Eighth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Romans viii. 12)

BRETHREN, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The Gospel (St. Matthew vii. 15)

BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Trinity VIII - Message in a Minute

We learn from today's readings that the disciples were told by Jesus that he was going to Jerusalem to be killed and they refused to believe him. They thought he was really a prophet from God, but they could not imagine that the fruit of his ministry was going to be found in his execution. As a result, the Transfiguration serves as a way of trying to convince the disciples that Jesus was really going to die in Jerusalem. His death was the will of God, and the Scriptures -- the Law and the Prophets -- bore witness to it.

It is not always easy to discern what the will of God is in our lives. We cannot always be certain that any particular thing we say or decision we make or act that we perform is going to produce good fruit and make us appear as good trees in the forest of God. But as faith-filled believers we are at least called to try.

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Fourth Sunday after Trinity

The Collect

O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Romans viii. 18)

I RECKON that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Gospel (St. Luke vi. 36)

BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Trinity IV - Message in a Minute

The last part of this morning's Gospel lesson is directed at people who tend to be critical of others. Jesus is saying that if you are mercilessly critical of others, that is a sure signal that there is something about yourself that you have not dealt with.

That is what he means by the mote and the beam -- the speck and the log. He cautions us not to be too quick to tell other people what is wrong with them, and how, in our great wisdom, we might be able to help them out. Jesus suggests that when we are tempted in that direction, we should first ask ourselves, "is it possible that the thing that drives me crazy about this other person may be something of which I am guilty -- but I would rather point it out in him than face it in myself?"

His advice is, of course, to face it in ourselves, confess it, and try with the Holy Ghost's help to do something about it. Then we shall be ready to straighten everybody else out. He concludes, rather acidly, "Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye."

Take heed of Christ's words, it is later than you think.

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Second Sunday after Trinity

The Collect

O LORD, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 St. John iii. 13)

MARVEL not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

The Gospel (St. Luke xiv. 16)

A CERTAIN man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Trinity II - Message in a Minute

In today's epistle Saint John reminds us that talk is cheap, saying, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." And he reminds us as well that Jesus has set the bar of loving obedience quite high, saying, "Hereby perceive we the will of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

If we do not remain faithful to Christ - if we don't make any effort to love our neighbours or repent of our other sins or try to understand things and do things the way God would want - then we run the risk of not getting to go to the heavenly party. We shall lose out just as surely as if we had said no to the invitation in the first place.

So what should we do? First, take the commandment to love God and love our neighbours seriously. Try to structure our actions around that standard - which is promoting the welfare of others, not yourself. Pray for guidance, read your Bible, receive communion, ask for help.

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Sunday after Ascension

The Collect

O GOD, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle (1 St. Peter iv. 7)

THE end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

The Gospel (St. John xv. 26, and part of Chap. xvi)

WHEN the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.

Sunday after Ascension - Message in a Minute

The most important thing about the Ascension of Christ is that it is a preview and promise of our own ascensions. It is the end of the process through which we connect what happens in our own lives to what happened in the life of Jesus. We are baptized into his body. We are part of him. Because we are part of him, we know that what happened to him will happen to us in the same pattern. Birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. All those things happened to him; all those things will happen to us. Of the connection between his ascension and ours, Jesus says quite clearly, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also." Again, it is all very straightforward., He went away so he could send the Holy Ghost to help us while we are alive. He is up in heaven getting our places ready. He is going to come back to earth to gather us up and take us there.

So we can look forward to heaven because Jesus ascended. And because we know we are going to go, there is a sense in which we are there already. One of the purposes of the liturgy of Holy Communion is to give us a foretaste and a preview of being in heaven. The angels and archangels sing "Holy, holy, holy" there all the time, so we sing along. The angels and archangels are in the presence of God all the time, and we enter his presence when he comes to us on the altar in his body and blood. We do all this in the company of our family and our church friends, and they are part of the group with whom we will spend eternity in God's presence. That is why this religion of ours is good news. And that is why at the center of our life together we remember "his blessed passion and precious death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; rendering unto (God) most hearty thanks for the innnumerable benefits procured unto us by the same."

Christ has ascended, and so have we. Thanks be to God.

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Second Sunday after Easter

 The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 St. Peter ii. 19)

THIS is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

The Gospel (St. John x. 11)

JESUS said, I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and know my sheep, and am known of mine, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.

Easter II - Message in a Moment

The key lesson that Jesus teaches in this morning's Gospel is, "I am the one the prophets were talking about - I am the good shepherd. I am not like other shepherds who run away when trouble comes. I stand and face the trouble down, and I am willing to sacrifice my life to save my sheep."

