Christmas 2022- Hebrews 1:1-3

The anticipated day has finally arrived! It is Christmas, and we Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Incarnation of the eternal Word of God. Of course, there are many aspects to the celebration of this great festival, and we can easily be distracted from what is most important. So we constantly and prayerfully turn to divine revelation in Holy Scripture. In particular, today's reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews points us toward the meaning of the Christian celebration.

Hebrews 1:1-3 says, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." 

These words indicate the importance of the Incarnation and summarize the basic message of the Christian Gospel. The old divine message delivered through the prophets has reached its climax and fulfillment in Jesus Christ, God's only Son. The Son has been with the Father from the beginning and has always been involved in divine work, but in Jesus, the Son, the Word, has come among us in a great new way. He reveals God the Father more clearly, He takes away our sins, and He returns to reign with the Father in heaven.  Christmas is about an unusual birth, but it is also about much more. It is a proclamation of the eternal and saving Gospel of Jesus Christ! May this Good News dwell in our hearts always! A merry and blessed Christmas to all!

Advent IV- John 1:19-28; Philippians 4:4-5

The Fourth Sunday in Advent brings a heightened sense of anticipation as we enter the final week of preparations for the celebration of Christ's Birth. In Philippians 4:4-5, St. Paul exhorts believers to rejoice and live virtuous lives because "The Lord is at hand." Our Lord Jesus Christ is always near in several ways, but we have a special awareness of His coming when we celebrate His Incarnation.

The Gospel from John 1:19-28 focuses on John the Baptist's preparatory work for the Messiah or Christ. The prophet John in the wilderness is the forerunner who prepares the way by calling people to repentance, cleansing, and hope in the anticipated redeemer. Besides calling the people of first-century Palestine, John the Baptist still calls us to prepare for Christ to come anew into our lives.

In our time, people often seem to find it difficult to prepare for Christmas in a spiritual way. There are so many distractions from everyday life and from secular holiday madness. At times, even Advent devotions or plans for reading Scripture may become just another December task. However, we do need to pause. reflect, and be more open to Christ to come into our lives again and again. So whatever else we are doing, let us find some moments throughout the day to ask Jesus to have mercy and come among us!

Advent III- Matthew 11:2-15

The Gospel for the Third Sunday in Advent is from Matthew 11:2-15 (by the way, this year, the three-year lectionary has the same selection as the traditional lectionary). This passage shows John the Baptist in prison   He sends two of his followers to Jesus, and they ask if Jesus is the expected Messiah. We are not told why John asks. Perhaps he needs personal reassurance, and he probably also wants his disciples to encounter Jesus. 

In any case, Jesus replies with a two-fold proclamation. First, He points to the redemptive acts taking place in His own ministry, works that fulfill the Messianic prophecies. Secondly, He points to the purpose and value of the prophetic work of John the Baptist as the forerunner. Then, our Lord concludes with an exhortation to His hearers. Those who have ears should hear;  that is, they should be sensitive and perceptive about events. They should realize what God is doing in the ministry of John the Baptist and in the mystery of Jesus the Christ. May we also be sensitive and perceptive regarding God's redemptive work!

Advent I- Romans 13: 8-14

 Many people know that the word Advent is derived from a Latin root that means "to come." The collect and readings for the First Sunday in Advent share the Advent theme of the coming kingdom. Each selection develops this theme in a slightly different way.

In the Epistle from Romans 13:8-14, the Apostle Paul speaks of the law of love, and he relates loving behavior among believers to the approaching day of the Lord when Christ shall judge all people. Since time marches on toward the end of personal earthly life and the end of human history, believers should be ready always. We should live our lives pursuing all that is spiritually and morally good. And Advent is a special time to emphasize our preparations to meet Christ, in our present life, at the time of death, and at the end of history.

Thanksgiving Day- Matthew 6:25ff

The giving of thanks to Almighty God is a deep and perennial aspect of the Judeo-Christian heritage. Thanksgiving is a recurring theme and practice in the Old and New Testaments, and various autumnal thanksgivings developed in Christianized Europe.  In the Anglo-American colonies, there were early services of thanksgiving at Berkeley Hundred in Virginia in 1619 and at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. Over the year various observances arose, but the core religious element was emphasized in American Books of Common Prayer, 

In the Epistle for the day, James 1:17 reminds us that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." Since God is the giver of every good gift, a thankful response is always appropriate for believers.

In the Gospel from Matthew 6:25 ff, Jesus exhorts us not to be anxious about basic material needs. In general, divine providence watches over and supplies the natural needs of even the birds and the flowers. Certainly, His care for human beings, especially those seeking His kingdom, is even greater, So believers should not be overwhelmed by anxiety; we should trust in God and gratefully seek His will.

With such a Scriptural background in mind, we can sincerely pray-

O most merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Trinity XIX- Matthew 9: 1-8

The Gospel for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity is from Matthew 9 and tells of Jesus healing a paralyzed man by first forgiving his sins. The scribes or scholars of the law are scandalized because they think that only God can forgive sins. In one way, the scribes are correct. Ultimately, forgiveness or pardon comes from God, and Jesus can forgive sins because He is God the Son incarnate. Yet, with Christ's incarnation, a new era has begun. The Gospel is fully proclaimed by Jesus and later by His disciples, His Church. So the Apostles and other disciples as the living Body of Christ in the world have continued to proclaim forgiveness in Word and sacrament.

