Category: Sermon
Guest Post ~ Moving Mountains ~ Michael Marshall, Aspirant
We all have moments in our lives when we feel a giant obstacle placed before us, and that obstacle seems as if it is impossible to overcome. We struggle with the obstacle by dealing with it alone rather than turning to others who can help us. We cannot do EVERYTHING by ourselves as much as our stubbornness can get in the way. We just cry out hoping that the obstacles can just be taken away at the snap of the finger. But it is not that simple because the obstacle DOES NOT remove itself. The obstacle is moved through faith. Let’s take passages from Scripture which illustrates this point.
In the story from the Gospel of Luke, the Apostles request of Jesus to increase their faith, and his response is, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6). [NRSV]
In a similar story in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells his Apostles that if they have faith in God, and turn to Him in prayer, what they ask for shall be done. “Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him. Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.” (Mark 11:23-24) [NAB]
I feel it is important to put these Scripture passages into context. Both passages are dealing with the issue of forgiveness because of others’ actions done against them. Mark includes this issue within the story about the faith to move a mountain, while Luke addresses the issue prior to the Apostles requesting their faith be increased. They believe the task of forgiving others is going to be difficult, BUT Jesus is saying to them that it only takes the slightest amount of faith by turning to God, as much as it may seem extremely difficult. God is where their faith resides.
We obviously know that faith does not just have to do with the issue of forgiveness. So let’s apply this to some other situations in our lives. We may be dealing with an ongoing illness which seems as if it is not improving, diligently tying to obtain substantial employment, or dealing with an addiction which one feels that cannot be overcome. These everyday struggles in life may seem impossible, and only until we reach out to others for help, whether it be emotional support from a friend or from a professional, the obstacles will always be hard to overcome. Even though we have these avenues of help, it is important to turn to God. In God will he have faith, just that tiniest amount of faith through Him can make just strong enough to get these obstacles out of our way.
Let go and Let God~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf
Usually I tend to write my material “free style” for the most part. I read scripture, meditate and pray, then wait until I feel the Holy Spirit has moved me to compose. Though clerical, I do not often refer to the structure of the Lectionary. But as is the mystery and beauty of the Holy Spirit, God will provide. God will find a way, and make a way. So when I was feeling recently uninspired, God did in fact move me through the Lectionary.
Today, the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, one of the designated readings was a scriptural verse I use time and time again- “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” [Psalm 91:11] This is a verse I use in every letter I write to the Department and family of a fallen police officer. It is a verse which is posted on my ministry website, and a verse which hung inside my uniform locker when I was a police officer.
In an unpredictable world, most especially in unpredictable occupations- there is a time when faith must be surrendered blindly to God. That is not to say to follow God blindly and indiscriminately, but rather as suggested by scripture; “For we live by faith, not by sight.” [ 2 Corinthians 5:7] The point being- let go and let God. God is after all, the architect- the Creator. Ultimately God will provide, God will protect and God will bring justice.
So many times, particularly in times of violence and grief, we feel lost. Angry with God. Questioning God. How could God let this happen? Why does God not intervene? Why do the good suffer so, and evil people seem to prosper and ‘get away with it?’ These questions become acute and painful when, as a police officer and now as a priest; they are asked by the parents of a child killed by a drunk driver, the family of violent crime victim, a solider lost in combat- or more difficult to answer, the ones who look for answers following the death of a beloved family member from prolonged or sudden illness. Where was God in there illness and pain? Where is God in their suffering?
God is where he has always been for us- held to a cross. We cannot make sense of our suffering through our pain. When Christ himself hung on the cross, no one could see the good in that suffering. His followers felt crushed, betrayed and even angry with God. Jesus himself questions God from the cross saying, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” [Mark 15:34] and even feeling more alone and isolated, whispers- “It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” [John 19:30]
Yet what one could consider the worst tragedy possible- the death of the Son of God, becomes- by the power of God, the most glorious event in history. Through Christ’s suffering, passion and death- “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16] That what we perceive as loss, death and tragedy- dare I say, even evil- can become a catalyst for goodness and salvation. We respond to such sufferings as humans. Where is the justice, the fairness- the good? As is said, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom- so that we can understand that God is the rock.
