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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
4th Sunday of Lent 2010
“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen” – The Book of Common Prayer
Jesus said in John 6:48-51: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
A constant theme in the background of this Lenten season has been how much we need to rely on Christ. We always fail in our human weaknesses, but with the power of Christ in our lives, we can be victorious.
This week, what has been in the background has come to the forefront. We learn what is most important for our lives: that we eat from the bread of life that is Christ. Earthly food can only sustain and give us strength for a limited time. Heavenly food can sustain and give us strength for eternity.
We must constantly partake of the bread of life so that we may be sustained throughout this life and the next. We cannot hope to overcome sin without this heavenly food.
As we continue this Lenten journey, be sure that as you are fasting you are also partaking of Christ so that you may overcome all adversity.
Jesus said in John 6:48-51: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
A constant theme in the background of this Lenten season has been how much we need to rely on Christ. We always fail in our human weaknesses, but with the power of Christ in our lives, we can be victorious.
This week, what has been in the background has come to the forefront. We learn what is most important for our lives: that we eat from the bread of life that is Christ. Earthly food can only sustain and give us strength for a limited time. Heavenly food can sustain and give us strength for eternity.
We must constantly partake of the bread of life so that we may be sustained throughout this life and the next. We cannot hope to overcome sin without this heavenly food.
As we continue this Lenten journey, be sure that as you are fasting you are also partaking of Christ so that you may overcome all adversity.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
3rd Sunday of Lent 2010
“Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.” – The Book of Common Prayer
What a sobering thought: We are hopeless and helpless, both physically and spiritually. So often, we think that we can do it ourselves. We rely on God for the “big” stuff, but figure we are strong enough to handle the “little” stuff.
However, this should come as no surprise. Even when humans have everything going for them, they seem to mess it up. Consider Adam and Eve. They had everything anyone could ever want, not only physically but also spiritually. They had God coming down out of heaven every day to walk and talk with them, yet when they listened to the serpent, instead of God, they failed.
The Apostle Paul is another prime example. Before he became a Christian, Paul was Saul, “The Hebrew of Hebrews.” However, even this great writer of the majority of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
We need to remember the exhortation given to us by Jude: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” When all else fails the love of God sustains us.
We are not alone. As those who profess faith in Christ, we have the creator of the universe on our side. Christ is willing to help, guide and protect us from all “adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, remember that we cannot do anything on our own. We need the power of Christ to guide and protect us through every circumstance in life.
What a sobering thought: We are hopeless and helpless, both physically and spiritually. So often, we think that we can do it ourselves. We rely on God for the “big” stuff, but figure we are strong enough to handle the “little” stuff.
However, this should come as no surprise. Even when humans have everything going for them, they seem to mess it up. Consider Adam and Eve. They had everything anyone could ever want, not only physically but also spiritually. They had God coming down out of heaven every day to walk and talk with them, yet when they listened to the serpent, instead of God, they failed.
The Apostle Paul is another prime example. Before he became a Christian, Paul was Saul, “The Hebrew of Hebrews.” However, even this great writer of the majority of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
We need to remember the exhortation given to us by Jude: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” When all else fails the love of God sustains us.
We are not alone. As those who profess faith in Christ, we have the creator of the universe on our side. Christ is willing to help, guide and protect us from all “adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, remember that we cannot do anything on our own. We need the power of Christ to guide and protect us through every circumstance in life.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
2nd Sunday of Lent 2010
“O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ thy Son; who with thee and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer
Historically, one of the purposes of Lent was to bring back into fellowship those whose sin led to excommunication. While our sin has not led to excommunication, all of us sin on a daily basis. No one is perfect. We have all gone astray.
We constantly need God to bring about repentance in us. Repentance is a word that is tossed about quite frequently in the Church, yet its frequent use can cause it to lose its meaning.
Repentance means more than just expressing regret for one’s past sins. Repentance is a complete turning, a changing of the mind. It is a conscious decision to leave the sin of the past and move to a glorious new future in Christ.
However, we need Christ’s help. We should be praying on a daily basis for Christ to bring us “again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of [His] Word.”
As we continue this Lenten journey, ask Christ to bring you to repentance and to help you to hold steadfast to the faith.
Historically, one of the purposes of Lent was to bring back into fellowship those whose sin led to excommunication. While our sin has not led to excommunication, all of us sin on a daily basis. No one is perfect. We have all gone astray.
