Sunday, March 31, 2019

Old Testament: Joshua 5:9-12

Psalm 32 

Epistle: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

I was delighted to be assigned Luke 15: 11-32 for my meditation. This famous text, often called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, is my favorite in the Bible. In fact, I think it is the most beautiful story ever written. It is often read as the story of misbehaving brothers, but the point of the story is about neither of them. It is the story about the love of the father, and of course, the father is God. The way the father treats the two sons is the way that God treats us. His love for His children is unconditional.

Both brothers behave badly. The younger one wants to go to a far country. And he does so because remarkably, the father gives him his inheritance and allows him to leave. We are not surprised that the son parties, runs out of money, and finds himself in the most humiliating situation of all for a Jew — hungry and in a pig field. Then he remembers home and decides to return and ask his father to treat him as one of his hired hands. Some exegetes think that the son is not really repentant, just desperate, but I believe that his confession is sincere. Actually though, it does not even matter, because this story is about the father, not the son. The father runs to meet him and does not pay attention to his apology. He tells the servants to get the finest robe, a ring, and sandals for his son. A feast is prepared and they celebrate because his son was dead, but is alive again.

The elder son is in the field and inquires about the music and dancing. He is furious that his wasteful brother is being treated royally. Just as the father went out to meet his younger son, he goes out to see his elder son. The father explains that everything he has belongs to the elder son, too. He pleads with the angry and self-righteous son to join in the celebration of “his brother.”  We do not know if the elder son joins the celebration. Jesus does not tell us. 

I was fortunate to see Rembrandt’s painting “The Return of the  Prodigal Son” in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. In the painting the father gazes down on his son and has his hands on his son’s shoulders. The son is humbly kneeling in front of the father and the tenderness between them is unforgettable. As I looked at it I cried and did not want the holy moment to end. All of us are unconditionally loved by God, and we all are forgiven, just like the sons. This is the incredible truth. We all have been lost and now are found. Let us ponder this  indescribable love during Lent. Accept and celebrate the gift.

Rebecca Drake

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 13:1-11

Psalm 87, 90 * 136 

Epistle: Romans 6:12-23

Gospel: John 8:47-59

I recently read a book called The Power of Full Engagement as part of a leadership book club. It is an older book, but still very relevant. One of the quotes that came from the book struck a chord with me: “Is the life you are living worth the things you are giving up to live it?” My answer... I don’t know, sometimes?  I realized that my focus isn’t always directed on the right things: on those things that are most important, that I value the most. Like many people, I get so caught up in my day-to-day living that I feel like I am on autopilot and go through the motions of life without thinking about why I am living this way and the choices I make. Is my life worth the things I am giving up to do what I am doing? I have become a slave to the daily grind.

In Romans 6: 16-23, Paul talks about slavery to sin. Paul reminds us that through God’s Grace we have been set free from sin as long as we obey God and live a Godly life. In this way, the thing we give up to live a life with God is death. When our choices in life are driven by our desire to obey God, we are sure to be making decisions that not only benefit us, but benefit others as well. Another quote that came from the book is that “Value is a roadmap to action.” By valuing our relationship with God and by obeying God, we can use this as roadmap for our daily lives and make choices to live a life that glorifies God. 

God recognizes that we are human and flawed. It is through His Grace that we are forgiven and given chance after chance to get it right. However, we must be aware of our values and our desire to live a Godly life in order to accept God’s Grace. So is your life worth the things you are giving up to live it? Are you using your values to direct your life? Are you a slave to things that take you away from God? Fortunately there is time to refocus our values and change our direction and use God as our roadmap because there is nothing more valuable than God’s Grace and eternal life. 

Mallie Steele

Friday, March 29, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-20

Psalm 95, 88 * 91, 92 

Epistle: Romans 6:1-11

Gospel: John 8:33-47

In the six years I’ve been writing Lenten meditations, this is the first time none of the lectionary selections that fell my way greeted me with a clear invitation to engagement. What struck me immediately with this group were the calls for retribution, considerations of death, sin, and cries from the pit of tribulation.

Most comfortable with the Gospel, though, I read all of John 8, putting the reading in broader context.  Finally — an invitation to engagement delivered. Earlier in chapter 8, Jesus tells the chief priests and Pharisees, “you are of this world, I am not of this world” (23). In verses 31 and 32, Jesus says that following him will result in knowing the truth and “the truth will make you free.” Countering that as descendants Abraham they are bound by no one, Jesus’s inquisitors insist that they have no need of being made free.

Jesus emphatically makes clear, however, that the devil — not God — is their father and that they are bound by their own sin. Were they descendants of Abraham, they would listen to the truth as Abraham did. However, opting to believe the devil’s lies, they cannot hear Jesus’s word; He asserts, “you look for an opportunity to kill me, because there is no place in you for my word.”

Here, then, is the call for invitation. And it is not what I was originally looking for; it is not the text inviting me in. It is the obligation on my part to make room in me for the text. It is my place to make the invitation, to make the room, for his truth. So, too, must I learn to make room for the frustration of the Hebrew prophet who mourns over Jerusalem and Judea, for the Psalmist desperate to have God deliver him from his enemies, for the apostle struggling to find the argument, the rhetoric, the reasoning, that will communicate the truth of Jesus in a world accustomed to seeking validation in physical wealth and political power. But Jesus is “not of this world.” A simple lesson. A hard lesson. A humbling lesson. A Lenten lesson.

