Readings and Reflections

Alleluia! Easter is here, the reminder of God’s love for us and for all of creation, the promise that our life is so much more then we can ask or imagine. The sign that good triumphs over evil, that life and light are more powerful then death and darkness, that God who created all things, created them for good, for joy, for peace and for beauty. These are all the thoughts that swirl through our heads at this Easter season. For us who live in this part of the world Easter is further enhanced by the signs of spring, of new life and rebirth that surrounds us. As the dark days of winter give way to the brightness of spring and the drab winter colours move aside for the abundant colour and beauty of the plants coming to life around us.

Jesus walks with us through our sorrow and pain, and we are invited to join Jesus in his walk through death into new life. This does not happen at the end of our physical life but in the here and now, in the midst of the messy, difficult lives we live, there is hope, there is new life, there is Jesus.

The story of Easter which begins at the birth of Jesus, reaches it’s zenith during Holy week as we walk with Jesus through the sham trial he endures, the violence inflicted on him, the abandonment of his friends and followers and ultimately to his shame filled death on the cross. In this we see the pain and the violence, the grief and betrayal that is echoed throughout the world around us. We know what Jesus endures just as Jesus knows what we do and when our heads are bowed with grief and sorrow, our hearts and bodies are hurting from the pain inflicted on them, we remember Easter. We remember that pain, sorrow, fear, and hopelessness are not eternal, but love is. Life is. God is. We are.

Jesus walks with us through our sorrow and pain, and we are invited to join Jesus in his walk through death into new life. This does not happen at the end of our physical life but in the here and now, in the midst of the messy, difficult lives we live, there is hope, there is new life, there is Jesus. Some days its harder to remember that that’s why belonging to a church is so needed. We need to come together to worship, and we need to be surrounded by people who will remind us of the love of God when we’ve forgotten, who will pray for us when we can’t, who will encourage us in our walk with Jesus, just as we encourage, and remind and pray for them when they aren’t able to. For the gift of Jesus, for the gift of life, for the gift of the church we open our hearts in gratitude and say, thanks be to God!

Collect

Almighty and everliving God,
in tender love for all our human race
you sent our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take our flesh
and suffer death upon a cruel cross.
May we follow the example of his great humility,
and share in the glory of his resurrection.
Amen.

Readings

Matthew 21:1-11

Philippians 2.5–11

Dramatic Reading of Matthew 27.11–54

What procession are we in?

Palm Sunday 2023

The Palm Sunday service often begins with the triumphal procession and palm branches, but ends with the Passion narrative. It is an extremely dramatic service, moving from intense joy to profound sadness. Very typical liturgy for Palm Sunday; many churches have observed this day in this way for decades. I recall it from my own youth, the shiver down the spine when the choir acted the part of the crowd in Jerusalem, crying, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” However, there has been growing concern among scholars and liturgists that a whole week existed between these two events in the last days of Jesus’ life, 5 days to be exact: have you ever wondered why and how Jesus and his followers went from jubilation to grief in such a short time?

Pilate entering the city from the west, Jesus entering the city from the east, Jesus’ entry clearly a pre-planned, counter-procession to the imperial procession. Jesus’ procession symbolized a kingdom of peace; the Roman procession, of course, a manifestation of imperial power, oppression and violence. And those two contrasting processions—between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Caesar—present the central conflict for the events of Holy Week…

Without the Passion narrative at the end of the service, people who do not participate in Holy Week, especially Good Friday, know only the jubilation of Palm Sunday and the celebration of Easter morn; they do not experience the arrest, trial and execution of Jesus. There is a need for education about what happened between the jubilant entry into Jerusalem and the crucifixion five days later. Modern Biblical scholarship sheds so much light on these last days of Jesus’ life. Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan co-authored The Last Week, which offers a day-by-day account of the last week of Jesus’ life. In my humble opinion, it is the best writing both gentlemen have done; the book is clear and fascinating. Borg said that they wrote the book because “People don’t know the Holy Week story anymore because we have now moved the Good Friday text to what used to be Palm Sunday . . . if you go to church only on Sundays, you get the crucifixion, you get Easter, but nothing else really about Holy Week.” I highly recommend you read this book, but in this brief reflection, I will give you a crash course.

The whole story of Palm Sunday is really so surprising. What most people are unaware of is that there was another procession entering Jerusalem that day as well, a Roman imperial procession entering the city from the west side, Pilate at the head of imperial military reinforcements for the garrison at Jerusalem. During Passover, the holiest celebration of the Jewish faith, Rome found it necessary to show its strength and force, in case there should be any trouble from a people longing for escape from bondage. Pilate entering the city from the west, Jesus entering the city from the east, Jesus’ entry clearly a pre-planned, counter-procession to the imperial procession. Jesus’ procession symbolized a kingdom of peace; the Roman procession, of course, a manifestation of imperial power, oppression and violence. And those two contrasting processions—between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Caesar—present the central conflict for the events of Holy Week, for early Christianity, and for us 2000 years later.

