Hope, Preparation, and Bravery ~The Rev Frank Bellino, OPI

When we are baptized, and again at our Confirmation, we are anointed to take part in Christ’s threefold ministry of prophet, priest, and king. A great deal of modern theology, particularly modern Catholic theology, emphasizes that the Church must own a ‘prophetic’ role in the modern world.

Perhaps especially in this season of Advent, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate Christ’s first coming two-thousand years ago, and as we look forward with renewed hope to the time when Christ will come in glory, we should also ask ourselves how we are called to prepare the world, too, for the coming of Christ. What is the purpose of us to share in the prophetic ministry?

John the Baptist was the last and greatest of the prophets, the bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament; and perhaps the most important thing about him is that he always points away from himself and toward Christ. He strongly denies that he is the Messiah, refuses to accept any title or status for himself, but rather directs all the attention of those who listen to his message towards the Light of the World.

We, too, must begin our task of prophecy by remembering that we are not called to this ministry in order to express our own opinions, to bask in the adulation of admiring listeners, or even — as perhaps is more likely in today’s indifferent and cynical world — to give ourselves something to moan about when our voice goes unheard. When we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate the fact that it was God himself who came into our world, became a member of human society in order to redeem that society, precisely because humanity is incapable of saving itself.

We must not be afraid to admit that, left to our own devices, we are without hope, for our hope is in the one who is God, Jesus Christ our Lord. The message of Christmas is that we are not left to our own devices, since God is with us.

For all that is different about our world from the way it was in Palestine two-thousand years ago, the one thing that seems always to be the same is the desperate need for hope. It is our job to bring to the world that message of hope, that death is not the end, that poverty, disease, hunger, fear and hatred will not have the last word; the message of John the Baptist, in fact: Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

So, dare we share in John’s mission? The story the Gospels relate about John the Baptist may seem strange and even alienating, with a central figure we might find unbelievable, or possibly frightening. Should we meet such a figure today, would we not mock him, or lock him away in a mental hospital, protecting ourselves as we so often do from anything that challenges our comfortable world-view with a combination of laughter and violence?

No doubt John the Baptist faced scorn and hatred during his ministry — we get just a hint of it coming from the Pharisees in today’s gospel reading — and in this way too his life pointed towards Christ, who died under an onslaught of hatred and mockery. What we need to ask ourselves is if we are aligned with those who find John today a ludicrous and despicable figure.

Even some who profess to admire Jesus Christ will strongly dislike John the Baptist, seeing him as ‘too Old Testament’, too out-of-touch, too unreal. Yet if John always pointed towards Christ, then to despise the one is to despise the other, and the Jesus that such people claim to admire must be a false Christ of their own invention.

So, we must be willing, every one of us, to be victims of mockery and intense dislike just as much as John the Baptist; for this is what it is to be a prophet. Let us not get carried away with romantic ideas about what it is to be a voice crying in the wilderness, though: we are not Winston Churchill in the 1930s, waiting for an opportunity to say ‘I told you so’; we are not glamorous rebels, icons of disaffected youth like Che Guevara or Kurt Cobain.

Some of this romanticism has infected the normally-sober world of biblical scholarship, for students of the Old Testament prophets often like to quote the saying that a prophet was ‘not a foreteller but a forth-teller’, not someone who could foresee the future but one with a radical new message for the present.

Though there is an element of truth in this, it becomes clear when one reads the prophetic books that for the most part the prophets were not so much calling for a radical overhaul of Israelite society as reminding the people of God of their obligations, re-calling them to their vocation. No doubt they seemed like tiresome nags to those who had turned from the God of their fathers to false idols, especially the false idols our own society continues to worship power, wealth, sex and national pride.

This is the ministry in which we share: not a glamorous one, not one that will bring us admiration and popularity, but — for the most part — dislike, scorn or, if we are lucky, indifference. Yet just as John the Baptist’s ministry was vindicated by the coming of Christ, a coming that has truly brought joy to the world, so our prophetic ministry will be vindicated when he comes again in glory.

We are, after all, foretellers and not just forth-tellers, because we point with our whole lives towards the coming of Christ, and he is the future.

