Every year at Christmas time, we hear the same clichés:  “Keep Christ In Christmas!”  “It’s Merry Christmas, NOT Happy Holidays!”  “Jesus Is the Reason for the Season!”  And of course, there is the never ending rant about Christmas being too commercialized and the loss of focus of what Christmas is supposed to be about.

But what about Easter?  Why do we not hear “Keep Christ in Easter”???  Because it doesn’t sound as poetic?  Is it because many of us would rather focus on the miracle of a tiny baby boy coming into the world, instead of the drama and trauma of what LED to Easter?  Is it because babies lying in a manger make a much prettier picture than that of a bloodied man being executed as a common criminal?  Or is it because we can all identify with Christ’s birth much more easily than with his death?  We have all experienced the joy of holding, loving, and caring for babies, up close and personal, while none of us have even come close to witnessing a crucifixion?

Jesus chose to take our sins upon himself.  Jesus paid the price for us.  By His stripes we are healed, made whole, SAVED.

Let’s face it folks, without the crucifixion, without the RESURRECTION, without EASTER, we wouldn’t celebrate Christmas at all.  As we enter the most dramatic, and important 4 days of the Christian Year, let us not forget, amidst the Easter Bunnies, colorful eggs, and baskets loaded with candy, that Jesus is the reason for not only the Christmas Season, but THIS, the most holy and important season of the year.

 

Let us remember that Jesus is not only the reason for the Easter Season, but He should be the reason for our very lives.  Because of His death and resurrection, because of Easter, we have life in this world, and in the world to come.

 

Can you imagine what was going through Jesus’ mind a mere 4 days before His execution? Scripture clearly tells us of His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was praying so fervently and with such fullness of spirit for “this cup be removed from” Him, but not His Will, but the Father’s Will be done.

Christ knew what was to come. He was well aware of what He was about to endure for you, for me, for the world. It is during this time, between Palm Sunday – when the crowds were proclaiming and shouting at Jesus, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest!!” – and Good Friday, when the some of the SAME crowd would then be shouting “CRUCIFY HIM!! CRUCIFY HIM!!” – that we must exercise our HOLY WAITING, though we may be afraid of what lies ahead for us, though it may seem bleak, dark and without escape.

We must wait. We must know that GOD is GOD and let HIM take on our worries and fears and anxieties and ANYTHING that hinders the working of His Will in our lives.

I expect that is what Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was doing – relying on Our Father to help him, Jesus in the flesh, to have the strength to face what lie ahead, and to be totally dependent on The Father’s plans.

But what about us?  What about today?  Though at times we cannot understand  what God’s plan for us is, we must remember that God’s plans ARE THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN HAVE PREVAIL IN OUR LIVES.

My hope is that we will look towards Christ, who, though facing arrest, beatings, mockery, crucifixion, and death – still prayed FERVENTLY for OUR FATHER’s WILL to be done.  Like Him, we must pray for OUR FATHER’s WILL, NOT our will.

It is our responsibility to do our own HOLY WAITING, no matter how trying the tasks or how frightening the possibilities, KNOWING that our Lord is ever with us and will NEVER forsake us. Our Father’s promises DO NOT return void. And if we are truly willing to turn every aspect of our lives over to Him, and wait with holiness and eager anticipation, knowing that Our Father’s plans for our lives surpass anything and everything we can imagine happening for ourselves.   THEN, we shall see the Divine Master’s Plan producing its fruit in our lives.   But we must wait. Wait with faith, a reverent fear, and a joyous and holy attitude.

Luke 13:1-9
13:1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  13:2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?  13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.  13:4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them–do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem?  13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”  13:6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  13:7 So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’  13:8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it.  13:9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'”

“Guilty as sin”. An old American colloquialism. It is an expression I heard often when I worked in law enforcement for almost thirty years. Bantered about by cops, attorneys, witnesses and I think, on even an occasion or two- from the bench itself. The defendant is no doubt, “guilty as sin”.

What image does such a condemnation conjure up? An egregious act worthy of the strongest penalty. No doubt a person so referred, has commited an act which violates the moral sensibility and fiber of the community. Beyond any chance of rehabilitation, this defendant is for certain- going a way for a long time.

But this phrase more then likely can bring to mind someone who, is due for confession. For admittedly there are those certain churches that seem to make this guilt, a prerequiste for membership- if not for their every existence.

