Michaelmas - September 29, 2023

Today’s Readings….

St. Michael & All Angels:
AM Psalm 8, 148; Job 38:1-7; Hebrews 1:1-14
PM Psalm 34, 150 or 104; Daniel 12:1-3

Today’s Reflection

Today is the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels. This day is also called "Michaelmas." The word "angel" or angelos in Greek means messenger. Throughout Hebrew and Christian scripture angels play a prominent role in pivotal moments. A few of those many angelic encounters include: an unnamed messenger interrupting Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22:11), Michael and Gabriel's roles in the Book of Daniel (8:16, 9:21, 12:1), Gabriel's message to Mary of her chosen status (Luke 1:28) as well as angelic assurance to Joseph in a dream that it was God's will he wed Mary. In the Book of Revelation an epic battle results in the Archangel Michael and his angels defeating Satan (12:7-12). Thus, the title "Archangel," meaning Michael is the "chief of the angels."

Each Eucharist, we sing or say, "Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sent this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name..."(BCP, 362). What a glorious image of the merging of heaven and earth at the Holy Table.

Today, our tradition honors the many ways that God sends messengers to us in "human or non-human forms." (Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2006, 398) My hope is that we find comfort in knowing that we are not alone; that God is commanding God's angels concerning us to guard us in all our ways (Psalm 91:11). Perhaps we might even be especially inspired this day to pay attention to God's messengers in our midst.

I invite you to close by praying the Collect for this day: Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Full discloser--I went down a rabbit hole with this one and had a blast. If you want to learn more about angels in Jewish antiquity, here a great article; If you want to read about a tradition that imagines angels preceding each one of us announcing "Make Way for the Image of God" check this out; or if you're curious about how "Michaelmas" is celebrated in Scotland, and finally, Forward Movement has a wonderful reflection on this day as well.

Grace and Peace,

Mary Bea+

Why do we love boldly? - September 27, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82
2 Kings 6:1-23; 1 Cor. 5:9-6:8; Matt. 5:38-48

Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) was a renowned Christian philosopher and theologian in the eleventh century. As a leader, he rose through the ranks of the church to become Archbishop of Canterbury. As a scholar, he wrote various works exploring how we understand God’s being and how we relate to God; his writing poured over from cognitive reflection to spiritual direction. Some of his prayers translated into English can be found here.

One of my favorite prayers of Anselm echoes through the words of Jesus this morning in the excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). Jesus challenged his listeners to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (v. 44). This must have been hard to hear, for there was tension in the Temple at times. Advocating for the love of God could get the disciples in hot water! Rather than steam and wish ill for their rivals, Jesus called his followers to be different. To double-down in prayer. And he even gave them a reason, “so that you may be children of your Father in heaven”. In responding in this way, their actions would exhibit whose they truly were – children of God.

Jesus ushered the audience into a deeper level of profundity as he spoke of his father: “for [God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” (v. 45) God cares for all of the Earth, for all of creation, for all of the humans and those more-than-human beings. The sun shines upon all, and rain falls upon all. This is a challenging premise, when different people groups across the world want God to be on one “side” or another “side”. To love across boundaries is not easy – and yet, avoiding the hard work does not build up our faith. Jesus told his listeners, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?” (v. 46a)

As I sit with Jesus’ words, I wonder what growth or change happens if I stay within the boundaries of comfort and predictability? How often do I lean upon God for guidance if I already know what to do?

Saint Anselm wrote a prayer for heavenly mindedness. Jesus’ words from Matthew greatly influenced what he prayed in the 11th century. Let the message of Jesus and the prayer of Anselm inspire you this day:

O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray You, with the graces of Your Holy Spirit, with love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Teach us to love those who hate us, to pray for those who despitefully use us, that we may be the children of You our Father, who makes Your sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

What does it mean to you today to pray for those who are hard to love? Where does God's perfecting love factor into this for you? Let Jesus be your guide today as you listen through prayer and pondering.

Shining On - September 22

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 69:1-23(24-30)31-38; PM Psalm 73
2 Kings 1:2-17; 1 Cor. 3:16-23; Matt. 5:11-16

During the height of the pandemic, my husband Malcolm and I had good friends who seemed to maneuver the difficulties of that time better than most, and certainly better than we were.  At one point, I asked our friends what was sustaining them.  They mentioned a few important things like staying connected to family in the creative ways many of us employed during that difficult time. They became most animated talking about the innovative ways their exercise class  found to continue to meet.  Racks of weights were rolled out into the parking lot; yoga mats covered the pavement; and instructors found ways to shout out instructions in the dark of the early hours of the day.  

Our friends’ enthusiasm was contagious and after a long haul of at-home-exercise videos, we decided to try their gym.  I began attending an early class and was warmly welcomed by the instructor.  She encouraged me, was patient with me, and at the end of most classes, would connect me with others.  For the past 18 months, I have watched this inspiring instructor not only teach about exercise, but perhaps more importantly, engage her gifts for creating safe community.  Each week as new persons try the class, she gently enfolds them in her care and entrusts them to the rest of us who follow the lead she models of acceptance and kindness.  In the midst of a worldwide loneliness pandemic, every morning a group of us come together to sweat it out and share our lives, nurtured by our faithful instructor.  

Jesus says, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Each human being is a unique expression of God, made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).  As we humbly and generously offer the gifts God has given us to offer, the fullness of God’s nature is revealed.  When we hide our light, the world is denied an aspect of our Creator that God desires to reveal for the healing of the world, and the healing of our own lives.  If there is a place in your life where you have been timid about shining your light, my prayer is that you bravely, humbly radiate for the glory of God.  

Grace and peace,
Mary Bea+

Questions for reflection: Is there a place in your life where God is encouraging you to bravely, humbly offer more of yourself/your gifts? What is one step you can take in that direction? Who has inspired you in the past by joyfully sharing of themself?

Do. Or do not. There is no try. - September 20, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96; 1 Kings 22:1-28; 1 Cor. 2:1-13; Matt. 4:18-25

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda

This week, I was able to observe a therapist at work with a group counseling session of people struggling deeply with depression. Goal setting was at the heart of the counselor’s agenda that day, though the participants met his attempts with varied levels of willingness to incorporate such rules and framework into their daily schedules. And I get it. I live many days upon a pendulum where either I have a penchant for putting structure to every detail of our lovely, messy life, or I go with the flow and hold space for the needs and cares of the moment.

