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Collect

Living God,
you have created all that is.
Send forth your Spirit to renew and restore us,
that we may proclaim your good news
in ways and words
that all will understand and believe. Amen.

Readings

Acts 2:1-21

John 14:12-27

Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Reshaping Parish Culture Reflection

When the whole people of God are freed to join the Holy Spirit at work in our neighbourhoods, communities and networks, a new future unfolds…

Romans 12: 9 – 20a, 21

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but give yourselves to humble tasks; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink….” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

When the whole people of God are freed to join the Holy Spirit at work in our neighbourhoods, communities and networks, a new future unfolds…the unfolding of God’s kingdom as described in the passage from Romans. Our task in reshaping our parish cultures is to create the space for God’s work and our parishes to intersect in the most magnificent blossoming. That blossoming is grounded in faith formation or discipleship, prayer, and a discerning use of our corporate and individual gifts, skills, and passions in the service of God’s mission.

Sometimes, parishes respond to the anxiety of declining numbers, diminishing dollars, and rising age demographics with anxiety and a generalized discontent, and when that becomes the driver of change, the ensuing adjustments are like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Our anxiety and dread are temporarily assuaged by the busyness of changing things up until we realize that nothing real has changed except that anxiety is increasing and despair often follows. Decisions about what needs to be reshaped and how that happens must be framed within the context of discerning how God is inviting a particular parish to engage with God’s mission. A commitment to the unfolding of God’s kingdom, a missional imagination rather than a commitment to the survival of a parish is the key to a renewed future.

What does it look like to free the people of God? Renewal or reshaping of a parish culture requires a willingness to examine and disrupt the old patterns, to ask questions like “how does this practice, behaviour, or expectation contribute to God’s mission?” or “how does this help us to engage with God’s people?” or “how does this help to transform us into a resurrection people?”. And this means that parish leaders must create new space for missional imagination to weave its way into and through people and parish structures. This journey invites congregations to embrace the challenging task of living in the tension of disruption and uncertainty, of dwelling for a time in liminal space… on the threshold between the old and familiar and a future that is unknown, between a past that is comfortingly known and a shape that is as yet unknown.

Parishes will make choices along this journey guided by their readiness to live in the tension of uncertainty, by their sense of urgency around discerning God’s call to them, and by their longing for transformation. Some parishes will be ready to take big leaps and others will venture smaller steps. Remember this is a journey God invites us to make; Moses took forty years to get to the promised land – just listen to God’s voice and follow the path at whatever pace works. The most important thing is to refrain from getting mired in that sticky yearning for comfort and security!

Those parishes ready for bite-sized reshaping will want to focus their attention on reshaping parish culture in the following areas:

Stewardship – Attention to renewed stewardship practices that reflect giving as a manifestation of the gifts God gives will move parishioners to experiencing a sense of joy when they give to God’s work. Our giving to God is meant to transform us! And that giving is about our gifts, strengths, passions, and experiences as much as it is about money. Parishes can enable people to identify their gifts, create opportunities for people to use and grow those gifts in service to God’s mission, and grow people as disciples by helping them make the connection between God’s mission and their daily lives.

Radical Hospitality – while parishes do need programs and ministries that support and nurture the faithful, Jesus intends us to be like Mary recognizing Jesus by the empty tomb…so transformed by God’s love that we cannot wait to share the good news with our friends, our neighbours, and strangers we encounter! God calls us to embrace strangers, welcome outsiders, advocate for the marginalized, and see the image of God in everyone we meet. Our society is full of people yearning for meaning and connection; our tasks are to connect with them and share how the Good News has transformed our lives!

Ministry Engagement – followers of Jesus want to be involved in God’s mission! Joining in the church’s engagement in mission is a perfect complement to the ways in which people pay attention to that practice of engagement with God’s mission in their home and work lives. Or engaging in the missional work of the faith community may trigger a deeper connection to God in someone’s life outside of church. The most effective way to support people in their longing for meaningful engagement is a robust volunteer management program that includes job descriptions that use missional language, a recruitment process that focuses on gifts, strengths and passions, a vigorous training/mentoring process that positions lay people for joy and accomplishment related to the mission, and frequent public and private affirmations of people and their contributions, again framed through a missional lens.

Governance – leadership and church management by the laity can be easily reshaped by missional practices, and governance practices and language that reflects God’s mission will transform the conversations a faith community has, and the work they engage in.

Collect

Precious love,
your ascended Son promised the gift of holy power. Send your Spirit of revelation and wisdom,
that in the blessed freedom of hope,
we may witness to the grace of forgiveness
and sing songs of joy with the peoples of earth
to the One who makes us one body. Amen.

