Worship as inheritance - November 27

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 106:1-18; PM Psalm 106:19-48; Joel 3:1-2,9-17; 1 Pet. 1:1-12; Matt. 19:1-12

I’d like to offer three ways of considering our worship together that you might not have considered too intently before.  First worship is a gift.  Consider how you first arrived at your worshiping community.  Was there an invitation from a friend or family member?  People have put in planning, choirs have rehearsed, and the preacher has prepared remarks and reflections specifically for that day, but also through the course of their lives and formation.  Most of the time, when we gather, specifically on a Sunday, we receive a gift, a gift of a thoughtfully put-together response to God’s love and invitation to praise God.  That in itself is a gift. 

Second, worship is a privilege.  At Saint Stephen’s, it seems especially fitting that the American flag is not in our sanctuary, but in our narthex.  It is a reminder when we walk into our nave, it is a privilege to be able to worship how we gather, something that is not universally afforded to others in different places in the world.  For us, we receive a privilege when we gather together. 

The final image comes from our epistle reading today.  Worship is an inheritance.  While the reading suggests our faith as an inheritance, we can also see worship, which is our faith through liturgy lived out in the tradition of the church, as something that is passed down to us.  As it is written in First Peter, “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  

Inheritance is a gift, but it is also something more.  Faithfully for generations upon generations, people have worked to preserve the tradition that we have before us and have passed that down to us to carry on.  They have passed on the gifts they have made, beautiful art and beautiful buildings, the prayers, the traditions, and a way of faithfully responding to the world.  It is not just that we have arrived at a place on a random Sunday morning at some point in our lives, but we have inherited a faithful response to our humanity. 

What have you done with your inheritance, the gift and privilege of being together in worship?

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  How does this reflection enhance your understanding of worship?  Does it change anything for you? 

Mountaintop Experiences - November 20, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52; 1 Macc. 3:1-24; Rev. 20:7-15; Matt. 17:1-13

I love the stories of the transfiguration.  Today’s gospel passage is one of those where Peter, James, and John go up a mountain with Jesus. A large voice from the heavens speaks to them and they are overcome by fear. They see Jesus in a new light, where “his face shone like the sun.” Can you imagine? I can’t even begin to fathom what this experience was like. It’s a literal mountaintop experience.

And while the story is quite a mystic story that might have happened, I am more interested in what follows. The disciples came down the mountain and were ordered to tell no one what they saw, which I doubt was honored, as we know the story today. What is most interesting to me would be the way people would see the disciples from that moment on. They have had a transformative mountain top experience, and then come off it. They are bound to see the world differently. But do people see them differently? Do they know that the disciples have had a transformative experience, or do people have the bandwidth, trust, and openness to observe subtle differences and changes in behavior from the disciples?  Can others see the transformation?  In many cases, probably not, which might be more telling about others and the state of humanity than it is about people who have had mountaintop experiences. 

People are led up mountains every day, and people certainly encounter God on a day-to-day basis.  As people of faith grounded in the stories of transformation, we ought to believe that God loves us just as we are, but we might not be the same people tomorrow.  The same goes for the person who has let you down, disappointed you, or failed to meet your expectations.  How do we know our neighbor isn’t being led up a mountain to see the world differently?  They might be, and we should always be open to that possibility.

Faithfully,

John+

Question for Self-Reflection: Where have you seen new change in others? How does that make you feel? What caused the change?

Keep Awake!

Today’s Readings

Friday

Hugh of Lincoln:

Psalm 15

Tobit 6:1-6

Mark 13:32-37

Today’s Reflection

Our tradition is filled with inspiring persons who courageously spoke truth to those in power. One such soul is Hugh of Lincoln who lived in the 12th century. A member of the strict monastic order called the Carthusians, Hugh risked his life by being plain spoken with King Henry II. Hugh advocated for the workers who were being taken advantage of by the king and other nobility. He made these pronouncements, not long after that very same king played a role in the killing of the Archbishop Thomas a Becket. And yet, not only did King Henry II come to respect Hugh, he grew to love him and cherish his prayers and counsel.

When Hugh was summoned to England to serve, he had been a monk in a French Monastary for 17 years. As a member of a monastic order, Hugh ordered his days according to a Rule of Life--a commitment to live by agreed-upon norms within a community. Unlike other orders, such as the Benedictines, the Carthusians spent a considerable amount of their time studying scripture and praying in solitude.

Our Gospel reading today compels us to "Keep awake" for we do not know when the master will return home. How do we "keep awake?" One way we keep awake is to order our days with regular time with God. A few suggestions for regular time with God include joining your St. Stephen's community for Morning Prayer at 8:30 am, or a strolling outdoors with a walking meditation, or centering prayer, or simply lighting a candle and sitting with God, or listening to pray as you go, or walking the labyrinth. The possibilities are boundless. If you desire inspiration in your daily prayer life, feel free to contact me, or John or Katherine. We would love to wonder where God is beckoning you into deeper relationship.

So, back to Hugh of Lincoln who lived those many years ago. It is not a stretch to imagine that he was able to follow a path of courageous truth-telling for the benefit of those less fortunate because he was steeped in scripture and prayer. Together, let us keep awake with eyes and ears and hearts open to witness to God's presence in our midst.

