August Week 5

Virtue: Wisdom
Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

Human Story: Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274)

Our virtue for this month is wisdom—I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response—and there is a scene from Thomas Aquinas’s life that humorously, but also seriously, illustrates this in action.

Thomas Aquinas was born the youngest boy of nine children to a fairly wealthy family about midway between Rome and Naples, Italy. When he was five years old, he was sent to the famous Benedictine monastery, the Abby of Monte Cassino, which was almost visible from his family’s castle in Roccasecca. The apparent plan of his parents was for Thomas to eventually become Abbot of the large monastery and expand the Aquino family political influence. When he was close to 15 years old, Thomas went to Naples for theological studies.

As he was working through the curriculum of grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy, and philosophy, he came in contact with a newly formed evangelistic monastic group called the Order of Preachers (also called Dominicans). Unlike the Benedictines, this was a mendicant religious order, which means they rely on begging and charity to exist.  (Benedictines, while also committed to poverty, are often self-sustaining in their monastic life.) In 1244, Thomas took vows and adopted the habit of the Dominicans. His parents were not happy with his decision and sent his brothers to return Thomas to the family castle where he was placed under house arrest. And this is where we enter the somewhat humorous scene.

In order to return Thomas’s attention to family matters and away from his monastic devotion, his family sent to his room a prostitute. Within moments Thomas chased the prostitute out of his room with a burning log (or hot poker, depending on the account). He then returned to his room, shut the door and inscribed a cross on it with the log, committing to a life of purity and chastity. (It is said that he was visited by angels, given a gift of chastity, and was never tempted by lust again.) Within a couple of months, Thomas’s family relented, and he returned to his studies. He went on to write theology that places him among the most influential theological minds of the church.

Perhaps chasing people with fiery instruments is not the best response to tactics meant to distract us from our purpose, but such a response does suggest the vigor with which we should approach how we are to act on the mind of Christ. Having discerned that he could best serve Christ and the church through study, teaching, and preaching, Thomas vowed a lifetime vocation dedicated to such service, and displayed wisdom in resisting tempting alternatives.

Resources: G.K. Chesterton, Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox.
Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica (see 2-2, q47-56 for his explanation of wisdom)

Lesson: James 3:13-17 (NIV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Saint Thomas Aquinas Comforted By Angels by Diego Valázquez

Thomas Aquinas is one of the first theologians in Christian history to offer a lengthy treatment of the virtue of wisdom. It is clear that while he is influenced by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, he is even more conditioned and informed by the words of Scripture. For Aquinas wisdom consists in discerning the ultimate good end, which is union with God, discerning the appropriate pathways to that end, and then acting on the means to the end. The influence of the Letter of James is right on the surface of his explanation. Wisdom, as James tells us and Aquinas echoes, is not merely being informed about what “the mind of Christ” might contain or think, rather that is only the first step. True wisdom is active: Who is wise? The one who has the actions to match their beliefs.

Not just any actions or dispositions of the heart can count as wisdom and James makes this obvious to us: bitter envy, which is a kind of greed; selfish ambition, which is a kind of pride; and dishonesty about one’s motivations and intentions. Unlike “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” wisdom, wisdom from heaven—that which is a generous gift from God (James 1:5)—is honest. Godly wisdom first requires a clear-eyed view of oneself and reality (a wise person authentically asks, “Am I being envious, selfish, boastful, etc.?”). Yet, merely being honest is not enough—it is only a start. Discerning the mind of Christ, comparing my own mind to that, and recognizing both the points of connection and disconnection, is only a beginning. From there, no matter the specifics of the particular situation, we know that acting with a demeanor of peace, consideration, submission (that is, humility), mercy, impartiality, sincerity, and with an intention for that which is good, true, and right, will ensure we are on the right track to living out the appropriate response to the mind of Christ. 

As we seek to become wise, by discerning and learning the mind of Christ, we can know that habituating other important traits will begin to make us wise because they are the character of Christ. So, while we should seek God for wisdom about important decisions and situations, we should also seek to become people who are “[peacemakers], considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” By doing this we will have already discerned at least part of the mind of Christ and begun to act appropriately in light of it.

Remembrance

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen. -       Thomas Aquinas

Challenge

Seeking the wisdom of God according to Aquinas consists of three steps:

1. Discerning the ultimate good end

2. Discerning the appropriate pathways to that end

3. Acting on the means to the end

Pursuing wisdom in this way takes practice, so this week as you come across everyday situations that require wisdom, take the time to walk through these three steps. Then when you have an important decision to make, you will be better equipped to seek the mind of Christ.

Reflection

Do you have temptations in your life that you need to chase from your mind or circumstances with a “fiery log?”

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer, Proper 17

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 4:1-9
Psalm: Psalm 15
New Testament: Ephesians 6:10-20
Gospel: Mark 7:1-23

2020

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 18:15-18
Psalm: Psalm 91
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 4:9-16
Gospel: Luke 22:24-30

August Week 4

Virtue: Wisdom
Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

Human Story: Barbara Brown Taylor (1951 - )

Like every believer I know, my search for real life has led me through at least three distinct seasons of faith, not once or twice but over and over again. Jesus called them finding life, losing life, and finding life again, with the paradoxical promise that finders will be losers while those who lose their lives for his sake will wind up finding them again...You do not have to die in order to discover the truth of this teaching...You only need to lose track of who you are, or who you thought you were supposed to be, so that you end up lying flat on the dirt floor basement of your heart. Do this, Jesus says, and you will live.

-       Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church (p.xi)

Barbara Brown Taylor, Episcopal priest and decorated professor, lived in Atlanta with her husband for many years. She served for a decade as one of four priests within a large downtown Atlanta parish, consistently putting in sixty- hour work weeks. One evening when she and her husband were out for a walk, a fire engine passed by with lights shining and sirens blaring. After the engine passed and all was audible again, Barbara’s husband, Ed, said, “If we don’t leave the city, I’m going to die sooner than I have to” (Leaving Church, 3). Barbara’s hectic schedule paired with the noise of urban living moved both of them to decide to leave Atlanta and make their home in the quiet country of North Georgia. It was here that Barbara eventually became the leader of a small Episcopal church, where she served for the next few years. During this time, she received a phone call from Piedmont College, a small liberal arts school in Georgia, and they offered her a job to chair the newly founded major in religion and philosophy. After two decades in ministry, Taylor decided to take this job and leave parish ministry. She is a professor at Piedmont today, and she and Ed are still pursuing and unlocking the deep mysteries of faith among the trees, fields, animals, and evening breeze in the countryside.

Sometimes when we consider the nature of wisdom, we equate it with some sort of radical stance of heroic action, but wisdom is not fashioned on recklessness nor abandonment of our lives’ circumstances but on faithfully following the path set before us and gently seeking to bring Christ’s life to a hungry and thirsty world. While a lot of what comprises wisdom stems from the choices and responses we make towards others, it also stems from the choices and responses we make regarding ourselves. Barbara’s move from a large diocese to a smaller one may have seemed like a failure to many as she reduced her audience and her impact by choosing to take care of herself and her husband over her mission in Atlanta. Yet, had she chosen to stay, she may never have reached a place in her life where she had the time and mental energy to write, which in turn allowed her impact and legacy extend way beyond her diocese in Atlanta. Barbara exemplifies how there is wisdom in making healthy choices towards ourselves as it enables us to love others more fully.

Reference: Taylor, Barbara B. Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.

Lesson: Matthew 11:28-30 (Message)

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

Just like Barbara and Ed, we live in a world of over-stimulation, over-scheduling, and over-doing. In our scripture text you can see Jesus’ acknowledgement of our tendency to be weary and burdened. He knows our human propensity to load ourselves up with more than what God desires. How do we seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response? Phileena Heurtz (whom we met in Week 5 of January) gets us started on the right path. She says,

            Solitude teaches us to be present.
            Silence teaches us to listen.
            Stillness teaches us to engage. 

When was the last time you spent any amount of time in solitude with God? Just you being present with Him? Choosing to be silent before Him to listen to His voice?

God mostly guides us with His still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13). But, if we are constantly on the go, regularly with other people, and always surrounded by the noise of this culture, we won’t be able to discern His voice above the rabble.

To seek the mind of Christ, start by doing what Jesus did and spend time alone with God. (Luke 6:12, Mark 6:45, Mark 14, Matthew 14:23, 26:36 ff) Then rather than talking to Him about your life, your frustrations and your stresses, listen to what He has to say to you. It takes practice to hear God’s voice and even those who are in this habit sometimes have a hard time discerning His voice from all the others, e.g., yours’s, culture’s, the devil’s.

Here are some things to consider as you seek direction from God:

• Am I willing to give over to God my own plans and desires?

• Am I willing to lay down my pride that says, “I know what’s best?”

• In the silence with God, write down what comes to your mind:

  ○      An action - write it on a to-do list
  ○      A name - is this someone you need to pray for, to help, to reconcile with, to write a letter to, to have a meal with?
  ○      An organization - does God want you to partner with them in prayer, through finances, by committing your time…
  ○      A place, an idea, a dream, etc.

• Ask God:

○      Why does this ______(action, person, idea, etc.) matter to you?
○      What is your perspective of this situation?
○      How can I best serve You?
○      What should be my response to _______ (person, situation, etc.)?
○      How do I start?

So many of us are really busy doing “good” things. I am reminded of Tim Duncan’s quote:

Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.

God doesn’t want us doing a lot of things just because they are “good.” He probably would prefer you do less things that are “best.” Let God focus your efforts in His direction because His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)

Remembrance

Book of Common Prayer, Proper 6.

O Lord, from whom all good proceeds: Grant us the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may always think those things that are good, and by your merciful guidance may accomplish the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Challenge

Choose one of the following to do this week:

1. Spend 30 minutes in silence, actively listen to God and writing down what He says.

2. Write down your priorities in life and say no to something you are involved in that’s way down (or not even) on your priority list.

3. Pray before committing to do something new.

4. Write down your current activities and prayerfully determine if you need to divest yourself from any of them.

5. Prayerfully consider any new activities that God desires you to invest yourself in.

6. Give yourself permission to say “No.”

Reflection

Who sits in solitude and is quiet hath escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, seeing: Yet against one thing shall he continually battle: that is, his own heart.

-       St. Anthony the Great (251 - 356)

Wherever you find yourself, do not go forth from that place too quickly. Try to be patient and learn to stay in one place.