In his book, Why Christianity Must Change or Die, Bishop John Shelby Spong; Bishop Emeritus of The Episcopal Church, tells us: “When we examine the history of the church, it appears that guilt- not forgiveness, has been at the center of ecclesiastical control. Guilt has alsoo been the source of the churches power. Faith in life after death has been predicated on that guilt being alleviated, purged or punished eternally.” In earlier times, and staking a strong foothold until now, the church makes herself indispensable. Bishop Spong continues: “Religious leaders throughout the ages learned that controlling peoples behavior rested upon exacerbating these human feelings of guilt and weakness.”

In fact the Roman Catholic Church today finds herself at a wall she cannot get over or around. Originally termed “Reconciliation”- to express the forgiveness of the church, this sacrament was branded early on by church fathers as “Confession”. Defined by Webster’s dictionary, confession “is an admission of guilt or sin”. Complicated by the Papal practice of “special dispensations”, where wealthy people could by their absolution and freedom from condeming guilt, the Church mired in a situation it had created. Though the Second Vatican Council tried to heal this scar by shifting away from the “confession itself” to focus on penance and forgiveness, most Catholics today consider the act a true confession equal to criminal guilt.

I know personally many Catholics who refuse to enter a church or have expressed sadness at not having participated in the beautiful mystery of the Holy Eucharist for so long- because they have not been to “Confession”. There are many of those out there, thirsting for God- longing for that spiritual connection to God, only to believe they are not deserving because an imposed requirement, roadblock if you will, has not been overcome.

What then is the ultimate message being sent by the Church? Does Christ offer unconditional forgiveness, or is it something the Church can only approve once there is an acknowledgement or an embarrassment of guilt? Some churches move so far as to temper their own frustration that this constraint of Confession causes, as misguided faithful evaporate from the pews, by proclaiming- condemn the sin, but not the sinner!

Clerics and religious people are tasked today to reexamine, and perhaps even redefine if necessary, what is “sin”. Our interpretations of such must be made with contemporary understanding and sensitivty, and not first century ignorance. Saint Paul himself rationalized that “all have sinned and all fall short of the glory of God” [Romans 3:23] How then could anyone, hope to be above the grasp and grave of sin at all? Bishop Spong throws out a life preserver: “To be human, we are by definition fallen from grace and in need of rescue. But Jesus forgives anyone- everyone. There is no limit to the forgiveness of God.”

In her book Rites of Justice, Dr. Megan McKenna a Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley, challenges churches today to “revisit reconciliation not so much as something that was done or needs to be undone, but to call us to a change of heart, mind- to move from apathy and ignorance to political and social justice.”

We must be ready and willing to accept and embrace everyone. The church must be prepared to forgive and receive everyone- as Jesus did. Without the predispositions and ambiguities that all can be forgiven as long as you read the “fine print” first. A church trap set to ensnare and rebuke the searching soul.
No one is to be denied the forgiveness and acceptance of God’s love.

Even the Holy Eucharist is to be offered freely to anyone who approaches God’s table. For the love of God is so great and God’s mercy limitless, that even those who would participate in the Holy Eucharist to seek God’s grace without such requirements of “Confession”, do so at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit within them. There is no deception, deceit or ulterior motive- for the Holy Spirit will replace that in the beautiful connection of the soul to God. Christ tells us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]

Bishop Spong warns us that: “the very future of the Christian faith rests not on reasserting traditions of antiquity, but in our abilities to reeaxmine and refashion how Christianity will be understood in our time.”

Almighty and most merciful God. You know what is truly in my heart. Help me to clarify and purify my intentions, as there are so many contradictory desires within me and I get preoccupied with things that don’t really matter or last. I know that if I give to you my heart- I will follow my heart.

In all that I am today and all that I try to do- in all my encounters and reflections- even in all my frustrations and failings- and most especially at this time of prayer- I place my heart and soul into your hands and at the foot of your Cross. I am your child, my Lord. Forgive me and raise me up for your glory. Amen, and Amen.

Lent is upon us and throughout these forty days we are called by the Church to do penance, to make atonement for our sins, and to amend our lives. While atonement is important, this has been accomplished by Christ for us, and we have only to accept the saving death he endured on the Cross and our atonement is accomplished. As for amendment of life, this is asked of all Christians. So what then of our focus for Lent?

I invite each of you to spend time these sacred days in fasting and feasting…yes, feasting! Before you think your Bishop has lost his mind, or slipped into a horrible heresy, consider these words…and may you find yourselves empowered during this Lenten Season!

