Reflection for 11/1/2013

It has been a while since I reflected, in writing that is, and All Saints Day seemed like a good point to start up again.  I don't know why just does.

All Saints is of course the day when the church celebrates All the Saints.  Many of course get their own day some other time in the year.  It is also true that we recognize the reality that the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too, to quote a song.

When I think about "saints" in my life quite a few people come to mind.  None of them by the way will ever have their own day set aside for observance. The heroes of my faith impacted me directly not through a book, but by their relationship to me.  There is some tradition in Latin America of naming people and saying presente, usually because these folks are present in a way that the communion of saints is.  All of mine are still around and I'd like to take the time to name them, remember their meaning for me, and to give thanks for their imprint in my life.

My mom and dad of course. My sister Laura.  My wife Gail. My sons Mike and Peter.  My grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and a special Great Aunt.

George Janke, my third grade Sunday School teacher.  Dave Deihl the choir director at my home church. Don Barnicle and Phil Carr-Jones.  Miss Stepperud my all time favorite teacher.  Mr. Logue, band director at my High School. Fr. Bob Towner my priest in college. Professor Don Smith and Dennis Haas and Coach Pfitsch at Grinnell.  Owen Thomas, Fredrica-Harris Thompsett, Lloyd Patterson, David Siegenthaler, Ivan Kaufman, Carter Heyward, Sue Hiatt, Ian Douglass and John Hooker, teachers at EDS.  The Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool, my priest in Seminary. The Rev. Carol Burnside mentor and friend.  The Rev. Michael Barlowe, The Rt Rev. Joe Morris Doss, Canon Allen Bollinger and the Rt. Rev George Councell.  I'm sure I've missed some and in the years to come will no doubt add others.

So who are your "saints?"  Have you taken the time to thank them if they are still around or give thanks for them if they've joined that great cloud of witnesses.

Blessings,
Ed+

Reflections for September 11, 2013

Like most people I can tell you where I was 12 years ago today.  I can remember staring at the TV in shock and awe.  I can remember calling Gail and asking where her mom worked, since I knew it was in Manhattan.  I can remember gathering with other local clergy to pray together and figure out what we would try to do for our community in a faith response.  I remember feeling very sad for the families of those killed.  I remember later being struck by the symbolism behind the targets that were chosen.  A few weeks later I presided at a wedding on a pier in the East River, you could still see the smoke rising and a police boat passed behind me.  Even today aside from the media coverage and ceremonies by which we will remember the event and the victims, we still live with the effects of that attack. And as my sons move on to their post high school lives one in the Navy and another hoping to be a fire fighter, this will be a reality for me.

So I offer to anyone reading this a service that I developed 11 years ago today.  The different prayers and scripture readings are intentional.  I hope they might continue to help us to heal, to reflect and to seek God in the midst of our fears and confusion.

Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

 

Grant us, Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it

may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and

that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City,

where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

 

Psalm 85: 7-13

7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, *

and grant us your salvation.

8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *

for he is speaking peace to his faithful people

and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *

that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth have met together; *

righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, *

and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *

and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him, *

and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

 

A reading from Micah 4:1-5

In days to come

   the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

   and shall be raised up above the hills.

Peoples shall stream to it,

and many nations shall come and say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

   to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

   and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between many peoples,

   and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

   and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

   neither shall they learn war any more;

4but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,

   and no one shall make them afraid;

   for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

 

 

For all the peoples walk,

   each in the name of its god,

but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God

   for ever and ever.

 

 

A Song of Christ’s Goodness

Anselm of Canterbury

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; *

you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.

Often you weep over our sins and our pride, *

tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.

You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds, *

in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.

Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life; *

by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.

Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; *

through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.

Your warmth gives life to the dead, *

your touch makes sinners righteous.

Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; *

in your love and tenderness, remake us.

In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, *

for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.

