Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity

The Gospel for this Sunday (John 4:46-54) is the second Galilean miracle in St. John's account. A "nobleman" or "official" wants Jesus to come and heal his critically ill son. Our Lord does not agree to come. Instead, He comments on the popular desire for outward signs and assures the man that his son will live. On this occasion, two points strike me about this story.

First, there are a variety of different ways that God's healing power and grace work through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, the person healed is in Jesus' immediate presence; sometimes the person is at some distance. There may or may not be a conversation with the person. There may or may not be a declaration of forgiveness of sin. There may be a healing touch (or in one case mud and spittle). This time, there is simply a word from Jesus, a declaration that the father's prayer for his son is answered. This can serve as a reminder that God in Christ can use various means to reach out in His grace. In this particular case, a simple word suffices.

Secondly, there is the faith of the father. The official makes a specific request but does not protest when Jesus tells him that the healing is already taking place. Despite his high social rank, he responds with humble trust in Christ. He believes that Jesus can do what He says. That is a beginning faith. Yet, there is also a further step. When news reaches the official that his son has been healed, the man believes again, along with his household. This is a more general faith that Jesus is the Savior sent by God. Likewise, we can believe in different stages. Sometimes, we have little bits of faith on particular issues, but we need to keep growing in faith and develop a fuller understanding of God's work in Christ.

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity 2019

The Scripture readings today are rich and meaningful but the collect for the day is what really grabbed my attention. It says: O GOD, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; Mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The core of this short prayer goes back to a fifth-century Roman service book, and it was slightly modified in 1662. This collect clearly points out our human dependence upon God in all things. We can't begin to please God unless He first assists us by His grace. To please God, the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and the Son must both direct, guide, and rule in our inner being. We tend to forget this point and focus on our human efforts. Of course, human effort and responsibility are important, but God is always both the beginning and the end of the whole process of justification, sanctification, and redemption!

Trinity XVII- Ephesians 4- Unity of the Spirit

Today's traditional epistle reminds us of the true basis for unity among Christians. We have many differences in nature, culture, and personal preferences, but certain things are necessary. In Ephesians 4: 2-6. St. Paul exhorts Christian believers to seek "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

Christians must walk a fine line between the dangers of doctrinal weakness and intolerance. Not every religious option is acceptable. Even some things that are tolerable are not necessarily edifying. So we must stand up for our convictions. On the other hand, we must be careful about the ways that we assert our convictions. Even in disagreement, we must try to remain kind and charitable. And we should also seek common ground based on the matters that Paul mentions. There is one body- one universal church of Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit at work calling all believers to a common hope in redemption. There is one Lord, that is Jesus Christ, God the Son, who suffered, died, and rose to save us. There is one faith, which is both belief in and trust in the Lord Jesus. There is one baptism, the sacrament of entry into the body of Christ through water administered in the name of God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the ultimate unity is in one God and Father who reigns over all.

Different Christian individuals and groups have distinct preferences and practices. Some of those differences are important, and some are not important. Some of those things may be more or less edifying for specific people, and there is room for compromise on some non-essential points of theology or practice. However, on the basics mentioned in Ephesians 4, Christians need to strive for mutual understanding and spiritual unity.

Pentecost 2019

People have said and keep saying many things about the Holy Spirit.  The best way to make a sound statement on the Holy Spirit is to focus on the teachings of Jesus Christ. In today's gospel from John 14:16-17, Jesus says, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you."

In these words of our Lord, we are reminded of the origins of the Spirit's work among believers. The Holy Spirit comes among Christ's followers as a gift from God the Father at the intercession of Jesus Christ. Although Scripture speaks of many functions and gifts of the Spirit, here our Lord stresses two chief characteristics. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter or Helper and our guide in appreciating and applying divine truth. And the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from the spirits of the surrounding world. For the Holy Spirit who comes from the Father and the Son reflects their holy nature with us and in us.

Easter Basics 2019

I have never been a person to travel far from home around Good Friday and Easter. This year, family circumstances meant that I was far from home, and there was no liturgical congregation nearby. Yet, I did have a Bible and a Book of Common Prayer.