Yours in Christ,

Mary Bea+

Questions for Self-Reflection:

What one thing could you do on a daily basis to deepen your connection to God? Is there a prayer practice that has spoken to you in the past? Something you have wanted to try? Who could help you stay the course of keeping awake?

Enough - November 15

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82; Neh. 7:73b-8:3,5-18; Rev. 18:21-24; Matt. 15:29-39

In the stillness of the morning, I sit and reflect on the Bible passages appointed for today. The excerpt from the Gospel according to Matthew (15:29-39) is what grabs me most. Each time I read these verses, a different piece of the story stands out.

This is the gist: Jesus walks on the Sea of Galilee and then climbs up the nearby mountain. He sits down. Crowds follow him and he heals people, so that they regain their voice, their gait, their sight, among other things. The people see the faith healings and praise God. Then Jesus attends to their physical needs, calling on his friends. This three-day event is ending, and he wants them to leave nourished. The disciples pool together seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Jesus tells the great crowd – numbering four thousand men, plus women and children – to sit down. He says words of thanksgiving, breaks the food into pieces, and distributes it to the disciples, who pass out the food to all in attendance. All eat and are filled. The leftovers are gathered up and there are seven full baskets remaining. Jesus dismisses the crowds and gets into a boat.

In these few short verses, we are brought into multiple miracles – and we are given the gift of seeing these exchanges from beginning to end. We get to be with Jesus as he strolls along the coastline and hikes up the hill. We get to observe how he handles the throngs of people with compassion and how he teaches his disciples to be in moments of expectation and uncertainty. Good Shepherd and Gentle Boss. Wow.

I am in awe at how Jesus is not moved by the possible stressors around him. Throngs of people are in the desert and hungry. He stays cool and calm. Yet I am reminded of the times I hosted a party, or back in the early 2000s when I tried my hand at cooking dinner weekly for the Wednesday night program as my church started mid-week programs. Whew! It is a lot of work to pull those moving parts together when not knowing how it will all play out. Do we have enough? Will it be ready on time? While my questions of worry came from a mindset of paucity, Jesus’ approach is grounded in generosity and grace. Miraculously, with God there is enough…and more than enough!

May you feel the joy of being enough in God’s love this day.

With prayers for you this day,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Sit with Matthew 15:29-39 again. Then, pray with God about the spaces in your life that feel "enough" right now. Give thanks to God for those gifts. Turn to the areas that feel empty or broken. Pray that God's grace fills and heals your relationship with those aspects of your beautiful, messy life.

Confession - November 13

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 80; PM Psalm 77, [79]; Neh. 9:1-15(16-25); Rev. 18:1-8; Matt. 15:1-20

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads.” This opening line from our passage from Nehemiah this morning is a more regular occurrence than you might believe. Jacob tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. So did David and Job and the elders of Zion (Lamentations). We read about it in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and even in Matthew (11:21) and Luke (10:13). It’s a profound way of both repenting and lamenting loss. It’s a way of submitting and humbling oneself.

In the Book of Jonah (3:5-9) even the animals are required to fast and put on sackcloth when the king of Nineveh arises from his throne to do the same. As I read the text for this morning, I’m struck at what was such normative behavior now feels completely lost. 

We are one year from a presidential election, and I suspect many of us are not looking forward to a year of scapegoating and blaming the other for the problems of our time.  Where is the humility, where is the repentance? 

Two weekends ago, I was one of the spiritual directors at Happening, a youth weekend modeled after Cursillo for young people in tenth through twelfth grade. The weekend is filled with talks about faith and includes much of what our church teaches around sacraments, grace, and even confession. Young people had an opportunity to participate in the rite of reconciliation, where one could confess to a priest and receive absolution. One of my colleagues beautifully referred to this rite as a sacred gift. I couldn’t agree more as there is a power of naming those things we have done and not letting the shame, guilt, or despair corrupt and destroy us from the inside out. 

When the penitent is finished with confession, the priest offers absolution and then leaves with the reminder for the penitent to also pray for the priest who is a sinner too. We aren’t perfect people. We make mistakes, and worse, sometimes we do the wrong thing. We are human after all.  And yet God still loves us anyway. 

Maybe as we hit this season where everyone is vying to persuade us of their vision for leadership and governance, we should remember our Christian ethic of humility and repentance. At the very least, it’s a lot easier than putting on sackcloth and sitting in ashes or putting dust on our heads.

Faithfully,

John+

Daily Challenge: Consider making an appointment with one of your clergy for the Rite of Reconciliation.  To learn more, you can more on page 447 of your Book of Common Prayer or click here.

Epic battles - November 8, 2023

Today’s Readings:

AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96
Neh. 13:4-22; Rev. 12:1-12; Matt. 13:53-58

Do you ever feel like sitting down – not exhaling with great satisfaction and accomplishment but throwing your hands up in the air and saying, “I. Am. Done.” After pouring out heart, soul, and energy into a project, relationship, or even a piece of art, it does not look like there is any forward movement. Maybe things are even messier than when the day started. And sometimes, it feels like the crumbling progressively gets worse. What a low, hard place we find ourselves at points in our lives.

