Epiphany V- Tares

The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany does not occur every year in the traditional western calendar. (In fact, the propers for this Sunday are as likely to be used near the end of the Trinity season.) This part of the church year depends upon the date of Easter which not only determines the dates of Lent but also of the Pre-Lenten season. This year, Easter is late, and there are six Sundays after Epiphany before Pre-Lent (the "Gesimas").

The Gospel for today (St. Matthew 13:24-30) is the familiar parable of the tares or weeds. One theme of Epiphany is the spread of goodness and light, but this story then reminds us that the spread of goodness is not always upward and onward. There are also problems. As goodness is growing, there is also evil growing beside it. The church in the world is God's field, but all is not as it should be. God's spiritual enemy has scattered bad seed in the field. By the parable of the tares, our Lord reminds us that life in the world, including life in the earthly church, is a mixture. Of course, there is a need for individual and community discipline. There are times when certain obvious sinners should be excluded from the church. Yet, although we may long for perfection, it is not attainable in this world. Until the final harvest, there will be weeds growing beside the good grain in God's field. We should recognize that reality, and then we should accept divine grace to grow in goodness ourselves and to encourage its growth around us.

Epiphany I

Historically, the First Sunday after Epiphany has had several associations. At some points in church history, it has simply been the Sunday within the octave (ecclesiastical week) of Epiphany and repeated the collect and lessons of that ancient festival. From early times, it was also associated with Christ's Baptism (the 1928 American BCP, the Baptism is for Epiphany II). In traditional Books of Common Prayer, the Gospel continues Luke's Christmas-Epiphany sequence with the one recorded episode from Christ's later childhood: the episode of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple (St. Luke 2:41-52).

This Gospel shows how Jesus continued to fulfill all righteousness in His human nature. As a pious Jew, He was concerned about studying and applying the Scriptures. In His case, there was a special awareness that He was about His "Father's business" (St. Luke 2:49). Along with this awareness, He remained the ideal son who at that age was subject to His earthly parents' authority.

The episode also shows something unique. It is a manifestation or epiphany of God the Son incarnate as the perfect human being. At the same time, it is a call to us to follow Jesus' example. As sinners, we never follow His example perfectly, but aided by His grace, we are called to be about our heavenly Father's business and to seek to grow in service.

Epiphany

A blessed Epiphany to all! 

The Collect:        O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

(According to the 1928 American BCP rubrics, "this Collect is to be said daily throughout the Octave." )

Advent IV

The Fourth Sunday in Advent continues the theme of Christ's coming. The Collect asks the Lord to "come among us." It keeps up the penitential emphasis of the season by praying that He will overcome our sins, and that He help and deliver us by His grace and mercy.
The Epistle from Philippians 4:4-7 has a somewhat lighter tone but still reminds us that "the Lord is at hand." Because of Christ, we do have a true reason to rejoice. Despite our sinfulness, we have hope because of the peace that God brings through Christ.

The Gospel from St. John 1:19-28 is another reference to the preparatory message of John the Baptist. When the Jerusalem authorities send representatives to ask who he is, John refuses the usual titles. He will only admit to being "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (John 1:23 ; Isaiah 40:3). He makes the way ready for the Lord; he baptizes with water to represent repentance and cleansing from sin. But the One coming after John is much greater. He is the reason for John's work of preparation, and He will bring the redemption that John's ministry only anticipates.

And that One, Jesus the Christ, is the One whose way we prepare this week. As Advent draws to a close, there are many preparations for the celebration of Christ's Nativity. Among all the things that we make ready, let us focus on the spiritual preparations. We need to pay more attention to prayer, meditation on Scripture and renewed efforts to run the race set before us. As we get ready to celebrate Christ's first coming in humility, let us also remember that He keeps coming to us. In His holiness, He naturally brings judgment upon our sin, but He also offers us grace and mercy. And we also anticipate the time that He will return in glory to bring even greater joy and peace to all who truly have faith in Him.

Pentecost, commonly called Whitsunday

Pentecost is one of the great feasts of the Church based on Scriptural accounts of the descent of the Holy Spirit. The name comes from the Greek word "fifty." This title was applied to the Jewish "Feast of Weeks" which is the fiftieth day after Passover. Later, the Church assigned the commemoration to the fiftieth day after Easter. The other name, meaning "White Sunday," comes from the northern European custom of administering Baptism to white-robed candidates on this feast.