-       St. Anthony the Great (251 - 356)

Further Growth:

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 16

Old Testament: Joshua 24:1-25
Psalm: Psalm 16
New Testament: Ephesians 5:15—6:9
Gospel: John 6:60-69

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 16

Old Testament: Isaiah 51:1-6
Psalm: Psalm 138
New Testament: Romans 11:25-36
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20

August Week 3

Virtue: Wisdom
Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

Human Story: St. John Chrysostom (349-407)

John was born in the city of Antioch (pop. 300,000) where the disciples of Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). When John was an infant his father died, so he was raised solely by his mother toward a life of piety. From an early age John was exposed to the rigors of elite philosophical and rhetorical training. In his early years John championed monasticism, though after two years living as a hermit in the Antiochian mountains John returned to the city due to poor health. Eventually ordained as a priest in Antioch, he often preached on practical matters that could be easily understood. His homilies were thick with the stuff of everyday life and included themes like marriage, family, and a Christian response to poverty. He was given the nickname “Chrysostom,” derived from the Greek word meaning “golden-mouth,” due to his brilliant and piercing sermons. There are over 800 of his sermons available to us today, many of which can be found online. His most well-known sermon, his Easter Sermon (or Paschal Homily), is still being preached today, some 1600 years later. St John’s powerful and prophetic preaching garners the respect of all three major streams of Christianity — Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant.

St. John Chrysostom’s tenure as priest in Antioch (AD 386-397) took place a mere 50 years after Constantine declared Christianity the official religion. His powerful homilies would last as many as two hours and often be interrupted by applause. This fervor attracted the political powers of the day, resulting in a reluctant Chrysostom being kidnapped away from Antioch and forcefully appointed Bishop of Constantinople, the capital city of the Roman Empire at the time. As Archbishop, Chrysostom continued in his bold commitment to Scripture and prophetic proclamation common to his sermons in Antioch, only now he was within earshot of the imperial court. It was here that John challenged the lax morals and overindulgence in sensuality that was so prominent in the capital city. While Chrysostom’s homilies provided powerful and liberating words for some, they were incriminating to others.  A decade into his bishopric, Chrysostom was exiled by the Empress Eudoxia, but since a riot ensued as a result of his exile, the empress recalled John the very next day. Upon his return he continued to fire his homiletical darts at the same targets, and Chrysostom was exiled a second time in 404 where he spent his remaining days until his death in 407.

Chrysostom continues to speak to us today. Our Anglican Daily Morning and Evening Prayers conclude with the prayer of St. John Chrysostom: “Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us.” His life teaches us that in our own experiences of exile, whatever they may be, our Father sees what we so often cannot see from our human aperture. That is why it is so important to seek the mind of Christ and rely upon His wisdom to guide our daily steps.

References
Behr, J. (Ed.). (1981).  St John Chrysostom: On wealth and poverty.  Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
Ware, K. (1994). John Chrysostom: More than a great preacher. Christian History, 44. Retrieved from  https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/chrysostom-more-than-a-great-preacher

Lesson: Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

The following is an excerpt from John Chrysostom’s homily on Matthew 10:16.

[Jesus] says, Be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But what, it might be said, will our wisdom avail in so great dangers? Nay, how shall we be able to have wisdom at all, when so many waves are drenching us all over? For let a sheep be ever so wise, when it is in the midst of wolves, and so many wolves, what will it be able to do? Let the dove be ever so harmless, what will it profit, when so many hawks are assailing it? In the brutes indeed, not at all: but in you as much as possible. 

But let us see what manner of wisdom He here requires. That of the serpent, He says. For even as that animal gives up everything, and if its very body must be cut off, does not very earnestly defend it, so that it may save its head; in like manner do thou also, says He, give up everything but the faith; though goods, body, life itself, must be yielded. For that is the head and the root; and if that be preserved, though thou lose all, you will recover all with so much the more splendor. On this account then He neither commanded to be merely a simple and single-hearted sort of person, nor merely wise; but has mixed up both these, so that they may become virtue; taking in the wisdom of the serpent that we may not be wounded in our vitals; and the harmlessness of the dove, that we may not retaliate on our wrongdoers, nor avenge ourselves on them that lay snares; …

Let not then any one account His injunctions impracticable. For He beyond all others knows the nature of things; He knows that fierceness is not quenched by fierceness, but by gentleness. And if in men's actual deeds too you would see this result, read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and you will see how often, when the people of the Jews had risen up against them and were sharpening their teeth, these men, imitating the dove, and answering with suitable meekness, did away with their wrath, quenched their madness, broke their impetuosity. As when they said, Did not we strictly command you, that you should not speak in this name? Although able to work any number of miracles, they neither said nor did anything harsh, but answered for themselves with all meekness, saying, Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 

Have you seen the harmlessness of the dove? Behold the wisdom of the serpent. For we cannot but speak the things, which we know and have heard. Do you see how we must be perfect on all points, so as neither to be abased by dangers, nor provoked by anger?

Remembrance

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom – Book of Common Prayer
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Challenge

1. The prayer of Chrysostom is found in the morning prayer of most prayer books (and is in the remembrance section above). A challenge for this week is to pray this prayer each morning. The pattern and routine of praying the morning prayer can be a way to spiritually discipline ourselves.

2. The prayer of Chrysostom includes the words from Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Make a goal to pray with someone else this week. It could be a family member, roommate, or someone from your church. Praying with others isn’t always easy for us, but it can be a time to develop connection and community with other believers.

Reflection

Reflect on Chrysostom’s quote: “taking in the wisdom of the serpent that we may not be wounded in our vitals; and the harmlessness of the dove, that we may not retaliate on our wrongdoers, nor avenge ourselves on them that lay snares.” What do you think this looks like in your own life and circumstances?

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 15

Old Testament: Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalm: Psalm 147
New Testament: Ephesians 5:3-14
Gospel: John 6:53-59

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 17

Old Testament: Jeremiah 15:15-21
Psalm: Psalm 26
New Testament: Romans 12:1-8
Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27

August Week 2

Virtue: Wisdom
Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

Human Story: Daryl Davis (1958 - )

Racism and white supremacy have permeated the history of the United States from the beginning of its colonization. They were built into the fabric of this new country, seeping into the DNA of the structures set in place. Although legislation has since progressed freedom for all races to a more equitable place in society, cultural change is far slower moving and white privilege is still a reality. Something else that moves slowly is the heart of man. The spirit of white supremacy still resides in the heart of many white individuals. It has even been suggested that it is making a comeback in the modern day, coinciding with the rise of nationalism. What should be the Christian response to such an obvious spirit of evil? If one were to give a cursory answer based on the fact that racism and white supremacy still exist, the unfortunate evidence would mostly be one of the following: hatred, fear, anxiety, withdrawal, slander through various outlets, and perhaps the worst response of all – silence. This, however, need not be our response.

Daryl Davis is an African-American R&B and blues musician that has a side hobby: convincing Ku Klux Klan members to leave the KKK. Davis reports over 200 members have voluntarily given up their robes due to his influence, many of them donating the robes to Davis. How could he have such a profound impact on those whose hatred runs so deep? Two main factors are key: friendship and communication. He sits down with them and has dinner with them. He asks them about their families. He sends a message after dinner asking if they got home okay. Davis calls communication the best weapon against racism. He says it is the least expensive and least used weapon by Americans. The question that drives him in his relationship with KKK members is “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” Davis believes getting to know someone has the potential to decrease hate. The undoing of hatred does not happen overnight. Sometimes it takes years. But during those years, Davis makes phone calls, dinner invitations, and attends events.

Sometimes conventional wisdom suggests leaving, abstaining, or staying away. But for those who are filled up with Christ, wisdom may be saying to make an effort to connect. Hatred runs deep in this world. If our response to hatred is to hate in return, we are part of the problem. If our response, however, is to follow Davis’ example and seek to understand, communicate, and sit down over a meal, then others will see Christ’s solution to hatred.

Lesson: Philippians 2:3b-5 (NIV)

…in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…

At least two key take-aways should strike us in this passage. First, the person who has the mind of Christ—the wise person—is one marked by humility. Being wise, then, means being humble. And, this humility is a person’s “recognition that in their fallen state they need the help of God’s ‘humility,’ God’s being willing to serve others, as shown above all in the Incarnation (J. Rist, Augustine; quoted in J. Herdt Putting on Virtue, 58).

Second, having the mind of Christ—being both wise and humble—means doing what Jesus did, seeing all humans as equally valuable. We recognize that in the incarnation, God has affirmed again the goodness of humanity made in His image. In taking on the mind of Christ, we begin to see all humans, regardless of class, race, nationality, sex, or ability, as deeply loved and immeasurably valuable because Christ died for them as much as for anyone else. Therefore, we not only think differently about our neighbor, but we also act differently toward our neighbor. As people of wisdom, we seek loving union with our fellow believers through a character marked by humility and we press against structures and systems that lead to oppression of any person or people group.

Reference: M. Austin, Humility and Human Flourishing

Remembrance

Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

-       Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)

As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air – however slight – lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.

-       William O. Douglas (1898 – 1980)

Challenge

One of the spiritual disciplines is service. There are many opportunities in your community to help those oppressed or in need. These can be one-time events or longer commitments. Seek out some opportunities and pray about whether God desires you to serve in one of these ways. Service must be undertaken with a heart of love, so if you pursue service, make sure your motives and heart are correct.

Reflection

Isaiah 58:6-7 teaches us to loosen the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, share food with the hungry, provide shelter to the poor wanderer, clothe the naked, and not turn away from your own flesh and blood. Do you regard these people as deeply loved and immeasurably valuable? If not, why? If so, how does that inform your response to them?

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 14

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Psalm: Psalm 34
New Testament: Ephesians 4:17—5:2
Gospel: John 6:37-51

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 15

Old Testament: Isaiah 56:1-8
Psalm: Psalm 67
New Testament: Romans 11:13-24
Gospel: Matthew 15:21-28

August Week 1

Virtue: Wisdom
Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

Human Story: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906 – 1945)

Imagine Dietrich Bonhoeffer standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean in New York City. He had accepted a job to teach at Union Seminary. He arrived with excitement in the United States but quickly felt a longing to return to Germany. This is not an unusual feeling – to want to return home after moving overseas. However, this situation was unique. Bonhoeffer had escaped the Nazi regime. His home was in the middle of genocide and chaos. He was a wanted man because of his anti-Hitler stance. He was a voice of wisdom, prophetically calling the church in Germany to avoid the evil promoted by Hitler. This move to America was his escape. He could live and teach in peace. He knew that if he returned to Germany, he would certainly be arrested and forced to live in a concentration camp.

While standing on that shore in New York, Bonhoeffer surely wrestled with the question – “what is the wise thing to do?” It is often difficult to discern the appropriate response in the midst of life situations. Imagine Bonhoeffer trying to discern the appropriate response. He could stay in America, become a theologian, and fight Hitler from the safety of American soil. His other option was to return to Germany where he could continue to lift up his voice on behalf of his people. He could be a guide to the church and inspire others to continue their resistance against the Nazi regime. He would risk imprisonment, torture, and possibly death.

In his situation, many people would say the wise thing to do would have been to stay in the USA. Many would discern that the appropriate response was the safety which was afforded him by the job offer in America. Bonhoeffer, however, discerned the opposite. He got on a boat and sailed back to Germany. He did end up spending years in a concentration camp and died a martyr’s death, yet his writings from the camp, however, inspired the church and many others to resist the Nazi regime, and thereby contributed to bringing down Hitler’s reign and ending the war. Bonhoeffer would not have had the same credibility nor impact if he had written from a loft apartment in New York City.

