, literally being one with God through the Holy Spirit in all things. If we are in flesh, then flesh alone is all we are and all we ever will be. Death for those in the flesh is simply that, the death of the flesh, meaning the final end. If we are in Spirit, then Spirit is what we are, the spirit of God. Yes even we who are in spirit have to suffer death of our flesh bodies, but as we are in the Spirit, our Spirit lives on with God our heavenly Father and creator in peace and joy for all eternity, and our physical death is merely a transition, the doorway to our true home with God.

When choosing which digital TV or cable programme we want to watch, we need to decide carefully that it is suitable to watch, as for example there may be children to consider or a person may be of a sensitive nature. With setting our minds to having a pizza, issues to consider could be things like food allergies for example. Likewise and even more vitally important is the choice of being in flesh or being in Spirit, as this choice we make determines whether we truly die or whether we eternally live on. I personally like various programmes and most types of pizza so on these much lesser decisions, I can vary depending on the situation at the time, however, In this vital choice of being in the flesh or in the Spirit, I have definitely chosen to be in the Spirit forever and this is my decision in which I truly rejoice! So what do you choose, Flesh equaling death, or Spirit equaling eternal life? Choices!  Choices!  Choices!  The choice of course is yours, so choose wisely!!!

All Ya Need Is Love ~ Br. Carl Pappalardo, Postulant

Eph.5-2 Walk in love as Christ loved us, is one of my favorite Bible verses. This is true altruism without judgment.  I relate this with the love I found myself to have first felt with my children. I didn’t realize I was capable of unconditional love, until about 25 years ago, at the birth of my oldest daughter.  I had known the love of my parents and that of a spouse, but truly had no idea the love one feels for one’s child, or should have.   Over the years it has amazed me at how strong, non-judgmental and unconditional this love is.  This love has held through the calls in the middle of the night, sometimes from the police, through ousting boyfriends and even through being told how horrible I was and how much my kids hated me.  None of that seemed to matter that much, although it did hurt a bit at times. I just had to love them.

We are given the greatest example of this from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as he loved us during his time on earth. True Altruism to all.  He showed us as stated in 1 Sam. 16-7.  The Lord looks not on the outward appearance but looks at ones heart.  This, too, took quite some time for me to grasp  I had to learn to listen to people’s hearts.  Our goal should be to take this love I described of my children and apply it to all and without being judgmental.  Our goal is to  walk in love as Christ loved us,  and not walk in love as Christ loved us unless they are a felon, or have been divorced or are gay etc.

Living the way Christ loves is truly proclaiming the gospel and preaching its real essence:  Love!   If one truly put this all together, the concept of non-judgmental, unconditional and unending love, then we will find ourselves living in a real state of Godliness here on earth.  Amen.

Give It Up! Give It! Ash Wednesday ~ Br. Scott Brown, Novice

So……what are you giving up for Lent?  Chocolate?  Smoking?  Soft drinks?  Why are you giving those things up?  Because you need to already?  Because you need to lose a few pounds?  What are you expected to get from this Lenten season?

Instead of giving UP something for Lent, how about just GIVING for Lent?  Giving more time to prayer?  To Bible Study?  To serving other people?  To making a difference in the world? Or just helping out your neighbor?

Matthew chapter six tells us how we should pray and give:

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

If we practice our righteousness in front of others for all the world to see, then we are not truly sincere in our prayer and giving. These two acts should be deeply personal and kept between us and our Lord. Don’t rent a billboard and let the entire world know that you have given money or donated time to the homeless or needy.  If you do, then you are only seeking attention for yourself and not for the glory of God. Give of yourself, give your time, lend your neighbor a hand. Help someone out who isn’t expecting your help, but who could benefit from a kind word or nice deed. Giving doesn’t have to be about money, but should be about giving of your time and of yourself to others and to the Lord.

