John 12:42:
We find out a lot about who we are when we have a lot to lose. To shine the glory of Christ, inspire others, and encourage a living and healthy church takes great courage and faith.
Lord Jesus, give us this courage and faith.
A site that publishes some brief articles and other teaching of Father Thomas Reeves, the Priest/Pastor at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bloomington, IL (stmattsblm.org)
Joseph, a Levite born in Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and turned it over to the apostles” (Acts 4:36–37). This first reference in the New Testament to Barnabas introduces one whose missionary efforts would cause him to be called, like the Twelve, an apostle. As a Jew of the Dispersion, he had much in common with Paul. When Paul came to Jerusalem after his conversion, the disciples were afraid to receive him. It was Barnabas who brought Paul to the apostles, and declared to them how, on the road to Damascus, Paul had seen the Lord, and had preached boldly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:27). Later, Barnabas, having settled in Antioch, sent for Paul to join him in leading the Christian Church in that city.
The prophet Samuel is one of my favorite Biblical characters. In part this is due to his sensitivity and submission to the Lord from an early age, his faithfulness as a judge and a prophet, and the complexity and uncertainty connected to the future of Israel. Samuel was the linking character between the “time of the Judges” and the “time of the Prophets”. However, his life was anything but a bed of roses.
Although we don’t have the space to flesh much out about him, we read this about his transition into the latter part of his ministry life:
For those interested, many of Father Tom's sermons are now being video-recorded and posted on this YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjRA__BqS_R0i-NtMbgMDKg
For those interested watching full services when they are video recorded at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Bloomington, IL, will be posted on this YouTube Channel:
"The whole Gospel of St. Luke is full of the spirit of ·reconciliation, the reconciliation of man with God, of person with person. The spirit of reconciliation is necessary in all ages. We may have perfect organization and perfect machinery, but, unless we have a right spirit behind them, they will not affect much. The forces of coercion on one side and revenge on the other will never do any good. Christ's religion reveals His spirit, and it is a reconciling spirit. Some people, wherever they go, bring trouble, and others bring blessing and healing, as did this great tender doctor who was with St. Paul to the end, and must have had so sweet a character."
Father Tom has created a new podcast for the homilies that he will be preaching at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church.
His new podcast is The Word in Liturgy.
The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be yours this week.
2 Timothy 1:
Why does Holy Scripture matter? For historic Episcopalians – being both Catholic and Reformational; we believe the Bible to be our highest authority which guides us in both life and salvation. However, we also know that our holy book was developed over thousands of years through a Spirit-led, yet frail community. It is not a completed magic book that dropped from the sky into the hands of the Church Fathers. It has a distinctly mystical, spiritual, and creational history. Thus, we embrace the truth that Holy Scripture is formed by the unique work of the Holy Spirit in the context of good tradition.
"He brought him to an inn and took care of him" - Luke 10:34
The validity of the orders of the priest and the grace of the Sacrament depends upon the love of God, Who knows what they need whom He brings to His inn. The innkeeper was not necessarily a person of any great merit, but to him was given sufficient to provide for the needs of the man. God has entrusted His Sacraments to His priests, and however much they may fail in their own lives, the gifts they dispense are a perfect provision for our souls, for they are indeed the gifts of God Himself.
- Father Andrew, Meditations, 283
"When he saw him, he was moved with compassion and came to him" - Luke 10:33
The Samaritan passes by and comes where the man is. In that sentence is told all the deep mystery of our Lord's Incarnation. He came down to be in the poverty of the poor. He did not pass by, He did not come down and look at it, and then go back to heaven. He did not come to tempted men and say, "You ought not to have that temptation,' but He came to where the tempted man was. he came into the place of suffering and willed that His own coronal should be a crown of thorns. The story of the Good Samaritan is the story of the Incarnation. It is the picture of the love of God.
- Father Andrew, Meditations, pg. 282
This is a concise, thoughtful, and extremely helpful article in regards to how a historic and thoughtful Christian should approach Holy Scripture.
https://livingchurch.org/covenant/2015/08/14/top-10-rules-bible-reading/
Two months before his death C.S. Lewis wrote:
"[We are] a seed patiently waiting in the earth: waiting to come up a flower in the Gardener's good time, up into the real world, the real waking. I suppose that our whole present life, looked back on from there, will seem only a drowsy half-waking. We are here in the land of dreams. But cock-crow is coming."
McGrath, pg. 360
Wonderful article regarding a pandemic, death, and the hope of Christmas from a bishop in 1623:
By their fruits, you will know them Matt. 7:20
We find out what people are really like by the way they take the things that happen to them. One might think a woman very charming, yet find her fail in the day of trouble, or one might be with a man when a fire broke out at a theatre, and find that he was immediately in a panic; or one might see someone, whom one had always regarded as very commonplace, do a very beautiful act. In each case, one would say, 'Well, I never thought he or she was like that! The circumstances of life reveal character.
Our Lord willed to come into this world and bring with Him nothing, to start with the poorest and to meet life as it came, and each thing as he met it revealed His character. Hate came to him, and He revealed His love. Success came to Him, and he revealed His humility. Failure came and revealed his faith. All things came to Him, eventually death, and death itself contributed to his royalty, for it revealed that He is alive forevermore.
Life finds us out, and our first discovery may be very like the discovery of St. Peter when he went out and wept bitterly after denying his Lord. But that was not the last word about Simon Peter, nor need our failures ever be the last word about ourselves. We can learn by our mistakes, and, if life finds us out, we can find out our God in our lives, and through its challenge and His grace bring forth the fruit that shall make us known as His children.
Father Andrew - Meditations, pg. 273
James 1:
2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.
The surprising statement no doubt came out of St. James's own experience. The only way in which we can read "trials" is by taking it as being for the testing of the will, and that is surely what the apostle means. It has to be proved that we are doing right from the highest motives; that we are doing right because it is right, and not because it is profitable; that we are doing the true thing because it is true, and not because it is polotic (politically expedient).... if we do right from thoughts of punishment or reward, we may be doing right things but we are not really doing right.
-Father Andrew, Meditations, pg. 272
"There is nothing new under the sun". -Song of Solomon