It is so very important here to remember, as on the cross- God knows our suffering and pain. God did not create it. God does not delight in it. I get angry when I hear people or clergy say- God needed a little laughter in heaven at the death of a child, another soul to join the saints when a loved one is lost or worse (making my blood boil) it is part of God’s plan. God’s plan does not include drunk drivers, war or torturous illness and affliction. God cries and suffers with us. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28]
It is God’s love for us- that gave us free will. God could have made the world perfect without our errors in judgement, but then how true would our love for God- for each other be? We would be following blindly, as previously stated, and not following by faith. Famous theologian C.S. Lewis wrote: “God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks to us in our conscience but shouts to get our attention in our pains.” We become like Job, questioning God. Demanding a perfect world without suffering, while most of us sit idly by. But God let Job suffer only to the point, where Job could find and see God in his pain.
In the book, The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel; Dr. Peter Kreeft, Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Boston College poses this question to the author: “Sometimes I would like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine, suffering and injustice to continue when he could so something about it. I am afraid though, God might ask me the same question.”
Most merciful God, we are not forsaken. You call to us from the cross- do not be afraid my children, I love you. Come to me. I do not run or hide from you, for I am held fast to the cross. God is there in His mercy and His compassion. In our suffering and pain, He embraces us. He lifts us up. He refreshes and He renews. He begs us to receive His mercy and to accept freely His gift and promise of eternal life. Let us, let go and let God.
Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasure of compassion is 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 you holy will- which is love and mercy itself. Amen.
A Reflection On Love ~ The Very Rev. Sister Lady S. Sherwood
Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. Romans 13:10b
Today I want to talk about Love, The Love of Our Father,
The meaning of What true love actually is seems to be something which many have lost over the years. I see an increasingly disturbing trend toward the message people tend to give out these days: that God hates this or God hates that. This is far from the actual reality. We seem to have lost sight of the fact that “these three things remain; faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these by far is love!!!.”
Love has also been recast in our Hollywood-centered world. Too often love is equated with sex, or at very least, lust. Love is shown as a touchy-feely type of emotion. But in reality, love is far greater, far deeper, than a simple emotion. Love is a way of being. When you are in love, love permeates all of your existence. You cannot do anything without love.
And just because the emotional tingle of love is gone does not mean that love itself is dead. I know married couples who are visibly in love with each other that would tell you that the emotional tingle left years ago. But you could not cut these people apart. They have discovered true love. Love that endures. Love that is patient. Love that is kind. Love that is trusting and hopeful.
That is the kind of love Saint Paul was talking about It is not touchy feely. It is solid and substantial. Saint Paul says to the Romans that “love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.”
(Romans 13:10b)
It is that kind of substantial love that we should show to those around us daily. It is the love of Christ. It is a love that will endure beyond this age and beyond our own existence. It is a love that can change lives; one life at a time.
How can we show people that kind of love? Open the door for a perfect stranger. Offer to help someone with that heavy box or grocery bag. Be willing to listen to that person who just needs to talk. Just be there to love someone with your presence.
That is true love. That is the love of Our Father..
Whoever~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ( John 3:16 NIV )
Perhaps one of the most quoted passages in the Bible. Perhaps the single most important verse. The one line that can sum up what everything else in the Bible is laying the foundation for. It is this one line- like a one sentence guarantee in a long written contract, that God is telling us; no matter what your situation is in life or what sins you have committed- you are being offered the promise of eternal life.