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To Be a Saint: The Feast of St. Lucy ~ The Rev. Dcn. Dollie Wilkinson, OPI

Our Beloved Sister Dollie Wilkinson, OPI, loved the Feast of St. Lucy.  Today, as a memorial to Sister Dollie, we reprise one of her posts about one of her favorite saints.)     

 

We often hear the common phrase, “He/She must be a saint.” when referencing someone who does good for others, or has suffered much but still perseveres. But what is actually required for the Church to declare someone a saint. Evidently this isn’t a quick, or easy, process. There are five important steps to sainthood:

First, the person’s local bishop investigates their life by gathering information from witnesses of their life and any writings they may have written. If the bishop finds them to be worthy of being a saint, then he submits the information that he gathered to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Second, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints can choose to reject the application or accept it and begin their own investigation of the person’s life. If the application is accepted, the person may be called Servant of God.

Third, if the Congregation for the Causes of Saints approves of the candidate, they can choose to declare that the person lived a life heroically virtuous life. This isn’t a declaration that the person is in heaven, but that they pursued holiness while here on earth. If this is indeed found to be the case, the person may be called Venerable.

Fourth, to be recognized as someone in heaven requires that a miracle has taken place through the intercession of that person. The miracle is usually a healing. The healing has to be instantaneous, permanent, and complete while also being scientifically unexplainable. Miracles have to be first verified as scientifically unexplainable by a group of independent doctors, then the person is approved by a panel of theologians, and then the final approval lies with the pope. If this is the case, a person is declared a Blessed.

Note: Besides the number of miracles attributed to them, the difference between is a blessed and a saint is that the scope of devotion for a blessed is narrower – usually limited to a specific group of people or a particular region of the world while a saint is held up for devotion for the universal Church.

Fifth, a second miracle is needed in order to declare someone a Saint. The confirmation of a second miracle goes through the same scrutiny as the first.

The five-step process is a general outline for how someone becomes a saint. There are definitely exceptions to this process and situations that may change the process as well. So how is it, a mere slip of a girl, become a saint? She is one of eight women who, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. Her feast day, known as Saint Lucy’s Day, is celebrated in the West on December 13th.

St. Lucy was born into a rich noble Roman family. At a very young age she lost her father who was a Christian. Lucy was left behind with a huge dowry. Lucy’s mother wanted Lucy to marry a rich pagan man. Lucy, being a virtuous young woman, did not want to marry a pagan man. Lucy asked her mother to distribute the dowry among the poor. The mother did not agree. As a young teenager, Lucy had already consecrated her virginity and life to God. She was zealously working in the service of God helping the poor.

In addition she helped her fellow Catholics hiding in the dark underground catacombs who were at risk of suffering persecution. She would wear a wreath of candles on her head to find her way in the dark, as her hands were full of food and drink for the people. Lucy was also well known for her beautiful eyes. It was said that her eyes radiated her love for Christ.

Lucy’s mother became very ill from a bleeding problem. She had tried many treatments, but failed. Lucy then asked her mother to accompany her to Saint Agatha’s shrine where they both prayed all night. Due to exhaustion, they both fell asleep near St. Agatha’s tomb. St. Agatha had appeared to Lucy in a dream and gave her the good news that her mother was healed. Saint Agatha further informed Lucy that she will be the glory of Syracuse – the city where Saint Lucy lived.

Lucy’s mother, convinced with her miracle cure, then complied with Lucy’s request to distribute their wealth among the poor. The pagan man who proposed to Lucy was furious when he heard the news. He decided to destroy Lucy’s life denouncing her as a Christian to the Governor of Syracuse, Sicily.

That was a time when many Christians were persecuted for their faith. The governor sent his guards to forcibly take Lucy to a brothel house and then insult her in public. When the soldiers came to take her, Lucy was so filled with the Holy Spirit that she could not be moved. They claimed that she was heavier than a mountain. When the Governor questioned her as to how she could stay strong, she claimed that it was the power of Jesus her Lord and God. Finally they tortured Lucy to death and she died as a martyr.