The Gospel for Pentecost (St. John 14: 15-31) continues the recent series from Christ's Farewell Discourses. For me, a key verse in the selection is this: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsover I have said unto you (St. John 14: 26). In view of all the strange things that some Christians have attributed to the Spirit over the centuries, this verse provides important guidance. 1) The Holy Ghost comes from the Father in Christ's name: His work is inseparable from the saving work of the Father and the Son. 2) The work of the Spirit is not primarily emotional; the Spirit mainly comes to teach Christ's disciples. 3) As the Spirit teaches, there is not a distinct new revelation. Rather the Spirit brings to remembrance what has already been revealed in the words of Jesus. Thus, if Christians "feel" that the Holy Spirit is leading them in a certain direction, they need to examine their feelings in light of the truth of the whole Biblical revelation, especially in light of Christ's words in the Gospels.

Sunday after Ascension Day

The Gospel for the Sunday after Ascension Day (St. John 15:26-16:4a) is another selection from the Farewell Discourses of our Lord recorded by St. John. It anticipates Pentecost by continuing to point to the Comforter (Parakletos), the Spirit of truth. The Spirit will continue to guide the disciples into Christ's truth, but they are also warned to expect difficulty and rejection in the world.

This juxtaposition of promise and warning has a perennial application to the Christian life. Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost remind us of great and joyful aspects of Christian faith and life. God in Christ has given and continues to give us so much. However, Christian joy is not a simplistic denial of reality. The Scriptures do not proclaim some distorted message of worldly prosperity and happiness. Believers are still fallen creatures living in a fallen world. So our Lord wants us to be realistic; He wants us to be ready to face difficulties without losing hope. May the Spirit of truth give us strength to keep such a joyful realism in our doctrine and in our daily lives.

Fifth Sunday after Easter, commonly called Rogation Sunday

The Gospel appointed for this Sunday (St. John 16:23-33) is the third in the series from the Farewell Discourses, and it is 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 often been misunderstood. Using Christ's name in Christian prayer is an ancient and laudable practice, but the real significance of the verse is deeper than a liturgical formula. We truly pray in Christ's name when we approach the Father in Christlike humility. Such prayer includes the attitude of Christ in Gethsemene: nevertheless not what I will but what thou wilt (St. Mark 14:36b). What the Father gives us is through our participation in Christ and in accordance 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.

The common name for the the Fifth Sunday after Easter is Rogation Sunday, and the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week have also long 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 St. John 16:26, that I will pray (rogabo). Rogation Days go back to the sixth century at 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.

At the time of the 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 cycle of life, it is good for us to continue to be aware of and pray for the natural cycle that sustains earthly life. And as we approach the Ascension, it is also appropriate that we be more aware of Christ as our heavenly Intercessor in whose name and spirit we are to offer up all our prayers.

Anglican Catechism- Introduction

As Anglicans and others consider Anglican identity, it seems to me that a key expression must always be a catechism. Catechesis or instruction goes back to the beginnings of the biblical tradition. Such instruction is, to give one Old Testament example, cited in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. "Hear, O Israel..." Basic instruction permeates the New Testament and abounds in the ancient Church Fathers. It continued in the Middle Ages, although in many times and places the quality of the instruction was poor.

During the Renaissance and Reformation, there was a renewal of interest in sound basic instruction among Christians of differing perspectives. Many of them used the question-and-answer format that people have often come to associate with catechisms. Martin Luther in particular produced two Catechisms: a longer one as a basic theology manual for pastors and teachers, and a shorter one for the instruction of ordinary Christian children and adults. So it is not surprising that shortly after Henry's break with Rome Anglicans produced several basic forms of instruction. The Bishops' Book (1537) and The King's Book (1543) both contained sections on the Creed and the Commandments.

Thomas Cranmer produced a very short Catechism which was included with the Confirmation rite of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. This simple instruction is on the Creed, the Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer. Later, two Deans of St. Paul's Cathedral, Nowell and Overall, worked on expanded Catechisms and some of their material on the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper was included in the 1604 revision of the BCP. With a few modifications, this brief Anglican Catechism has remained the same over the centuries. Some people have continued to call for further additions, and these tendencies have been seen in newer catechisms and instructional works among some Anglicans.

