The Feast of St. Ingatius of Antioch

 

Ignatius of Antioch, martyred in 115, had a profound sense of two ends—his own, and the consummation of history in Jesus Christ. In ecstasy, he saw his impending martyrdom as the fitting conclusion to a long episcopate. He was accounted the second Bishop of Antioch in Syria.

Seven authentic letters which Ignatius wrote to Churches while he journeyed across Asia Minor in the custody of ten soldiers (“my leopards,” he called them), give valuable insights into the life of the early Church. Of certain Gnostic teachings that exalted the divinity of Jesus at the expense of his humanity, Ignatius wrote: “Be deaf. . .to any talk that ignores Jesus Christ, of David’s lineage, of Mary; who was really born, ate, and drank; was really persecuted under Pontius Pilate; was really crucified and died in the sight of heaven and earth and the underworld. He was really raised from the dead.”

In another, he condemned a form of biblicism espoused by some as the method of historical interpretation and the only rule of Church practice. He wrote: “When I heard some people saying, ‘If I don’t find it in the ancient documents, I don’t believe it in the Gospel,’ I answered them, ‘But it is written there.’ They retorted, ‘That has got to be proved.’ But to my mind it is Jesus Christ who is the ancient documents.”

Ignatius maintained that the Church’s unity would always spring from that liturgy by which all are initiated into Christ through Baptism. He exhorted: “Try to gather more frequently to celebrate God’s Eucharist and to praise him. . . . At these meetings you should heed the bishop and presbytery attentively and break one loaf, which is the medicine of immortality. . . .”

Ignatius regarded the Church as God’s holy order in the world. He was, therefore, concerned for the proper ordering of the Church’s teaching and worship. He wrote: “Flee from schism as the source of mischief. You should all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ did the Father. Follow, too, the presbytery as you would the apostles; and respect the deacons as you would God’s law. . . . Where the bishop is present, there let the congregation gather, just as where Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”

Almighty God, we praise your Name for your bishop and martyr Ignatius of Antioch, who offered himself as grain to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts that he might present to you the pure bread of sacrifice. Accept, we pray, the willing tribute of our lives and give us a share in the pure and spotless offering of your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalms         116:1-8 

Lessons        Romans 8:35–39

                     John 12:23–26

(Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 2006, pgs. 422-423)

John Henry Hobart - An Early American Episcopal "Saint", September 12th

Despite likely being a workaholic, I love so many of the characteristics and authenticity that Bishop John Henry Hobart displayed in the below descriptions from James Kiefer's Hagiographies. 

Fr. Thomas Reeves

After the American Revolution and the Independence of the United States, the Episcopal Church, under public suspicion in many quarters because of its previous association with the British government, did very little for about twenty years. John Hobart was one of the men who changed this.

John Henry Hobart was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 14 September 1775, the son of a ship's captain. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University, ordained deacon in 1798 and priest in 1801. Called as assistant minister to Trinity Church, New York, in 1803, at age 36 he was elected assistant bishop of the diocese in 1811, becoming diocesan in 1816.

To look at John Henry Hobart, you wouldn't have predicted greatness. Height always distinguishes, and he was notably short. Blessed with attractive blue eyes, he was nearsighted and forced to wear thick glasses. In an age of marmoreal gestures in the pulpit, he was melodramatic. At a time of dignified eloquence, he spoke rapidly, with emotion. When most men were reserved, even with their families, he was warm, whether with ambassadors or farmers, to the point of being thought odd.

Most bishops were content if they bestirred themselves for episcopal acts a hundred miles from home. Hobart had the energy of ten men: horses dropped under his exertions and he thought nothing of a winter visitation of 2,000 miles in western New York or 4,000 at a more seasonal time.

Early in his career he tackled publicly issues still dubious in the American mind: episcopacy and apostolic succession, arguably besting in print a redoubtable Presbyterian opponent.

He founded two institutions: a college in Geneva (later Hobart College) and General Theological Seminary in New York City, breaking his health to get both off the ground.

He not only looked after the Diocese of New York (46,000 square miles and virtual wilderness west and north of Albany) he served as rector of Trinity Parish, the wealthiest and most influential church in the country. Agreeing to oversee the diocese of Connecticut, since its high- and low-church party roils had prevented the election of a bishop, he covered its parishes more thoroughly than any bishop ever had. New Jersey, similarly bishopless, appealed to him, and he looked after it as well.

He knew all the clergy in the Church generally and in his own diocese intimately. He was aware of their background, remembered their families, forgave their frailties, and appreciated their strengths. He watched over his candidates for Holy Orders with a paternal interest, meeting with them weekly.

His instinct for politics never overrode his principles. Once convinced of the rightness of his position, no wave of unpopularity would budge him. His friends adored him and even his enemies credited him with frankness and fearlessness. He held no grudges and played no games, two qualities that endeared him to many. In a turbulent New York State election for governor, a common saying was that only Hobart would have been easily elected.

He took 26 clergy at the beginning of his episcopate in 1811 and quintupled them to 133 by his death; watched the number of parishes increase from about 50 to almost 170; and confirmed roughly 15,000.

This lovable, indefatigable, type-A bishop went virtually nonstop from his ordination until his death. The only surprise was that he didn't die sooner. At midnight, September 7, 1830, a young clergyman rode in a stage through Auburn on his way to Binghamton. Passing the rectory of St. Peter's Church, he was puzzled to see a light so late. He rapped for the stage to stop and soon learned from the rector, John Rudd, that Bishop Hobart was ill. Francis Cuming remained to assist in any way he could.

Hobart's illness wasn't that surprising. Troubled for years with what was most likely a bleeding ulcer, with rest and medication he would generally rebound. In Auburn he had preached and confirmed and other than a slight cold, seemed fine. But soon the serious nature of his attack became clear and he cancelled the remainder of his visitation. Over the next few days, he frequently requested to hear portions of Lancelot Andrewes's litany, in which he would join.

Amidst his pain, Hobart found time to offer advice to Cuming: "Be sure that in all your preaching the doctrines of the Cross be introduced: no preaching is good for any thing without these." Cuming writes: "His pains were so severe he could not give his mind to them unless they were short, and when I had invoked our Heavenly Father to continue to be gracious to his suffering servant; and that whereas he had studied to approve himself to God upon earth, he might be permitted to stand approved by his Master in heaven, he interrupted me by saying, 'Amen: O yes, God grant it, but with all humility I ask it.'"