Susan Hagen

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 8:18-9:6

Psalm [8] or 42, 43 * 85, 86

Epistle: Romans 5:12-21

Gospel: John 8:21-32

“Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming — a great commotion from the land of the north to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a lair of jackals. I know, O LORD, that the way of human beings is not in their control, that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps. Correct me, O LORD, but in just measure; not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:22-24 (NRSV)

In colonial Puritan New England major days in community life, like election day, often were marked by a public sermon. The minister would bemoan how far the community had strayed, and he would call all to remember that earlier time, who they had set out to be, and would call them to return to the purity of those origins, promising coming woe if not. This is called a “jeremiad,” named for Jeremiah because it shares both his sense of lamentation, and his fiery condemnation of the community’s sin.

The American jeremiad doesn’t stop with the Puritans. Jeremiads North and South were preached around the Civil War. Jeremiads attended the Great War, and the cold war. Current events have brought the jeremiad back with a vengeance. They are everywhere — television, radio, social media. If I’m honest, I must admit I may have written one or two myself…

It is an easy and satisfying form to adopt. Pack it with nostalgic longing for a world where people and things were better than now, and mourn how things have fallen. Upbraid those responsible for the fall, too, pouring denunciation and invective on all corrupt or stupid enough to turn this country away from our original values and prelapsarian innocence. That’s what jeremiads do.

Jeremiah, as in today’s passage, not so much. Our jeremiads accuse, convict, and damn — our fingers point, and our voices call for punishment less than predicting it. Jeremiah has strong words to say to his countrymen, too. His “thus saith the Lord” lays open corruption, and promises punishment. But Jeremiah includes himself in when he announces the punishment and the flaws. “Truly, this is my punishment, and I must bear it.” God’s wrath is coming, and Jeremiah places himself among the people, not over against them. He is part of them, even if he is the prophet of the Lord. We need to learn to see like Jeremiah does here. We are not separate from those we accuse, whatever the reason. They are not other at all, and as part of our community, or country, or world, we are punished with them, and we cannot be redeemed without them. Our sermons are for them, yes, but no less than they are for ourselves.

Ed Higginbotham

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 8:18-9:6

Psalm 119: 97-120, * 81, 82

Epistle: Romans 5:1-11

Gospel: John 8:12-20

In the Gospel of John, Jesus spoke to them saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Jesus made this statement to the “people” in the temple while teaching. 

 The Pharisees were also present and of course had to try and trip him up, saying he is the only one saying these things about himself. They could not accept it, being more in the legal transactional mode of thinking rather than transformative spiritual — and requiring witnesses to these statements. Jesus was having none of it, and was quick to tell the Pharisees they were judging him by human standards when he is not judging anyone. Also he pointed out that they did not know him, for if they did they would know who his father is.  

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in the Temple that day, to see a country Rabbi schooling the legalistic Pharisees. I’m sure more than one of the people in attendance that day ran home and started saying to a spouse, “Miriam/Isaac you won’t believe what happened in the Temple today. This country Rabbi schooled those Pharisees, and boy, were they hopping mad. He had better watch it cause they don’t play!”

 In a way, this is one step in Jesus’s journey to the cross to become the light of the world. Jesus’s journey to the cross was done so that we don’t have to walk in darkness. Be a light unto the world! Be a transformative influence, emulating Jesus’s life in doing good works. Being the hands and feet of Christ is “The Way,” not the legalistic, transactional worship touted by so many of the Christian churches of our day, or the Temple Pharisees in Jesus’s Day. Change is in the wind. Be the wind.  

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Ty Walling

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 7:21-34

Psalm 78: 1-39 * 78: 40-72

Epistle: Romans 4: 13-25

Gospel: John 7: 37-52

There are days when hope wanes as quickly as the winter’s afternoon sun, leaving us in what seems to be a long, cold, dark night. While all may seemingly be lost, we know from God’s Word that his promises outshine the darkest of nights. We are reminded that God’s promise of inheritance of the world to Abraham did not come through law, but by faith. It is in our faith that that we seek salvation and it is by faith that we find God’s love for all.

The promise of grace given by God shall be used as an instrument to others in need, not to forsake or abandon. As believers, our faith allows God’s grace to shine brighter. Suddenly, the hope that was seemingly lost is now illuminated. May our faith in God act as beacon in the night, helping us find hope and showing God’s mercy for all people.

Richard Jacks

The Annunciation • Monday, March 25, 2019

Old Testament: Isaiah 7: 10-14

Psalm 45 or 40: 5-10 or Canticle 3 or 15  

Epistle: Hebrews 10: 4-10

Gospel: Luke 1: 26-38

“‘And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’”  Luke 1: 36-37

When I have previously read this Gospel story of a faithful Mary who said “yes,” and became God-bearer, my focus has been on Mary. And why not: it’s quite the story; hers is quite the faith. This time, however I could not help but notice the role that Mary’s learning of Elizabeth’s miracle (conceiving when she was old and barren) played in giving Mary the courage to say “yes.” It seems that the coup de grace for Mary in accepting her awesome fate was having an example to follow. Elizabeth had to have demonstrated for her that nothing is impossible with God.