So I said Morning and Evening Prayer and read the appointed lessons from Scripture. This was more low-key than most years, but it was meaningful. I focused briefly but intensely on Jesus' passion, time in the tomb, and resurrection. And if anything, I had a greater than usual appreciation for St. Paul's exhortation in Colossians 3- "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."

Such a perspective should be the goal of all our observances, elaborate or simple. We Christians think that the death and resurrection of Jesus are core historical realities. We must affirm these events, but beyond that, we need to see the application to our personal and corporate lives. As Christ has died and risen, so have we through baptism and faith. Therefore, we should set our affections on heavenly and spiritual matters and live accordingly.

Palm Sunday as a Warning

Very often Palm Sunday is a beautiful observance. Whether there is a procession or not, there are likely to be palm branches ( or some local green substitute). A Gospel about Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem is likely to be read, and there are probably some rousing hymns or songs of praise. Christians of all sorts like to praise Jesus, and even many "nice" unbelievers don't mind joining in if it is a pretty spring morning.

Yet, in truth, sometimes we don't stop to consider the deeper meanings of the commemoration. Jesus comes as a peaceful and humble King to claim His throne, and the crowd seems to have a partial appreciation. They use Messianic titles and shout "Hosanna" which means "save now." This expression, Hosanna, is great, but we should beware. A crowd may have divergent views about what it means to be saved and differing understandings of what happens "now." Many in the crowd were looking for political salvation from Roman oppression, and they hoped that now- that Palm Sunday- the great Jewish Revolt was starting under the leadership of Jesus the Messiah.

They misunderstood. They had not really listened to or understood Jesus for a long time. They had overlooked the spiritual and moral implications of salvation. They did not see that "now" was a time of repentance and conversion, a time to choose a higher way. Now was a time of humility and suffering and sacrifice. It was not a time for a great military or political victory, but a time for victory over sin and death through cross and resurrection. And because of their misunderstanding and impatience, many members of that crowd may have been among another crowd that would soon shout "crucify him."

For us then, Palm Sunday is a warning. Although we have long heard the message and the story of Jesus, our understandings and applications are often incomplete. We tend to focus on great displays and worldly blessings just as the Jerusalem crowds did. And we want such things "now."
Therefore, let us focus on the spiritual dimensions of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We need to understand the spiritual character of salvation through Christ. We need to be patient and see that the "now" of our salvation is to look to, understand, and have faith in Jesus as the deliverer who comes in the name of His heavenly Father.

Lent V- A Passion Sunday- Luke 20

An old name for the fifth Sunday in Lent is Passion Sunday. Although modern liturgical revision has assigned that title to the last Sunday in Lent, commonly called Palm Sunday, such a name is also appropriate for Lent V. The Gospel from St. Luke 20 is the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, and it is one of several predictions of Christ’s passion and death. God has sent His Son to give the tenants (the religious people and their leaders) another opportunity to turn from wickedness. But they will not do so. They see Jesus the Christ as a threat to be eliminated. They will not admit openly that He is the Son of God. Yet, in their hearts and souls, many of them sense His unique authority, and their rejection of Him reflects their rebellion against God the Father.

Ultimately, Christ is rejected and murdered because men refuse to acknowledge the rights of God. People offer other reasons and excuses for opposing Jesus. But by this parable, Jesus is exposing the truth. He sees through all the posturing and knows that the religious people of Jerusalem are really rebelling against God. That is the root cause of Christ’s Passion and Death. And telling the truth about it just makes His enemies all the more angry.

This historical truth has abiding personal meaning for every human being. All are called upon to acknowledge God and His Son. All are asked to repent and accept divine authority. Unfortunately, many human beings continue to behave as the wicked and rebellious tenants. In arrogance and greed, we tend to overestimate our own importance and power. We assume too much for ourselves. Clergy and laity, we forget that we are just tenants who look after the Bible, the Church, and its spiritual and moral heritage for the true owner, Almighty God. Keeping this in mind can help us turn from our self-centeredness and appreciate the Passion more deeply.

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.