"On Friday, September 10th, just before the going down of the sun, and as its last rays had forced themselves through the blinds, and were playing upon the wall not far from the bed, he said, 'Open the shutters, that I may see more of the light; O how pleasant it is; how cheering is the sun--but there is a Sun of Righteousness, in whose light we shall see light.'"

Cuming again: "There were times when he was peculiarly oppressed. The promises of the Gospel, however, would revive him. At one of those times he said to me with the most remarkable emphasis, 'Comfort me.' The reply was 'Bishop, it is written, the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.' - 'So it is, so it is,' he added; God be praised for that, God be praised for all his mercies - God be merciful to me a sinner!'"

On Saturday, at a bedside service of the holy communion, when Rudd "came, in the confession, to the words, 'by thought, word, and deed,'" the bishop stopped him and said, 'You know the Church expects us to pause over those words: pause now, repeating one of the words at a time till I request you to go on.' This was done, and the pauses in each case were so long that a fear passed over our minds that he had lost his recollection or fallen asleep. This, however, proved not to be so; he repeated each word, and after the third pause added: 'Proceed, I will interrupt you no more.'"

Early Sunday morning, September 12, 1830, John Henry Hobart died, aged 55. The funeral took place in New York City on September 16. The mourners included the governor of the state and the mayor of New York City, and the procession was estimated at nearly 3,000.

The third bishop of New York is buried under the chancel of Trinity Church, New York.

Prayer (traditional language)

Revive thy Church, Lord God of hosts, whensoever it doth fall into complacency and sloth, by raising up devoted leaders, like thy servant John Henry Hobart whom we remember this day; and grant that their faith and vigor of mind may awaken thy people to thy message and their mission; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Prayer (contemporary language)

Revive your Church, Lord God of hosts, whenever it falls into complacency and sloth, by raising up devoted leaders, like your servant John Henry Hobart whom we remember this day; and grant that their faith and vigor of mind may awaken your people to your message and their mission; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Psalm 78:3-7 or 133
Jude 20-21,24-25
John 17:11b-19 (St1)

A False Community

 

"In a false community everyone protects himself against everyone else. Everyone tries not to be known, except in ways he or she chooses. Everyone tries to work out ways in which all relationships will be smooth. This is not community.

There is a vision in the writings of Saint Hermas, one of the seventy disciples of Christ, a vision: he sees the angels of God building the city of God, the new Jerusalem, and he sees that they choose square stones with sharp edges and place them next to one another, cementing them together. And then there are stones that seem so beautiful in their material, so smooth in their shape -- round, oval -- and they are rejected. Because it is only those stones that can be fitted together and cemented together that can be used for the building of these walls of the Heavenly Jerusalem. And when we try to create a society in which every one of us is safe from the other, are we not creating a society of people who are like smooth, rounded stones that can in no way be fitted together with others? What is needed then is a hammer that will break the smoothness and reshape them."

- Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, "Churchianity vs Christianity," pp. 114-115

Breaking the Rules

 

When is it OK to break the rules?

I am thankful that I was raised in a house where I was taught manners and respect for other people. I was taught, in keeping with the teaching of Jesus to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. This kind of mutual respect and honor is in part what keeps any human group or human society from turning into chaos. Today, in the United States, in the broader sense of our popular culture and our national debates, good manners seem be the exception rather than the rule.

But at what point does a person’s or societies’ view of “good manners” or “appropriate behavior” become manipulative, unduly restrictive, and/or downright abusive? Every human family or group, no matter how large or how small, has unwritten expectations and “acceptable manners”. This does not mean that their definitions are healthy or to be adopted.

When Jesus came to live among us, he walked into both civil and religious structures with many assumed and expected manners and rules. Those under the power of these leaders knew the consequences of thinking outside of their holy and elevated rules and used their so-called prestige and knowledge for their own selfish desires. This not only bothered Jesus, but it also often infuriated him to the point of rebuke and at times even name-calling for specific theological application.

Jesus knew the importance of the Law of God in the Old Testament, and he knew the authority and power of the truths of the Old Testament Scripture in general. However, he also knew, that human rules, established to give limits and boundaries to facilitate structure and order, were to be contextually applied based on the core, Godly characteristics of righteousness/justice, mercy, and shalom as God had revealed it to his people.

However, those who love POWER over their love for God, revel in rigidity and simplicity – laying aside a patient, gracious, and thoughtful discerning of truth and error or right and wrong. Jesus never pursued the leadership of Israel to change them. They pursued him as a threat. When Jesus pushed back at their duplicity and parasitic behaviors, the Jewish leaders saw Jesus as a disrespectful, rebellious, and dangerous prophet. Of course, any prophet in the Old or New Testaments that pushed against corruption, injustice, or the disobedience to God’s Word also faced these same responses.

Our text for Sunday comes from the Gospel of Luke chapter 13 (see the link below). Jesus again, chooses mercy over the strict interpretation of current man-made applications regarding the sabbath. The RIGHT group, the POWERFUL group was non-too-pleased. But the powerless, marginalized, and ill woman who was healed were ecstatic and gave praise to God!

How might we be a people who give this “gospel” news and love to others who know only the marginalization and power structures so valued by the world? How can we avoid this kind of off-putting, Holy Spirit dousing, and selfish approach to leadership at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church? To the Church of Christ?

"Controlling the Rules" - Luke 13:10-17

Waiting on God

So, why is it so hard to wait for things? The first, although admittedly shallow, example that comes to my mind is a child who is waiting for Christmas to come. Finally, the week before Christmas arrives, and then Christmas Eve. Growing up, our family opened gifts on Christmas Eve. As a young elementary student, I found that day almost unbearable in its slowness.

And, yet, learning to wait for things that we so desperately want (or have convinced ourselves that we need) continues as a challenge (and often a problem) into adulthood.

We, the redeemed, are also called to wait: for God’s strength, healing, encouragement, and especially for the final return of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is with His return that we will know a final healing, joy, and the fulness of human life in reconciliation to God.

But the good news is that we are not alone. The human beings and central characters in the story of God's Covenant People also struggled with waiting on God - even when God miraculously delivered His promises in overwhelming and shocking ways. The reality is that our gracious and dependable God always keeps His promises. However, He is rarely in a hurry, nor is He often moved to placate our childish behavior.

In the sermon below, we look at the "waiting" required of Abram. May it comfort us to know that God is right in the middle of the "waiting" that consumes so much of this life, just like he was with Sarai and Abram. And, our Lord tells us - over and over again - that, in the end, our waiting will be well worth it.

