Category: Meditation

Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Minds

In these Great Fifty Days of Easter, open yourselves to experience the power of God’s renewing and transforming Spirit. Seek out ways to continue to mature and flower as a beloved child of God. Let the healing power of the Risen Christ empower you to stretch and grow in newness of life.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

BCP pages 280, 291, 515, 528 and 540

The great collect of renewal, one of the most beautiful and powerful Anglican prayers, appears more often in the Book of Common Prayer than any other.  We hear it on Good Friday, at the Easter Vigil, and at the ordinations of bishops, priests and deacons.  It proclaims the mighty power of God to transform weakness, brokenness and age into perfection—holy perfection.

Its frequent repetition supports the concept that this transformation and renewal is not something locked at a certain point in time but is continuous and ongoing.  Indeed, each day God calls us to transformation and renewal.  It is said that the great scholar and reformer, Martin Luther, ran from his bed to wash in the baptismal font of his church each morning as a sacramental act of continuous transformation and renewal in each of God’s children.

The Church uses many sacramental signs to remind us of our continuing call to renewal and transformation.  The water in the baptismal font at the door of the church, the sprinkling (or aspurging) of all the people with the holy waters of baptism, and the sacramental cycles of the Church Year all remind us that we are ever beginning again; never complete in this world.

Another sacramental symbol of renewal and transformation is the butterfly.  From the earliest days of Christianity, the butterfly was associated with the celebration of Easter.  The symbolism is clear enough really.  Jesus was born and lived among us (the caterpillar stage), he died and was buried (the chrysalis stage), and he rose in a new and transformed state at Easter (the butterfly stage).

The butterfly is not only symbolic of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, but also of our own.  We too are born, will die, and are assured of resurrection to eternal life.  The butterfly is a symbol of hope in Jesus’ everlasting promise of salvation.  It is also a reminder that we are called to renew and transform ourselves; always seeking to more fully live into God’s call to us as sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ.

At this time of year, there are many symbols of renewal and transformation all around us.  Trees that appeared dead spring forth with leaves and newness of life.  Flower bulbs long buried under the snow and frozen ground astonish us with their sudden profusion of brilliant flowers.  And before long, the butterflies will be adorning the trees, bushes and flowers as well.

In these Great Fifty Days of Easter, open yourselves to experience the power of God’s renewing and transforming Spirit.  Seek out ways to continue to mature and flower as a beloved child of God.  Let the healing power of the Risen Christ empower you to stretch and grow in newness of life.

As Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Imagine: A Christmas Message from Fr. Scott

So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.  When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about the child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:16-19

 

Can you imagine?  Can you imagine what Mary must have been thinking as she pondered all that had happened and had been foretold?  Can you imagine?

Imagination is at the heart of our experience of Christmas.  We, with Mary, Joseph, the angels and shepherds, are part of something magnificently wonderful—something that words cannot begin to express.  We are part of the magnificence of God’s greatest gift, the gift of the Incarnation, something so spectacular that we are only able to imagine its implications.

God loved the world so much that God glorified the whole created order by becoming a part of the creation itself through the birth of Jesus—God’s only Son—to Mary.  This act of love transformed the world and continues to transform the world as we know it.

Pondering the transformation of the whole world is daunting, to say the least.  Perhaps we would do better to follow Mary’s example and ponder the implications of God’s gift of love in our own hearts—how does the Incarnation impact my life and my relationship with God?

To put it very simply (perhaps too simply), the Incarnate Christ is a constant reminder of God’s continuing, intimate presence with us; and we are a constant reminder of our continuing presence to God.  The ongoing power of the Incarnation keeps us in a relationship with God that is deeply personal; it is what gives us the audacity to claim our inheritance through Jesus Christ as daughters and sons of God.  As Paul writes, “And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’  So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.”  (Gal. 4:6, 7)

What greater gift can we receive than the gift of God’s unconditional love?  But we feel unworthy to accept that gift because we are broken, sinful human beings.  Yet it precisely because we are broken, sinful human beings that God has given us this gift, a gift that transforms us and enables us to love God and one another as God loves us.  Moreover it is a gift that is ours forever for, as Paul writes in Romans, “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (8:38,39)

Through this perfect gift of God we are transformed and we are empowered to continue the transformation of the world in the ways in which we share this gift with others.  The love of God through Jesus Christ is inexhaustible.  The more we share it, the more we receive, grace upon grace.