Trinity XII- Mark 7: 31-37

On the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, the Gospel from St. Mark 7:31-37 raises several points about Jesus and about the Christian mission. Every New Testament miracle is a general proclamation of the heavenly kingdom of God at work in the world. In addition, three key points struck me about the healing of the deaf mute.

Those three points are: 1) The location of this miracle is in the Decapolis, a mixed Jewish and Hellenistic area, and this points to the universal goals of Christ’s redeeming work for all peoples; 2) The miracle proclaims Jesus as God’s anointed Savior who fulfills Messianic prophecies; and 3) Christ shows mercy and grace to the afflicted, and He calls His followers to participate in His continuing labor in the world.

Trinity XI- Luke 18: 9-14; I Corinthians 15:1-11

Both the Epistle and the Gospel for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity are especially rich passages. In I Corinthians 15:1-11, St. Paul speaks of two related topics, the core Christian message and his ministry as an Apostle. He affirms that he hands on the message that he received about Jesus Christ. This summary message is a sort of early Christian creed somewhat similar to the second article or section of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Christ suffered and died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead to be seen by numerous faithful witnesses. And Paul's apostolic ministry proclaims this Christ-centered message through divine grace.

The Gospel from St. Luke 18:9-14 is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector going to the Temple to pray. This parable is a warning against pride and self-righteousness and an encouragement to repentance and humble faith in divine mercy. We should pursue goodness and holiness, but even at our best, we are still sinners who must seek God's forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Trinity X- Diversities of Gifts- I Corinthians 12: 1-11

This week, in looking over the readings for this Tenth Sunday after Trinity. the Epistle from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 drew my attention. I was struck by the Apostle Paul's insight into both the dangers and the greatness of spirituality. First, the Apostle warns of false spirituality. Sometimes, people talk as if anything that can be called "spirituality" must be good. However, Paul does not make this assumption. On the contrary, he begins this discussion by warning about ignorance and idolatry. There are deformed kinds of spirituality and distorted views of spiritual gifts.

Secondly, St. Paul connects true spirituality to the Lord Jesus Christ. The work and gifts of the Holy Spirit must not be separated from faith centered on the life and work of Jesus. His Lordship brings unity out of human diversity. Serving Him is the factor that gives meaning to the "differences of administrations."

Thirdly, rooted in faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit can use human differences. Rooted in Christ, the Spirit inspires all sorts of good results. Believers in Christ are empowered by the Holy Spirit to engage in a variety of activities that continue the work of our Lord in this world. Such gifts range from religious knowledge to human communication to acts of mercy, but it is always the same Lord Jesus and the same Holy Spirit who are the source. 

Trinity VIII- Ravening Wolves- Matthew 7:15

This week, I am taking some time to travel, but I was struck by the relevance of the Gospel for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity. In St. Matthew 7:15, our Lord warns, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Of course, false and corrupt religious leaders have been a perennial problem in history, and Christ's Church has been afflicted by bad leadership in many periods, including ancient Gnostics, fourth-century Arians, and worldly medieval prelates. 

However, such false prophets seem even more rampant in the 21st century. Besides the usual human foibles that afflict individual leaders, our time sees so much institutional corruption in theology and moral teaching (or the lack thereof). No church body or Christian tradition seems exempt. There are many who seem determined to mislead and devour Christ's flock, and they can be found among all sorts of theological denominational backgrounds.

In light of such dangers, we must beware. We must be vigilant and strive to remain faithful. None of us is perfect or infallible. None is immune from some temptation. So we all must constantly repent, confess our sins, and seek divine grace. With God's help, we are empowered to resist the corruptions of the age spread by many religious leaders. In the words of Hebrews 12:1, "...  let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."

The Transfiguration- 6 - Luke 9:28-36

The Feast of the Transfiguration is an ancient celebration based on Scripture. The event began to be observed in the Eastern churches in the fourth century, but it did not spread quickly among Western churches (including Anglicans).  Shortly before the Reformation, the Latin church began to observe it as a universal feast on August 6. In liturgical simplifications after the Reformation, the Feast of the Transfiguration was removed from many calendars including the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. It was restored as a minor commemoration or "black-letter day" in the 1662 BCP, and the 1928 BCP provided this feast of our Lord with a collect, epistle and gospel.

The Feast of the Transfiguration commemorates a mysterious epiphany in the Gospels (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, Luke  9:28-36). In these accounts, the Transfiguration of Christ is a distinctive and dramatic manifestation of Jesus' divinity. Jesus takes Peter, John and James up onto a mountain where He has a shining appearance during prayer. Moses and Elijah appear, converse with Jesus, and witness to His unique role. Then a divine voice proclaims, "This is my beloved Son; hear him" (Luke 9:35). May we also behold His glory and listen to Him!