There are two legendary stories about St Lucy’s eyes. As Lucy had beautiful eyes, the pagan man who was proposed to marry Lucy, wanted Lucy’s eyes. One story tells us that Lucy gifted her eyes to the pagan man, and asked him to leave her alone. The second story tells us that during the torture, Lucy’s eyes were taken out and that God had restored her eyes back. Either way, Lucy’s eyes were taken out and God had restored her eyes. That was the reason she became the patron saint for people who are blind and with eye problems.

The most important aspect of her story was that Lucy was such a brave young woman, who was zealous in giving her life to God. She was ready to give her eyes and even her life, but stood strong in her faith at a time where Christians were persecuted for their faith. This is why St. Lucy is venerated as a virgin and martyr. Matthew 6:22 shows us how important is our eyes, when we are in service to the Lord.

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.

Lucy sets a good example to our young people today, who are persecuted for their faith at school, at universities and work places. Her message would be, “To stand strong in your faith, no matter how hard the situation may be.”.

St Lucy is also the patron saint of Syracuse. Over the centuries many people have been healed by God through the intercession of St. Lucy. Lucy, whose name can mean “light” or “lucid,” is the patron saint of the blind. She is often seen with the emblem of eyes on a cup or plate. In paintings, she is often depicted with a golden plate holding her eyes and often holds a palm branch, which is a symbol of victory over evil. Lucy, though young, truly exemplified what Paul, in Romans 12:2, strives to tell us all:

“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.”

St. Lucy’s Prayer:

Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation — every corner of our day.

Amen

 

Sister Dollie Wilkinson, OPI

APRIL 27, 1963 – SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

Prepare! Advent 2~The Rev. Frank Bellino, OPI

One of my greatest pleasures is working at an elementary school. In a talking with some kids at the school a few of the 1st graders (7 yr.-olds), I asked them what they were doing to prepare for the Coming of Baby Jesus.

One child answered: “I’m preparing the Nativity Scene in our house” …

Another said: “I helped Dad and Mom decorate the Christmas tree.”

I told them that all these things are quite alright but there is something more important than the exterior preparations…What then would that be?

An adorable girl replied: “Portándome bien y siendo buena” (By behaving myself well and being a good girl). – “Very good!” I exclaimed. (The teacher translated for me)

The best answer, however, came from one of the Spanish speaking little ones, who said: “PREPARANDO MI CORAZÓN PARA QUE JESÚS ESTÉ CONTENTO” (BY PREPARING MY HEART, SO THAT JESUS MAY BE HAPPY) …. [yesss!!!]… Out of the mouth of the babes…

External preparations form part of the season of Advent: they help create the Christmas atmosphere of joy and expectation.  A lot of people, moms especially, are much busier these days –poor moms…I salute you for your self-giving– planning the meals, shopping for gifts, planning for office Christmas parties, sending Christmas cards (although this nice gesture is becoming less common nowadays), …etc., and all these amid the current economic situation! All these are part of Advent season but then and still, not the most important…

Let us convince ourselves of the utmost importance of our interior preparation to celebrate the 1st Coming of Our Lord: preparing our heart so that Jesus would be happy, as the little girl said with all the simplicity and truth which can only come from a child.

I read a narrative which involved the now St. John Paull II. It was in the Advent Season of 1980 when Pope John Paul II met with thousands of children from different parishes of Rome. He began his teaching by asking:

– “How are you preparing yourself for Christmas?”

– “With prayer”, the kids answered.

– “Very well, with prayer”, said the Pope, “but also with Confession. You have to go to Confession in order to receive Our Lord in communion. Will you, do it?”

– Those thousands of kids answered in a loud chorus: “Yes, we will do it!”

– “Yes, you have to do it”, the Pope told them. And in a low volume: “The Pope will also go to confession in order to worthily receive the Child Jesus”.

Let us not be afraid “to clean the house inside out” by opening our soul to his grace asking forgiveness for our sins in the sacrament of Confession if we are not in the state of grace or if we haven’t gone for a long time I assure you that a well-done Confession, in spite of the initial shame, is worth all the effort for it is only when our soul is in the state of grace shall Jesus have “a place in our inn (Matthew 2:7)” and shall we will recover the profound happiness of being once more friends of God. Besides, it is the best gift we could give to Baby Jesus and to ourselves as well!