Bonhoeffer is one of the most vivid examples of wisdom we have in church history. He was excellent at discerning the voice of the Lord and determining a proper response. There are many ways he did this – encouraging bold living, avoiding cheap grace, creating strong communities of believers, and preaching boldly in the face of evil. However, it seems that his most bold and wise decision was on the shore in New York City – determining to get on a boat to return to his home.

Wisdom is not always easy. Sometimes our “appropriate response” will fly in opposition to the common sense of people around us. Our goal as believers is to seek the mind of Christ and then act boldly in our response to His guidance. May we have the kind of bold wisdom that Bonhoeffer demonstrated.

Lesson: Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The resolution for this month is not only to seek the mind of Christ (wisdom) but also to discern the appropriate response to that wisdom. The story of Bonhoeffer displays the complexity of the pursuit of this goal. There will often be times when we discern that to follow Christ, we may have to go against the grain of culture. Romans 12 gives the advice to not follow the patterns established by the world. The literal translation indicates to not be squeezed into the mold of culture. The advice is to break out of that mold and be transformed. This transformation of the mind (renewal of the mind) will result in a way to view the world that will allow the believer to better understand the will of God. This type of thinking and living requires a measure of boldness.

There were certainly many people who cautioned Bonhoeffer to not return to Germany. From an outside perspective, the wisest decision would have been to choose to stay in America. There was something inside of him, however, that compelled him to go against what seemed wise and return to the uncertainty and danger of his home. He did not allow the world to squeeze him into its mold. He broke the mold and determined that self-sacrifice was more important than self-preservation. 

In the words of Bonhoeffer:

To understand reality is not the same as to know about outward events. It is to perceive the essential nature of things. The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depths of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom.

May we, as the church, be willing to not succumb to the pressures of the culture to fit the mold, especially when we discern that God is calling us to break the mold and be transformed in our view of the world.

Remembrance

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

In me there is darkness,
But with You there is light;
I am lonely, but You do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with You there is help;
I am restless, but with You there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with You there is patience;
I do not understand Your ways,
But You know the way for me.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor
And in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.
You know all man’s troubles;
You abide with me
When all men fail me;
You remember and seek me;
It is Your will that I should know You
And turn to You.
Lord, I hear Your call and follow;
Help me.

Challenge

The spiritual discipline of scripture reading and memorization is a powerful way to transform the mind. The challenge for this month is to read one chapter of Proverbs each day and commit to memory two passages of scripture from the book of Proverbs.

Reflection

Reflect on this quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “One act of obedience is worth a hundred sermons.” What act of obedience can you enter into that will speak volumes to those around you?

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 13

Old Testament: Exodus 16:2-15
Psalm: Psalm 78:1-26
New Testament: Ephesians 4:1-16
Gospel: John 6:24-35

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 14

Old Testament: Jonah 2:1-10
Psalm: Psalm 29
New Testament: Romans 9:1-5
Gospel: Matthew 14:22-33

August Introduction

August: Wisdom

Resolution: I choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response.

August is close to the middle of the long period of ordinary time between Pentecost and Advent. We have come down off of the highs of Easter and Ascension and are in the lull before the year begins again. This is not unlike our lives: we have varying seasons of height and celebration and lowness and solemnness. Between those is the everyday “normalness” of life. Ordinary time is that season of everyday “normalness.” In the midst of this long chapter of the calendar it is good that we take time to think about being wise, to choose to seek the mind of Christ and discern the appropriate response. Since most of our lives are lived in the ordinary time and because we best learn the mind of Christ and discern responses when not in the throes of either exhilaration or sorrow, we may best learn wisdom in the “down season.”           

Our resolution captures well and succinctly the virtue of wisdom. Sometimes wisdom is thought of as simply a virtue of thinking, reasoning, understanding, or special insight. While that is partly true it is not the full account. The intellectual aspect is only half of being wise; the wise person also acts on the path of wisdom. And for the Christian, the path always begins with God and leads to God, which is most clearly revealed in Jesus Christ, the perfect image of God (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). Of course, how this works out in the specifics of daily life will differ from person to person, but wisdom is always first and foremost shaped by Christ and acted out in ways that are appropriate. In addition to being shaped by Christ through the Scriptures, one of the ways we can learn wisdom is from the advice, counsel, and lived-experience of godly people.

August: Liturgy

Leader: Almighty Father, by wisdom You founded the earth, and by understanding You established the heavens.

People: Father, give us wisdom, discernment, and the grace to act on Your behalf in culture.

Leader: Lord Jesus, Philippians encourages us to have Your same mindset – a mindset that did nothing for selfish ambition or vain conceit.

People: Jesus, give us wisdom, discernment, and the grace to act on Your behalf in culture.

Leader:  Holy Spirit, we are reminded of the promise in James, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

People: Spirit, give us wisdom, discernment, and the grace to act on Your behalf in culture.

July Week 5

Virtue: Devotion
Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Human Story: Eric Liddell (1902-1945)

Thanks to the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell is known for being an Olympic champion. But there is much more to his story than forfeiting his best chance at victory because he would not compete on Sunday. Born in Tientsin, China to Scottish missionaries, Eric Liddell and his older brother left China at ages 6 and 8 respectively to attend boarding school in Britain. By the time Eric was eight or nine, he had already planned to return to Asia. While in school, however, Eric found that he was a good athlete, a very good athlete, and soon he was competing in both track and rugby for not only his school but also his country.

At a young age Eric’s father taught him that “winning a medal isn’t that important. What matters is how you run the race of life.” Eric never lost sight of that whether he was competing or ministering to others. Before every competition, Eric would shake each athlete’s hand and wish him well, and he truly meant what he said.

When Eric began competing for Edinburgh University and was assigned an athletic trainer, he wrote in a letter:

The exercises seemed unimportant at first, but later one finds out how useful they have been. He [his trainer] took me in hand, pounded me about like a piece of putty, pushed this muscle this way and that muscle the other way, in order, as he said, to get me into shape. Training is not the easiest thing to do. It is liable to become monotonous.

The results of Eric’s “monotonous” exercises ultimately won for him gold and bronze medals at the 1924 Paris Olympics. But because of his devotion to God, he refused to participate in his best event as well as several relay races because he would have had to run on Sunday (Sabbath). Even though he gave up the chance to compete in additional races, he was lauded throughout Europe, Britain, and especially Scotland and China, both of which credit Eric as their first Olympic champion.

It is Eric’s faith, devotion, and humility, though, that set him apart from most other famous people. After graduating from Edinburgh University, he did return to China as planned since childhood and ministered to countless people in that vast land despite political unrest due to civil war, Japanese aggression, and world war. In his book titled Manual of Christian Discipleship, Eric shared six questions he would ask himself each morning as part of his exercises of “daily morning quiet.” Rather than becoming monotonous like his physical exercises, these gave him the courage and strength to face the ever-changing landscape of life in China with boldness and peace, even during his time in the Weixian Internment Camp where he died at age 43. The Challenge section below shows Eric’s six questions. May they challenge you to consider whether your daily discipline could use an adjustment.

Reference: Eric Liddell, Olympian and Missionary by Ellen Caughey

Lesson: 1 Samuel 2:30

Those who honor me I will honor.

One of Eric Liddell’s Olympic trainers game him a folded note just prior to Eric’s first heat of the Games: “In the Old Book it says, ‘He that honors me, I will honor.’ Wishing you the best of success always.”

There are two lessons to be learned from this brief story. The first is to consider how we honor God. Jesus says it is through doing what we are commanded; and his commands to us were to love God and to love our neighbor. Eric demonstrated both these commands throughout his life, but he could only do so because he was disciplined to keep before him the word of God and to listen for God’s specific direction through prayer.

The second, and a bit more obscure, lesson is found in the action of the trainer who was prompted by God to encourage Eric before his race. There are times when God wants each of us to speak encouragement into someone else’s life. Are you listening to God well enough to hear His promptings?

Remembrance

The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.    -- Oswald Chambers

Challenge

Eric Liddell asked himself the following six questions each morning. Write down these questions and ask them to yourself each morning this week. At the end of the week, reflect on how this discipline has made a difference in your life these seven days.

1. Have I surrendered this new day to God, and will I seek and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit through its hours?

2. What have I specially to thank God for this morning?

3. Is there any sin in my life for which I should seek Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing? Is there any apology or restitution to make?

4. For whom does God want me to pray this morning?

5. What bearing does this morning’s Bible passage have on my life, and what does He want me to do about it?

6. What does God want me to do today and how does he want me to do it?

Reflection

“It has been a wonderful experience to compete in the Olympic Games and to bring home a gold medal. But since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals.” – Eric Liddell

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer St. James

Old Testament: Jeremiah 45:1-5
Psalm: Psalm 7
New Testament: Acts 11:27 — 12:3
Gospel: Matthew 20:20-28

July Week 4

Virtue: Devotion
Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Human Story: Monica (AD 332 – 387)

Christian philosopher James KA Smith has said recently that all of us in the Western world are Augustinian. He means that the great Christian thinker who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries has left such an impact that we who live in societies influenced by Christianity are shaped by his theological and political ideas. If Smith is correct, then we not only live in the shadow of St. Augustine but also in the great shadow of his mother Monica (sometimes spelled Monnica), whose piety deeply affected her son and whose life and influence we know from Augustine’s “autobiography,” The Confessions. 

Monica is an example of a life lived in devotion. She was born into a Christian home, but her devotion is exemplified in her marriage to non-Christian Patricius, a city councilman in their small town of Thagaste (now Souk Ahras, Algeria), and in their three children Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua. 

As a non-Christian, Patricius would not allow his children to be baptized and this worried Monica greatly. As Augustine records, she often prayed earnestly with tears for her children to become Christian. Before his conversion, Patricius had a violent temper. Yet, he never abused Monica, though it was common at that time. Her care to follow Scripture, as she understood it, to keep a tight rein on her speech—to practice silence—provided for a more peaceful home than might have been expected. This continual act of devotion eventually led to the conversion of her husband Patricius. Beyond her marriage, her gentle disposition eventually won over her mother-in-law, who did not initially like Monica. It was to all whom she met that she “preached [Christ] … through her way of life” (Confessions, IX.9, 19). 

Perhaps Monica’s greatest legacy is that of deeply influencing her son through her constant devotion to prayer. As a widow, she traveled to Rome with Augustine, who lectured there regularly (having been highly educated in rhetoric). At this time, Augustine had not yet converted to Christianity. Monica began attending a church where St. Ambrose was the pastor. She introduced her son to Ambrose and eventually Augustine converted to Christianity. Augustine credits his conversion to his mother being “constant in her life of prayer” (Confessions, IX.7, 15). 