As the therapist engaged the men and women in the session, I could hear one participant wrestling with a goal. The idea of the desired result was there. She could even put words to it. She had enrolled in classes. Her perseverance and motivation to get started were lacking. A few times in conversation, the participant said she would try to begin…that she would try to work on some SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) goals. When I think of her now, I see the image of an enormous speed bump blocking any efforts for her to move forward.

Then, the dynamic in the room shifted. The counselor said to the “stuck” participant, “Let’s do something. Try to stand up.” The person arose from her chair and stood up.

“Sit down. Do it again. Try to stand up.”

She looked at him quizzically and stood up. And then sat down, knowing that his teaching was not sinking in yet.

“Try to stand.”

Ah! This time, she leaned forward in her chair and did not move further. There were noises of understanding and comprehension among the group.

The therapist said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Silence. Someone asked him to repeat himself. He said it again: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Another participant or two began chuckling after a moment and said, “Star Wars!” The therapist smiled and conceded that he was quoting Yoda, the mighty little green Jedi master who taught Luke Skywalker about using the Force.

This story bubbles up for me this morning as I read about Jesus recruiting followers in his ministry. Walking along the Sea of Galilee, he calls out to Peter and Andrew. They leave their nets and follow him. James and John stop their other tasks of life and follow Jesus. They go and do. The ministry and model Jesus demonstrates is one of living fully. It is a call to go and be and do. The disciples do not say, “Okay, Jesus – we will try to follow you.” They just do it. And when the ailing come flocking to Jesus for healing, the Son of God removes the speed bumps that preclude them from living fully into God’s love. He heals the stricken, expels the evil spirits, calms the synapses of those who are epileptic, frees the muscles of those who are paralyzed. He cures them all (Matthew 4:24). And he does this in a community of support – and with the love of God the Father.

Jesus is not calling us to try to live as followers and believers. Jesus is calling us to follow him. To believe in him. We will stumble. And with God’s help, we will get up. So, do. Or do not. There is no try.

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

What does it mean to you to live into the love and Good News of Jesus? What goals will you set for living a Christian existence today? Use the framework of setting SMART goals – those that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, one could say, “I will read the Gospel of Matthew for ten minutes on three different days this week.”Or, “I will pray for those on the parish prayer list on Wednesday and then send a card of encouragement to one person on that list.” Use the framework of goal setting to live into your faith in concrete ways this week.

The Wilderness - September 18

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; 1 Kings 21:1-16; 1 Cor. 1:1-19; Matt. 4:1-11

“He (Jesus) fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.” – Matthew 4:2 

Jesus’s forty days in the wilderness are filled with temptation.  The gospel writer makes sure that the reader knows that Jesus is famished.  One thought might be that Satan visits Jesus three times while he is fasting in the wilderness with the idea that maybe Satan can persuade Jesus to be weakened in some way.  It is only in the wilderness during this period that Jesus is tempted by Satan.  It’s easy to make the assumption that when one is outside of their element, cut off from the world without the comforts of day-to-day life life would be more challenging.

Another reading might be, that Jesus is aware of the forces of evil precisely because he is in the wilderness in touch with his own suffering.   

I’ve written over the past few weeks about my engagement with Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison. One of the ideas that has been most stirring has been his criticism of people and their suffering.  Bonhoeffer’s composure in prison is rather remarkable as his faithfulness enables him to remain positive (most of the time) seeing even his imprisonment as part of the life that God has given him.  He argues that being able to accept his misfortune, and be faithful through his misfortune, is precisely how he is able to have compassion and remain connected to others who suffer without despair that would render him unable to care.

Maybe there are always temptations in our life.  Yesterday as we baptized several young people in our congregation, we were asked a few different questions.  “Do you renounce sinful desires that draw you from the love of God?  Do you renounce the evil powers of the world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?  Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?  These aren’t questions for when we are stuck in the wilderness famished and looking for hope.  These are everyday questions about our values, and practices of life that deepen our relationship with God and with each other.  We just become more aware of what those forces are when our lives are famished, and we find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness. 

The real challenge is to learn to see the wilderness as a gift from God too so that the totality of our lives can be a faithfulness that helps us learn to not only be more grateful of the God who created and redeemed us, but better in touch with our care for each other, especially those who find themselves in a wilderness too. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  When have you found yourself in a spiritual wilderness?  When are you most attuned to the suffering and pain of others? 

Rituals for Yesterday and Today – September 15

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51
1 Kings 18:20-40; Phil. 3:1-16; Matt. 3:1-12

Someone reflecting on a difficult dissolved relationship recently said that they longed to be cleansed of hurt feelings and hard memories. The listener suggested tapping into a ritual or prayer for healing and blessing – like a custom in which people burn incense to remove negative or harmful energies.

Thinking of this exchange, my mind drifts to two liturgies used in the Episcopal church. One is house blessings, in which a candle is illumined, prayers are said, and blessed water is sprinkled from sprigs of rosemary into the rooms of the home. Completing the blessing of the home, the prayers ask that those dwelling in this place “grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of Jesus,” who provides guidance, comfort, strength, and peace.

The other rite is the Reconciliation of the Penitent (BCP 447) – in which a private confession is made, usually to a priest. After words of comfort and counsel are offered, two questions are asked: “Will you turn again to Christ as your Lord?” (the response is “I will.”), and “Do you, then, forgive those who have sinned against you?” (the response is “I forgive them.”).

These practices offer avenues, through words and actions, for us to turn away from what came before and open ourselves – now unencumbered – to something new and hopeful.

Our Daily Office lectionary provides a variety of rituals for us to explore today. John the Baptist (in Matthew 3) shouts to all who will listen, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” People from across Judea flock to him and are baptized in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. They are looking for hope and new life – and John promises that the best is yet to come…one who wields the power of fire and the Holy Spirit.

A less familiar story comes from 1 Kings. Upon Mount Carmel, Elijah and the Israelites have a competition of religious practices, at the prophet’s urging. Those worshipping Baal and those praying to the Lord follow the same steps: prepare a sacrificial offering of a bull upon a bed of wood and put no fire to it. Each group calls the name of their god and they wait to see what happens. Those calling “O Baal, answer us!” go unanswered all day. No smoke or flame appears upon their offering.