Waiting on God - Genesis 15:1-6 - Video Sermon

Navigating the Heavenly

 

Have you ever heard the statement about certain Christians that they are "so heavenly minded, that they are no earthly good"? The idea is that the theology of some seems so focused on the future glory of heaven, that they tend only to emphasize the ethereal or spiritual. Thus, these believers are vastly detached or impractical about everyday Christian living and/or the needs of others around them.

However, many in response to this culture of "doing church" over-react (for a host of complex historic and cultural reasons) with a similarly poor approach to theology, believing only what is done practically and literally in this life matters. Helping the needy and marginalized and leading them to the American Dream = heaven. The End.

As our texts on Sunday (see below link) will emphasize, neither of these extremes is remotely scriptural. Our "heavenly mindedness" is what fuels our loving, earthy, and faithful living. We love others now as we will love them for all eternity. We are to be living examples, and a taste of heaven for those who are exposed to our transformed character and actions. We embrace the temporary nature of all of our material blessings and our wealth. When we die, we leave as poor and vulnerable as we entered.

But to live this new life, our old ways and perspectives (fueled and informed by the disobedient of this world) have to be put to death. Thanks be to God, our old lives and their rulers and authorities have been defeated, and in our baptism, we are given the power to be Christ to the world around us. However, we must claim and rely on this change in our character through the power of the Holy Spirit. It takes effort and determination to live in such a heavenly way.

 

 “Living Above it All” – Video Sermon, Colossians 3:1-14

GOOD vs. BEST

 

In recent sermons we have been discussing the reality of the "cultures" in which we breathe and drink in our understandings about what matters in life. Much of how we live is intuitive. When we make decisions regarding the use of our resources between two good things, there are assumptions behind our decisions.

 

It is also true that our hurts, fears, and anxieties, affect our decision making and priorities. Without careful meditation and evaluation (and the wise advice of those who love and observe us) most people won't recognize the true things that drive them. Instead of being responsive and thoughtful, we are often reactive and stressed-out.

 

One main purpose of the Church of Christ is to hold firm to the "first things" that give the redeemed true wisdom and direction. The Church is to help her people to keep their eyes on Jesus. Thus, during the storms, or when the storms do finally arrive, we are prepared and ready.

 

But if our lives are so jammed-packed with good things, so that we have no time for spiritual preparation and prioritization, should we be surprised when the storms knock us for a loop? Storms and crisis don’t care about our priorities, retirement plans, or scheduled events. They come anyway and sometimes force us to look at the true weakness and vulnerability of our focus and choices. They are the true “flash floods” that reveal our vulnerabilities. However, if we are building on the ROCK, we will stand firm and remain strong through the storms that hit us. Why? Because we are preparing for and we expect them to arrive in our lives.

 

In the below sermon we look at an everyday scene that will be familiar for most of us; two sisters, handling an important guest in different ways. One is wrapped up in convention and the cultural assumptions that are intuitive. Another is enthralled with knowing and following Jesus; this results in her taking a disciplined hearing to his teaching first of all. Jesus, as he often does, redirects the assumptions of us all.

Good vs. Best (Video Sermon)

Accepting the Challenge

 

When it came to the genuine, foundational, character problems of the Jewish religious community of their day, Jesus often meddled. I submit that if a person is actually honest with the clear revelation of Holy Scripture in the Gospels, there is just no way around it. While we can definitely say that Jesus was careful and strategic about how he taught, when he taught, and who he was teaching, he was also at times prophetic so as not to be brushed aside or misunderstood (He risked offence and misunderstanding in the beginning, middle, and end of his ministry on earth). Our text on Sunday is one of those stories where everyone who is listening would likely have been bristling.

When Jesus tells a parable in answer to the question of a certain lawyer of the Mosaic Law, ("who is my neighbor?") the crowd got an answer for which they had not bargained. Are we Christians today anymore ready for such challenging answers from Jesus? What did the Jewish leaders and the people do with the repeatedly challenging teaching of Jesus? What do we do?

Jesus had a clear understanding of where the Jewish Covenant People of God were headed with their many religious and political compromises in concert with the powerful rulers of the day. This, of course, culminates in the destruction of the Temple and the decimation of the Jewish people in Israel a mere 60+ years later (70 AD). As Jesus looks at the direction and future of the American Church in the years to come, what does he see?

Jesus often specifically identified the hard-heartedness of the Jewish leadership. Yet, the overwhelming majority of everyday worshippers were just fine tolerating their leaders as long as they themselves didn't experience too much disruption. Yes, their leaders were bankrupt theologically and corrupt in practice. Yes, these same leaders manipulated and took a buffet approach to Holy Scripture, picking and choosing from their pages the truth that fit their presuppositions and desires. However, in the end, the challenges of Jesus, as will be revealed Sunday with the "Good Samaritan", largely fell on deaf ears. Jesus just seemed too extreme. Those that did continue to follow him before and after his death and resurrection only ended up doing so at great risk.

It will take effort on our part to stay open and teachable to Jesus. It will take evaluation, meditation, and courage to evaluate why we hold some of the beliefs that we hold and why we hold them so tightly.

However, if we choose to listen and pursue the teaching of Jesus through the preached Word, with a reliance on the aid of the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit speaking to our hearts and minds, we truly have nothing of substance to lose, and everything eternal to gain.

Fr. Thomas Reeves

The Love Test - Video Sermon

GOING

 

One of the characteristics of being a follower of Christ is the desire and action of reaching out to others with the hope and redemption offered by Jesus to the world.

Recently, I was out at the Pitt's farm for a "blessing of the fields", setting them apart and asking our God for a fruitful harvest. While we were walking around on the homestead, Jack pointed out a particular gas vapor farm light that they used for security reasons. This light was no longer needed on one part of the property, and so, he had moved it to be better used at another location.

Now, if that same security light had been purchased, put into the machine shed, unpacked, and left unconnected, what good would it do? For the lamp to fulfill its design and purpose, it had to be installed outside of the machine shed and connected to an electrical source so that it could have an appropriate place to have any influence.

Outreach is not something that the baptized Christian is supposed to do first of all; it is to be an evidence of who we truly are. Our genuine character will reveal itself through habitual patterns, whether good or bad. Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter five that "we are the salt and light" of the world. He goes on to say that we "should not hide our lights under a bushel-basket". How are we developing our full character in Christ?

This Sunday, we are looking at Luke chapter ten. Jesus has already sent out the 12 disciples to bring the good news of the Kingdom of God to various Jewish villages. In Sunday's text, he is now sending out 72 other disciples to attempt a similar mission. How does this text apply to the people of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church?