We need people to show us the way of deep, consistent commitment to practicing the Christian faith through acts of devotion. Monica is such a person to guide us. She models for us a life that speaks the gospel, even without words, by gentle living and consistent prayer.

Resource: Augustine’s Confessions book IX

Lesson: Romans 12:9-13

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

John Wesley, an Anglican pastor, missionary, and theologian whose work inspired and began the Methodist movement, describes what we have called the spiritual disciplines as “works of piety.” For him, these works are a necessary part of our becoming more close to the image of Jesus Christ. As such, devotion is not merely an affectional or emotional disposition but actions that flow from this heart-center. Prayer is a central pietistic practice that builds devotion in us. Consistent prayer practices make space for us to develop important Christian virtues and values.

Consider Paul’s admonition to the Roman Christians in our lesson text. Sandwiched between the two book-ends of love (“love must be sincere” and “practice hospitality,” where “hospitality” literally means “love of/for the other”) is a call to be committed to a life of devotion culminating in being “faithful in prayer.” While prayer surely is that space in which we bring to our gracious God our praise, our needs and our supplications, it is doing much more than that.

In our hurried and harried culture, giving sustained and focused attention is sometimes quite difficult. We are easily distracted and quickly perturbed, both of which are heightened by our technological dependence. In faithful, devotional prayer, however, we are practicing patience and attention. When we pray, we must exercise patience as we await God’s response to our pleas. As we pray, we must learn to focus our attention on the characteristics of God which are what give us hope in His answers.

In addition, when we authentically pray for others, we must focus on them as persons, be open to their needs, seek their good, and carry their concerns and joys. Enduring the frustrations of difficult people or uncooperative circumstances with love and kindness is surely challenging. But as we pray for others, God provides patience and wisdom. And as we look forward to God’s response to our prayers, we build and express hope within ourselves and in those around us.

The spiritual discipline of prayer is not merely an expression or practice of our piety. Our devotional life can be a life lived for both our Christlikeness and our neighbor’s flourishing.

Remembrance

Prayer does not equip us for greater works – prayer is the greater work. -Oswald Chambers

Challenge

Monica kept a tight rein on her speech but poured out her heart to God in prayer for her family and those she loved. Whose life can you affect through a consistent life of prayer?

Reflection

Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; outlive a generation, outlive an age, outlive a world.  – E.M. Bounds

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 12

Old Testament: 2 Kings 2:1-15
Psalm: Psalm 114
New Testament: Ephesians 3:1-21
Gospel: Mark 6:45-52

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 12

Old Testament: 1 Kings 3:3-14
Psalm: Psalm 119:121-136
New Testament: Romans 8:26-34
Gospel: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50

July Week 3

Virtue: Devotion
Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Human Story: Ignatius of Antioch ( - 108/140)

Ignatius was born into a noble, though not wealthy, family in Spain a year before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Ignatius (Inigo) was the youngest of eleven children. Around the age of 16, his father was near death, so Inigo decided to become a page (an aspiring knight) - a transition that meant Inigo would leave his family and submit himself to the instruction of others.

During this phase of life Inigo became fascinated with the idea of chivalry and conquest, and when his time came to enlist in the Spanish army, he joined right in, becoming known for brawling, dueling, gambling, and sensual relationships with women. When he was about 26, Inigo was wounded in battle by a cannonball. This near fatal injury severely broke his right leg, tearing his calf muscle, and hurt his left leg too. For the rest of his life, he would walk with a limp. In the months following this misfortune, he was bedridden, requiring constant care back home in Loyola. One day he asked for a book about knights and romance, the focus of his life to up until then, but the house had no such books. Instead he was brought two books - one on the Life of Christ and the other on the Lives of the Saints. Inigo found himself enamored with these stories and quickly lost interest in the lusts of his youth and his vainglory self-righteous pursuits.

While he was still recovering, he had a dream where he encountered Mary, the Mother of Jesus, whose presence struck him with awe and immense joy. After recovering from his injury, he arranged to travel to Jerusalem to make pilgrimage to all of the holy sites. Before embarking from the port of Barcelona, he stopped in at a local monastery in order to exchange his knight’s armor for that of a pilgrim-beggar. However, he got totally distracted by the life of the monks. They shared with Inigo a book that would forever change his life - Manual of the Spiritual Life by monastic reformer Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros. So instead of heading to Israel as he had planned, he remained near the monastery for almost a year, cultivating his own spiritual life. After this year of largely self-guided discipleship, Ignatius eventually made his way to Jerusalem where he quickly realized his own lack of wisdom in missionary efforts. He vowed to become a priest.

During the ten years it took him to become ordained, Ignatius began sharing his "Spiritual Exercises" with others. A total of 10 men formed an unofficial group that became known for working in hospitals, preaching the Gospel, hearing confessions, teaching the “Exercises,” sheltering the oppressed, and feeding victims of the plague. The pope heard of their work, and called on them to help take on the reformation of monasteries.

Ignatius became the leader of this newly formed "Society of Jesus" (now known as Jesuits) which is currently the largest Catholic monastic order in the world. His book Spiritual Exercises, which was foundational to the new order, is intended to be a practical, month-long instruction focused on the following four categories:

Week 1.      Contemplation of our sin and God's saving love
Week 2.      The life of Jesus, particularly His public ministry
Week 3.      The passion week and death of Jesus
Week 4.      The risen Christ

References
Fleming, D. (1980). The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius: A Literal Translation and A Contemporary Reading. St. Louis, MO: The Institute of Jesuit Sources.
O'Malley, W. (1976). The Fifth Week. Chicago, IL: Loyola University Press.
Butler's Lives of the Saints: New Full Edition. Revised by Peter Doyle. (2000). Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.

Lesson: Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, 'God be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

The truth of this parable can be succinctly summarized by the final phrase - "...all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted." This teaching can be found throughout all four Gospels and the entire New Testament. In fact, without this theme being demonstrated by Christ and exhibited by the early church founders, Christianity wouldn't be what it is today. This quintessential virtue is a bedrock to our faith. Without it, we would all be lost! But what can we learn from these two contrasting men Jesus highlights in the parable?

First, let's look at the Pharisee. Despite his wrong posture, look for a moment at his level of commitment: fasting twice a week and tithing a tenth of all his income. What we’re observing here is a person who is legitimately "devoted" to God in some ways. But his heart is not right. There is a lack of compassion and empathy towards others, as well as an incorrect view of God's grace and mercy. All of his prayer and devotion are for naught because of his attitude. 

Second, let's look at the tax collector. In those days, a tax collector would likely have been an extortionist. But that is who Jesus chooses to highlight as the good-guy in the story, noting his proper posture toward himself (his sins) and God's grace and mercy. Not that Jesus condoned his lifestyle, but He wanted to show the Jewish elites and the religious authorities that their self-righteousness was wrong.

How does this parable tie into our month's virtue of "devotion"? It is not enough to be merely devoted; the Pharisee was certainly devoted. Instead, in our devotion we must have the right posture of heart, the right attitude toward others, and the right view of God. We must, in short, be humble in our devotion.

Remembrance

A Prayer of Ignatius

Traditional version - "Anima Christi"

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me;
Within thy wounds, hide me;
Suffer me not to be separated from thee;
From the malignant enemy defend me;
In the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come to thee,
That with thy saints I may praise thee
Forever and ever. Amen.

Contemporary Version - "Soul of Christ"

Jesus, may all that is you flow into me.
May your body and blood be my food and drink.
May your passion and death be my strength and life.
Jesus, with you by my side enough has been given.
May the shelter I seek be the shadow of your cross.
Let me not run from the love which you offer,
But hold me safe from the forces of evil.
On each of my dyings shed your light and your love.
Keep calling to me until that day comes,
When, with your saints, I may praise you forever. Amen

Challenge

Practice the “Daily Examen” (one of Ignatius’ famous methods of prayer).

1. Give thanks to God for all the blessings you have received today.

2. Ask for the grace and help of the Holy Spirit to enlighten you to know and see your sin as he sees it - and cast it out.

3. Go back over the events of this day - reviewing your thoughts, words, and acts - trying to detect any sinful behavior - whether of omission or commission - and examine the roots of any identified sin(s).

4. Express sorrow and ask for God’s healing love to forgive you.

5. Pray for the strength of God’s grace to help change/amend your life.

Reflection

Try to keep your soul always in peace and quiet, always ready for whatever our Lord may wish to work in you. It is certainly a higher virtue of the soul, and a greater grace, to be able to enjoy the Lord in different times and different places than in only one.   -St. Ignatius

Further Growth

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 11

Old Testament: Isaiah 57:14-21
Psalm: Psalm 22:23-31
New Testament: Ephesians 2:11-22
Gospel: Mark 6:30-44

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 14

Old Testament: Wisdom* 12:13-19
Psalm: Psalm 86
New Testament: Romans 8:18-25
Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

*Apocryphal text

July Week 2

Virtue: Devotion
Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Human Story: Revival at Asbury College

On Tuesday February 3, 1970, Asbury College held their routine chapel service at 10:00 am, yet there was nothing routine about this particular chapel service. It began ordinary enough. The professor assigned to lead the service decided to tell of his testimony in lieu of expounding on any particular bible verses.  As the hour was closing, another professor sensed God’s presence and encouraged the leading professor to invite those who wish to pray to come to the altar. The service concluded eight days later.

The small United Methodist college, located in Wilmore, Kentucky, experienced revival. The service continued with student after student giving testimony, expressing how God has been at work in their life, some confessing sin that they had overcome or were struggling to overcome.  Each testimony struck a chord with another, prompting them to make their own confession. The testimonies were only interrupted by intermissions of prayer and singing. 

By Wednesday evening, the chapel service had hit the local news, and later spread throughout the US and Canada. A number of people traveled to the small town in Kentucky to see for themselves what was happening. Some students were prompted to speak of their experience in their hometown churches, spreading the renewal. Churches and other organizations across North America began requesting students from Asbury College to speak. The college president referred to the effect as sparks from a fire starting new fires.

Asked what caused the revival at Asbury College, the college president attributed it to prayer and need.  He referred to a young female student that felt a call to prayer. She and five friends committed themselves in the Fall semester to devote 30 minutes each day to prayer for 30 days. In January, each of the six found five more friends to commit to 30 days of daily prayer.  These 36 students were on the chapel stage just prior to the February 3rd service. 

1970 was a time of much unrest in our country. The Vietnam War had become very unpopular, resulting in protests and riots at several colleges. That same year, four college students were killed by the National Guard during a protest in the neighboring state of Ohio. Juxtaposed to this unrest, we see the working of the Holy Spirit at Asbury College, like a breath of fresh air.  We are currently living in a time that seems to have become more divisive. In our time of unrest, let’s devote ourselves to prayer, seeking God’s will on earth and acting on the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

The following YouTube link provides more information on the Asbury College revival:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qOqitIKUNs

Lesson: James 5:16 (NIV)

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 
James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to the Jewish Christians who had left Jerusalem due to persecution.  His letter is a collection of his teachings about how life should be lived.  He begins his letter stating that our trials in life can lead to becoming complete in our restoration with God.  As James is wrapping up his letter, he emphasizes the importance of prayer in our own healing whether physical or spiritual.

