Blessings and Curses and God - June 12

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Deut. 30:1-10; 2 Cor. 10:1-18; Luke 18:31-43

When all these things have happened to you, the blessings and the curses that I have set before you… then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the Lord your God has scattered you.

What a message for the beginning of this week, this week that marks the one-year anniversary of a nightmare that unfolded on the campus of Saint Stephen’s one year ago this Friday. As I prepare for the service this Friday, workers are moving to punch lists to finish the Memorial Garden and our Memorial Labyrinth project, we have ordered 150 copies of A Light Shines in the Darkness: Choosing Hope after a Mass Shooting for Friday’s event, the beautiful Altar front and stoles woven together from the prayers of our community has been delivered to the church, and we still miss our friends and others lives have added stress and pain due to the events of one year ago. 

There is not a doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit has been comforting, lifting up, and doing a new thing at Saint Stephen’s. Last Sunday felt like Easter (we did combine the two larger services for the summer), and I don’t think I am alone that there is an excitement every single week that is palpable, new ideas and people creatively living into their call to follow Jesus. I give thanks for this past year and the faithfulness of our community. 

Today’s lesson from Deuteronomy is a reminder that God is a part of it all, the blessings and the curses that are unavoidable… and that the Lord will restore our fortunes and have compassion on us. We see it when we gather together to be the body of Christ and respond to God’s love. May we have the wisdom to not be lost in despair from the curses and hold onto the promise of God's hope or restoration and resurrection. And may we give thanks for each other’s role in helping us to do just that this past year.  

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  What blessings are connected to curses for you? 

Daily Challenge:  Thing of something that has gone wrong this week.  Ask yourself what you can learn, do, or change that will be a sign of hope from this wrong. 

Humbling oneself and accepting mercy - June 9

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51; Deut. 26:1-11; 2 Cor. 8:16-24; Luke 18:9-14

Today’s Reflection

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.’ —Luke 18:9-14

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Well, I will never do X.” Or feeling kind of superior that you have managed to avoid certain life experiences, and feeling kind of sorry for those who fell into such pitiable circumstances? In our pride or naivete, we reassure ourselves that we, surely, would never, ever do X. And then, fast forward a few months or years or decades down the road and lo and behold you find yourself in that very set of circumstances you thought you would never, ever be in—be it professionally, personally, emotionally, or all the above.

I first wrote the above paragraph two years ago, in the first week in June 2021. As I read the above words with fresh eyes now, in June 2023, I can remember very clearly what I had in mind when I wrote the generic statement, “I will never do X,” and all the words after it. In my mind, I was reflecting on how I had thought for a long time. “I will never get divorced.” That thought was heavy on my mind, as I was scheduled to meet the following week with a mediator to begin to do just that: get divorced.

This prideful outlook is just the sort of mindset that Jesus is calling out the Pharisees for in today’s passage from Luke 18. These are people who Luke describes as those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt” (18:9). Jesus, in telling the parable, describes the Pharisee “standing by himself” while he prayed this very self-righteous prayer: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people. … I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income” (18: 11-12). In this prayer, the Pharisee is telling God that he doesn’t need God’s mercy, because he’s got this whole righteousness thing figured out for himself—unlike all these other sinners! The Pharisee, in his pride, comes to God in a posture of ‘look what I have done for you.’

In contrast, the tax collector is approaching God in a spirit of true humility; he is “standing far off” and cannot even “look up to heaven” because he is so aware of the reality of his own imperfections. The tax collector feels contrite and sorrowful when he reflects on “what he has done and what he has left undone.” Because of this, the tax collector’s posture in approaching God is one that recognizes what God has done and what God will do: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (18:13).

As he concludes his parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus offers us this powerful antithesis to drive home the message he wants us to take away: “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” Again and again throughout the New Testament, especially in passages in which Jesus in speaking, we hear a message that emphasizes a reversal of the usual power dynamics. The Good News we always hear from Jesus is that the weak become strong, the poor become rich, and those who exalt themselves will be humbled but those who humble themselves will be exalted. I have experienced this reversal deeply and personally over the past two years—the weak becoming strong, the humble being exalted—and I, for one, am grateful that we are loved unconditionally by a God who offers us unending mercy and grace. Thanks be to God.

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

What circumstances did you once think you would never allow yourself to fall into, and then later you found yourself in that very situation? Or what did you once think you would never, ever do that you later found yourself doing? What did you learn about yourself—and what you believe about God—through your changed circumstances? How did this reversal of status serve to humble you and make you more compassionate toward others?

Think of the people you know who come across as very humble. Reflect on their lives and how they present themselves both to God and to others. What can you learn from their way of seeing themselves and their role in the lives of others?

Stretch our Hearts - June 7

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53]; Deut. 13:1-11; 2 Cor. 7:2-16; Luke 17:20-37

Different cultures have different understandings of beauty and physical appearance. In some cultures, people will deform their bodies to meet societal norms around appearance. I can remember reading old National Geographic magazines growing up and being fascinated by the images of people in Africa and Asia who would elongate their necks or shape other parts of their bodies. In the United States (and places such as Amazon Basin, Kenya, and Thailand) people will stretch their ear lobes to be much larger than normal and adorned with interesting jewelry sometimes creating large holes. 

I’ll admit, this is not what I expected to be writing about for today, but it certainly seems like an entry point to this passage from 2nd Corinthians where Paul writes to his friends in Corinth asking them to make room in their hearts for him.  What would it look like to have to stretch our hearts to have the capacity to care for more and more people? Would it require some kind of exercise or practice or discipline? Is it possible that it’s not possible unless we do something to increase our capacity?

Prayer certainly seems like a practice that might be able to stretch our hearts. I’d suspect engaging in practices that bring us closer to engaging with people’s suffering and deepening our own capacity for compassion would too. And it might be helpful to remember that it doesn’t come naturally, we have to work at it. 

God, stretch our hearts to care about the whole world as you do. Doesn’t seem like a bad thing to pray for at all, and it might be a charitable place to begin to acknowledge it’s not the place where we all begin.

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  How could you stretch your heart?  What are practices that make you more compassionate? Can the inverse be true too and how might you guard against that?

Increase our Faith (to Forgive) - June 5

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44; Deut. 11:13-19; 2 Cor. 5:11-6:2; Luke 17:1-10

Sports are an interesting commentary on our culture. Despite wearing ugly orange pants on the Sunday following the University of Tennessee’s victory over the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, I actually don’t pay much attention to sports. While that has not always been true, I recently haven’t had the capacity to keep track of the consistently changing landscapes of college athletics, nor the interest or passion. 