Who are my Elizabeths? Who in my life has shown me God’s capacity to transform, inspiring me to take bold risks for the sake of love and reconciliation? Too many to name, for sure, but a tidy trinity of women leap to mind: Sherrie Abney, founder of civil collaborative law — a role model, a life giver, and one who stepped away from traditional law practice to demonstrate a more peaceful way forward in conflict resolution. Martha Jane Patton —  lifelong advocate for “the least of these” and inspiring example of how to live one’s entire life with integrity and to dedicate one’s professional life to service of the higher good. Corinne Walker Mullins —  my maternal grandmother, who sacrificed her meager resources to produce an abundance of love and wisdom which would sustain her children, grandchildren, and everyone in need who God put in her path.  

By grace, Holy Spirit, let me be Elizabeth for some fruitful Mary!

Melanie Atha

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Old Testament: Exodus 3: 1-15

Psalm 63:1-8 

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13

Gospel: Luke 13: 1-9

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke recounts the parable of the barren fig tree, in which the owner of a vineyard makes his annual visit to check out the crops and threatens to chop down a fig tree because he has failed to find fruit on it for three years.

Maybe the owner was not an observant Jew, or he would have known that under Jewish law a fruit tree was not to be harvested in its first three years after planting (Leviticus 19: 23-25):

“23 When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden[c]; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.”

The gardener (Jesus?) is aware of this law and protects the tree from immediate destruction, ensuring that the fourth year and subsequent harvests would be bountiful. The gardener promises to add manure and dig around the roots during the next year. A careful horticulturalist would also have removed any budding fruit in the first three years to prevent premature harvesting, so that the tree would establish strong growth.  

Jesus tells this story right after a group of people has told him about Pilate’s frightful atrocities towards some Galileans. Jesus reminds them that those who suffered are no better (or worse) than they themselves, and that if they repent they may avoid a similar permanent destruction. 

This parable reflects on us as created life in God’s garden, dedicated to God but not quite ripe for the picking. To experience life in its fullness, we need to rededicate ourselves to God and allow our Gardener, Jesus, to feed and tend us. How good it is that Jesus protects us from destruction until we are fully developed for God’s purposes!

Martha Jane Patton

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 5:20-31

Psalm 75, 76 * 23, 27

Epistle: Romans 3: 19 - 31

Gospel: John 7: 1-13

1   The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want. 

2   He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23 Dominus regit me

I really love this Psalm, and I feel like it is a privilege for me to have gotten it to write about for our Lenten book this year. The Twenty-third Psalm is a favorite of many people all over the world, probably because it basically sums up what God does for us in one place. 

Sometimes I forget all that my Creator does for me, but this psalm reminds me of the good things God does: leads, guides, and comforts. God is with me, and goodness and mercy will follow me always. God anoints my head. My cup runs over, it is so full.

The beginning of the Psalm tells us the Lord is our shepherd and God provides for us. There is a story in John about Jesus being the Shepherd, and the sheep coming when they hear his voice. I watched two videos of modern sheep. One video shows three people, one by one, trying to call a flock of sheep and the animals just keep eating grass. But when the farmer cries out to the sheep, the whole group comes running to him, because they know his voice. It is amazing.

I think every one of us needs to lie down sometime in green pastures, as verse two says, and walk along still waters — like sheep do. In an ideal world, we all might do that everyday to calm ourselves down, especially if we get angry. If we did, peace on earth could be a real thing.

Emmeline Glenn

Friday, March 22, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 5:1-9

Psalm 95, 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 * 73 

Epistle: Romans 2: 25—3:18

Gospel: John 5: 30 - 47

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 5:30

This reading from John 5 should not be read in isolation. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus performs a miracle on the Sabbath, much to the chagrin of the Scribes and the Pharisees. In John 5:17 “In his defense Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’” This essentially refutes the Chick-Fil-A, closed-on-Sunday, sanctimonious view of Christianity. Jesus points out that this notion is clearly absurd. Why shouldn’t miracles occur on the Sabbath? Like a medical emergency, one cannot schedule when one needs medical or divine intervention. As Jesus was standing up to the powers-that-be he had to choose his words carefully as the Scribes and Pharisees were intelligent and well-educated men who sought to catch Jesus in a trap. By equating himself to God, Jesus was committing heresy in their eyes. In this reading, Jesus made a perfectly worded declaration of his intent for the rest of his earthly life “For the works that the Father has given me to finish; the very works that I am doing; testify that the Father has sent me.”

Jesus then tells the Scribes and Pharisees in John 5: 39-40 “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” He is stating that they have lost their way spiritually and have lost sight of what really matters. The Scribes and Pharisees had become prisoners of rules and laws. The most telling verse is John 5:41-44 “I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” In our own professional and spiritual lives, we can, like the Scribes and Pharisees, become prisoners of rules and regulations, desire and give meaningless praise to our peers and use these to create barriers to coming to Jesus to have life and spiritual fulfillment.