Reading the 12th chapter of the Revelation to John reminds me of such tailspin times. John of Patmos presents vivid, apocalyptical images in a great reckoning: portents, or omens, of changes ahead – a woman of divinity, clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, and an enormous red dragon with multiple horns and heads – clash in battle. Divine promise meets evil. The woman births a son, who is whisked away to God for protection. She flees to the wilderness to recuperate. Celestial war breaks out and the archangel Michael and his angels fight the mighty dragon. The dragon loses and is thrown down to earth. And then, there is a loud voice in heaven that proclaims that God’s power is supreme over the devil and warns those upon the earth, “woe to the earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Rev. 12:12b) As that ominous dragon writhes, I can see the destructive tail creating chaos and disruption with each sweep.

What we miss if we only read the first twelve verses of Revelation 12 is what happens to the woman – that reminder of divine creation, humanity, and resilience. As the dragon wreaks havoc on earth and pursues the woman, she is transformed. The arms that would have held her newborn son are now wings of a great eagle; she can escape evil and go to a place of restoration and healing in the wilderness. Though the dragon tries to harm the woman, the earth protects her. Frustrated, the dragon moves on to torment others.

The Revelation to John is a lot on an early morning in November, and yet, the imagery of the epic battle is compelling. We see ourselves and those around us in these characters: those who do the bidding of the dragon, disrupting and breaking spaces of beauty and hope; those wearied and pursued by evil; and those transformed by sacrifice and equipped with new wings to move into safer environments.

This scripture highlights for me the age-old chasm between the life God wants for us and the existence that we inhabit. Sometimes it is hard to bridge the gap between the two. There are days when it feels like the bad stuff just will not stop and we do not know what to do. When you find yourself here, reach out. Reach out to God in prayer. Reach out to friends – not just to get a cup of coffee, but to pray for you fervently. Reach out to the Bible and read the psalms that offer words of solidarity, direction, and faithfulness. Reach out to the church, so that we may accompany you in these times of darkness and peril.

With prayers for you this day,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Who is it that you call to help in times of need? What prayers or songs come to mind?

If you are unsure of how to answer, when you are in a healthy space, pray for God to guide you. Then, take note of people who encourage or center you. Write down songs and prayers that are meaningful. Keep them in a special place, so that if you find yourself in a low or painful time, you have already prepared a "toolkit" to support you.

Who are you Responsible to? - November 6

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Neh. 6:1-19; Rev. 10:1-11; Matt. 13:36-43

In preparation for an online group I am leading this month (just send me an email if you are interested in joining), I’ve been working through a profound book called Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most. The book is based on the most popular undergraduate class at Yale University, a class taught by theologians and trying to answer the deepest question we should all seek to answer: “What is a life worth living?” As the teachers have tested the class in some unique environments, it might not surprise you to know that some of the most thoughtful engagement has been at the Danbury Federal Correctional Institution where students truly understand the distinction between “what I want” and “what’s truly worth wanting” as the students almost uniformly realize they have wholeheartedly been pursuing a mistaken vision of life for a period of time.

The larger question is broken into smaller questions, one of which was a late addition to their material. In the middle of a semester, a young Jewish woman who would go on to become one of the first women ordained as an orthodox rabbi, listened attentively to the conversation, and then asked the question, “Who are you responsible to?” The class, professors included, were dumbfounded. Undeterred, this student shared that she “considered herself responsible to her whole community and to God who gave the Torah to that community.”  She continued, “In principle, her failure to observe Shabbat or keep kosher would be a failure to hold up her responsibility to her community and to God.” For her, responsibility changes everything. 

I’ll admit, that I find her argument compelling and considering the question and its implications on my own life. I find much of Matthew’s Gospel challenging, especially passages like today’s where we hear judgmental language such as “Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age,” or “and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” If these passages were taken alone, they would certainly fail to capture what it means for us who believe in the all-loving God who destroys death and cares and loves all of God’s children. 

However, the imagery certainly is powerful and maybe worth considering if it at all inspires us to reflect on our own responsibilities and why it is so important to answer the question, “Who are you responsible to?” What are the consequences of failing to love God and to love our neighbor? Maybe the consequences are what we are experiencing with the magnitude of pain and suffering in this world today. This means when we don’t live up to our responsibilities, there are painful consequences that impact us all.

Who are you responsible to? Family, yourself, your community, humanity, or God?

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  Who are you responsible to?  How can this question be helpful in your own faith journey?

A Conciliatory Spirit

Today’s Readings

Richard Hooker Psalm 37:1-9  1 Corinthians 2:6-16 John 17:18-23 

Today’s Reflection

Today we honor Richard Hooker (1554-1600) who lived in a time when there was great religious controversy. Hooker is credited with being the "father" of the Anglican world view inclusive of the "via media," the middle way. In England there was strife between the Church of England and the Church of Rome. Enmity was so great, that at times heated words manifested into physical violence.