Then, Elijah calls the distraught and disappointed people to come closer to watch him. He takes additional steps to set up his altar: four jars of water are poured on the bull and wood, until water pools all around the site. The prophet calls the name of God, naming the faithful ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Elijah asks that God answer, so that others will know and believe in the Lord. Then, fire falls upon the sacrifice, the wood, and even the water. It is all swept up in the flames of the Lord. The people who were unfaithful to God fall upon their faces and proclaim, “The Lord indeed is God!”

Christian rituals and practices can help us get back to a place of feeling centered, cleansed, and refreshed. They can help us clear out the clutter, name what we have done before, and move forward with healthier choices and Christ’s love at the center. Whether cataclysmic or miniscule, these conversion moments can be grounded in prayer and praise to God. The prophets hold up for us ways to live into saying yes to hope and new life as we affirm that “The Lord indeed is God!”

With God’s help,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

In this excerpt from Matthew 3, John the Baptist models a method of evangelism that is challenging. He lives humbly, yells loudly, and speaks the truth – even when it is not invited. How does his life and ministry resonate with you today? Pray about where God is calling you to learn from John the radical baptizer.

Who is Christ actually for us today? - September 13, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53]; 1 Kings 17:1-24; Phil. 2:1-11; Matt. 2:1-12

On April 30, 1944, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote his closest friend Eberhard Bethge a stirring letter from the Tegal prison where he was being incarcerated.  He writes, “What keeps gnawing at me is the question, what is Christianity, or who is Christ actually for us today.”  He wonders if we are approaching a completely religionless age, “even those who honestly describe themselves as “religious” aren’t really practicing that at all; they presumably mean something quite different by “religious.”  I find these questions provocative as he raises the question of 100 years ago if even the Western form of Christianity was in a preliminary stage of a complete absence of religion.  

The context might help some.  Bonhoeffer has watched the Nazi government grab hold of the German state church.  He has been imprisoned for his resistance to the Nazification of the German church, and his work to help pastors evade military service. He is watching his whole identity as a Christian being co-opted by power and in this letter from April 30, wonders, if what has found its place is “human beings becom(ing) powerful enough to push the boundaries a bit further and God is no longer needed as the outside force (deus ex machina).”

 His words are stirring as we live in a culture where a lot of people claim religion that seems so absolutely absent of humility and compassion and completely surrendering to the awe of the mystery of the power of God.  Instead, it feels like people grab a hold of Christianity to gain power, exercise control of one another, and be liberated from any personal responsibility for one another. “Who is Christ actually for us today?” Bonhoeffer’s question has only grown in importance.

Today’s epistle from Philippians explores this tension.  This text which draws upon an ancient hymn can be found in our liturgical life more than any other of scripture and reminds us that Christ didn’t grab ahold of power, but emptied himself in the ultimate act of humility and compassion.    

“Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
 who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
 but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death—
   even death on a cross.” Phil. 2:4-8

Who is Christ actually for us today?  It may be as important a question for us today as it was in 1944. 

Faithfully,

John+

Question for Self-Reflection: Who is Christ actually for us today?  

Eyes, Hearts, and Lives for God – September 11

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44
1 Kings 13:1-10; Phil. 1:1-11; Mark 15:40-47

The Saint Stephen’s Bible study that meets on Thursday afternoon has been reading the Acts of the Apostles. We are tracking the tales of ministry and relationship in the Apostle Paul’s travels across the coastal towns along the Mediterranean Sea. It is in Acts 16 that we first read of Paul’s stop in Philippi. He baptized households, healed those afflicted by demons, and ended up in jail. He also endured an earthquake during imprisonment. Lives were changed through this time of Paul’s pilgrimage. The affinity for this church community is obvious in the Letter of Paul to the Philippians.

Addressing the message to the saints – the people encompassing the heart of ministry – and those in leadership – the bishops and deacons, Paul and Timothy begin, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” They open with a salutation, relaying God’s grace and reminding the hearers and readers of God’s peace. We find similar openings in Paul’s letters to the churches in Corinth (1 Cor 1:3) and Galatia (Gal 1:3).

Then, Paul expresses how he gives thanks to God each time a memory of his ministry in Philippi crosses his mind. Do you ever think about a meaningful time and find yourself slipping into a space of gratitude and appreciation for those people, places, and things? As our minds wander and reflect, what would happen if – even for those really hard experiences – we looked for where God was present with us and those around us?

Paul says that he is “constantly praying with joy in every one of [his] prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.” (v. 5-6) Can you imagine how affirming that message would feel if you heard those words? There is a deep connection between the missionary and the church community, for they influenced one another profoundly. Paul’s preaching in Philippi fueled the hearers to spread the Good News to their European neighbors, passing along the hope, healing, and transformation that comes from the love of Jesus.

Paul did not issue these words lightly. He knew that persecution and trials were ahead for him, and for the church. He knew that following the words and message of Jesus was risky. He also knew that the promise of new life through the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Christ was the way, the truth, and the life. Love grounded in that reality of redemption and rebirth was something worth the effort. I read Paul’s words in Philippians 1:9 and appreciate them more deeply as I remember the context surrounding his ministry: “And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best” (v. 9).

That feels like my challenge today – to pray this prayer for all in my circle…and then to widen that prayer to include those for whom it is hard to have love. For when our love overflows, everywhere we step is filled with love. And for that love to be overflowing with understanding and awareness and wisdom – we will have clarity of vision. And with clear eyes and full hearts, in the words of Coach Taylor in “Friday Night Lights”, we cannot lose…for we are grounded in the love of God.

Humbly,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

In this excerpt from Philippians, Paul models a method of teaching and support that we can incorporate into our lives: Reflect. Give thanks. Pray to God. Relate those feelings of appreciation to those we love. Spend some time today applying this process to those for whom you are connected.

Getting out of the weeds - September 8

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35; 1 Kings 11:26-43; James 4:13-5:6; Mark 15:22-32

Yesterday, our staff gathered for our fall retreat. I invited a friend to facilitate, and we have been going back and forth for the past several weeks about the content. Earlier this week, he was walking me through his plan. He would present an idea, I would push back, and we would talk about it. About fifteen minutes into our conversation, he astutely noted, “John, you are so much in the thick of launching a program year, onboarding new staff, teaching, preaching, and leading, that it’s impossible for you to step back and see the whole picture about this retreat. Just trust me and we can process what you learn afterwards.”