Let us also warmly invite and encourage our relatives and friends to do the same during this season of Advent, always respecting their freedom. With this, will bring joy not only to their soul but most importantly and most of all, to God. “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke15:7).”

Mother Mary, Help of Christians, Refuge of Sinners; St. Joseph, Teacher of Interior Life, pray for us so we and a lot of people may prepare in our heart a place for the Child Jesus by frequenting the Sacrament of Confession, of Divine Love, Mercy, and Joy, and so welcome your Son in our life.

Santa Who? The Feast of St. Nicholas~The Rt Rev Michael Beckett, OPI

Today is a holiday, y’all!  And a rather important one, at that!  Today is one of those days that are included in the much misaligned greeting, “Happy Holidays!” Yep, today, 6 December is one of those “forgotten holidays” that get lost in the lead up to Christmas or has been taken over  by the confusion and blending of holidays.  And by now, I’m sure, if you’ve managed to read this far, that you are wondering what in the world I’m talking about…..  You know that Christmas song, “Jolly Old St. Nicholas”????  Well y’all, today we concentrate on ol’  St. Nick himself, who was, as far as we know, neither jolly, old, or an elf.  Let that sink in for a sec.

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, aka the person upon which our dear Santa Claus was modeled. Now, just who was this guy? I know you’ve seen pictures and figures of St. Nicholas dressed like a bishop, carrying a crozier and he looks nothing like our Santa. What’s up with that? Imma tell ya.

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea (from which we get the Nicene Creed) in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance, said to have healing powers, fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.

Now, how did St. Nicholas transform into Santa Claus? It’s in the language. The Dutch brought St. Nicholas to the US with them. Yep, in Dutch, St. Nicholas is “Sinterklaas.” Get it? Pretty awesome how languages work!

For those of you who are interested, there is a very rich history that one can find of the process in which this holy man, St. Nicholas, became our Santa Claus. Google is an awesome thing!

So, I wish you a very blessed and happy Feast of St. Nicholas today!

Get Ready! Advent 1~The Rt Rev Michael Beckett, OPI

Our trees are up, our halls are decked, and the house is relatively clean.  I mean, maybe we’re not quite ready for Charles and Camilla to visit,  but I’d not be embarrassed if, say, William and Catherine or Joe and Jill popped in.  For all practical purposes, we are ready for Christmas. 

What about y’all?  Shopping done?   Decorating finished?  Parties planned?  What does “being ready for Christmas” really mean? 

Today is the First Sunday in Advent.  I’m about certain that every one of us has seen an “Advent Calendar.”  Those cute little things that count down until Christmas.  Whilst they can be fun and exciting, they really have nothing to do with “Advent” though.  Not really even close.  So, one might ask, “What is Advent?”  And, as is my custom, I’m gonna tell ya. 

Since the 900s, Advent has marked the beginning of the church year, and is a season of great anticipation, preparation, and excitement, traditionally focusing on the Nativity of the Christ Child, when Jesus came as our Savior.  During Advent, we as Christians also direct our thoughts to His second coming as judge.

The word Advent is from the Latin adventus, meaning coming,” and is celebrated during the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, (November 30) and continuing until December 24. It blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the Bethlehem event.

Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. Advent’s   prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isaiah 9).  

So whilst we are preparing our homes for Christmas, should we not also be preparing our hearts and minds?   We all of us know that Christmas is on 25 December, and that’s when we celebrate Jesus’s birth.  What we don’t know, however, is when Jesus is coming back. 

In the Gospel appointed for today, Jesus says to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.  They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill;  one will be taken, and one will be left.  Therefore, stay awake!  For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.  So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

As we go about “getting ready” for Christmas, let us not forget what we are really ‘getting ready” for.   I invite each of you to have a most blessed, holy, and prayerful Advent.  Amen.

Fishers of Men: The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle ~ The Very Rev. Lady Sherwood, OPI

Today’s Holy Gospel Reading tells us this:

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,

Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,

casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.

He said to them,

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

At once they left their nets and followed him.

He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.

He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father

and followed him.