After ascending to the throne in 1558, Queen Elizabeth wisely "appointed Hooker as Master of the Temple Church in London, making him pastor to dozens of lawyers." (Richard H. Schmidt, Glorious Companions: Five Centuries of Anglican Spirituality, 22) Hooker had a quick intellect, a passion for the Gospel, and a "conciliatory spirit." (Ibid, 24). He was able to find the good in his theological opponents while stridently defending his own views.

I am taken with the opportunity to be inspired by Richard Hooker's scholarship, faithfulness, and heart. Where in my life/your life are we given opportunity to trust that in ardently clarifying our position, and respectfully listening to the views of someone with whom we don't agree, God might be calling forth wisdom within us? (Sidenote and a reflection for another day, today's psalm 37 is a beautiful wisdom psalm that I commend to you in prayer.)

Let us pray:

O God of truth and peace, you raised up your servant Richard Hooker in a day of bitter controversy to defend with sound reasoning and great charity the catholic and reformed religion: Grant that we may maintain that middle way, not as a compromise for the sake of peace, but as a comprehension for the sake of truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. To learn more about Richard Hooker, I encourage you to visit this site.



Yours in Christ,

Mary Bea+

It’s Complicated – November 1, 2023

Today’s Readings: All Saints':
AM: Psalm 111, 112; 2 Esdras 2:42-47; Hebrews 11:32-12:2
PM: Psalm 148, 150; Wisdom 5:1-5,14-16; Revelation 21:1-4,22-22:5

Think of someone you really admire. What is it you honor the most about that person? Now, pause for a moment - do you know them well? Can you think of something about that person that makes them more human and imperfect? A quirk, fault, or annoyance? I love it when I get to know someone and see the complicated layers that make them the wonderful child of God who they are.

Today is All Saints’ Day, when we praise God for those who have helped hone, shape, and defend the ways we gather as Church to honor the resurrected Jesus. Those numbered in the saints include those “whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten. Their posterity will continue for ever, and their glory will not be blotted out. Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives to all generations.” Ecclesiasticus 44:13-14

Perhaps you have heard a litany (really thorough, long prayer) of saints on this day. At Church of St. Stephen and the Incarnation in Washington, D.C., I have read that at the principal Eucharist celebrating All Saints’ Day, a lovely litany is prayed, calling all the saints, many across time by name, to “stand here beside us.” You may pray or peruse this fascinating prayer yourself.

I am struck by the call to draw near to the saints of our faith and ask that they stand here beside us in this moment in time. By being in the presence of others of profound faith – like the poets of celestial vision, including John Milton and William Blake, and others named in the litany above – we might grow to know them more deeply. We could learn from them, and they could even be moved by us. We could pray for one another, knit together in the deep love embodied by Jesus.

And then, something beautiful happens. We see the humanity of those near us. They become more complicated. They are not simply the wonderful composer, preacher, advocate. They are messy. And irritable. And funny. And real. In “The Sacred Journey,” Frederick Buechner commended to his readers these words:

“On All Saints' Day, it is not just the saints of the church that we should remember in our prayers, but all the foolish ones and wise ones, the shy ones and overbearing ones, the broken ones and whole ones, the despots and tosspots and crackpots of our lives who, one way or another, have been our particular fathers and mothers and saints, and whom we loved without knowing we loved them and by whom we were helped to whatever little we may have, or ever hope to have, of some kind of seedy sainthood of our own.

We might even believe that we have some miniscule amount of sainthood, too, as foolish and broken as we may be. How does that shape how we see those around us who we might undervalue or misunderstand?

May you be inspired as you contemplate the saints who have come before us and those who will follow us.

Katherine+

New Brothers and Sisters - October 30

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44; Zech. 1:7-17; Rev. 1:4-20; Matt. 12:43-50

In the postscript from Sebastian Junger’s book Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, Junger tells a story that he found in some research about the Cree Indians.  He tells a story from anthropologist Eleanor Leacock who went on a hunting trip with a Cree named Thomas.  They were deep in the bush when they encountered two men who were total strangers, lost and hungry and completely out of food.  Thomas’s response was to give them all of his flour and lard, resulting in having to cut their own hunting trip short.  When Thomas is asked why he did this, he responds to Leacock, “Suppose, now, not to give them flour, lard,” he said.  “Just dead inside.”[1]

Junger’s work is on tribalism, and he aims at trying to understand why soldiers have such a challenging time returning to an affluent and Western culture after war.  I find it deeply compelling and continue to return to his book year after year.   His answer is purpose.  To not help another human being is to be dead inside. 

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is expanding his tribe. He is making a rather profound statement when he looks at his friends and sees them as his mother and his brothers.   Because we will care for our family. When we expand our notion of who our family really is and who we are responsible for, we expand our capacity to care.  This is at the thrust of Christianity which understands human relationships to comprise of the body of Christ.  We are adopted into God’s family. 

I share the reflection from Junger because in our capacity to care for one another, we actually find life.  It might be why people show up to church, looking for meaningful ways to live out their faith, or why people show up at an outreach event wanting to contribute meaningful work.  We find life when we extend care to one another.  Jesus said that he came so that we might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).  Maybe it’s in learning to see each other as our sisters and brothers, together as the human family.

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  Who do you find it easy to help and who do you find it difficult to help?  Why do you think this is?  Who is your tribe?  Is that helpful or limiting? 