Quite simply, we must ask ourselves, Which procession are we in? By our very presence on Palm Sunday, with our happy parade around the church waving palm branches, we are aligning ourselves with the followers of Jesus 2000 years ago, declaring that we follow the way of Jesus too. We declare with them that Jesus is Lord. Now, in Jesus’ time, that was a seditious claim, flying in the face of Pilate and Rome who claimed that Caesar was Lord. Roman imperial theology presented Caesar as the son of a god, declared Caesar divine. The way of Jesus is the way of peace and love, of justice and righteousness; the way of Caesar is the way of domination by the sword, of violence and suppression.

It is easy for us now, two millennia later, to look back and see a clear-cut choice between a violent regime and a non-violent peace movement. Rather reminds me of the late 60s when there seemed to be a black and white dilemma: “make love not war”; “give peace a chance.” But what about today? It’s harder for us to discern the Caesars of our world, more difficult to challenge the domination systems of our time because they are so complex and intertwined. If we declare Jesus is Lord today, no one in authority challenges that; our authority figures declare the same thing. The Royal family, the GG, our political leaders—they all attend church as we do and declare Jesus as Lord. Certainly we can look to places like Syria or North Korea or Russia and see injustice by unjust regimes. We long to help. We share our resources in small ways. We send peacekeepers when asked. But how complicated the situations become.

How do we discern whether we are complicit in the domination system of our time? We live in North America, Canada, one of the best places to live, peaceful, prosperous. But you know the statistics—20% of the world’s population—that includes us—use 80% of the world’s resources. We may not be consciously, directly involved in acts of injustice, but our very life style denies others basic necessities, our goods manufactured and provided by developing nations, by people paid low wages. How do I know if my investments, my RRSPs that I hope will guarantee me and mine a comfortable old age, how do I know if those investments aren’t part of the unjust system? I don’t know. I trust not. Best not to look too closely.

Jesus was sent to his death not only because he challenged Rome, and Rome’s oppression of his people, but also because he challenged the religious leaders of his time, those who controlled the synagogue, those who collaborated with Roman rulers and who thereby legitimized the domination of the Jewish people by Rome. There was complicity between the high priests and Pilate, to keep the people in line, obedient, subservient, and it was an unjust system which kept the peasant class, 98% of the population, at or below subsistence level. Jesus’ vision of the kingdom of God led him to speak and act against this conspiracy between church and state. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his act the next day of cleansing the temple, left no doubt in anyone’s mind—both were staged acts of rebellion and resistance.

The extent to which we are expected to follow the way of Jesus is clearly expressed in his teachings. Many of his contemporaries, even his disciples, were hoping for a warrior Messiah who would free the Jews from bondage to Rome, just as Moses had led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. However, Jesus outlines His way, God’s way: “if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me . . . those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” Such a selfless sacrifice is graphically seen in Christ’s passion and death and in the sacrifice of Christian martyrs, people called to stand up for their beliefs, but the majority of us are called to practice Christ’s way of love in our everyday lives, and that too requires that self often be denied. The scriptures contrast Jesus and his kingdom of peace and justice with those who would rule by force “all the kingdoms of this world.” His was a prophetic voice, quoting the OT prophets, calling his fellow Jews back to loyalty to God and God’s way. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” he is telling us to follow his lead, to get in line, to join the procession that Jesus wishes to lead. The Church today must retain its prophetic voice. To follow the way of Jesus is to voice the way of peace and justice, to urge our governors and our social conscience to care for the poor, to speak for the marginalized and downtrodden, to point out injustice wherever it exists. As we journey with Jesus through all the days of Holy Week, may we be called anew to seek first the kingdom of God in our own lives and in the lives of others. And may God give us the strength to trust and follow the Lord’s procession.

Collect

God of all consolation and compassion,
your Son comforted the grieving sisters, Martha and Mary;
your breath alone brings life
to dry bones and weary souls.
Pour out your Spirit upon us,
that we may face despair and death
with the hope of resurrection
and faith in the One
who called Lazarus forth from the grave. Amen.

Readings

Exodus 17:1-7

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Psalm 130

Romans 8:6-11

John 11:1-45

My heart sank when I realized what the Gospel reading was for this week. This story about Jesus bringing Lazarus (his friend), back from the dead; I have never liked it.

Jesus, kind of shakes things up a bit. Would we have learned as much about Jesus, had he done every miracle in the same way?