However, there has been one sport, and one team in particular that I try to pay attention to and catch games when I can and that is the Memphis Grizzles NBA team. The Grizzles have a superstar in a young 23-year-old named Ja Morant. When he is playing his best, he is easily a top-five player in the NBA and has the ability to change the outcome of the game just by being on the court. Recently he was seen on social media brandishing a firearm which has been met with extraordinary disappointment by the NBA and the city of Memphis, largely because this is the second offense (even though no laws were broken in the action) and an entire community feels let down.

I certainly understand the concern that Morant’s behavior doesn’t reflect the values that the NBA wants to hold up and it has been interesting to watch an entire community turn on the person who was once considered the shining star of the community.  Maybe we put too much pressure on a 23-year-old. 

I am drawn to a connection in our Gospel reading this morning. Jesus is giving instructions on forgiveness even if someone sins against you “seven times a day.” The passage that follows is the apostles asking the Lord to increase their faith. The Lord replies with the beautiful metaphor of a mustard seed: “If you just had the faith of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.” We often don’t connect the two passages, but when we read them together, the faith comment makes more sense. It takes faith to believe in the power of forgiveness. It’s not natural. It doesn’t feel like it makes a difference, and it is certainly not a condition of our culture. But a little faith can move mountains, or at the very least, uproot a mulberry tree.

Forgiveness is tough. And maybe the disciples' prayer can be our own: Increase our faith, specifically with the capacity of forgiveness to heal this world and restore our relationships with each. At the very least, I pray it makes watching basketball a little more enjoyable this upcoming season.

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: How easy is it for you to forgive? What is the role that faith plays in your forgiveness? 

Daily Challenge: Here is a list of some exercises to help improve your capacity for forgiveness.

'Treasure in clay jars' - June 2

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35; Deut. 5:1-22; 2 Cor. 4:1-12; Luke 16:10-17(18)

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. … For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

–2 Corinthians 4: 1, 6-7

You may have heard of the Templeton Prize. It’s one of those prestigious awards I had heard of, and knew it was named for the English investor and philanthropist John Templeton, but beyond that, I didn’t have an understanding of what the Templeton Prize is meant to recognize. But, as I read the interview, I was curious and did some extra reading to learn that the Templeton Prize was established to “honor individuals whose exemplary achievements advance… harnessing the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind’s place and purpose within it.” The focus on recognizing the blending of the scientific with the spiritual is more recent, within just the past several years, but since its establishment in 1973, the Templeton Prize has been awarded to 48 individuals whose work has changed the world and our understanding of our place in it.

Of those 48 Templeton laureates, only four have been women—including the very first laureate, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and 2021's laureate, primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. Now, I am not familiar with the names and accomplishments of many of the other winners, but what strikes me as a common thread between Mother Teresa and Jane Goodall is that both broke new ground and changed the world because of their willingness to see the world and its inhabitants from a different perspective and to live alongside those whom they were supporting or studying in a true spirit of love and humility.

As Heather Templeton Dill, granddaughter of John Templeton, said of Goodall as she was awarded the prize, “Her discoveries have profoundly altered the world’s view of animal intelligence and enriched our understanding of humanity in a way that is both humbling and exalting.” As a 26-year-old who hadn’t yet earned her first college degree, Goodall went to live in Tanzania to learn more about chimpanzees. Up to that point, scientists believed that only humans were capable of using tools. But Goodall, because of her open mind and heart, was able to see something new: that chimpanzees, too, are tool-users. And when she went on pursue her Ph.D. at Cambridge, she continued to break the established ways of studying animals by insisting on identifying the primates she studied with human-like names (first name and last name) and by viewing them through the lens of believing that humans are no better than any other part of nature, our fellow primates included. What makes her approach to studying primates, and all of the natural world, distinctive and groundbreaking is that her perspective is grounded in humility and empathy:

Well, when I got to university I was told I’d done everything wrong. I shouldn’t have given the chimps names; it was scientific to number them. I couldn’t talk about them having personalities, minds and emotions. Those were unique to us. I was actually taught in the early 1960s, that the difference between us and animals was one of kind. We were elevated onto a pinnacle, separate from all the others. But my dog as a child had already taught me that wasn’t true. You can’t share your life in a meaningful way with a dog, a cat, a guinea pig, a rabbit, a horse, a bird, a pig and not know that, of course, we’re not the only beings with personalities, minds and emotions.

I was also told by these same professors that to be a good scientist you have to be objective. Therefore you cannot have empathy with what you’re studying. That is so wrong. It’s having empathy with what you’re studying that gives you those “aha” moments — “Yes, I think I know why he or she is doing that.” Then you can put on the scientific hat, which I learned at Cambridge, which I love, and say, “Let me prove that my intuition is right or not.”

All that Jane Goodall and Mother Teresa accomplished was not for their own sake or glory, but to point others toward something larger than any of us—reminding us that anything worthwhile begins by grounding oneself in a place of humility and empathy. When I reflect on the lives of these two extraordinary women, I am struck by how they embody the passage we read today in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In each of their lives is a treasure of insight and concern for the welfare of others, a treasure held in the clay jars of their humility-soaked, other-oriented lives.

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

Recall a time when you were especially aware that you were being treated as a whole person with a name and not just a number—and recall a time when you felt the reverse. How does being treated with the dignity of being called by name and treated empathy change your sense of self and your place in this world?

Read the full interview with Jane Goodall by the Religion News Service to learn more of how her views on the spiritual and the sacred have informed her approach to science and conservation.

Cultural Expectations - May 31

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48; Deut. 4:25-31; 2 Cor. 1:23-2:17; Luke 15:1-2,11-32

This past month, I read two very different books side by side that oddly have provided a great insight into my own spiritual life. The first book was our May choice for my reading class and we read “The Way to Love: The Last Meditations of Anthony de Mello.” De Mello was a Jesuit priest from India and psychotherapist who led the Sadhana Institute of Pastoral Counseling in Poona, India. His meditations have been deeply insightful in how our culture conditions us to have certain programming and expectations, and how we can unlearn some of these human habits.