His words have stuck with me all week, that reminder that even I get stuck in the weeds unable to see everything that is unfolding. We often have blinders or are unaware of our blind spots, good at seeing what we want to see, but not much else. To see the bigger picture, we need to be well enough, calm enough, and centered enough to step outside of our limited view. And sometimes the blinders can be caused by even positive forces in our life keeping us too busy to notice much else.   

The journey of faith can be similar. As Christians, we have been entrusted with the story of God’s salvation that has been passed down to us. Knowing, believing, and living into the resurrection means we have been given a broader view than the immediacy of our lives. Whether moments of joy, or moments of struggle, pain, and loss, our faith can help us put our trust in the one who brings life out of despair.

The story we encounter in today’s Gospel is the crucifixion from Mark’s gospel. The chief priests and the scribes are mocking Jesus. “He cannot save himself” they pronounce to others. In the thick of it, it certainly appears that way, but part of the reason they see Jesus’s life this way is they haven’t stepped back enough to understand what Jesus had been saying. And they don’t know the full story. This is a hopeful story because we know what happens on both ends, but only when we aren’t consumed with the details. 

What is keeping you from a more faithful life? Are you stuck too close to a story, muddled in the details of life? Step back for a moment. God promises to be with us in all things, but sometimes it takes a new vantage point to see God’s truth.

Faithfully,

John+

Question for Self-Reflection: What pressing needs are keeping you from seeing God’s work in your life? How can you step back for a moment and gain greater clarity in your life? What creates your blind spots?

Smashmouth – September 6

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48; 1 Kings 9:24-10:13; James 3:1-12; Mark 15:1-11

For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.  James 3:2

Do you ever have those moments when you have the option to share a message one way, and instead, you impart words with a forceful tone and judgmental language? Well, I do, too. I just did, in fact. Things were going relatively smoothly this morning and then, blam! One thing led to another, and my daughter and I were at a standoff over the silliest of details: she did not eat the watermelon or carrots packed in her lunch yesterday.

Rather than be curious of the reason, or just move on without engaging in such a battle before breakfast, I chose to do what today’s excerpt from the Letter of James observes about the special power wielded by our mouths: “The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” (3:5-6a) Yes. I reluctantly admit that my tongue was an incendiary source to the bonds of relationship this morning.

The letter goes on: ”The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (6b-8) Strong language? Yes. Clear message? Yes. Do the analogies of the power of human mouths in comparison to others of God’s creation ring true? For me today, sadly yes, again.

I promise I did not do this on purpose. My words came from a position of care and concern. This demonstrates (unfortunately) how the way we speak to one another can be beautiful and uplifting, and then hurtful and stormy. Our epistle says this in verse 10: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” Now, today I did not curse at my daughter. I did leave the room sullied by pushiness and my large personality, leaving no room for recourse from anyone else. And she left the house angry and sad and hurt.

So, while I go figure out where God is calling me to clean up the emotional spillage on aisle 7 of my household, let us all ponder the folly of our human tongues…we are wonderfully and beautifully made, yet it takes the centering of the Holy Spirit to interact lovingly with one another through a day. Pray for me and I will pray for you…in Christian community, we will keep seeing those reminders of grace, redemption, and reconciliation.

Humbly,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Sit with James 3:1-12 this morning. Re-read it. Where do you feel discomfort? Where do you feel called by God to grow? Journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what healing you seek from the pain of harsh words. Pray for others in your life. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.

Someone has prayed here before - September 1

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 16, 17; PM Psalm 22; 1 Kings 5:1-6:1,7; Acts 28:1-16; Mark 14:27-42

One of the most memorable places for followers of Jesus to visit in all of Israel is the Garden of Gethsemane. Many of the biblical sites in Jerusalem are educated guesses. For example, there are two sites that are rumored to be where Jesus was laid in the tomb: the Garden tomb or the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher. We think we know where Golgotha was because there is a place that really looks like a skull just outside of the gates of Jerusalem, but it’s a guess. However, scholars are fairly confident in the location of the Garden of Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives.

In the garden are twenty-three trees. When I visited in 2020, I thought the trees were thousands of years old. I’ve learned since that the trees are probably from the 12th century which is still pretty old dating them at about 1000 years. When you are in the garden, it has a real feel of nostalgia, and knowing that you are amongst trees that have heard the prayers of humanity for 1000 years is still pretty incredible. 

Does it matter where we pray? I doubt it matters too much, unless one’s journey to a sacred space is itself a form of prayer and helps one be more intentional and mindful that God is a part of their life. And yet being in the place where Jesus prayed is a reminder that most places that we encounter are places where people have prayed before. I don’t often consider when visiting someone in a hospital how many prayers have likely been said in the waiting room or a hospital room. 

Have you ever considered how many people have prayed right where you are at this moment? What about the places you will visit today? The mechanic, the grocery store, a school or university, or a workplace? Does matter? At the very least it might inspire you to know that God is a part of so much more than we see and realize. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: Where do you pray most often? Do others use that space for prayer too? Does this affect your own prayer? How so?

God and our threshold moments – August 30

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:1-24; PM Psalm 12, 13, 14
1 Kings 3:1-15; Acts 27:9-26; Mark 14:1-11

Thresholds. I remember learning somewhere about ministry happening in threshold moments, where something is changing. Birth. Graduation. Marriage. Job change. Divorce. Illness. Moving. Death. These thresholds have varying levels of excitement, uncertainty, resolution, and faith wrapped up in them. One of my favorite writers, John O’Donohue, writes many prayers and blessings to carry readers through such tumultuous waters.

As I sit with the scriptures from 1 Kings appointed for yesterday and today, I am struck by two big threshold moments: King David’s final words to his son Solomon, and Solomon’s humble prayer to God as he begins his role as king of Israel.

Let’s start first with the goodbye. As David was dying, he said this to his son: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.” (1 Kings 2:2-3)  David advised his son to remember who he was and whose he was. The old king knew that he did not always follow the commandments of God, and he hoped that his son would make choices that honored God. The father also passed along a promise of faithfulness that the Lord proclaimed to him: “’If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’” (1 Kings 2:4)  David was leaving his son Solomon a legacy of a kingdom, for sure, and more importantly, a legacy of living fully into faith in God – through prayer, through song, through relationships with others. The words are heavy and hopeful.

