Readings and Reflections

I love the story of Naaman, partly because it is just such a great story but mostly because of what it reminds me about when it comes to the assumptions we make. Naaman is a man of rank and wealth, he is a close confident of the King of Aram, close enough that when he tells the King there is a chance he can be healed of his leprosy the King not only gives him leave to go but offers to write a letter of introduction on his behalf and give him the money and goods necessary to pay for the healing. But here is where the story gets interesting.

One of the final assumptive aspects of this story is that the wealthy and powerful are the wise people of the world yet in this story it is a foreign slave girl and the servants of Naaman who are the voices of wisdom…

This story is about the assumptions we make about people and the assumptions we make about God. Naaman assumes the prophet who can heal him that the slave girl spoke of must be the King of Israel as the King of a country is the one who has been chosen by God to lead and so is blessed by God and in close communication with God. Naturally then if there is healing to be done it must be the King that is able to provide it. There’s Naaman’s first assumption, that leads to much rending of clothing on the part of the King of Israel who has no idea why this powerful leader of a neighbouring kingdom would come to him to have his leprosy cured. At this point in steps Elisha who calms the King’s fears and assures him that the God of Israel is able and will cure this foreigner.

Elisha is not wealthy, he has no rank, but he has been chosen and blessed by God. He watched his mentor Elijah be taken up in a whirlwind and fiery chariot. He asked God for a double dose of Elijah’s spirit by which I believe he meant faith and it is obvious he received it. While the King never even imagines God would cure this man, Naaman has no hesitation, no fear. His trust in God is absolute (as one would assume the King’s should have been). He knows that if God sent this man to be healed then God would provide the healing.

How many times do we make assumptions about people without really knowing them? Naaman assumes the King by his position would be able to cure him and the King feared Naaman’s request was just a ploy to bring them into war. Neither of them looked further than their own biases. How often do we do that; make assumptions based on biases or our own limited experiences instead of being willing to ask questions, get to know someone, assume the best not the worst.

Now comes the second assumption, Naaman assumes that the cure must be dramatic and immediate, some fancy words, a noxious potion, perhaps some feat to be accomplished because something as miraculous as curing leprosy must be flashy to work, right? After all, if Naaman is to call on his God to provide this miracle it’s going to be dramatic, otherwise what is Naaman paying for? Yet what God tells Naaman to do through Elisha is just dunk in the river Jordan seven times. Nothing flashy, nothing dramatic but the results are indeed miraculous, and Naaman almost misses it because of the assumptions he holds!

This is the problem with assumptions, they are limiting. They narrow our focus; we have a hard time seeing past them to what truly is there because we are looking for what we assume should be there. This limits us in how we view and understand the people around us, not just friends and family but more important the stranger who Jesus says we are to treat as a neighbour. If we make assumptions about people with addictions or who are homeless or who are another culture or faith, we limit ourselves to seeing them for who they truly are, a child of God, just like us, with families and hopes and dreams. If we limit experiences of God to just within a church building or in a moment of prayer or even just standing quietly surrounded by the beauty of this world, we miss the experience of God experienced in the little instances and interactions of every day. A smile, a helping hand, a thoughtful gesture. God id all around us and is active in the world around us but if we assume God must be a certain way or act in a certain manner then we have limited God, we have boxed God in and we will miss out in so much.

One of the final assumptive aspects of this story is that the wealthy and powerful are the wise people of the world yet in this story it is a foreign slave girl and the servants of Naaman who are the voices of wisdom, although Naaman also must get some wisdom credits for he listens to them and acts on their words.

Be aware of your assumptions, challenge them, look past them, keep your eyes and your mind and your heart open to who people really are and who God is and how God is at work in your life.

Collect

God, you call us to go where Christ leads. Turn us from the ways of the world;
guide us to fullness of joy in the Spirit, where bodies and souls rest secure;
and grant us strength to follow the way of the cross, which frees us to love one another
for the sake of all creation. Amen.

