Christ Among Us

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2008-09-12T08:19:00.001-05:00

Dear all -

The blog is currently down to where posts have been delayed. We hope to have a new post within a few weeks. Thanks for your patience.

God's blessings,
Fr. Tom

Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost

2008-08-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

by The Very Rev. Donald Dustin

Friends: From the Gospel of Saint Matthew comes today’s message. Chapter 16: Verse 13-20:

Jesus asks his disciples, who do men say that I, the son of man, am? Various names were offered, but it was Simon Paul who said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you Simon, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven has”. So I have to ask all of you. Who are you?

It is now time to reflect on who we are as a People; and as individuals. As individuals many of us are sitting on the side of the road watching the world go by. Why is there a lack of interest? Why do we stand there watching as life goes by?

I realize (that) we are living in a time where speed runs our lives. We have no time for our fellow man. I ask you, what ever happened to love your neighbor? Many of us will not slow down enough even to say hello to someone who lives next door. There was a time when someone new moved into the neighborhood, when people would take over baked goods or even make a special dish and take it over to greet the newcomers. Where have those times in past years gone?

Be kind to your fellow Man, the men, the women and children. It seems like this doesn’t happen much these days. One can read in the newspapers, the TV and now Cable, this idea seems to be all but gone. What it looks like is (that) our world is full of hate, wars, lust, avarice and murder. Where did the Ten Commendments go? Does any one follow any of them anymore? It would seem by what is read and heard from our news media, not many people pay that much attention to them any longer. Now you are thinking, wait a minute. I love my neighbor, I go to church, I donate money to my church, and to many worthy causes. You are one of the small groups of people who may or may not be a part if this.

You and I are like small grains of sand on a beach, which are trying not to be washed out to sea. We struggle to keep our heads above the water. Many of us are struggling to take root and to establish ourselves as individuals, however many of us get lost. Why, because many of us do not reach out to help pull each other to safety, to guild us out of danger.

Today we are seen as numbers, not as individuals behind those numbers. Everything we do is done by numbers: Social security numbers, license numbers, bank account numbers and credit card numbers, the list goes on. What can not be tracked by numbers, to name a few are, how many prayers did you say today; how many times did you take the Lords name in vain, how many times did you lie, so forth and so on, the list can get quite long.

Many of us have more than one life. We have the life that we show our families and close friends; the life we show at work: Then we have the life we show everyone else. So often we hear, “I have a hard enough time just being me.” This is why I ask, “Who are you?” Which one did you bring to mass today? Did you bring the loving mother? Did you bring the loving father or did you bring the loving child? Which one did you bring or is it one of the other personalities that you hide behind your mask?

I have heard many times, not even soon after mass, swearing by many adults with children following their parents example: Rudeness, lack of consideration for each other, and no respect. on and on. Where is the example of love and compassion that was just heard in the sermons? What has happened to the message of “Do on to others as you would have others do on to you?”

You as an Individual have the ability to change what is happening in the world today, change the way conflicts are dealt with when they arise, pay for what you take and give help when needed: Create trust and respect, not anger, resentment and animosity which is fueling conflicts around the globe.

Remember what Jesus said to Paul about your deeds and misdeeds here on Earth shall be equal in Heaven, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven and what ever you bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and what ever you lose here on Earth shall also be lost in Heaven.”

One of the worse things in the world today, which caught my attention, is “Want”. People are starving to death in many places here on Earth, there are conflicts raging in Africa, Asia and here in the Americas; in the Middle East and places that do not make the nightly news, the droughts and famine and upheaval in all four corners of our Earth add to the misery. Daily we hear about people in need. Here in the United States and other first world countries, people throw away enough food, clothing and essentials everyday to feed and cloth all the needy peoples of the world. I ask, do we do enough to help these People? I think not, why, I ask. To many people are dying, even as I speak because of war, lack of food, clean water and basic essentials. We see children who can not withstand the brutality of their condition die in their mother and fathers arms.

I know that wars have been going on since mankind has existed on this planet. What are these wars about? It is about greed, diminishing resources and territory? Somebody has something someone else has. Unless it is freely given then for some there is a need to take what ever by force. There are many examples, now, in our time what people have done to each other and will continue to do as long as this grasping and taking goes on unabated.

Love your neighbor, and yourself; why is it that so many people do not know the true meaning of love, the real definition of the word LOVE? Why is it that there is a price tag placed on this human emotion as if it was a commodity to be sold and traded? We all have what is called heart, the capacity and the ability to love all people. In my opinion, all it takes is one person to show love and affection to others around him or her with out asking for something in return.

I was thinking that if one person shows true love, compassion and understanding to others then those people would by its very nature show the same to others, you get the idea. A lot of the wrongs done as a people and are still doing to each other could be made smaller or even done away with altogether. This can be a hard path or journey for us but by looking into your heart of hearts, all of you can begin to see the true nature of your love and compassion, the respect and admiration you have for your fellow man. When you begin to do this you will become one of the “rocks” that Jesus will be using to build his house on in His kingdom, in Heaven.

Please pray for our troops who are now in harms way, fighting away in Iraq, Afghanistan and for those stationed in foreign lands: And for those who are fighting, dying and sacrificing for us here at home. For the injured and for the healing that needs to take place, for a safe journey home for all our armed forces.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Very Rev. Donald Dustin is a Monsignor in the Diocese of Colorado. He is the director of St. Patrick Ministries in Denver.

14th Sunday After Pentecost

2008-08-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

by The Rev. Jason Tardiff

The Gospel reading has Jesus walking toward Tyre and Sidon when a woman comes out and calls after him. In my surprise, the reading says Jesus kept watching, not stopping to help. Made me wonder why? They walked on and she called after them again and one of the apostles urged Jesus to ignore her.

The woman came and bowed at Jesus' feet. Jesus then looked at her and said "It is not fair to take the childrens food and throw it to the dogs.." What did he mean by that? I think he means why now does she need the blessing and healing of God. Just to receive and turn her back on it.

The women looks at him and says that "even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from teir master's table". She listens and believes. Even the little bit she has been able to learn and hear of God has helped her and nourished her. God grace isn’t just for show, and isn’t just given away to be trampled on but when taken in used even a little bit much can be learned.

The Rev. Jason Tardiff is a secular priest of the AOCC living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

All Things Are Possbile in Christ

2008-08-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

by The Rev. Barbara Dyke

How often do our lives seem like Joseph’s? In our lives we have terrifying storms that arise and life seems to be out of control. In our lives today we may not be sold into slavery, but we suffer illness. We experience the loss of a job, status, or relationships. We are affected by the aches and pains of aging. Sometime dealing with children growing up and leaving home all give us a sense that things are out of control. We are constantly being reminded that life is bigger than we are. It is filled with events that we cannot control. They seem to wash over us like giant waves in unforeseen ways. When we are in those moments we are not able to see the end of the story. It is hard to sometimes see how these hardships will lead to any thing good in our lives.

The one thing Joseph knew was that he had to keep his eyes upon God and put his trust in the Lord. Joseph had years of storms before he became a ruler of Egypt. But he trusted that God was with him when he faced the storms of slavery, and imprisonment. Joseph always seemed to make the best of the situation he was in.
When we walk with God we hear over and over the words “do not be afraid.” These 3 little words that mean more than rest easy or peace be with you. Those words imply something like to take heart, have courage, be open and willing to receive what is coming, get ready for a new thing that God is about to do in your life. The words do not be afraid are an invitation to welcome the new future that goes with it. It is not always easy.

It is easier to stick with the routine that we know. It is easier to complain than to try something new. It is easier to live with known disappointments than to venture out to explore unknown possibilities.

How often do we try to step out in faith like Peter and when the going gets too tough we give up? How many times have you let those short lived efforts that ended in failure keep us from ever trying to do something new again? When Joseph was sold into slavery he was 17 years old. Joseph lived the life of slavery and imprisonment for the next 13 years before he ever get close to being a ruler of Egypt. My friends, that is perseverance. Have we ever had that kind of perseverance in serving the Lord? Do we try for a few days, a few weeks, a few months and get frustrated and quit. Jesus calls us to do what we do not think is even possible. Jesus calls us to climb out of the boat and follow him.

Let us remember that in Christ all things are possible. Let us hear Christ call us to come and step out in faith to do things that today seem impossible. Let us remember that the path Christ calls us to follow will not be easy, but if we keep our eyes upon Jesus we will see miracles happen. Joseph knew God was with him even in the darkest days. Some of us are like Peter and need to be reminded that God is with us. Let us remember Christ’s words, do not be afraid. Let us be open to what Christ is calling us to do with the full assurance that we are not alone, God is with us. Thanks be to God. Amen.

The Rev. Barbara Dyke is part of Ecumenical Relations with the American Orthodox Catholic Church and is a pastor in the United Methodist Church. She and her spouse live in San Angelo, Texas.

Dreams and Promises

2008-07-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

by The Rev. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, mgc

“The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request…”

Dearest friends in our Lord Jesus Christ, on this Sunday in Ordinary time, we are challenged with our response to our Lord’s appearance to us in our dreams.

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said like the bottled Genie:
”Ask something of me and I will give it to you!”

Notice there were no three choices…

Solomon realizing he was young, asked for an understanding heart to be able to judge people and distinguish right from wrong.

The Lord promised Solomon his wishes, and reiterated, “there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one equal to you.”

Can you imagine, our God appearing and wishing to fulfill a any wish you had, and you asked for an understanding heart and the ability to know right from wrong!

That is the beauty of our faith tradition, that here are great people both male and female, who acknowledge God in all God’s majesty.

When God speaks to us in our dreams (God’s favorite medium), we need to hear the voice and respond with generous spirits.