When I hear this story, I am reminded of one of my close friends who about 25 years ago had cancer. I spent a lot of time with her and her family during her treatments and illness and I prayed. Her last Christmas was a big deal; loads of presents for the kids, loads of fun and then in late January, at the age of 42 she passed away, leaving behind two young children.

So… If Jesus could bring his friend back, why not mine?

I know… I know… It doesn’t work that way, but I am sure I am not the only person who sometimes wishes that it did.

Well, the internet comes to the rescue once again. I looked this passage up, to see if maybe someone could tell me that it wasn’t really about Jesus bringing back someone from the dead, but really meant something completely different; like a special message hidden in that scripture reading somewhere for an inquiring mind to find. And guess what I found, turns out, according to what I read, that was the message after all. He really did perform that miracle and I know it was not just because Lazarus was his friend but it was nice timing anyway.

We all know that sometimes there are hidden messages in the scripture readings and Jesus doesn’t always just hand over the message very freely. It is for us to ‘figure it out’ and sometimes it takes a lot of time to ‘figure it out’ and when we finally understand what he is saying someone comes along and gives you another possibility. And we start all over again. Keeps us guessing, keeps our minds sharp and guess what? It turns out the Bible can be fun. Trying to see how many different messages God is sending us with the scripture readings.

Back to hidden messages…

Last week the Gospel reading, although very long, contained a part about mud being put on the blind man’s eyes. Why didn’t he, like in the past, just said, “you can see”.

Another time, Jesus cleanses a Leper but tells him to go to the priest and tell him what had happened.

Jesus, kind of shakes things up a bit. Would we have learned as much about Jesus, had he done every miracle in the same way? Sometimes we and the characters in the story, need it to be deeper, more about them so it is seen who Jesus truly is.

Let’s go back to the mud and the blind man. For a blind person in particular, their other senses are extra important. They need to feel with their hands and body, to sense things where most of us can just look and see. So maybe Jesus, instead of just saying the words, ‘you can see’, wanted this man to ‘feel’ what was happening. The feel of the mud, he would have understood and cleaning it off as well, then he may have been able to explain what had happened a bit better. (but then again, it sure took a lot of explaining).

When Jesus sent the leper back to the priest, it was so that the priest could attest to the fact that the man was now free from leprosy, which I think may have been a more reliable source for most to believe.

So now back to Lazarus, who unlike other situations, he took time to get to home of Lazarus and got there way too late to save him from death. He arrived 4 days after, certainly not because he just couldn’t be bothered to get there on time, but instead it was to prove a point. That he truly was sent from God.

Jesus had been to the home of Lazarus before and spent time with them. They understood a bit about who Jesus was, but it was time for them and others who would have been gathered with the family, to truly understand who he was and what that meant.

Once Lazarus steps out, Jesus asked that Lazarus be unbound of the clothes they had buried him in. I took this as, when we strip off the layers, like taking the layers from an onion, we find our true selves. We are more alive. It allows us to reach out to others more freely without that layer of doubt. We are no longer bound by layers of stuff.

If we throw off our blankets of comfort, reach out, step out of comfort zones, we call allow ourselves to believe in the true power of the spirit and be a voice to it as well.

Thanks be to God.

The New Testament Reading this week is from the letter to the Ephesians, Ch. 5 vs 8-14. Paul wrote “for once you were darkness but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true”.

Where do we find the wisdom to know what is good and true? Where do we find the strength to be beacons of light amidst the darkness? Surely we need to find the Spirit of God that dwells within of each us.

The idea of ‘light’ ascribed to those who follow Jesus, those who seek to be heralds of the Kingdom of God, is a theme that echoes through the Gospels, Acts, and the letters of Paul.

Jesus said “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify God” and that we should walk as children of the light.

We certainly live in a time where this there much darkness, much done even in the name of religion that needs to be exposed, that needs to have light shine on it. We must do the work to seek out what is good, what is right and what is true, and to celebrate what is good, right, and true.

Unfortunately, we live in a time where what is right and true is very often obscured by fake news, conspiracy theories, political spin masters, and outright fabrication by leaders of government and institutions we ought to be able to trust.

Almost daily we find someone in a leadership position exposed for working in the dark zone of secrets and then protesting their exposure with false denials. The current path called for is to ensure that there is adequate transparency.

The idea of truth has become fuzzy, subjective not objective. It has more to do with what one might feel than what one might know. ‘Truthiness’ has become the buzz word to describe this condition where facts seem to become irrelevant as compared to what one might want to believe.

Where do we find the wisdom to know what is good and true? Where do we find the strength to be beacons of light amidst the darkness? Surely we need to find the Spirit of God that dwells within of each us.