Readings

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Luke 9:51-62

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

We’ve all been there! A problem overwhelms us. We’re not sure what to do or where to turn. Our faith seems weak as we experience our faith and feelings in conflict. So, now what? Psalm 77 gives us helpful insight. What the writer said about his struggling faith and feelings apply across many centuries to us. What is his message?

Let us thank God for the Psalm writer’s honesty, insights and good news!

First (vss 1-2), the writer cried out! His faith and feelings were in turmoil. In his mind, he knew that God was with him. But, his troubled feelings deflected him from recognizing God’s presence and receiving God’s help. As we look closely at what the writer says, we discover that what he expressed is not unique to him.

Next (vss 11-12), the writer remembered how God had been present and active in the lives of countless numbers of people over time. He then remembered and thought about how God had been present to him in the past. Meditation (remembering and thinking) with God’s help enabled him to consider how past stories and truths about God are universal, personal and timeless. Remembering helped him. It will help us, too!

The psalm’s next verses (vss 11-15) celebrate what God has done on a global and personal scale for people, over time. God is always present. God always acts to bless people. God is all-powerful and has a record of proof in history. Our God is holy and unique among other gods. May we celebrate: God’s love, faithfulness and power stand ready to bless us!

In vss 16-20, the writer shares good news. Good news about God always comes in quantity and quality. The psalmist remembers and celebrates great events of God’s presence and activity in history. Only our God has such mighty power and unlimited ability. Only our God cares and loves people so much!

What had begun with faith and feelings in turmoil concluded with good news and evident healing. Summarizing the psalmist’s message for us:

• Recognize. Let’s be honest with ourselves. We all experience difficult and painful times. We hurt!
• Cry out! Feelings and faith are often in conflict. Release and express our feelings to God in prayer.
• Remember. God is always present in our lives, and the lives of others.
• Celebrate. Let us remember joyfully God’s presence and mighty actions over time.
• Good news. As we celebrate God’s faithfulness and commitment to bless us, we will be healed.

Let us thank God for the Psalm writer’s honesty, insights and good news!

Collect

God our refuge and hope, when race, status, or gender divide us,
when despondency and despair haunt and afflict us, when community lies shattered:
comfort and convict us with the stillness of your presence, that we may confess all you have done,
through Christ to whom we belong and in whom we are one. Amen.

Readings

1 Kings 19:1-15a

Psalm 42

Galatians 3:23-29

Luke 8:26-39

Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’— for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

This week’s reading from Luke speaks about Demons, but what are they? I don’t think I have ever heard anyone tell me that they are full of demons, so is this just something that happened so many years ago?

The thing that popped out of this story, for me, was that this man had faith. Faith enough that he knew it was Jesus standing with him.

I had to do a bit of research on ‘demons in the Bible’ and found that they have three things in common; they cause self-destructive acts in the person, the person feels trapped by the demon and being consumed by demons keeps them separate from normal living with family and friends. Well, okay, so with that definition then I guess we still have ‘demons’, but we don’t necessarily use that term any more. Alcoholism, drug addiction, mental health issues and even eating disorders can be termed as demons. It can be even a demon with me and my love for chocolate. I have a bad day and I eat chocolate, then I feel worse, but think I may as well finish the whole bag since I ate a lot anyway. In this way I have been trapped by the chocolate demon and then my clothes begin to not fit and I don’t really want to go anywhere. I know this is a bit funny and a lot less of a demon then what must have been inflicted on this man, however I think it is important to note that no matter how large another’s issue or demon is, yours can be just as important or debilitating for you.

If we look at the three things a person who is consumed by demons has and compare it to our reading, we can see that “Legion” feels trapped and is living in a tomb/cave that keeps him away from his loved ones, and if you read Mark’s gospel it states that he also bruises himself. By the way, Legion, was not really this man’s name. The word Legion was actually a term for a demon or group of demons.

The thing that popped out of this story, for me, was that this man had faith. Faith enough that he knew it was Jesus standing with him. I am always amazed with some people’s level of faith, particularly without the knowledge that we have now.

