Trinity I- Luke 16:31

 This Sunday's Gospel from Luke 16:19-31 contains the Parable of the Rich Man and the Beggar Lazarus.  (The rich man is sometimes called "Dives" from the Latin for "rich.") This passage brings us several themes, including the importance of compassion and the nature of the afterlife. In rereading the passage this week, another theme was noticeable. In Luke 16:31, the Gospel concludes, "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." 

This statement highlights the basic human spiritual and moral problem. God has created human beings to be spiritually and morally responsible. He expects them to love Him and their neighbors. In His mercy, God has provided and still provides revelations of His expectations. In nature, in the Mosaic Law, and in the prophets, the divine expectations are clear for those willing to see and hear. In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has revealed His expectations even more clearly. Moreover, He has revealed the possibility of repentance, faith, pardon, and renewal after human failure. God offers redeeming grace. 

Unfortunately, human beings are often like the rich man in the parable. They ignore both divine expectations and divine grace. They persist in hardness of heart. They continue in their selfish sinfulness. Not only are they immoral, but they are also unspiritual. Their attitude is the central problem. They are not open to divine holiness, love, or grace. They have no transcendent faith. Their confidence is in themselves and their earthly status or possessions. And such hardened attitudes have eternal consequences.

Fortunately, such a sad state can be remedied. Sinful and selfish human beings are offered grace. In His mercy, God can change them and soften hardened hearts. With God, all things are possible. People can turn from sin, and faith can arise in unexpected ways. All humans (even a poor Lazarus) are sinners who can develop humble and faithful attitudes through the divine grace revealed in Jesus Christ. May we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to believe this good news!

Easter V- Rogation Sunday- John 16:23-33

On traditional Anglican calendars, the common name for the Fifth Sunday after Easter is Rogation Sunday. The term "rogation" comes from the Latin verb rogo, rogare. This is one Latin term for asking or praying. It is used in the Latin version of John 16:26, "that I will pray" (rogabo). Rogation Days go back to the early centuries of the Italian church, and this Sunday and following week days became times to emphasize prayer, especially Christian prayers for good crops.

The traditional Gospel appointed for this Sunday (John 16:23-33) is also appropriate for the Sunday before the Ascension. The theme is in the words, "Whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (16:33b). This bold claim has sometimes been misunderstood as an automatic guarantee of desired results. Using Christ's name in Christian prayer is an ancient and laudable practice, but the verse is not a simple liturgical formula. Christian prayer must never be seen as some sort of magical manipulation of divine power. Rather, we truly pray in Christ's name when we approach the Father in a Christlike attitude. This is the attitude of Christ in Gethsemane: "nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36b). What the Father gives us is through our union with Christ and in accordance with His great purposes of redemption. When we pray with a humble, faithful, and spiritual attitude, God does greater things for us than we limited human beings can imagine or comprehend.

In sixteenth-century England, the Rogation Days continued to emphasize prayers for agriculture. Although many modern people are far removed from the agricultural cycle of life, we should be aware of and pray for the natural cycle that provides food and sustains earthly life. In addition, as we approach the commemoration of Christ's Ascension, it is good to have a heightened awareness of Christ as our heavenly Intercessor and Mediator. All our prayers should be offered in Christ's name, in His spirit, and for His purposes.

Thursday before Easter, commonly called Maundy Thursday- I Corinthians 11:23ff

The Thursday in Holy Week has a rich history and several liturgical associations. These associations include preparing for baptism or confirmation, the blessing of holy oils, the washing of feet, and the stripping of altars. However, the chief theme of the day is the commemoration of the institution of the Lord's Supper, Holy Communion, or Eucharist. 

The Prayer Book epistle for this day is from I Corinthians 11:23ff and contains St. Paul's version of the words of institution of the Lord's Supper. These simple words are at the heart of Christian worship. Theologians have often discussed and disputed the exact meaning of the words. But although sacramental theology is important, the significance of this holy meal goes beyond our explanations. In other words, obedience and faith are more important than human theories.

Several simple affirmations seem clear. First, Jesus Himself began and commanded His disciples to continue this sacred meal. Secondly, He related it to His self-sacrifice that was about to take place for human salvation. Thirdly, this commemoration of His death also points to His continuing presence as a living Lord and anticipates that He will come again in glory. 