This Christmas, and always, share the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ.  As a child of God, accept your portion of the work we have been given to do to help embrace a sin-sick and weary world that all may come to know and accept God’s perfect gift of love to us through Christ Jesus.  Imagine the difference this gift will make in the world.  Imagine the power you can begin to unleash.  Imagine.

 

“Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

Like the apostles, we long to learn to pray as Jesus prayed: with faith, fire and fervency. Too often, however, we’re not sure how to begin, what to say, or even if our prayers will be heard and answered. This four-session discussion series will explore the four traditional forms of prayer: Praise, Petition, Intercession and Thanksgiving. We’ll learn that praying is a simple tool everyone has been given to enter into a conversation with God. We will discover the wealth of resources for prayer in the Book of Common Prayer and learn the basics for developing a rewarding prayer life with some down to earth tips from best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado.

Join us at 9:35 a.m. on the second Saturday of October, November, December and January to learn, share, explore and experience how a simple practice of prayer can enhance and enrich our conversation with God. There are no books to buy, no homework to do, and no attendance requirement; just a space to learn, grow and share.

A Litany for Peace

By Linda Friern and Tony Bartlett, in The Fire of Peace © 1992, Pax Christi

Let us pray that we may be set free from the chains of violence and war.

 

Jesus the Christ, by your cross and resurrection…deliver us

by your nonviolence and love…deliver us

by your witness to truth…deliver us

by your passion and death…deliver us

by your victory over the grave…deliver us

 

from the desire for power…deliver us

from the conspiracy of silence…deliver us

from the negation of life…deliver us

from the worship of weapons…deliver us

from the celebration of killing…deliver us

from the slaughter of the innocent…deliver us

from the nightmare of hunger…deliver us

from the politics of terror…deliver us

from a false peace…deliver us

from relying on weapons…deliver us

from the spiral of armaments…deliver us

from plundering the earth’s resources…deliver us

from the despair of this age…deliver us

from global suicide…deliver us

 

By the light of the Gospel…give us your peace.

by the good news for the poor…give us your peace.

by your healing and wounds…give us your peace.

by faith in your word…give us your peace.

by a hunger and thirst for justice…give us your peace.

by the coming of your reign…give us your peace.

by the outpouring of the Spirit…give us your peace.

by reconciliation of enemies…give us your peace.

by gentleness and nonviolence…give us your peace.

by the truth that sets us free…give us your peace.

by prophecy and witness…give us your peace.

by persecution because of your name…give us your peace.

by the power of your love…give us your peace.

 

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world… have mercy on us.

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world… have mercy on us.

Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world… grant us your peace.

 

Almighty God, kindle, we beseech you, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Making All Things New

spring blossomsO gracious Father, who openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plenteousness: Bless the lands and waters, and multiply the harvests of the world; let thy Spirit go forth, that it may renew the face of the earth; show thy loving-kindness, that our land may give her increase; and save us from selfish use of what thou givest, that men and women everywhere may give thee thanks; through Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 828)

Stewardship of creation is an ongoing ministry in the church. The creation which God declared good is entrusted to the care of humankind. Exercising that care is one dimension of daily Christian discipleship. Rogation Days are a way for the church to honor God for the gift of creation and to pray for the land, the gift of labor, and the needs of all people.

Rogation Days are traditionally celebrated during the Great Fifty Days of Easter on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Day (May 6, 7 and 8 this year). The word, Rogation, has its roots in the Latin word (rogare) which means to ask or petition and it comes from the ancient introit for the Sunday preceding the Ascension. In some places, particularly England, the celebrations of Rogation Days were quite elaborate and included processions from the church to and around fields while asking for God’s blessing. These processions were known as “beating the bounds” as they often followed the parish boundaries.

The Episcopal Church maintains the practice of celebrating Rogation Days on the three days before the Ascension. However, provision is also made for Rogation Days to be celebrated at times and places which meet local needs. With an increased awareness of the need for the stewardship of creation both within the church and within contemporary culture, the themes of thanksgiving for the land and petitions for a fruitful earth may be adapted around broader cultural celebrations of Earth Day.

Although Rogation Days are agricultural celebrations, they are not solely for rural congregations. These days underscore the dependence of all people, urban and rural, on the fruitfulness of the earth and human labor. The themes of Rogation Days may be highlighted in a special worship service or in prayers of intercession on the Sunday preceding Ascension Day.