Trinity VII- Mark 8:1-9

 The Gospel for the Seventh Sunday after Trinity is from St. Mark 8:1-9. This is one of several gospel accounts of feeding the multitudes (there is similar account in St. Mark 6). In addition to the miracle itself which is a manifestation of Christ's divine power over nature, the story of Christ feeding the 4000 shows us several things about our Lord's earthly mission.  It shows Christ's compassion toward the physical hunger of crowds (8:2). In addition, the setting of this particular feeding is in a Gentile area near Galilee. This fact implies that Christ's compassion extends to all sorts and conditions of humanity.

Furthermore, the context shows that our Lord has a deep concern for spiritual hunger. The people that He feeds physically are those who hunger for His words, His spiritual nourishment. They are people who have followed Jesus out into the countryside and listened to His teachings for three days. They are physically hungry because in the words of the Sermon on the Mount, they "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6). So here we see Christ's special mercy for those who seek to follow Him.

Besides telling us about Christ's earthly ministry, our Gospel also teaches us about the continuing mission of the Church.  1) Like our Lord, we should manifest compassion for the basic physical needs of human beings, such as hunger. 2) Christian concern for both physical and spiritual needs is universal. That is, compassion extends to all people. Although compassion is most often expressed in our everyday human contacts, it must extend to anyone that we meet who has a physical or spiritual need.

3) This compassion for human hunger also has spiritual dimensions. Indeed, while it may be less obvious, spiritual hunger is a deeper need. Human beings are designed for fellowship with God. Even when people are not aware of its existence, there is a spiritual hunger in every soul which can only be supplied by Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are all called to point others to Christ who continues to nourish human souls through His Word and His Sacraments.

St. Mary Magdalene- 22 July

Although not in the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer, the commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene has been included in several Books of Common Prayer. It is also a "Black Letter Day" in the 1662 BCP. 

St. Mary Magdalene is a biblical saint who has sometimes been neglected while at other times she has been the subject of extravagant and even heretical legends and secular literature. The New Testament evidence about her is simple but important. She was one of several women named Mary (Maria, Maryam, or Miriam). Christ healed her from demonic afflictions (St. Luke 8:2), she became a loyal disciple and supporter (St. Luke 8:2-3), and she was present at the Crucifixion (St. Mark 15:40). She was also one of the first witnesses at the empty tomb (St. Mark 16:1; St. Matthew 28:1; St. John 20:1-2), and she was the first witness who encountered the risen Lord (St. John 20:11-18).

Some commentators, ancient and modern, have speculated that she was the same woman who anointed Jesus' feet in St. Luke 7:37-50, but this identification is not certain. There are many later stories about her that are doubtful, but the Eastern Orthodox tradition that Mary Magdalene eventually accompanied the Apostle John and the Virgin Mary to Ephesus is plausible.

Mary Magdalene exemplifies a number of Gospel themes. She is a notable example of the healing and redeeming power of Jesus Christ in human life, and she also shows a penitent, loving, and faithful response to His grace. May her example inspire us. May we likewise be open and responsive witnesses to Christ's power and grace!

Trinity V- Luke 5: 1-11

 The Gospel for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity is St. Luke's account of the call of the apostles (Luke 5:1-11). It points out that the first disciples were Galilean fishermen who allowed Jesus to use their boat to teach the crowds. Then it adds that these fishermen had a poor night of fishing and that Jesus guides them to a great catch. Simon Peter is amazed and frightened because of Jesus' holy power. Jesus ignores such fear and calls Peter and the others to follow Him. He promises that they will catch people for the kingdom. They accept the call and leave their fishing business to others.

The miraculous catch of fish is an amazing event in itself, but it is also a miracle that points beyond itself. It can be applied in three ways. 1) It shows us the nature and character of Jesus Christ. He is the holy Lord of creation who can work in strange and surprising ways. When He comes among us, we should honor Him, trust Him, and obey Him. 2) It shows that Christ can bless those who follow Him in both material and spiritual ways. These blessings may be as ordinary as fish and as mysterious as an awareness of divine presence and power. 3) The miracle points to Jesus' ministry of gathering people for the kingdom of God. It is a call to discipleship. Like Peter and the other fishermen, we have a vocation. We are called to follow Jesus in all things and to share in His mission of seeking people for God's kingdom. The specifics vary according to our talents. gifts, and circumstances, but all are asked to contribute to Christ's mission.

Trinity IV- Romans 8:18

The Epistle for this Fourth Sunday after Trinity begins with one of many favorite verses. Romans 8:18 says, "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." These sacred words remind us that Christians have a different perspective on earthly life from the perspectives of other human beings. Even in the good times, careful consideration shows that earthly happiness and pleasure are fleeting. Each human individual has his/her times of trial, pain, and suffering. Every culture, nation, or social group has difficult times. A glance at events near or far shows diverse problems, disasters, and threats. Despite many blessings and joys, the realities of life on earth can be very disheartening.

However, as St. Paul also points out, the sufferings of this present time do not have the final word. Christians have faith and hope in Jesus Christ who suffered and died, but rose in glory. Because of Christ, we consider the glory that shall be revealed in us as members of the Body of Christ. Whatever the trials of our personal lives, our family, our particular church, our country, or the general human experience, we abide in Christian hope.