So, as followers of Christ, the main issues are not abstract theories; the most important thing is an attitude of humble faith. The Eucharist is about what Christ has done and is doing for our salvation. Through the blessed bread and wine, our Lord offers us His continuing presence. He offers us His grace to continue the journey in faith.  And our response to His grace should be thanksgiving.

Easter V, Rogation Sunday- John 16:23-33

 Historically, the Fifth Sunday after Easter has been called Rogation Sunday, and the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week have also been known as Rogation Days. The term "rogation" comes from the Latin verb rogo, rogare. This is one Latin term for praying and is used in the Latin version of John 16:26, "that I will pray" (rogabo). Rogation Days date back to sixth-century Rome where Christian prayers for crops were appointed to replace certain pagan customs. Early processional litanies were associated with this observance, and other prayers of supplication were included during times of disaster.

The traditional Gospel appointed for this Sunday (John 16:23-33) is one of several from the Farewell Discourses, and it is especially appropriate for the Sunday before the Ascension. The theme is in the words, "Whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (16:33b). This is a bold claim and has been misunderstood by some. Using Christ's name in Christian prayer is an ancient and laudable practice, but the real meaning goes beyond certain liturgical formulae. We truly pray in Christ's name when we approach the Father in Christlike humility. Such prayer includes the attitude of Christ in Gethsemane: nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt (Mark 14:36b). What the Father gives us is through our participation in Christ and in accord with His great purposes of redemption. When we pray in that spirit, God is doing greater things for us than we in our human limitations can comprehend.

At the time of the 16th-century English Reformation, practices were simplified, but the Rogation Days continued as occasions for the Litany and prayers for agriculture. Although many modern people are far removed from the agricultural way of life, it is good for us to continue to be aware of and pray for the natural cycle that sustains earthly life.  Furthermore, as we approach Ascension Day, it is appropriate that we be more aware of Christ as our heavenly Intercessor; it is in His name and spirit that we are to offer up all our prayers.

Easter V- Rogation- John 16

 Among Anglicans, the common name for the Fifth Sunday after Easter is Rogation Sunday, and the Monday, Tuesday. and Wednesday of the following week have long been known as Rogation Days. The term "rogation" comes from one Latin term for asking or praying. This word is used in the Latin version of John 16:26, "that I will pray" (rogabo). Originally, Rogation Days were times of Christian prayers for crops that replaced certain pagan customs. Later, litanies and other prayers of supplication were added.

The traditional Gospel appointed for this Sunday (John 16:23-33) continues a series of selections from the Farewell Discourses, and it is especially appropriate for the Sunday before the Ascension. The theme is in the words, "Whatever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you" (16:23b). This is a strong affirmation that has sometimes been misunderstood. Using Christ's name in prayer is an ancient and laudable Christian practice, but it must not be superficial. Christian prayer must not be distorted into some sort of magical manipulation. Rather, we truly pray in Christ's name when we approach the Father in a Christlike attitude. This is the attitude of Christ in Gethsemene: "Nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt" (Mark 14:36b). The heavenly Father blesses us through our unity with Jesus Christ, and our prayers should always be in accord with His great purposes of redemption. When we pray with such a spiritual attitude, God does greater things for us than we limited human beings can imagine or comprehend.

The First Day of Lent, commonly called Ash Wednesday- Matthew 6

The keys to observing Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are found in the Scripture lessons for the day. These lessons stress the spiritual aspects of fasting and repentance. The Gospel from St. Matthew 6 makes it clear that a disciple's attitude is key. Our Lord assumes that His followers will fast. However, they are not to be hypocritical or ostentatious. Therefore, as we think of this Lenten season, let us focus on devotion to almighty God. External acts of devotion can be useful, but the main point is laying up treasure in heaven through faith in Christ.

So as we begin Lent, let us focus on our devotion to God and our understanding of Christ’s journey toward the Cross. We do need some outward disciplines.. Increasing our prayer time and Bible study is important. Giving up or decreasing some food, drink, entertainment, or purchases can be useful reminders. Giving more money or time to charity is valuable. These and other practices can be expressions of faith and renewal. But the most important thing about Lent is our attitude. In all we think, say, and do, let us humbly repent, focus on our Lord Jesus Christ, and respond to Him with living faith.