Epiphany Season 2019

My blogging has gotten off to a slow start this year, but I did have a general comment on the Epiphany readings from the gospels. Of course, all the Sundays on the church calendar are for proclaiming the Word of God, but personally, I have always found the Gospels for the observance of Epiphany and the following Sundays to be particularly meaningful. After all the craziness of modern Christmas observances and before the appropriate somberness of Lent, we have a little time to pause and reflect upon some of the epiphanies of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We think of Christ's divine glory manifested to the Magi and of His first adult appearance at His Baptism. We recall events as simple as Christ turning water into wine and as dramatic as healing lepers and a centurion's servant. We may remember His teaching and rejection at Nazareth and His first healings of demoniacs and other sick people at and around Capernaum. All of these stories show Jesus of Nazareth as more than merely a teacher or even a miraculous healer. They manifest Christ's glory as the Son of God. They are earthly signs of His heavenly identity. Furthermore, these manifestations call for an appropriate response- the response of faith in Jesus as Messiah and divine Savior. May His glorious appearances inspire us to renewed affirmations of faith!

Advent 2018

Lately, I have been preoccupied with family and other matters and have not been posting. I have still been reading, praying the office, participating in different capacities at the Eucharist, and teaching a weekly Bible study. In some ways, such reduced activities have increased the meaning of Advent as a season of waiting and preparation for the various ways Christ has come, keeps coming and will come again.

In this context, the BCP Advent seasonal collect (Advent I) seems more appropriate than ever:

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen. 

Trinity XI- Ways to Pray: Inner and Outward

The parable of the Pharisee and tax-collector in  Luke 18:9-14 is about two men praying. Much can be said about Christian prayer. The main emphasis in our reading is on the mental and spiritual attitudes for prayer- and by extension, about attitudes for all of life. Here we have two contrasting characters- a self-righteous person and a humble repentant one. The parable shows us two different kinds of sinners. And sinners are not distinguished as much by their deeds as they are by their attitudes. Both the Pharisee and the tax collector are sinners, but the tax collector prays with a better inner attitude.

All humans are sinners, and all human beings need true repentance before God. All of us need to stop trusting in ourselves. All of us need to stop excusing ourselves by comparing ourselves to the failings of others. To be right with God, each person must truly regret his/her failings, realize his/her need for divine mercy, and trust in God alone to take away our sins.

In addition to teaching about spiritual attitudes in prayer, the parable also illustrates another topic. It contains hints about some postures or mechanics of prayer. In the Bible and Jewish tradition, people usually stood for prayer, as both men do in our Gospel. Sometimes, people also knelt for prayer, rarely they prostrated themselves, and even more rarely they sat.

Standing has some practical advantages. Most people can stand longer than they can kneel. It takes less space, and it was certainly more practical in the days before churches had pews and cushions. According to some ancient Christian teachers, kneeling in church should be limited to penitential days such as Fridays or Lenten weekdays, but not done on Sundays, Easter, or other celebratory days. Even in the Book of Common Prayer during the 1500's, the instruction for the congregation to kneel only occurs for the Ten Commandments and responses, the General Confession-Absolution, the Prayer of Humble Access and the Reception of Communion. So while kneeling can be a fitting and meaningful way to pray, but it is not the only traditional posture for prayer.

Another posture implied by our parable concerns the head and the eyes. Despite his bad attitude, the Pharisee makes an appropriate start by praise or thanksgiving. Presumably he follows common Jewish practice and prays with head and eyes slightly lifted.  We know that Jesus and the early Christians often prayed this way.  The tax collector, on the other hand, is emphasizing confession of sin, and so it is fitting that his head and eyes be downcast. Again we must be open to the worship context and to personal needs in prayer.

Now to a third matter- the position of our hands in prayer. In Jewish and Christian tradition, there have been two common but different traditions about hands in prayer. One is with the fingers and palms of both hands joined in some way. This posture stresses quietness, introspection, and meditation. The other is with hands and arms slightly extended and lifted near shoulder level. This posture emphasizes praise and openness to God. In Scripture, it is referred to as lifting up of hands. It was common among clergy and laity in the early church, and still expected of ministers in parts of the liturgy. However, even in the ancient church, there were problems with lifting hands. The church father Tertullian (about 200 AD) warns, “We more commend our prayers to God with modesty and humility- with not even our hands too loftily elevated…” Unfortunately, in our time, some people who raise their hands seem more extravagant and less modest or humble. (And lifting up hands does not mean the unruly waving like a rock concert!)

In conclusion, Christ’s parable of the Pharisee and the publican points us toward proper worship of God.  Every human being needs to turn aside from daily activities on a regular basis in order worship and pray. Prayer involves both our inner attitudes and our external postures and gestures.