Ewan Tytler

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 4: 9-10, 19-28

Psalm [70], 71 * 74 

Epistle: Romans 2: 12-24

Gospel: John 5: 19-29

“Jesus said to them,‘Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.’” John 5:19-24

In this passage, John is reminding us that Jesus is the way to God; if we do not follow Jesus, we will not reach God. But how do we honor Jesus and walk this path to God? I believe it is by being Christ’s hands and feet. During the brief time Christ was on earth, the message he so passionately taught was “Love Thy Neighbor.”

I have found that when my life seems to be in shambles, and I have no hope left, I can turn to those who are suffering even more than I and who need my help. In offering them my hand, I am lifted above my personal circumstances and able to ride out the problem(s) I am experiencing. I may feel here is nothing I can do about the particular situation I find myself in, but I sure can help someone in need. Throughout our lives we struggle with choices to make, choices we made, wondering in which direction we should move. But every time we set aside our own needs and bend to lift up our fellow man, we find that in that moment, we have made the correct decision, we have moved in the right direction. There are no regrets there. Often, I will have people admonishing those of us who help a homeless person, or who feed the guests of Community Kitchens, claiming we are just perpetuating the problem. My response is always an easy one: Christ did not instruct us to judge his children; he instructed us to love and feed them.

“Success and failure, ultimately, have little to do with living the gospel. Jesus just stood with the outcasts until they were welcomed or until he was crucified — whichever came first.” 
Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

Bridget Tytler

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 3:6-18

Psalm 119:73-96 

Epistle: Romans 1:28–2:11

Gospel: John 5:19-29

My eyes gravitate to the subheading of the third portion of today’s Psalm: In æternum, Domine. 

It reminds me of the Requiem prayer where we ask for perpetual light on those who have suffered enough and have gone on before us. Through the sadness of our goodbyes, there is a mysterious comfort knowing that it will all come to an end one day, for all of us. There will be eternal rest.

God’s Word is everlasting, standing firm in the heavens… despite the mess we’ve made here below.

I can get overwhelmed with that mess, with the sickness and suffering and conflict. I can’t fix it. People are unreasonable, selfish, and sometimes mean. I can’t fix them. So I log off social media, turn off the outrage on the television, close my eyes, and hope that it will be better tomorrow.

All shall be well, and God’s kingdom will come. I do believe that. But what are we to do TODAY?

Perhaps, like the mystics, we can turn to the Everlasting. We can find stillness and peace in contemplation of the infinite. However much life changes day to day, however far removed we feel from the Beloved Community, we can rest in the eternal Love of God, even on this side of the grave.

“That things are finite therefore we learn by our senses. But infinity we know and feel by our souls: and feel it so naturally, as if it were the very essence and being of the soul. The truth of it is, it is individually in the soul: for God is there, and more near to us than we are to ourselves.” Thomas Traherne, Centuries of Meditations

Michael Barnett

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Old Testament: 2 Samuel: 7:4, 8-6

Psalm 89:1-29 or 89: 1-4, 26-29 

Epistle: Romans 4:13-18

Gospel: Luke 2:41-52

Loosely interpreting Romans 4:13-18, “righteousness comes by faith, not by law.”

     Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all . . .     (Romans 4:16)

Thanks Be to God that He judges us by faith and not by whether we follow His laws. He will judge us not by what we are and by what we do, but by His grace. God sent His son to save the broken and the ungodly, not the righteous who already know the way.

No human act can bring salvation; only God’s mercy can. The word “righteous” does not set well with me. To me it has a bad connotation of someone who follows the law because it IS the law, not because it is right or just or good. But faith is not something we can really comprehend until we come face to face with God, and that’s after life as we know it.

     Salvation, salvation, salvation is free!

     Salvation, salvation, salvation is free!     (Screamed by The Cranberries)

And faith is free with God’s mercy. It will see us to God’s mercy — us, the children of destruction, the broken, the mentally fragile, and “to all those people doing lines, to all kids with heroin eyes.”  (The Cranberries)

          . . . the promise comes by faith.  (Romans 4:16)

The promise is Salvation, Salvation, Salvation through God’s Mercy.

Faye Knopf

Monday, March 18, 2019

Old Testament: Jeremiah 1:11-19

Psalm 56, 57, [58] * 64, 65

Epistle: Romans 1: 1-15

Gospel: John 4: 27-42

Of the various readings suggested for today, I think the one speaking most to me at the moment is Psalm 57.

Life can be difficult sometimes, whether because of things that randomly happen, or as the result of poor choices... or any number of ways we might attempt to describe life and the series of events that make up the “life” of any given person.

I’ve made some pretty stupid mistakes during my 54 years on this planet and NEED to be able to trust that God’s embrace is still there, still gathering me in, offering mercy and love.

Like so many others, I’ve had some devouring lions in my life... but also those sent from Heaven to save me. Chief among the angels sent to guard me is of course my mother, now in her late 80s, but I have also been blessed with some valuable teachers and priceless friends.

One of those friends suggested I visit St. Andrew’s a few decades ago. He was correct in his belief that St. Andrew’s was the right place for me to settle... and what a gift THAT has been to me over these many years.

I remember once being in need of learning to sing something by myself as a solo (before getting to St. Andrew’s) and asking this friend for assistance. He picked out a simple song I had never even heard before. Scared though I was, I trusted my friend and learned the song with his help.