How do we find that Spirit? Perhaps through prayer, mediation, or observation. St. Francis said, “God is within all and all is within God”. That God is within us can lead us to challenge our understanding of God (to the extent that understanding is possible given the limits of language and our thinking) and to challenge how we understand God to interact with all of creation.

John Dominic Crossan, a noted writer, theologian and pastor wrote “You have been waiting for God (Jesus said), while God has been waiting for you. No wonder nothing is happening. You want God’s intervention, he said, while God wants your collaboration. God’s kingdom is here, but only in so far as you accept it, enter it, live it, and thereby establish it”.

While thinking about the reading and this reflection a some songs came to mind. Perhaps we know these from days gone by, from church school, or summer camp or even the radio in the case of the last one.

The first one:
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

The second one:
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, to shine for him each day,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, at home, at work each day,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam, Jesus wants me for sunbeam,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam, I’ll be a sunbeam for him.

And a third one which came while humming the first two:
Jesus bids us shine withe a pure clear light, like a little candle burning in the night,
In this world of darkness we must shine, you in your small corner and I in mine.

Finally from the Age of Aquarius, the musical Hair:
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine, the sunshine in.

Seems to be a definite theme here.

Collect

Enduring Presence,
goal and guide,
you go before and await our coming.
Only our thirst compels us
beyond complaint to conversation,
beyond rejection to relationship.
Pour your love into our hearts,
that, refreshed and renewed,
we may invite others to the living water
given to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings

Exodus 17:1-7

Psalm 95

Romans 5:1-11

John 4:5-42

The Woman At The Well

I confess that over the years of my ministry, I have avoided preaching on this particular gospel passage (John 4:5-42), primarily because there is so much in it to unpack. It seemed a rather daunting task for a 13-minute homily. However, in this newsletter, I have the space to tackle it, if you have the time, because three things Eleanor and I learned from our tour of Israel five years ago enlighten the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

The plight of women was precarious in that patriarchal society. Perhaps a couple of her husbands died a natural death, she may have become the second wife of a deceased husband’s brother, as was custom; divorce was the prerogative of men, easily accomplished; there is no reference to children, perhaps she is infertile, therefore deemed useless goods, not worthy of a marriage dowry.

First of all, Jacob’s well was our last stop on the ten-day tour. Jacob’s well is still there! The OT story about Jacob is written in the 6th or 7th century BCE, but Jacob’s history would have been a good thousand years before that. So Jacob’s well reflects approximately 4,000 years of religious and racial history. Think of the history and the mythology that grew up about it—Jacob bought the land and created the well, made up with his brother Esau at the well, courted his wife Rebecca there, his son Joseph was sold into slavery from this place. So much pain and agony, compassion and reconciliation within these very human stories. And the writer of the gospel story is at pains to set the scene at Jacob’s well, evoking all its historical, social and religious context.

Second: the expression, “living waters,” used by Jesus in the story. As our tour group stood on Tel Dan beside the Dan river, a glacier-fed, rushing stream that feeds the Jordan, we learned that the Dan never runs dry, unlike so many of the other streams and rivers in Israel, a country which is without rain 8 months of the year. Every place we toured, we saw the elaborate techniques created by the ancient peoples to collect water into cisterns to sustain them during the dry periods, or worse, a years-long siege by enemies. Rushing year-long streams like the Dan are known as Living Waters. And the OT prophets Jeremiah and Zachariah, used this geological, natural feature of the landscape as a metaphor for Yahweh, for the Holy Spirit. Water is Life. Living Water creates a garden in the wilderness. We’ve seen it, that narrow strip of fertile well- irrigated fields along the Jordan valley. Now think metaphorically, as the Bible writers intend, Living Water, ie God’s Spirit, flows through us and around us and can make a garden in our wilderness, the wilderness within us and the wilderness outside us. All of this applies to the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

Third: we visited Samaria and the Samaritans that are left (about 800), we were on Mt. Gerizim and learned its importance as a worship site for them, and this holy place of worship comes out in the gospel passage. “Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain,” says the woman to Jesus, “but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Enmity between Samaritans and Jews is very much part of this story’s background, as it is in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jacob’s well and Living Waters and Mt. Gerizim, these geographical, natural sites, with their rich religious associations, all pertain to Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus comes breaking down barriers. As a devout Jewish male he is not supposed to be alone with a woman, let alone talk with her, or share a common cup. “Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans,” the gospel narrator states. The Samaritan woman has a history, five husbands and her current partner is not her husband. She has been painted by Biblical commentators over the centuries as a loose woman, an adulteress, a prostitute, but there’s nothing in the passage that says that nor condemns her, Jesus certainly doesn’t, and note that when she returns to her village she is listened to and followed by the townspeople. No tainted woman of ill repute in that social world would command such attention and respect.