Throughout scripture, indeed throughout his life- Jesus is embracing or found in the company of those many of us would consider “undesirables”. Unlike Jesus, we are quick to condemn and judge. We point fingers and offer our unsolicited opinion, as well as our expertise- and how people should live their lives. On the other hand, Jesus surrounded himself with prostitutes, tax collectors, the sick, the insane, the destitute and dispossessed. Any and all forms on the social maladies affecting mankind, Jesus would be with them and embraced them. Inviting and encouraging. They sought to be with him. Jesus belonged to them, even before they believed or, for that matter- behaved.
There are many people- many religions and religious leaders, who seek to impose their judgment upon others. Their morality. From the pulpit, there are those who would state the requirements of those needed to be accepted by God or entitled to His love. These clerics will issue the criterion by which it will be determined who is worthy of God or accepted by God.
They must remember, God is love. Jesus is love. Jesus is grace and mercy. In his book, Jesus Is– Pastor Judah Smith warns us; “when the sin becomes more important that the sinner, an alarm bell should go off in our heads.” God sees us and accepts us unconditionally as we are. With whatever sins, faults or baggage we carry with us. Society is quick to judge and condemn the sinner; forgetting for the most part that their own guilt and shame torment them. “All they [ the sinner ] can see,” Pastor Smith continues, “is a Jesus who glares down from the ceiling of a cathedral or hangs bloodied on a cross. They heard that Jesus was a good man, but do they know he is a close friend of sinners? Do they know that he is not angry with them? Do they know he is here to help?”
Pastor Smith shares a most profound though- Jesus is not angry with them- with us. Perhaps, like a good close personal friend, Jesus is disappointed- much as we are disappointed in ourselves for our shortfalls, but he is not angry with us. We are probably more angry with ourselves.
But Jesus is there for us- always. He understands our concerns and anxieties, and God has already addressed answered these in his once sentence guarantee. Our contract with God. Iron clad. “Whoever believes”
God has not reserved his great promise of eternal life and salvation for the righteous. Not only for the faithful or the weekly church goers. It is not just for the ones who can quote chapter and verse from scripture and those who are chaste or beyond reproach. Indeed eternal life and salvation is not just for the saints- but for the sinner as well. Pastor Smith writes; “whether we are good people or bad people, whether we have followed Jesus for decades or are just now finding him, whether we are pastors or prostitutes- we all need Jesus.”
So God has given us his guarantee. His unconditional love, acceptance, forgiveness and salvation. It is in Christ Jesus. “that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ( John 3:16 NIV )
Do Not Be Afraid ~ Bishop Gregory W. Godsey
Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 33:12-22
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Luke 12:32-40
Pope John Paul II, who will likely be a saint before long, spent most of his time as Pope speaking the message, “Be not afraid.” This is an important message for the church.
What gives us the ability to stand unafraid in the face of the difficulties of this world? It is our faith in God that gives us this strength. The Second Reading today is the beginning of the great faith chapter in Hebrews. In this chapter, Saint Paul lists the great men and women of our faith and the great contributions they made to our lives due to their willingness to stand on faith and face the world unafraid.
We as Christians in America have lived a rather comfortable life. It amazes me the number of Christians who claim that just because someone disagrees with them, or because they do not want to be forced to accept their faith, that the Christian in question is being persecuted. This is ludicrous! This is not persecution. We do not know true persecution.
In the case of Pope John Paul II, he stood firm against the forces of Communism and fought for the rights of the church despite the threat of imprisonment or death. That is real persecution. By standing without fear in the face of these persecutions, Pope John Paul II helped to end the hold of Communism on his blessed homeland of Poland. Without faith though, he would not have been able to stand without fear.
St. Maximilian Kolbe, one of my namesakes, stood fearless as he stood at the gates of hell: Auschwitz. In fact, he was willing to take the place of another man, who had been chosen to die. This was true persecution and a true witness of St. Kolbe’s faith in Almighty God. Never once did St. Kolbe attack his captors, cry out about the inhuman treatment he received, or lament that he was being wrongly persecuted. No, St. Kolbe, quietly and fearlessly faced his persecution and death with the knowledge that what lay beyond was a great reward for his faithfulness.