[1] 136, Junger, Sebastian. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging.  Twelve Publishing, New York, 2016.

Creating Our Own Lament

Today’s Readings Friday:

AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35
Ezra 3:1-13; 1 Cor 16:10-24; Matt. 12:22-32

Today’s Reflection

In his landmark book, The Psalms and the Life of Faith, Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann devotes an entire chapter to "The Costly Loss of Lament." Given that nearly half of the 150 psalms in our scripture are psalms of lament, we can trust that this way of praying to God was critical to our forefathers and mothers. Unfortunately, our current culture can dismiss the need to cry out to God in anguish and pain. There can be a misguided understanding that voicing our complaints, anxieties to God is a version of not trusting God.

A stark example of this happened to me when I was serving as an Emergency Room Chaplain during my required Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Before entering one of the patient rooms, I looked on the patient's chart and recognized the name of a frail, elderly woman who had been in the Emergency Department a number of times in recent days. In our conversation she cried out in anguish that "God had forgotten her." I encouraged her to put words to her anger at God and her desires for God to alleviate her suffering. Immediately her son jumped out of his seat and asked me to leave. "We do not talk to God in that way! We give thanks to God the almighty!" I left the room a bit shaken and a lot sad that this woman wasn't given the space to lay out her concerns to God. I felt as if she was being forced into a one-dimensional relationship with God which was dismissive of the breadth and depth of our human emotions and experiences.

This morning's Psalm 31 is a psalm of lament. Brueggemann writes, "The lament psalms, ..., are a complaint that makes the shrill insistence that:

• Things are not right in the present arrangement.

• They need not stay this way and can be changed.

• The speaker will not accept them in this way, for the present arrangement is intolerable.

• It is God's obligation to Change things" (105)

Inherent in a lament psalm is the trust that God is listening--in relationship with us, and that we, as God's people, deserve an audience. All of the lament psalms, except Psalm 88, conclude in praise and thanksgiving.

Today we grieve the horrors in the Middle East, and Ukraine, in Lewiston, Maine, and the many heartbreaks in our personal lives. Perhaps there is a psalm of lament that you wish to cry out, to pray to God, trusting God loves all of God's creation; that God desires to be in relation with you. Or, perhaps you would like to write a lament using the four points outlined above and ending in praise and thanksgiving.

Here is my attempt at a psalm of lament. Please feel free to send yours to me.

Guns and greed,

religious wars and political misdeeds.

Where, Oh God

are you in our time of need?

Bombings and babies crying,

Nursing mothers starving.

Where, Oh God

are you in our time of need?

Shooter drills

way too many pills.

Where, Oh God

are you in our time of need?

Hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires

Emergency workers, police, teachers spent and tired.

Where, Oh God

are you in our time of need?

Stir up your power

and save your planet.

Stir up your compassion

and save your people.

Stir up your grace

and open our hearts to one another.

Into your hands

we commend our spirits.

Into your heart

we rest our souls.

We lift up our lives to you

and

praise your name

forever and ever.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Mary Bea+

Rollercoaster – October 25, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48
Lam. 2:8-15; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Matt. 12:1-14

Groups of teenagers and adults at Saint Stephen’s are preparing for a very special day – November 5. It is on this day that we celebrate All Saints Day and welcome the Rt. Rev. Glenda Curry, our Bishop Diocesan, to lay her hands upon their heads and welcome them as confirmed members of the Episcopal Church. Through classes, conversation, study, and prayer, these people have been preparing themselves. They have been exploring what commitment to God looks like as they get read to affirm their faith in our Lord.

Faith in God is sometimes beautiful and other times it is messy. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth about the promise of God’s mystery – that we will not all fall asleep or die, but we will be changed. Our mortal bodies will be swept up into immortality. Sin and death will be no more through the power of Jesus. Those are sweet words upon the ears of those who also sit in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, wrestling with the prophetic lyrical composition that described the defeated Jerusalem. Because of the Lord, “Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; guidance is no more, and her prophets obtain no vision from the Lord.” There is weeping from the prophet’s eyes, churning of the stomach, and retching. There is much illness, hunger, and brokenness…and it is grounded in the sinful nature and flailing faith of the Israelites.

There are days when we feel the promise of leaning upon God. There are other times when we feel at an all-time low. If we remember that we experience those mountaintops and deep valleys, then perhaps in our prayer life we will remember that others go through those cycles and rollercoasters, too. How are you and I staying in tune with those around us? How are we listening to the needs of others? Faith in God through Jesus steadies us so that we are inwardly fed and then looking outward to others. Let us not neglect those in our net who are hurting this day. For, it is in nurturing our own that our faith in God is deeply revealed.

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Think about what commitment means to you.

In the Baptismal Covenant, we promise to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself.” In what ways are you serving others in your circle of influence?

Feast of St. James - October 23, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM: Psalm 119:145-168, PM: Psalm 122, 125; Jeremiah 11:18-23; Isaiah 65:17-25; Hebrews 12:12-24; Matthew 10:16-22

Today is the Feast of James of Jerusalem who the New Testament refers to as the brother of our Lord.  James was considered to be the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and some think he was the author of James.  In the 7th chapter of John, we are told that Jesus’s brothers didn’t believe him, a wonderful reminder that people come around with enough time.