Confessing to one another and praying for each other indicates that we are more effective in community. We shouldn’t pursue our journey alone. We all face trials.  We all have struggles.  We also all have victories and times of celebration.  We should share all of these with each other, lifting each other up.

What a powerful example of the effects of prayer and confession we have in the revival at Asbury College.  Students committed to prayer led to a revival sustained by the confessions to one another.  The revival was not just a one-time experience, but a life-changing event for many.  Being a Christian college, most, if not all of the students, grew up in Christian surroundings; however, some had never personally experienced Jesus in their life.  Others experienced a sustained renewal, including a Bible professor whose relationship with Jesus had become distant.  One person referred to the revival’s effects as “tradition becoming reality” and “vocabulary becoming experience”.

May our community at Mission Cleveland Parish become one of prayer and sharing with one another, so that we journey together in God’s process of our own restoration, leading to revival in our city and beyond.  Selah.

Remembrance:

Book of Common Prayer

Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: cleanse us from all our offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with reverent and humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding in You our refuge and strength. Hear now my silent prayer.

Challenge

We practice corporate confession each week in our services, but have you ever openly and verbally confessed a sin to a trustworthy person? Sometimes we repress the sin in our lives, keeping it locked inside. Putting words to thoughts and feelings makes them real and forces us to deal with them. Confessing those sins to someone frees you from guilt and pride and helps you accept God’s forgiveness. Thoughtfully and prayerfully consider whether you need to confess a sin in your life to a trusted friend.

Reflection

Have you felt a call to prayer either in a general sense or toward a specific issue or circumstance? Do you think God has placed a similar burden on any of your friends? If so, seek out a group of folks who might be interested in praying together on a regular basis.

Further Growth

2022: Book of Common Prayer Proper 10

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Psalm: Psalm 25:1-21
New Testament: Colossians 1:1-14
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 10

Old Testament: Amos 7:7-15
Psalm: Psalm 85
New Testament: Ephesians 1:1-23
Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 10

Old Testament: Isaiah 55
Psalm: Psalm 65
New Testament: Romans 8:7-17
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

July Week 1

Virtue: Devotion
Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Human Story: Richard Foster (1942 - )

Modern discussions about spiritual disciplines usually mention Richard Foster. His book Celebration of Discipline, with over 1 million copies sold, is known by many as the go-to book on Christian spirituality. Foster’s early career story is a familiar one: he graduated seminary and began pastoring a small church. His goal was not numerical church growth, however, but the spiritual growth of the congregants. After a few months of teaching his churchgoers, he realized they needed more than just biblical teaching in order to grow spiritually. Foster looked to antiquity to be his guide and discovered the disciplines practiced by Jesus and believers throughout history. Confession, prayer, solitude, bible reading, fasting, simplicity, celebration……all of these are ways to be a “living sacrifice.” We must learn to present ourselves before God as holy, and the disciplines are how we do that. 

In addition to being a pastor and author, Foster also founded Renovaré, an ecumenical nonprofit that advocates fullness of life with God experienced through spiritual disciplines. This ministry includes retreats, educational material for small groups, an institute, as well as books, articles, and podcasts. Foster is driven to facilitate spiritual growth in others such that they become more like Jesus. Listening to sermons or having an individual quiet time are certainly not bad things but must be supplemented by other Christian practices. In the words of Foster:

We must not be led to believe that the Disciplines are only for spiritual giants and hence beyond our reach, or only for contemplatives who devote all their time to prayer and meditation. Far from it. God intends the Disciplines of the spiritual life to be for ordinary human beings: people who have jobs, who care for children, who wash dishes and mow lawns. In fact, the Disciplines are best exercised in the midst of our relationships with our husband or wife, our brothers and sisters, our friends and neighbors.

- Celebration of Discipline, 1

Lesson: 1 Timothy 4:7-10 (NIV)

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Several times in the New Testament, spiritual life is likened to athletics. Some people are naturally athletic, but even those who are need to discipline their bodies in order to excel in sports. 

Similarly, some people are naturally good at certain Christian practices. Some may be drawn toward Bible reading, some towards praying for others, some toward encouraging others or hospitality. However, this does not mean that those who may find these practices more difficult are off the hook. Just like a person who may be a poor free-throw shooter, practice and discipline can improve an area that does not meet certain standards.

In our text, Paul is telling Timothy to avoid the gossip that was characterizing the house church in Ephesus, and the antithesis of avoiding this silly talk was to train himself in godliness. Practicing spiritual disciplines is the way to train oneself. In addition to the classical spiritual disciplines (see July Introduction), the following are other examples that are considered by some as spiritual disciplines: Sabbath-keeping, journaling, stewardship, chastity, evangelism, gratitude, and almsgiving.

Spiritual disciplines are not some tool of legalism to make us feel guilty or proud. They are tools to be utilized to make us more like Jesus. Without practicing them, we are like a lazy athlete who does not practice his trace. Some of us may have more talent than others, but without discipline and practice, we will eventually get left behind.

Remembrance

The standard of practical holy living has been so low among Christians that very often the person who tries to practice spiritual disciplines in everyday life is looked upon with disapproval by a large portion of the Church. And for the most part, the followers of Jesus Christ are satisfied with a life so conformed to the world, and so like it in almost every respect, that to the casual observer, there is no difference between the Christian and the pagan.

- Hannah Whitall Smith in The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life

Challenge

The scripture this week urges us to “train for godliness”. In order to practice the spiritual disciplines in conjunction with each other, it is necessary to know what they entail. You might understand what some of the disciplines are through knowledge or experience but consider spending time this week learning about the ones that are unfamiliar to you. Once you know what the disciplines are, pick one or two you have not experienced and plan a time to give them a try. Consider how you can alter your daily, weekly, and monthly habits to incorporate the disciplines into your life.

Reflection

People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. - D. A. Carson

Further Growth

2022: Book of Common Prayer Proper 9

Old Testament: Isaiah 66:10-16
Psalm: Psalm 66
New Testament: Galatians 6:1-18
Gospel: Luke 10:1-20

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 9

Old Testament: Ezekiel 2:1-7
Psalm: Psalm 123
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Gospel: Mark 6:1-6

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 14

Old Testament: Zechariah 9:9-12
Psalm: Psalm 145
New Testament: Romans 7:21-8:6
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

July Introduction

July: Devotion

Resolution: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

Christian devotion can be defined as dedicating oneself to Christ wholly and earnestly. The Bible encourages us to devote ourselves to a number of practices that demonstrate our relationship with Christ. Over the years these practices have been defined and redefined, but the classical spiritual disciplines comprise a timeless list of things Jesus practiced in His earthly life. We would all benefit individually and as a church body if we were to commit to these practices.

The twelve spiritual disciplines, which should be practiced in conjunction with one another, are outlined by Richard Foster:

Prayer
Fasting
Meditation
Study
Simplicity
Solitude
Submission
Service
Confession
Worship
Guidance
Celebration 

The practice of these disciplines is for the purpose of becoming more like Christ. They are not to be viewed as an end unto themselves nor a box to be checked off your to-do list. They are simply a way to demonstrate devotion to Christ and grow closer to Him.

July’s resolution echoes this: I choose to practice spiritual disciplines to nurture my relationship with Christ.

July: Liturgy

Leader: Almighty Father, You are faithful, wise, and loving. 

People: Father, help us be more like You.

Leader: Lord Jesus, You are the perfect example of discipline as You walked in perfect unity with the Father- being one with Him.

People: Jesus, help us be more like You.

Leader:  Holy Spirit, we acknowledge that our hearts are restless until they find rest in You. When we feel like discipline and devotion are beyond our capacity, You are our help, comforter, and advocate.

People: Spirit, help us be more like You.

June Week 5

Virtue: Intentionality
Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

Human Story: Eric Liddell (1902-1945)

Thanks to the movie Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell is known for being an Olympic champion. But there is much more to his story than forfeiting his best chance at victory because he would not compete on Sunday. Born in Tientsin, China to Scottish missionaries, Eric Liddell and his older brother left China at ages 6 and 8 respectively to attend boarding school in Britain. By the time Eric was eight or nine, he had already planned to return to Asia. While in school, however, Eric found that he was a good athlete, a very good athlete, and soon he was competing in both track and rugby for not only his school but also his country.

At a young age Eric’s father taught him that “winning a medal isn’t that important. What matters is how you run the race of life.” Eric never lost sight of that whether he was competing or ministering to others. Before every competition, Eric would shake each athlete’s hand and wish him well, and he truly meant what he said.

When Eric began competing for Edinburgh University and was assigned an athletic trainer, he wrote in a letter:

The exercises seemed unimportant at first, but later one finds out how useful they have been. He [his trainer] took me in hand, pounded me about like a piece of putty, pushed this muscle this way and that muscle the other way, in order, as he said, to get me into shape. Training is not the easiest thing to do. It is liable to become monotonous.

The results of Eric’s “monotonous” exercises ultimately won for him gold and bronze medals at the 1924 Paris Olympics. But because of his devotion to God, he refused to participate in his best event as well as several relay races because he would have had to run on Sunday (Sabbath). Even though he gave up the chance to compete in additional races, he was lauded throughout Europe, Britain, and especially Scotland and China, both of which credit Eric as their first Olympic champion.

Photo credit: https://www.ericliddell.org/

It is Eric’s faith, devotion, and humility, though, that set him apart from most other famous people. After graduating from Edinburgh University, he did return to China as planned since childhood and ministered to countless people in that vast land despite political unrest due to civil war, Japanese aggression, and world war. In his book titled Manual of Christian Discipleship, Eric shared six questions he would ask himself each morning as part of his exercises of “daily morning quiet.” Rather than becoming monotonous like his physical exercises, these gave him the courage and strength to face the ever-changing landscape of life in China with boldness and peace, even during his time in the Weixian Internment Camp where he died at age 43. The Challenge section below shows Eric’s six questions. May they challenge you to consider whether your daily discipline could use an adjustment.

Reference: Eric Liddell, Olympian and Missionary by Ellen Caughey

Lesson: 1 Samuel 2:30

…Those who honor me I will honor…

One of Eric Liddell’s Olympic trainers game him a folded note just prior to Eric’s first heat of the Games: “In the Old Book it says, ‘He that honors me, I will honor.’ Wishing you the best of success always.”

There are two lessons to be learned from this brief story. The first is to consider how we honor God. Jesus says it is through doing what we are commanded; and his commands to us were to love God and to love our neighbor. Eric demonstrated both these commands throughout his life, but he could only do so because he was disciplined to keep before him the word of God and to listen for God’s specific direction through prayer.