God does not ask anything of us, God asks us what we need…

That is very important. God wants to give us the tools to be instruments of God’s peace.

Doesn’t that make sense when Matthew describes what the kingdom of heaven is like:

It is like a treasure buried in a field…

It is like a merchant searching for fine pearls…

I t is like a net thrown out into the sea…

In reality, it is like our answer to God as God appears to us in our dreams…

As the psalmist reiterates, “Oh Lord, I love your commands!” May our God bless us all, always. Amen

THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER ON THE SEPTIC TANK

2008-07-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

By The Rev. Don Dunavant
St. Padre Pio,
San Angelo, TX

MATTHEW 13: 24-30, 36- 43

I HAVE LIVED IN THE COUNTRY A GREAT PART OF MY LIFE. SOME OF THE PLACES WE LIVED DID NOT HAVE INDOOR PLUMBING. WE HAD OUTHOUSES FOR THE BATHROOM. WE DID HAVE RUNNING WATER. IF YOU WANTED RUNNING WATER YOU RAN DOWN TO THE WINDWILL AND TOTED IT BACK TO THE HOUSE.

WE DID LIVE IN HOME THAT HAD INDOOR PLUMBING AND RUNNING WATER. WE HAD INDOOR BATHROOMS. THESE HOMES HAD SEPTIC TANKS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WASTE WATER FROM THE HOUSE. YOU COULD ALWAYS TELL WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK WAS BECAUSE THE GRASS WAS ALWAY GREENER WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK WAS. THE ROOTS OF THE GRASS WOULD REACH DOWN TO THE WASTE WATER. IN THE POORER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE A SEPTIC TANKS THE HUMAN WASTE PRODUCTS ARE USED TO FERTILIZE THE CROPS. THEY ALSO USE WASTE PRODUCTS SUCH AS FISH SKINS, BONES AND FISH HEADS ARE USED TO FERTILIZE THEIR CROPS ALSO.

BUT IN THIS STORY FOUND IN THE GOSPEL MATTHEW. HERE WE FIND A SOWER WHO WENT OUT TO SOW SOME SEEDS. HE USED THE METHOD OF BROADCASTING TO SCATTER THE SEEDS TO THE VARIOUS SOILS. THE SOWER WOULD REACH INTO A BAG CONTAINING SEEDS AND WOULD SPRINKLE THE SEEDS INTO THE AIR AND THEY WOULD FALL WHEREVER THEY FALL. THEY FELL INTO OR ON TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOIL.

WHEN I MOVED TO THIS COUNTRY COMMUNITY WE HAD A SEPTIC SYSTEM FOR OUR HOUSE.
THERE WAS NO GRASS ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE WHERE THE SEPTIC TANK IS. I DECIDED THAT WE NEEDED SOME GRASS ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE SINCE THEY WAS NOTHING ON THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE. IT WAS A BALD PIESCE OF GROUND. I WENT OUT AND CLEANED THIS PLOT OF LAND. I WATERED IT BEFORE I PLANTED AND GRASS.

I WENT TO THE NURSERY AND I BOUGHT THE BEST GRASS SEEDS I COULD AFFORD. I GOT MY SEEDS AND MIXED THEM WITH SOME CORNMEAL SO I COULD SEE WHERE THE SEEDS WENT. I CAREFULLY RANKED AND PATTED THE SEEDS IN THE GROUND. I WATERTED THE GRASS CAREFULLY NOT TO OVERWATER.I SAT BACK AND WAITED. GUESS WHAT NO GRASS EVER CAME UP.

I REMEMBER READING THIS PARABLE SEVERAL TIME WHILE GROWING UP. IT NEVER MADE ANY SENSE. HOWEVER, ONE DAY I WAS READING MY BIBLE AND IT MADE SENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

I HAVE BEEN INTRIGUED WITH THE IDEA OF THE SOIL. THERE IS THE HARD GROUND, SHALLOW ROCKY SOIL, THE SOIL FILLED WITH WEEDS AND THE GOOD SOIL. I BELIEVE IF YOU LOOK IN SOME TRANSLATIONS YOU WILL FIND THE TERMS SOIL, GROUND AND DIRT. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TERMS? GROUND IS THE HARDPACKED GROUND THAT MAKES UP TRAILS, ROADS, PATHS ANY PLACE THAT SERVES AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. DIRT IS WHAT YOU FIND IN THE FEILDS. BUT WHEN I THINK OF SOIL IS DIRT THAT HAS BEEN TREATED TO HELP PRODUCT BETTER CROPS.
THE SOIL, GROUND AND DIRT IN THIS STORY IS ALSO REPRESENTIVE OF HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS SOWN IN OUR HEARTS AND THE LIVES WE LIVE. HOW IS THE WORD OF GOD GROWING IN YOUR LIFE? THE REAL QUESTION BEHIND THIS STORY IS WHAT KIND OF SOIL ARE YOU? IS YOUR HEART HARD AND PACK DOWN AND NOT GROWING IN THE GRACE OF GOD? IS YOUR HEART SHALOW THE SEEDS OF GOD'S WORD WAS PALNTED BUT QUICKLY THE ROOTS DID NOT DIED BECAUSE OF LACK OF CARE? THERE WAS THE SOIL THAT WAS FULL OF WEEDS. DO YOU HAVE WEEDS THAT HAS AFFECTED THE GROWTH OF GOD'S WORD IN YOUR LIFE? THERE IS THE GOOD SOIL THAT HAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT THINGS FOR THE SEEDS TO TAKE ROOT. WHAT KIND OF CROP ARE YOUR PRODUCING?

THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD THIS DAY!!!!

Of Seed and Soil

2008-07-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

by The Most Rev. Margo Wilson

Today’s scripture in Matthew 13:1-9 is a very familiar story about a gardener who sows seeds in various types of soil. This gardener or farmer went out to his field with the intent to raise up a crop. As every gardener knows, there are two basic ways to sow seed into the soil. When I purchase seeds each year, they cost very little in comparison to what my harvest will bring. Each seed is placed carefully into little holes in the soil at just the right depth and distance so that I can get the most produce. That is one way to plant.

Another way to plant, which I do also, is to buy partially grown plants and put them into good soil in containers. This is the way that I grow herbs, tomatoes and peppers. I don’t have too worry about whether the seeds are alive and/or if they will grow in the soil that has been prepared with care.

God is a broadcast sower. This means that the Word of God is sown in the fashion of simply throwing the seeds into air and allowing the breeze and the soil to do the rest. The seeds of God’s Word are rich and wonderful, bountiful and full of life. The preacher or messenger scatters these seeds into the air and the breeze of the Holy Spirit carries them into the soil of God’s children’s hearts and souls.
In Holy Words, the Sacraments, songs, thoughts, prayers from our lips, the Holy Spirit takes these seeds of life and plants them into the hearts of the people listening. Every seed carries the potential of salvation, hope, joy, healing and eternal life in it.

Good ground is hard to come by. Jesus delivers the message that the soil of the human heart can be rocky, bad, weedy, or sour. He says that the questions of life can choke out His Words or bitterness and a lack of love can stand between us and His joy. Still the seeds of His love are thrown our way. We have to accept them.

Consider this – there is no other real joy in life except for the love of Jesus in our lives. We were made to receive Him. If we miss that, we have missed the point of life – to grow into His likeness, as His children. St. Paul said that he considered every other concern in life nothing more than trash that got in the way, like a cluttered closet where we can’t find what we need anymore. Do you need to get rid of stones, weeds, thorns, etc. in order to get back to Him in the basics?

Even good soil requires care and maintenance. The good news is that we have a Good Gardener, the one who works patiently with us, building us up to that rich soil, that we may produce good fruit. May you trust in Him and be fruitful!

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost

2008-07-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

by The Rev. Debbie Royals
Ecumenical - The Episcopal Church

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Come to me, take my yoke, learn from me; I am gentle, humble in heart; you will find rest for your souls.

Hearing these readings on a day when many are still engaged in celebrating American Independence Day certainly brings to mind the symbolic freedoms associated with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Along with these celebrations there is a time for rest. It is a long weekend – three days of rest rather than the usual two-day weekend. This weekend brings to mind picnics, fireworks, and parades with patriotic overtones. Even though our country is made up of a diverse mix of people, nations, cultures, and languages, these readings and this holiday challenge us to engage in a full understanding of power and a complete surrender to God. They challenge us to question where our loyalties lie, but more importantly, we are challenged to understand that sin sometimes comes from inaction as surely as it comes from action. On this day we might even say that we are being challenged to free ourselves from the sinfulness of the world and to declare our lives in dependence to our God.

How often have we felt like Paul did in his letter to the Romans? No matter how hard we try to live according to the great commandments, to love God and love our neighbor, it doesn’t always turn out that way.

This is not because we are horrid, retched creatures, but because there is sin in the world. And sin is powerful. It is so powerful that sometimes we just withdraw from action and words, and we allow whatever is happening to happen. Our inaction becomes the sin, especially when we know that an injustice is causing suffering and causing separation between people and God.

Paul sounds like he is exhausted and in his desperation is unable to do any more to free himself from sin. His words suggest that maybe sin is lurking like a monster under the bed, just waiting to take us over.

Even in the gospel reading, Jesus reminds the crowd that some thought John was possessed with a demon, yet he lived a life of denial and simplicity. Jesus lived overturning injustices and unveiling the many ways that society’s attitudes and laws actually reflected sinfulness rather than loving God and loving neighbors. He pointed out that sin could come from twisting the law to cause loss of humanity and life. Paul’s cry of desperation is quickly calmed with his own acknowledgement that sin is defeated by God through our life in and with Jesus as our companion.

Jesus does not tell us that it is an easy task to be free of sin and follow him. In fact, there is a cost. The cost may even come from the place we have trusted and have pledged our loyalty. That is why it is so hard to understand what sin is, and often just as hard to know what love is as well.