This is what it means to be fearless and to have faith in God. It does not mean that we have to stand up and shout a message of the Gospel to others. No, it means that we fearlessly live our faith day in and day out regardless of who notices and regardless of the obstacles we may face.
In doing this, we will ultimately receive a great reward in heaven.
God Bless.
Whats in a Name~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf
I must confess, I became somewhat concerned earlier this summer when I learned our Church was considering a name change. In my pursuit of God, I have experienced change and often saw it as the foreboding of something else to come. Waiting for the other shoe to drop.
There are mainstream denominations, the churches we see daily on our drives about town and then there are those that tend to be more obscure. As with most things we do not understand, we tend to be skeptical and cautious of them. To provide an example, driving to my sister’s home in rural Pennsylvania I register no emotion at all when I pass a Presbyterian church or Lutheran. But I do look with wonder when I pass an Amish buggy, clopping along slowly on the shoulder of the road. Inquisitive, I have come to somewhat understand Amish beliefs and traditions. My sister even graduated a Mennonite university for her Masters in Nursing degree. I will admit however, being absolutely confused when I learned of another sect within the Amish known as Hutterites. This is all very bewildering.
Then I reflected on my own situation. Baptized Methodist, my spiritual journey took me from Roman Catholic to Anglican to Evangelical Anglican to Anglican Catholic to Reformed Catholic to Old Catholic. At each pause along the way friends looked at me perplexed as I sought to explain the difference in my latest transformation. Now at long last, confident that my spiritual journey to God is at an end, I found myself selfishly anxious that I would need to do some explaining yet again; especially to closest friends and family who are all Roman Catholic. Recalling the basic history and foundation of Old Catholics, Roman Catholics usually see us as a break away child who will one day return to their senses, and “the church”. Though even the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church as addressed at the Second Vatican Council states; “Those who believe in Christ and have been baptized are put in certain, though somewhat imperfect, communion with the Church.” (Catechism 838)
As I pondered consideration of how changing the name of my church would actually affect me, several concepts danced about my thoughts. In hindsight, which is always “twenty-twenty”, perhaps they even danced to music that God was playing to help me come to terms.
The first music to overwhelm me was George Gershwin’s 1937 hit song by Fred Astaire, “Lets Call the Whole Thing Off”. You know… toe-MAY-toe, toe-MAH-toe, poe-TAY-toe, poe-TAH-toe, EEE-ther, EYE-ther… lets call the whole thing off! Then as if this wasn’t strange enough, here comes William Shakespeare quoting to me, “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”
Names and labels, I thought- whats in a name. We have first names and last names. Some of us even have middle names, and then there are those of us who explain to some friends what our “confirmation names” are. This all seemed childish to me, though still disconcerting. Why, did my Church have to change it’s name? I prayed to understand and to prevent that other shoe from dropping. Then God seemed to whisper an answer, put the composers’ and classics away and refer to Scripture for my answer.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her… “you are to call him Jesus” (Luke 1:31) “And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Most importantly we are told by Peter in Acts, that disciples and followers of Christ came to be known as Christians. (Acts 11:26)
Bottom line then, wasn’t this the answer I was looking for all along? I am a follower of Christ, I am a Christian. Old Catholic, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran- even Amish, we are Christians. Together we follow Christ, and in God’s house “there are many rooms” (John 14:2) “but no one comes to the Father, but through [Christ] (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ himself seemed to understand this, and prayed: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through this message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world my believe that you have sent me. I have given them glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:21-23)
“Gracious Father, you sent you Son Jesus Christ to proclaim to all the Good News of your Kingdom, and through him you have inspired individuals to sow the seeds of your Church, guide us as we continue this work. Show to us the next field that is to be planted, and give to us the gifts to accomplish your will. Help us to understand the longings of the heart and the sufferings of your children. Enable us to feed them and refresh them. Give to us Gracious Father, your Church- your blessing and your grace, that Thy will be done. Amen.” (BOS 224)
Am I where God wants me to be? ~ Brother Scott Brown