Oddly enough, the words of that song fits with the Psalm I have chosen: “Like a child rests in its mother’s arms, so will I rest in you.”

That was the SECOND thing I remember singing in front of a group solo; but with both bits, friends assisted me to be able to sing the praises of our God and believed in me... and both of those friends have ended up at St. Andrew’s over time also.

So... difficulties along the way or not, as we all have in one manner or another, I give thanks for those that have been sent from Heaven to save me... and remember that even when my voice is shaky, not to forget to sing God’s praises with all the voice I can muster... literally and figuratively.

Harold Warren

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Old Testament: Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18

Psalm 27 

Epistle: Philippians 3: 17—4:1

Gospel: Luke 13: 31-35

I’ll admit, I felt a little pressure having been tasked with a Sunday reading. By the time you’re reading, you may have heard a Sunday sermon at St. Andrew’s, or you may be spending a day with family. You may also be feeling the pull of next week, or any of the many different activities that can fill our calendars and take us out of the rest of the mindset of the Sabbath. Sunday is such a big day in our practice as Christians, and sometimes that feels like pressure. Upon joining the Episcopal church, I was interested to learn that Sundays, no matter what season, are always a celebration, even during Lent; but week-to-week, it’s hard to stay in the space of rest and celebration.

Some of you may already know the millennial parlance, “Sunday scaries.” If not, I’d like to introduce you to the term my contemporaries have been using to describe the anxiety that accompanies the end of the weekend and realization that Monday is coming. Today’s readings certainly fit the bill. Upon looking at these readings, anyone might feel the scaries: in the Gospel from Luke, Jesus is warned by the Pharisees that Herod wants to kill him. A “deep and terrifying darkness descend(s) upon” Abraham, and Paul warns the Philippians about the “enemies of the cross of Christ,” and he doesn’t mince words: “Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.”

But, across these readings, I see the same refrain throughout, “my heart shall not be afraid.” And other versions of the call out of fear: “He shall comfort your heart,” and “He will transform the body of our humiliation.” After spending some time with these readings, what I felt most strongly was the call out of fear and into God’s comfort, especially in Psalm 27 (Dominus illuminatio). When we’re in fear, we’re really pulled out of presence, out of the moment, and into tomorrow’s worries. God is calling us into the present moment — into light and comfort and out of our fear. No matter the season, I hope you make some time on this and every Sunday to rest in this place God makes for us and calls us into. I’ll end by sharing the line I rested in upon studying these readings, in hopes you can carve out some sunny, Sunday rest of your own: “One thing have I asked of the LORD; one thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life.”

Whitney Williams

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 11:18-28

Psalm 55 * 138, 139: 1-17 (18-23)

Epistle: Hebrews 5: 1-10

Gospel: John 4: 1-26

From John 4:1-26

References to water flow freely throughout the ministry of our brother Jesus. Water is present in the narrative of Jesus’s life from his Baptism to his death upon the cross to which we will nail him. John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, and the Pharisees believe that he has baptized more than John. This is untrue. Jesus retreats, in the midst of the speculation, to Samaria.  

He crosses the path of a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from the well near where he is resting. He asks for a drink of water. She questions him about why he would ask for water from her. Jews and Samaritans are not traditionally known to connect together, especially in relations between men and women.

This interaction with the Samaritan woman, on a deeper level, reaffirms his inclusive ministry in which he invites ALL to be a part. Anything that alienates, or causes separation, is forgiven by Jesus. This is primary to his ministry to this woman, and to us. Water cleanses, and washes away, all that has been done, and we are renewed into new life.   

Her observations regarding his being ill-equipped to draw water from the well, and her questions about him being a prophet, or being greater than Jacob, are met with affirmations that he is more than any prophet. He is the Messiah. He can also offer water that will provide everlasting satiation. His travels beyond the well will lead him to the cross, precisely because of his statement to the woman.  

It is no accident that when the soldiers pierce our brother Jesus’s side to ensure that he has died, water mixed with blood pours out. It was more than imagery. He is the source of living water. This living water sustains us, and always will, as we are ever connected to the Spirit that binds us together, in truth, and with our Brother Jesus, who will never deny us water, or any other need, as we join him in a state of Everlasting Life, and Abiding Love.  

My prayer for Saint Andrew’s this Lent is that we continue to trust in this irrevocable truth. Showing and sharing God’s love with all our brothers and sisters, as we continue to carry out the mission of God’s Church at the altar, and in the street. Amen.

Griffith Still

Friday, March 15, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 10:12-22

Psalm 95, 40, 54 * 51

Epistle: Hebrews 4: 11-16

Gospel: John 3: 22-36

“Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

The final verse from the Epistle assigned for today sounds a lot like this quote to me:

 “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.” Star Trek

I feel a little silly drawing the comparison, but oddly enough, it rings true. Most of us don’t have many reasons to do anything “with boldness,” especially approaching thrones or exploring strange new worlds. But what if we all tried it, just for Lent. 