Readings

Acts 1:1-11

Psalm 47

Ephesians 1:15-23

Luke 24:44-53

Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Once again (the second time in two weeks) that familiar phrase “Our thoughts and prayers are with you” has occupied space on the internet, in newspapers and on TV. I have always wondered what effect, if any, the phrase held in light of natural disasters or terrible events like mass shootings.

The question is: What do we think God should/could do in these situations. Do we believe in a God who might selectively intervene in the affairs of humankind and the laws of nature? Or are we trying to pass the responsibility for horrible events off to God? What then is prayer?

I thought it appropriate for us to reflect on this too common phrase in place of this week’s scripture readings. Perhaps there is something hypocritical about praying for God to solve a problem that people themselves are unwilling to resolve. For example,
in the United States there is the knowledge of how to stop mass murders but no political will to create appropriate legislation and/or fund mental health initiatives. Unfortunately, thoughts and prayers do not seem to doing it.

Obviously the situation is not yet as dire in Canada as in the United States. But often I think—just give us some time.

That phrase “our thoughts and prayers are with you” was used in Canada, for example, in response to the Quebec Mosque shooting and the New Brunswick mass murder, and in response to the horrific fires and flooding in British Columbia last fall.

The question is: What do we think God should/could do in these situations? Do we believe in a God who might selectively intervene in the affairs of humankind and the laws of nature? Or are we trying to pass the responsibility for horrible events off to God? What then is prayer?

I have come to understand that prayer is attentiveness; it asks us to think clearly. Prayer is silence; something to be, not something to do. Prayer is about us, not about God. Along with this kind of prayer I believe we are called to action—to do what we know is right. We ought not to lose our direction in a muddle of thoughts and prayers. Our actions need to express our love of God and love of neighbour.

For example, the problem of too many guns won’t be solved by more guns. Part of the mourning process must involve direct political action, otherwise, the dead are not properly mourned.

Therefore we must exercise our right to vote, and to vote for representatives and leaders who will be courageous, dedicated to peace and care for all people and creation.

Collect

Gracious God,
through a vision you sent forth Paul to preach the gospel
and called the women to the place of prayer on the Sabbath.
Grant that we may be like Paul
and be found like Lydia,
our hearts responsive to your word
and open to go where you lead us. Amen.

Readings

Acts 16:9-15

Psalm 67

Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5

John 14:23-29

Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.

Our readings today are a lead up to Ascension Day and Pentecost which we celebrate on the next 2 Sundays. In our gospel today, Jesus speaks of his leaving to his disciples but also of the coming of the Holy Spirit who will teach the disciples and remind them of all that Jesus told them. In our reading from Acts, Paul talks of how they are always listening for the leading of the spirit and in Revelation John speaks of all that the Spirit reveals to him. How much time to you spend discerning the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?

The Holy Spirit has been part of creation from its very beginning, she is the breath of God filling all beings with life including us today.

When a friends face pops into your mind and you think ‘it’s been a while since we chatted’ and you call only to discover something has happened and your friend so needed your call, do you think that is the nudging of the Holy Spirit? When you’re struggling with an issue or a relationship and you open a magazine which has an article which helps you to see the situation or relationship from a new angle or helps you to work through an issue, do you see that as the work of the Holy Spirit? When you come to church on Sunday and a song you sing raises your spirits and renews your relationship with God and fills your spirit with joy, do you see that as the movement of the Holy Spirit?

When Jesus tells the disciples that God is sending the Holy Spirit it was not just to those people at that time and when we speak of the Holy Spirit being the ‘breath of life’ for the church it is not just for congregational purposes. The Holy Spirit has been part of creation from its very beginning, she is the breath of God filling all beings with life including us today. The Holy Spirit continues to teach and lead and remind us of Jesus’s message, she fills our lungs with air and our lives with meaning and truth.

Being open to the Holy Spirit are what trust and faith are about. Paul and his companions were open to where the Spirit was leading them, and she led them to Lydia a woman ready to hear about Jesus and devote her life to telling the good news of the love of Jesus. Lydia becomes an important person not only for Paul’s ministry but for the church in Macedonia. Trust the Holy Spirit, where she is leading you, to whom she is leading you, what she has to teach you, the truth she shows and tells. Rely on her to be an important part of your prayer life, expressing your joy and pain, your longings, and fears when you can’t even articulate them yourself.

When you experience a prayer being answered when you had not even spoken the prayer, that is the Holy Spirit interceding for you, connecting you to Jesus and God the Creator in deeper ways that you could imagine and giving to you what you need when you need it. Amen.

Collect

Alpha and Omega, First and Last,
glory outshining all the lights of heaven:
pour out upon us your Spirit
of faithful love and abundant compassion,
so that we may rejoice in the splendor of your works while we wait in expectation
for the new heaven and the new earth you promise when Christ shall come again. Amen.