Just having faith didn’t free him from the demons…he had to ask for help from Jesus, he had to act on this faith. The demons we all face from time to time, can allow our faith to falter and sometimes we think we are alone in our healing. I know that for me, I tend to think I can do things on my own, that I don’t need anyone’s help. Recently I was faced with a ‘demon’ of my own and I lost focus on Jesus/God for a bit. He was there for me, but I failed to notice! It took others, who I know now were sent from God, to help me regain my faith and to encourage me to ask for His guidance throughout the issue I was facing. Let me tell you… it helped and made life much easier when I gave my demon to God. Giving the demon away or to the pigs is something that I question with this story from Luke. The demons requested that they be given to the swine (pigs) and Jesus does what they ask. Pigs at that time were unclean animals and I am not sure why they were even there if Jewish law believed them to be unclean. But what I am getting at here is whey would Jesus inflict any issue on someone/something else. We are continually reminded that God created everything and everyone, so why would Jesus do this to another of God’s creatures?

It does show Jesus’s authority and power over everything, including demons, but why didn’t he just kill off the demons and be done with it? One commentary that I read said that it could have been done because of the Jewish law that they were not even to have pigs and therefore Jesus was punishing the owner of the herd, who all ended up killing themselves when the demons entered them. Another mentioned that the demons may have thought they had beaten Jesus by getting what they wanted, only to find out differently when the pigs ran off the cliff. The story doesn’t tell us if the demons life ended with the death of the pigs, so this may mean that the demons were in limbo without a body to torment.

We can all struggle with issues or demons throughout our lives that cause us to possibly do more harm to ourselves, feel trapped or even isolate ourselves from others, but this also keeps us from living the life that God intended us to have; the one that we were truly put on this earth to live. If we let the demons take over, we will have difficulty ministering to others. But when we understand what are demons are, and look to overcome them, we can help others who may struggle with the same issue. This might be the true ministry to others; your call from Jesus. We learn from experiences, sometimes our own and other times, from other people’s struggles, failures and victories.

So, what is your demon and how can you lessen its control? And then what will you do with this new freedom?

Collect

God of heaven and earth,
before the foundation of the universe and the beginning of time
you are the triune God: the Author of creation, the eternal Word of salvation,
and the life-giving Spirit of wisdom. Guide us to all truth by your Spirit,
that we may proclaim all that Christ revealed and rejoice in the glory he shared with us.
Glory and praise to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Psalm 8

Romans 5:1-5

John 16:12-15

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Trinity Sunday is the only day of the church year that the lectionary invites us to ponder a teaching of the Church rather than a teaching of Jesus. The scriptural readings for today are carefully chosen to reflect the Three-in-One doctrine of God as Creator, Christ and Spirit. The scriptural readings each year on this day provide Biblical basis for a non-scriptural word: Trinity. Trinity Sunday is useful to reflect on the many ways we know or experience the divine presence in our lives. The history of the Trinity is the attempt of Christian believers, from the earliest followers of Jesus and the writers of the NT, to the early church’s formulation of the creeds in the fourth century, to contemporary theologians, to put into words their understanding of God based on their experience of the divine spirit they meet in Jesus. The roots of the doctrine are in experience and emphasize that we know God in relationship, to the divine and to each other and to the created world. The development of the doctrine of the Trinity reflects the experience of the early church and early church fathers, as they came to understand and express their experience, of the risen Christ and of the fellowship of the growing Christian community.

The Mystery of God as Trinity invites us into full participation with God, a flow, a relationship, a waterwheel of always outpouring love. Trinity basically says that God is a verb much more than a noun.