The plight of women was precarious in that patriarchal society. Perhaps a couple of her husbands died a natural death, she may have become the second wife of a deceased husband’s brother, as was custom; divorce was the prerogative of men, easily accomplished; there is no reference to children, perhaps she is infertile, therefore deemed useless goods, not worthy of a marriage dowry. Maybe the current
partner is an old man needing care, not willing to pay the marriage dowry for a woman who is barren. Rather than censure, this woman deserves compassion, for there is a lot of pain suggested in her history. She must long for belonging and connection. Jesus speaks directly to that pain by using the metaphor of Living Water, assuring her that even in the midst of the troubles of life, God is there, flowing through her, able to bring about new life, to create a garden in her wilderness. She and Jesus have an educated, theological discussion which she initiates. She returns to her community to spread the word. A female evangelist, and not the first recorded in scripture.

“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth . . .God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” God, the kingdom of God, the compassion of God, is not limited by man- made rules about where and when to worship, “neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem,” nor in that church or that synagogue or that mosque. Worship in spirit and truth goes beyond place. “Jesus answers a seeker’s questions of whether or not she can worship. And he said yes.” What a message for our day: “I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Christ is not Jesus’ last name. As Richard Rohr puts is, “Christ is the name for everything in all its fullness. Christ is everywhere. In Christ every kind of life has a meaning and a connection.” There’s no right place, right time, right person, right words for worship. There is just worship—Living waters, the Christ Spirit flowing through us, breaking barriers between peoples and genders, creating gardens in the wilderness. Worship is anytime, anywhere, all the time.

Collect

God of amazing compassion,
lover of our wayward race,
you bring to birth a pilgrim people,
and call us to be a blessing for ourselves and all the world.
We pray for grace to take your generous gift
and step with courage on this holy path,
confident in the radiant life that is your plan for us,
made known and given in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings

Numbers 21:4-9

Psalm 121

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

John 3:1-17

Last week we began Lent, where we prepare to walk with Jesus as he makes his journey to die on the cross for us. Although it is a sombre time, our mission to look inward and reach outward is done mainly with one goal in mind: to make us more like Christ Jesus, and to bring us closer to God through Him.

But through the pain I felt a sense of a comfort that I am unable to describe. Because God too, lost a son, and he too, was devastated. Yet he still gave up his beloved child…

Throughout this season the children (both big and small!) will be adding items to a Lenten Garden in the sanctuary. This week’s item will tie into the theme of love, to match the scripture:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

These words have been a huge comfort for me, many times in my life. Seven years ago I lost my beloved brother; his funeral was held on Easter Saturday. It was difficult to celebrate Jesus rising again when I had just buried a loved one permanently. No person, gesture, nor amount of time nor logical thinking can take away that immense pain. And as I watched my parents mourn their firstborn child during the service, this same passage was read. But through the pain I felt a sense of a comfort that I am unable to describe. Because God too, lost a son, and he too, was devastated. Yet he still gave up his beloved child, and was even happy to do so, because it meant eternal love and life for his other children, us! As a parent myself, I can still barely fathom that amount of love. Because of Jesus’ immense sacrifice, Murray and the rest of us will live on forever, with the pain and mistakes of our earthly lives completely blotted away. God will hold us in His love then, and he already is, now. Amen!

Collect

God of mercy,
your word was the sure defence of Jesus in his time of testing.
Minister to us in the wilderness of our temptation,
that we who have been set free from sin by Christ
may serve you well into life everlasting. Amen.

Readings

Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7

Psalm 32

Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

An Ash Wednesday Reflection by the Venerable Sheila Van Zandwyk

‘Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

These are the words spoken as the ashes are marked on our foreheads. They are not always easy words to hear as we don’t like to think of ourselves as dust. Dust reminds us that we are weak, frail, imperfect. These are the attributes we work very hard at hiding from others, from God, even from ourselves. They remind us of all we struggle with and believe that if others new the truth of; our frailties, our weaknesses, our imperfections, they’d think less of us, perhaps even find us unworthy of their love.

God says to us in our exhaustion, I know, and I love you, just as you are. It is in your frailties that my light which is inside of you is most able to shine forth, to be the light that others see and find comfort in. It is often when we are most vulnerable to people, most frail that we are able to truly connect to another.

So we work very hard to prove we aren’t dust, we show we are strong, independent, able to help others, being positive and upbeat and of course perfect.

It’s exhausting.

The fact is we are often frail, needing to rely on the help of others, tired, disappointed (mostly in ourselves after all we’re the ones demanding perfection), depressed and feeling hopeless and helpless.