The second book, also probably 20 years old or so, is “Remembering Denny” by Calvin Trillin. Trillim is writing about his college friend from Yale, Denny Hansen, who was also a Rhodes Scholar and had about as much promise as any young person could have. The book is an exploration of the pressure of that promise and a trying to understand why Hansen didn’t live the life everyone expected for him. It’s a beautiful and rather sad memoir. De Mello’s work is similar as his spiritual reflections explore how we are culturally conditioned to have expectations and how that often leads us to become dependent upon meeting those expectations. I’m struck by both accounts and how they create an interesting dialogue between two extremes.  

In our Gospel appointed for today, we have the story of the prodigal son which is actually a story about two sons – both who have different expectations for what it means to live. One stays home and works hard to please his father, and the other takes his inheritance and squanders it, a right he believed he had. 

What strikes me this morning is that both sons miss the point of living. One has a work ethic and an idea that his loyalty and faithfulness will merit more love from his father. The other believes he can live as he wants and squanders away his life. I have often found that the real character to emulate in this narrative is the father whose life isn’t wrapped up in his work and identity but lives a life of giving selflessly to those he loves. He isn’t worried about end results or even fairness, but about the tender care and compassion he can offer.

How often do we too focus on the wrong things or get wrapped up on the wrong side of a story? How often are we too focused on our identity or vocation or what we have accumulated, when all that really matters is how we share this one precious and sacred life with others? 

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: What cultural conditioning have you received? What do you believe you are supposed to do with your life to meet the expectations of others? Or are these conditions helpful or harmful? 

Action and contemplation - May 26

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 102; PM Psalm 107:1-32; Ezek. 34:17-31; Heb. 8:1-13; Luke 10:38-42

Today’s Reflection

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’  —Luke 10:38-42

It’s a scene that may seem familiar to many of you: Someone arrives, perhaps unexpectedly perhaps not, at your home for dinner. I can recall times when we have had friends or family over for dinner, scurrying around, distracted by my many tasks, like Luke tells us that Martha was, so that my home would be clean and comfortable, and the meal would be warm and delicious for our special guests.

It’s interesting to notice the placement of the story of Jesus’ visit with Martha and Mary in the context of Luke chapter 10. Earlier in Luke 10, we hear Jesus telling the story of the Good Samaritan to explain what it means to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. And as we continue on to Luke chapter 11, we’ll hear about how Jesus taught his friends to pray—what we know now as the Lord’s Prayer. Therefore, today’s account of Martha and Mary functions as a hinge between a story about loving God through action, as the Good Samaritan did, and a story about loving God through through prayer. This placement of the story of Martha and Mary seems appropriate because theirs is the story about the tension between the need, on the one hand, to be up and doing, as Martha was, by serving with our deeds, and the need, on the other hand, to be listening to what God is trying to teach us, as Mary was by sitting as Jesus’ feet. In this story, Jesus makes it clear that “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

While in the story of Martha and Mary we hear Jesus prioritizing the importance of stopping our frenetic busy-ness so that we can better listen to him and focus on what he is saying to us, if we think back to the previous story of the Good Samaritan, we hear Jesus in that parable prioritizing action. Oftentimes in Christian discourse we hear about this debate between action and contemplation, which should we be prioritizing in our daily lives as Christ followers? The message we are getting if we look at all three of these passages in Luke together—the Good Samaritan, Martha and Mary, and the Lord’s Prayer—is that we should be both people of action and people of contemplation.

In this brief encounter with Martha and Mary, we see glimpses of the two sides of a balanced life of servant leadership. As 17th century mystic St. Teresa of Avila put it, “Both Martha and Mary must entertain our Lord and keep Him as their Guest, nor must they be so inhospitable as to offer Him no food. How can Mary do this while she sits at His feet, if her sister does not help her.” Likewise, as St. Aelred of Rievaulx, abbot of a Cistercian monastery in Yorkshire observed in a sermon to his brother monks: “By no means should you neglect Mary for the sake of Martha, nor again Martha for the sake of Mary. For, if you neglect Martha, who will feed Jesus? If you neglect Mary, what benefit will it be to you that Jesus entered your house since you will have tasted nothing of his sweetness? Realize, brothers, that never in this life should these two women be separated.”

While over the years many readers of this passage have argued for the superiority of Martha’s action or the superiority of Mary’s contemplation, in fact, what is needful is to find a unity or a balance between action and contemplation. If we are to follow Christ, then we must continually look back to his example of a life that balances action and contemplation.

We never hear what happened after Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part. It seems likely that, upon hearing Jesus’ response, Martha had a moment of clarity and took a break to listen and learn at Jesus’ feet. Maybe Martha sat down, alongside her sister Mary to listen. Or perhaps Mary stood up and said to Martha, “Sister, you take my place at Jesus’ feet, I will get up to attend to the needs of our guests.”

May we carry the story of Martha and Mary with us as we each day we commit ourselves anew to follow Christ’s example of a life that balances contemplation with action, as well to a life in which we commit to being in partnership with our fellow Christ followers as give each other the mutual support to live lives of both contemplation and action.

Becky+

Questions for Self-Reflection

When you hear the story of Mary and Martha, do you find yourself identifying more with Mary or more with Martha? How do you (or could you) blend elements of both action and contemplation within your personal spiritual practices?

God is in Traffic on 280 – May 24

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; PM Psalm 119:121-144 
Ezek. 11:14-25; Heb. 7:1-17; Luke 10:17-24

I had an exchange yesterday morning that I think can be described as holy. A white SUV merged in front of me onto Highway 280, and the driver reminded me of a parishioner from Saint Stephen’s. At that moment, I decided to call his wife to check on their family, even though I thought she might be at work. The woman answered the phone. She told me she was at the hospital with her husband. He had a medical event the evening before and was now being prepared for surgery. She asked if I had heard from a church staff member…and I told her of my odd traffic experience. We were both wowed by God in that moment, as our eyes were opened to the Lord’s care and faithfulness.

In Luke’s gospel for this morning, the Lord has appointed seventy faithful people to go out in pairs on mission to share the peace of God. Jesus gives them directions about what to bring and how to conduct themselves. When welcomed in a community, they are to share table fellowship and build relationships with the people. They are to cure the sick and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” When rejected, the disciples are to proclaim widely in the streets, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”

This bunch of faith-filled people swirl back into town after an undisclosed amount of time, joyous from their evangelistic endeavors. Practically swooning, they say to Jesus, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” The 35 pairs are fired up by doing ministry. I can imagine their whoops and feel the fervor as they share their stories.