Readings

Ephesians 4:1-15

John 8:31-32

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’

Dear parish family please reflect in anticipation of MAP (Mission Action Plan) on Sunday

Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Faith formation says a great deal about what kind of life we are called to lead as a Christian. Nish Weiseth captures this; “Spiritual formation is the process by which we are shaped by the power of the Holy Spirit into the image of Jesus for the sake of others…Not for us, but for our neighbours, for our communities, for the sake of doing the work of Jesus here on this earth in this time, to see the Kingdom of God break through…so that others might flourish…We are called to be made more into the image of Jesus for their sake, so that they may be blessed.” From A Rhythm of Prayer, edited by Sarah Bessey, pg 95

Disciples are not mere followers nor are they simply participants in regular worship. The root of the word disciple is discere – to learn, and through faith formation, Christians learn the Way of Jesus. Faith formation is both guided participation in community faith practices and an intention and practice that attunes us to the presence of God, the sacred in everyday life, and service to others so that all may experience

God’s fullness of life. The joy of a community focused on faith formation is that faith formation envelopes the disciple in a process of experiencing, learning, and living the Way of Jesus. The faith community at its best is an incubator where we can practise spiritual disciplines, new ways of being compassionate with one another, and risk taking as we respond with increasing boldness to the Spirit’s call to compassion, humility, and caretaking of others.

What does it look like to be one who is faith formed? A faith formed person lives a life that is shaped in every aspect by the love of God as shown to us by and through Jesus; a person who continues in the word of Jesus. Faith formed people, disciples, live a daily rhythm of spiritual practices and intention that inform each moment of their day. They seek the best for others. Is this about perfection or sainthood? No, it’s about intention, and growing and deepening our sense of living in the fullness of God; being whole and authentically who God is calling us to be – and supporting others in that same fullness! Discipleship is a journey for every one of us; each in a different place, but all moving towards God.

Frederick Buechner says in Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Faith forming invites us to lean into our deep gladness, to relish our own unique gifts and charisms, and to connect those in our families, our neighbourhoods and our faith communities in ways that feed people’s deepest hungers. Can you name your place of deep gladness? Can you identify where your deep gladness nourishes and responds to the world’s deep hunger…for food, for shelter, for safety, for love, for dignity, for reconciliation, for God?

Another way of thinking about this is to ask what rhythms of our day differentiate us from the others around us. Which rhythms in our day have grown out of our faith? Are there aspects of our daily rhythms that might intrigue people enough to ask us about them? Do we have spiritual practices that gently move us into the lives of others? What about our faith practices would identify us as a disciple of Jesus to others?

These are challenging questions for Anglicans, indeed for many Christians, because for too long we have behaved as though disciples were formed in a private relationship between an individual and God at regular Sunday worship. There might have been a time when there was an unspoken, shared social agreement about what it meant to be a Christian but, in this secular, post-Christian world, that’s just not the case. We are being called to live counter-cultural lives; lives marked by spiritual practices and a deep connection to God through Jesus – lives that are both the announcement and demonstration of God’s love.

Collect

God of comfort and compassion, through Jesus, your Son, you lead us
to the water of life and table of your bounty.
May we who have received the tender love of our Good Shepherd
be strengthened by your grace to care for your flock. Amen.

Readings

Acts 9:36-43

Psalm 23

Revelation 7:9-17

John 10:22-30

At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

The Good Shepherd

The readings appointed for this Sunday morning present what is surely an image familiar to all of us, that of the Good Shepherd. The image of the caring shepherd is known to us from the Old Testament, most especially through the 23rd psalm: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” The image of shepherd in scripture was applied to caregivers, whether divine or human, and had both a political and a spiritual dimension; kings and governors were frequently called shepherds in secular writings of the period. Moses was described as a shepherd. Through the image of the shepherd, scripture makes quite clear the responsibility of leaders to care for their followers.

The lesson of the Good Shepherd is not difficult to understand, but it’s very difficult to do; it’s simple, but it’s not easy. A relationship with God as known in Jesus involves our heart, soul, mind and strength.

This OT image was of course known to Jesus, and when he adopts the image of the shepherd to describe his ministry, he is distinguishing himself clearly from the image of the warrior-king, the Messiah who would lead Israel to freedom through armed rebellion. Jesus’ model for the Messiah is the caring shepherd of the flock. His love is faithful and true, for unlike the hired hand, he does not abandon his people in times of danger (John 10:12), does not lead for the sake of personal gain, like the Pharisees; indeed, he is willing to sacrifice himself for them. Jesus draws an intimate connection between himself, his followers and God: “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” The story about Tabitha in Acts emphasizes what our response to Jesus’ love should be: “She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.” God’s love must be seen in our loving actions to others. Jesus models for us the way we should live; when he tells us that he is “the way, truth and life,” he calls us to follow his way, to be like him in the pursuit of truth, of abundant life for all. We all have to become shepherds—good shepherds. We are called to be faithful and true, to him, to each other, to all of creation.