If you have ever been fishing, you will know how important it is to know the type of fish you are looking to catch, and how to attract it so that you can land it successfully. Before anyone goes fishing, it is a must to know which equipment to use, to have the knowledge of the surrounding habitat and the depth of the water of where you are intending to fish, It is also important to ensure you have the correct bait for the fish you are intending to catch, so that the fish will be interested in going after it. That is what is required if we go fishing in the usual sense of the word, but how do we relate this knowledge of going fishing, to us as Christian children of God being fishers of men?

God asks us to make disciples of all nations of the world (Matthew 28:18–20). Just as in preparation to go for an afternoon of fishing, we also need equipment to go fishing, we need the important equipment to be fishers of mankind. Putting on the armour of God is one way to be ready at all times with everything we need (Ephesians 6:10–18). Especially important are the shield of faith with which we ward off the opposition from the evil forces who don’t want to see mankind saved by the gospel of Christ (v. 16) and the sword of the Spirit, which of course, is the Word of God (v. 17). Without these two vital pieces of spiritual equipment, we will find fishing for the souls of mankind to be impossible.

Ok, so now we have the equipment, but just like in actual fishing, we must also know the fish we are trying to catch. Knowing the lost and needy condition of the people around us will help us to understand that, no matter how good we are at fishing, we will never “catch” the fish by ourselves. No reasoned argument will convert the soul of a darkened mind, because “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). But God can and frequently does penetrate the darkness with the glorious gospel, and He uses us to do it. He knows which “fish” are His; therefore, we are to seek out His wisdom and His guidance on all our fishing expeditions. Prayer is a must!!

Lastly we must offer the only effective net—the gospel of Jesus Christ. To us, it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). The gospel message has the power to change people’s lives, to shine a light into the darkness, and deliver mankind from sin to eternal salvation. There is power in no other message than the Holy word of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and no other “net” which is able to catch the fish of God. “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). This was Jesus’ message to Peter and Andrew—follow Me, learn of Me, know and understand My mission and My message. Only then will you be able to be fishers of men.

Let us pray:

Father, it is during times of discouragement, bewilderment, or delay that we find ourselves more attentive to godly instruction. It seems our hearts are more yielded and our minds more absorbing of the truths You want to convey when we’re no longer trying to take charge. Like the disciples who were fishing in the usual way expecting the usual results we also relate to such efforts.  But You are extraordinary and You do extraordinary work in our lives as we yield our will to Yours and heed Your instruction. Shape us into the most useful and enduring vessel that brings glory to You while we cast our nets for the great catch of men and women, boys and girls for the kingdom.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

The Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of Universe~Br. Milan Komadina

The war in Ukraine is still going on. It has been almost two years since the first
Russian bombs fell down on the Ukrainian ground. Many people were killed, civilians,
children, women and men, young and old… Now there is another war happening
parallel. Palestinian terrorist organization attacked Israel. Then Israel started defense.
Unfortunately now we see that the defense turns into big destruction where many
innocent people are killed. There are victims on both sides. It is really sad that wars are
happening in the world. But also there are many sad destinies in many countries
worldwide in countries where people do not have war. There are many poor people,
people who are hungry, thirsty, people who do not have enough money for every day
needs. People who do not have normal clothes or do not even have a place to live. Our
responsibility is to help everyone if we could help. In today’s reading in Matthew 25:31-
46 we read about the Final Judgment. And we can found out what would for Jesus be
the most important. He will not ask us if we lit many candles or brought the most
beautiful flowers into the church, He would not ask us if we prayed 10 or 100 or 1000
rosaries, He would not even ask us if we had only one or multiple sexual partners. I am
giving these examples because it seems that today’s churches pay much more attention
to sexual life of their believers which is wrong than providing support to people. What
Jesus will ask us is how we were treating others? People around us – those who are
hungry and thirsty not only for material food but also hungry and thirsty for friendships,
hugs, understanding, listening and talking. We don’t even need to be baptized or
believers to provide what will Jesus ask us about. And who would be justified? A non-
believer who never went to church but spent his entire life in helping people in need,
feeding them and providing them all that they need? Or the person who was properly
baptized, properly confirmed, who read Bible 1000 times and were very often a church
visitor if that person was not generous. Generosity will be required from us. Because
Jesus is in all people who suffer. And the way we treat them Jesus will treat us too. My
prayer for all of us is to live in accordance to what we read in today`s Gospel of Matthew
25:31-46. To provide always mercy to others, mercy in love, hugs, understanding,
support, money and donations of any kind and to try to be full with empathy as Jesus
was. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 25:31-46