William Arthur Ward, American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994 offers these powerful words for our consideration:

• Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling in them.
• Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of life.
• Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
• Fast from thoughts of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.
• Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
• Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
• Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
• Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
• Fast from worry; Feast on divine order.
• Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
• Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
• Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
• Fast from hostility; Feast on non-resistance.
• Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
• Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
• Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
• Fast from discouragements; Feast on hope.
• Fast from facts that depress; Feast on verities that uplift.
• Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
• Fast from thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
• Fast from shadows of sorrow; Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
• Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.
• Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that strengthens.

I’d ask you all to meditation on and practice each of the suggestions above for a day during Lent. I know you will be empowered and I know you will learn that fasting must always be accompanied by feasting!

God Bless you!

Today is the Second Sunday of Lent.  Traditionally,  it has been known as ” Transfiguration Sunday “.  Our Lectionary even provides us with an example of this in today’s Gospel.   Jesus went with Peter, John and James up to a high mountain top.  There before their own eyes, the three disciples witness Jesus being met by Moses and Elijah and then being transfigured in radiant brilliance. [ Luke 9:28-36 ].

Though the Feast of the Transfiguration is celebrated in August, we pause to consider why it is always mentioned at this time of year during Lent.  Perhaps it is meant to be inspirational.  Christ knew of the coming dark days of His sorrowful Passion.  Perhaps Jesus wanted to provide some evidence to his closest disciples, so they could take comfort and not be despaired or discouraged, but know of His true nature.  Perhaps it is meant to be motivational-  for us!

For Lent is not only a season of prayer and penitence, but it is a season of preparation.  We are preparing for Easter. We are preparing for the glorious Resurrection, and the fulfillment of our Lord’s promise of everlasting life.  We are also preparing to make ourselves better Christians.  More caring and concerned, more dedicated to others.  Preparing to make ourselves more  ” Christ-like “, so that we can be more focused on Christ.

Our Lectionary accompanies this concept with a passage from Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians;  “ Their destiny is destruction. Their mind is set on earthly things. ” [ Philippians 3:19 ]  We become so preoccupied with our ‘day to day’ lives that we loose focus on Christ, His message and His desire that we care for others.  Our minds and energies are set on ” earthly things “.

We are given this time, this ” Transfiguration Sunday,”  to indeed make a dramatic change in ourselves.  We all know, I easily admit that I do, that there are things we can do better- do differently, to do more ” Christ-like,” in our interactions with family and friends,  even with strangers.  Would it not be a compliment worthy of the disciples themselves,  to see our family and friends staring at us strangely with smiles on their faces?  Our own inward smile, knowing we just eased a burden or made someone’s Cross lighter to carry?  The smile of our Savior, when God sees that we ourselves have been transfigured?  That is after all, why we are truly here.  So that Christ could be here, and ease the burdens of our family and friends- of strangers- of everyone.

So, it is time for a change!  A transfiguration.  As is the tradition to give up and forsake something for Lent, as a sacrifice- let us sacrifice a change- to change!  Let us take those traits and bad habits, that even we ourselves know in our hearts need to be broken and done away with-  and transfigure ourselves into the good and caring Christians that Christ calls our for us to be!  After all, look at the sacrifice he made for us- so that we could.  It is indeed then- time for a  change!

Almighty God.  Create within me a new heart- a new spirit- a new resolve.  Help me to see the potential that you see within me.  I know I can be better than I have been.  I know I can do more- help more- love more.  Toward my family- toward my friends- toward my neighbors, even for those that I do not know.  But most especially, for you!  Oh my loving God-  strengthen me.  Restore me.  Renew me.  Refresh me.  Rebuild me.  Transfigure me!  Amen!

May we read, pray and be inspired as we continue our spiritual Lenten journey toward that glorious Easter morning!

The First Station- Jesus is Condemned.  Even now, my beloved Lord Jesus- the world still has you on trial.  Why have you not corrected the injustice in the world?  Wars, oppression, famine, bigotry and hatred still abound.  The weak and the poor continue to turn their eyes and prayers toward heaven.  Where are you?  Why are you so silent?  I admit, in the silence of my soul and in the fear of my faith- I ask this question too.

But in your silence you stood before Pilate.  Your surrendered to God your understanding.  God knows.  God understands our fears, our needs and God knows the true nature of man- the soul and heart that beats within him.  In my silence I pray to you to give me faith- to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Give to me the faith- to be still and know that you are God.