God is not asking any of us to be something that we are not.  However, he is asking us to claim who we are in Christ, and through the gifts and strengths that he has given us, bring the light of Jesus to a world in need of God's love.

(See the YouTube Channel for Father Thomas Reeves for the video sermon: "GOING")

St. Matthew's in Publication

 

Our Church, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, was featured in the Summer 2025 issue of the Anglican Digest. My article appears on page 44.

The Anglican Digest

Towards Discipleship

 

Last week (July 22nd - Ordinary Time) in the Gospel of Luke chapter eight, we looked at the story of the demon-possessed man who was self-destructing, and the townspeople that were terrified when Jesus transformed him. We reflected on how much these people had to lose (in their way of thinking) if they "lost themselves in Christ". And yet, by sending Jesus and his disciples away, they likely sealed their own self-destruction and a continued life of chaos.

This Sunday, we follow the journey of Jesus in Luke as we look at chapter nine. Jesus is coming into what we could call the "final stretch" of his ministry (that had lasted roughly three years) which culminates in his death and resurrection. He is rejected in Luke 4 by his hometown and many who know him well. He is then vehemently hated and despised for confronting the Synagogue in Nazareth with truth about God's gracious saving actions for the Gentiles. This was truth that had “gone too far”, and they absolutely would not consider, nor could they believe that Jesus would suggest such an idea.

 In our chapter Sunday, Jesus in his journeys is again rejected, this time by a village of Samaritans, when he inquires if he may lodge with them for a while (of course, this lodging would include his teaching). Luke tells us that this Samaritan rejection was a precursor to the continual and final rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders and people in Jerusalem.

 As the chapter progresses, Jesus is then approached by multiple people who say that they want to follow him, but Jesus makes it hard on them by testing them. Each person makes a culturally acceptable excuse to communicate that NOW was not the right time for them to fully commit to Jesus as their Lord. In our Old Testament reading, Elisha gives a similar excuse to the prophet Elijah, and both Jesus and Elijah respond to those hedging in their commitment: "I don't believe you."

This Fall we will have several people claiming and recommitting themselves to their baptismal vows and pledging to serve with us as covenant family members in our redemption together. Here are a few parts of the baptismal ceremony that will be revisited by each person to be confirmed or received:

 Question:      Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?

 Answer:         I do.

 Question:      Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?

 Answer:         I do.

 Celebrant:     Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and

                        fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the

                        prayers?

 People:          I will, with God’s help.

 Celebrant:     Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever

                        you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?

 People:            I will, with God’s help.

 Celebrant:     Will you proclaim by word and example the Good

                        News of God in Christ?

 People:         I will, with God’s help.

 Celebrant:    Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving

                      your neighbor as yourself?

 People:         I will, with God’s help.

 

These are promises that are to become a part of our change in character, intent, and action. It means looking at all of life through the lenses of Jesus Christ and his callings without excuses. Our Baptismal promises are not to be motivated to placate or perform for clergy or fellow Christians but are about a genuine commitment to serving Christ and others - because we agree with Jesus that this is the way that leads to life and salvation. Our Lord knows if we are making excuses or if we are truly committed to honoring and obeying him.

This is why he challenges us to "take up our cross and follow him”. He leads the way, that we might follow. May we ask for his power and courage to seek him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. Life and light await us. Amen.

Inconceivable!

What seems impossible makes us powerful.

 

The Easter Vigil

 

Hear the words from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, (Church Publishing Online):

The liturgy intended as the first (and arguably, the primary) celebration of Easter in the BCP (pp. 284-95). It is also known as the Great Vigil. The service begins in darkness, sometime between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter, and consists of four parts: The Service of Light (kindling of new fire, lighting the Paschal candle, the Exultet); The Service of Lessons (readings from the Hebrew Scriptures interspersed with psalms, canticles, and prayers); Christian Initiation (Holy Baptism) or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows; and the Eucharist. Through this liturgy, the BCP recovers an ancient practice of keeping the Easter feast. Believers would gather in the hours of darkness ending at dawn on Easter to hear scripture and offer prayer. This night-long service of prayerful watching anticipated the baptisms that would come at first light and the Easter Eucharist. Easter was the primary baptismal occasion for the early church to the practical exclusion of all others. This practice linked the meanings of Christ's dying and rising to the understanding of baptism.

The Easter Vigil is the “hinge” service that transitions God’s people from Lent into the Joy of Easter. In the early church (likely common as early as the 4th century) catechumens (those seeking baptism/membership into the church) would engage a process (usually, starting much before Lent) to prepare for baptism spiritually, theologically, and communally. It was then the custom that most baptisms would occur at the Vigil.

This year, a family of five and an infant of another family will be baptized during the Easter Vigil. If someone were to ask me: “Which service would you prefer me to attend”? I would likely direct you to the Easter Vigil Service for its immersion in scripture, its journey from "darkness into light", and its unique and focused pageantry.

Let us give thanks for the wonder and blessing of the resurrection.

Why is Good Friday, Good?

 

The contradiction of Good Friday is contained in its name. How can the manipulated trial, torture, and brutal killing of an innocent man be considered in any way, shape, or form “good”?

The answer to this question is revealed by the gracious and merciful nature of our God who in his holiness and justice owed the guilty no mercy or reprieve (we, who inherit Adam and Eve’s guilt and rebellious nature, and in turn, engage in disobedience from birth).

The foolishness of rejecting the cross, as many are want to do (especially, within Protestantism) is a rejection of the depth of human evil in our history, experience, and lives. To advocate the foolish covering over of infected, festering wounds by the “band-aids” of surface moralism, also reveals a dishonesty regarding the depth of our need.

We are now told by many “prominent Christian leaders” that the “good news” of salvation preached by Jesus Christ is that He wants we humans to “find God within ourselves”.  For some, this is now the accepted approach to “evangelism”. I submit, that taking this path is tantamount to a patient with a serious cancer diagnosis being told to think “positive” thoughts and focus on all the good health they have in other ways. Somehow, their focus on the healthy biological parts of their body will address their spreading and destructive disease. Accepting this denial, the cancer left untreated will feed on and destroy their health. In the end, the cancer must be irradicated, or the person will not be healed.

To see Jesus as a good prophet who is needlessly crucified as a moralistic ideal to be pursued is not “good”. This kind of crucifixion transforms no one, nor can it address the evil in us or in the world. But, a gracious God, who without compulsion or a need for us, who sends His only son to be our ultimate sacrifice? This is a whole other matter. The death of Jesus covers our sins, transforms our hard hearts, and provides us with a forgiveness that we could never produce ourselves. With the church catholic, I say: This is good.