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and
you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will
answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Giving Thanks In Times of Trouble~The Rt Rev Michael Beckett, OPI

Thanksgiving was my mother’s favorite holiday, and today will be full of memories of her, my father, and memories of holidays past.  This Thanksgiving will also be a first for many of my friends as they struggle with broken relationship, broken health, and broken dreams, and grief.  With all of the things going on in this world today, in this country today, some, many, might ask, for what do we have to be thankful?  As I sit and ponder the losses and struggles of the past,  and the tragedies and difficulties of the present, I am reminded by St. Paul that we are to “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

Giving thanks is, in troubled times, quite a difficult thing to do.  However, we are taught that throughout our trials and tribulations, we should, nonetheless, give thanks.

Ephesians 5:20 says we are to be “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Trouble may bring a correcting ministry.

Romans 8:28 teaches us that “All things work for the good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. “  Even though we often wonder what good can come of some of the situations with which we are faced, we learn through Holy Scripture that good WILL come of our troubles.

Hebrews 12:6 says, “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” And Hebrews 12:11 tells us, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Troubles bring us to Jesus so that we might depend more upon Him. The apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh and he said, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). If your trouble causes you to depend more upon God, can’t you realize why we are to thank Him for it?

Trouble may bring a confirming testimony.  Paul knew much sorrow and he said, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). If you didn’t have tribulation, you wouldn’t need comfort and God so graciously gives that comfort.

Trouble may bring an increasing maturity.  God’s Son was without sin, but not without suffering. James 1:4 says, “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” The word “perfect” does not mean sinless, it means mature. The word “patience” means endurance. You’re not going to be mature until you learn patience. And the only way that you can learn patience is to have something to endure. You don’t sharpen an axe on a pound of butter.

Trouble may bring excelling glory.  1 Peter 4:12-14 says, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.”  How would you like the Spirit of glory and of God to rest on you? How would you like to undergo a fiery trial? But, you see, it is the fiery trial that brings the Spirit of glory upon you. Acts 6:5 describes Stephen as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.” While he was being stoned, the Bible says that his face shone like the face of an angel (see Acts 6:15). If your trouble causes you to know God’s glory, shouldn’t we thank Him for it?

Trouble may bring baffling mystery, and this is really hard for me at times.  Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” God will give you enough to know to obey Him. Friend, there are some things we may not understand and we don’t have to understand them in order to thank God, because God is good.

And most important of all, we find that trouble will bring eternal victory.  Romans 8:18 says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Paul was not saying the glory offsets the sufferings. Instead, he was saying that there’s no comparison. What a day that will be when He turns every tear to shouts of joy! And then we understand that He has not forsaken us.

Now since all of these things are true, then can we not give thanks in everything?  I give thanks for the lives of those I have lost, that my life was blessed by their presence in my life.  I give thanks for the wisdom and knowledge that troubled times have taught me.  I give thanks for the Grace of Jesus Christ who has made it possible for me to deal with life at its worst.  I give thanks for the multitude of blessings in this life:  my husband, my friends, my health, home, critters, and for each of you.

In all things, give thanks.  No matter what your circumstances and trials, this Thanksgiving, truly, truly give thanks. 

I wish you all a most blessed and happy Thanksgiving.

+Michael, OPI

The Future? ~ The Rev. Frank Bellino, OPI

For many of us time is not a friend. We seem to be increasingly busy, rushing from one job to the next, with little time to slow down and reflect on what we are doing. Nevertheless, there are those who find the amount of time stretching out before they are incredibly stressful. One of the most challenging aspects of recovering from an illness or injury is boredom; how do you fill all the hours of the day when you are confined and don’t have the energy for much activities?

This Sunday’s Gospel passage is the middle one of three parables, all of which are concerned with time. The first parable is that of the ten maidens: five foolish and five wise waiting for the bridegroom. The third is the familiar parable of the sheep and the goats; the judgement at the end of time ‘when the Son of man comes in his glory’.