Let us pray for and pray in humble faith. And whatever our postures and gestures- standing, kneeling or sitting, eyes up or down, hands joined or lifted- they should reflect both our praise of God and our humble dependence on divine mercy and grace.

Trinity VIII- Beware

In today’s gospel, Christ warns us about bad religion. In St. Matthew 7:15, He begins, “Beware of false prophets…” Then in Matt. 7:21 He concludes, “not everyone who saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven…."

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ exposed a great deal of bad religion. Some religious people opposed Him strongly. Some others claimed to support Him at times, but they were not really committed to Jesus. Only a minority of "religious" people actually followed Him.

The false prophets purported to be religious leaders. They claimed to serve goodness, and they often appeared harmless (they were in sheep’s clothing). But inwardly, they were like hungry wolves in the midst of a flock of sheep. They were really selfish, out for themselves, and destructive.

False disciples honored Jesus and used some religious words without meaning anything. They might give lip service to high principles, but they were not really committed to Christ’s Gospel, and they would not produce good fruit
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The problems caused by false prophets and false disciples have not been confined to New Testament times. Bad religion has been a recurring danger in church history, and it is a serious problem for Christianity in our day.

One might argue that false prophets and false disciples are the most serious threat to Christianity in our time. Of course, several outside challenges are significant and endanger many Christians, body and soul. But fake Christians do great damage to Christian faith, community and witness- from within. There is still a lot of bad religion making a false show of piety. And it can come from any branch of Christianity. There are people from all Christian groups who are selfish and insincere and use Christian labels for their  own bad purposes.

Many contemporary church members are also more concerned with secular standards and political correctness than with eternal Christian truth. There are false Christians who are more interested in organization or denomination than in Biblical Faith. There are people more dedicated to social respectability or worldly acceptance than to Christian morality.

Such false Christianity sometimes manages to appear good for a while, but in the long run, this kind of religion does not produce lasting good fruit. Such false Christianity actually tends to hinder the true spread of the Gospel and give all religion a bad reputation.

 So what do Christ’s warnings about bad religion mean for us?  Today I would briefly suggest two points. First, we need to take Christ’s warnings seriously. We must remain aware that all religion is not good. Some things wrapped in a Christian label do not deserve our acceptance. Thus, we must be on our guard against false prophets and false disciples. We must make practical judgments based on our loyalty to the Scriptures, the Creeds and the basic commandments.

Secondly, besides warning about bad religion, our Gospel today encourages us to grow deeper in our commitments to Jesus Christ. Pious words can be a start, but our Lord asks for more than a few pious words. He asks His followers for a living and true faith in Him and His message. He wants His Gospel to permeate our whole approach to life. He asks us to care for and cultivate the tree of faith so that it can produce much good fruit. So let us sincerely profess and live out our loyalty to Christ and keep Him at the center of all that we say and do.

Trinity V- Holy Fear- Luke 5:8

In the gospel for Trinity V from St. Luke 5, Simon Peter reacts to Jesus' miracle of the great catch with fear. His fear is two-sided. Peter recognizes his own sinfulness before Jesus. Peter also recognizes the overwhelming power of God at work in Jesus. Such fear is both a natural reaction and a religious virtue.
Unfortunately, many well-intentioned modern Christians do not see the value of such fear. In several different Bible studies over the years, I have had pious church-goers argue against the value of holy fear. They claim that fear is just a hold-over from what they view as primitive Old Testament religion. They maintain that believers should always function at higher levels with values such as love, mercy, hope, confidence, peace, etc.

Such claims are based on high ideals, but they are not the whole truth. Although Christians view the Old Testament as a preliminary to the Gospel, they also affirm that the Hebrew Scriptures contain the same basic message as the New Testament. The fear of the Lord is still the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Psalm 111:10). The fear of the Lord is one of the seven traditional gifts of the Holy Spirit. Such fear is reverence and awe,and it is the natural and primal reaction of the fallen and finite human being before the righteous and infinite God.

Thus, Peter is right to have a holy fear of divine power at work in Jesus. And so should we. Holy fear is not the whole story. Hopefully, in our spiritual journey, we move into other reactions such as faith, hope, and love. Yet, if an element of fear is not present in us, then we do not truly appreciate our own frailty and propensity toward sin or God's almighty and infinite holiness.