What does God think of all this?? God says, I know. I know how tired you are, I know how hard it is, I know the struggles you face. In Jesus time with us he struggled with exhaustion and fell sound asleep in a boat being battered and blown about by a terrifying storm, he struggled with frustration that people were not understanding his ministry and message, he prayed in absolute fear in the Garden of Gethsemane, not just because of the horror awaiting him, but that he would not be strong enough to withstand it.

God says to us in our exhaustion, I know, and I love you, just as you are. It is in your frailties that my light which is inside of you is most able to shine forth, to be the light that others see and find comfort in. It is often when we are most vulnerable to people, most frail that we are able to truly connect to another.

It is why we come together to confess our sins in the midst of a congregation. It reminds us that we are not the only one who is frail, imperfect, struggling. We are all in the same boat, we are not alone in being dust.

God also says to us, rest in me, I don’t ask for perfection or strength I just want you, just as you are, I love you fully and completely most especially in your frailty. Open your heart to me. Let my love soothe you and comfort you. Let it give you the courage and strength you are searching for, let me love you into being all that I created you to be. The Rev’ Jan Richardson says, “did you not know what the Holy One can do with dust?”

Today we bring our frailties before God, we bring all the times we failed; situations, others, ourselves, all the times we have hurt others purposefully and without knowing it, all the times we said the wrong thing, did the wrong thing, thought the wrong thing about a situation or a person. We do it in the knowledge (that we cannot fully fathom) that we are utterly and completely forgiven. All of it forgiven and forgotten by God, all of it.

Then, we let it go, all of it, that is what confession and absolution are all about. Wiping the slate clean, moving on from that state of fear and shame to new life in Christ. Beginning to look forward to a renewed reliance on the grace and love of God. As humans though we know that change is neither immediate nor easy. It takes time, this is why we have the season of Lent. In the 40 days of Lent we work at the habit of turning to God in all situations and at all times. That is why prayer, fasting, giving to those in need, reading the Bible and attending worship are all integral elements. They can help us to bring God more deeply into our lives each day. Even praying before each meal offers an opportunity to connect and focus on God throughout the day in recognition of the gifts that we are given and the opportunities we have to carry out God’s love to the world.

We have Lent to establish these practises and habits so that by Easter they are no longer Lenten practises but lifelong practises.

May your Lent be one of a deepen relationship with the God who knows you and loves you. Amen.

Collect

Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons of truth and compassion, enlightening all creation with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.

Readings

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 119:1-8

Matthew 5:21-26, 33-37

My reflection this week is my report for Vestry as we celebrate the year that has passed and the amazing work that was done, the worship that was experienced, the celebrations we shared and the times of fellowship.

This has not always been an easy year but there is a growing sense of life returning to normal, of people gathering again to worship, celebrate, work and have fun and that is so wonderful to see happening.

This has been a year of restarting and recovery, as we have emerged from the isolated world of Covid shut downs we have been slowly resuming the activities and relationships which have been closed off to us for the last many months. After 2 months of on-line worship this year we were back to in person worship on Ash Wednesday. It was wonderful to begin the trip to Easter morning together again. Everyone has wisely been taking their time in returning ensuring that they felt physically ready and as we continue to offer our services live-streamed each Sunday for those who were not able to attend that option was still available.

Along with a wonderful Easter celebration we had a Blessing of the Backpack/book bags in September coinciding with a Sunday Sundae treat after the service, we also had our Blessing of the Pets service which Donald always celebrates and it was wonderful not only to see the people but also our beloved furry friends in church! We honoured the survivors of the Residential School with a moving Orange Shirt Day service and we finally had a chance to worship together on Christmas Eve!! This was such a joy filled service, our hopes and prayers lifted to God in the beautiful Christmas hymns, our hearts filled with love hearing the familiar Christmas story and our eyes drawn to the light of the flickering candles as together we worshipped the Christ child. For all of this we say, thanks be to God!

We have Yoga and Zumba classes once again taking place at the church and Church of Christ Abundant has also started up in person worship and I am sure is glad to be able to gather together again as well. Our coffee hour finally resumed in September and we held a games night and a 2 Messy Church events, both well attended! Other events have also resumed such as our Yard Sale, Silent Auction (which couldn’t even be sidelined by a major snow storm!!!) and Christmas Vendor Sale. The Roadshow was also able to perform their fabulous Christmas Concert raising funds for Hospice Niagara!