So, even when our motives are on target, sin seems strong enough to destroy. And yet, sin cannot exist when we abide in Christ and Christ in us. When we transfer our loyalty from the material powers of the world to the infinite love of God we find ourselves experiencing the passionate expressions of love that we read about in today’s Old Testament reading and psalm. We are filled with a sense of blessing and abundance.

The answers to everything are found in the unexpected, and with that come both peace and joy. Paul’s cry of desperation is quickly calmed with his acknowledgement that sin is defeated by God through our life in and with Jesus as our companion. And no words, no matter how profound, can really describe love so that we or another can understand.

These readings both challenge and assure us. They hint at the profound simplicity of a life in Christ, and they serve as a mirror for us to examine our understanding of who we are along with how we are living. Our desire is to love God and to love our neighbor. When we do not love God and our neighbor, we are in sin.

Jesus gave us these most reassuring words: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Come to me, take my yoke, learn from me; I am gentle, humble in heart; you will find rest for your souls.

Let us come to God through Jesus. Let us take on the yoke of discipleship. Let us learn from Jesus. Be gentle, humble in heart and you will be at peace with all that God made.

The Rev. Debbie Royals is a regional missioner for Native Ministry Development, based in the Diocese of Los Angeles. She is the Province VIII Indigenous People's Network chair and a CREDO health faculty member.

God's Ways Are Not Our Ways

2008-06-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

by The Rev. Barbara Dyke, UMC

Reading: Genesis 21:8-21

We read in today’s scripture that Sarah was jealous of the son of Hagar the Egyptian. Even though it was Sarah’s idea for Abraham to sleep with her so that Abraham might have a son. Abraham and Sarah did not trust that God could do what God had promised. They took matters into their own hands to fulfill God’s promise to make Abraham a great nation.

How many times have we done the same thing? We pray to God and through discernment believe we know God’s will for us and then try to achieve what God wants for us, all the while leaving God out of the picture to accomplish our hopes and dreams. Every time we do this we end up creating a great mess. Sarah acts out of guilt for not trusting God, jealousy of Hagar’s son, fear of Isaac losing his inheritance demands that the boy and his mother be sent into the wilderness to die.

Yet, we see God step in and offer mercy to Hagar and her son. God has another solution in mind. Even though God told Abraham that he was going to have to accommodate the jealousy of Sarah, it is clear that God loved both Isaac and Ishmael. As the story unfolds we see that Ishmael, the child of his parents' unfaith, has a place in the love of God. God wants there to be a place for him in the world.

God demonstrates his love for both of Abraham’s sons. God loves both the chosen and the outcast. We can celebrate that God’s ways are not our ways. In God's eyes, everyone, every group, every nation, is a chosen people. We humans draw lines in the sand and find ways to hate or judge others because they are different, they somehow do not seem to be acceptable. Yet God once again demonstrates his love for all people. His love is not bound by our short-sightedness and jealousies.

As Christian we too are called to demonstrate that same kind of love. We are to treat all people as who they really are, children of God. May we see a glimpse of Christ in everyone we meet. May we call on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us stop looking for differences in people and see them as they really are, chosen children of God. Let us live the great commandment to love God and love our neighbor, whoever they may be. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Rev. Barbara Dyke, of San Angelo, Texas, is affiliated ecumenically with the AOCC and is an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church. She is currently the pastor of First United Methodist Church of Mertzon.

A Father's Love

2008-06-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

by Bishop Margo Wilson, BOSA

In Genesis 1:27 we find these words: “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Amplified Bible)

I like Paul Harvey’s definition of a father: “A father never feels worthy of the worship in a child’s eyes. He’s never quite the hero his daughter thinks, never quite the man his son believes him to be, and this worries him sometimes. So he works too hard to try and smooth out the rough places in the road for those of his own who will follow him. Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren’t nearly good enough, so they can have grandchildren who are smarter that anybody’s.”

God put the wholeness of who He really is and divided it between the male and the female. Together Mother’s and Father’s are a fine balance and representation of God. God reflects a side of His nature and identifies with both male and female.

Father’s exhibit the attributes of God in unconditional love, extreme patience, self sacrifice and nurturing care. Actually mother’s exhibit all these attributes also.

It seems sometimes that our father’s never quite get the accolades they deserve for their part in the life of a child. I am grateful to have had the father that God gave me. Even though he was not always a visible presence in my life, he showed love and nurturing toward me. It was seven years ago that I spoke my last words to him. I called him on Father’s Day to wish him a good day and to say I love you. He had not been inclined to speak that day, but he did say I love you to me. Those were the last words I heard him speak. Now I can only hear him in my heart and mind.

Our heavenly Father has always been there for me and I can only hear him in my heart and mind. How wonderful that we have that presence with us throughout our life’s journey. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us and His promises are true and never failing.

In times like these we must learn to hear our heavenly Father even more and trust more in Him and His promises to us. Let us celebrate on this Father’s Day, not only our earthly father’s lives and love, but most importantly, celebrate our heavenly Father’s presence and loving care.

The Most Rev. Theresa "Margo" Wilson is the Bishop of Colorado and Founder/Superior of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel.

Third Sunday after Pentecost

2008-06-01T00:01:00.001-05:00

Obtaining Heaven

by The Rev. Jason Tardiff, BOSA

Who gets to heaven? How do you get to heaven? Those are the questions that have plagued Christians and Christianity since its institution. And there is no real answer.

Some would say that believing in Jesus and living a righteous life would would earn you a way into heaven. Others would say that belief alone, is not enough it is through actions in Christ's name that get you in.

According to Matthew 7:21-27, just proclaiming Jesus is Lord and doing 'mighty' deeds in his name won't earn you a pass to heave. "Huh?" you might say. You would say 'I believe and great and wonderful things in the name of the Lord.' 'I give millions to charity' etc. But what about the simple things? Things like helping an elderly person out of a store when he or she is struggling with his/her bags. The simple smile to a neighbor in the morning, etc.

It is neither the grandeur and gusto that we proclaim the Gospel which earns us the favor of heaven nor is it simply living the Gospel. It is the intent in our minds and our hearts as we go proclaiming and living the life Christ has meant for us that grants us a better chance into heaven.

Take the words of Christ and his actions, make them a part of your life much like the breath you breathe. When do this and follow his guidance you will build a good foundation for your life and your life in the here after. In doing so you would “build your house on a rock” rather than “sand”.

Amen

Father Tardiff is a Benedictine and Oblate Priest of the Order of St. Michael the Archangel. He is the co-director of Guadalupe House in Bedford, TX and the Chancellor of the Diocese of Texas. He is also the national treasurer of the Benedictine Order.

Feast of Corpus Christi

2008-05-25T00:00:00.002-05:00

Prosperity and Faith
by The Rev. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, MGC

I don’t want to sound like a televangelist at 2 am in the morning when you can’t sleep; but I will.

In Deuteronomy God tells us to “keep and live out the entire commandment that I am commanding you today so that you’ll live and prosper and enter and own the land that God promised to your ancestors.”

The road the Israelites traveled was recalled: 40 years in the desert, pushed to their limits, no water, no food, nothing.

God provided manna, a bread like substance; and also brought forth water from a rock.

The moral of this story is to keep the commandments of God, walk the road God shows you and reverently respect God. God will bring you to a good land, a land with brooks, and rivers, springs and lakes, streams out of the hills and through the valleys. It has wheat and barley, vines and figs, pomegranates, olives, oil and honey. We will never go hungry; food is always on the table and a roof over our head. We will get iron out of the rocks and copper from the hills.

However, after we take in this abundance, don’t forget God. Give God thanks.

Don’t become so full of yourself based on your abundance that God is forgotten. God delivered us from slavery.

In our Gospel, John tells us that Jesus told us, “Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life. I am the bread of life. Anyone who eats this bread will not die, ever. Anyone who eats this bread will live, and forever. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”

On this feast of Corpus Christi, latin for the body of Christ, remember to thank our God at every meal for the food presented and those who prepared it. Also remember, as we receive the Eucharist, that we give thanks to our God for continuing to take care of us as we travel in our desert which we call “life.”

Thank you Jesus, for feeding us.

Amen

Trinity Sunday

2008-05-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

"Celebrating the Trinity"

by The Rev. Thomas Squiers

According to Emily Dickenson, you speak the truth best by telling it at a "slant." Now, she probably wasn't thinking about the Holy Trinity when she wrote that line. But it sure fits. Too often, on Trinity Sunday, preachers feel the need to explain the Holy Trinity. Men and women who normally wouldn't be caught dead with props in the pulpit suddenly show up on Trinity Sunday with all kinds of strange things. They show up with an egg - shell, white and yoke - or an apple to represent tree, fruit and seed. If the preacher has just finished seminary there may be a review of church councils and the development of the creeds. But as important as it is to have sound theology, sometimes trying to explain the Trinity just gets in the way.

Archbishop William Temple once said:

Revelation is never a matter of doctrines about God - although such doctrines may be drawn up later on the basis of revelation. Revelation itself is always a direct knowledge of an experience of God.

The doctrine of the Trinity began as an experience. It began when some everyday people - fisher folk, tax collectors, even women of the evening - encountered a man named Jesus. Gradually they experienced Jesus as acting like God - teaching with authority, healing, raising the dead, changing people and transforming lives. Yet they heard him speaking to the One he called "Abba" - the one they had always known as the God of Israel. Finally, they experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

It would take the church 400 years to hammer out the details of this experience, but it began with their relationship to Jesus. The truth of the Holy Trinity is a truth that every generation must finally experience for themselves, and like the first experience, it begins with Jesus.