What if we chose a new ministry of the church, either Outreach or Inreach, to explore. Think you might enjoy flower guild, but don’t think you have an eye for it? Boldly sign up, and I bet someone will teach you. You’ll see that your creative side has a fun new outlet. Do you love to cook, but don’t feel comfortable around our Community Kitchens guests? Boldly sign up to help make the meal for Memorial Day. You’ll see that there is nothing to fear, just people who like a home cooked meal.

Have you ever seen a child learn to walk? I’ve watched three of them do it, up close now, and it never ceases to amaze me. If I fell down that many times, I would give up. But do you know what? Kids don’t. They boldly fall on their little bottoms, and get up a hundred times a day, just so they can toddle over to what they want. “To boldly go where they have never gone before.” I think there is a lesson to learn in that.

So this season, let’s all consider to walk through the 40 days of Lent boldly. What if we all put aside our fear and acted with uncharacteristic boldness? Approach the throne to find grace. Seek out new life, in our church or your friend groups or your self. Go boldly, stretch yourself, and see if we like the result.

Elin Glenn

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 9: 23—10:5

Psalm 50 * [59, 60] or 19, 46

Epistle: Hebrews 4: 1-10

Gospel: John 3:16-21

“For God SO loved the world that he gave…”  John 3:16

This has always been an intriguing passage of scripture to reflect on the essence of true love.  God loved and God gave. What a story! I tend to not fully understand the depth of love that is summed up with giving, not taking. My human experience sometimes gets confused with thinking that love is taking rather than giving and sometimes I miss the mark and need this passage once again to jar me back to the essence.

When I was a child, I would go to my grandmother’s home to play and before we could play, we would have to recite John 3:16. This childhood memory calls me back to the essence of love. My grandmother, who had her own human limitations, struggled with emotional bipolar conditions that would cause her to become mentally unstable and sometimes dangerous to herself. I wonder, if in her life that had seasons of darkness like us all, if she needed this reminder of how she was loved.  

We all have different journeys, but the single thread to our lives is this measure of love. We are dignified by love. No one is perfect, but we are loved and the pattern given us of love is the dignity we give to others. It is in giving that we understand and live out love.

One other thought about this passage has always intrigued me. Why did John put the emphasis on love? He could have said that God loved the world. John inserted an emphasis on love by saying that God SO loved the world. Sometimes I lose sight of the emphasis of love. I become entangled in the daily tasks of work that I don’t stop to love and care for others. I often need a reminder, not just of love, but SO love.  

This emphasis by John on love, for whatever reason he placed it in the gospel, is a reminder to me of two things. First, we are loved with an emphatic, passionate, pursuing love by God. Second, we are called to love others with that kind of so love that gives. May this Lenten time challenge us all to rest in God’s love and give that love to others.

Colby Galloway

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 9: 4-12

Psalm 119: 49-72 * 4, [53] 

Epistle: Hebrews 3: 12-19

Gospel: John 2: 23–3:15

I am beginning with a section of the Hebrews passage 3:12-19, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts....”   Life is frequently difficult and confusing. Yet, if we keep an open heart and mind, if we listen to the still, small voice of God within, we can tap into peace and calm, even in the midst of turmoil. God promises to never leave us, to always be a loving guide. He always cares about being in relationship with each of us. That leads me to consider a portion of the passage from John 2:23-3:15: “‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God… Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above… no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.’” We must be born of Spirit, to listen with spiritual ears and to see with spiritual eyes.  

Calming ourselves to listen with spiritual understanding helps us to feel loved, connected, and cherished by God. It also helps us to see a bigger picture, maybe to even imagine God’s kingdom on earth, and giving us a new collective awareness full of love and compassion.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, open our eyes and ears, to know your presence and to receive a glimpse of our world full of grace, love, and peace.  Amen

Patty Cline

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 9: 4-12

Psalm 45 * 47, 48 

Epistle: Hebrews 3: 1-11

Gospel: John 2: 13-22

John 2:13 “The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”

The Gospel of John places the cleansing of the temple just after the miracle at Cana, at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) place this incident only a week before His crucifixion. Biblical scholars believe that John moved this incident forward in time to establish important themes at the outset of his Gospel to emphasize the theology behind the life of Jesus rather than the chronological history presented in the Synoptics. Regardless, this passage has always stuck with me. So much is revealed about Jesus in only a few words. When I was a child, the image of Jesus cracking a whip and toppling tables was disturbing — and exciting! It conflicted with the gentle, peace-loving Jesus that I’d been taught about by the nuns in religion class. It was shocking to learn that Jesus could get mad and lose His temper. This is when I understood that He truly was a human being with all the shortcomings that come along with the title. Another revelation was that Jesus knew He would be put to death in the not too distant future and probably knew how awful His death was going to be. It made me feel profoundly sad for Him. And yet, according to John, in the two years following this incident in the temple, and despite this terrible knowledge hanging over Jesus, He would go on to teach the lessons and perform the miracles that would imprint Him indelibly on history. What I eventually came to take from this passage is that we have to do the most we can with the time we have. Even if our time is short, we can still do great good.

Tom Patchen

The cleansing of the temple shows us the humanity of Jesus; the darker side that is within all of us. Anger and violence are not something we normally associate with Jesus, but he was a man, and he struggled with his emotions as we all do. However, to be fair, Jesus’s anger in this situation was justified because the temple was being defiled by the greed of the merchants and money changers who were taking advantage of the people coming to worship. John’s account of the incident in the temple teaches us that there are situations when righteous anger towards injustice is called for and action is necessary to correct wrongs.

