Who is worthy?

Scripture: Kings 18:20-21, (22-29), 30-39 and Psalm 96  •  1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43 and Psalm 96:1-9  • 

               Galatians 1:1-12  •  Luke 7:1-10

Do you remember the mantra of Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in Wayne's World? "We're not worthy!" In both this week's epistle of Paul to the Galatians, and the healing of the Roman centurion's servant by Jesus, we can learn much about value and worthiness.

The Rev. Rick Morley has a good discussion of worth and worthiness in his "(un)worthiness." Is it something we earn, or achieve? Who is "worthy" of God's saving grace?

The Rev. David Lose tells us that we should never presume to judge someone by appearances, or believe that they are incapable of demonstrating faith and good works in "Unexpected Faith." He suggests that we offer two prayers this week. Pray to give thanks for people who do not believe as we do, but do good works and who are in our lives, and that we might have the grace to commend their good works, and show them God's love for them. The second prayer is for us. That we be less surprised that God uses people we have decided are unlikely or unexpected to do wonderful things.

Finally, you know I love baseball. Enjoy, as I did, "42," by Nancy Rockwell, who reflects on the story of Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, and the integration of major league baseball. A great lesson on worthiness.

 

The Meaning of Pentecost

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9  •  Psalm 104:24-34, 35b  •  Romans 8:14-17 or  Acts 2:1-21  •  John 14:8-17, (25-27)

The Lectionary this week contrasts the experience of the Tower of Babel and the Pentecost. Both involve people speaking different languages. In one case they became confused and disperses. In the other case "simple Galileans" were heard to speak and communicate with others in different languages. Why confusion on the one hand, and communication on the other?

Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church, and we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. What is Pentecost? What does it mean?  In "What Does it Mean? Pentecost Homily" Christopher Burkett tells us, among other things, that it is a time when one can hear in the language of a broken heart, the spirit of eternal love - a time when we hear the whisper of God in our own hearts.

In "'Nothing but' Misses the Point," The Rev. Canon Frank S. Logue tells us that reductionists who define the world as "nothing but" physical explanations or empiricism miss the point. At the same time it can't be reduced to mere emotionalism or hysteria. What is it then?

In "Messy Church" Jo Bailey Wells tells us that in some sense God prefers a little of the chaos of Pentecost to the strict order and central administration with which the Tower of Babel was built. What does she mean, and why?

'...That they might be one.'

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34  •  Psalm 97  •  Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21  •  John 17:20-26

This week's gospel account is Jesus' prayer for us before his ascension: that we might be one as he and the Father are one, that we might share the love of the Father with him. This is a time of tension before Jesus' ascension - between his absence in human form, and his life giving spirit presence. This is a precursor to Trinity Sunday and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit breathed life into the Church.

This is also a call for unity. What does it mean to be one in Christ? Do we give up our individuality? How can we be one in Christ when, as individuals, we have different opinions, viewpoints and experiences?

Consider The Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt's "A Unity Not of Our Own Making," Professor John W. Martens' "Heaven-Sent," and Pastor David Risendal's "As We Are One."

What is God's Peace?

Scripture: Acts 16:9-15  •  Psalm 67  •  Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5  •  John 14:23-29 or John 5:1-9

What is God's peace, the peace Jesus gives us? See The Rev. Rick Morley's "a peace of marvel - a reflection on John 14:27.  In these days of mindless, cowardly violence inflicted on innocents, can we find Serenity in Chaos (by The Rev. Steve Goodier)?

Reflecting on John 5:1-9, Kyle Childress in "Courage to be Whole" asks "Do we fear the cure more than the illness?" Bill Coffin said that if it is hell to be guilty, it’s certainly scarier to be responsible – response-able – able to respond to God’s call, able to respond to the word and love of Jesus. When we cease being a victim – “I can’t get to the water Jesus; there’s always someone else who gets there first” – and start being responsible then our legs are strong enough for us to walk beside others who are in pain and need help. Our arms are empowered to embrace our enemies and the outcasts. We no longer make excuses; instead we walk forward to new life in Jesus Christ and go to work serving, healing, hoping, and living a life of joy and fullness.