The Second Station- Jesus carries His Cross.  With each movement of the heavy cross, splinters and pain dug deeper into your already broken and bleeding flesh.  How, my beloved Jesus- could you keep anger, hate and contempt for those who imposed this burden upon you?  I see injustice in the world and I am angered. I am frustrated at what I believe are unfair considerations against me.  Then I am ashamed, when I realize the burdens and inequalities others endure.

Strength me, my Lord Jesus- to take up my cross. To have faith in you. Enable me to have the courage to help others carry their own cross.  That I can be an instrument of change- to ease the burden of others.

The Third Station- Jesus Falls.  It would seem to me, as God- you would have carried the cross without falling- but you did not.  You fell beneath its crushing weight- and you are God!  How than, my beloved Jesus- am I to carry my own cross, let alone try and ease the burdens of others?  How can I not, disappoint my family and friends?

But you, my beloved Jesus- were not afraid to fall. You got up, and continued to carry your cross.  Is this your lesson to me?  Do not be afraid to fall?  Rise up. Draw my faith, trust  and strength from God and like you- carry on.

The Fourth Station- Jesus meets His Mother.  There must have been great anguish, pain and sorrow when Blessed Mary saw you.  She must have recalled those times when you fell as a child or were frightened- and ran to her for comfort.  Now she is held at a distance- helpless and filled with despair. It is a painful cross any mother bears in the suffering of her children.

Strengthen the heart and spirits of all parents, merciful God. The courage to help when the can and, more importantly, the resolve when they cannot.  Remove the scars and hurt that separate the bonds of blood between families- as we are bound to you by the sacrifice of your precious blood shed for us.

The Fifth Station- Simon helps Jesus.  How fearful and reluctant was Simon, when he was chosen to help you carry your cross?  Was he too jeered by the crowd? Did he too feel shame?

My beloved Jesus, make me not afraid to face those challenges that will come before me.  Give me strength and faith to walk with you, no matter what struggles lay before me.  Help me to realize that when others are burdened with injustice, I may bravely move beyond the indifferent crowd and help.

The Sixth Station- Veronica wipes Jesus’ brow.  Here, too, another example of someone who dares the condemnation of the crowd to help.  Strengthen me as well, my beloved Jesus, to have the same courage.  To think not of my own comfort and safety, but to react with compassion toward the suffering of others.

The Seventh Station- Jesus falls a Second time.  I am anxious my Lord Jesus, you fall yet again. The crowd, gazing upon you,  must now doubt that you are indeed the Son of God.  What they perceive as weakness and resignation is in reality, unparalleled strength and resolve.

I too, judge others too quickly, sometimes making judgments on appearances alone.  Like the crowd beside you, I too hastily decide my scorn and superiority; looking down upon others. We are too quick to judge the disabled, the poor, the homeless, the destitute and dispossessed, the aged and infirm and those of different color and complexion, or of strange language or ethnicity, or of affectional or sexual orientation.  Help my my beloved Jesus, to overcome my own shortsightedness and shortcoming to understand that we are all children of God; that everyone is worthy of my time, my prayers and my love.

The Eighth Station- Jesus Speaks.  Even in your time of greatest humiliation and suffering, you spoke words of compassion, comfort and absolution.  I am ashamed to think that when I suffer, I think only of myself.  I forget those who suffer much more than I could truly endure.

Give to me Lord Jesus, your grace of humility and holiness.  Help me to take the weight and pains of my own cross and make it a sacrifice to you.  That I may be proud to place my cross beside yours and be judged.

The Ninth Station- Jesus falls a third time.  Even though you are helped by Simon, you fall again.  Is the lesson that there will be times in my life- though helped by others, even with my love and devotion to God- I will still fall?  I cry out to you from the depths of my despair-  “Merciful God, this is more then I can bear!”

“Yes, my dearest child- I know and understand. I am with you always.”  When I fall beloved Jesus, you will catch me. You will raise me up!

My beloved Jesus, there are so many of us crushed by the weight of our crosses. Weighed down and overwhelmed by age, addiction, abuse, oppression and sin.  Lift us up! Remind us there you are there with us. That we are never truly alone. That you walk with us.  For surely, we will stumble and fall again.

The Tenth Station- Jesus is stripped.  Yet another humiliation and suffering.  Even as you walked the bitter path to desolate Calvary, shivering and chilled with pain- you looked down upon the world with compassion.  Make me as ‘Christ-like,’ beloved Jesus, that I too may endure my trials with dignity and devotion.

Almighty God,  for the sake of your sorrowful passion- have mercy on us and on the whole world. Forgive our sins and teach us to forgive others.

