“But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, ‘There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days to be cured, and not on the sabbath day.”
From Luke chapter 13
This verse was part of our scheduled readings for this morning in the Episcopal Church, and it sparked some thoughts as we discussed it. Continue reading
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You would think that after 40 years as an Episcopalian, I would pretty much have this “Liturgical Calendar” thing, the “Church Year” down. But after spending my first formative years as a Southern Baptist, I can still find a surprise or two.
As they say, even a blind squirrel finds SOME acorns.
Today, 25 May 2017 is the Feast of the Ascension. Continue reading
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Well, I’m going to go WAAAY out of character for me, and out on a church calendar limb. Tomorrow is Sunday, 5 January, 2014, the last Sunday in Christmas this year. So I am going to race ahead and post about Epiphany. “Sin Boldly”; to half-quote Martin Luther.
So why jump ahead two days as if I were impatient for them to be gone? Well, perhaps I am in mid-revelation, and revelation is sort of what the word “epiphany” means. Or perhaps I am receiving my Christmas gift, which also marks it as OK as a Christmas post (now I feel better!). I understand that in many places in the world, in many parts of the Church, Gifts are not exchanged on Christmas, in remembrance of the Gift of the Incarnation, but on Twelfth-Night, Epiphany (“…my true love gave to me, …”) in remembrance of the gifts of the Magi, given TO the incarnate Son of the most High. I sort of like that, in that it puts the focus a little more where I think it belongs, on me giving to God as I seek to serve Him in all people, in recognition of my baptismal vow.
Well, rambling over, on with the point. In Matthew’s account of the Gospel, Chapter 2, he says of the “wise men” (or Magi): Continue reading
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Last Sunday afternoon, May 26, our Bible Study group was reading in Exodus. We read the Ten Commandments, and we continued with laws relating to a variety of subjects, most of which our legal system would call tort law – or how to deal “with what is fair?” when one person has, intentionally or accidentally, caused harm to another. Continue reading
Today, I am going to offer a guest post – a daily devotional from the Rev. Reid Morgan, Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in La Porte, Texas.
It is on a subject I feel considerable conviction and leading about, learning from my betters on the subject; particularly my former wife, Stephanie, for whom this point lies very close to the center of the way Jesus interacted with people in the time of His incarnation. She is very, very good at following His example.
I offer Fr. Reid’s essay without further comment, except for my gratitude.
Continue reading
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I have announced and asked for prayers in too many places for me to pretend it is still a secret, at least a secret from anyone to whom It would matter. I am actively exploring the possibility of leaving my church of the last dozen or so years for another, yet to be discovered. And I hate the process. Continue reading
O come, O come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel;
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny.
From depths of Hell Thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law, in cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.
My favorite song of this season, Advent, and one I am full ready to proclaim this this year. I need the awareness of Emmanuel (“God with us”) now, as proclaimed in the third verse, to
“Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death dark shadows put to flight.” Continue reading
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One of the things I like about the branch of the Church into which God has placed me is the use of a defined Lectionary, or schedule of scripture readings to be used throughout the year. One of the reasons I like this is that it is another way of removing the preacher from the throne, while leaving him in the pulpit: His (and her) task is to explain, expound and apply the Bible, not to cherry-pick the verses that fit his particular slant. But, like anything derived by humans to keep us out of trouble, “the rules” sometimes provide their own slant on the text. I believe that this may have happened the last two Sundays. Continue reading
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Last weekend I had the very great joy of participating on the leadership team of a retreat weekend. The purpose of this “little course in Christianity” was to give people a taste of an intentional walk with God in Community. Particularly, it teaches a path embracing worship (or piety), study, and action.
One of my functions was to talk about the role of study in Christian life. I thought I would like to share my address on that subject here. Continue reading
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There are any number of mnemonic devices for remembering Bible verses, and for remembering and communicating the central points of Christianity. The “Apostles’ Creed” is about the earliest, and I think still about the best. “The Four Spiritual Laws” is one I remember from my teens and early twenties.
Many of us, perhaps most of us who seriously entered an Evangelical understanding of Christianity 40 or 50 years ago will remember “The Roman Road” as it lays out the work of God in Jesus through six verses in the Epistle to the Romans.
Romans 3:10 “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one…’ “
Romans 3:23 “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:13, “for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “
I think, though, that there is another “Roman Road” spelled out. I have often seen the journey described as the road humanity takes/has taken when we refuse to look to God. But I have discovered that here, as in most warnings, they are not only for “those OTHER people” … Christians, too, are vulnerable. This “Roman Road” leads to deception, self-deception. I know very closely at least two, who think themselves devout Christians yet have fallen into this road. I am one of them. Continue reading
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More on the idea of universal salvation and personal choice Discussion on the nature of the Holy Trinity: Why only 3? This post prompted me to reply with what I intend to be a draft of a fuller post Starting with Anthroposophy, a very interesting discussion ranging from stained glass and mirrors and the invocation of Saints, to Jung and speculations about the existance of evil.
Random Musings 