While most of the Jewish world looked on with disinterest and disdain, our Lord Jesus Christ sacrificially provided for us the way of salvation. He did not die in vain.

Thus, at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, we offer two different holy and focused ways on Good Friday to walk alongside Christ on the day of his death. At noon, we offer a “Way of the Cross” service (the stations of the cross) highlighting and worshipping the important people and moments as Jesus journeyed toward his crucifixion. At 6:00 PM, in an abbreviated but poignant service, we rightly engage the grief and gloom which, in turn, prepares us for the joy of Easter. We leave this service in darkness and silence as we revere the sacredness of Christ’s love and sacrifice on our behalf.

I hope you will plan to join us on this day of personal and communal fasting and meditation (BCP, pg. 17).

What is Maundy Thursday?

 

During Holy Week, Jesus is quite active in his ministry while in Jerusalem before he and his disciples celebrate the Passover on Thursday afternoon-evening. On Monday, he clears the temple of the money changers (infuriating the Temple officials and other Jewish leaders.) Through the rest of the week, he continues to teach and is confronted by various Jewish leaders trying to entrap him.

Maundy Thursday is the most ancient of the Holy Week Services in our catholic tradition. It is a service of great significance, and when we engage our God in worship in this service through Word and Sacrament, we connect ourselves in a unique way to those who celebrated this “new Passover” for the first time. In this special Thursday service, we are also unified to all who have celebrated the Eucharistic Sacrifice in time and space, and to all who will be celebrating it together on this night across our nation and across the globe.

On Thursday, the disciples secure a room where they can all celebrate the Passover meal. It is at this meal that Jesus does and says some very surprising things. Firstly, he insists on washing the apostles feet, teaching them that spiritual power and service are interrelated in the Kingdom of God. What often looks humiliating to a world drunk with power, is life giving for those who lead and love the true followers of God.

Secondly, he gives them a mandate: “That you love one another”. While this commandment is taught in the Old Testament, Jesus calls it a “new” commandment based on his example, humility, and his coming redemptive work: “as I have loved you”. The next few days would be monumental. Thus, we get the name for Mandatum (mandate) Thursday, or Maundy Thursday.

Finally, Jesus fulfills the Jewish Passover by being THE true Passover sacrifice that had come to save the world. Thus, He establishes the new Passover Meal: The Lord’s Supper, i.e., Holy Communion. Earlier on Thursday, myriads of lambs would have been slain and prepared for roasting at the Temple in  preparation for the multiple Passover meals occurring throughout Jerusalem. On Friday morning, Jesus, the Lamb of God would be slain as the truly perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Soon following the Passover dinner, Jesus is betrayed, arrested, and stripped of his clothing. At the end of our service on Thursday, we also strip the table and altar area and leave it stark and barren. We leave in silence, honor, and meditative focus on the gifts the Lord gives us on this night, and the reality of their extreme expense.

I hope that you will join us for this service on Thursday, April 17^th at 6:00 pm.

Palm Sunday - Starting off on the "right foot"

 

The first day of Holy Week in the Christian Calendar is Palm Sunday (this year it appears on April 13th - we will only have one service at 10:00 am). It is the tradition here at St. Matthew's to also celebrate this day as Passion Sunday, and to see Holy Week through the eyes of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Thus, Holy Week is often called Passiontide.

Palm Sunday reminds us that the people in Jerusalem did not understand who Jesus truly was or the significance of his triumphal entry. They were hoping that he would be a Messiah that was better suited to a white stallion instead of a donkey. Their hope was that he had come to make their political and economic dreams come true. Many traditions of Christianity still want these same things from him (and so do we at times). Jesus was never to be that kind of Messiah. That Messiah has no redemptive or life-giving power.

But Jesus was on a triumphal path to his crucifixion and resurrection where he would defeat sin, evil, and Satan. His path would be glorious, but it would only be seen this way by those with "eyes to see".

By being present at the Mass on Palm Sunday, we communicate to those in attendance (and some that are not) that we want to be among the followers of Christ who "see". We welcome and celebrate afresh (although, in muted ways) the ride that Jesus takes which would lead him to the cross. Through a spiritually accused week, we re-engage the tragedy and the victory that must come before the glory of the resurrection. Without it, there is no resurrection, life, or spiritual power. Without it, there is no hope.

 Let us start Holy Week on the right "foot" (pun intended).

  

Fr. Tom



The Christian Year and Holy Week - An Introduction

 

For those who are new to worship at St. Matt's, you might wonder about the different seasons of our church year and their corresponding colors. In our confirmation/membership classes, we cover and explain "The Christian Year".

Essentially, the Christian Year models itself on the life of Christ as revealed to us in Holy Scripture. During ordinary time, while still focusing on the ministry of Jesus, we also focus on the growth and ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. I encourage everyone to watch the brief video below that I use in our inquirer classes to introduce the Christian Year (I also have a wonderful booklet free to anyone who inquires):

 

The Christian Year (Video)

 

The culmination of the Christian Year is EASTER. In the Book of Common Prayer (BCP), the Easter Vigil service (which we celebrate at the conclusion of Holy Saturday in the evening) is the pinnacle FEAST/Service of the Year. What helps us to prepare and draw closer to the reality of Christ's suffering and then his glorious resurrection is Holy Week (capping our Lenten preparation and thrusting us toward the conflicts that would arise for Jesus in Jerusalem). Holy Week begins on Palm/Passion Sunday.

In my next few articles, I am going to introduce you to the services of Holy Week, and the importance historically that they have played for Christ's church. Our Holy Week services beckon us to "put the brakes on" during a normal week (with all the usual distractions) and enter more deeply into the sacrifice and victory of Christ. He welcomes us to walk with him. For this to happen, we will likely have to plan and schedule for it. Will you walk this road with us?

 

Fr. Tom



A "Powerless" Christianity

 

I highly commend the below article by the Rev. Dr. Eugene Schlesinger to those with "ears to hear".

Fantastically scriptural.

Powerless Christianity - The Living Church

MAKING THINGS NEW

 

 Revelation 21:

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ ⁶Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. ⁷Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.’

 Salvation is all about newness; so is the Season of Epiphany. This Sunday we will look at the miracle of the wedding feast at Cana where Jesus reveals that He has come to "make all things new".

 The newness of Jesus in his teaching, however, has little to do with innovation, the latest trend, or a fashion that may come or go. Nor does it have anything to do with being hostile to the past. The newness Jesus brings is the restoration of all of God's creation. It has to do with the transformation of human life and a reconciled relationship with the Father.