The Eleventh Station- Jesus is nailed to the Cross.  I cannot imagine the pain.  It is even difficult for me to comprehend. Even as your tormentors pounded those heavy iron nails into your flesh, you forgave them.  A love so powerful, so incredible, so overwhelming- that God allows Himself to be nailed to a cross.

Was the nail hammered into your left hand, payment for those who harbor hate in their heart?  The nail driven into your right hand, for those ignorant to the suffering of others?  The nails driven into your feet of blistered and broken flesh, payment for those who walk away from the begging outcries of others?  The spear that pierced your side, does it release your overflowing mercy?  Such great love.  Such a great sacrifice.  How can I ever expect to repay it, or be worthy of your love?

Nailed to the Cross, your arms outstretched- you call out to us- “Here I am, dear child.  Come to me.  I go nowhere without you.  I am held to the cross.  I love you.”

The Twelfth Station- Jesus dies.  The sky has turned dark and thunder rumbles. Blessed Mary and beloved John stand nearby. I fall to my knees before your cross in shame.  Scripture tells me you came into the world to give light and though you made the world, the world did not know you.  By your death we are plunged into darkness.

Forgive us Lord Jesus, for not seeing the light. We are blinded by our own ambitions and desires. We choose not to see the suffering and injustice.  We do not even see the beauty of your creation.  The light of truth has left the world, and I pray for it to return.

The Thirteenth Station- Jesus is taken down.  Once again in painful sorrow, Blessed Mary holds you in her arms again. Mother and child.  When I am overwhelmed with loneliness and failure, let me think of this moment. The embrace.  Of being  embraced- by my heavenly Father. God’s embrace of His children. Where there is suffering and pain- there will be mercy and compassion.

The Fourteenth Station- Jesus is laid in the tomb.  On the night you were born, beloved Jesus- men slept.  Angels sang your glory, animals greeted you and a small handful of shepherds noticed.  Now in your burial, again- only a small handful gather.

Like you- most of us are born, and will die, in obscurity. Most of us will not have the mention of media or historians. Is this then your greatest lesson to us?  Be content to be who you are- as you are- where you are. You are children of God.

God knows who you are- for even before you were- God knew you.  Live your life that is the gift from God. Loves those that God has given you to love. Provide for those, that God calls for you help.  For we are renewed and refreshed by the glorious resurrection of Easter morning!  The tomb is empty! We will not be weighed down or overwhelmed by our cross. In fact, it is The Cross that will raise us up- if we are willing accept to follow The Cross and carry it.

For the tomb is empty!  Christ is Risen!

The words of the once popular song are still true today and are proclaimed in the readings for Mass today, “All you need is love!”

You see, in our modern day of technology and 30 second gratification, we often forget that part of our daily lives are those people who are around us. We often forget that they too deserve and need our time and attention. Instead, we are too busy on Facebook or Twitter. We are too absorbed in texting to see the people who need us most. And what exactly do they need? “All they need is love!”

Jeremiah 1: 4-10

 Now  the word of the Lord came to me saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

⁹ Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, 

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

¹⁰ “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,

To pluck up and to break down,

To destroy and to overthrow,

To build and to plant.”

In our reading for the day,  Jeremiah 1: 4-10, the Prophet Jeremiah is told that God knew him while he was still in the womb. The love of the Almighty God saw the cells combine in Jeremiah’s mother’s womb and then saw the wonder of birth and the new life it spawned. Even as Jeremiah sat despondent that he was unloved and unheeded by his own people, the very people he was trying to save from destruction, God came to him to remind him that he was loved. God reminded him that he was there the moment love started his life.

I personally have gone through the Jeremiah moments in my life. I was made a Bishop at a very young age and as such many of the older, wiser Bishops of our movement would not give me the time of day. Some were very mean and hateful to me because in their eyes I could not possibly be valid. The Roman Catholic Priest in my home town succeeded in running me out of town. I too had the very moments that Jeremiah had and those that Jesus spoke of in the Gospel today. I came to the realization that if Jesus was not accepted in his hometown, who was I to think I would be treated any better.

Anger and hate welled up inside me. I was angry at all those pompous Bishops who belittled me because of my age. I was angry at all the Roman Catholics who bought the garbage spewed by the local Priest about how Old Catholics were heretics and would lead their souls to hell. This anger turned to hate and the hate began to poison my soul.