The Book of Common Prayer has a set of propers to commemorate these feast days. These propers include three prayers traditionally used for Rogation Days: a prayer for fruitful seasons, a prayer for the stewardship of creation, and a prayer for commerce and industry. A set of scripture readings appropriate for a Rogation service is also provided. The Great Litany or the Litany of the Saints is traditionally said or sung during a Rogation procession.

While we will not formally observe the Rogation Days at St. Mary’s this year, please be mindful of your role as a steward of God’s creation. Take time to observe the beautiful shades of green we see only in the early spring. Notice the early blooming flowers and the rich, loamy smell of the earth. Whether or not you are a farmer or gardener, remember those who till and plant, and give thanks for their labors on your behalf. Thank God for all the gifts that are provided by God’s gracious providence. Celebrate the beauty and bounty of all creation that reflects and magnifies the glory of God.

Waiting with Hope

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.  Romans 8:18-25

Above all else, Advent is a season of hope.  Hope, as we commonly understand it, may be described as “the desire of something together with the expectation of obtaining it.”  The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, includes hope with faith and love as one of the three cardinal Christian virtues.  Yet hope seems always somehow more ethereal and less tangible than either faith or love.  The reason for this may be none other than Jesus himself.

Jesus speaks often of faith and love in the Gospel.  These two great virtues are the very essence his earthly ministry and teaching.  Jesus exhorts us to greater faith and love, and upbraids us for our lack of the same, but he does not speak of hope.  Indeed, we have no evidence that Jesus ever uttered the word hope anywhere in scripture.  If hope is that important, how do we explain Jesus’ paying no heed to this virtue?

In the passage from Romans quoted above, Paul offers an explanation—a very apt and credible explanation at that: “Now hope that is seen is not hope.  For who hopes for what is seen?”  What we long for, what we desire and expect to obtain, is Jesus himself.  Jesus did not speak of hope because Jesus is our hope.  On earth in human flesh, Jesus was literally hope personified.  He came as the fulfillment of centuries of hope as Emmanuel—God with us.

Our longing, our desire, our hope, our expectation—planted in our souls by God—is to be united with Jesus.  We look with hope for the coming again of the Messiah, the King of Glory, to rule and set to rights our wounded, fractured world.  Our own efforts fail time and again, but in the sure and certain hope of Jesus’ promise, we anxiously and expectantly hope for his coming.  Advent is a time to remember and re-echo the ancient Prophets’ longing for the Messiah.

When Jesus comes again it will be a very different coming than his last.  Far from a cold, lowly stable birth, Jesus will come on clouds descending in his full manifestation of glory as the Son of the living God.  If we are true to our hope, we will be ready to be received by him.

Jesus knows that we of our own merits and efforts can never be ready for this coming in glory.  He has sent us an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to inspire us and lead us toward the knowledge and love of God so that we might ready ourselves for the glorious reign of the Son of God.  The Spirit continues to reveal to us the true nature of God and God’s love.  In faith and in community, the Spirit speaks to us and enlightens us if we but listen and heed well those lessons.

When we heed and learn the lessons of the Spirit, our souls will turn to God in faith, hope and love.  That turning, that repentance, is Jesus’ hope for us.  John the Baptist’s cry echoing the Prophet Isaiah to “Prepare the way of the Lord!” rings as clear today is it did centuries before.  We cannot make our earthly home into the Kingdom of God on our own, but we can prepare our hearts and souls to be ready for the One who can and will.

Amen.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

St. Mary’s Memorial Garden

Thanks to some hard work by Ivan and Carol Bahe and Steve and Becky Herman, St. Mary’s Memorial Garden is looking lovlier than ever!  If you would like to make a donation to help complete the Memorial Garden, please speak with Rod Joyer or Donna Hanson.

memorial-garden-08-2012-sm

All Is Well

Death is nothing at all, 
I have only slipped into the next room 
I am I and you are you 
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. 
Call me by my old familiar name, 
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used 
Put no difference in your tone, 
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow 
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. 
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. 
Let my name be ever the household world that it always was, 
Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it. 
Life means all that it ever meant. 
It it the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity. 
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? 
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, 
Just around the corner. 
All is well. 

Henry Scott Holland
1847-1918
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