 The kingdom of this world is "old" in the sense that it has been shaped and polluted by the rebellion and sin of mankind - a rebellion that has infected the entire creation (see Genesis chapter 3 and Romans chapter 8). This is the kingdom that Jesus entered, and with Him, He brought the newness of salvation. Hear the words of St. Paul:

 Ephesians 4:

²²You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, ²³and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

 and

 Romans 6:

⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For whoever has died is freed from sin.

 ¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 At our baptism we died to a life enslaved by sin and to our "old man"; the old way of life was bound to defeat and defeated. Now, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we live to follow and obey Christ and His ways. We hunger and thirst after Him, and we are continually given new life in Christ. Now, we know what life is, and when we engage our "old ways" of living, we also know what death feels and looks like.

 BUT, that is not who we are as the baptized. We have been transformed.

Christ has come into the world that we might know life and know it abundantly. Those who do not know this life will consistently and constantly live out "the old man" in their thinking, and their ways. Let us embrace the newness of Epiphany.

Preparing for the Christ-child

 

Advent is about preparation. It is telling how we often act differently about our homes when we are going to have guests. My Father and Mother-in-law have been to visit us several times since we have moved to Bloomington-Normal. While I take care of my yard, and enjoy doing so, there are times when the grass has to wait another day due to my schedule or motivation. However, when I am having out of town guests, I am more likely to have everything done and cleaned up on time. Karen takes a similar approach inside the house so that everything is ready when our guests arrive. We want to make them comfortable and please them, not for some kind of unhealthy approval, but to bring them joy.

The Historic Church has taken a similar approach. While the Season of Advent is not penitential for most traditions (as the Season of Lent is), it is certainly a time of preparation and reflection. The Christ took on flesh and came among us. Jesus will return in the final day to be the savior or judge for all of humanity. Our hope is to have our house in order because of our desire to serve and please our God. We want Him to find us reflecting His heart and actions. We prepare by repentance of sin and the change of our thinking through the transforming power of the Spirit. But we must engage, work, and accomplish these changes through effort. We discipline ourselves when we are struggling with our motivations or energy levels in doing what is right, as we work toward a growing and genuine desire to Love the Lord our God and the "neighbors" He has given us to illuminate with His light.

 

Let us prepare in Word and Sacrament together this Advent Season!

 

Maybe it does take a village?

Stimulating article.

Maybe it does take a village? 

A Distracted Thankfulness

 Colossians 3:6-7

 6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

 Being thankful takes discipline and a reliance on the Holy Spirit. I remember one holiday break in college when I had decided that on Thanksgiving Day, I would spend some time in prayer by myself focusing all of my prayer on the blessings that the Lord had provided me in this life and the life to come. It was harder than I thought.

 I always enjoyed coming home from school for break. In the house that I grew up in, it was always festive, smelled of good coffee, and was decorated to the hilt. Having three other siblings and my parents present, there was always something interesting to talk about, good food being served, and plenty of good football on the television.

 I eventually did get away by myself briefly, but I had to marvel at the difficulty of the whole pursuit. However, even as a clergy member, I know that being thankful, like any other act of prayer, meditation, and character development - is plagued by distraction (usually by things that in and of themselves are not bad).

 May God lead us to become more and more a people who are thankful instead of so easily critical; accepting of the decisions of others when our preferences are not realized; more resilient facing things out of our control. As we do, we will find thankfulness a salve to our unhappiness and a reminder of the gifts of God's grace and love all around us.

Community and Intimacy - Genesis 2:18-24

 

It is not God's desire that we live our lives alone.

Discipleship Article #7 (Final)

 

In considering daily discipleship to Christ, and in addition to the Book of Common Prayer, there are also other wonderful aids available to help us meditate, pray, and reflect on scripture. One is just below under the heading: The Good News Daily. This daily devotional was being made available when I came, and I have continued to offer it in our newsletter every week. I know a few of our people use this resource in their daily prayer time.

For many of us who have been engaging in daily prayer for many years, it keeps things fresh during the week when we can occasionally use different resources. In the link below, I am suggesting a few resources that you might find helpful or stimulating to jump-start your prayer life. While pictures are not links, they will give you a jump start to see if these resources are available on your smart-phone and/or computer:

DEVOTIONAL HELPS

As always, I am here to assist you in any way that I can.

Father Tom

Why Do Episcopalians Call Their Priests, "Father"?

Why do Episcopalians and other catholic traditions call their clergy, “Father”?  Below I am taking several different portions from an article that a fellow Anglican Priest, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Murphy wrote.

Jesus reproached the religious leaders of His day with some strong words about being called, "father," which sounds like this name is off-limits (to save space I will not be printing most of the scripture texts, but I would challenge you to read the passages in full for a better understanding of what is being written. - Fr. Tom - Matthew 23:1-12 ).

Jesus' words to His disciples on not calling anyone else "father" seems to make the catholic practice of addressing a priest as "father" completely unbiblical, and a proud and Pharisaic thing to do. At least, a straightforward reading of the text might lead us to think that (what some would call a "literal" reading). 

The problem with such a reading of this text is that it would also prevent Christ's followers from calling their earthly male parent, "father." Jesus is pretty explicit: " . . .call no man your father on earth . . ." The same thing applies to teachers, of course. We would have to cease calling all teachers by that name--Jesus doesn't restrict it to religious teaching--if one takes this statement at face value. But, human society and the Church within it still need parenting and teaching. Of course, if we stopped using those terms altogether it would be very problematic, because then we wouldn't even be able to explain Who the heavenly Father is in relation to Jesus, or why Jesus alone is our Teacher, because those words would no longer apply to their earthly counterparts. No, Jesus wasn't teaching His disciples to stop using a name, a label, a way of referring to or addressing someone, whether "father" or "teacher." A literal reading of Jesus' words here just doesn't make sense.

We run into further problems when we read the Apostle Paul's comments to the Corinthians and Thessalonians (see I Corinthians 4:14 – 17 and I Thessalonians. 2:11-12 - "admonish you as my beloved children" and "we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children")

The early Christians followed Paul's pattern. The Aramaic word "abba" ("father" or many argue, "dad") (e.g., Romans 8:15; Gal. 4:6) is the source of the English word "abbot" which the Celts first used for the head of their monastic communities. The French "Abbe" is similar, common for a parish priest. 