During this Easter season we focus much on the passion of Christ, on his suffering and death; one way of understanding Christ’s passion is to recognize what he was passionate about, what led to his execution. Clearly, he was passionate about justice and peace; the Gospel passage is addressed to the Pharisees and thereby contrasts Jesus with the leaders of the synagogue who collaborate with the Romans and steal, take money & goods for themselves from the poor and marginalized. Jesus demonstrated peacefully, non-violently, against the injustice he witnessed in his society and he died for his efforts. So too must we pursue divine justice in our world, in our society. We who are blessed with so much must do all we can to ensure a fair distribution of the world’s goods, to call attention to exploitation of people and places, to strive to feed the hungry, clothe the naked. The Christian faith is a transformative faith, a transformative way of life, for us and for those we love in God’s name; as his love changes us, so too our love changes the lives of others, spiritually, politically, and physically. Note the hospitality and sharing in the early church as described in the book of Acts (4:32-35).

The lesson of the Good Shepherd is not difficult to understand, but it’s very difficult to do; it’s simple, but it’s not easy. A relationship with God as known in Jesus involves our heart, soul, mind and strength. It should transform us and our community. The Bible from beginning to end is both personal and political, concerned with both spiritual matters and social matters, and our life of Christian faithfulness involves both as well. When Jesus is asked what must be done to inherit eternal life, his answer is to love. Love is at the centre of Creation, because God is love. Love is at the heart of Christianity because that’s who Jesus is. As the Body of Christ, we try to embody God’s love in and for the world. It’s not who we are naturally. Living according to our own nature, we operate selfishly, cruelly, dominating others for power and profit. But God through Jesus calls us to live compassionately; as the Good Shepherd, he models for us a life of peace and justice. Warrior or shepherd: the choice is clear and clearly still needed in our world. We are called to keep trying to embody God’s love to this broken world. The Church of Transfiguration can move forward together, knowing the Good Shepherd is with us, calling us to lead others along “right paths,” at a time of life when “still waters” are probably most desired. “With goodness and mercy” the promise of our Lord, we can overcome obstacles, doubts and fears in order to further the kingdom of God in this place, in this time. This moment in the Church’s history is a time for joy and thanksgiving, not fear and trembling. Love is the way the faithful live; love is the way forward.

Collect

God of victory over death,
your Son revealed himself again and again,
and convinced his followers of his glorious resurrection.
Grant that we may know his risen presence,
in love obediently feed his sheep,
and care for the lambs of his flock,
until we join the hosts of heaven in worshiping you and praising him
who is worthy of blessing and honour,
glory and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings

Acts 9:1-6

Psalm 30

Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty- three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

Today’s Gospel story celebrates Jesus’ second visit to fishermen as they worked. His first visit is recorded in Lk 5: 1-9. In each case, He came unexpectedly and unannounced. Both stories record how Jesus blessed the fishermen where they were, and give us Good News for our lives and work.

Today’s Gospel story, then, is more than a history lesson. It is our invitation to recognize Jesus’ commitment to be with us, everywhere to bless us.

First, both Jesus’ visits demonstrate His commitment to being with and blessing the fishermen, wherever they were. Their experiences with Jesus were so profound, we celebrate them, today. Our Good News is: what happened to them can happen to us.

Secondly, let us note the setting for both stories about the fishermen: the workplace. This is where they spent most of their waking time and energies. So, this is where Jesus went – and comes, today.

Today’s Gospel story is only one example of a workplace setting for Jesus and His ministries. The first example is a small group of shepherds, working the night shift outside Bethlehem. An angel invited them to meet Infant Jesus. When they met Him, they were so overwhelmed with joy, we feature their experience, every Christmas. Jesus also came to individuals. For example, He blessed the Samaritan woman at the well (John: 4) with joy, peace and courage to live and work in her society. Centuries later, we still celebrate how Jesus blessed her.

So what! Today, our workplaces include: school (students, teachers), home (parents, caregivers), office, factory, volunteer work, and a long list of etc. In each case, where we are, Jesus is. But, do we recognize this point?

Prevailing social and economic values are so compartmentalized, most workplaces ‘program’ us to exclude our faith as we work. But, as we turn from culture to divine reality, we find Gospel stories to encourage us to expect Jesus being with us everywhere!

‘Oh, but none of that ancient Gospel stuff will happen in my work!’ You’re right. It won’t – until we recognize and respond to Jesus being with us as we work, and the difference he will make in our lives. We are His beings, not workplace ‘factors of production.’

Today’s Gospel story, then, is more than a history lesson. It is our invitation to recognize Jesus’ commitment to be with us, everywhere to bless us. Isaiah 46:4 reminds us: “You made me, and you will carry me” Jesus, how can we be and work together, today?