This sheep-shepherd idea is one of the most satisfying and reassuring spiritual images the Bible gives us; but the question remains: How should we apply it? 

This idea has something to tell us about our relationships to other people. We all need people to whom we are responsible and for whom we are responsible - people we take care of and who take care of us - people with whom we check in and who check in with us. That is all part of God's plan for shepherding we can all be, to some degree, shepherds and sheep to one another.

This question as begs a proper understanding of what shepherding is from the clergy. One of the lessons at the Prayer Book's service for the ordination of a priest is the 'I am the Good Shepherd' lesson in Saint John. The priest is told to 'feed and provide for the Lord's family', and his parishioners are described as, 'the sheep of Christ, which he bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood'. A bishop is told, 'Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd, not a wolf; feed them, devour them not'.

Let us fulfill our Christian duty in the name of the Good Shepherd, amen.

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First Sunday after Easter

The Collect

ALMIGHTY Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 Saint John v. 4)

WHATSOEVER is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

The Gospel (Saint John xx. 19)

THE same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Easter I - Message in a Minute

On Holy Thursday we remember that Jesus said to his disciples, "in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." His statement is a perfect expression of the completely realistic attitude toward life that Christianity promotes. On the one hand, life in this world is full of difficulty and trouble, and there is no way around it. On the other hand, in his death and resurrection Jesus has beaten the world. Easter shows that difficulty and trouble don't last forever, and they don't get the last word either.

Those ideas constitute what we might call, an Easter attitude -- the cast of mind Saint John talks about in today's Epistle. He tells us that by faith and by the power of the Holy Ghost inside us, we can share Jesus' victory over the world. It is a similar idea to what Saint Paul teaches in last week's Epistle, "if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above."

When we are baptized, we become part of Christ's body. What happened to him will happen to us. He died, we shall die. He was buried, we shall be buried, he rose from the dead in his body, we shall rise again from the dead in our bodies. He went to heaven to live with God forever, we shall go to heaven to live with God forever.

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Easter Monday

 The Collect

O GOD, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold thee in all thy works, through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

The reading from the Gospel of Luke today describes an encounter on the road and a supper that follows. It states that while a disciple named Cleopas was walking towards Emmaus with another disciple, they met Jesus. They did not recognize him, and discussed their sadness at recent events with him. They persuaded him to come and eat with them, and in the course of the meal they recognized him.

Readings: Acts x. 34; Saint Luke xxiv. 13.

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

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Easter Day

The Collect

O GOD, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our enemy; Grant us so to die daily from sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through the same thy Son Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Colossians iii. 1)

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. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

The Gospel (St. John xx. 1)

THE first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Easter Day - Message in a Minute

Everything -- All things.

The ultimate good news of Easter Day is that because Jesus Christ rose from the dead in his body we are going to rise from the dead in our bodies, and that in the fullness of time everything is going to be all right.

It is important to remember that his body was a body that could eat, a body that could be touched, a body that was recognizably related to the body that was crucified but it was also a new kind of body: a body that could appear and disappear at will; a body that could make its way through walls -- even the walls of a tomb.

The resurrection of the flesh is not something we just believe happened to Jesus. If we are baptized into Jesus' body, God almighty will raise us from death too. We will be resurrected in bodies at the last day to go to heaven to enjoy eternity with God at his heavenly banquet.

"All things work together for good to them that love God." All things. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." All. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Amen and amen.

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Holy Saturday... He descended into Hell

Why is Holy Saturday important, and what does it mean that Christ descended into Hell?

Tradition affirms that immediately after the death of Christ, he went down in triumph into the place where the souls of those justified under the Old Law were held. While called hell (hades in Greek, sheol in Hebrew), the Creed is actually referencing a place where souls were separated from the presence of God and not the hell of eternal damnation.

Scripture calls this place the Abraham's bosom (St. Luke 16:22). The place where faithful, covenanted people waited for the Messiah to open the gates of heaven to them. Among them included the Old Testament patriarchs as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David and even our Lord’s foster Father St. Joseph. Christological discourses identify this as the last phase of Jesus’ messianic mission.

St. John 5:25 teaches that "the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live". It would not be fair to those who lived before Jesus if they did nor have a chance to hear the Gospel and be saved. On Holy Saturday we remember that even the dead had the chance to hear and be saved.