There have been a number of things to celebrate as well, I was appointed Regional Archdeacon by the Bishop, a position which I am finding is helping me to push myself into new areas of growth which while challenging are also very affirming and have helped to deepen my faith life and strengthen my walk with God. Ray Elder was given the Order of Niagara for the amazing amount of work he does for our church building and parish family but also for his work in the community and his faith living out of his baptismal vows. Congratulations Ray!! We finally received out Photo Directories and they turned out beautifully, they will be a great help especially to new people who join our parish family.

For 3 Sundays this year we met after service to discuss the Mission in Action (MAP) plan for our parish. Very exciting and fruitful conversations took place and we looked at where God might be calling us as we move forward. We are looking at ways to feed people spiritually through continuing Christian Education classes including book studies, by working with Brock University to meet the needs of students and to continue to look for ways to invite our neighbours into the life of the church. Included is a summery of the initiatives we discussed and are looking to implement.

We celebrated 2 baptisms this year Chizaram Godson and Lincoln Doan, it’s always a beautiful thing when we welcome 2 new people into the family of the church! We also celebrated the life of Kathleen Harmon, Kathleen Langlois, Harold Leece and Rev Donald and Mrs. Virginia Powell. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

We have fed hundreds of people through our Community Meals Program, through our teams serving breakfast at St. George’s Church downtown and through the fresh vegetables which have been planted, watered, weeded and harvested by many members of our congregation. We are a blessed people and we share our blessings with those in need.

This has not always been an easy year but there is a growing sense of life returning to normal, of people gathering again to worship, celebrate, work and have fun and that is so wonderful to see happening.

As we continue to hear the gospel and work to live that gospel message out in our lives both within our church family and the wider world may God continue to bless and watch over us.

Collect

O God of light,
your searching Spirit reveals and illumines
your presence in creation.
Shine your radiant holiness into our lives,
that we may offer our hands and hearts to your work: to heal and shelter,
to feed and clothe,
to break every yoke and silence evil tongues. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 58:1-9a

Psalm 112:1-9

1 Corinthians 2:1-12

Matthew 5:13-20

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.” Matthew 5:13

Our walk with Jesus should make a difference in our lives, it should have an impact not only on our own lives but the lives of those around us and in fact the world as a whole.

What is salt if it is no longer “salty”? It’s just sand really and while sand definitely has it’s uses it does not have all the amazing properties of salt. As humans we would die without salt, while too much is definitely bad for us our bodies need salt to work. Salt has wonderful preserving qualities, has healing qualities, can change the temperature of water and melt ice and enhances the taste of our food. But if it ceases to have these properties it becomes another grain of sand on the seashore.

What then does Jesus mean when he says we are the salt of the earth? I think if we look at this quote in connection to the seven fruits of the spirit it might help us to understand the saying a bit clearer. The seven fruits of the spirit, as they are called, are the attributes which Christians show and act on in their lives, they are signs of our faith in Jesus, gratitude for our lives and the love we experience in knowing God. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our walk with Jesus should make a difference in our lives, it should have an impact not only on our own lives but the lives of those around us and in fact the world as a whole. Now if we do not show any of these gifts in our lives we are no less human and we are not bad people but we have missed the message of Jesus and we have not truly incorporated our faith into our daily lives.

The thing about these fruits is that they are all attributes which are positive, healing, they build up people and relationships. They heal rifts and are helpful in times of crisis. They not only make our own lives better but they make the lives of the people around us better. When we treat others with kindness and gentleness and patience we give them a chance to flourish and grow. When we are faithful and peace-loving we make connections to others and between others. When we experience joy and love we are able to then give joy and love out into the world, shining a light on those who may be experiencing darkness, bring joy to those who are sad.

So imagine a world without those fruits, where people weren’t joyful or kind or loving or gentle, the world would still continue but at what loss. So be salty! Show kindness and gentleness, share love and joy, bring peace and patience into challenging situations, practice self-control and show faithfulness in all areas of your life. Enrich the world around you in whatever way you can and do it in and through the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen.

Collect

God our deliverer,
you walk with the meek and the poor,
the compassionate and those who mourn,
and you call us to walk humbly with you.
When we are foolish, be our wisdom;
when we are weak, be our strength;
that, as we learn to do justice
and to love mercy,
your rule may come as blessing. Amen.
 

Readings

Micah 6:1-8

Psalm 15

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Matthew 5:1-12
 

The Beatitudes 

As I reflect this week on the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes, I am taken back to Sunday School when we were asked to recite all eight blessings. And while I admit I couldn’t remember more than two or three off the top of my head, I do know that being “blessed” equates to being in the grace and favour of God. 

Out of our struggles we will emerge, and we will bless the world despite it. We will bless the world because of it.