Richard Rohr has this to say on the subject of the Trinity: “The Western Church tended to have a more static view of both Christ and the Trinity–theologically “correct” but largely irrelevant for real life, more a mathematical conundrum than invitation to new consciousness. In our attempts to explain the Trinitarian mystery, the Western Church overemphasized the individual “names” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but not so much the quality of the relationships between them, which is where all the power and meaning lies! The real and essential point is how the three ‘persons’ relate to one another–infinite outpouring and infinite receiving. The Mystery of God as Trinity invites us into full participation with God, a flow, a relationship, a waterwheel of always outpouring love. Trinity basically says that God is a verb much more than a noun. The Trinity is a wonderful mystery that can never fully be understood with the rational mind, but can only be known through love, prayer, and participation. For God to be truth, God had to be one; for God to be love, God had to be two; and for God to be joy, God had to be three! Any true Trinitarian theology will always offer the soul endless creativity, an utterly open horizon, and delicious food for the soul. Trinitarian thinkers are overwhelmed by infinite abundance and flow.”

No language can do justice to the breadth and depth of the love, grace and power of God revealed in the texts appointed for today. Active Life Spirit renewing life every moment: “I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race” (Proverbs). Reconciler whose power holds people together in community: “God’s love has been poured into our hearts” (Romans). Emmanuel—God with us—leading us in the Way: “the Spirit of truth . . . will guide you into all truth” (John). Today is a day to move more fully into the depths of the mystery of our life in God. It is a day, as is every day, for being reminded of the multi-dimensions of this God who is One, yet known to us in so many ways, as Father, Son, Spirit, as Creator, as Way, Truth, Life, as Mother, Child, Breath, as Wisdom, Reconciler, Companion, Advocate, Giver of Hope, Joy, Peace. Is it any wonder that we refer to the Divine ultimately as Mystery?

Trinity Sunday marks the transition in the church year from Easter to Pentecost. Now we move from our three-fold celebration of the great seasons of the church year into—and I love this double meaning—ordinary time. In the next six months we find god in the ordinary, serving god in the ordinary day-to-day events of our lives. “The trivial round, the common task, will furnish all we ought to ask.” We are to see the Holy Spirit at work in here and out there, in the seeming chaos, encouraged to discern the divine in the least likely of places or situations. This transition to ordinary time asks us to focus on both the Risen Christ, who gives life in the church, and the continuing force of the spirit of Christ that is alive and at work in the world. The doctrine of the Trinity is the church’s somewhat mysterious attempt to witness to the link between the historical Jesus and the worldwide force of God’s life-giving presence.

The good news is that God’s creative power for life is at work in the world. The gospel of Jesus Christ contradicts the common assumption that the world has refused and rejected that power for life—and that our proper stance in the world is therefore one of fear expressed as anxiety, greed, selfishness, and violence. The claim for God’s Wisdom and Truth refuses the notion that the world is ruled by chance or depends solely upon us for meaning. Shakespeare’s Macbeth utters this bleakest of views:

Out, out, brief candle.
Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player Who struts and frets his brief hour on the stage And then is heard no more: it is a tale,
told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

The Love of the three-person God stands in contradiction to the anxiety and despair that assail a world that seems to be insane, disordered, and on its own. The texts today attest that the world continues to be the place where the gift of life is given. As Walter Brueggeman comments, the God described to us in such passages of scripture is one who makes no distinctions, who authorizes hospitality, who opens prisons, who breathes the world anew, who assures good order in the world. Today’s Bible readings invite us to live in the world boldly, freely, in peace, at home, for the Divine has been there in creation since the outset. The relation of the creator and creation, of creator and mankind, is one of deep and endless joy; both together rejoice in the world and in the humanity that are both known to be “very good.”

There is a Greek word that has been used to describe something of the life of Divine co-unity we worship: “perichoresis” (perry-cor-ee-sis). The word means “dancing around” or “dancing in a circle,” and theologians have used it to describe the dance of the Eternal-Three-in-One, each distinct yet interpenetrating the other, each pouring out grace and love to the other in the endless dance. It is into this eternal dance that we have been invited. So let today and every ordinary day be our dancing day with God!

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?

Collect

O God,
you raised up Jesus Christ
as your faithful witness and the first-born of the dead.
By your Holy Spirit, help us to witness to him
so that those who have not yet seen
may come to believe in him
who is, and was, and is to come. Amen.

Readings

Acts 5:27-32

Psalm 118:14-29

John 20: 19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and hi side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again,

‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.