While recognizing that Christians may want or need more instruction, I have always admired the relative simplicity and brevity of the traditional Anglican Catechism. A short catechism is what most people need most of the time, and it belongs in the Book of Common Prayer. The Prayer Book Catechism focuses on the core material of Christian teaching in a way that most people can remember over a long period of time. While some phrases may need commentary or modification for contemporary English-speakers, people still need to learn the Creed, the Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and basic concepts about the two gospel Sacraments.

Easter Day- He is risen!

The Paschal Feast, Feast of the Resurrection, or Easter is the high point of the liturgical year. Because of its central importance, it is sometimes difficult to discuss. The words of the Scriptures and the greatness of the liturgy always seem so far beyond my comments. Anything that I say or write is only a momentary glimpse of the great and joyous mysteries that Christians celebrate on this day. 

Jesus of Nazareth is the risen Christ! The one who suffered terrible physical and spiritual agonies to save us from our sin has risen from the dead to offer us new life, in this world and the next. Easter is the great dividing point in human history. The Resurrection is, among other things, the seal of divine approval upon the earthly life, ministry, and death of Jesus. It is the key event that transforms a band of disheartened and defeated disciples into faithful witnesses and ministers of the Good News. All the Gospel accounts of His Resurrection and all the Epistle commentaries and exhortations about it are written from the standpoint of faith in the risen Lord. They are also written to inspire and strengthen that same Resurrection faith in others. 

In the traditional Books of Common Prayer, the first Easter Gospel (St. John 20. 1-10) refers to the importance of faith. The initial reaction of the women at the empty tomb and of the apostles who hear the women's report is not faith. The first reactions are fear, hesitancy, amazement, and curiosity. Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved (traditionally identified as John) run to see for themselves. Peter goes in first to see the grave clothes. "Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed" (St. John 20:8). 

The empty tomb is important. It is a real event that must not be denied or ignored. It is an integral part of the New Testament message. Nevertheless, acknowledging the empty tomb is only a first step. This first step must be followed by the second step shown by John; that is, the empty tomb demands the response of belief or faith. So on this Easter, let us renew our faith. let us accept with faith what the empty tomb tells us about Jesus. He is unique. He is not merely someone who recovers from physical death. Others may have experienced resuscitation; He has experienced Resurrection. He has overcome the forces of evil, destruction, and death for all time, for all who truly believe in Him. He is the Word of God incarnate, the Messianic King, God the Son. By overcoming death, He has (in the words of the collect) "opened unto us the gate of everlasting life." Christ lives, and because He lives, we also may truly live in union with Him. Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed; O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

Good Friday

This day has had many names including Paschal Day, Great Friday, Holy Friday and in the English tradition Good Friday. Since the early years of Christianity, it has been observed by fasting, prayer and the reading of Scripture. Over time, Christians have developed and used a variety of special devotional practices for this observance.

Whatever devotions an Anglican or any other Christian observes on this day, the key element, of course, is the Passion story from the Gospels, in particular the account from St. John 19. And whenever I read or hear this passage from John, I am always struck by John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." 

"It is finished," that is, Christ's first earthly mission is complete (the Resurrection is bound to this work but it is a new and glorious chapter). His suffering and death were the goal of His incarnation and public ministry. As He had humbled Himself to come down from heaven and become one of us, so He humbled Himself to the end. He who committed no sin was numbered among the transgressors; He offered Himself as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. But He did not just take away the sins of the world in general; He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to take my sins and your sins. If we accept His sacrifice with living faith in Him as our Savior, then this day truly does become Good Friday.

Fourth Sunday in Lent- Refreshment Sunday

Over the centuries, this Fourth Sunday in Lent has had a number of associations, and the BCP collect and lessons reflect some of these. Perhaps the oldest association was an Eastern celebration of the Holy Cross, which may be reflected in the Epistle choice mentioning Jerusalem. One popular name, "Refreshment Sunday," refers to the Gospel about feeding the five thousand. In traditional Roman rite use, this was also the Sunday known as "Rose Sunday" with rose rather than violet vestments.. Finally, in medieval England, this Sunday became known as "Mothering Sunday" because of visits and special offerings for the mother church of each diocese. In some parts of England, the mothering theme developed to allow servants, apprentices and students to visit their mothers on this day.