Jesus makes sure that they remember the purpose of their mission – which is heavenly permanence, rather than seeing the success of their prayerful actions. He says, “See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Then, Jesus prays in the Holy Spirit words of thanks to God. He says thank you to the Lord of heaven and earth for the gift of revelation…hiding knowledge from some and revealing it to others. Jesus prays words of gratitude for divine revelation: “All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

In ministry, whether as ordained clergy or empowered laity, we do not always know at what or whom we are looking. Our eyes are not always opened to those holy WOW! moments of healing and wholeness. While it would be great if the demons would submit to our prayers as they did to the 70 missioners of Jesus, sometimes we meet people in the messy middle. The pain continues. The anguish and fear refuse to recede. The abuse and hardship get worse. The disease spreads.

Sometimes, the WOW comes when we realize God puts us in just the right spot, or God uses our voice just when someone needs it. For those moments, let us say, “Thanks be to God!”

-- Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection: When have you felt God opening your eyes to understand more deeply or see more clearly? How do you pray for this to happen more intentionally?

Daily Challenge: This was last week's challenge...and it applies to today, too. Prayer continues to be a living discipline, and the results are sometimes a mixed bag. Sit with this prayer from St. Francis de Sales today.

Is it ok to look back? - May 22

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52; Ezek. 4:1-17; Heb. 6:1-12; Luke 9:51-62

Today’s Gospel feels odd after a weekend celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of this church. We have spent a weekend remembering the past and being inspired by the past. We even had a play written about it that premiered on Friday night! Is this nostalgia? Is it helpful? It has certainly helped us all appreciate what a gift it is to be in community, to treasure what and who is special and precious in our lives. And I would like to believe that is a good thing, but it is only good if it propels more deeply into faithful living for the future. 

Today’s Gospel has some of the odder sayings from Jesus. We have the passage about foxes and birds and how the Son of Man has no place to rest. Jesus encounters a person on the road who feels compelled to follow Jesus. His father has recently died, and he is asking if he can first bury his father. Another person wants to go say farewell to the people at home and in both instances Jesus’ instructions are clear: do not turn back but full steam ahead. Is it wrong to bury our loved ones?

I do not find Jesus’ words particularly comforting, nor are they pastoral, or even practical. Sometimes we have to deal with the past. And one could argue, it’s my vocation to bury people. And when we bury people, we proclaim Christ’s reign and God’s victory over death and the Kingdom of God has drawn a little closer. Jesus’ words seem harsh. 

And yet – God is always beckoning us into a future. In the words of one of our recent preachers, Sam Wells, “A future that is bigger than the past.” Looking back is only helpful if it calls us into a deeper and more faithful hope for the future. I wonder if Jesus is concerned that the two people he encounters on his journey might get stuck in their past if they don’t move forward.

I loved looking back this past weekend. It was both a gift and an inspiration. But the future is what lies ahead. If we spend too much time only focusing on the past we might forget what is before us – a gift – a way of being in relationship with God and there is no better time than now to follow our Lord and Savior. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  When you think of your faith, do you think more of the past or the future?  What are most hopeful for in the next few years, in the next decade, in the life to come?

Daily Challenge:  Write a letter to your future self about who you hope you in one year.  If you have an email program that schedules emails, schedule it to go out in one year’s time. 

Praying for Rain - May 17, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; Baruch 3:24-37; James 5:13-18; Luke 12:22-31

Wow, did someone pray for rain this week? On the way to another end of school awards ceremony on Monday evening, there was terrible flooding on I-65. Tuesday morning, the freshly cleaned windows at the ground level - that had been dusty and dirty from construction in the renovation of the memorial garden – were again speckled with dirt, for Monday’s rain was coming down that hard! The storms even washed away most of the shaving cream, cheese puffs, and glitter left over in the back parking lot following the year-end EYC messy Olympics. Becky and John joked yesterday that Taylor McLemore – Minister for Youth at Saint Stephen’s – must have really prayed for rain to clean up the detritus left behind from the teenagers’ fun.

Prayer is subtle yet powerful. It can move and change us – as a group and as individuals. We read about the power of prayer in the Epistle reading appointed for today. The Letter of James is a primer on Christian living, with teachings imparted that are grounded in God’s law and the stories of the Israelite people. In today’s reading that comes at the end of this brief five-chapter book of the New Testament, James encourages his readers to pray without ceasing – whether they are suffering, happy, or ill. Pray at all times, he says, as a community of faith. Healing, hope, and reconciliation can come when we pray together for one another. This is one of the reasons Saint Stephen’s (and many other churches) publish the names of those on the prayer list. It is not necessarily for people to inquire curiously, ‘What’s wrong with David?’; rather, we get to hold one another in prayer by name – in thanksgiving, in God’s care, in the compassion of Jesus. We read that “the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up.” (v. 15a)

Prayer brings us salvation and rest in a different way, too. The second half of verse 15 says that “anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.” As we open ourselves to prayer, sometimes our minds slip into what we regret and what pains us. When we lift those discomforts and spaces of dis-ease to God, we are reconciled to our Lord. Then, we are more apt to be reconciled with those who have hurt us…and it is this reason that James suggests, “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” (v. 16) The contrite person confesses to the one they have hurt, and each gets to pray for the other, so that healing grows within each one. When set in the framework of faithful living in God’s love, this model is both revolutionary and elementary. Prayer can move mountains and melt the stones of resentment that are piled in our hearts. It is not easy, and it can be done with God’s help.

Whether your prayers bring great drought or rain, like Elijah’s did in 1 Kings, or Taylor McLemore prays for the deluges to clean up the back parking lot after a rollicking time with the youth group, I pray that we remember that prayer as a community brings us strength and healing and joy. I have seen this happen among us in my years at Saint Stephen’s, and I look forward to hearing your stories of prayer bringing you closer to God and one another.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection:

How does prayer factor into your rhythms of processing hurt or disappointment? Do you ask others to pray for you in these situations?

Daily Challenge:

Prayer is a discipline, and the results are sometimes a mixed bag. Sit with this prayer from St. Francis de Sales today.