 

That is when I met Bishop Parker. Bishop Parker came to me as a lay person and was honest about his future. He told me that the doctor had discovered he had stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer in the lymph nodes and that he had about 6 months or so to live. That had been over a year before, but the point was that he was living on borrowed time. He had a desire to be a priest, but not a single church would consider him because of the cancer. I brought him into the church and made him and priest and a bishop! He worked so hard for the church that it amazed me!

We moved from Kentucky to North Augusta, SC to be closer to him. As his days on this earth came to a close, he taught me many things. I watch him die with dignity. I watched him let go of the anger and hate that he had from incidents in his past. And all the while, he was helping me to let go of my own anger and hate. The day Bishop Parker died a piece of me died with him. The last vestiges of anger and hate melted away as I saw him enter his eternal reward in peace and with unwavering faith. All through his ordeal, he had taught me to love again. To love my wife, my child and to love my calling.

I began to work again for the good of the church. I gave to God the pain and hurt from those in the movement who had wronged me and set out to do what I knew God had called me to do. And part of that mission was to spread one message, “God loves you just as you are.” Scripture does not say that God will love you if you change, or that you have to reach this level of holiness to find the love of the Almighty. No, Paul says that while we were still sinners God sent his Son to redeem us. That means God loved us as we were and where we were so much that he was willing to see his own Son die to buy us back from sin and death! That is a powerful message!

And as Paul makes clear to the Corinthians this morning, if you do not have love, everything you do is like a clanging cymbal or a noisy gong. He even says that when all else is done, love is the only thing that will remain!

Today we as Christians have a choice. We can continue to fight over whose mitre is bigger, whose vestments more costly, whose church has more people, or we can choose to proclaim the Gospel of Love to the nations and draw all men and women into the loving embrace of Almighty God.

The choice is yours. But as for me, I will keep on singing, “All you need is love!”

The peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ be with you all.

For those of us within the Order of Preachers, Old Catholic- it has been an interesting and exciting new year, and we are only at the Third Sunday after the Epiphany! It has been a time of celebratory transitions, though marked with stress and sadness as well. It is curious then, that our Lectionary for this day would provide to us a valuable lesson, in which to reflect upon these recent events.

“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I dont’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. {…} But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first all the apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of giudance and of different tounges. Are not we all apostles? All prophets? All teachers? All work miracles? All have gifts of healing? All speak in tounges? All interpret? [1 Corinthians 12:18-30]

The important lesson here, is that we all are together the Body of Christ. There is not one among us who is greater than the other. More valuable or indispensable than another. Admittedly we have our strengths and talents, as we have our weaknesses and faults as well. But together, we make each other complete.

This struggle is with us daily. In every aspect of our lives. Whether it is at home or work, or with family and friends. We all have the need to feel needed. We want to be sought for our opinions, input and counsel. We want to feel that without us, it would not have been possible. We all have desire to be a friend and it can be the rejection of that, that can cause hurt and even a lack of faith-in ourselves and even in God.

When this happens, we reflect upon our personal sacrifices- on accomplishments we thought were helpful, only to feel betrayed and discouraged when we are rebuffed and dismissed. If only we had those qualities, those strengths and assets they needed- then surely we would have been embraced.

But we do have those missing qualities. They are present in us by way of others. In those who are our family, friends and coworkers. For where one of us is weak, the others are there to raise us up. Where alone we would be afraid to stand, together we are courageous in number. A whisper of one, becomes a thunderous acclamation of all!

This is because we are all together, children of God. Do not be disheartened, for we are there to encourage. Do not feel overwhelmed, for together these burdens can be carried. Do not feel useless or unimportant, for I too need the gift you have to offer. Do not feel lost or alone, for we are walking together and all you have to do is reach for my hand.

Saint Aelred of Rievaulx, the patron saint for which I have named my parish, said it best in his work Mirror of Chairty(c.1142): “I reach out to take the hand that God reaches out for me to take. To cherish those that God calls upon me to cherish. Friend cleaving to friend in the spirit of Christ.”

For we are all children of God. Alone, we may feel insignificant and unimportant but together we are glorious creations of God! Together we are indispensable parts of the Body of Christ- and God’s heart and love beats within us.

Almighty and most merciful God. Create in me a loving spirit, so that I may rejoice and accomplish great things in your name! Let me be there to take that hand that reaches out for you, so that together we may find our way to you and not stumble. Make within us forgiving, pure and humble hearts, so that we may indeed be worthy to be- the Body of Christ Amen.

One year ago today today, we became members……….