The Collect

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection: for his merits, who died, and was buried, and rose again for us, the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Easter Even Readings: (1 Saint Peter iii. 17; Saint Matthew xxvii. 57)

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Good Friday

 BEHOLD the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. (Saint John 1:29)

The Collects

ALMIGHTY God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end, Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the same, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

O MERCIFUL God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of the sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live: Have mercy upon all who know thee not as thou art revealed in the Gospel of thy Son. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy fold, that they may be made one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Reading: (Hebrews x. 1; Saint John xix. 1)

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Maundy Thursday

 

ALMIGHTY Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, did institute the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we many thankfully receive the same in remembrance of him, who in these holy mysteries giveth is a pledge of life eternal; the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who now liveth and reigheth with thee and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Readings: (1 Corinthians xi. 23; Saint Luke xxiii. 1)

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The Sunday next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday

The Collect

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; Mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Philippians ii. 5)

LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Gospel (St. Matthew xxvii. 1)

WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: and when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

Palm Sunday - Message in a Minute

On Palm Sunday the crowd is rather hysterically favourable toward Jesus. People had come from all over the Mediterranean world to celebrate the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews. The holiday mood was heightened by rumours that the Messiah about to make his identity public.

The crowd's hopes for a Messiah were pinned upon a wandering rabbi from Galilee named Jesus. He had performed all the right miracles, and he seemed to have made all the right enemies. Passover would be the perfect time for him to do what the crowd knew the Messiah would do - issue a call to arms, raise an army, and wage guerrilla war against the Romans - war which would restore Israel to control of her own political destiny and take the Holy Land away from the unclean Gentiles.

Everything Jesus did that day encouraged the crowd. There was a prophecy in the Old Testament book of Zechariah which said that when the rightful king of the Jews appeared in his capital city he would ride a donkey. Jesus acted out the fulfillment of that prophecy quite consciously and purposefully.

We fast-forward to Good Friday, just five days later. In the intervening time, Jesus had done none of the things the crowd anticipated on Sunday - no speeches to rouse the rabble, no recruitment of soldiers, no denunciations of the Romans or their pawn King Herod. But in the meantime Jesus' enemies had been quite active. They had failed to get him to behave, and they had failed to defeat him in debate, so they had bribed one of his friends to tell them where they could arrest him without antagonizing the crowd.

Today we are faces in that crowd. Jesus died to forgive the crowd. His blood is upon us and on our children. Thank God.

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Second Sunday in Lent

The Collect

ALMIGHTY God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 Thessalonians iv. 1)

WE beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

The Gospel (St. Matthew xv. 21)

JESUS went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Lent II - Message in a Minute

The characteristic of prayer that Jesus praises the most is persistence -- keeping at it until you get an answer -- nagging God. Jesus tells two parables that make that point, the one about the judge who gives a woman what she wants just to keep her from coming around and bothering him any more; and the one about the man who goes to his next door neighbour to borrow bread in the middle of the night. The neighbour gives him the bread to get rid of him.

The Canaanite woman is a perfect example of this sort of persistence.

Persistence is why the church prays twice a day. Persistence is why we offer the same prayers for the same people week after week. Persistence keeps us asking for forgiveness after we confess the same old sins over and over again. The Canaanite woman nagged until she got an answer. We need to learn to pray as she prays.

Part of what makes her persist is that she has confidence that Jesus can and will do what she asks him to do. That is what faith means in this context. It is not that she gets what she wants as a reward for her confidence. Her confidence opens her up, and makes her receptive to whatever Jesus will do for her. She trusts him. We should trust him too.

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First Sunday in Lent

The Collect

O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights; Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle (2 Corinthians vi. 1)

WE then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain; (for he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation;) giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

The Gospel (St. Matthew iv. 1)

THEN was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Lent I - Message in a Minute

God almighty works in our lives exactly as he worked in Israel and in Jesus. The many testings in life of the individual, the many testings in Israel's history, and the three temptations of Christ all pose the same questions, "Do you know God is in control? Do you realize that it is better that way? Do you think God knows what he is doing? Do you trust him enough to obey him? Do you believe that he is your father, and that he really loves you?"

Now the fact is that we don't do very well when we consider these questions -- and, to be fair, Israel didn't do too well either. Jesus, of course, did just fine -- as Hebrews teaches, he "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

So our first step on the Lenten path is to look at our lives not as a series of random, meaningless, unconnected events, but as a series of humblings and testings. The humblings and testings are not inflicted by a nasty, sadistic, mean God. They come from a Father who loves us and wants us to grow up. The second step is to realize that we cannot get anywhere either in understanding or in trusting and obeying without continually calling upon the help Jesus send us through the Holy Ghost. That is why we come to church, that is why we pray, that is why we read the Bible.

Remember that Israel made it into the Promised Land after all, and that the angels ministered to Jesus -- so there is plenty of hope for us too -- "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."