I look at where I am in my life and I ask this question. I think in the back of my mind that I have had a lot of time to get to where God wants me to be, but did I take the right steps to get to this point? Did I answer the questions correctly, did I drive the right roads or did my GPS get me lost? I often hear a little voice in the back of my head that tells me to do one particular thing, take a particular path, do a particular deed and I sometimes wonder if it’s God or the Devil. I use my best judgment and the common sense God gave me to make the decision to go left or right, up or down, top or bottom. Did I make the right choice? Only time will tell, and only God knows the answer to that. Even when I don’t know what the future holds, God does. He has a plan for me and my future. All I have to do is let go of the selfish part of me that wants to make all the decisions, wants to be in total control, wants to be the leader and let God make the decisions and lead me where I am supposed to be.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that he has everything under control and knows what is in our futures and what His plans are for us. So why don’t we know what God has planned for us? That would take all the fun out of it. If we knew what was going to happen next we would get really bored and tired of living. There wouldn’t be any surprise to anything. Imagine if you woke up every morning and knew what was going to happen at every moment of the coming day. You would avoid answering a phone call from that person that irritates you, but that person may need your kind words and wisdom that day. You would know not to take your usual route to work because of that stop light that isn’t working today, but you may miss seeing that rainbow on your way to the office. What a boring life it would be. But, God has our days, weeks, months, years, even our whole lives planned out for us. We just need to put our trust in Him and roll with the flow. We may not know what lies around the corner but God does and He will not lead us into peril or give us more than we can handle. He will use his plan for our lives to teach us patience, humility, understanding and love.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Acknowledge the Lord and praise him with all your heart and soul and God will guide your path through life. God will help you around the curves and corners and you can lean on Him for guidance. Keep God in everything you do and He will continue to direct your path through life so you don’t have to make the big decisions. God gives us the ability to ignore his guidance and choose our own paths, but when we do we risk straying too far off the path that God has planned for us. When we wander too far off that path things start to go wrong in our lives and we tend to blame God for our problems. If we would just pay attention to the little voices in our head and use our God-given common sense to sort out the situation we can have happy lives, good relationships, and the inner peace that God has planned for us in the first place.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Don’t succumb to peer pressure as this is usually the Devil trying to persuade you to deviate from Gods path for you and stray from his plan for your life. Test the waters before you dive in head first and use your best judgment to figure out if the journey you are about to embark on is guided by the Devil or God. God will always let you know that you have taken the correct path by rewarding you. Not always with big rewards like winning the lottery or getting a massive raise at work, but sometimes his reward to you is simply a smile or a kind word from a friend or passerby on the street. Maybe you hear from an old friend that you have lost touch with years ago. This may be Gods way of guiding you down the path he wants you to go. God has brought this person into your life again as an example or to teach you a lesson. That lesson may not be evident at first but at some point will become clear to you just as The Lord has planned.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Pray to the Lord and ask him to guide your path and be your GPS through life. He will not let you down. You may not understand why he has chosen a particular direction for you but trust that the path he leads you on is the correct one and will be to your advantage and to His glory.
Questions, Questions, Questions ~ The Very Rev. Terry Elkington
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
1: “We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong.
Do not change and go back into the slavery of the law.”
13: “My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self.
Serve each other with love.”
15: “If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.”
17: “Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves.”
19-21: “The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, 20worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, 21feeling envy, being drunk, have wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom.”
22-23: “But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control.”
25: “We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit.”
Please consider the questions I have proposed and their effect on your spiritual journey.
Are you making excuses? Are you stepping on toes as you push through your agenda in the name of Jesus? Has your passion for His kingdom created a bull-in-the-china-closet approach in your ministry? Have you enjoyed being righteous? Are all of your actions acceptable simply because you feel you are responding to God’s vision and plan for your life? Is your ministry so important that the end justify the means?