What role, if any, does hospitality have to do with God's peace? In "Mi Casa Es Su Casa,"The Rev. Larry Patten says we can learn a lot from Lydia, the first European woman to be baptized, who said to Paul "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home."

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference."

- The Serenity Prayer
   Reinhold Niebuhr

 
 

What Are We To Do With a "Judas?"

Scripture: Acts 11:1-18  •  Psalm 148  •  Revelation 21:1-6  •  John 13:31-35

In this Sunday's gospel lesson, Jesus gives us a new commandment, "that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

From the tragedy in Boston, the stories of the dead and wounded, heroes and helpers, and of the alleged perpetrators continue to emerge. The preliminary scoop is that the surviving Chechen, accused of causing death and mayhem by using a weapon of mass destruction faces the possibility of a death sentence, if convicted. He is also an American citizen, and allegedly influenced by the radical Islamic beliefs and practices of his brother, killed in a shoot-out. Possibly a "Judas" in our midst.

What are we do with "Judases" in our midst? See "Evildoers," by Nancy Rockwell for one perspective. From the standpoint of Jesus' new commandment to us, what about the death penalty? (If there is a discussion, please keep it faith based, and not politically, or "legally" - how's that coming from a lawyer?

Do we have a God, or make God, too small? See "A God Too Small” by The Rev. Steve Goodier.

What does Jesus mean with his new commandment - to love one another just as he has loved us. Consider what Peter Woods says in "Boldly Going Where No Love Has Gone Before."

How should we interact with other religions? Dr. Jan Love offers one consideration in "Encountering Other Religions."

It should be an interesting discussion this week! Join us as we meet in the classroom across from the lounge in the undercroft of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 405 B Street, St. Albans, parking behind the church.

 

Tabitha lives! Terms of Endearment.

Scripture: Acts 9:36-43  •  Psalm 23  •  Revelation 7:9-17  •  John 10:22-30

This week we consider the raising of Tabitha (Dorcas), which means gazelle - a graceful little deer, at the behest of Peter, the 23rd Psalm, a reading from Revelations in which the Lamb shepherds his sheep to the water of life where God will wipe away every tear, and the story of Jesus who knows his sheep, protects them, and tells us that he and the Father are one.

We learn more about how we are to feed and care for the Lord's sheep. In "I Should Call No Man Unclean," Daniel Clendenin tells us where Peter stayed after the raising of Tabitha when he had his vision of the unclean animals, which helped the Christians in Jerusalem to accept Paul's mission to the Gentiles - in the home of Simon the tanner, considered impure according to Jewish law.

From "little lambs" to dear little deer-like Tabitha, a disciple, The Rev. Christopher Burkett shows us how we are to minister to and love each other, with the focus on the person and acts of Tabitha, who was raised from the dead in his "Terms of Endearment." Tabitha koum.

  

Picking Up the Broken Pieces

Scripture: Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)  • Psalm 30  •  Revelation 5:11-14  •  John 21:1-19

We continue with the Easter experience this week. In John 21, we are treated to an Easter breakfast by Jesus. Jesus gives us another "Resurrection" lesson in his dialogue with Peter, who denied Jesus three times before the crucifixion. Jesus gives Peter a new hope, even in Peter's apparent distress, when Jesus tells Peter to "feed my sheep," after asking Peter if Peter loved him. Easter gives us the opportunity to pick up the broken pieces. What does that mean to you? See "Picking Up the Broken Pieces" by Dan Clendenin.


What does Jesus mean when he says "feed my sheep?" See "Love Me? Feed My Sheep"by The Rev. Bob Stuhlmann, and "The Work of Easter" by The Rev. Kay Sylvester.

Finally, we can learn a lot about ourselves, and what it means to be Easter people by reflecting on the life and person of Peter. See Frederick Buechner's "Peter."

We also read about the conversion of Saul (Paul) at Damascus. Talk about a turn around!