All of these tidbits can be interesting. In addition, the Epistle from Galatians 4 emphasizes divine promises, and the Gospel from John 6 points to Jesus' prophetic role. However, my thoughts keep returning to collect:

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Although the mood of Lent lightens a bit today before we move on toward Passiontide, we must keep remembering the gravity of our sins and our great need for divine grace.

Second Sunday in Lent- Humble Faith

The Gospel for the Second Sunday in Lent is unusal; it is a story where our Lord encounters a Gentile supplicant in St. Matthew 15:21 ff. This selection about the Phoenician women is striking. Christ and His disciples have crossed into pagan territory, and she is a descendant of the detested ancient Canaanites. In her need and concern for her daughter, she is desperate enough to ask the Jewish teacher for help.

Our Lord faces this situation in a low-key way, a way that puts both Christ's disciples and the Gentile woman to the test. The disciples just want her to be sent away. Then our Lord points out to her that His earthly ministry is focused on Israel. But she refuses to give up. She has faith in Him, and she humbly begs for even the slightest crumb of mercy. Thus her daughter is healed.

Two points about this passage strike me today. 1) Being close followers of Christ does not always make people as wise, compassionate or strong in faith as they should be. 2) Being outside the traditional community of faith does not always mean that people are lacking in personal faith in Jesus.

So let each of us consider our situations. If we feel like outsiders- if we feel that we are not one of the closest disciples, Christ can still help us if we have faith in Him. And if we do feel that we are close disciples- if we feel that we belong to the right religious circles, we should not be hasty in our judgments of others. We may be the ones lacking in humility and insight. The depth of others' faith may be surprising and allow Christ to work in their lives in ways that we do not expect.

First Sunday in Lent- A Reflection on Temptation

This post is slightly different from most of my recent ones; it is an abridged version of my homily for the day.
The Gospel for the First Sunday in Lent is the familiar story of Christ's great Fast and Temptation (St. Matt. 4:1-11). As He was beginning His public ministry, our Lord withdrew to the Judean wilderness for a period of devotion. There the Tempter came and sought to catch Him in a moment of weakness. Satan used appealing lures, and even tried to confuse matters by quoting Scripture. St. Matthew tells us that there were three parts to the Temptation.

First, the Tempter tried to appeal to the needs and wishes of the physical nature. He urged Christ to satisfy His hunger by turning stones into bread. Of course, Christ rejected this temptation. His work was to have a spiritual foundation, not a material one. He recognized and responded to human physical needs, but meeting those needs was not His main mission. He had come to bring the bread of heaven, the living Word of God, the source of true and eternal life.

Secondly, the Tempter tried to appeal to the natural human desire for approval and praise. The crowds in the streets would have really been impressed (at least for a few days) if Jesus had jumped from the pinnacle of the Temple to the pavement below without being hurt. Again Christ rejected the temptation. Jumping from the Temple would have tested the Father's mercy. It would have also caused some people to accept Jesus as Messiah for the wrong reason.; that is, from sheer amazement rather than from spiritual conviction.

Thirdly, the Tempter tried to use the appeal of worldly success and power. This temptation was basically political. If Jesus would only accept him as master, Satan offered great worldly influence and power. With such power, Christ would be able to order earthly society as He saw fit. Christ also rejected this great temptation. Submitting to the Evil One would corrupt everything that He tried to accomplish. Christ's kingdom was to have a completely different nature. It was to be a holy and spiritual kingdom based upon loyalty to Almighty God, the heavenly Father.

Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ rejected the three great temptations of the devil. Compromising with Satan was wrong. No end or goal, no matter how good it might seem, could justify truly evil means. Christ committed Himself and His ministry to the holy principles of His heavenly Father. He would remain steadfast in the paths of righteousness even when it meant rejection by the crowds and a tortuous death on the Cross.

In certain respects, the Temptation of Christ was unique. No one else has ever had to make such far-reaching spiritual choices. And no one else has ever resisted temptation so completely, without a trace of sin. Christ obeyed the heavenly Father's will, and through His perfect obedience, He became the Redeemer of all those who have a living faith in Him.

Yet, despite the uniqueness of Christ's Temptation, there are certain similarities with the temptations that all human beings face. We all face temptations for the same basic things: material comfort, human approval, and worldly influence. We could consider countless examples of how these basic temptations take place in our lives. At work and in our families, we are constantly tempted to place our desires for comfort, approval, or power above our spiritual and moral principles. However, today let us consider a corporate application to Christ's Church.