We constantly need God to bring about repentance in us. Repentance is a word that is tossed about quite frequently in the Church, yet its frequent use can cause it to lose its meaning.
Repentance means more than just expressing regret for one’s past sins. Repentance is a complete turning, a changing of the mind. It is a conscious decision to leave the sin of the past and move to a glorious new future in Christ.
However, we need Christ’s help. We should be praying on a daily basis for Christ to bring us “again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of [His] Word.”
As we continue this Lenten journey, ask Christ to bring you to repentance and to help you to hold steadfast to the faith.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
1st Sunday of Lent 2010
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. – The Book of Common Prayer
In this Lenten prayer for the first Sunday of Lent we hear echoes of the book of Hebrews:
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Our Savior, according to Scripture, was tempted in every way that we are. He is in heaven right now waiting to give us mercy and grace. As we continue our Lenten fast we will be tempted to break the fast, to give in to our human weaknesses and sin. Our Savior knows our weakness and our hope rests on His holy word that we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Let us hold true to our commitment to fast, search our hearts and seek God this Lenten season.
In this Lenten prayer for the first Sunday of Lent we hear echoes of the book of Hebrews:
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Our Savior, according to Scripture, was tempted in every way that we are. He is in heaven right now waiting to give us mercy and grace. As we continue our Lenten fast we will be tempted to break the fast, to give in to our human weaknesses and sin. Our Savior knows our weakness and our hope rests on His holy word that we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Let us hold true to our commitment to fast, search our hearts and seek God this Lenten season.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Ash Wednesday
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wickedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. – The Book of Common Prayer
The Ash Wednesday service is one of the only times year that we seriously and methodically focus upon the frailty of the human condition. We are reminded through prayers and scripture readings that we are sinful creatures in need of salvation. Through the imposition of the ash we are reminded just how fragile life is: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
The above prayer that opens the Episcopal Ash Wednesday service is a wonderful and humbling way to begin Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. From the outset we are reminded that God is merciful. We confess that we are wicked sinful creatures and need to obtain forgiveness from God. We also acknowledge that it is only through God that we can change from a life of sinfulness to a life of righteousness.
As we journey through this season of fasting and prayer keep the above prayer in your heart. Keep it as a reminder of the reason we are fasting: “That we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wickedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness.” Remember the words of hope it brings: “Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent.“ And also, remember the final destination of this season of fasting and prayer: Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ, whose death and resurrection paved the way for us to be forgiven.
The Ash Wednesday service is one of the only times year that we seriously and methodically focus upon the frailty of the human condition. We are reminded through prayers and scripture readings that we are sinful creatures in need of salvation. Through the imposition of the ash we are reminded just how fragile life is: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
The above prayer that opens the Episcopal Ash Wednesday service is a wonderful and humbling way to begin Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. From the outset we are reminded that God is merciful. We confess that we are wicked sinful creatures and need to obtain forgiveness from God. We also acknowledge that it is only through God that we can change from a life of sinfulness to a life of righteousness.
As we journey through this season of fasting and prayer keep the above prayer in your heart. Keep it as a reminder of the reason we are fasting: “That we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wickedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness.” Remember the words of hope it brings: “Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent.“ And also, remember the final destination of this season of fasting and prayer: Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ, whose death and resurrection paved the way for us to be forgiven.
Friday, December 25, 2009
The Snowflake
Tonight I was sitting in the living room examining the Christmas tree. We have a lot of lights and ornaments. As many a variety of ornaments, I think, as a tree can hold. Our tree has hand made ornaments, fine glass ornaments, cheesy toy ornaments and even a spaceship or two (okay ten).
But, the ornament that caught my eye was a cheap plastic snowflake covered in glitter. There are many just like it on the tree. I am sure that many years ago my mom bought them in a pack of 10 or 20 for less than a buck.
As I sat looking at this ornament I was taken back to a simpler time, at least for me it was simpler. It was back when I was in grade school and I took one of those ornaments to school and taped it to my desk. I wanted to decorate my desk for Christmas and that ornament was one I could take without mom getting worried about it getting lost or broken.
For me it was a time before holiday performances and concerts to attend. Before the family was so busy that planning the Christmas gathering was an act of congress. And maybe I was shielded from it, but before saying “Merry Christmas” was something that you had to be concerned about offending someone.