'If you give your life for the sake of the Gospel, you’ll find it.’ - May 15

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 80; PM Psalm 77, [79]; Deut. 8:1-10; James 1:1-15; Luke 9:18-27

“Be Jesus people rather than get too involved with churchy things. Be happy without having all the answers. And I keep coming back to Jesus saying, ‘If you seek your life, you lose it. But if you give your life for the sake of the Gospel, you’ll find it.’ Love your neighbor. Pretty simple.” – the Rev. Doug Carpenter. These are words from the end of an interview with Doug Carpenter. In the upcoming Saint Magazine, I get a chance to walk with both Doug and the Rt. Rev. Russell Kendrick about their time at Saint Stephen’s, what they learned about their own calling, and how Saint Stephen’s has shaped their own lives and understanding of God.  Our magazine team pulled this quote, and it takes up the entirety of page six. I can’t wait for you to be able to read the whole story. 

Could it really be this simple? Don’t seek your life, but give it?  This is the theme of our Gospel appointed for today.

On Saturday, in the busiest month of the year, in a season of graduations and championships, with more to do than seems rationally possible, we welcomed several hundred people into the Parish Hall to package 50,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger.  A loud 70s Dance Party playlist thumped through the speakers with a gong being hit every few minutes to signify one thousand meals being packaged. Young children ran around the space handing off bags and supplies. It was the most unselfish moment I’ve experienced in a long time. No one took home anything, no prizes were earned, no names were mentioned, only a sense of being a part of community and what we find when we give of ourselves.

Around 1:30 p.m., we began winding up the day. Our supplies of vitamin packages and the bags that contain soy, rice, and vegetables were dwindling. When the final gong was struck, we had packaged 49,900 meals.  We couldn’t find the last stack of bags which we later learned had been moved under a box and weren’t discovered until everything had been put up. 49,900 – exactly 0.2% from the completion of our goal. We had been telling people for months that we would package 50,000 meals and now, there was no chance of our goal being met. 

Maybe 49,900 is the perfect number, a reminder of our own imperfection. It could not have been a more beautiful Saturday, a day filled with imperfect people giving of themselves for the sake of the Gospel, and in the process finding life. Nothing’s perfect in this world, but it sure is beautiful when we follow Jesus. Maybe it really is that simple. 

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: Can you think back to moments when you have tried to find your life and felt lost? What about times when you have given so much that you have found life? 

Daily Challenge: Pick one area where you could lend a hand. Send an email to the Rev. Dr. Becky Bridges, our Associate Rector for Formation and Outreach if you need help finding an area to serve. 

Holy Interruptions - May 12

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 106:1-18; PM Psalm 106:19-48; Wisdom 16:15-17:1; Rom. 14:13-23; Luke 8:40-56

Today’s Reflection

Have you ever noticed how busy and in-demand Jesus was? Throughout the Gospels, we hear repeatedly this scenario: Jesus is on the way somewhere, and people along the road are following him, coming up to him, asking him for healing or for answers to tough questions. Or Jesus arrives somewhere, whether by boat or by foot, and a massive crowd has already formed in anticipation of his arrival, thronging all around him just to get a glimpse of his face or to be close enough to hear his words once he begins to teach. (We also hear how Jesus was good about knowing when he needed to break away from this demanding life to recharge, but that is for another reflection.)

But an important thing to notice in these scenarios, when Jesus is going from place to place, crowd to crowd, is that he knows when he needs to stop and pay attention to that one person who in that very moment needs him and his healing love the most. In Luke 8, we read of another one of these days when Jesus is in high demand and yet another crowd has formed, waiting to hear more of his saving, healing message. And in this moment, we hear of how a man named Jairus seeks out Jesus to come heal his only daughter, just 12 years old but about to die. Jesus listens to Jairus and begins to make his way toward Jairus’ house. This is important. Jesus is on the way to heal a beloved daughter and give people a glimpse of God’s love at work in this world.

On the way through the crowd, though, someone else is seeking him out. A woman, who has been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, also needs Jesus’ healing touch. She sees Jesus is very busy, maybe she even realizes Jesus is on the way to heal someone else. So, she just brushes up against his cloak, believing that she will be made well even by this simple touch. And Jesus senses even this, noticing “that the power had gone out from me.” Jesus realizes that someone touched him and was healed—without him even saying a word to make it so. He could have left it at that and gone about his way. But Jesus knows that this woman, too, is important: she is a child of God who needs grace and love. She reached out to Jesus in hope and found healing. So, Jesus stops what he’s doing and acknowledges this woman, allowing her to share her story, and affirming her act of reaching out to him: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Henri Nouwen once wrote of his realization that what at first seem like interruptions are, in fact, the work to which he and we are truly called. We all encounter, as Jesus did on the way to visit Jairus’ dying daughter, these holy interruptions. And in those moments, we have a choice: We can keep going about our business, what we have planned to do and accomplish today—or we can remain alert for those moments when someone needs us, needs us to stop and pay attention. And if we choose rightly in these moments, this can make all the difference in the life of a fellow human being who needs to feel Christ’s healing touch in their life, too.

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

When has someone stopped what they were doing to notice you (or someone you love) and offer them the healing gift of acknowledgement and attention? When have you done the same for others?

How well do you listen? - May 10

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96
Wisdom 13:1-9; Rom 13:1-14; Luke 8:16-25

“No one listens to me!” says the not-quite-teenager who lives in our house. It is a routine complaint that she submits to us. She wants to be heard, understood, and heeded. (So do I!) And so, our battle of egos and personalities wages on, with God’s love keeping us in orbit together. This parenting challenge is not isolated to my own experience…perhaps you have heard or felt this tension through your own process of maturation.

Jesus’ message from Luke 8 speaks to the ways we listen and pay attention. In yesterday’s gospel reading, Jesus tells the parable of the sower distributing seeds upon different types of ground, affecting how they grow. He concludes, saying, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen.” The disciples ask a clarifying question, for they do not understand the teaching story, and so Jesus explores the meanings of the varies terrains and seeds with regard to faith and life.

Then, we hear what is appointed for today, beginning with Luke 8:16 – “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.” I listened to this scripture in a fresh way today. Jesus tells the disciples that after hearing such a truth about the growth and fullness that can come from a life grounded in the Good News of God in Christ, that light cannot be covered up, ignored, or shoved in the back of a closet. When we have a-ha moments, we get to put those insights in a place where we revisit them, ponder them, share them, and continue going deeper in our faith. Perhaps that is why there is a niche for inspirational words as wall art – we need reminders to cling to faith, hope, and love, or to “accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.”