Fr. Grant Gallup, a priest in Nicaragua, says that the symbol for the Trinity shouldn't be a triangle with one point higher than the others, but a circle. After all, tradition teaches that none of the three persons "is greater, or less than, another." Gallup pictures the Trinity as a circle - a community of Love that invites all of us to join in their dance. Paul starts his final blessing to the Corinthians, says Gallup, with "The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," - because this is the place where the circle was broken so we could join in the dance.

How do we experience the Presence of the Trinity today? We experience God's Presence in creation - when we stand in awe before a mountain range, the graceful flight of birds or the face of a newborn child. We experience God's Presence as "Abba" when we are accepted just as we are and welcomed home from our prodigal ways. We experience God's Presence in Christ when our dead lives are resurrected - when we ourselves are so healed and transformed that we can only speak of having been "saved." We experience God's Presence as Holy Spirit when total strangers worship as one - united in love and filled with great joy. We experience God's Presence in the church when the work we are given to do is filled with a power greater than our own.

In the Gospel from Matthew tells us of the Great Commission. Jesus sends out the Eleven telling them to baptize in "the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This is not just a formulaic saying. To the Hebrew mind someone's name stood for the entire person. As I was told in a healing class once, to pray in the name of Jesus means to pray in the person of Jesus - to pray as Jesus would pray, seeing things as Jesus does. It means to put on "that mind which is in Christ Jesus" and to pray with his authority, his love and his compassion. In the same way, to baptize in the name of the Father and in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit means to baptize as they would with their love, authority and power.

If we are called to baptize in the name of the Trinity, then we must know and experience that Trinity at the deepest level of our beings. Our own experience of the Trinity can be deepened through prayer. The prayers and spirituality of our Anglo and Western Catholic and Celtic Christian heritage can point the way.

Celtic spirituality is a corporate spirituality with a deep sense of connectedness to the earth, to the human family, even to generations of family stretching back in time. It speaks of harmony, unity, interrelationship, and interdependence. The God whom the Celtic peoples know is above all the Trinitarian God. Their prayers are to the God whose very essence is three persons bound in a unity of love. Theirs is not a remote, distant or inaccessible God, but a Trinity that is present and near.

The Welsh writer, Morgan Llwyd, put it well when he said:

The Trinity abides with us exactly the same as the ore in the earth, or a man in
his house, or a child in the womb, or a fire in a stove, or the sea in a
well or as the soul is in the eye, so is the Trinity in the godly.

The Celtic peoples filled their daily life and work with prayers to the Trinity. Prayers were said while milking a cow or laying a fire of peat. A typical blessing for a traveler went something like this:

Be the great God between thy two shoulders
To protect thee in thy going and in thy coming,
Be the son of Mary Virgin near thine heart,
And be the perfect Spirit upon thee pouring---
Oh, the perfect Spirit upon thee pouring.

We, too, can fill our daily lives with Trinitarian prayer. We can give thanks to God, the Creator, when we create by gardening, cooking, painting or writing. We can give thanks to God the Son when we give or receive the grace of a gift totally undeserved. We can commend to God the Holy Spirit relationships that need strengthening, works that need empowering, lives that need more joy.

Our God is both mystery and as close as our own breath. As we pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit may those words wrap themselves around our hearts. May they dwell, not only in our heads, but in our daily lives. May we know that Trinitarian Presence from personal experience. May we join in that circle - that dance, that perfect community of Love. And may "the grace of our lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit" be with us all.

Amen.

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Rev. Thomas Squiers of Fort Worth, Texas. Father Squiers is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Texas and Co-director of Merton House in Bedford and operates an online prayer ministry "Let Us Pray!"

Pentecost Sunday

2008-05-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

by The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele
Archbishop, American Orthodox Catholic Church, Western Rite

We celebrate Pentecost Sunday with a traditional wish of "Happy Birthday", for this day is regarded as the official birthday of the church.

You know the story: the apostles were in the upper room, locked up out of fear and for safety. Mary, Jesus' mother [who was] probably with them, when a great wind occurred and what we interpret as tongues of fire appeared on the heads of those who were there. Today if you look at the headdress of a bishop, it might remind you of the tongue of fire, as bishops are the successors of the apostles.

We further read that Peter, full of the Spirit, suddenly became courageous, stepped outside and began to preach great tidings of joy to anyone who would listen, and to help things along, the Holy Spirit gave him the gift of speaking in different languages simultaneously.

Scripture further tells of conversions to the faith that day. The Holy Spirit was at work that day giving impetus to Christ's Bride the Church. Not to take away anything from the Holy Spirit, but just to mention that it seems Mary is in the picture for every important moment in the life of the Lord, and the Church. She is the Mother of the Church and along with the Holy Spirit, continually works to bring us closer to Jesus and the the Father. Recently there was an announcement coming from a rural mountain area in France that alleged apparitions were recently approved for the faithful.This tells us Mary is still working along side the Spirit to bring life to the Church.

I know I am stretching things a bit if I say that the Feast of Pentecost can also be secondarily regarded as a feast of Mary, but we know wherever you find Mary, that's where you'll find Jesus as well.

Happy Pentecost (Happy Birthday!)

This Sunday's sermon is given by Archbishop Joseph J. Raffaele, who serves as Metropolitan Primate of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Western Rite. Archbishop Raffaele is also the Rector of St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Long Island, New York.

The Last Sunday of Easter Season

2008-05-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

Church
by The Most. Rev. Margo Wilson

In anticipation of our coming birthday of the church, let us examine who, what and why we have a church. The Greek word for church is ekklesia which also means assembly. This can refer to any gathering of people. An assembly or gathering of people who believe in the good news about Jesus Christ, have been shown God’s purpose and have been chosen to do God’s will in the world is what we commonly call “church."

The Church belongs to Jesus Christ who is its head. The Greek word for Lord is kyrios, so the Church is also called kyriakon, which means "belonging to the Lord." Kyriakon is the basis for the English word, church.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Luke paints a picture of the early Christian community three times. He notes that immediately after the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, the apostles gathered around themselves a small group of the Lord’s disciples. In a way, this was the prototype church. (Acts 1:12-14).

This gathering took place in Jerusalem, not far from Mount Olivet, from which Jesus had ascended into Heaven. The apostles then stayed in an upper room somewhere in the city to tarry as the Lord had instructed them to do for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to note that this first official gathering took place around the apostles. Luke thus proceeds to name them: they are the Church. Others were also present including some women. They are not numbered nor named yet mentioned in the Scripture as a part of the gathering.

The atmosphere of this community was like that of a retreat. We hear nothing of the conversations that must have occurred. Not a word is said about any feelings, doubts, or regrets. There was a silence from which the future was to grow. This first congregation included people from all walks of life, men, women, professionals (such as Doctor Luke), fishermen, and any others who had followed Jesus around in His earthly ministry years. They simply devoted themselves with one accord to prayer. Unity of hearts, fraternal communion, and devotion to prayers are characteristics of the early Christian community.

The Church is also referred to as the “body of Christ” in 1 Cor. 1:12, 27-31. In 1 Peter, the writer refers to the people who make up the Church as “God’s chosen and special people” and “a group of royal priests and a holy nation”. In John, the Church is described as a flock of sheep belonging to the Good Shepherd. John 15:1-16 refers to the Church as the branches of Jesus, the true vine.

After the first generation of the apostles was gone, the Church gradually became more structured in its organization, with clear leadership roles and rules for the behavior of its members clearly defined. Descriptions of this organization begin to appear in letters like Ephesians, 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus, and in the writings of second century church leaders known as the Apostolic Fathers. It was then that leaders called in Greek episkopoi (sometimes translated as bishops) were appointed to oversee the work of the churches.

We are instructed in Hebrews 10:25 to never forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. As we approach the day of Pentecost, let us remember once again that since Our Lord ascended into Heaven and we await His next coming, let us be in one accord and devote our times together in prayer, communion and unity of hearts.

“One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, That I may gaze upon the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate His temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

This Sunday's sermon is by The Most Rev. Margo Wilson, Bishop of Colorado. Bishop Wilson is the founder and Superior of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel. She is also the Rector of Good Shepherd of the Hills Cathedral in Pueblo. Her national title is Regional Coadjutor to the Metropolitan Primate of the American Orthodox Catholic Church.

Feast of the Ascension

2008-05-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

"A Time of Great Expectations"

by The Rev. Barbara Dyke
San Angelo, TX

The disciples are full of joy as they return to Jerusalem after seeing Jesus ascend into heaven. They gathered together and devoted themselves to prayer. Throughout the entire reading of ACTS 1:4-14 there contains a certain feel of expectance. With this in mind, let us consider some specific instances where expectancy is implied.

In Acts 1:5: "For John baptized with water but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Something is about to happen that has never happened before. This baptism of the Holy Spirit will be different than John’s water baptism. John’s baptism was commonly practiced by the Jews for generations. It symbolized religious purification. John had baptized both Jews and Gentiles from a tradition symbolizing moral purification for the approaching Kingdom of God. John’s baptism would prepare those who were baptized to meet the "Day of the Lord," but Jesus is now promising something different, a baptism with the Holy Spirit.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit consists not in symbolic gestures of purification, but in the receiving of "power." It does not ordain anybody for, or against, the future but rather manifests itself in a spiritual experience in the present. There is an element of expectation contained in the selected scripture by the phrase, "you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now."

The disciples are still expecting the restoration of Israel. Jesus responds instead by informing them that it is not for them to know all the mysteries of God, but they are encouraged with the promise of receiving the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples are still focused on earthly desires instead of God’s kingdom.

As they return to Jerusalem they devote themselves to prayer. It is safe to assume that their prayers contained expectancy. Expectancy for what? What did it mean to be baptized by the Holy Spirit?