What are you expecting to receive during Lent?  What do you want?  Where are you going to get it?  Are you expecting to receive a blessing this Lenten season? If you are, what are you going to give up or sacrificing to receive your blessing? It’s not owed to you, you aren’t going to open the front door and find it sitting on your porch delivered by UPS or Fed Ex, and no personal messenger is going to bring it to your office. You have to go out and work for it, spread love and kindness to receive your blessing, share of yourself and your time, spend time with others and show them how God’s love can be a joyful and amazing force in their lives. Show them what a joyful and amazing force God’s love is in YOUR life.  What we give up for Lent reminds us of what Jesus gave up for us. He gave everything so that we may have eternal life. We can give up a few hours or our time or a few dollars of our money so that others in need may feel loved and appreciated. Even if we do nothing more than just lend an ear to listen, or to sit and chat with someone who is lonely and who desires companionship, then we have done as Jesus did – we have given of ourselves so that others will not be without.

The glory of these forty days
we celebrate with songs of praise;
for Christ, through whom all things were made,
himself has fasted and has prayed.

Alone and fasting Moses saw
the loving God who gave the law;
and to Elijah, fasting, came
the steeds and chariots of flame.

So Daniel trained his mystic sight,
delivered from the lions’ might;
and John, the Bridegroom’s friend, became
the herald of Messiah’s name.

Then grant us, Lord, like them to be
full oft in fast and prayer with thee;
our spirits strengthen with thy grace,
and give us joy to see thy face.

O Father, Son, and Spirit blest,
to thee be every prayer addressed,
who art in three-fold Name adored,
from age to age, the only Lord.

Words: Latin, sixth century;
trans. Maurice F. Bell, 1906

 

“Love your Neighbor, as Yourself”

Have you ever wondered sometimes how some people you meet just seem to always have a sunny disposition? They go about their day, usually with a smile, or a contented look on their face, greeting others with a joyful “Hello!”. Those kind of people used to annoy me, that is til I became one of them. Do I always greet everyone with a smile, or pleasant word? I try, but there are times even my rose-colored classes get filtered by life. Normally its the little things that may bring my happiness-meter down a notch or two. But here is thing, rarely is it something that has occurred, but more my reaction to it. Its those little voices of self-doubt, fear, and anxiety, that can cause my day to begin a downward spiral.

But we have someone who understands this, and gives us advice and commandments, which enable us to lead joyful, fulfilling lives. In Leviticus 19:1-2, God begins by telling Moses that we are all holy:

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”

In Leviticus 19:9-18, He further goes on to explain a set of rules, or commandments, which should be used as a guide to achieve this holy status.

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God. You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”

“but you shall love your neighbor as yourself”

I love that last part. Why, you ask? Of course we all know that we must love our neighbor, but what about loving ourselves? God commands us to love our neighbor, as WE love OURSELVES! We are commanded to show just as much love to our own self, as to our neighbor. But so many of us don’t, for many, many reasons. There are as many reasons we give ourselves, as to why we dislike the person we are, as there are people on the planet. But if you are to call yourself a child of God, then you must put those fears and self-doubts aside, and embrace the awesome person God sees in you. You will find yourself feeling lighter, your path more clear, and may even find yourself smiling more. You may be one of those people who seems to be always content, at peace with themselves and their world. Remember, you are special, because God made you holy, and He commands you to love everyone, including yourself.

I can hear you saying, “but life isn’t all happy and joyful, and we can’t all go around wearing rose-colored glasses 24/7.” This is true, but God has a plan for that too. He is not saying it will be easy, or there won’t be adversity. But He does lay down a set of guidelines for dealing with difficult people or situations. In Matthew 5:38-48, God presents us with a set of simple guidelines to follow, then reminds us that He has our back, keeping watch over all.

“”You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;
and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

You ever hear that trite saying, “You are perfect just the way you are”? Well you really are; we all are! Learning to love yourself is not easy, and sometimes loving our neighbor (or enemy) is a greater challenge. But God commands you and I, to love everyone, neighbor, friend, enemy, AND ourselves. You really are great just as you are, so cut yourself a break. Maybe then you can be one of those people who go around with a contented smile on their face and a song in their heart.

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” 1 John 4:7