 

A reading from Colossians 3:12-15

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord* has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

The Song of Simeon Nunc dimittis

Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *

to go in peace as you have promised;

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *

whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

A Light to enlighten the nations, *

and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

 

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

Glory to you Lord Christ

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

The Gospel of the Lord:

Praise to you Lord Christ.

 

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

Officiant The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Officiant Let us pray.

 

Almighty God, giver of all good things:

We thank you for the natural majesty and beauty of this land.

They restore us, though we often destroy them.

Heal us.

We thank you for the great resources of this nation. They

make us rich, though we often exploit them.

Forgive us.

We thank you for the men and women who have made this

country strong. They are models for us, though we often fall

short of them.

Inspire us.

We thank you for the torch of liberty which has been lit in

this land. It has drawn people from every nation, though we

have often hidden from its light.

Enlighten us.

We thank you for the faith we have inherited in all its rich

variety. It sustains our life, though we have been faithless

again and again.

Renew us.

Help us, O Lord, to finish the good work here begun.

Strengthen our efforts to blot out ignorance and prejudice,

and to abolish poverty and crime. And hasten the day when

all our people, with many voices in one united chorus, will

glorify your holy Name. Amen.

 

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us

through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole

human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which

infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us

unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and

confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in

your good time, all nations and races may serve you in

harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

 

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the

world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among

them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they

may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love

our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;

deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in

your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world: We

commend this nation to thy merciful care, that, being guided

by thy Providence, we may dwell secure in thy peace. Grant

to Barack the President of the United States, Chris the Governor of this

State, and to all in authority, wisdom

and strength to know and to do thy will. Fill them with the

love of truth and righteousness, and make them ever mindful

of their calling to serve this people in thy fear; through Jesus

Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the

Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

 

Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and

keeping all the men and women of our armed forces at home

and abroad. Defend them day by day with your heavenly

grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give

them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant

them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Almighty God, heavenly Father, you have blessed us with the

joy and care of children: Give us calm strength and patient

wisdom as we bring them up, that we may teach them to love

whatever is just and true and good, following the example of

our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you

for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world.

Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and

show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until

our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all

your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

We beseech you, Almighty God, to pour your blessing upon the fire fighters, EMTs and the police of our land: strengthen and preserve them in every danger; that they, who protect our lives and property while they faithfully perform their duties may so serve you here that they fail not finally to attain your heavenly promises. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

O God, whose days are without end, and whose mercies cannot be numbered: Make us, we pray, deeply aware of the shortness and uncertainty of human life; and let your Holy Spirit lead us in holiness and righteousness all our days; that, when we shall have served you in our generation, we may be gathered to our ancestors, having the testimony of a good conscience, in the communion of the Catholic Church, in the confidence of a certain faith, in the comfort of a religious and holy hope, in favor with you, our God, and in prefect charity with the world. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The peace is exchanged.

 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is

hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where

there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where

there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to

be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is

in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we

are born to eternal life. Amen.

 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. And the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be with you this day and always. Amen.

 

Les us go forth in peace,

Thanks be to God.

Reflections for September 7, 2013

"In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the law and the prophets."(Matthew 7:12)

Ah the so called Golden Rule.  Most of us know it or some variation there of.  I like when framed in the positive, do this.  I realize that to not do something can also be a positive, but it assumes I was heading that direction before stopping and turning around.

I try very hard to treat others in any given situation the way I would hope to be treated.  I try not to treat others the same way I've been treated.  There is for me a huge difference between that and the quote above.

I know that if I make a mistake I'd rather be pulled aside and shown what was wrong and be offered the chance to correct it.  I try to say thank you because I too would like to be thanked.

I wonder though why we call it the "Golden Rule?"  Perhaps it is because gold is prized and very rare and often quite valuable.  Same could be said that behaving in a positive way towards others should be highly prized, can be regrettably rare and is incredibly valuable in maintaining and developing our relationship with others and the world around us.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflections for August 24, 2013

"And Mary pondered these things in her heart." (A couple of times in Chapter 2 of Luke.)