Oddly enough, the Christians that find it offensive to call the priest "father" routinely call their ordained church leader, "pastor." That term, however, is derived from the Latin word for "shepherd." Apparently, in their view, we have only one Father (as Jesus said) and so don't call their leader "father," but we have more than one shepherd. This is odd because Scripture is very clear on this:

The LORD is my shepherd . . . (Psalm 23:1)

But, its even more specific. At one point during the ministry of the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord rebuked the shepherds of Israel, His flock (Ezekiel 34:2), and later called David (as a type of the Messiah) the shepherd of his people (Ezekiel 34:23 and 37:24).

One Shepherd and yet we call our church leader “pastor” (shepherd)?

But, in fact, calling your church leader "Pastor" isn't wrong. For Christ is our "chief Shepherd" (see I Peter 5:1-4).

Peter commands the leaders of the Church in I Peter 5 to "shepherd" the people of God, yet they have a chief Shepherd. With pastors(shepherds), it isn't that God doesn't use humans to do that work--He does--but they are only obedient and beneficial as God's shepherds if there is a clear understanding of who the Real Shepherd is. 

Isn't this, however, exactly the case with fatherhood? We have a physical father, yet only one heavenly Father. We may have a spiritual father as well, perhaps several, yet understood as utterly insignificant in light of our heavenly Father because such "fathers" are only by analogy.  

So, why did Jesus say, "call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven"? For the same reason He said,

"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."(Matthew 5:29-30) 

He was making a point, a strong one, about the seriousness of sin. But, if we took it literally we might wind up killing ourselves to keep from sinning! Repentance is what Jesus was getting at, not self-mutilation. 

With giving our church leaders titles, whether "pastor", "teacher", or "father," Jesus' point is clear and driven home by the forceful way He expressed it: don't mistake anyone for the only Real Shepherd, Real Teacher, Real Father that you have. 

I believe the best and first way to see a local church body is as a "family".  Jesus talks of those that "do the will of his Father" as those who are his true family.  We are "adopted" to be heirs with Jesus Christ, the Son of God.   The Apostles in their writings also use family terms constantly: "household of faith", "brothers", "brotherly love", and "sons and daughters" of the Father God, being "children of God", etc.  In scripture, it is also revealed that the biblical, communal love we have, is one of a close and intimate family.  

Thus, as an Episcopalian clergyman (especially, in the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield), I am referred to as "Father" (and our women priests often referred to as "Mother").  I have a responsibility to guide, care for, walk with, and confront (and redirect) poor behavior for the betterment of each family member (and the greater parish family as a whole). I am also a shepherd, caregiver, and an authority figure regarding the centrality of Christ's teaching of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God.

However, in my basic membership in the household of God, I am one family member in a local church of many members. We are all equally valuable in the eyes of God being created in the image of God and redeemed through the work of Christ. We have differing roles due to the gifting, calling, and passions given to us by Jesus Christ our Lord, but we are loved and saved together as the Body of Christ.

Thanks, be to God.

A Limited Window - Proverbs 1:20-33

 

The wise lay aside complacency, hostility, and foolishness.

The Feast of St. Augustine

 

Augustine, perhaps the greatest theologian in the history of Western Christianity, was born in 354 at Tagaste in North Africa. In his restless search for truth, he was attracted by Manichaeism and Neoplatonism, and was constantly engaged in an inner struggle with his personal morals. Finally, under the influence of his mother Monnica, Augustine surrendered to the Christian faith in the late summer of 386. He was baptized by Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, on Easter Eve in 387. After returning to North Africa in 391, Augustine found himself unexpectedly chosen by the people of Hippo to be a presbyter. Four years later he was chosen bishop of that city. His spiritual autobiography, The Confessions of St. Augustine, written shortly before 400 in the form of an extended prayer, is a classic of Western spirituality.

Augustine wrote countless treatises, letters, and sermons. They have provided a rich source of new and fresh insights into Christian truth.

The Manichaeans had attempted to solve the problem of evil by positing the existence of an independent agency eternally opposed to God. In refutation, Augustine affirmed that all creation is essentially good, having been created by God; and that evil is, properly speaking, the privation of good. A rigorist sect, the Donatists, had split from the Great Church after the persecution of Diocletian in the early fourth century. Against them, Augustine asserted that the Church was “holy,” not because its members could be proved holy, but because holiness was the purpose of the Church, to which all its members are called.

Stirred by Alaric the Visigoth’s sack of Rome in 410, Augustine wrote his greatest work, The City of God. In it he writes: “Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by love of self, even to the contempt of God, the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The earthly city glories in itself, the heavenly city glories in the Lord. . . . In the one, the princes, and the nations it subdues, are ruled by the love of ruling; in the other, the princes and the subjects serve one another in love.”

Augustine died on August 28, 430, as the Vandals were besieging his own earthly city of Hippo.

Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Scripture Readings:

Hebrews 12:22–24,28–29

Psalm 87

John 14:6–15

(Lesser Feasts and Fasts, pgs. 360-361, Church Publishing, 2006)

An Earthy Redemption - Luke 24:36-48

 The created order is restored through the resurrection of Jesus.

Christian Behavior

Because of the Redemption of Christ, our character is constantly changing.

 

Using the Daily Office (Discipleship Article #6)

 

For Anglicans, the Daily Office forms the foundation of how we see weekly, systematic prayer. Based on the monastic "hours", our Prayer Book provides us with five different services during the day where we may set ourselves apart for prayer (BCP, pg. 35) The two foundational services in the Daily Office are Morning and Evening Prayer.

I have from time to time trained anyone interested in how to "read" Morning Prayer and use the daily lectionary. This offer stands open to anyone (member or attendee) who would like such direction. If there is enough interest, I would be willing to teach a class on the same. In addition, I have also created introductory booklets for those who would like a more abbreviated approach to beginning Morning Prayer. Both the "Intro to Morning Prayer" and "Intermediate Guide to Morning Prayer" can be found in our booklet stands found at each entrance to our building, or you can click on the two links below:

Intro to Prayer - (BCP)

Intermediate Prayer (BCP)

In our next article, we will consider other ways to supplement and aid us as we journey in discipleship to Jesus, seeking and knowing our God.

Getting into the Specifics (Discipleship Article #5)

 

So, as we seek to live out our Discipleship during the week what does this look like? How do we start? Where do we start?