The second, and a bit more obscure, lesson is found in the action of the trainer who was prompted by God to encourage Eric before his race. There are times when God wants each of us to speak encouragement into someone else’s life. Are you listening to God well enough to hear His promptings?

Remembrance

The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.    -- Oswald Chambers

Challenge

Listen as you read the challenge: Chariots of Fire

Eric Liddell asked himself the following six questions each morning. Write down these questions and ask them to yourself each morning this week. At the end of the week, reflect on how this discipline has made a difference in your life these seven days.

1. Have I surrendered this new day to God, and will I seek and obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit through its hours?

2. What have I specially to thank God for this morning?

3. Is there any sin in my life for which I should seek Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing? Is there any apology or restitution to make?

4. For whom does God want me to pray this morning?

5. What bearing does this morning’s Bible passage have on my life, and what does He want me to do about it?

6. What does God want me to do today and how does he want me to do it?

Reflection

It has been a wonderful experience to compete in the Olympic Games and to bring home a gold medal. But since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals. – Eric Liddell

Further Growth

2022

Old Testament:
Psalm:
New Testament:
Gospel: 

2021

Old Testament:
Psalm:
New Testament:
Gospel: 

2020

Old Testament:
Psalm:
New Testament:
Gospel: 

June Week 4

Virtue: Intentionality
Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

Human Story: Charlotte “Lottie” Digges Moon (1840-1912)

Charlotte Digges Moon grew up on her family’s ancestral plantation in Virginia. She had a privileged childhood and was able to forego an early marriage and instead attend college at Virginia Female Seminary (later named Hollins Institute), receiving one of the first master’s degrees for a woman from a southern college. At eighteen, she had a radical spiritual awakening that prompted her to open a school for girls and minister to the poor families in her hometown. During the Civil War, she remained close to home and went on to teach school in Kentucky, Georgia and Virginia.

In 1873, soon after the Southern Baptist Convention allowed single women to be missionaries, Lottie moved to China where her sister was also a missionary. Although she was assigned as a teacher to young girls, she began making trips into the villages to reach out to others. Seeing tremendous needs, she began writing letters home to ask for funds and more missionaries to serve. At four feet, three inches tall, she adopted the traditional dress of her new country, learned the language, and plugged away for four decades in China.

Lottie Moon lived an intentional life: as a product of the South, she worked to reform her own views of slavery and prejudice. She ignored the southern way of marriage and homemaking and chose to pursue higher education. She was a reformist in her confrontational letter writing and journalism regarding the way the missionary board viewed women in the field. She was a teacher to young girls both in the States and China.  She was an entrepreneur, starting schools where there were none, and raising funds for more workers. She was also innovative, baking cookies for the children to find a way into their hearts.

After 20 years in the field she changed the focus of her ministry to evangelism, going house to house and village to village, sharing her faith with women and children.  This was not a job normally given to women, requiring special permission from the mission board. She faced loneliness, opposition, hardship, famine and loss all for the sake of showing the light of Jesus. In solidarity, Lottie died as a result of a nationwide famine, truly exemplifying sacrificial living.

Lottie Moon is an example of a life of clear focus and goal setting that builds slowly with hard work to an apex of worldwide evangelism, breaking the barriers of gender, culture, and social class. The facts of her life show her as a pioneer of intellect and resilience.  Over one billion dollars have been given to international missions due to her efforts, among others. 

Lesson: John 3:30

He must become greater; I must become less.

Often our efforts, especially in the Western hemisphere, are for selfish purposes. This pursuit of personal greatness is not necessarily wrong, but it can become an unhealthy trajectory if we become consumed with a constant desire for more. In the human story above, Lottie Moon did become great – but for all the right reasons. She sought to become more Christlike.

As we look around the Christian landscape in America, we can see vividly what happens when there is no intentional effort to make Christ greater in our lives. If we simply coast along, we will gravitate more to the American dream that is presented to us in culture rather than the dream of connection with Christ. We must be intentional if we are going to continually be disciples of Christ.

G.K. Chesterton tells a story of two brothers who were playing in a field and encountered a magic milk man. The man offers each brother one wish. The first chooses to be a giant. He is instantly granted his wish. He is able to travel the world easily due to his large strides. He walks to Niagara Falls and they appear to be small- like a bathtub spigot. He walks to the Himalayan mountains and they appear to be like nothing more than hills. He returns to the field and lays down and falls asleep- bored and disappointed.

His brother takes note of the outcome of that wish and chooses the opposite. He wishes to be tiny. Instantly he shrinks and that field becomes a wild adventure. The blades of grass look like an unending forest. The dandelions, with the sun shining through them, appear to be massive balls of fire. Chesterton concludes, “Humility is the luxurious art of reducing ourselves to a point so that to it all the cosmic things are what they really are – of immeasurable stature.”

We have a similar choice. We can choose to be intentional about making ourselves greater, and in turn all other things smaller. Or we can choose to be intentional about making Christ greater and all other things become larger and more glorious.

Remembrance

Grant, O Lord, that the course of this world may be
peaceably governed by your providence; and that your
Church may joyfully serve you in confidence and serenity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
                  -Book of Common Prayer, p.229

Challenge

Lottie Moon regularly wrote home from China with appeals for more money for missions efforts and more workers for the mission field. The needs are no less today. How is God asking you to participate in His mission work? Give? Go? Or both? Once you hear His directions, make specific plans for doing it.

Reflection

Reflect on the Chesterton quote found in the lesson above: “Humility is the luxurious art of reducing ourselves to a point so that to it all the cosmic things are what they really are – of immeasurable stature.” Journal or discuss some concrete steps to reduce yourself in your current life situation.

Further Growth

2022: Book of Common Prayer Proper 8

Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:15-21
Psalm: Psalm 16
New Testament: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Gospel: Luke 9:51-62

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 8

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 15:7-11
Psalm: Psalm 112
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Gospel: Mark 5:22-43

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 7

Old Testament: Jeremiah 20:7-13
Psalm: Psalm 69:1-18
New Testament: Romans 5:15b-19
Gospel: Matthew 10:16-33

June Week 3

Virtue: Intentionality
Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

Human Story: Bob Goff (1959 - )

Bob Goff’s story played out as many do: go to college, choose a successful career, make money and try to make the most of it. Bob is no ordinary person though. Perhaps the thing that makes Bob stand out is his unabashed tenacity (i.e., intentionality). An example of this comes from Bob getting into law school. Bob didn’t have the required grades, so he sat outside the dean’s office for 7 days, each day telling the dean he had the power to admit him if he wanted. Bob’s persistence paid off, as the dean eventually succumbed to Bob’s persistence. The dean’s words to “Go get your books” had a profound impact on Bob, filling him with awe and hope that we have the power to launch someone into a new future with nothing more than a verbal expression. Bob was a successful lawyer for 25 years.

Eventually, Bob was ready for another adventure, and as he takes his faith very seriously, he wanted to do something that exemplified a true, active, and intentional love. And so, after quitting his job, he founded the organization that is now known as “Love Does”, an international non-profit committed to fighting for justice for children in conflict zones (e.g. Iraq, Somalia, Uganda). To Bob, a life of faith and love involves risk, adventure, and a rejection of the cultural obsession of one’s own self gain.

According to Bob, being mindful to both God’s presence and the needs of others requires availability. To be intentional, he would say, is to be present and available to others. Don’t let the phone call go to voicemail; don’t let the text message go unanswered; don’t let the Saturday night be spent alone watching a television show; don’t make appointments for the future that could be handled in the present; live your faith a little more like Jesus and with a little more freedom. In doing this we mimic the Master of all intentionality.

Lesson: John 4:4 (NRSV)

But he had to go through Samaria.

Sculpture above the entrance to The Church of St. Elizabeth in Basel, Switzerland

This verse begins the story of Jesus’s encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.  Jesus and the disciples were on their way to Galilee from Jerusalem, but the gospel writer emphasized that Jesus “had” to go through Samaria.  Going through Samaria is the most direct route from Jerusalem to Galilee, so why wouldn’t Jesus and the disciples want to go that way anyway? Most Jews would ordinarily avoid Samaria and extend their travel several days to go around Samaria because of a racial prejudice. The Samaritans were the mixed race of northern kingdom Jews and the conquering Assyrians.  They held only to the Torah (first 5 books of the Old Testament) and were considered heretical by the pureblood Jews. The Samaritans were so disliked by the Jews that Jesus used them as the farthest fetched example of who the Jews should love as their neighbor.

In the story, when Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a drink, the Bible states he was weary, yet His weariness did not keep him from engaging with the woman.  In fact, Jesus was energized by sharing the good news, such that He was no longer hungry when the disciples returned with food. 
Throughout his ministry, it was to the outsider that Jesus ministered most. Whether it was the Samaritan woman, the leper, the tax collector, the lame and blind, the poor, or the woman with the bleeding disorder. These people were not considered “blessed” by their culture. These were people rejected by their culture, but who were sought out and blessed by Jesus. Perhaps it was Jesus’s own intentionality that he “had” to go through Samaria. Even in Jesus’s last words to His disciples, He specifically included Samaria as a place for the disciples to go be a witness.  And of course, in Acts 8, they did just that.

Remembrance

Anointed by your morning light I lift my spirit to receive the gift of this new day. Open my eyes to the beauty that surrounds me that I may walk through this day with the kind of awareness that calls forth grateful living. In all of creation let me see the brightness of your face. Shine in my heart and in my life, filling me with joy, creativity, hope, and laughter. Draw me into the radiant glory of your presence and into the small lights of those with whom I live and work. Inspire me to take time for those who are discouraged. May I live with the kind of presence that enables others to feel at home. Great Dawn of God, hear my prayer. - Macrina Weiderkehr (in Seven Sacred Pauses, p.59)

Challenge

Pick one person this week you might consider an outsider (e.g. widow, elderly, disabled, etc.). Perform an intentional act which demonstrates the love of Jesus for all peoples.

Why do we segregate ourselves into groups? Our tendency is to like those who are “similar” to us and to not like (even hate) those who are “different.” These feelings are rooted in fear – a fear of the unknown. How can you move beyond this fear and embrace relationship with those who you perceive to be different than yourself?

Reflection

Who are the outsiders in our culture that Jesus is calling us to minister to and share the good news? Brainstorm and discuss this with others.

Further Growth

2022: Book of Common Prayer Proper 7

Old Testament: Zechariah 12:8-10, 13:1
Psalm: Psalm 63
New Testament: Galatians 3:23-29
Gospel: Luke 9:18-24

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 7

Old Testament: Job 38: 1-18
Psalm: Psalm 107:1-32
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 6

Old Testament: Exodus 19:1-8
Psalm: Psalm 100
New Testament: Romans 5:1-11
Gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:15

June Week 2

Virtue: Intentionality
Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

Human Story: Brother Lawrence (1614 - 1691)

In today’s increasingly fast-paced and demanding culture, few people live every moment in God’s loving presence with the consistent intentionality as that of Brother Lawrence. Lawrence was a seventeenth-century Carmelite monk known among his peers for his deep yet simple spirituality. He is famously quoted for praying things such as, “Lord of all pots and pans and things…, make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates!”, and “It is not the greatness of the work which matters to God but the love with which it is done.” His life was driven by a singular motivation - to commune with God in every moment and in everything.