When we listen to the Good News of Jesus and let that hope inspire us – we are receiving a gift. The Word of God is a gift given to anyone with ears to hear. We are invited to listen. To hear. And to do something about these messages of faithful living.

May we each have ears to hear, minds to ponder, and hearts to respond deeply to the promise and love of Jesus this day.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection: 

Do you consider yourself a good listener? Who listens well to you? When is it hard to listen to others?

Daily Challenge:

Reach out to someone this week who is hard for you to listen to. Ask how you can pray for them. And ask them to pray for you, too.

Getting up with Fleas - May 8

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Wisdom 9:1, 7-18; Col. (3:18-4:1)2-18; Luke 7:36-50

There were statements I heard from my father often when I was growing up. When I would go on a trip or somewhere without my parents I was always told “Remember who you are, and who you represent.” If I asked one of the millions of ‘what if’ questions, my father would always respond, “What if the Earth cracks open and swallows you whole.”  And when he was especially critical of the company I kept, “When you lay down with dogs, you get up fleas.” 

Now, as much time has passed from the litany of annoying parental inquiries and ideologies, I can look back on the words of my father with a little more charity.  I get his point, and there is truth that when you surround yourself around people who want to make the world better, you are much more likely to be a better person. 

The Gospel message for today is quite different. It is the seemly good-natured Pharisee, whom most parents would be glad their son is spending time with, who is critical of Jesus’s inclusion of a woman who is named as a sinner. You get the impression that Jesus would have stood up with fleas after spending time with this woman. In fact, Jesus uses the person who is so offensive to the Pharisees as the model for faithfulness and a reminder that our judgments often completely miss the mark. 

I remember walking in downtown Nashville years ago and seeing a sign on a church, “Sinners welcome, no Saints allowed.” I love the sentiment. We are all broken people in need of God’s grace. While it can be exceptionally beneficial and helpful to surround ourselves with people who have grown in their faith and can model for us what it means to be faithful, the inverse is also true – you could be that person for someone else. 

So hang out with a sinner. You might get up with fleas, or you might teach another about God’s love and grace.

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  Who are the people in your life who have been a positive influence on you?  Can you think of people who might list you as one of their positive influences? 

Daily Challenge:  Write a letter to one of the people you have thought of experiencing gratitude for their influence.

Thrones and Sceptres - May 5

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51; Wisdom 6:12-23; Col 3:1-11; Luke 7:1-17

Today’s Reflection

The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction, and concern for instruction is love of her, and love of her is the keeping of her laws, and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality, and immortality brings one near to God; so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom. Therefore if you delight in thrones and sceptres, O monarchs over the peoples, honour wisdom, so that you may reign for ever.  Wisdom of Solomon 6: 17-21

Tomorrow is a big day for people in the United Kingdom as it is Coronation Day for Charles III. Many others around the world will watch with interest as he is officially crowned the monarch over England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. As Episcopalians, we may have some extra interest in this event as the king or queen of England is also considered, at least in title, the head of the Church of England. In their cultural context, church and state are intertwined in ways that may seem arcane and puzzling to many in the United States, where we prize the separation of church and state.

The Coronation is a liturgy presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury (currently the Most Rev. Justin Welby), taking place in Westminster Abbey. The liturgy is a 34-page order of service (or 42 pages if you want to read the commentary), which includes many familiar elements from our shared Anglican tradition. One part of the service that seems familiar if you have been to an ordination service is the singing of the Veni Creator prayer:

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And lighten with celestial fire. Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart. Thy blessèd unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love. Enable with perpetual light The dullness of our blinded sight. Anoint and cheer our soiled face With the abundance of thy grace. Keep far our foes, give peace at home: Where thou art guide, no ill can come. Teach us to know the Father, Son, And thee, of both, to be but One. That, through the ages all along, This may be our endless song: Praise to thy eternal merit, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Immediately following singing Veni Creator, in Welsh and in English, the Archbishop of Canterbury will pray thanksgiving for the Holy Oil, made of olives from the Mount of Olives (where Charles’ grandmother, Princess Alice, is buried), and blessed and presented by the Archbishops of Jerusalem. In this thanksgiving, the Archbishop of Canterbury prays,

By the power of the same Spirit, bless and sanctify this oil, that it may be for thy servant Charles a sign of joy and gladness; that as King he may know the abundance of thy grace and the power of thy mercy, and that we may be made a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for thine own possession.

At this point, the Coronation liturgy takes an interesting turn, as the Anointing Screen is arranged around the Coronation chair, which means that the most holy moment of the service remains unseen by the thousands gathered in the Abbey and the millions viewing the ceremony around the world. This is the part of the service that most parallels the point in the ordination of a deacon, priest, or bishop, when the bishop’s hands are placed on the head of the ordinand, the Holy Spirit is invoked, and the person at that point becomes what he or she is being ordained to be. And so it is with Charles III. As he anoints Charles with holy oil, on his hands, breast, and head, the Archbishop prays:

Be your hands anointed with holy oil. Be your breast anointed with holy oil. Be your head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And he prays this blessing:

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who by his Father was anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows, by his holy Anointing pour down upon your Head and Heart the blessing of the Holy Spirit, and prosper the works of your Hands: that by the assistance of his heavenly grace you may govern and preserve the People committed to your charge in wealth, peace, and godliness; and after a long and glorious course of ruling a temporal kingdom wisely, justly, and religiously, you may at last be made partaker of an eternal kingdom, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Only after Charles III has received this anointing and blessing is he then garbed with his royal vestments and receives his spurs, swords, armills, stole, robe, orb, ring, glove, rod, and sceptre, all of which are presented with great ceremony and lead up to the crowning, after which all respond, “God Save the King!” Following this, the Queen is crowned, and the service then turns to the celebration of the Eucharist, using the traditional English Book of Common Prayer language (much like our Rite I liturgy).

Regardless of what one thinks of monarchy as a tradition or as a means of governance (personally I have some doubts about it on several levels), it is worthwhile to reflect on Britain’s tradition of praying for their leaders and anointing them in this way. As our friend Sam Wells recently preached, in a sermon at St. Martin-in-the-Fields leading up to Coronation Week, “The British monarch is a symbol of this country’s commitment to the flourishing of all its people, bar none, and of all people everywhere. The most demanding aspect of being king is not the scrutiny or constant public attention but the setting aside of any purpose other than that of the people’s flourishing.”