Easter V- Rogation- John 16:23

The Fifth Sunday after Easter has long been called Rogation Sunday. This name is derived from the Latin verb rogare, which means "to request, to pray." The theme of prayer is found in the Gospel for the Sunday. In John 16:23, Jesus promises His disciples, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you." This verse marks the beginning of the Christian practice of praying in Jesus' name.

Sometimes, we may wonder how this promise can be true. Disciples ancient and modern have not always prayed wisely or consistently. Even prayers for clearly good things do not always receive an obviously affirmative or immediate answer. Often our human requests are limited in outlook or intention. There may even be times when with hindsight we are happy that our original petitions were not fulfilled exactly the way we had in mind. Nevertheless, we do believe Christ's promise is true. We believe that God does hear and answer prayers that are truly in Christ's name.

So what does it really mean to pray in Jesus' name? Praying in Christ's name, for His sake, or through Him means that we pray according to His nature and intentions. It means praying with a humble and faithful attitude. Such prayers may include various specific requests, but more importantly, they always include the idea, spoken or unspoken, "thy will be done." The privilege of praying in the name and in the spirit of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus is one of the greatest gifts for us as Christians, Let us make good and continuous use of this gift!

Trinity XIII- Luke 10:25-29

The Gospel for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity is from Luke 10: 23- 37 and includes the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. That parable is certainly an important example and an encouragement to compassion and true neighborliness, but this time, I would like to focus more on the context for the parable in Luke 10: 25-29, "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"

This context shows us the difference between Jesus and His legalistic opponents. Jesus honors the Jewish Law and its chief principles and intentions. Jesus and the lawyer agree on the two great commandments- love God and love neighbor. However, there is a great difference in the attitudes of Jesus and the lawyer. Jesus sees the Law as a helpful guide to worshipping God and caring for other people. The lawyer focuses on the details of rule-keeping. He views the commandments as a checklist for self-congratulation and self-justification. Perhaps, he hopes that Jesus will praise him and say that he has done enough, or perhaps, he imagines that Jesus will just add some little rule to what the lawyer is already doing. Instead, Jesus tells a parable that shows good attitudes and actions may be found even among people who don't follow all the rules perfectly (Samaritans).

Unfortunately, Christians have often been like the lawyer in this account. We know basic commandments, and we might be able to check off some rules we have followed. But all too often, we try to justify ourselves without looking at our attitudes or at new opportunities to show mercy. Even doing charitable deeds has often been transformed into another sort of self-justifying legalism. So let us remain on guard about our motives and attitudes. Let us honor the principles of divine Law, and through divine grace, let us humbly seek to apply those principles with sincerity and compassion.

Trinity VI- True Righteousness- Matthew 5:20-26; Romans 6:3-11

 For this Sixth Sunday after Trinity, let us begin with the first verse from the Gospel. Matthew 5:20 says, "Jesus said unto his disciples, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'" What does this mean? The Pharisees were noted for their pursuit of legal righteousness. How could the disciples of Jesus even dare to hope that their righteousness could exceed that of the Pharisees?

We see the answer in Matthew 5:21-26. In these verses and throughout the Sermon on the Mount, it becomes clear that our Lord is not talking about a mere external legalistic obedience to the commandments of divine Law. While following certain rules helps restrain evil and provides some basic guidance, external obedience is not sufficient. Just following the rules is not enough. Seeking true righteousness involves inner attitudes. It means constant repentance and renewal in faith, hope, and love. Ultimately, true righteousness must come through divine grace poured into our sinful lives through Jesus Christ. 

In other words, Matthew 5 is referring to the same spirituality found in the Epistle for the day from Romans 6:3-11. The only way for fallen human beings to be righteous is through union with Jesus Christ, a union which takes place through Baptism and Faith. Disciples become righteous through dying and rising with Christ. This is symbolized initially in Christian Baptism, but in this fallen world, it must be constantly renewed until the end of our earthly pilgrimages. This renewal can take place in many ways, but notably, it occurs through hearing and reading the Word, participating in the Lord's Supper, and constant prayer. Day by day and week by week, we must continue dying to sin and being "alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:.11)

Lent III- Luke 11- Spiritual Housekeeping

The Gospel for this Sunday refers to several themes related to Christ’s ministry and the kingdom of God. In the midst of all these themes, there are three verses about spiritual housekeeping that have sometimes been applied to Lent. These verses are Luke 11:24-26. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest; and finding none he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.” (RSV).