John Vintson

Monday, March 11, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 8: 11-20

Psalm 41, 52 * 44 

Epistle: Hebrews 2: 11-18

Gospel: John 2: 1-12

Is the blistering admonition God delivers to the Jewish people in Deuteronomy relevant to us today? 

I find the parallels uncomfortably close. 

I was fortunate to be born in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Unlike my ancestors in Ireland, I face neither famine nor persecution. My basic needs are met. Everyday, I eat my fill — and usually more. 

What matters now is whether I’m grateful. 

Do I thank God for these blessings on a daily basis, or do I complain about what I do not have? 

Do I thank God for these blessings, or do I complain about others who want to come here too? 

Do I thank God for my blessings, or do I live in constant fear that others will take what is mine all mine?

God forbids the Jews to say, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” 

God then makes clear the consequences of noncompliance—

“Like the nations that the LORD is destroying before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.”

Are we somehow exempt from this today? 

Also, what does God mean by “perish”?

Fergus Tuohy

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26: 1-11 

Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16 

Epistle: Romans 10: 8b-13

Gospel: Luke 4: 1-13

Today’s Old Testament reading is from Deuteronomy and specifically from the section which outlines “the laws.” In my first year in EfM this year, I have wrestled through almost half of the Old Testament readings and at times it has been confusing and sometimes seemingly irrelevant to our modern-day way of life. Plagues, wars, pestilence, murders, infanticide, adultery, and sacrifice are only some of the disquieting scenes played out in the Pentateuch. How can we relate those “ancient” stories to our everyday life? For me, it has been challenging at times. 

The Old Testament reading for today reminded the Jewish people (again) of their trials and tribulations and their covenant with God. The laws set out in this reading, commanded the people to give a portion of their harvest to God and for me, notably, as paraphrased in the Common English Bible: “Then celebrate all the good things the LORD your God has done for you and your family — each one of you along with the Levites and the immigrants who are among you.”

While today’s scripture from Deuteronomy gives us direction — and began the tradition for our offertory ritual every Sunday — the part that resonates with me is the command to worship with everyone.  In various versions of Deuteronomy, that part about worshipping, rejoicing, and breaking bread with strangers is the same in each version!

In our troubled times of division over immigration policy in this country, it seems clear from the scriptures that the commandment to honor and love one another regardless of country of origin is steadfast. Maybe this is called cherry-picking what I want to glean from reading Old Testament scripture, or maybe it is God speaking directly to me… I believe that our task is clear, to reach vulnerable populations like immigrants who are seeking a better way of life, and include them at the God’s table with us. 

It seems an overwhelming task! In EfM each week, the question is presented: What action will I take based on my belief? I do not know the answer to that question yet, but I know that social justice and advocacy for vulnerable populations can begin with one individual, yet will take many to help expand the table for all. 

Linda Foster

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 7: 17-26

Psalm 30, 32 * 42, 43 

Epistle: Titus 3: 1-15

Gospel: John 1: 43-51

Psalm 32

I have always said that the best part of my Sunday worship is being able to be part of the great litany and the Eucharist. From beginning to end, the prayers, collects, fractions, prayer of absolution, prayer of Thanksgiving all make me feel one with God — God with me and in me. As I take of the Bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, I feel a transformation at the altar, at that moment where Christ enters my body and cleanses me of all my doubts, shortcomings, and sins, and makes me whole again. 

I think this is what Psalm 32 says. “Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven.” Now, I will be the first to admit: it’s pretty plain, even for the most pious person not to make a mistake or do something wrong; but, the wonderful thing about God’s mercy and grace is that He gave us the will to ask for forgiveness and absolution. Growing up in the Baptist church there is an old Broadman Hymn that goes, “ Now let us have a little talk with Jesus, let us tell him all about our troubles; he will hear our faintest cry, He will answer by and by.” I can’t tell you how many Sundays, growing up in a small South Mississippi Baptist church I sang that hymn. To me that hymn says: tell your problems and your mistakes to Jesus and He will hear you no matter how downtrodden or troubled you may be. That’s the joy of His grace. It’s never too late. 

This past year was not my best by far. Health issues, job stresses, and other things kept me feeling down and almost out. Daily I prayed to God to hear my prayer for a change, and I guess I was waiting for instant satisfaction. Of course, He does it in His own way; and when I felt like it was not coming, of course, it did — and with overflow. Christ makes a way, but, you have to be willing to be patient in asking. “Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. Shout for joy, all who are true of heart.” 

Asking God for help and forgiveness sometimes is not easy. It takes courage, but, in the end, Christ understands us and He loves us enough to grant it.

Bernard Hufft

Friday, March 8, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 7: 7-16

Psalm 95, 31*35 

Epistle: Titus 2: 1-15

Gospel: John 1: 35-42 

This passage of the Gospel of John describes the initial response of Andrew and another person to Jesus. While the other person is never identified, Andrew is specifically named, partly because he brings his brother, Peter, to meet Jesus. One of my reactions to this reading has always been to imagine that Andrew and Peter were best of friends. As an only child, I fantasized about how wonderful it would be to have a sibling and what a joy it would be to share that close bond with someone. Now that I am on the other side of childhood, I understand that sibling relationships are much more complex than they appear to outsiders. Still, Andrew’s desire to include his brother makes perfect sense to me.