In the monarch, Wells argues, we are given one picture of what it can mean to follow in the way of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, and as he concluded his sermon, “May the coronation of King Charles focus our attention on the qualities needed to shepherd the nation and the Commonwealth; may it empower each one of us in the way we shepherd those in our care; and may it renew our wonder at the good shepherd who himself became a lamb, and whose goodness and mercy follow us all our days, that we might share green pastures and dwell in God’s house forever.”

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

You can view Wells’ sermon, “The Qualities of a Shepherd,” on YouTube (sermon begins at 22:30). Or you may find the transcript here.

If you are interested in reading the Coronation liturgy for yourself (or having a copy to look at if you’re viewing the Coronation online or on television), you can download it here.

Wrestling with the ungodly – May 3

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53], Wisdom 4:16-5:8; Col. 1:24-2:7; Luke 6:27-38

“The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living…”

That is the first piece of Holy Scripture I read this morning. What?! I felt jolted almost as much as the extra large cup of coffee yesterday afternoon. These words drip with justice and retribution...and I keep reading to see what else is in store in the Wisdom of Solomon.

“…youth that is quickly perfected (ended) will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous. For they will see the end of the wise, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them, and for what he kept them safe.”

The tension between entities continue, and for this I sought some Bible notes, sharing the context here that early death was a sign of God’s favor, rather than a curse. To live long into advanced age was filled with aches and pains, metaphorically and physically.

“The unrighteous will see, and will have contempt for them, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this they will become dishonored corpses, and an outrage among the dead for ever; because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish.”

Wow! That is some old-fashioned, harsh judgment of the unrighteous. These words in Wisdom repeat themes of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, who prophesied that there would be a reckoning. These holy men proclaimed that God’s people would be restored and those who wronged the Israelites during exile would be brought to justice before the Lord.

Have you ever longed for someone who has hurt you – either directly or indirectly – to feel the sting of justice? The burn of regret? The heaviness of guilt? These words from the Wisdom of Solomon ring of these themes. The appointed reading for today does not end there.

The condemnation of the unrighteous is followed by the counterbalance – what will happen to the righteous. Those who were wronged “will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them”. Restoration comes. And deep repentance. The vindictive tone ends. “When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance…”

Those who have wronged others will groan and see clearly what they have done, saying “Fools that we were!” Their eyes being opened, they see the ones who are righteous in a new light and see their own actions as “paths of lawlessness and destruction”.

This reading from the Apocrypha is appointed for today in our lectionary. While these words were written around the time of Jesus’ birth, these messages that explore the contrasting trajectories of the righteous and unrighteous land in my heart today as I process the conclusion of the criminal case against the man who shot and killed Bart Rainey, Sharon Yeager, and Jane Pounds. It was painful to see that tall man walk into the courtroom yesterday. As I watched him walk and heard the chains clink around his waist and wrists, he looked at the benches filled by the families he affected, Saint Stephen’s clergy, and church leadership. I am still working through the messiness of the loss and anger and fear and resentment upon my heart. It is so much. And so deep.

The words, “I will not leave you comfortless” come to mind…the King James Version of John 14:18, which we also read as “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to see you.” Jesus will not leave me alone in this mire. Jesus will be your partner in the muck, and inspire each of us to lean upon God. And others – like trained therapists – can also be our guides and confidantes in this struggle, where love will get the final word.

Jesus’ words come to us in today’s gospel reading from Luke, which begins, “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Friends, let us pray…for those whom we have lost, for those who are lost, and for ourselves as we ache. We are not alone, and we are deeply loved by God.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection:

Where do you feel anger? Who and what helps you process your deep feelings of pain and anguish?

Daily Challenge:

Sit in prayer today, praying for someone who requires extra grace to be with or pray for. Ask God to help you.

Way of St. James - May 1

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44; Wisdom 1:16-2:11,21-24; Col. 1:1-14; Luke 6:1-11

Today is the feast of St. James and St. Phillip, two of the twelve apostles.  The church has many days that commemorate women and men who have led inspirational lives that continue to shape the faith of believers and seekers.  In our own church tradition, we don’t put a lot of emphasis on these days but that doesn’t mean the impact isn’t real.  This morning, I was struck by the subtle way St. James continues to impact people in our own community.

Yesterday during the 7:45 a.m. service, we prayed for two parishioners who came forward to receive a blessing before leaving that afternoon to head to Portugal to walk the Portuguese route of the Way of St. James, one of the many pilgrimages of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a system of trails and paths that all lead to the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago, Spain, where people have been traveling for over 1000 years to visit the place where St. James is buried.  It is one of three cathedrals built over the burial suite of one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. 

This morning, another group of four friends from Saint Stephen’s are leaving to walk the last 105 km of the traditional route across northern Spain. And later this week, parents of youth in our youth program will learn about future plans that will include a pilgrimage for our young people that will include an opportunity to walk part of the Camino de Santiago. Many others from our community have walked, biked, or even ridden on horseback parts of this famous pilgrimage.  St. James continues to make an impact in the life of our community.

What strikes me most about these trips are the intentions that people have to grow in their faith and the lengths they will go to gain deeper insight into how God is a part of their lives.  Walking 75-500 miles to grow deeper in your faith is not an ordinary decision.  Today’s Gospel reading (normal lectionary and not the feast day reading) is a passage from Luke where Jesus justifies breaking some of the normal rules of sabbath. “Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’”  I believe there is a relationship between the pioneering spirit of those who venture off the beaten path to know God more fully to the spirit of Jesus’s rule-breaking ethic that says not everything you need is contained in the religious life of community. 

I hope that when you read a reflection, when you show up to church, when you engage in a ministry that your faith is deepened, and you know God more fully.  And, today’s passage from Luke is another reminder that sometimes religious leaders fail to see the bigger picture. What are the proactive ways that you are seeking out growing in your faith, and what responsibility are you taking in your own faith development?  What will it lead you to next?  A new book, a new class, or a self-guided trip around the world?

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: What are the proactive ways that you are seeking out growing in your faith, and what responsibility are you taking in your own faith development? 
Daily Challenge:  If you are interested in learning more about the Way of St. James, I encourage you to watch this class offered at Saint Stephen’s earlier this year by two of our pilgrims. 