In today’s parable Jesus describes how a man entrusts his property to his servants before going on a journey. Like the first parable, this is a story about waiting; how do we prepare for the return of the Lord and what will his judgement be when he appears in glory?

The first two servants are given five talents and two talents, a large amount of money and they go ahead to double them through trade. The third servant, however, who receives one talent, digs a hole and buries it out of fear that he might lose it. The first two servants have used their time well, while the third has made little use of the time given to him as he waits for his master to return.

For the third servant time is not a friend, but each moment is filled with dread and fear at the thought of losing the talent that he has been given. Rather than awaiting the return of the master in joy, seeing each moment as transformed in anticipation of this future happiness, this servant’s life is filled with anxiety about what tomorrow will bring.

In many ways it’s easier to identify with this fearful servant than with the two who make such a great success of things. All of us are anxious about the future. No matter how secure we feel ourselves to be in this life who can say with absolute certainty what tomorrow will bring?

I recently heard that each day the average life expectancy in the US increases by six minutes. We are living longer and have a day-to-day security that our ancestors (and many people today in the world) could only have dreamed about. Yet for all this the future still remains uncertain. So, we battle against time trying to bring it under our control or try to escape it by putting ourselves into a state of oblivion.

Jesus knew what the future held for him:

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death (Matt 20:18)

However, he did not try to avoid this future, but allowed himself to be delivered to death. The future offered him pain and suffering, yet in his immense courage he embraced this future on the cross, so that we might no longer live in fear of what tomorrow will bring.

We know that no matter what the future brings, the risen Christ is with those who hope in him, leading them to the joy of his eternal kingdom.

Servanthood~The Rev Frank Bellino, OPI

Although he was a great preacher, St Paul did not give up his day job — at least that is his claim. and it is a claim he is proud of:

You remember how hard we worked, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

Paul continues to assert that his actions were always in keeping with the message he preached, that was his way. He would never have been content to say one thing and do another. His life was a sermon just as much as his words.

In fact, he even went so far as to say:

I urge you to imitate me (1 Cor. 4:16), if you want to understand how to respond to the good news. His message was not ‘watch my lips’ but ‘watch my life’.

That takes a lot of confidence, but confidence was not something that Paul lacked in his early days. As he grew older, he became more conscious of his own failings and perhaps also more patient with the failings of others. But he never lost the confidence that his life as well as his preaching was presenting the Christ who was living in him.

It would be easy to draw parallels from this for Christian life today, but it is probably more appropriate for individuals to draw their own parallels about how their lives can show others what they hold as important.

A more subtle task would be to build for everyone something of that immense confidence that Paul seemed to have. Some of it, I think, came from Paul’s own personality — some people just seem to be more buoyant than others. But most of it seems to have grown out of his love for what he was doing.

He loved the Jesus who had disrupted his life of the road to Damascus. He loved the people among whom he lived and to whom he preached. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves.

Love was his driving force. History is full of examples of people who have done for others they loved things they would never have believed themselves capable of.

But what of Paul’s determination to earn his own keep? The book of the Acts of the Apostles suggests that he was a tent-maker by trade (Acts 18:3) — not a nine to five job, but he would still have had to work hard to make a living.

So, why did he think it was important, part of his expression of love, to continue? Here are just two of the many points that could be made.

Paul’s determination to keep working seems to suggest that he did not believe that working was taking him away from his preaching. Preaching is not something different from living. Everything about life contributes to it. Doing his work well and earning his keep were just as much part of preaching as talking to large crowds in the synagogues or market places.

In Paul’s terms, no one should think they cannot preach, either because they are not good at talking or because they do not have the time after their work. For him the work itself was a sermon, one not beyond the capacity of anyone.

The second point is more of a question. Paul did not expect that his preaching in the more formal sense would take up all his time. He could still continue his trade. And yet we now expect those who preach and minister to the gospel to be available twenty-four hours a day.

I do not suggest that the heroism of many of those who do so is in any way in vain. But in the light of the shortage of volunteers for this total apostolate, it may be worth considering an apostolate which, like St Paul’s, recognizes the workplace as a place of preaching which can be integrated with the more formal or liturgical proclamation of the gospel message.