Now, it is easy to believe that we are blessed when things in life are going our way. I have never doubted God’s favour when I have a full bank account or a new season of my favourite TV show. But when I reacquainted myself with these verses this week, my expectation and idea of blessings was turned completely upside down. Our reality is that we are living in a world full of sin, and Jesus is reminding us here that our lives will be filled with difficulty and periodic suffering. But the good news is, we do not have to be afraid! We do not have to hide from our weaknesses or our problems, and we do not have to hide them from others.  For both our relationship with Jesus, and our steadfastness in faith, grow the most during hard times. Out of our struggles we will emerge, and we will bless the world despite it. We will bless the world because of it. 

So I invite you, too, to evaluate blessings in a different way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Collect

God of Blazing light,
through the power of the cross you shattered our darkness,
scattering the fears that bind us
and setting us free to live as your children.
Give us courage and conviction
that we may joyfully turn and follow you
into new adventures of faithful service,
led by the light that shines
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 9:1-4

Psalm 27:1, 4-9

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

In our Gospel from Matthew for this week we hear about the beginnings of Jesus’s ministry. The choosing of his disciples, those who would walk with him and he would walk with. Regular, everyday kind of people, not kings or rulers who may have already had connections to many of the people, but instead they were fishermen, those who had to work hard to make a living. The disciples he chose were people he could teach, who would then pass on what they learn to others. Those who may relate better to those to whom they were to meet.

What does this have to do with us today? I don’t think many of us have been asked by God to leave all our things and loved ones behind to walk with Jesus. One could argue that we have a lot more to leave behind than those disciples did so long ago. We can still make that journey with Jesus without leaving our homes and families. It is a journey into a ‘Jesus Shaped Life’.

Jesus was about 30 when he began his ministry and I always just thought the reason he waited until then was just ‘Gods plan’. As always, a little bit of research can help with any question one might have. So, the reason he waited may have been because of the fact that priests could not begin public ministry until 30 and rabbis were not regarded as mature enough to do so until age 30.

If you look at the first few words from Matthew it says that ‘when Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee……From that time Jesus began to proclaim, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’. Those same words were used by John the Baptist. So it looks like John the Baptist had to finish his ministry before Jesus began his.

In the first portion of Jesus’s ministry he chooses two brothers (fishermen) who are willing to leave everything they have and leave behind those they love in order to follow him. Not a lot of people would just get up and leave everything behind, but sometimes curiosity and desire to do something different can be a determining factor. And let’s be honest, God has a way to get us to do things we might never have thought we would or could ever do.

What does this have to do with us today? I don’t think many of us have been asked by God to leave all our things and loved ones behind to walk with Jesus. One could argue that we have a lot more to leave behind than those disciples did so long ago.

We can still make that journey with Jesus without leaving our homes and families. It is a journey into a ‘Jesus Shaped Life’. I heard those words recently and I much prefer them over ‘Be like Jesus’. Seems to me that is a monumental task sending me to failure. Jesus is perfect, I am not. This always reminds me of those teachers who say to a student, ‘why can’t you be more like your sister/brother?’ The answer is I am not them, I am different.

So, instead we journey to try to lead a Jesus shaped life. Everyday is a new day. We step out of bed and begin. Focus your mind on smiles and kind tones (may take a bit for some to wake up first), but starting with the right attitude in the morning helps. Sometimes a bit of meditation or a centering prayer may help to start the day off correctly.

Then, keep your eyes wide open. That way we can see what is truly out there in our neighbourhoods. Don’t shy away from the homeless guy on the corner or the person in the aisle ahead of you who fumbles with their wallet to pay what they owe. Have patience. Put aside your thoughts about why you think that person on the corner is homeless, just realize that they are and may need a bit of change or maybe a little to eat or something warm to drink, or maybe just a smile.

It isn’t just about looking out for those in need of our help, it is also seeing what is being done already to help them. It isn’t all gloom and doom. Like I said earlier, keep your eyes wide open. Look also for those who give to that homeless person, or the cashier who waits patiently for the person trying to find the right change and helping when asked. There are a lot of groups in the Niagara Region who are already doing their part to helping others and maybe it is time to join one of these groups. This is all part of leading a Jesus shaped life.

Looking back at the fishermen who left their lives behind to walk with Jesus. Although I said we don’t need to leave all our things behind, we do need to leave some of our old ways behind. If we are doing things that hinder our working toward a Jesus shaped life, then those things need to be changed. For me, sometimes it is just attitude. I have recently been working hard at remembering that a smile not only helps others, but it also can make me feel much better about the things that I need to do at that moment and feel better about myself in general.

When the day is done, just before you fall asleep, think back to your day. Did you do a fair job of trying to lead ‘a Jesus shaped life’? Could you do better? Maybe you need a little help from God, but don’t forget to thank him for your day.