 I know Christmas is 4 months away, but this was the chapter in the Bible Challenge today. Chapter 2 of Luke gives a quick snapshot of the first 8 years of Jesus lives. All of the events framed with Mary pondering the reactions of others to Jesus' birth in her heart.

 I thought about that idea as a parent. What are the parts of my son's lives that I ponder in my heart. What memories of them growing up will I hold onto well after they've left home. I certainly remember both of their births, being present in the delivery room watching them come through the surgical cut as both were cesarean section babies. I remember their baptisms. I remember their first days of school. I remember their time in cub scouts, their Little League games, wrestling matches and youth soccer games. I remember musical concerts and plays. I remember family vacations. I remember their friends, both male and female. I am sure that there will be more moments to treasure and ponder in my heart.

 I wonder if Jesus pondered things in his heart about his mother? The Bible doesn't show much interaction between the two. I wonder what my sons will remember about me? What do they ponder and cherish in their hearts? As you recall important people in your lives related or not, what do you still treasure, what do you still ponder?

Blessings,
Ed

Reflections for 8/21/2013

"And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets."(Zech 8:5) As the last couple of weeks of summer time wind down, I start to think about summer times past of playing outside with my friends. I grew up before there was cable tv and video games and computers. I didn't have air conditioning so there was no reason to stay in side. The town where I grew up was reasonably safe, had playgrounds and even had a woods behind my house where great games could be played. I'm not going to claim that those times were better than now, just different. I don't see kids out on the streets playing anymore. Part of it is the entertainment that everybody has. Part of it is a fear of something awful happening that todays parents have to deal with more than my parents did. I do think there's a lot less imagination today then there used to be. I don't know if life is fun for kids anymore. Perhaps it is again just in a different sort of way. I miss playing outside. Heck I miss period. But that promise of God that children would play in the streets again, perhaps might return. When we feel safer, when our minds and hearts yearn for fresh air and the use of our imagination. Blessings, Ed

Reflection for August 15, 2013

"For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."(Mark 10:27)

If we were to take a look at the things we now take for granted, how far back would we have to go before we find where the idea was deemed impossible.  Airplanes, cars, cell phones, Skype, surgeries without knives, running water in homes.  The list could go on.  We anticipate progress all the time and live in a world where the impossible becomes possible and sometimes even actual.

My faith in a living God is what brings me joy in each new discovery.  That God continues to reveal and unfold through out history.  Endowing us with creativity and openness to new concepts, ideas and inventions.

Yet there are parts of our lives where I still run into folks telling me that God wouldn't do something, that it is impossible.  Really?  Or is it actually that we find the concept impossible, hard to stomach, goes against our cherished biases.  God would never do anything we wouldn't imagine?  Yet God constantly seems to reveal that there are real possibilities right in front of us, and sometimes they contradict what was once seen as possible or the boundaries that were seemingly cemented.

If we believe in a living God, then the word impossible should not be in our vocabulary.

Blessings,
Ed

Reflection for August 14, 2013

"But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him."(Mark 9:32)

Have you ever had someone say to you "this may be a dumb question."  Every time I hear that I want to say the only dumb question is the one that isn't asked.  I know what often stops me from asking a question, the fear of looking stupid, especially if it is something I think I should know.

Of course we also may not ask a question because we actually don't want to know.  The minute we choose to get information we are then faced with a choice of what are we going to do with that information.

I find that as I've gotten older and a little more assured that I still have things to learn, asking questions has become easier for me.  It probably helps that there are no longer grades attached.  I also know that I don't fear questions being asked of me.  If I know the answer I give it.  If I don't know the answer, I promise to try and find out.

There are subjects that I may never fully understand, but I cannot allow being afraid to squelch my curiosity.  I need the wisdom to know who to ask.  I know it is also helpful to find someone who not only knows, but who has the patience to answer the question without making others feel like idiots.

Blessings,
Ed