Today we too come to be in prayer and worship God. We gather and pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to mold us and strengthen us for God’s glory here on earth. For it is through Christ that we are one in the Spirit. John Wesley explains that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are transformed to be more like Christ.

It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are called to be the church. Jesus gave us the command to love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. For us to be faithful to this command we need the power of the Holy Spirit. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that God’s kingdom materializes here on earth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit there is no limit to what we can accomplish. Lets us be in an attitude of expectancy as we, like the disciples, wait for the new things God is doing through our baptism by the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Rev. Barbara Dyke is a United Methodist minister and lives in San Angelo, Texas. She is part of Ecumenical Relations with the Diocese of Texas and has participated on both the state and national level of events and celebrations in the American Orthodox Catholic Church. Currently, she is the pastor of First United Methodist Church of Mertzon in Mertzon, Texas.

The Sixth Sunday in Eastertide

2008-04-27T08:00:00.005-05:00

This Sunday's sermonette is by Sister Kandis Glasgow of Colorado. Kandis is a Third Order Oblate in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel. She is the Former Missionary to New Zealand and is currently the Chairperson of Missions for the Order.

My name is Kandis Glasgow. I am not an expert on religion. I am not an educated spiritual leader of any kind so the words I say are only the thoughts and ideas of a person in love with Christ Jesus. My opinions are my own. I pray that the words I say touch your life and if you disagree with me I hope that you wrestle with my ideas and concepts as I do. Be wise in your study and question every thing you read. Bless your heart, mind, soul and spirit in the Glorious Name of our Savior, Yeshua Jesus. Amen

From the Holy Scriptures in the Book of Acts.
17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands,
17:25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things.

It is not God who is served by human hands. God has no need of our service. What an interesting concept. All throughout the Church we see the I.H.S In His Service acronym. In sermon after sermon we are encouraged and admonished to 'serve God'. Work for God. Do for God. Be for God. It seems that the very center of all this 'following' of God that we do is service to God. I have said many times in my past that 'I serve God'. The real question comes to mind as I read Paul's sermon to the Athenians is this, if I God doesn't need my service where does that leave me? Are all these things that I do, which I call service, for naught? Have I done these small things for no reason? In the words of Paul, "God forbid." Of course the service is for good. All good deeds are for good and good alone. Our good deeds show our faith in Jesus Christ. But if God in not in need of our service, then what are we to suppose?

I have thought on this question many times. I have had many different views when it comes to service, but one thought that has made a great deal of sense to me is that service is NOT for God, but for worship. Yes, there are more purposes for service, but this in the one I wish to address at the moment I believe that God's desire is for us to Serve in His name as He has served us through the example of Jesus. The works of our hands that are for the benefit of those around us sing praises to God in a voice louder than any choir could produce. My hands clothing the naked or feeding the hungry prove my love and thankfulness to a God whose grace is beyond my understanding. I worship Him in service.

Paul said that though he could speak with the tongues of men and angels, but had not love he was but a clanging cymbal or gong. The love he is speaking of in this passage is the Greek word agapeo or unconditional love in action. He is saying that no matter how holy I might consider myself or how others might see me, without that serving, active love of others I am not worshiping the God who saved me. The praise that is coming from my lips is made to be a lie. If my hands do not move to help, clothe, feed or quench in the name of God, then I do not understand the mercy that is offered me each and every moment I take a breath.

James 2:18 says I will show you my faith by my deeds. He didn't say I am going to show you my faith by preaching to you, condemning you or showing you how much scripture I can quote. No, he said my faith has produced a desire to serve. The God who has give me life eternal is so amazing that I want you to know Him and His love through my works. When a person of service says, "Praise the Lord!" those words have a meaning and reverberate with truth! And how do we know this? Because there is proof in his hands. His hands in service have already proven the words of worship that come from his heart.

Our actions are the first thing by which we as Christians are judged. Are we living testaments in our places of work? Do our neighbors know that we are Christians by our deeds and not our bumper stickers or bible thumping? I would implore you to service not FOR God but BECAUSE of God. Just as we sing Praises to the name of Jesus let us lift our hands to Him in service.

I want to end with a quote that was sent to me via e-mail. "I saw the children starving and screamed at God until I realized that the starving children were God screaming at me."

I implore you today to worship God for all He has done,
Through the service we give for Him and His Son.
Amen.

Sitting At The Big Person's Table

2008-04-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

by The Rev. Father Don Dunavant, BOSA
San Angelo, TX

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you to myself, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. Where I am you also may be." John 14:1-4 (New American Bible)

Do you remeber your [childhood] home? Was it wooden, brick or stucco? What do you remember [about] your home? What is the difference between a house and a home? A house refers to the physical aspects of your home. A home refers to what makes the house a home. We think of our homes as places of love with warmth, security, and protection.

When you look at this passage of scripture in various versions, you will see that there are various intrepretations of the phrase dwelling places. These dwelling places are refered to as rooms, abodes, mansions and opportunities.

What was your favorite room in your house? Why?

In our home the kitchen was the favorite room. It was the place where things were happening. We would meet there in the morning to receive love and blessings and to get our day started in a postive way. It was full of love, hugs and kisses plus we got breakfast to get out days started right. The kitchen was the hub of the home. It was where we received our sustance to feed our physical bodies and our souls. It was a place of prayer. It was a place where we would discuss the events of our day.

I was blessed to have been part of a time when fast food was not the norm of the day. I can remember on ocassion the smell of bread baking in the oven, the various smells of garlic, onions peppers and tomatoes cooking as they became chili, stew or soup. Then there was Sunday morning when my mother had the unique talent of being able to cook lunch in the oven as we were going to church. When we came home for lunch after church the meal would be cooked. The kitchen would also be filled with the smells of cookies, cakes and pies being baked in the oven.

I also know there are people that remember their homes filled with many not so wonderful memories. There is the ghosts of abuse, physical pain, emotional, mental and sexual. But the good news is, that will not be the way it will be in our Father's house. It will be better than we can imagine.

Around our table there was lots of love and laughter. There were times of celebration. We had family reuions and birthday celebrations. It was also filled with music. We would have singing after church. We would sing the songs of the church that brought us joy and comfort.

When you were a small child you did not get to sit at the table with the adults. If you were a baby you got sit in a high chair. But if you could feed youself all the childs had their own table to sit and eat. When you became a teenager a place was made for you at the table where the grown ups ate. The food seemed to taste better than it did at the little kids table. But it was the same food.

When we come to Lord's table we must remember that it is His table. It belongs to Him. It is not about us, but Him. It is open to all believers. It is us to be inclusive of all God's children. We are after all a child of the King and we deserve to be treated that way. When we gather around the Lord's table we all have sacred worth. We are loved and accepted as who we are and whose we are.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. It will not be a good starter home. It will not be a fixer upper. It will not be a flipper home. We will not have to invest any money in this home.

Jesus has already paid the price.

Thanks be to God. This is the Word of the Lord for His people this day.
Thanks be to God. Amen and amen.

Awakening and the Work That Comes With It

2008-04-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

This Sunday's sermon is by The Rev. Thomas Squiers of Fort Worth. Father Squiers is an Oblate Priest of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel and co-director of Our Lady of Guadalupe House. He is also the chaplain of Integrity Fort Worth and also serves as the Webmaster of the AOCC.

Today’s reading that I would like to focus on is the first reading, Acts 2:42-47.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

The reason why I want to focus on this reading is because of the image of the followers of Christ of the early Church that I saw also reminded me of when I entered into a new relationship with Christ at an early age.

I began my walk in the Christian Faith in a large, Protestant denomination in which seemed rather difficult for me to explore and question anything about the religion itself. Questioning the faith, questioning the pastor, questioning the Sunday School teacher meant that I had a lack of faith (in their point of view).

When I was 15, I left that denomination and entered the Episcopal Church. It was the first time that I had ever participated in liturgical worship. It was the first time that I ever participated in a worship service where both the clergy and the people in the congregation had specific roles and read the prayers and other parts of the liturgy together. It was new, it was fresh – and what’s more: I was allowed to question and explore this Faith I was born into.

This new awakening in my soul was so exciting. I loved the worship and the prayers, that I practiced my private devotions each day with my prayer book and the Scriptures. I attended the Eucharist and the Bible studies every week. It was as if I had found true salvation, even though five years earlier I walked down an aisle in a Baptist Church (as everyone else was doing that night) and was saved.

Salvation. Being Saved. Many churches use those terms and I am not sure that they know what they mean. I personally believe that it means saved from ourselves and the nabbing of this world’s vices and placed in the center of Christ with an opportunity to make Christ the very center of our lives. It is not a marketing tool to gain new members of the Christian denomination; rather, it is very much about a new beginning for the life of one who wants to pursue a deep, meaningful and personal relationship with Christ.

Personal relationship. It has always been interesting to me the number of churches who tell people that they need to have a personal relationship with Christ. What is even more baffling is that those churches often interfere with the individual’s relationship and try to introduce a formula so that each person’s relationship is the same as everyone else’s in the church. That’s not a personal relationship. Personal relationships with Christ means that you and Christ have established something that no one else can partake of nor manipulate. My relationship Christ and how I relate to Christ and my personal belief in Christ may very well be different from the Christian standing next to me. And that is okay. We are unique children of God with unique needs from one another. That is what makes Christianity special, I believe. We can even see that in how Christ related with each of the Apostles.

The people of the early Church had specific needs. They needed something new in their lives and they needed hope. They found that hope in the teachings of the Apostles and other followers of Christ. They even, as the Scriptures say, spent a lot of time in the temples celebrating the Eucharist and tithing. They were excited to be there – to worship as one.