I have been greatly bothered this year by how the “magic” of Christmas seems to have disappeared. I know that I have changed and my life has gotten more complicated. I have things in my life now that I have never had before. There are things I thank God for everyday and things that I ask God to help change everyday.
I wonder if I have changed so much that I no longer see the “magic” of Christmas as I saw as a child. I wonder if in all my studies, growing up and growing more cynical with life has changed me to the point that I am no longer able to experience Christmas as I did as a child.
As I was writing this I was reminded again of one of the most amazing newspaper columns ever written. Veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church wrote it for the September 21, 1897 edition of New York’s Sun publication. It has become known around the world as “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” I would encourage you to read the whole column, but I want to quote the part that means the most to me:
“Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.”
Christmas is all about the unseeable. Science tells us that each individual snowflake is different, but we cannot see that with the naked eye. God created each of us as individuals different from each other, just as He created each individual snowflake different from another.
I know that sometimes I have gotten so busy that I forget to notice the beauty of God’s creation. There is a great diversity that exists in all created things. But sometimes because of life it becomes unseeable. I forget why we do all the things we do at this time of year.
I wonder if maybe the “magic” of Christmas is lost on me because I have forgotten it. Maybe the “magic” of Christmas is nothing external but it is an internal unseeable thing. That maybe the most important thing about Christmas is not all the gifts, parties, concerts, church services and whatever else we find to cram into a few short weeks in December.
The most important thing about Christmas is remembering why we do all the crazy stuff. That in some far away land, a long time ago a baby was born. He was born in the most humble of circumstances and yet angels and a bright shining star announced His birth.
The heart of Christmas is that the most lowly and unlikely of places can become a holy space, that the most unlikely birth can change the world. That God who takes so much care to make no two snowflakes the same took time to save the world.
But, the ornament that caught my eye was a cheap plastic snowflake covered in glitter. There are many just like it on the tree. I am sure that many years ago my mom bought them in a pack of 10 or 20 for less than a buck.
As I sat looking at this ornament I was taken back to a simpler time, at least for me it was simpler. It was back when I was in grade school and I took one of those ornaments to school and taped it to my desk. I wanted to decorate my desk for Christmas and that ornament was one I could take without mom getting worried about it getting lost or broken.
For me it was a time before holiday performances and concerts to attend. Before the family was so busy that planning the Christmas gathering was an act of congress. And maybe I was shielded from it, but before saying “Merry Christmas” was something that you had to be concerned about offending someone.
I have been greatly bothered this year by how the “magic” of Christmas seems to have disappeared. I know that I have changed and my life has gotten more complicated. I have things in my life now that I have never had before. There are things I thank God for everyday and things that I ask God to help change everyday.
I wonder if I have changed so much that I no longer see the “magic” of Christmas as I saw as a child. I wonder if in all my studies, growing up and growing more cynical with life has changed me to the point that I am no longer able to experience Christmas as I did as a child.
As I was writing this I was reminded again of one of the most amazing newspaper columns ever written. Veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church wrote it for the September 21, 1897 edition of New York’s Sun publication. It has become known around the world as “Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” I would encourage you to read the whole column, but I want to quote the part that means the most to me:
“Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.”
Christmas is all about the unseeable. Science tells us that each individual snowflake is different, but we cannot see that with the naked eye. God created each of us as individuals different from each other, just as He created each individual snowflake different from another.
I know that sometimes I have gotten so busy that I forget to notice the beauty of God’s creation. There is a great diversity that exists in all created things. But sometimes because of life it becomes unseeable. I forget why we do all the things we do at this time of year.
I wonder if maybe the “magic” of Christmas is lost on me because I have forgotten it. Maybe the “magic” of Christmas is nothing external but it is an internal unseeable thing. That maybe the most important thing about Christmas is not all the gifts, parties, concerts, church services and whatever else we find to cram into a few short weeks in December.
The most important thing about Christmas is remembering why we do all the crazy stuff. That in some far away land, a long time ago a baby was born. He was born in the most humble of circumstances and yet angels and a bright shining star announced His birth.
The heart of Christmas is that the most lowly and unlikely of places can become a holy space, that the most unlikely birth can change the world. That God who takes so much care to make no two snowflakes the same took time to save the world.
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