First of all, we choose and strive to have an awareness of God's presence with us everywhere we go. Paul teaches us that in Christ we "live, move, and have our being" and that we are indwelt with the person of the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8, the Spirit connecting us to the very being of God and his power in our lives"). We are told in I Thessalonians 5 that we should go through our day in a prayerful state of mind:

 

16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

 

Secondly, we set time aside for prayer, scripture reading/reflection, and meditation. It is one thing to read scripture or listen to a homily. It is completely another to reflect on how that scripture and/or teaching can help shape our character, beliefs, and life. Sometimes the meditation we engage may be necessary before we begin our prayer so that we can put the random swirling thoughts and many responsibilities aside and rest in the "peace that passes all understanding." Other times, we may need meditation after our time of prayer and/or Scripture reading to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit's clarity and applicational wisdom.

 

Thirdly, set this time of prayer aside daily, at the same time of the day, and for a specified amount of time. I often tell new believers that it is better to start with only five minutes a day than to take on too long of a time which then becomes drudgery. The hope is to develop good habits. Don't rely on willpower first of all, but ask the Lord to strengthen and help you in this discipline.

 

Lastly, get help from a spiritual guide for the best ways to accomplish these spiritual disciplines, or if you have engaged in these disciplines for a long time, inquire of a spiritually mature person how you might approach your personal prayer life in some fresh and meaningful ways. Your Priest or Pastor is always the best place to start.

 

In our next article, we will investigate some resources that can aid us as we seek to develop a life of prayer.

Meditating on the Word (Discipleship Article #4)

  

Joshua 1:

8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

The Lord here is giving instructions to Joshua, not the entire assembly of Israel. However, Joshua is being given a source to know and meditate on so as to understand the Lord's wisdom and direction for the people that he is to now lead. He would need courage to trust the Lord as he sought wisdom from his God.

 

This means that, like the future kings to follow him, Joshua would have likely had a copy of the Torah of that day.

 

Deuteronomy 17:

18 When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall have a copy of this law written for him in the presence of the levitical priests. 19 It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.

 

The copy of the law the king received would have come from the Holy Scriptures that the priests cared for; most of the people would have had no access to the written Scriptures. And yet, we are told in Psalm 1:

 

  1   Happy are those 

  who do not follow the advice of the wicked, 

  or take the path that sinners tread, 

  or sit in the seat of scoffers; 

  2   but their delight is in the law of the LORD, 

  and on his law they meditate day and night. 

 

The righteous are taught to delight and meditate regularly on the Law of the Lord. This meant that they had to rely on the teaching of the priests, prophets, and other wise sages for their exposure to the written Holy Scriptures, which were only available to a certain few. Those certain few could meditate on that which they read and studied.

 

WE today are the "certain few". We are blessed to have a complete, written account of God's actions, ways, and teachings. We can meditate not only on what we hear and are taught, but can also read the Holy Scriptures for ourselves. We need care to realize the varied genres, literature, and complexities of interpreting Holy Scripture, but we are still able to swim in it's truths and expose ourselves to content that can later be expounded for us by those with the spiritual gifting, training, and ordination.

 

The Old and New Testament ideas of God's covenant people being "priests of the church to the world" (the "priesthood of the believer") has never meant that any baptized person with the Scriptures in their hands will understand and interpret truth equally. However, it does mean that we all have responsibility for what we know and how God has gifted us to serve the church and the world. We can each come before God through Christ for a relationship with him, and He has gifted each one of us to be light and salt in the world.

 

Are we taking advantage of all of the "gifts" that he has given us? How can we better come to know and serve him in our everyday lives?

 

In the next few articles, we are going to focus on some of the specific, practical steps, and actions we can take in becoming more disciplined and strong followers of Jesus. He longs to walk with us every moment of the day, but, like Adam and Eve in the garden, we must come out of the shadows of guilt, shame, and fear and engage Him.

 

Walking with God (Discipleship Article #3)

  

 

Gen 3:

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 

 

In Genesis, Adam and Eve represent the entire human community. We are given insight into a very interesting fact: God came to visit Adam and Eve, and his visit is pictured in such a way as to indicate that this was a regular, if not daily, occurrence. In the past, "hearing" that God had come to fellowship with them would have been a delight. Now, after their disobedience, it made them afraid.

 

In short, we were created, first of all, to have a relationship with God. This relationship while personal, is also communal. It is also intimate. But for Adam and Eve to have fellowship with God, they also had to be present and engaged.

 

It is often said in life that "what we put into a task or relationship is what we will likely get out of it". This is certainly also true in our spiritual life and discipline.

 

Daniel 6:

10 Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open towards Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. 

 

The idea we get for regular, daily prayer comes first from the Old Testament and the worship of the Old Covenant People of God. There were different times for prayer during different periods in the life of the people of Israel. Daniel had made it his practice to pray at morning, mid-day, and evening. He is positioned as someone who sought God, had spiritual power, and remained faithful to the Lord in the midst of hostile circumstances.

 

What time do we make for prayer and meditation (which, in our time in history, means that we can meditate on a complete copy of Holy Scripture)?

 

I submit to you that the Holy Scriptures and the Christian Tradition encourage us that to be "strong in the Lord" this kind of regular spiritual discipline is vital to our faithfulness and joy.

The Feast of Bishop William White

 

William White was born in Philadelphia, March 24, 1747, and was educated at the college of that city, graduating in 1765. In 1770 he went to England, was ordained deacon on December 23, and priest on April 25, 1772. On his return home, he became assistant minister of Christ and St. Peter’s, 1772–1779, and rector from that year until his death, July 17, 1836. He also served as chaplain of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1789, and then of the United States Senate until 1800. Chosen unanimously as first Bishop of Pennsylvania, September 14, 1786, he went to England again, with Samuel Provoost, Bishop-elect of New York; and the two men were consecrated in Lambeth Chapel on Septuagesima Sunday, February 4, 1787, by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of Bath and Wells and of Peterborough.

Bishop White was the chief architect of the Constitution of the American Episcopal Church and the wise overseer of its life during the first generation of its history. He was the Presiding Bishop at its organizing General Convention in 1789 and again from 1795 until his death. He was a theologian of no mean ability, and among his proteges, in whose formation he had a large hand, were such leaders of a new generation as John Henry Hobart, Jackson Kemper, and William Augustus Muhlenberg. White’s gifts of statesmanship and reconciling moderation steered the American Church through the first decades of its independent life. His influence in his native city made him its “first citizen.” To few men has the epithet “venerable” been more aptly applied.

O Lord, in a time of turmoil and confusion you raised up your servant William White, and endowed him with wisdom, patience, and a reconciling temper, that he might lead your Church into ways of stability and peace: Hear our prayer, and give us wise and faithful leaders, that through their ministry your people may be blessed and your will be done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 92

Lessons:

Jeremiah 1:4–10

John 21:15–17

Lesser Feasts and Fasts, pgs. 306-307