Then, the scriptures say that the people had goodwill of all the people and were blessed by God with more numbers added to the fold. You may be asking why your ministry has not grown or why your church is so small. Perhaps the question you should be asking is what has your faith community done on an ongoing basis to reach out to EVERYONE, leaving no one out.

Today we are reminded of the evangelism of the early Church and that being part of a church is more than sitting in a pew or even taking communion. It is more than serving on the Altar Guild or the Vestry. It is more than wearing a collar around your neck or a mitre on your head. Today’s reading is a reminder that we are blessed by the goodwill we show to all of the people everywhere. It is a reminder of that excitement the new Christians had in serving the Christ and that we should remember our first time or those instances when we were excited about our praise and worship of Christ. In that memory we should revisit it often and bring it back into being time and time again. Going through the motions at church doesn’t cut it – you have to also actively participate in the Christian life by giving to others, the church and the world.

May the Lord reveal to us those who we must show goodwill to in our own paths, help us to be more diligent in our faith, and give us the abundance of His mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

3rd Sunday after Easter: Walking With Strangers

2008-04-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

This Sunday's sermon is by The Rev. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, mgc. Father Devlin lives in Las Vegas, NV, and heads up the San Damiano ministries in both Las Vegas and Amarillo, TX. He is a professed brother of the Mercy of God Community.

Easter is perhaps now a distant memory. We need to focus that Easter is that, a Season. We could not experience all that happened that resurrection day in one of our natural days.

Here we are in the second week hence, hearing stories of Jesus’ appearance to those he loved.

Today we hear of Cleopas and presumably Simon, walking along, downcast recalling the things that just happened. Their world caved in, their best friend was just crucified. He promised they would never die and now he has succumbed to death. There is word that his tomb is empty and he is alive.

They meet a stranger on the road to Emmaus, which is approximately 7 miles from Jerusalem.

They speak to him of what happened, as if he did not know! They spoke of their love for him. The stranger admonished them to remember what the prophets of old have said. He then went through all the scriptures recalling what they had foretold from Moses to Joel.

When they had reached Emmaus the stranger indicated that he had to go further on. The two invited him to stay the night. He accepted, and at dinner when he blessed the bread for the meal, they knew he was Jesus, the Lord.

It takes awhile to walk 7 miles. For one of Jesus’ best friends not to recognize him, makes me curious. Did he not look the same? Were there scales on their eyes? They knew that their hearts were on fire as they walked with him, and he seemed to know the scriptures personally.

That is our mission; we are walking to Emmaus, every day. Meeting people who join us for the journey. Do we see our Lord in them? Do we recognize that which is unrecognizable, that the Holy Spirit has a temple in each of us?

I think we know Jesus is in our lives and presents himself in unrecognizable ways. I was just at a retreat in a Carmelite retreat house, where we all acknowledged presences in our lives where we believed it was Jesus among us. This bible story tells us it is the way it is. Jesus is here. He is with us.

Jesus, thank you for walking with us….

Amen

Faith In Times of Doubt

2008-03-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today's sermon is written by The Rev. Thomas Squiers in Fort Worth, Texas. Father Squiers is an Oblate Priest in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel (BOSA) in which he co-directs the Benedictine House of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He is also the Vicar General of the Diocese of Texas and works ecumenically with the Episcopal Church as the Chaplain and Co-convener of Integrity Fort Worth.

I began my walk in Faith in the Southern Baptist Church. I can remember a hymn that we sung many times in which the words said "place your hands in the nail-scarred hand." Today's Gospel reading is about placing our hand in the nail-scarred hand of Jesus as we are reflected by St. Thomas the Apostle's all too familiar words, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

I often think that St. Thomas is truly the one Apostle that each of us can identify the most with. We see his very human response to the other Apostles and followers of Christ who had already witnessed Christ's nature back in the flesh after His ressurrection. Thomas saw Christ beaten and nailed to a cross. He only knew of a Master who had died and had been lain in a tomb. Though Christ had already told His followers that he would be back with them again, that is just a little difficult to believe for Thomas. Keep in mind, Thomas (like the rest of the Apostles) was from a Jewish family and the talk of resurrection was still a new concept - even for an Apostle of Christ!

Jesus appeared in the room where His followers were and told Thomas to place his finger both in the scars in his hands and the wound in his side. "Do not doubt but believe." After Thomas does as his Lord instructs him to, he cries out, "My Lord and my God!"

I think it is important for each of us to look daily for the blessings and presence of Jesus in our lives each moment of the day. Though we may not be able to see Jesus with our natural eyes, why do we possess this need to physically touch Him to believe or even be reminded of His presence?

We are too settled in our comfortable, human bodies that many times we fail to rise up and take recognition that Christ is truly present in this world today. The problem is that we fail to recgonize the opportunities He gives us to see Him. How we come to "see" Jesus is through the many forms of ministry and outreach that each of us are called to. The beggar in the street, the shut-in, the AIDS victim, the junkie - this is how we see Jesus. This is how we recognize Him in this world. These are the ministries He has given us.

After Thomas realized that Jesus had indeed come back to them as he promised, Jesus then said to Thomas, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Today, Jesus calls us to believe even in times of doubt. While there is suffering, war, famine, disease, hunger, pain, killings, hate, prejudices, and all forms of injustice, Christ is with us. Let us not forget that Jesus is the Emmanuel, which in Hebrew means "God with us" (el, meaning "God" and Immanu meaning "with us). Let us place our hand in the nail scarred hands of life that Christ has given us in our true ministry - proclaiming His resurrection and brining others to know, love and serve Him.

Let us pray:
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

2008-03-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Easter sermon is by The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele, Archbishop of the AOCC. Archbishop Raffaele is also the Rector of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Great in Long Island and is also part of the Chevaliers de Notre Dame.

Friends:

Take a ride with me back several centuries to an ancient land, specifically to a garden, which was not far away from a hillside where there stood three crosses. The weather on that first Good Friday was variable, with lightning, heavy rains, and even some quaking of the earth. People in the area thought it was the end of the world.

This morning, however, seems different. It's a pleasant, sunny, though quiet morning. You can hear birds chirping, singing their songs happily. You and I are standing behind this huge boulder in the garden. We are watching a young woman dressed in mourning clothes, a bit disheveled, hair undone and messy. She looks worn out like she hasn't had any sleep in two days. Her facial features
tell us she's been crying alot. Oops! Stay behind the boulder with me, we don't want to be seen!

What's this!? There 's a man there suddenly showing up from no where. He's outside a rolled back stone from what appears to be a tomb. The woman sees him and calls out to him....Hmmm.....interesting dialogue.....she thinks he knows something about the man who was buried in the tomb. She's upset that the body isn't there. She begs this man for help to find her dead friend. The man just turned around to her and called her by name: Mary! Wow, look at her...what a transformation, she is so happy. It is the Lord ! He tells her to go to his disciples and tell them he is alive and will see them soon.

Oops, too late, we've been spotted! The man turns around to us. He looks at us, He smiles, He winks, and suddenly vanishes. You and I know who that is: it is Jesus. He is truly risen just as he said. Our salvation has been secured. Heaven is now ours again, thanks to our Savior and our King!

Happy Easter!

The Lord's Passion: Good Friday

2008-03-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Today's sermon is by The Most Rev. Theresa Margaret Wilson, Bishop of Colorado and founding director of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel. Bisohp Wilson is also the Rector of Good Shepherd of the Hills Church in Pueblo, Colorado.

Perhaps one of the most paradoxical thoughts in all of Christendom is that of how Our Lord’s death and passion on a Roman cross is powerful, glorious and victorious. In our humanness we would think that such a death would be a sign of extreme weakness – the Lord having not said a word in His own defense – and certainly anything but glorious and victorious.

For those of us who have followed Our Lord for many years, this day of the church year is most significant in its glory and victory. We know from our studies and our own personal experiences in life that the cross has brought great glory into our lives and certainly given us victory over sin and death.

When the Lord stretched His hands out that day, He drew all men to Him and the veil in the temple was torn, the Holy of Holies left open, prophecy fulfilled, and the law gave way to the gospel. His cross is the source of every blessing and grace in our lives.

As we celebrate Good Friday in Pueblo, we will be taking a walk through the Stations of the Cross. There are many good meditations to use for this service and I trust that each one of you will either find a service to attend and/or use a meditation of your own in your own space to dwell upon this glorious time in history.

The cross of Christ is a sign not of death but of the good news – the gospel – of life, hope, serenity, and the guarantee of eternal life. Today let us celebrate this means of our salvation. It has been the source of countless blessings; it has shone on us when we were in darkness. It reconciles us with God. How glorious! How victorious!

Read John’s account of the passion (John 18:1-19:42) and experience the depth of this mysterious time.

May God’s richest blessings be upon you and yours during this glorious Easter season.

In Remembrance of Me: Maundy Thursday

2008-03-20T14:46:00.001-05:00

Today's sermon is by The Rev. Thomas Squiers of the Diocese of Texas. Father Squiers is Vicar General of the Diocese and also serves as an Oblate in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel.

Today is the fifth day of Passion Week or Holy Week, known as Maundy Thursday. The word 'maundy' comes from the Latin mandatum, or mandate. The word mandate is defined as to order or to require (the root word of mandatory).

There are several elements that take place on this day in the Scriptures in the final moments in the life of our Savior. These moments are acted out in our worship services. The most important act is that of his instituting the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Jesus had gathered with his followers for one last time prior to the crucifixion in a place called the upper room, which was more like a loft. They shared a meal together. When they finished their meal, Jesus took a piece of bread and said to them, metaphorically, that "This is my body given for you, when you eat of it, remember me." Then he took a cup of wine and said similar words "This is my blood given for you, when drink this, remember me."