The Gospel text selected for James’ feast includes this passage from Matthew: ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.’  James is martyred in the year 62 AD.  The historian Josephus wrote about James and there were reports that he was respected even by the Pharisees for his piety and adherence to the law. 

In full disclosure, I don’t pay that much attention to the Feast days in the Episcopal Church, but seeing James, brother of Jesus, and Bishop of Jerusalem it seemed fitting to reflect on his life.  When we have a feast day in the church, there is an accompanying Collect to go with the readings for the day.  Our collect for today is:

 Grant, O God, that, following the example of your servant James the Just, brother of our Lord, your Church may give itself continually to prayer and to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.

 On this day when we remember James of Jerusalem, it seems as fitting as ever that the prayer for James invites us to prayer and to the reconciliation of “all who are at variance and enmity.”  The Bishop of our Holy land and one of the sources of perpetual conflict in our world, would be fitting to call us to pray for all who are at variance and enmity. May those prayers be heard especially today, we beseech thee O Lord.

John+

Questions for Reflection:  How do you pray for people who are at variance and enmity? What are the ways you work to help create opportunities for the work of reconciliation to take place in your life and the lives of those around you?

Sharing Our Stories

Today’s Readings

Friday. AM Psalm 16, 17 PM Psalm 22  Jer. 38:14-28;  1 Cor. 15:1-11;Matt. 11:7-15

Today’s Reflection

Ours is a tradition built on stories. In fact, all traditions are built on stories. In today's readings we hear the story of an ongoing conversation between the prophet Jeremiah and King Zedechiah. One of the ways to interpret that story is for the Israelite people to remember that things did not go well for the king when he didn't listen to the prophet about following God's way. So listen to your prophets; follow God's way. We also hear St. Paul's often told faith story of how Jesus died for us, was raised from the dead. Paul was passionate about telling the story so more people would believe.

Think of the stories your family tells when you are a gathered for a celebration. If your family is like mine, we spend time reminiscing and laughing about some of the same old tales--like the Christmas Eve when my, then elementary school, brothers thought my father was Santa Claus. My brothers were sneaking down the step to glimpse Christmas gifts, and my father was sitting on the couch, feeding my baby brother a bottle. All my brothers could only see were dad's red pajama pants and they were convinced Santa was resting our our couch.

Yes, some stories are funny; some stories are painful. Many stories we tell help us make meaning of our lives. The way we tell our stories has a great impact on how we experience life. And of course, no story is complete without a storykeeper--someone to listen to our stories.

This Sunday during the Adult Forum (10:15 am in the Parish Hall) I am thrilled to be collaborating with my dear friend and in many ways, mentor, Elizabeth Vanderkamp will begin our interactive three-part series "Discovering Our Stories in Sacred Story." Elizabeth is an extraordinary storyteller and storekeeper. I hope you will join us as we wonder together about how to tell and share our stories, and explore some of our favorite Bible stories.

Yours in Christ,

Mary Bea+

Expanding our Gifts – October 18, 2023

Today’s Readings for the Feast of St. Luke:
AM: Psalm 103; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Luke 1:1-4
PM: Psalm 67, 96; Isaiah 52:7-10; Acts 1:1-8

I have always been interested in medicine. As a child, I could get splinters out without wincing. I read books about animal care. I wanted to be a large animal veterinarian – for that would mean I could routinely be around horses, my first great love. That passion shifted when my cousin Barton was diagnosed with a rare cancer as a young teenager. Three years my senior, I adored him like an older brother. I was so worried when my parents told me about his illness. My mom and I drove up to Birmingham from Montgomery to see him during one of his stays at Children’s Hospital. Walking down the hallway that afternoon in our Sunday best, I saw lots of sick kids. I remember feeling a blend of anxiety and hopefulness. Barton had lost some of his thick, dark hair and walked with his IV pole as his buddy. We played arcade-style video games Pac Man and Donkey Kong (as this was the mid-1980s). Playing with him helped move this shared time from a fear-filled emergency to a comfortable reunion.

Barton’s medical teams were able to treat his disease through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, as a five-year study of that pediatric cancer had just been concluded. He was given a five percent chance to live to his 40th birthday. He turned 50 last month, thanks be to God!

In the wake of my cousin’s disease process, I wanted to be able to help other kids get to the other side of cancer – to live fully in remission. My dream and goal of becoming a physician did not come to fruition in the way I expected. And yet, what I get to do as a priest in God’s church is to be with people in tender times, bringing reminders of the grounding peace and healing power of God’s love into those spaces that are complex and messy.

On this day, we celebrate the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, who was also a physician (per Colossians 4:14). It is curious to me that, though he was a physician, the Church remembers Saint Luke as the Evangelist, for he helped spread the news of Jesus through writing the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke paid attention to the details surrounding the ministry and life of Jesus – and shared these details as he told the stories of the Messiah and the early church. He penned in the opening of Acts, “I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” (1:1-2) Luke continued, “After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” (Acts 1:3-5)

Luke did not speak much about himself, except to give a nod to the miraculous testimonies he saw through the trajectory of Jesus’ ministry and the post-resurrection reactions. He demonstrated his faith by naming who Jesus was and what he did. Luke’s accounts showed his care for the precise details of people and their humanity - the human love of Christ; the downtrodden and lame; the women who supported the ministry of Jesus.