And then, we have the threshold moment of Solomon, walking into the role as King of Israel. He went to Gibeon to make a sacrifice to honor God. Solomon had a dream in which God said “Ask what I should give you.” Powerful, right? How would you respond?

Well, here’s what Solomon said, in a nutshell: “God, you were so loving to my dad David, who aimed to please and serve you. Because of that, he lived a faithful life. And now, I am where I am today, because of you, Lord. I find myself as your servant and as a king over your people, those you love and care for. So, this is what I ask: please give me “an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil”.

God was so pleased by how Solomon presented himself. The new king asked for wisdom and understanding, rather than glory and power. God agreed, saying, “Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.” And Solomon woke up from his dream. He continued praising God and living as faithfully and wisely as he was able.

In each of these threshold moments, David and Solomon made the loving and faithful response to change. They shared God’s love. They did what they could to be swept up into the love and promise of the Lord. As such, Solomon and David are sources of inspiration and reflection for us today. Let us walk in God’s ways and keep God’s statutes and commandments, so that for each day we live, people will know who we are and whose we are.

With God’s love,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

If God asked you in a dream, “Ask what I should give you,” how would you respond? Journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what you externalized. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.

Clergy - Sinners in the need of God's Redeeming Grace - August 25

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 140, 142; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12); 2 Samuel 19:24-43; Acts 24:24-25:12; Mark 12:35-44

I’m not the biggest fan of the passage for today.  Jesus is pretty critical of the scribes.  That’s a word that doesn’t make much sense in our context in a world with spell check and grammar applications and tools that harness Artificial Intelligence.  The scribes had a much bigger role than just figuring out mistakes or ‘scribal’ errors in copies of sacred text. After the Babylonian exile, scribes became teachers of the law.  They are religious leaders. 

Scribes also had a legal role in the community. It was a scribe that could draft a legal document such as a marriage contract or divorce, or even a loan. Maybe this is the origin of clergy signing marriage contracts in every state in the United States except Alabama (all you need in Alabama is a Wi-Fi connection, a printer, and a notary!) 

Jesus holds up the scribes as the hypocrites who have not only failed to live out a life of caring for those who are in need, and warns people to not be like them, it hits home.  Jesus is critical of the religious leaders, the ones who have taken on a voice of authority. Three times a week, our clergy (religious leaders) write reflections, we preach, we teach, and I pray that we help you deepen your relationship with God.  And we are as far from fully embodying Jesus as everyone else. 

The litmus test for your faith is not a sermon or a reflection, or something said in passing, and dare I say it’s not your imperfect clergy – it is the love and compassion of God in the life of Jesus Christ.  If what the church proclaims does not muster up to God’s unconditional embrace and love for all people, especially those who suffer and are on the margins, then we have missed the boat.  Remember, Jesus is most critical of the religious leaders of his time, a helpful reminder for us who try to be faithful. And we are all human, sinners, in need of God’s unconditional love and redeeming grace, a freedom from having to be perfect. 

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  How do you reconcile when your church doesn’t live up to the expectations that you believe it should live up to?  Have you seen the church ever act in a way that doesn’t model God’s unconditional love? 

Our times are in God’s hand – August 23

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:145-176; PM Psalm 128, 129, 130
2 Samuel 18:19-33; Acts 23:23-35; Mark 12:13-27

When I was in high school, we were required to do an inordinate amount of reading. History. Literature. World affairs. Poetry. Some of it stuck. A lot did not. I have kept many of those classics, boxing them up each time we move and replacing them on bookshelves as we resettle. These days, Lego creations and varied treasures of our children often get placed on shelves in front of the books.

In a moment of decluttering and dusting in the last week, my eyes fell upon William Faulkner’s 1936 work “Absalom, Absalom!”. I don’t know why I held onto this book. It was hard to get through as a teenager. I do not recall liking it. And yet, I know that Faulkner is one of the great American authors. Southern gothic literature is fascinating and painful, as the reader pours through pages of the downfalls and foibles of human nature that bring division. Faulkner’s writing shakes the reader awake, pointing to the very messy lives we live. The contradictions and hypocrisy. The conflicts and intricate webs of connectivity. He is a source of fodder for students and an inspiration to writers – like the late, great Cormac McCarthy – because there is a lot going on to parse and ponder.

Why, you ask, am I writing about a southern author this morning, in a reflection about Holy Scripture? That is fair. Here’s the answer: in the appointed readings from 2 Samuel this week, we read of the death of King David’s treasonous son Absalom, and what happens next. It is a gothic story, penned many generations before Faulkner’s works.

Absalom is on a mule during the battle in which his troops were defeated by his father the king’s armies. His mount rides underneath a large oak and Absalom’s head gets stuck in the low hanging branches of the tree. The mule keeps going and the king’s son is “left hanging between heaven and earth” (2 Samuel 18:9). Evidently, the wooded areas are quite a problematic space for fighting, as “the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword” (v. 8b).

The king’s trusted leader Joab acts quickly when he learns of Absalom’s incapacitated whereabouts. Others refuse to lay a hand on Absalom, son of David. Joab, however, hurls three spears into the royal heir’s body. Then, ten of his armor-bearers beat Absalom to death. They bury him in the forest.

The king must be informed. Two sentinels run – albeit separately – to King David. The faster, Ahimaaz son of Zadok, is known as a great runner and yet, he is not fully informed. He cannot answer King David’s question, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Standing aside, the Cushite – the other messenger – speaks. After giving his greeting, he is also asked, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” His answer is offered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man.”

King David hears the words of the Cushite and withdraws to another room. As he walks away, he cries, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son! Though his son has committed treason and tried to overthrow the beloved (and very human) King David, the father is in agony at the downfall of his son.

The tangled webs we weave are messy. And cluttered. And sometimes we don’t know up from down, left from right. And we hurt one another. And we weep. And sometimes, maybe we remember to pray for one another and for ourselves. In these times of utter messiness, we may wonder where God is in all of the muck.