Another reaction that I have always had to this passage is amazement at the spontaneity, or impulsivity, of the two people. The idea that someone would drop everything to undertake a major life change puzzles me. Most of my life has been spent thinking, planning, and acting carefully after much consideration. I’ve always known that I could not afford to make a financial mistake. That knowledge has guided much of my other decision-making as well. The importance of impulse control was underscored by my experiences working as a school psychologist. Over and over I saw that the children who had the most problems, academically, behaviorally, and socially, were the ones who did not stop and think before they acted. One of my colleagues and I began to work on ways to help children begin to “stop and think.” Yet this reading from John’s Gospel appears to encourage the opposite. 

In a similar vein, I have always felt sympathy for the one steward in both of the parables of the Good Steward. The poor man is terrified by the possibility that he might make a bad decision with his master’s money and buries it. When the master comes home, he is furious with the steward. Surely the master didn’t want him to rush out and invest it with the likes of Bernie Madoff!

As I ponder the extremes of decision-making, I don’t come up with any easy answers. While God wants us to use the creation wisely, I think that we are supposed to use it and use it well.  We were not created to be passive, reflexive beings. Our abilities and the abundance of natural resources at our disposal can result in miracles. Throughout human history, people have taken bold steps, often with great risk, to improve life. Marie Curie’s untimely death at the age of 66 due to aplastic anemia because of exposure to radiation comes immediately to mind.   

On the other hand, I have seen many people in my lifetime make spontaneous decisions which have been destructive and beneficial to no one. Sometimes these bad decisions have been at a group level, such as the Branch Davidians or the Jim Jones followers in Guyana. Other times the effect is at an individual level — less dramatic but no less tragic. We know how the decision turned out for Andrew and the other apostles, but we can’t peer into the future and learn about potential consequences in our own lives. I will keep praying and struggling with this dilemma, probably for the rest of my life. It’s one of life’s challenges that keeps me engaged in “ the journey.”

Sharon Fugate

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Old Testament: Deuteronomy 7: 6-11

Psalm 37: 1-18 * 37:19-42 

Epistle: Titus 1: 1-16

Gospel: John 1: 29-34

Deuteronomy 7:6 “...the lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his treasured possession.”

I often think of the words of comedian (theologian) Lewis Black when Old Testament scripture comes up. Lewis has a knack of reminding us that the scripture of the Jewish people, his people, is what we Christians call the Old Testament. Find his monologue on Youtube: “Lewis Black Old Testament.”

This scripture from Deuteronomy and so many other writings from the Old and New Testaments tell how humankind has grown in the understanding of how we were created and who we are. Understanding that we are loved and are being exhorted to love one another, which takes me to Ed Bacon’s book The 8 Habits of Love, and the Beatles’ song “All You Need Is — that’s right!— Love.”

Jump with me to New Testament and one of the most all encompassing scriptures, the famous passage of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone that believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” My focal phrase is “God so loved.” We can discuss and debate the rest of the verse, but allow me to leave you with the idea that we are treasured, and deeply and eternally loved, by the one who created us. As the verse I picked as the theme of this writing says: “...the lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his treasured possession.”

Roger Conville

Ash Wednesday

Old Testament: Isaiah 58:1-12
Psalm 103 
Epistle: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 6:16-21

“The tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” Luke 18:13  “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing…” Matthew 6:3

In a classic understanding of Lent, Lent is a time of starving and suppression of the flesh so that the spirit can prevail. It is a time of rehearsing our sins before God and petitioning for forgiveness. 

In the words of a “penitential Psalm” for today: “Enter not into judgment with your servant, * for in your sight shall no one living be justified… Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning.” Psalm 143:2, 8

It is a time of reflection on our sins, the particular chains that bind us like the ghost of Jacob Marley. In A Christmas Carol, Marley appears to his business partner, Ebenezer Scrooge, wrapped in a chain. His warning speaks of the origin of this chain: “‘I wear the chain I forged in life,’ replied the Ghost. ‘I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.’”

But Dickens’s story of the redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge is grounded in an understanding of Lent that has long dominated the tradition of the English church. The word “Lent” is a Middle English word for springtime, the time of the len(g)thening of the hours of daylight after the winter solstice. Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, one of the great intellectuals of his day, always preached the festal sermons at Whitehall for James I. His sermon in 1619 develops this understanding of Lent:

“Now at this time is the turning of the year. In Heaven, the sun in his equinoctial line, the zodiac and all the constellations in it, do now turn about to the first point. The earth and all her plants, after a dead winter, return to the first and best season of the year. The creatures, the fowls of the air, the swallow and the turtle, and the crane and the stork, know their seasons, and make their just return at this time every year. Everything now turning that we also would make it our time to turn to God.”

We are dust, and to dust we shall return. We return to that primordial point just before humankind was created out of dust — we are poised on the edge of new creation, unfettered by Marley’s chains.

The Reverent Dr. Roy Wells