What was your latest battle? Who did you fight? Could there have been a different approach? Did blood have to flow or fur fly? How do you balance the importance of a ministry program that God has instilled in your heart with a loving spirit towards those who seemingly are standing in the way? How do you overcome barriers of resistance without injuring those in your path? How can you accomplish what God has called you to do if you are humbly stepping aside to avoid conflict?
Are you causing divisions among people? Are your actions tearing down the kingdom while your words attempt to build it up? Are you doing more harm than good? Do you realize that one harmful act can undo years of ministry efforts?
Is the Spirit producing good in your life? Can others see evidence of Him working in you? If the leaders of your church were putting together a list of people whose lives exhibited goodness from being Spirit-led, would your name appear? After this reflection, what steps should you take to allow Christ’s transforming love into your heart?
Should you find new ways to be sensitive to His Spirit to insure you are following Him every step of the way? Should you constantly pray for God to reveal your faults and mend your spirit?
Happy Father Day!
Happy Father Day!
Wishing all Fathers a most blessed Father’s Day! This includes those dads who shared in the birth of their children, but also those dads who are fathers by choice. Whether they helped raise their children, shared in caring for any child, or just served as a positive role model in any capacity, this day is dedicated to them. But I propose this day, as in every day, be also dedicated to the Father of us all.
Psalm 5:1-8
“ Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you. The boastful will not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me”.
The Origins of Father’s Day
The campaign to celebrate the nation’s fathers did not meet with the same enthusiasm–perhaps because, as one florist explained, “fathers haven’t the same sentimental appeal that mothers have.” A West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers. A “Father’s Day” service was held on July 5, 1908, in Fairmont, West Virginia, in the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South, now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father when, on December 1907, the Monongah Mining Disaster in nearby Monongah killed 361 men, 250 of them fathers, leaving around a thousand fatherless children. Clayton suggested her pastor Robert Thomas Webb to honor all those fathers. Clayton chose the Sunday nearest to the birthday of her father, Methodist minister Fletcher Golden. Clayton’s event did not have repercussions outside of Fairmont for several reasons, among them: the city was overwhelmed by other events, the celebration was never promoted outside of the town itself and no proclamation was made in the City Council.. The original sermon was not reproduced in press and it was lost. Finally, Clayton was a quiet person, who never promoted the event or even talked to other persons about it. Clayton also may have been inspired by Anna Jarvis’ crusade to establish Mother’s Day; two months prior, Jarvis had held a celebration for her dead mother in Grafton, West Virginia, a town about 15 miles (24 km) away from Fairmont. A Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on July 19, 1910. In 1911, Jane Addams proposed a city-wide Father’s Day in Chicago, but she was turned down. In 1912, there was a Father’s Day celebration in Vancouver, Washington, suggested by Methodist pastor J. J. Berringer of the Irvingtom Methodist Church. They believed mistakenly that they had been the first to celebrate such a day. They followed a 1911 suggestion by the Portland Oregonian. Harry C. Meek, member of Lions Clubs International, claimed that he had first the idea for Father’s Day in 1915. Meek claimed that the third Sunday of June was chosen because it was his birthday . The Lions Club has named him “Originator of Father’s Day”. Meek made many efforts to promote Father’s Day and make it an official holiday.
Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day. However, many men continued to disdain the day. As one historian writes, they “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.” In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed a proclamation making Father’s Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on Father’s Day gifts.
So as we celebrate dads everywhere on this day, I suggest we also celebrate our Father, who has given His children so much. By simply confessing our sins to the most holy Father, all is forgiven and we are surrounded by His “steadfast love”. Palm 32 reminds us of this: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart”.
In Luke 7:36-8:3, we learn about a woman, a sinner, who learning of Jesus’ visit to one of the Pharisee’s, brings in an alabaster jar. What happens to her, serves as an example of God’s love, and how, only through faith, are we truly saved.