As I pause and ponder, here is what comes up for me. In the Book of Common Prayer on page 830, there is a prayer for those celebrating a birthday. At a previous church, the congregation would say this prayer each Sunday as those celebrating birthdays gathered with the clergy during the announcements. These words resound in my ears this morning:

O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on your servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This prayer is one of those tethering prayers, as those for whom we pray look ahead to a new year. A new year that may have messiness and dysfunction, loss and frustration. No matter what, our prayer is that we each grow into the goodness God has instilled in us. May we hold fast to the salvific love of God each day.

With God’s love,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

What does it mean for you to grow in wisdom and grace? How might your trust in God be strengthened through what is going on in your life today?

Sit in stillness for 2 minutes to ponder. Then, journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what you externalized. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.

Finding our place in God's story - August 18

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 102; PM Psalm 107:1-32; 2 Samuel 15:19-37; Acts 21:37-22:16; Mark 10:46-52

Today’s Reflection

This fall, our Sunday Forum speakers will all connect with the theme of Finding Our Place in God’s Story. I enjoyed planning this series of speakers for you to learn from, and hope you’ll consider either attending on Sunday mornings from 10:15-11:00 in the Parish Hall or watching later online. You can learn more about this fall’s series on Finding Our Place in God’s Story here.

Stories are powerful. Over the years, I’ve noticed in my reading how I’ve shifted from reading fictional stories more into the real-life stories of people’s lives. When I think back to the books I’ve invested the most time in reading the past few years, they have been memoirs. Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming tells her story of growing up in Chicago and how her life unfolded since then as an attorney, community leader, and First Lady. Kate Bowler’s memoir Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved shares her story of cancer diagnosis and treatment as a 35-year-old mother, wife, and university professor. Shaking the Gates of Hell by John Archibald tells his story of growing up the son and grandson of Methodist ministers here in Alabama.

When I was in Chicago summer before last for vacation with my daughters, our main destinations were educational in nature (even on vacation I always like us to keep learning!). One afternoon we visited the Field Museum of Natural History, and the exhibit I enjoyed the most was called Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall. Organized by the National Geographic Museum and currently touring amongst museums around the country, the focus of the exhibit is giving visitors an inside look at the life story of the famous primatologist and wildlife conservationist.

The exhibit begins by sharing photographs and accounts of her childhood and adolescence in a small English village. We see her favorite stuffed animal (a monkey). We learn stories about how even as an 18-month-old she was drawn to sitting in the mud observing earthworms, and about the birch tree she loved to climb up so much that her grandmother gave it to her as a birthday gift one year when they couldn’t afford to give her another gift. I was especially moved by the story of as a small child, Jane disappeared one afternoon. No one could find her, but eventually as it was getting dark she came walking back home from across the field. Where had she been? “Well, I’ve been in a henhouse, waiting to watch a hen lay an egg. Nobody would tell me how a chicken laid its eggs, so I just sat down and waited. And now I know.”

These childhood stories are great foreshadowing of exactly how she came to learn so much about chimpanzees in the field in Tanzania. We understand Jane Goodall so much better as a scientist and conservationist by learning these stories of her childhood, her young adulthood as a research assistant and graduate student, her life in the field as a young scientist and later how she balanced that as a spouse and mother. All that she accomplished and contributed to conservation, and our own understanding of the world, are now even more meaningful to me having learned these stories of how she came to be the person she is today.

In yesterday’s Acts reading, we encountered Paul as he was being seized and dragged from the Temple, and then was arrested and taken to the barracks by the soldiers as the crowd kept shouting “Away with him!” In today’s passage from Acts 21 and 22, Paul has the opportunity to share his story with the crowd.

Just as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, ‘May I say something to you?’ … ‘I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of an important city; I beg you, let me speak to the people.’ When he had given him permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the people for silence; and when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:

‘Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence that I now make before you.’ When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then he said: ‘I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me.

Having shared the way of life he was raised in, which gave him common ground with his audience, Paul goes on to tell of his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. It’s a powerful story, one which not only changed Paul’s life and purpose forever, but one which gave him a message of hope to share as he traveled around the Mediterranean region, encouraging believers and winning new converts in the churches that were beginning to form in Philippi and Ephesus, Galatia and Corinth, Rome and Thessaloniki.

In some other denominations in Christianity, one tends to hear more emphasis on the power of knowing and being able to share with others your “testimony,” which is the story or stories of how one has seen God at work in their life—especially stories of salvation and conversion. We in the Episcopal tradition can learn something valuable from their practice of being able to articulate and share our own “testimonies” with others—just as we hear from Paul in this passage from Acts.

Each of our stories are compelling and powerful. What is your story? Where do you see God at work in it?

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your story these past three years at Saint Stephen’s—and thank you for being a part of mine.

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

What is your story? When you look back at stories of how you became the person you are today, how you see God at work in your life? How does storytelling help us to form bonds of friendship and community with others?

Make some time to write down an important story from your life, whether in a journal or in a letter to a family member or friend you want to know and remember this story. Or make a point to share a story from your life with someone in a conversation this weekend. How can sharing a story from your life change the tone and direction of your conversation?

Days of Our Lives – August 16

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30; PM Psalm 119:121-144
2 Samuel 14:21-33; Acts 21:15-26; Mark 10:17-31

If you have been following the story of King David and his family this week in 2 Samuel, perhaps you are picking up the complexities in family life. To refresh your memory and simplify the story, there are blended families and sibling rivalry at play, followed by incest and rape. Amnon, the firstborn of David, is taken with his half-sister Tamar. He seeks her out, tricks her by feigning illness, and then sexually assaults her – and casts her out in shame. When David learns of this, he is hesitant to censure Amnon the violator, because he favors his son and heir. Tamar’s younger brother Absalom takes in his sister and gives her shelter in his home. He holds back seething rage for two years, and then it bubbles up as he avenges his sister’s woundedness by plotting and killing his half-brother Amnon. Absalom flees to a region under the leadership of another king and remains there several years. David, as king and father, summons Absalom back to Jerusalem, yet refuses to see him for two years. After some posturing and manipulation, Absalom gains an audience with his father King David, and prostrates himself, face to the ground, to show his willingness to be reconciled…for a while.