First, the Church has temptations of a physical or material nature. There is a tendency for parishes, dioceses and denominations to become too concerned about the material needs of the organization or for the physical needs of those we serve.
Now certainly, the Church must recognize that human beings have physical needs. We are to provide for the Church itself, and we are to reach out to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and so forth. But as we do these things, we must be aware of dangers and refuse to compromise with evil. We must always remember that being a social welfare agency is not the primary mission of Christ's Church. Although physical bread is needed, the Church's primary mission is the spiritual feeding of souls through Word and Sacrament.

Secondly, the Church is sometimes tempted to seek human approval in the wrong ways. Many contemporary religious groups try to dazzle or entertain people into being Christians. Sometimes, people seem to put God to the test by suggesting that flashy or emotional displays are at the heart of faith.
Although there may be dramatic moments in the life of faith, God more often has chosen to manifest Himself in simple and subtle ways. We must not do things just to impress the crowds on the street. Those who go to worship just for the spectacle are missing the Biblical message.

Thirdly, the Church is often tempted by worldly success or power. Over the centuries, Christianity has succumbed to this temptation repeatedly. For the sake of worldly influence, the Church has often compromised itself with emperors, kings and parliaments, with bureaucrats and corporations, with trade unions and political parties.
Certainly, the Church has a mission to all kinds of people, and individual Christians may be called to express their values in various social or political settings. However, the Church itself must avoid being bound too closely with any worldly power. The Church is the representative of a spiritual kingdom which transcends all earthly powers. As the Church, we are called to proclaim Christ as Savior and to embody His spiritual and moral mission.

In conclusion, Lent is a time for us to pause and be more aware of the nature and dangers of temptation. We need to recognize our weaknesses and our actual sins. We need to repent and seek divine grace. This is true of us as individuals; it is also true of the Church which is often caught up in the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. There is hope in all these temptations because Christ has already triumphed over Satan and won a victory for the faithful of all times. Christ is with us, and He can strengthen us as we face temptation, individually and corporately.

The First Day of Lent, Commonly Called Ash Wednesday

From at least the second century, Christians seem to have observed a period of fasting and repentance before the Easter celebration of Christ's Resurrection. Over the years this period expanded, and in the sixth century Latin Church, it was set at 46 days so that there would be 40 penitential days (the six Sundays may be in a somber church season but they are still little Easters). 

The use of ashes from palms as a sign of penitence was a development of the Middle Ages. The key to observing the day and the season is found in the Scripture lessons for the day. They all stress the spiritual aspects of fasting and repentance. The Gospel from St. Matthew 6 is clear that a disciple's attitude is very important. Our Lord assumes that His followers will fast. However, they are not to be hypocritical and ostentatious. Therefore, as we think of this day and the whole 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 Christ.

Quinquagesima- The Sunday next before Lent

This Sunday, Quinquagesima, is the fiftieth day before Easter and the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. The Collect, Epistle and Gospel for the Sunday are rich in many things that Christians need to hear and think about. For example, the collect reminds us of our needs, and it requests divine aid so that our efforts may be filled with a charitable or loving attitude. If we approach Lenten devotion without love, our deeds "are nothing worth."

The Gospel from St. Luke 18 talks about Christ's Way of the Cross. It also shows us two kinds of blindness. The blind beggar by the Jericho road suffered physical blindness, but through his faith in Jesus, he was healed fairly easily. The twelve closest disciples, on the other hand, suffered from a spiritual blindness. They thought that Jesus was the Messiah, but they had not yet understood His way of being the Messiah. They had not yet come to see that He was the Messiah who was the Suffering Servant. It would take longer to cure them of their blindness. Only by following Him through the difficult days would they come to appreciate His true triumph at the Resurrection.

As we approach the beginning of Lent, we can employ these themes as part of the examination of our souls. Are we motivated by love as we seek to do good? In what ways have we been spiritually blind? Do we see the necessity of Christ's suffering and death for our redemption? And are we willing to follow Jesus Christ through the the difficulties of the Way of the Cross? Only through the aid of the Holy Ghost "poured into our hearts" can we move beyond our failings and begin to answer these questions in a positive manner.