Luke was a powerful witness to Jerusalem and to the world. Jesus changed his life and expanded Luke’s gifts - from being a physician, to being an evangelist for the Good News of the resurrected Christ. Likewise, Jesus expands our lives.

May your eyes be opened to see where the Holy Spirit is giving you courage. May you tell the stories of God breaking into your life. May you continue to lean on Jesus as the Good Shepherd who guides and guards you each day.

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Look around you. Reflect on what you love about your workplace or workspace.

What realities suck joy out of that space? Where is God calling you to find fulfillment and peace?

Love never ends - October 16

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 1, 2, 3; PM Psalm 4, 7; Jer. 36:11-26; 1 Cor. 13:(1-3)4-13; Matt. 10:5-15

More weddings than not invoke the words of Paul to the community of believers in Corinth.  His passage on love is one of the more familiar passages in all of Holy Scripture.  I especially like the passage in verse 8, “Love never ends.”  I had the privilege of preaching at two funerals last week, one of a long-time member of our community and the other a family member through marriage.   The gift of walking with families through funerals is the window into their lives and the window into the life of the deceased. It’s a gift to witness others authentically share about the person they love. 

Maybe it’s me, but I often think most about the impact that love has on me.  What does it feel like to be loved by someone else, or my children, spouse, or parents?  But our outward expression of love has qualities that transform the world.  Our love for others changes their lives too.  I know because I hear it at every single funeral and it’s the hope at every wedding.  We hope that love will transform the couple, forever.

Love never ends, because we are different every day because our lives are consistently being molded by the people who love us. Maybe you behave differently because you love your children or your spouse. Maybe you become less selfish because of your love and in turn, those who receive your love become more grateful and humble forever altering the course of their life too. Love never ends.  It is always changing us. 

The love that God has for each of us should be no different.  We too are always changing.  We should not be the same person tomorrow that we are today.  And that’s a good thing.  Because love never ends.  So if you aren’t completely pleased with yourself today, tomorrow is a new day.

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection:  How has your life been permanently altered by someone’s love towards you?

A Heart For Peace

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 137:1-6(7-9), 144; PM Psalm 104 Jer. 35:1-19;  1 Cor. 12:27-13:3; Matt. 9:35-10:4

Today’s Reflection

While in seminary, my field education parish was Saint Alban’s in Washington, D.C., sometimes referred to as the “State Department Church” because of the abundance of U.S. State Department employees worshipping there.

One of my liturgical responsibilities was to read the Gospel. My first time I was quite nervous. That morning, the “Gospeller” (the person processing with the Gospel Book), was a stately, bespectacled gentleman with a white beard and mustache. Before we processed into the nave, he gently introduced himself as Sam Lewis and asked how he could be helpful to me.  I was comforted by his graciousness and kindness.  

After the service, Sam went out of his way to introduce me to his wife and ask how I was doing living so far from my husband who was back in Alabama.  Reflecting on my encounter with Sam, something kept niggling at me—Sam Lewis, Sam Lewis, that name seemed so familiar. I mentioned this to my field education supervisor who burst out laughing and said, “He helped broker the 1978 Camp David peace accord between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin!" Oh, former Ambassador to Israel—THAT Sam Lewis!

I remember Sam and his wife Sallie frequently seeking me out for conversation and offering to be of assistance. My favorite memory of Sam is of him humbly holding the Gospel book, eyes downcast as I read the scripture. Here, this man who shuffled between Menachem Begin, Jimmy Carter, and Anwar Sadat treated me, a seminarian, with such respect. Sam embodied his devotion to the Gospel.

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he reminds us that all members of the body are important; that we are all one in Christ and no part of the body any more or less important than the other. 

As our hearts break with yet another horrifying war in the Middle East, perhaps we can find humble inspiration in the life of Sam Lewis—a humble Christian man with a heart for peace who treated Muslims, Jews, Christians, Presidents and seminarians alike with respect.  

Like the blind men crying out to Jesus in today’s Gospel we cry out as well.

Lord, have mercy on us!

Heal us of our blindness to our shared humanity.

Heal us of our anger.

Heal us of the horrors of war and injustice.

Heal us of our complacency.

Kyrie eleison

Christe eleison

Kyrie eleison

Yours in Christ,

Mary Bea+

Sam Lewis' Washington Post obituary

Reflection Questions: Who has inspired you to be more humble and to treat all persons with respect? What is your prayer for peace?

Listening for the Spirit in Scripture - October 6, 2023

Today’s Readings: William Tyndale Psalm 15, James 1:19-27, John 12:44-50

Up until the 16th Century, there were no English translations of the Bible. Obviously, this greatly limited the ability of nearly all English-speaking laypersons to read or study scripture. William Tyndall (1494-1536) was a priest educated at Oxford and Cambridge in England. Even though he was a man of privilege, he was passionate about making scripture available to all persons. King Henry VIII was adamant in his opposition to making scripture more readily available in this way. Tyndale was subjected to great dangers and perils for his persistence in making scripture more accessible, and for his beliefs on grace. Ultimately, he was tried for heresy and with the passive cooperation of the papal authorities, burned at the stake.