Maybe these pieces of the saga of beautiful, beloved David touch on painful parts of your experience, or make you cringe as you read. (And if you have not read these seeds of modern-day soap opera fodder, just crack open your Bible and peruse chapters 13 through 15 of 2 Samuel to get caught up on this week’s Old Testament action in detail.)

Why do I lay out all of this story? Well, it is presented to us as a reading alongside Mark 10, in which Jesus is asked what must be done to inherit eternal life. What must we do to be welcomed as the beloved of God? Who really can be saved? These are questions that the disciples and others pepper upon Jesus. I can imagine that as they listen to the teachings of Jesus to give away all that they own – those impediments to fully relying upon God - the Jews who know ancient scripture feel the tension as they think about the glory of King David. Ruminating on the power of that king, they wrestled with the ways his wealth, immorality, and emotional attachments tripped him up. Though there were laws of how to live faithfully, it was – and is – hard to follow each prescription.

And so, those listening to Jesus and pondering the stories of King David and his family scratch their heads. Then who really can be saved? Jesus takes the complex and makes it simple in this way: “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.” (v. 27)

The trappings of life and the pains of our human experience weigh heavily on us. They skew our vision. They haunt our dreams. They slow our pace. They leave us feeling violated and desolate. When we are lying prostrate upon the ground, with our noses to the soil, let us remember to lean upon the encouragement and hope that is beyond our imagination. For God, all things are possible. Redemption and healing can come. May the Holy Spirit give us courage to hold on.

With God’s love,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

What do you hear in Jesus’ words,

“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

What does this mean to you? Journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what you externalized. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.

Too much of a good thing - August 14

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52; 2 Samuel 13:23-39; Acts 20:17-38; Mark 9:42-50

Last week, several people gathered at my home to harvest the honey made by Saint Stephen’s bees.  Our resident beekeeper had retrieved eleven supers (boxes filled with honey) and brought them to my house, about a mile from the hives.  There was an interesting and gloomy cloud cover that evening and it probably kept all of the honeybees from finding us.  This was the first year of harvesting where the bees actually left us alone. 

However, the next day, word had gotten out.  There was free honey on the carport of the Burruss household and thousands of bees had returned to clean up the mess.  Bees make honey so that they have a source of food in the winter.  Often, when there is residual honey from a harvest, it is found in the bottom of a big bucket or found pooled on the low point of the driveway.  We did a much better job this year up this year, but there still was small number of bees that drowned in honey.  In a honeycomb, there is never more than a little drop without being separated by some wax, but when we have free honey, the bees can’t resist, and they often meet their own demise.

The bees remind us of a profound truth.  The bees come rushing toward something good and necessary for their lives, without self-control, and it costs them their life.  We, humans, aren’t much different. 

I’m wondering what the stumbling block that Jesus talks about in this passage of Mark really is.  When I think of my children, in many of the household battles that ensue, I often give in to trying to make everyone happy.  The kids get what they want, and peace falls upon the house.  An extra dessert, more time on the Xbox, to stay up a little later than normal.  Maybe it's okay within reason.  Most things are.  But there have to be limits. 

It is hard to do what’s right.  Maybe that’s why today’s Gospel is so difficult, but I’m wondering if the stumbling block might be our own resistance to put boundaries and limits on all of the good things that desperately need a limit.  Too much of a good thing will kill you, or at least a honeybee.

 John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  What are things that you enjoy that you should do less of?  What are the stumbling blocks in your own relationship with God?

Never stop looking at it - August 11

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 88; PM Psalm 91, 92; 2 Samuel 12:1-14; Acts 19:21-41; Mark 9:14-29

Today’s Reflection

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can come out only through prayer.’

—Mark 9: 27-29

Recently, a parishioner sent me an article from The Atlantic Daily, the daily digest of articles in The Atlantic magazine. In the essay, “Why So Many Americans Have Stopped Going to Church,” Isabel Fattal cites studies about why fewer and fewer Americans attend church. The various experts cited believe that the reasons go beyond disaffection and mistrust in the wake of a proliferation of scandals involving abuse and corruption. What is equally responsible for the exodus of Americans from organized religion, these scholars say, is that “Contemporary America simply isn’t set up to promote mutuality, care, or common life. Rather, it is designed to maximize individual accomplishment as defined by professional and financial success.”

In an earlier article published in The Atlantic, Jake Thompson elaborated his theory of workism, or the worship of the role that work life plays in the lives of many professional people: “The economists of the early 20th century did not foresee that work might evolve from a means of material production to a means of identity production… They failed to anticipate that, for the poor and middle class, work would remain a necessity; but for the college-educated elite, it would morph into a kind of religion, promising identity, transcendence, and community.”

As Jake Meador observes in his recent Atlantic article, “The Misunderstood Reason Millions of Americans Stopped Going to Church,” in the workism-oriented world in which people are so consumed by their work life and other responsibilities, “The underlying challenge for many is that their lives are stretched like a rubber band about to snap—and church attendance ends up feeling like an item on a checklist that’s already too long… The problem in front of us is not that we have a healthy, sustainable society that doesn’t have room for church. The problem is that many Americans have adopted a way of life that has left us lonely, anxious, and uncertain of how to live in community with other people.”

In today’s Gospel passage from Mark 9, Jesus, Peter, James, and John are just coming back down from the mountaintop experience of the Transfiguration, returning to the frenzy of scribes arguing with the other disciples and people bringing their loved ones to Jesus for healing. One father has brought his son to the disciples in search of someone who could release his son from convulsions (similar to what today would be diagnosed as epilepsy). The father tells Jesus that he had asked the disciples to cast the convulsion-causing demon out of his son, but they could not do so. To this Jesus responds: “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

At that moment, the boy begins to have more convulsions and Jesus asks the father how long this had been happening to his son. The father describes a lifelong affliction and asks Jesus, “if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus seems a bit taken aback by the “if you are able,” saying “‘If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” Jesus then makes the spirit that has caused the boy’s convulsions to come out of him, following which the boy is so still people think he has died. But Jesus raises him up and all are astounded at this miraculous healing.

One of the moments that stands out to me when I read this is the part where the father says that the disciples could not help his son. I wonder if it was a matter of could not or would not. In this passage, I see a scene in which the disciples got very caught up in the workism of being disciples. They were too caught up in arguing with the scribes and other aspects of their disciple profession that they got distracted from what was most important. Later, in private, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why could we not cast it out?” Jesus’ response is simple: “This kind can only come out through prayer.” The disciples were so distracted by the frenzy and the chaos of the crowd and the scribes that they forgot that what was most needed in that moment was simply to pray for the ones in need of healing—to commit those seeking God to God’s own care.