Trinity III- Christian Individualism

One can hear all sorts of things about the individual human being. Some people stress the individual in all areas of life. Some others react by downplaying the importance of the individual; they may stress the human group- family, community, society, nation, or humanity. Depending on the circumstances, both emphases can be appropriate.

However, in light of today's Gospel from the beginning of St. Luke 15, let us think a bit about the spiritual value of the human individual. One lost sheep is important enough to leave the rest of the flock to find. One soul that repents leads to heavenly rejoicing. This passage points to a general teaching of Scripture: the supreme human value of the individual soul and his/her relationship to God.

Scripture is the basis of any true Christian individualism. While the value of each person may have an impact in all areas of human life, Christian individualism is not about philosophy, politics, economics, psychology, or societal building blocks. True individualism is spiritual; it is about God the Father reaching out in grace through Christ and the Holy Spirit to save individual souls that He created in His image- souls that He seeks to bring into fellowship with Him.

Trinity I- "Love, Love, Love"

Many human beings over the centuries have talked and sung about love. Especially since the late 1960's, popular culture has included a lot of talking and singing about love. A characteristic example is John Lennon's “All You Need is Love.” And the churches have been influenced by this popular culture. Of course, Christians have always spoken of love, but much religious talk about love in recent decades has been far from Christian ideals.

Today in contrast to such popular nonsense, let us spend a few minutes thinking about some New Testament views of love. We begin by highlighting the beginning verses of our Epistle from I John 4:7-11, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

In this passage, the Greek term used for “love” is agape'. In Christian Greek, this word for love became clearly distinct from eros, “desire” and philos, “brotherly love.” This kind of love has its source in God; it is an attribute of the divine nature. “God is love.” Divine Love is creative and unselfish.

Agape'  is not some naive and syrupy sentiment. It is not weak. It does not tolerate evil. It is powerful, holy, and righteous. It is not selfish but it reaches out to care for the universe and created beings. According to divine wisdom, God's love may be applied in differing ways according to the circumstances. It may lift up the humble and bring down the proud. Love may strengthen the faint-hearted and punish the sinful. Divine love means that God is concerned about the true well-being of the one loved. He cares about our souls and works for our salvation, even in the worst worldly circumstances.

The clearest indications that human beings have about divine love cannot be separated from the life and saving work of Jesus Christ. As He Himself told us in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The ultimate goal of love is salvation and eternal fellowship with God. We see this in Jesus. In love, He helped the poor and weak, and He rebuked the rich and proud. He chastised the self-righteous, and He forgave penitent sinners. He blessed those with even a trace of child-like faith in Him and His Father. And in love, He gave Himself over to suffering and death for all who would turn to Him in faith.

Divine love is always there, and God's creatures benefit from it before they are even aware. Love only asks one thing to start with: to accept it in faith. And once accepted, divine love should have results in our human lives. “..If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Although our particular expressions of love need wisdom, guidance, and concrete human expressions, true love does not start with us. It starts with God, especially in Christ, and asks us to respond. Because God first loves us, we love Him in response, and like Him, we love His creation and His creatures.

Like divine love, our love should be powerful, committed, and unselfish. Unlike God, however, we remain fallen and fallible. Sometimes, we do not love as we should. And even when we do love, we don't always do so with strength or wisdom. At times, we love naively or inappropriately. Sometimes, we may not be tolerant enough, or we may be too tolerant of the wrong things.
St Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:15 that we should speak “the truth in love.” We often have trouble keeping love and truth together in the best ways. When we speak the truth, we may not be very loving. And when we try to be loving, we may hesitate to speak the truth. Although Christians seek to be kind, there is a difference between being superficially polite and being loving. True love is more concerned about the long-term and eternal well-being of others than about their temporary and temporal comfort.

Therefore, let us heed Scriptural teachings about love. Let us avoid straying to the right or to the left. We must not avoid the danger of true divine love, and we must not substitute some cheap political tolerance or sentimental nonsense. If we must be foolish in loving, let it not be some worldly ways from the movie romances or political correctness. Rather if we are foolish, let it be the foolishness of the cross of Christ, the perfect love of God.