Can you imagine what it was like sitting there listening to those words? Can you imagine the confusion of His followers trying to grasp what the Master was saying? When we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we present the bread and the wine as "gifts," as we say "Here, O Lord, we present these gifts of bread and wine..." The bread and the wine are indeed gifts. They are gifts of God for the people of God. The Sacrament represents Christ, broken through the Crucifixion, sacrificed for all of humanity yet given freely for our redemption.

Remember Me. We are called to remember that which Christ bestowed upon us, an act of God's grace, the outward and visible sign which we take unto ourselves so that we may...remember.

After the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, the Altar is stripped of the linens and everything is removed from the chancel. The candles are extinguished and removed, including the sanctuary lamp. The light is gone as are the appointments. What we are left with is an empty apse. The moment is intense for we know what happens next. This sets the stage for Gethsemane and Golgotha.

As we celebrate Maundy Thursday, let us remember this is the day that Christ gave us elements of bread and wine for a purpose. It is through the Holy Sacrament that we are called to partake in the full ministry of Christ, as believers, as followers. It is in this bread and this wine, this body and this blood that we are restored, healed and delivered.

Let us pray:
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

2008-03-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

This Sunday's sermon is by The Rev. Barbara Dyke, a United Methodist minister in San Angelo, Texas, who is part of Ecumenical Relations with the Diocese of Texas. "Pastor Barbara" serves as the minister of First United Methodist Church of Mertzon.

Palm Sunday is a moment of triumph as we read about Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem. But why is it triumphant?

It was a triumph for us today because Jesus was faithful to his Heavenly Father. Jesus understood the big picture at what was at stake when he rode into Jerusalem. Jesus knew that it was more important to satisfy God’s will than the crowd’s desire.
The crowds cheered for a Messiah that would free them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. They wanted someone that would solve all their problems. They wanted a miracle.

For Jesus Palm Sunday was just another temptation. The crowds offered a different possibility than what God had planned for Jesus. Just think how easy it would have been for Jesus to get caught up in the crowd’s desires. He had the popularity and enough followers; he could have organized a revolt against the Romans and may have even been successful. He could have followed the cheers and sought his own glory that was offered by the crowd that yelled Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Fortunately for us, Jesus held fast to the way of the cross. The cross was not what the crowd wanted. If Jesus had gone for fame and glory there would be no Maundy Thursday, or Good Friday, or Easter Sunday.

Jesus followed God’s plan. It was not the popular plan; no body was looking to have their sins forgiven. No body wanted life eternal; they wanted to be freed from the immediate slavery to Roman and nothing else. That is the trouble with mans vision vs. God’s plan. We always want immediate solutions. We are not all that concerned with life eternal. We can not see the big picture. We only see what seems to be in front of us at the moment. We think we have all the answers yet we see very little of what God has in store for us.

Fortunately for us, Jesus saw the whole picture when everyone around him seemed to be looking at the wrong map. Jesus saw the map to the cross while the crowd was looking at a map that had no future.

Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing that he would die on a cross. Jesus knew he would lay down his life so that you and I today might be freed from the slavery of sin and death.

So whose plans are we follow today? We have heard the answer many times. Our light, our map is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The answer is Jesus. Jesus is God’s light into the world. Jesus laid down his life for us so that we might have eternal life, free from sin and death. We can rest in the assurance that God is with us and there is nothing that can separate us from our Heavenly Father. Jesus knew that, and was able to stand up against temptation; he was able to ride into Jerusalem toward a cross.

Life in the Spirit

2008-03-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today's sermon is by The Rev. Thomas Squiers of Fort Worth, Texas. He is the co-director of Guadalupe House in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel and is also the current chaplain of Integrity Fort Worth, working ecumenically with the Episcopal Church. Father Squiers is also the webservant for the AOCC.

Today's readings are interesting in that each of are about resurrection and a glimpse of eternal life. It is not so much about the ressurrection of Christ that we see in today's readings, but that of our own.

In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah says, "Thus says the Lord God: O my peope, I will open your graves and have you rise from them..." This section then goes on to read "...I will put my spirit in you that you may live...." If we look at the Epistle for today, we see an interesting comparison in which St. Paul is telling the Church in Rome that "...you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you."

It is interesting to note that Isaiah is telling us that God will place his spirit in us and yet Paul is indicating that we already have the Spirit in us. But look closely at how spirit is used. At one point, we see the word spirit in small caps and when Scripture refers to the aspect of God, the word is then capitalized. So, 'spirit' then would refer to a regeneration or a movement of being while 'Spirit' would refer to that personality of God, also called the Holy Ghost who is part of the Trinity.

So what does all of this disection have to do with anything? It is important to understand how to apply the usage of language and words especially when dealing with Scripture. We already know that Christ, the Human aspect of God IS resurrection, for He says "I am the Ressurection and the life..." But we BECOME part of that resurrection when the Spirit of God regenerates the spirit or the soul that we were born with. So then we see that these graves that shall be opened are perhaps not plots in a graveyard, but are the daily trappings of life that keep us from our God. Daily, God sends us the Holy Spirit to breathe life in us, refresh us, and bring about restoration. It is like that which Acts 17:28 reminds us: "...in Him we live and move and have our being...."

In today's Gospel, it is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We've already seen Jesus raise others from the dead. What is so special about this story? Because it is a story of hope. It is a story of resurrection. Jesus calls to Lazarus from the tomb to wake and come forward. And Lazarus does just that! The miracle is that Lazrus rose from the dead as God's Spirit regenerated the spirit in Lazarus to life.

Today, Jesus is standing at the tombs of life, the very places where we are dead. He stands near those areas where we have gone astray, where we have lost our place. He calls us to awaken and be filled with the Spirit of God. He calls us to hope and to life in His Spirit. Each day is day of new life in Christ as our souls and spirits are regenerated by the charge and electricity of the Holy Spirit.

Come and let us be reminded of the words of our dear friend and brother, Father Don Dunavant of San Angelo, Texas, who often says "We are Easter People!" Let us be resurrected this day and always! Amen.

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

2008-03-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

This Sunday's Sermon is given by The Rev. Don Dunavant. Father Don is an Oblate Priest in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel and is the Director of Padre Pio House in San Angelo, Texas. Father Don is also the National Librarian for the Order and the Director of Ecumenical Relations for the Diocese of Texas in the AOCC.

The mountains from where my help comes. I grew up on the Plains of Texas. The land there is very flat. Some people refer to people who live there as "flatlanders." You can see for miles and miles in all directions. There is nothing to block your view. There are no hills, mountains or trees to block the view. People that live there do not feel closed in.

Mountains did not become significant until I made a couple of trips to Colorado. There I was introduced to mountains. What a wonderful sight to behold.I had read about mountains in school. But until you see one and climb one. Then you can appreciate a mountain.

There was the trip up Pike's Peak. I have made up in a car. That was fun to drive up that little road that reached the top. It was sunny at the bottom of the mountain, When we reached the top of the mountain it was covered in snow. There was a beautiful view of the land below. You could see the towering trees blowing in the breeze. You could see the different colors of the grasslands ,lakes, and streams.

I got a chance to go back a few years later. This time i got to ride a cable car slowly to the top. Being the impatient person at that time I wanted to be at the top as quick as we could. Plus being afraid of heights did not help the situation any. slowly we moved very slowly to the top of the mountain. We were close to the trees and we could see the ground slowly pass underneath the cable car. This time when we reached the top of Pikes Peak the sun was shinning. You could see clearly in all directions. It was amazing, breath taking and nothing like I had ever seen. God was there in all his beauty and glory.

When I graduated from high school we were lucky enough to get to go Colorado for our school trip. We went to the Air Force Academy for a tour. We drove up in a chartered bus in front of the chapel.There was this most unusual building I had ever seen. There was this steel and stain glass windows that looked like the praying hands. We went up the steps to the Protestant Chapel to tour the facility. It was a huge space that would easily hold 1,000 worshipers for a service. There was a young man in the choir loft practicing for an organ recital. The music was out of this world. I had never heard music like that. We walk to up to the chancel rail and a strange thing happened. The hair on my arms and my neck stood up, a cold chill traveled through my body and I began to cry. I really do not know what caused this, but i feel that it was the brush of the hand of God on me.

People have all kinds of mountain top experiences. For a skier it is the thrill of going down hill at high speed. For the not so adventurous there is the quiet cup of coffee, tea or chocolate sipped from the deck of the lodge. These experiences have been called religious. What kind of experiences have you had at the top of the mountain?

I have thought about my experience at the top of the mountain. But my experiences are pale compared to the experiences of Jesus and his mountain top experiences. There was those times he went up on the mountain to be alone with God. There was his teaching on the mountain for the crowds who heard the Beatitudes for the first time. What about the Feeding of the 5.000?

But there is the trip he took up that mountain that changed the World. There was that lonely struggle up the mountain call Golgotha. There was a crowd that mocked him. But in side He knew what lay ahead of him. He made it to the top of that mountain. He was beaten, blooded and barely alive. But he kept on going up the hill. He knew He was not coming down the mountain like He went up. He went up as the Son of God. He came down as the instrument by which the grace of God came into the world. It is free and a gift of God. But it cost Him his only begotten son.

I do not know what you think of on the your mountain top. But There was a mountain called Golgotha a cross, a sacrifice, a love, and a grace. But that experience was blessed by not being the end. It was the beginning of a new life, called eternal.

As we climb that mountain again to the cross. Remember that we are Easter people and Resurrection people.

A Lenten Prayer

2008-02-25T08:45:00.003-06:00

This Lenten Prayer was located by Father Don Dunavant of San Angelo and is submitted by David Warkinton. May you be blessed by praying along with this prayer.

Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling within them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; Feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; Feast on nonviolence.
Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement; Feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; Feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; Feast on truth.
Fast from the thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.