This story of the disciples getting too caught up in the chaos to devote time to what is most important—prayer and healing—and many of us getting so caught up in the seeming urgency of our own daily work lives and responsibilities to make time for prayer and worship reminds me of something Sam Wells said in his sermon on the Beatitudes, preached at Saint Stephen’s last October:

Then we come to ‘Blessed are the pure in heart.’ The thirsting for righteousness is about God, being merciful is about others, and being pure in heart is about ourselves. One great theologian said, ‘Purity of heart is to will one thing.’ I’m sure you’ve all been told many times that to hold down a responsible job you need to distinguish between the urgent and the important, and to judge which things are urgent but not important, which things are important but not urgent, and which things are neither urgent nor important. Well, purity of heart is about knowing, as a matter of habit and uncomplicated clarity, which things are important. Not fashionable, not popular, not effective, not lucrative, not eye-catching, not relaxing, not clever, not witty, not dramatic, not necessarily urgent: but important. And then, in a crisis, when everyone else has lost their sense of perspective, you’ll be able to see the one thing that no one else is able to see. Because you never stopped looking at it.

May we remember what it is that we should be centering our lives on—the incarnate, crucified, resurrected, and ascended life of Christ—and never stop looking at it.

Becky+

Moment for Reflection

Read The Atlantic Daily article by Isabel Fattal, and the other articles she cites, here.

Read or listen to Sam Wells’ sermon, “Dwelling in the Comma,” here.

Life is faith and faith is life – August 9

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82
2 Samuel 9:1-13; Acts 19:1-10; Mark 8:34-9:1

Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” (Mark 8:34-37)

Do you ever have those moments when you contemplate your life and wonder what your life is worth? What is your legacy? Or maybe, you feel that all that you thought you had has crumbled into a pile of rubble…and you look at that mound, lonely, overwhelmed, and steeped in a mire of existential crisis. Realizations like that can be paralyzing – and they can also be openings to a space of catharsis.

In Mark’s gospel passage appointed for today (8:34-9:1), I hear Jesus calling his disciples and the wider crowd to ponder their existence, to reflect on their lives, and to authentically live into their belief in God as they follow the Way of Jesus. The Messiah calls them to follow him: “let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Jesus challenges the audience, filled with the committed disciples and curious passersby, to put down their own desires and interests and livelihoods. He dares them to pick up the hard work of sacrifice and loss, and to live by pouring out themselves and receiving the power and grace of God.

Jesus does not stop there. He is so serious about clarifying what a life of faith is like. He continues, “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Jesus names this inversion of expectation that is a theme running through stories of the people of God. Those who are faithful to the Lord often have deep loss, and in losing they are pulled nearer to God. Those who hold back from giving themselves to God will retain what they have in life – and lose out on the fullness of the Lord’s wonder.

He continues with two rhetorical questions: “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” Jesus is quite pointed here. I hear a warning about living hedonistically and acquiring physical niceties, while neglecting the nurture of one’s spiritual needs. As such, life is faith and faith is life. Faithful living begets meaningful existence. Jesus makes a compelling case in his gospel message to recruit more disciples.

I wonder if this gospel news from Jesus is like the opportunity to ride on a rollercoaster at a theme park. I know riding the ride is terrifying and hard. I feel much anxiety in the process. And when I emerge from the ride, I am changed and relieved and dizzy. And if I choose not to ride, I will not have those feelings and I will miss out on an adventure of life. Now perhaps I am diluting the scripture or offering an analogy that is profane.

I am curious about how this message from Jesus can fully sink into to our understanding of our existence as people created by God. What if we live lives through that lens? And maybe we even aspire to lives worthy of being children of God, because we read story after story, scripture after scripture, about people attempting to live lives faithful to the law of the Lord. They mess up, the return to God, and they try again. And they tell others of their challenges.

It is no surprise to me that this work of faith we do compels us to be faithful in community. As we stumble into our existential realizations, we need one another to steady us, pray for us, and stay with us in these moments. And God will bring us peace and grace and clarity. Let us keep struggling on together, my friends.

With God’s love,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection:

What do you hear in Jesus’ question, “Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?” What does this mean to you? Journal for 10 minutes. Pray to God about what you externalized. Share with a friend some takeaways from this exercise.

Influences - August 7

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 80; PM Psalm 77, [79]; 2 Samuel 7:1-17; Acts 18:1-11; Mark 8:11-21

The Pharisees are arguing with Jesus.  “Give me a sign!” they demand.   And Jesus gets in a boat.  Apparently, no sign.  Then the disciples get in a boat, limited with one loaf of bread, worried they don’t have enough food for the journey.  Jesus has to remind them of the feeding miracle.  They don’t understand, even though the disciples helped to feed thousands with just a few loaves of fish.

One thought: Have the disciples been influenced by the Pharisees? Have these followers of Jesus who have actually lived some of Jesus’s miracles now become influenced by the voice of others?  It’s a spiritual journey of doubt, faith, and doubt lived out before us.

We are social creatures.  We influence each other.  Think of the ridiculous amounts of money paid to people on social media who have no other skill than that of ‘influencer’, paid to use products.  The other night Anne and I just watched the 1980s classic Can’t Buy Me Love starring Patrick Dempsey. Dempsey pays his neighbor to act like she likes him for a month in order to change his social status. It’s a story about influence and trends and our ridiculous drive to follow others in order to appear important, or popular, or successful.  It’s hard to deny that the influence of others shapes our lives more than we often understand or want to admit.

Have the disciples been influenced by the Pharisees?   

Most often, when we talk of our faith, we think of the people who have had a positive impact on helping us to become the people that God has called us to be.  But do we take time to consider the people or forces that draw us away from the love of God?  Maybe today’s reading from Mark is an opportunity to consider what are the forces or the people shaping our lives in a destructive way in order to be more intentional about surrounding ourselves with the positive forces in our life. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  Who helps you grow in your faith?  Are there people who challenge your faith, or cause you to challenge the person God has called you to be?  How to reconcile your relationships with these people?