These verses are a brief parable or comparison about moral and spiritual cleansing and healing. In a way, the verses encourage moral and spiritual housekeeping, but they are also a warning about how we pursue such housekeeping. The ways we clean up our lives and what we do afterward can be as important as the cleansing itself.

In this world, many human beings admit that they need to cleanse their lives. Many people know that there are bad or destructive forces and tendencies in their lives. They sense that bad habits, poor attitudes, mistaken loyalties, and various mental and spiritual weaknesses need to be cast out. 

During Lent, some of us emphasize spiritual housekeeping. We may stress better moral and spiritual habits. We give up certain things. We emphasize penitential attitudes and a variety of devotions. Such moral and spiritual housekeeping and external disciplines are useful. However, we also need to move beyond mere external disciplines- even beyond good disciplines involving certain degrees of self-denial. 

As we clean our spiritual houses, we do not need to leave them empty. We need to fill them with goodness. As numerous Scriptures remind us, we must allow our Lord to abide or dwell within us. In other words, the Christian message must include positive aspects as well as negative ones. We are called to do more than just cleanse our hearts, minds, and souls of evil. We are asked to allow God to dwell or reside within us, and the real purpose of all our spiritual housekeeping is to make room for Him. It is to open us up to divine grace and love.

This point is always true, but it has a special relevance to Lent. Of course, we could all use more self-discipline and more sincere self-denial, but those things are not sufficient. By God’s grace in Christ, we also need to fill our hearts, minds, and souls with good things such as faith, hope, and love. We need to allow God to dwell within us and transform us for worship and service.

Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Of course, the traditional Gospel for this Sunday is the famous passage generally known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. One can emphasize any of the three central characters in the story: 1) the ungrateful and wasteful son who repents and returns home, 2) the merciful, gracious, and forgiving father who celebrates the prodigal's return, or 3) the legalistic and resentful older brother who is jealous and hurt. All three approaches can provide much food for thought.

This year, however, I would like to focus briefly on the parable from the perspective of the Collect of the Day. This collect which goes back at least to the early 600s reads as follows:
Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This short prayer is a reminder that we all need the gracious guidance of the Lord. Only He can grant us the spirit to think as well as to do the right things. Apart from His grace, we cannot live according to His will. We might be more like wandering prodigals who need to come to ourselves, repent and return to the heavenly Father, or we might be more like dutiful but resentful and self-righteous sons who need to be more understanding, merciful, and loving. In either case, we need the Lord's help. Only He can give us the transforming grace to think and to do such things as are right. Only He can change our attitudes as well as our actions.

Beginning of Lent- Ash Wednesday- Matthew 6

The keys to observing Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are found in the Scripture lessons for the day. These lessons stress the spiritual aspects of fasting and repentance. The Gospel from St. Matthew 6 makes it clear that a disciple's attitude is very important. Our Lord assumes that His followers will fast. However, they are not to be hypocritical or ostentatious. Therefore, as we think of this Lenten season, let us focus on devotion to the heavenly Father. External acts of devotion can be useful, but the main point is laying up treasure in heaven through faith in Christ.

Unfortunately, given fallen and distorted human nature, there is always a tendency to go astray in our religious and devotional practices. We tend to go to extremes. Sometimes,  Christians are too lax about self-denial. At other times, Christians are too rigid and legalistic. And even at our best, there are always tendencies to be selfish and self-righteous. 

Because of these dangers, the ancient Church developed practices that encouraged both discipline and moderation. Anglicans have tried to follow a similar moderate approach. So as we think of Lent, let us focus on our devotion to God and our understanding of Christ’s journey toward the Cross. External acts of devotion can be useful, but the most important thing about Lent is our attitude. In all we think, say, and do, let us repent, think of Christ, and respond with living faith.