Face to Face Communication - April 28

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 105:1-22; PM Psalm 105:23-45 ; Dan. 6:1-15; 2 John 1-13; Luke 5:12-26

Today’s Reflection

Amongst today’s readings we find one entire book of the Bible, the Second Epistle of John. In this short letter attributed to John the Evangelist (also author of the Gospel of John), we find just thirteen lines of a personal letter addressed to “the elect lady and her children.” It’s a very personal letter, commending them for “walking in the truth,” encouraging them to “love one another,” and warning them to “be on your guard” against those who teach things that “go beyond” the teaching of Christ.

What caught my eye, though, came at the close of the letter, when John says this: “Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete” (2 John 12). In this statement we hear John, himself the writer (depending which scholars you follow) of a substantial Gospel account and other epistles, saying that we need to communicate with one another not just through writing letters, but also through spending time with one another face to face. How much truth there is in this statement still today!

Sometimes, a letter or an email, a text or a call or a video chat, is the way to go, be it due to expediency or being separated by many miles. But nothing can ever substitute for committing to spend time with another person face to face. Not even a video chat can capture the power of close physical proximity—being able to reach out to hold a hand, pat someone on the shoulder, offer a hug.

There’s something to be said for sharing companionship with others in person. It’s why we gather for worship together in the same physical space on Sundays, and for small groups throughout the week. And it’s why we make a point of delivering communion and visiting those for whom it isn’t possible to be physically with us at the church.

While we also put much time and effort into our printed and electronic communication, everything from our magazine and bulletins to our e-news and our livestreams of worship and formation, we intend these not as a substitute for in-person interactions but rather as a supplement. When you watch a video of ours online or receive something from us in your email, our deep hope is that these communications will remind you to come join us for church this Sunday, to be with us “face to face, so that our joy may be complete.”

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

Today or this weekend, challenge yourself to take what could have been a text or an email and instead connect with that person face to face. Think about the ways you tend to communicate with people and look for chances to visit with someone in person rather than through electronic means.

POV - April 26, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48 
Dan. 5:1-12; 1 John 5:1-12; Luke 4:38-44

Looking out the window of my office at Saint Stephen’s, I can see the skilled workers who are building the columbarium – a wall in the Memorial Garden that will hold niches for funeral urns to be stored. Over these last few months, the laborers have driven heavy machinery to move dirt and rocks, preparing the foundation for appropriate drainage and to withstand the elements. Concrete has been poured. Rocks have been cut, sorted, placed, and sealed with mortar to cover the cinder block infrastructure. The workers sometimes stand and discuss, point and re-evaluate. Guidance is offered. Adjustments are made. The sun beats down on their heads, and their gloves are dirtied by the signs of progress. It is exciting to watch the project move forward from the ground up, through the purview of my ground-level windows.

Hanging within one of my windows is a metal set of angel wings, a gift from a parishioner at St. Thomas in Huntsville. The angel wings are about a foot long and are suspended above the top panel of the window. There are occasions when workers sit in the sill to rest, or they stand at just the right place. If I look up at just one of those times, the laborer in front of my office looks as if he has wings. Whether resting, talking, or lifting, it makes me smile to see a heavenly touch on each of these men. I don’t know that any of these skilled workers know how I see them…and I actually wonder if they realize I am working at a desk just beyond those little windows at their feet.

Musing over points of view, I am drawn to Psalm 38. In my Bible, the heading of this says, “A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.” This is one of the seven penitential psalms, in addition to Psalms 6, 32, 51, 102, 130, and 143. The footnote states that this is a psalm of individual lament over a serious illness plaguing the psalmist. As I read these prayerful words of supplication to God, I wonder if this was first intended as a private prayer, or if others knew that the psalmist was struggling mightily. In verse 4, the poet wrote, “For my iniquities overwhelm me; like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear.” Did others around them know how hard life felt? Do those around you know what burdens you carry? Do the pains of your body or lived experience leave you searing, numb, or detached?

I recognize that I do not know even the first bit of the joys and struggles upon the shoulders of those working in the Memorial Garden. And yet, there are times when I see angel wings upon them. This truth reminds me that each of us has inner turmoil and pain. There will be moments when others see the angel wings upon our shoulder blades, lifting us through the muck and mire. And maybe, just maybe, we will hear those stories of hope and encouragement to get us to steady ground as we call out to God to stay near and help us.

Hang in there, my friends. A different point of view reveals the angel wings.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection:

Do you feel stuck in a single point of view? How easy is it to change your perspective? Who or what helps you adjust your field of vision?

Daily Challenge:

Speak to someone this week with whom you often cross paths, but you know little about them. Ask how you can pray for them -- and then do it!

10 Years makes Quite a Difference - April 24

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 25; PM Psalm 9, 15 ; Dan.4:19-27; 1 John 3:19-4:6; Luke 4:14-30

I am notorious for leaving my Book of Common Prayer / Hymnal all over the church.  I actually have two, one that was a gift from my Mother-in-Law given to me on June 14, 2013, at my ordination.  The other was given to me on May 11, 2013, by a group of six members of St. George’s in Arlington, Virginia, that I had met with monthly for two years as they helped me reflect on my role as seminarian at that church.  The second book is red, and the one from my mother-in-law, with a black cover, is the one I usually use at church. 

Yet, I couldn’t find my usual BCP on Sunday morning (it has since been located), so I rushed downstairs to grab the red book from my office and I opened the book to see the note from my seminarian committee, almost ten years ago today. My how things have changed! 

Are you the same way, ten years have passed and your understanding of God, God’s grace, love, redemption, and resurrection have taken on new meaning and life? 

Today’s Gospel is the story of Jesus in his hometown preaching in the temple as a boy.  He unrolls a scroll from the 61 chapter of Isaiah and reads a passage to the people in the synagogue.  People are amazed.   And then when Jesus offers criticism, the town turns on him and drives him out.  They cannot see the connection. It will take another ten to twenty years for people to begin to understand just who this boy is and the implications for all of humanity.

While this passage certainly points to Jesus’s knowledge of Scripture, his connection to the text in Isaiah, and the prediction of how the first Christian people would see the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures, this text points to another very simple truth – we will grow in our faith.   What we see today, we may see with new issues and a fresh understanding later. 

Where were you 10 years ago?  What did you believe?  Does Jesus take new meaning in your life today?

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: Think back to where you were ten years ago. Where were you 10 years ago?  What did you believe?  Does Jesus take new meaning in your life today?

Daily Challenge: Write a note to yourself ten years from now. Put it in your Book of Common Prayer or a bible, and now add a calendar reminder in your Google or Outlook calendar to read the note.