Before his death, Tyndale translated the New Testament and portions of the Hebrew Scriptures directly from the Hebrew and Greek into English. Later, Tyndale's work was completed by Miles Coverdale. Tyndale and Coverdale's courage and passion were instrumental in the Reformation of the Church in the 16th Century.

I take for granted the ability to read scripture in my native tongue. Yes, no translation is perfect and yet, I give thanks that God speaks to me through praying with and studying The Hebrew Scriptures, The Gospels, and the Epistles. All of the English Bible translations we have available to us today owe their origins to Tyndale and Coverdale in some way.

If you desire a deeper connection with Christ, I encourage you to consider how you are spending (or not) time reading and studying scripture. Perhaps you would like to try this simple practice: light a candle, slowly read aloud one of the passages from today's scripture (below), and sit in silence with God for at least five minutes. Thank God for the time together and notice how the scripture continues to speak to you throughout the day. I pray this is a fruitful time for you.

Grace and peace,

Mary Bea+

Frank of God - October 4, 2023

Today’s Readings: The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - Psalm 121, Job 39:1-18, Matthew 11:25-30

As I get older, I name more freely that I relish gardening. I love tending flowers, picking weeds, scoping out ideas for growing vegetables in our terraced beds, and all the details in between. My husband Sam knows that anything related to outdoor gardening will be a well appreciated gift. This morning I am reminded of a statue he gave me. It stands about 30 inches tall and has moved with us several times. We always find a fitting place in the yard for Frank. You see, that is what we call him – Frank of God. We did not call him that from the start. It was after a period of time … kind of like when a nickname or word of affection arises because of relationship and exposure. This rendering of St. Francis of Assisi is a fixture in the places that I tend and relax and create.

Today the church honors and gives thanks for St. Francis (1182-1226), who lived a life of monetary privilege and then gave it all away to tend God’s house – and the most vulnerable in God’s creation. Others were influenced by his scrappy work ethic and faithfulness to God. This small group of men became officially acknowledged by the pope a few years after their inception – and we know of them as Franciscans. These friars in the cloistered order preached in the world, using words if necessary. The acclaim of St. Francis continues into the present, with hallmarks in simple living and a life of poverty.

One of the Bible readings associated with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is Matthew 11:25-30. As I read part of this scripture, I am reminded of what it is like to pull weeds and tend the plants around our statue Frank of God. It is work, to be sure. And yet, it is refreshing and fun. Jesus says to those who will listen, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The work that St. Francis did to serve God gave him respite. He put down the work that was put upon him by family expectations and worldly goods. And he picked up the yoke of Jesus and learned from him. That work was restorative and life giving.

We cannot all be Francis…and we can be inspired by his dedication and listen for where God is calling us to tend the spaces in need within our hearts and in this world. The places of brokenness and sickness. The spaces where a companion can bring a reminder of the resurrection hope of Jesus.

May God lift up your eyes this day,

Katherine+

Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:

Think of your life.

When do you feel close to God? When do you feel far away? What or who brings you home?

Notice what is around you - October 2, 2023

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 89:1-18; PM Psalm 89:19-52; 2 Kings 17:24-41; 1 Cor. 7:25-31; Matt. 6:25-34

This past weekend, while attending a family wedding, made a trip to the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts.  It was the perfect place to spend a few hours both for our children and for adults.  One of the exhibits on the top floor featured insects and I was especially drawn to a complex ant home that spanned two separate areas.  In one area, you had ants grabbing leaves and marching down an elongated tube to a large multilayer structure where the ants were building a home.  We marveled at the complexity of the ants’ existence and how well they worked together for the common good and their own ability to survive. 

A few hours later, we were walking through the markets near Faneuil Hall, watching street performers and pigeons compete for space and attention, tourists crowded around and soaking up the culture and cosmopolitan vibe of downtown Boston.  There was a lot of life happening, people coming and going on their own little missions, not too much differently than the beautiful ant colony exposed to those who had wandered into the insect exhibit.

There is a lot of life happening around us at all times.  Sometimes looking at what is happening beneath our feet or in visiting a cosmopolitan city, can change our vantage point.  It’s easy to feel the weight of the thousands of decisions we make every day, some important and necessary for our lives.  Maybe that’s why we hear in today’s Gospel from Matthew to consider the birds of the air, or the lilies of the field.  We need to see all of the life teaming around us, thriving, growing, moving, living, and connecting so that we can also be reminded that God has created our lives and put before us what we need to live in the kingdom of God too. 

This certainly doesn’t mean that life will be absent of hardship or challenges, but seeing all of life moves us from being the center of the universe and gives a healthier framework for seeing God’s agency in all of life and can move our worries from being overly consuming by changing our framework. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” – Matthew 6:25

John+

 Questions for Self-Reflection: Think about the last 24 hours.  What has given you joy? Name it and give thanks!