“One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him–that she is a sinner.” Jesus spoke up and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Teacher,” he replied, “Speak.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.”
On this day, I give thanks to my own father, our most heavenly Father, and also to those men now in my life who daily help this wayward daughter find her own path in faith. To my Dominican Father, and Brothers, and to those “fathers” in OCACNA, I am honored and humbled by your generosity and love. Thank you for not only showing me the way, but also giving me a helping hand when I stumble.
Neither shall they learn war~ by Fr. Bryan Wolf
“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks- for nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)
Today in the United States we celebrate Memorial Day. We honor and remember those who dedicated their lives in service to our nation, our values and freedoms. But as a man of God and peace, I am challenged by those who would ask the whereabouts of our love and peace in these times of war, terrorism and aggression.
In the early days of the Christian Church, Saint Augustine of Hippo (b.354-d.430) rationalized that there were indeed “just wars”. That God had given the sword to governments to protect the peace and punish the wicked. Upon this foundation, Saint Thomas Aquinas (b.1225-d.1274); a Dominican priest, influential philosopher and theologian- theorized three pillars in which a “just war” could be fought: for a good and just cause not simply for gain, that it be done by a legitimate and lawful authority and that ultimately peace must be sought.
In paradox, God is seen in the Old Testament as a great warrior. He leads and inspires his people into battle to gain freedom and correct injustice. In the New Testament, Christ is the great peacemaker- calling upon us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek and commanding Peter to put away his sword.
Likewise song inspires us. The Battle Hymn of The Republic, tells us “His truth is marching on” and challenges us where Christ “died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.” Another commands us- “Onward, Christian soldiers marching as to war, the the Cross of Jesus going on before.” There are many different types of wars. Wars against sin, injustice and oppression. Wars against tyranny, fanaticism and scourge.
When we contemplate whether the cost and weight of war is ever balanced, we need only to think back to the atrocities of World War Two. The Holocaust and war crimes perpetrated by the Nazis against an unknowing world. In one of the pivotal battles of the war, made famous in the movie Patton– American forces are besieged in the Belgian town of Bastogne in December 1944. Surrounded and running short on supplies, a bitter winter storm prevents their relief. Nazis demand their surrender or threaten their total destruction.
Charged with their reinforcement, General George Patton’s Third Army is frustrated to move forward and make an impact. Himself a paradox- a military man who prays on his knees, he summons an army chaplain to write him a prayer for improved weather in which to attack. The chaplain questions the motivations for a prayer in which to kill and conduct war.
The Chaplain was Army Colonel James H. O’Neill, an ordained Catholic priest who would later rise to become Brigadier General and Deputy Chief of the US Army Chaplain Corps and be elevated to Monsignor. The prayer he wrote and presented to General Patton was ultimately disseminated to all soldiers within the Third Army, that winter:
“Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee of Thy great goodness, to restrain the immoderate weather for which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.”
I began this reflection with a quote from the prophet Isaiah. That quote, is engraved on a bronze statute of war humbling his sword into a plowshare. It was sculpted by famous Russian artist Yevgeny Vuchetich and presented on behalf of the people of Russia to the United Nations in 1957. It is displayed in the peace garden at their headquarters in New York City.
God alone knows if mankind will ever truly know peace. He sent to us his Son, who is the Prince of Peace and showed us how to live for peace and in love for each other. God gave to us His example, we only need to have the courage and sense to follow.
Most almighty and merciful God, grant your eternal rest upon all those who sought to establish your justice and peace. Let us not belittle their sacrifice, by not beseeching your grace upon us. Help us to know that we only have ourselves to provide for and help each other. Let us come to know that those of different languages and different colors, are ineed our brother as we are all your children. Protect those even now who stand guard at home and aboard, and seek to rid your world of injustice and oppression. Grant their families comfort while they serve away from them. And most importantly, give to us thankful and respectful hearts for their service and the blessing of your peace- so that we might not learn war any more. Amen.
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