How did he get this way? No doubt with a special measure of God’s grace. Brother Lawrence possessed a holy internal compass that pointed directly at the love of God. Because of his heart's understanding of this truth, he cultivated what he called "The Practice of the Presence of God," which was posthumously transposed into a book of the same title, containing his writings and conversations with others. Here are a few notable quotes from his book:

Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God's presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him?

Do not be discouraged by the resistance you will encounter from your human nature; you must go against your human inclinations. Often, in the beginning, you will think that you are wasting time, but you must go on, be determined and persevere in it until death, despite all the difficulties.

Brother Lawrence found God everywhere.  He chose to take the most menial and mundane tasks and turn them into opportunities to find God's love. Lawrence's life points to a path that leads to deeper communion with the Father, and he fervently assures that "there is no spot where we cannot draw near to Him, and hear Him speaking in our heart, with a little love, just a very little, we shall not find it hard".

Reference: The Practice of the Presence of God, and The Spiritual Maxims

Lesson: Isaiah 58: 1-9a (NIV)

Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high... Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Movies, television shows, and other media often portray religious people as hypocrites, those who do not practice what they preach. Religious people are stereotyped as hypocrites. In the United States, this is especially true of how Christians are portrayed. When tragedy strikes, Christians offer you their “thoughts and prayers,” but not much beyond this. They pray, preach, attend church, go to Bible studies, read books, memorize scripture verses, and quote scripture. Many Christians block hours out of their days for silence or solitude, and some study church history to learn more about their faith. If they are really serious, they may also fast. One could go on and on with examples of what Christians do that may be personally enriching but don’t necessarily produce virtues that manifest in relationships with others. All of these things should produce virtue and result in a more Christ-like person engaged in the world, but each of us can admit areas in our own lives and in others where, despite these practices, we are as far away from the character of Jesus as a person who doesn’t know Him at all.

The Jewish people had been forcibly removed from their homeland due to centuries of disobedience to God, and now in Isaiah 58 the exile had passed. However, the disobedience still remained, rebellion persisted, and prosperity was far from reach. The Israelites had many practices that were supposed to lead to virtuous living and a love for God and neighbor. The truth is, they performed the religious practices, but their lives did not reflect the discipline they practiced. Fasting is pointless if you take advantage of people and are manipulative. Praying doesn’t do much if you’re a mean and violent person, lacking compassion for human life. Bible study is vanity if you gossip about others. One’s inward disposition is naturally reflected in one’s outward practices, but it is obvious from our text that if there is no outward effort, all of our internal work is merely ceremony that produces hypocrisy. Virtuous character, defined as an increase in love for God and neighbor, only comes about through intentionality. So mindfully allow your religious practices to refine and shape you as it will direct you to the deeper concerns of God’s heart, as One who loves the burdened and oppressed and who actively seeks justice on their behalf.

Remembrance

by Frederick Buechner in Celtic Daily Prayer, Book Two, p.900.

Listen to your life.
See it for the fathomless mystery that it is.
In the boredom and pain of it
no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it
because in the last analysis all moments are key moments
and life itself is grace.

Challenge

In the spirit of Brother Lawrence’s life mission, find one menial task this week (e.g. washing dishes, mowing the yard, changing a diaper, taking out the trash), and do it in love. Practice intentionality by joyfully performing this menial task, reminding yourself of God’s presence in it and give Him thanks for such a gift.

Reflection

Christians are very good at practicing personal enrichment activities that may feed the soul but are less attentive to the needs of others. What cultural dynamics are at play that cause us to focus more on ourselves and less on the needs of others? What are the reasons you think this happens? What habits can you change that will help you focus more on others?

Further Growth

2022: Trinity Sunday

Old Testament: Isaiah 6:1-7
Psalm: Psalm 29
New Testament: Revelation 4:1-11
Gospel: John 16:5-15

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 6

Old Testament: Ezekiel 31:1-14
Psalm: Psalm 92
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 5

Old Testament: Hosea 5:15-6:6
Psalm: Psalm 50
New Testament: Romans 4:13-18
Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

June Week 1

Virtue: Intentionality
Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

Human Story: Walden & Rowan Tommey

This is a story about children, my children specifically, but more deeply of all children and how they so effortlessly connect to the nature of our Father with joyful intent.

Both of my boys entered this world wide-eyed and keenly aware of their foreign surroundings, whereas I wanted to just close my eyes and rest. They were too engrossed in the visual and audible stimulations of a new reality to relinquish their recent discoveries.  These commencement experiences have uncovered a spiritual truth for our family: where I am eager to shut out or even remove myself from the earthy, guttural challenges of life, children are intent upon plunging face first into these mysteries without shame. This is a gift from God, a reminder that to experience the fullness of our Creator we must slow down, look past the mess, and sit in the discomfort. We must be intent upon embracing joy. And in so doing, we become like children – the type Jesus counter-intuitively described in Luke 18:16-17: “Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’”

Walden, our ardent adventurer, doesn’t hesitate to take every opportunity given to dig in the dirt, hoping to expose juicy earthworms or fascinating rocks. As far as rocks go, gravel of any variety will suffice and is still seen as a rare and exciting treasure. In the eyes of a child, dandelions can make the most beautiful bouquets and animals are worthy of intrigue and affection. One summer evening, Walden said confidently that he was talking to the cicadas. As I took a moment to listen to the deafening insects and the awful noise he was making, I discovered that he was very much in harmony with them! My heart was filled with joy and humility to witness his connection with creation and ultimately our Creator. The earth constantly and emphatically declares the glory of the Lord.  When we quiet ourselves and acknowledge His presence, we can return to our childlike hearts and joyfully participate in the glorious racket.

Rowan, our miniature musician, is only in the throes of infancy, facing sheer awe and wonderment at every turn. He is entertained simply by his own physical design, be it the movement of his fingers one at a time or simultaneously or the feeling of his tongue in his mouth as he rolls and twists it in every way possible. Sounds, whether of his own conjuring or from some external source such as dad’s guitar, are meant to be explored. In an effort to communicate, he might growl, grumble or even shriek.  Inevitably, those laryngeal vibrations gain momentum as he moves through different scales and pitches, determining how they feel in his throat. He is enraptured by sound. Strumming an instrument while lacking rhythm, banging on piano keys, and slobbering all over a harmonica yet producing no sound is the joyful way of a child.  There is an eagerness to explore, to participate, to respond. He is intent upon using all of his senses to absorb mounds of information and relish in the bliss of it all.   

The point of this “human story” is not to highlight my children as exemplars of this month’s virtue - intentionality, but rather to draw our attention back to the beauty, purity, and imago dei of the little ones around us – who with their whole heart long to feel, know, and experience more of God and his creation.

Lesson: Matthew 18:1-6

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Although children can be annoying, frustrating, and challenging at times, they have qualities that are clearly valuable to Jesus and the building of His Kingdom. Children exhibit qualities such as trust, vulnerability, wonder, etc. They can’t “do” much for themselves, being heavily dependent upon caregivers to provide for, nurture, protect, and guide them along a good path. Jesus states in verse 4 that children also exhibit humility. Children, unlike adults, have no real reason to compete with one another for status, position, and fame. Instead, they choose to collaborate with other playmates in creating skits, digging in the mud, swimming in the creek, and imagining wild adventures –pure simplicity.

Even though the disciples had been following Jesus for some time in this passage, they still succumbed to the bondage of comparison amongst one another. Instead of fixing their eyes on what is above and on whom is standing before them (Jesus), they chose to look side to side at one another to find their worth and value by being “better” and “outdoing” them.

Unfortunately, isn’t this what we do so often? We get so obsessed with prestige that we resist living with others in mind, causing hurt and destruction to further our own gain instead of living in harmony with others. May we take Jesus at his Word and look to the children in our lives to learn how to be Kingdom-minded, Kingdom-centered, and Kingdom-focused, cultivating lives of simplicity and genuine humility. Our lives depend on it, for Jesus says if we don’t become like children, we “will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Remembrance

You see, Jesus’ friends had started thinking they had to do something to make themselves special to Jesus - that if they were the cleverest or the nicest or something, Jesus would like them best. But they had forgotten something. Something God had been teaching his people all through the years: that no matter how clever you are, or how good you are, or how rich you are, or how nice you are, or how important you are - none of it makes any difference. Because God’s love is a gift and, as anyone will tell you, the whole thing about a gift is, it’s free. All you have to do is reach out your hands and take it.

                                -Sally Lloyd-Jones (in The Jesus Storybook Bible on Matthew 18, p.256-257)

Challenge

Take some time this week to observe a child playing. Study their movements and notice the focus and devotion given to the task at hand.

Reflection

Think of all the distractions you have in your life, the things that keep you from focusing on the task at hand. Name all of these distractions to someone else and brainstorm ways to limit these in your life to increase intentionality. How can you invite others to join in the activities of your life? How can you join the activities of the lives of those close to you to promote their wellbeing?

Further Growth

2022: Pentecost

Old Testament: Genesis 11:1-9
Psalm: Psalm 104:24-35
New Testament: Acts 2:1-21
Gospel: John 14:8-17

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 5

Old Testament: Genesis 3:1-21
Psalm: Psalm 130
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 4:13-18
Gospel: Mark 3:20-35

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 4

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 11:18-32
Psalm: Psalm 31
New Testament: Romans 3:21-31
Gospel: Matthew 7:21-27

June Introduction

June: Intentionality

Resolution: I choose to be mindful and responsive to God’s presence and the needs of others.

As we move into “ordinary time” on our church calendar, we celebrate the story of the people of God. We all have a story, both individually and as the Church body. We can allow that story to just happen as it may, or we can choose to shape the story into something that is meaningful.  

God is always near, but we often neglect to pay attention to His presence. Likewise, every person we encounter has a story, a need, a reason why they are acting the way they are. But we are often to focused on ourselves or our to-do list that we don’t even consider these other people. It’s easy to just go through our days living life the way it comes and goes, acknowledging God and others only when it is convenient for us.

There is a richness and fullness to living with intentionality. We can choose to be intentionally aware of God’s presence in us and around us. He is working in hearts, lives, relationships, and circumstances. Can you see it? He might want you to be the one who helps out someone else. Can you hear Him asking you to do that?

Intentionality means that you are living life and doing things on purpose. You are being deliberate in the way you live, parent your children, spend your money, use your time, invest in relationships, and interact with God.

This month we are focusing on intentionality. What do you intend to make your story?

June: Liturgy

Leader: Almighty Father, You are majestic, holy and awe inspiring.

People: Father, help us be mindful of Your presence.

Leader: Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your incarnation and Your willingness to leave glory to dwell among humanity. You chose to be present with us, prioritizing our need for freedom from sin above Your comfort and glory.