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Shrove Tuesday... with pancakes & a good clipping

'Clipping the Church' is an English custom that is traditionally held in the United Kingdom on Mothering Sunday, Easter Monday, Shrove Tuesday or a date relevant to the Saint associated with the church. The word clipping is Anglo-Saxon in origin, and is derived from the word clyppan, meaning 'to embrace or 'clasp'. 

Clipping involves either the church congregation or local children holding hands in an outward-facing ring around the church. Once the circle is completed onlookers will often cheer and sometimes hymns are sung. Often there is dancing. Following the ceremony a sermon is delivered in the church and there are sometimes refreshments. Currently, there are only a few churches left in England that hold this ceremony.

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Sexagesima, or the Second Sunday before Lent

The Collect

O LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (2 Corinthians xi. 19)

YE suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

The Gospel (St. Luke viii. 4)

WHEN much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way-side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.


Sexagesima - Message in a Minute

Our gospel today uses an image taken from planting to describe the different sorts of responses people make to God's word. It is not the most difficult story in the world to figure out in the first place, and, as he does only rarely, Jesus goes on to give an explanation of what the parable means.

The fundamental idea is that the word of God is like seed. A sower would go out with a bag of seed and toss the seed on the ground as he walked along. He did not place the seed carefully, he broadcast it instead. That meant that the seed would fall onto different types of ground, different in their likelihood of being a place where the seed might take root and grow. Seed that fell by the wayside, or fell on dry rock, or fell among thorns and weeds would be lost. Seed that fell on good ground would spring up as fruitful plants.

Jesus is telling us that that is exactly the way God's showing himself in the world plays out. God sows the seed of his word in various different ways. He shows himself to us through the things that happen in our everyday experiences -- both in the dramatic and in the not-so-dramatic. He sows his seed quite specifically through the church -- in sermons and in the sacraments and in prayer and in Bible study and in our relationships with our fellow Christians. The seed which is God's word has a purpose. And the purpose is to help us grow up into fully mature human beings -- to grow up into Jesus -- what St. Paul calls "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Wayside, rock, thorns, or good ground? It is all up to you.

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Septuagesima Sunday

Septuagesima and Lent serve as times of penance, Septuagesima is a time of voluntary  fasting in preparation for the obligatory Great Fast of Lent. The theme is the Babylonian exile, and through it we must endure, patiently waiting for Holy Jerusalem.

The Sundays of Septugesima are named for their distance away from Easter:

• The first Sunday of Septuagesima gives its name to the entire season as it is known as Septuagesima. Septuagesima means seventy, and Septuagesima Sunday comes roughly seventy days before Easter. This seventy represents the seventy years of the Babylonian Captivity. It is on this Sunday that the alleluia is "put away," not to be said again until the Vigil of Easter.

• The second Sunday of Septuagesima is known as Sexagesima, which means sixty. Sexagesima Sunday comes roughly sixty days before Easter.

• The third Sunday of Septuagesima is known as Quinquagesima, which means fifty and which comes roughly fifty days before Easter.

Throughout this ancient Season the Church immerses herself into a deepening feeling of penance and somberness, culminating in Passiontide. This ends with the sudden and joyous Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday when the alleluia returns and Christ's Body is restored and glorified.

Readings: (1 Corinthians ix. 24; St. Matthew xx. 1)

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Memorial for Thomas Beckett, Archbishop & Martyr

The Collect

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who didst strengthen thy blessed martyr Thomas with the virtue of constancy in faith and truth: Grant us in like manner for love of thee to despise the prosperity of this world, and to fear none of its adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Readings: (2 Esdras ii. 42; St. Matt x. 16)

Thomas Becket was born in 1118 of a merchant family. He studied in London and Paris, entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, becoming Lord Chancellor under King Henry II in 1155, and in 1162 Archbishop of Canterbury. He initiated a fearless struggle against the king for the freedom of the Church and the inviolability of ecclesiastical property, occasioning his imprisonment, exile, and finally martyrdom on December 29, 1170.

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Feast of the Holy Innocents

The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants to glorify thee by their deaths: Mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us by thy grace, that by the innocency of our lives, and constancy of our faith even unto death, we may glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (Rev. xiv. 1)

I LOOKED, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

The Gospel (St. Matthew ii. 13)

THE angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saving, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, an be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he maw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, amid slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

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Feast of Saint John, Apostle & Evangelist

The Collect

MERCIFUL Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church, that it, being enlightened by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle (1 St. John i. 1)

THAT which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our bands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The Gospel (St. John xxi. 19)

JESUS saith unto Peter, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, he shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

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