People: Jesus, help us be truly present with others by prioritizing their needs above our own.

Leader:  Holy Spirit, we thank You that You are presently working in our midst. May we be attentive to Your voice and sensitive to Your guidance in our daily lives.

People: Spirit, help us be responsive to Your guidance in our daily lives.

May Week 5

Virtue: Remembrance
Resolution: I choose to learn from the rich history of the Church and the mystery of the faith to hold me close to Christ.

Human Story: The Liturgical Calendar

Humans have an instinct to observe days that are significant. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. We commemorate momentous dates in history. We remember loved ones who have died. We celebrate changes in the seasons. There is something inherent within us that needs these types of markers in our lives. The church is no different. We as a body need to celebrate important events just like our families need to celebrate together. The Jewish faith is steeped in tradition and set times of festivals and celebrations. When Jesus observed the Passover meal with his disciples, was crucified the next day, and then rose from the dead, it began a new cycle of remembrance and celebration for those who believe in Him.

Every Sunday when we gather together as the Church, we remember Christ’s death and resurrection, and we remember that He is coming again. Sunday is the pinnacle of our week and re-orients our souls and minds as we focus on Jesus. In addition to this weekly time of remembering, the liturgical calendar walks us through the important events of the life of Jesus and of the Church as well as helping us to understand our responsibilities as Christians.

The liturgical year begins with Advent, a time of anticipation. During this season we remember Christ’s first advent as a baby, and we joyfully anticipate His second advent when he comes not only to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1) but also to renew all things. (Rev. 21) Christmas is a 12-day season in which we celebrate Christ’s incarnation and anticipate his return to restore all things. During Epiphany we commemorate the revelation of Christ to the gentiles as signified by the visit of the Magi, and we also remember Jesus’ childhood and baptism. The season of Lent is 40 days long (excluding Sundays) which is a reflection of the 40 days Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. It is marked by fasting and penitence as we remember the trials Jesus had to endure leading up to His crucifixion. Within Lent, we celebrate the triumphal entry (Palm Sunday), the institution of the Eucharist (Maundy Thursday), and the crucifixion of the Christ (Good Friday). Easter Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Eastertide, the season in which we celebrate the risen Lord, lasts for 50 days. Forty days into Eastertide is the remembrance of Christ’s ascension to the Father. Pentecost commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday praises the triune nature of God. All of this celebration is roughly the first half of the Christian calendar, and as you can see, it is the story of the earthly life of Christ Jesus, our Messiah.

The remainder of the year is called Ordinary Time, and it is a period for learning about what the church’s response, what your response, to Jesus should be. In light of all that Jesus did and taught, how then do we live our everyday lives?

Sprinkled throughout the liturgical year are festivals which commemorate Saints. These are people, like you and me, who chose to devote themselves fully to their Lord. Our weekly devotions contain stories of some of these Saints, but all of their stories are amazing and inspirational. Celebrating the Saints adds a beautiful aspect to our remembering. It’s important to remember because it is a testimony of God’s goodness, faithfulness, mercy, and grace.

Lesson: Psalm 78:3-8 (ESV)

Things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

We generally take our memories for granted until someone we love (or we ourselves) begins to have trouble remembering things. Watching home movies, flipping through a scrapbook, or scrolling through digital photo collections can help us remember important moments of our lives. It can also encourage us to share those memories with others.

Our heavenly Father has left us a scrapbook of sorts in the Holy Bible. It is important for us to not only read it (not just our favorite parts) but also to share it with our children and grandchildren. We can’t fully rely on Sunday School, Christian schools, or weekly church services to plant seeds of faith in the next generation. If faith is not passed down from generation to generation, it will quickly wither and die. God even gives us some of those stories in His scrapbook.

It's not only Bible stories that need to be shared. Make sure you also tell your offspring stories of how God has worked in your own life and even in their lives. Keep faith alive through active remembering.

Remembrance: Remembrance by Hillsong Worship

I take the bread of life
Broken for all my sin
Your body crucified
To make me whole again

I will recall the cup
Poured out in sacrifice
To trade this sinners’ end
For Your new covenant

I’ll walk salvation’s road
With fear and trembling
Your way borne as my own
As Christ is formed in me
Hallelujah, I’ll live my life in remembrance
Hallelujah, Your promise I won’t forget 

If ever I should lose my way
If ever I deny Your grace
Remind me of the price You paid
Hallelujah, I’ll live in remembrance 

You’ve been so so good to me, You’ve been so so good to me
Oh to think where I would be, If not for You, If not for You 

As far as heights reach from the depths
As far as east is from the west
So far Your grace has carried me 

Until I see You face to face
Until at last I’ve won my race
Remind me, You’re not finished yet
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, I’ll live in remembrance

Challenge

Ann Voskamp wrote a thought-provoking book called One Thousand Gifts in which she challenges us to begin a list of things we are thankful for. This is an excellent way to remember God’s faithfulness, grace, and mercy to us. Begin your list by writing down one thing per day that you are thankful for. As appropriate, share these remembrances with others to tell of God’s faithfulness to you.

Reflection

It’s easy to breeze through our human story with nonchalant familiarity. Read through the paragraph about the life of Christ again, this time pausing to really think about what it means and all that it entailed at the time it was happening to Jesus.  

Further Growth

2022: The Sunday after Ascension Day

Old Testament: Acts 16:16-34
Psalm: Psalm 68:1-20
New Testament: Revelation 22:10-21
Gospel: John 17:20-26

2021: Book of Common Prayer Proper 3

Old Testament: Hosea 2:14-23
Psalm: Psalm 103
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 3:4-18
Gospel: Mark 2:18-22

2020: Book Of Common Prayer Proper 3

Old Testament: Isaiah 49:8-23
Psalm: Psalm 62
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 4:1-13
Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

May Week 4

Virtue: Remembrance
Resolution: I choose to learn from the rich history of the Church and the mystery of the faith to hold me close to Christ.

Human Story: Irenaeus of Lyon (ca. 140-202 AD)

Irenaeus was bishop of Lyon, a Roman colony in southern France. He is one of the earliest Christian writers that stresses the importance of tradition in the faith. Tradition is simply handing down to others what has been handed down to you. This began with Jesus, continued through the apostles, then to the apostolic fathers, and so on. If someone came along making some claim that was in conflict with what was handed down, then it did not pass the tradition test. The one who taught Irenaeus was Polycarp. The one who taught Polycarp was the apostle John, who was of course taught by Christ himself. Irenaeus wrote two books that can be read today: Against Heresies and Proof of the Apostolic Preaching.

The Gnostic and the Marcionite sects of Christianity (which began in the first and second centuries, respectively) had both developed skewed views of what Christianity meant. Some of these erroneous beliefs had infiltrated the larger mainstream church. Irenaeus believed that if we have a perverted view of God, we will also have a perverted view of the world, of humanity, and of salvation. He thought that it is possible to make the Bible say anything we want it to say. Keep in mind that at this time there was no canonized version of the gospel. Teaching was often done orally as hand-written copies of scripture were rare. Irenaeus believed new Christians must be taught certain core beliefs of the faith. He called this process the “rule of faith.” Teachings included that God is triune, that there is one God who created the heavens and earth, that Christ became man and died on the cross and resurrected on the third day, that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and that Christ will come again, the dead will rise, and all will be judged. This rule of faith served as the infancy stage for what the Apostles and Nicene Creeds became. One could not just come along making novel claims about Jesus and be believed unless those claims lined up with what had been taught by predecessors in the faith. These predecessors make up the rich history of the church, and we ignore them to our peril.

Lesson: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NIV)

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

The Eucharist (communion) goes all the way back to the day before Jesus died. Every time we take it, we are participating in something that has taken place for 2,000 years, and something that millions of Christians partake in weekly. The rich history of the church and the mystery of faith begin here.

Throughout 1 Corinthians, Paul is bringing up various problems the Corinthians are having and explaining how the good news about Jesus informs these problems. The gospel of Jesus affects every area of life, both individually and communally. Beginning in chapter 11, Paul focuses on problems in the weekly worship gathering. In the Corinthian church, there were higher-class members who were eating and drinking while those of lower socio-economic status were going hungry. Paul is arguing that this practice is sinful and opposes Christ’s intent. The weekly gathering is for everyone, regardless of age or socio-economic status.

The Eucharist has developed throughout centuries into what we practice today, and Christians throughout the world practice it in different ways. In our text it appears to be more of a communal meal, and Paul’s point is that the principle of love should guide us in our communal eating practices such that everyone in the body of Christ should have equal access. The importance Paul places on tradition is seen from the first verse above, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you….” In other words, Paul was handing down to others what had been taught to him. The tradition of the Eucharist is grounded in love and unity within the church. If we partake of the elements and neglect love and unity, we will be judged for our actions. If we do not examine ourselves before the taking of the elements, we miss the mark for Christ’s intent. Let us partake of the Eucharist weekly, being guided by the spirit of love and unity. By doing this we perpetuate the rich history of the church and the mystery of faith.

Remembrance: The apostle’s Creed

Rich Mullins Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
      creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
      born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
      was crucified, died, and was buried;
      He descended to the dead.
      On the third day he rose again.
      He ascended into heaven,
      is seated at the right hand of God the Father,
      And will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the holy catholic* church,
      the communion of saints,
      the forgiveness of sins,
      the resurrection of the body,
      and the life everlasting. Amen.

* catholic means the universal and apostolic church

Challenge

The Eucharist began as part of a larger communal meal. Next time you’re at a communal Christian meal, pay close attention to who you are sitting with. Who are you neglecting? Seek out those you don’t know as well and practice Christian love and unity.

Reflection

How does the following quote by Madeleine L’Engle challenge your view of partaking in the Eucharist?

If the Lord’s table is the prototype of the family table, then, if I think in terms of the family table, I know that I cannot sit down to bread and wine until I’ve said I’m sorry, until reparations have been made, relations restored. When one of our children had done something particularly unworthy, if it had come out into the open before dinner, if there had been an “I’m sorry,” and there had been acceptance, and love, then would follow the happiest dinner possible, full of laughter and fun. If there was something still hidden; if one child, or as sometimes happens, one parent, was out of joint with the family and the world, that would destroy the atmosphere of the whole meal.

-       Madeleine L’Engle, A Circle of Quiet, p. 235.

Further Growth

2022: 6th Sunday of Easter

Old Testament: Joel 2:21-27
Psalm: Psalm 67
New Testament: Revelation 21:1-4, 22—22:5
Gospel: John 14:21-29

2021: Pentecost Sunday

Old Testament: Genesis 11:1-9
Psalm: Psalm 104:24-35
New Testament: Acts 2:1-21
Gospel: John 14:8-17

2020: Book of Common Prayer Proper 2

Old Testament: Leviticus 19:1-18
Psalm: Psalm 71
New Testament: 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Gospel: Matthew 5:38-48