Gentle God, during this time season of fasting and feasting, gift us with Your Presence, so we can be gift a gift to others carrying out your work.
Amen.

Presence, Water and Good Sams

2008-02-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

This Sunday's sermonette, for the 3rd Sunday in Lent, is offered by The Rev. Br. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, of Las Vegas. Father Devlin is a professed member of the Mercy of God community and is also the director of the San Damiano Ministries for the American Orthodox Catholic Church.

Today our Church gives us much to ponder. It would be so easy to just see the Samaritan woman at the well and go on with that, but for me, that is not the point.

In Exodus, Moses was in the middle of a desert, leading the Israelites to a place of milk and honey. If only they had milk or honey. They did not even have water. The people were grumbling (again) so Moses consulted the Most High, who told him “I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb, strike the rock and water will flow from it for the people to drink.” Our God was there, present with Moses as he took this leap of faith.

That is the point…God was there. They named this place both Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”

Paul writing to the Romans, reminds them and us, “we have peace with God through Jesus, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.” We are protected by our God, and we stand alongside the Most High, united in Faith, Hope and Love.

Finally in John’s Gospel, we have the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus was sitting at the well, awaiting his disciples who went food shopping, so to speak. The woman from Samaria came with her bowl and Jesus told her, “Give me a drink!” The woman was flabbergasted because Jews and Samarians do not drink from the same dishes.

Jesus tells her of the water that quenches thirst forever, and she realizes he was the Christ because he knew her soul. She did not have a husband, had 5 of them, and currently was shacking up with another man.

How could Jesus know…

His presence, he was just hanging out, and this incredible faith moving situation occurred. The Most High was hanging out in Meribah, and the great act of faith occurred. Jesus is at our side. Many times we don’t have to go looking for “good things” to do. Every day, in every situation is an opportunity for us to be witnesses to God’s presence among us.

As Saint Francis lay dying he told his friars, “Brothers (and Sisters), let us begin again for up to now we have done nothing!.”

Lent is like that, it is a time for new beginnings. May our God bless us all!

Second Sunday in Lent

2008-02-17T08:00:00.002-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Most Rev. Theresa Margaret (Margo) Wilson, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado. Bishop Wilson is also the founder and Director of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel and Rector of Good Shepherd of the Hills Church in Pueblo.

GO FOR YOURSELF

The Old Testament reading for this Sunday, February 17, 2008, is taken from Genesis, chapter 12, and verses 1-4a. I will quote these verses from The Chumash, the Jewish Torah.

“Hashem said to Abram, ‘Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation: I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’ So Abram went as Hashem had spoken to him, and Lot went with him.”

It is interesting to note that God (Hashem) seemed to be making a superfluous statement in saying to Abram, “Go for yourself.” In the literal sense of the Hebrew language here, Hashem is saying to Abram, “Go for your own benefit and for your own good.”

How many times has God called each of us to do something for His kingdom and we even in our obedience to Him and to His call were not aware of our own benefit? Perhaps we simply answer, do what ever it is we have been called to do (sometimes even begrudgingly) and have missed out on the point of how doing His will truly has been to our own benefit and our own good.

When I was a child, I remember distinctly being told many times to do things by my Mother or my Grandparents, and even though I would obey them, I almost never understood how that action could benefit me or as they would say, ‘build my character’.

In obedience then Abram did as God called him to do leaving not only his home country but also his extended family and the home of his father. This was truly an event that did benefit him in so many ways. He and his wife, Sarai, had never been able to have children in his home land. He was neither famous nor blessed even materially in his homeland. However, when he arrived in the land that God had called him to, he was given the blessing of children, material blessings and most important of all he was able to carry out his spiritual mission.

God assured Abram that he would not suffer from the rigors of traveling so far nor losing his belongings nor harming his reputation. When we obey God, neither do we suffer from consequences of disobedience, but we too are blessed in all ways, spiritually, financially and in relationships.

In our obedience to God during this Lenten season, we will find that not only are we blessed beyond measure, but we too will be able to bless others.

The First Sunday in Lent

2008-02-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermonette is given by The Rev. Thomas Squiers, an Oblate Priest in the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel. He serves as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Texas and is also the Co-Director of Guadalupe House in Fort Worth. Father Squiers is currently serving as the Chaplain and Co-convener for Integrity Fort Worth in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

Forty Days and Forty Nights: A Lenten Reflection

It is not so much a time to think about the death of Christ. It is not so much a time to ponder of the redemptive act of Christ for humankind. Lent is a time of preparation for the glorious event which occurred in the Savior’s life—or second life, if you will– on this earth: the Resurrection.

First of all, let us take a moment to understand why we “celebrate” Lent. This is actually a re-enactment of Jesus retreating to the wilderness, where he fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights up until the time of His entry back to Jerusalem. It was during this time that he was tempted by the enemy.

How often do we take our personal, spiritual retreats—in prayer time, our “downtime” - and we are taunted by the enemy? We escape to the wilderness for spiritual renewal only to find the barriers and obstacles which beset us. But redemption comes in the morning light—in the reality of our own Resurrection. It is our returning to life in Christ that we are redeemed a new people. And we are given this opportunity time and time again.

As Christ offered himself up freely, so he offers himself to us daily. Time and time again as we find ourselves giving in to sin and temptation, there is our Savior who welcomes us into His loving, forgiving arms and washes away all of the junk in our lives and renews a right spirit within us.

We become resurrected. We become whole. We become new again.

There is an old Lenten hymn called the “Passion Hymn.” And one of the verses goes:

He endured the nails, the spitting,
Vinegar, spear and reed:
from the holy body broken
Blood and water forth proceed:
Earth and star and sky and ocean
By that flood from stain are freed.

Let us recall the act of redemption, but let us also be reminded that we are a free people. And though we may be tempted in the wilderness, in our escape for renewal, we will find strength by His saving grace.

May God grant us a Lent of meditation and also that of deliverance from the obstacles so that we may be free. Amen.

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany

2008-02-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermonette is given by The Rev. Jason Tardiff. Father Jason is the Chancellor of the Diocese of Texas and the Co-Director of the Benedictine House of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Fort Worth. He is also the National Treasurer of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel. Jason is also a board member of Integrity Fort Worth.

The Gospel for this Sunday is one of my favorite lessons from the Bible. It is a set of axioms that some could say ironic but in truth show God's love for everybody. Of the Scriptures, the Beatitudes are most oft quoted and familiar to people.

In preparation for giving my thoughts on today’s readings, I came across an anecdote about Gandhi and the Beatitudes. It goes like this: one day a Christian missionary gave Gandhi, a book that contained the Gospels. Of course, the Indian leader took great interest in the knowledge that was contained in the book. It was also his first exposure to Christianity. He became convinced that the principles taught by Jesus could resolve all of the problems of his country. Gandhi travelled widely through Christian countries but was dismayed. The Gospels were wonderful but he did not see anyone living their teaching and as such he never converted to Christianity. Gandhi, however, applied what he learned in the Gospels to his life, and in my most humble opinion he would be considered an exemplary Christian.

Gandhi considered the Beatitudes the greatest guide to living a non-violent life. The story further goes, whether true or not, he carried a copy of the Beatitudes with him. Why are the Beatitudes so important? What makes them a good guide for Christians? What made them so special that a man, a non-Christian, would carry them with him?

Two words: hope and peace, though on first reading they seem to be a contradiction. Let's take the first one for instance. "Blessed are the poor..." Generally it is accepted that the rich, are better, they get first dibs on most things. But the Matthew 5:3 states is the poor that will get the heavenly reward. Why? Well if you remember the story of the rich man that approached Jesus and asked how to get to heaven. Jesus said to leave his earthly gains behind and follow him. The rich man could not retreat from the material world and Jesus in turn said that it was easier to “get a camel through the eye of a needle than a rich man into heaven". Being tied too much to things and material desires prevents you from seeing the work and glory that God has set for you. Though here is the hope for the poor and the peace of heart not to worry about having not, because God has provided.

The Third Beatitude, “Blessed are the meek..." and "Blessed are the peacemakers..." excellent examples of peace. Those who choose a peaceful path, a Godly path will be the ones left. Those who choose violence and hate will wear themselves out or in violence’s case kill themselves off. God told us to love one another and that cannot be done at the end of the sword. Those who seek peace seek it out of love and care of their fellow man and because they have hope. Hope in a better world and peaceful way of life.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..." you can tie this into the sixth and eighth beatitude. Anybody who feels despair when they see the death in the world, the war in Iraq, the human rights violations knows that God has inspired those pure of heart to seek help for those harmed by atrocities. There is also hope in the last beatitude those persecuted, in attempting to right the worlds wrongs are.

The Beatitudes give us a glimpse at how God see us. How God love’s us? He will raise up those who are in dire straights those that need God the most. All in all, one thing that Ghandhi taught us and that is a message hidden in the Beatitudes and in the Bible is to be humble and have hope. Don’t be arrogant and prideful. Fill your heart with love and don’t be resentful. You don’t have to have riches or be the strongest to share in the glory of God and the treasures of heaven. Just realize you need to put away the material and visceral parts of life and pick up the spiritual and moral guidance that God offers .

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

2008-01-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is given by The Rev. Barbara Dyke, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Mertzon, TX (San Angelo). Pastor Barbara is part of Ecumenical Relations with the American Orthodox Catholic Church through the Diocese of Texas.

Fishers of Men

Matthew 4:12-23

What does it mean to meet the light of the world? When we meet Christ we are called to respond. The Wise Men followed the star to worship the Christ child. Andrew went and brought his brother Simon to meet Jesus. In this scripture, we read that when these fishermen met Jesus they immediately left their nets and followed him. As Christians we too are called to be followers of Christ. As followers of Christ we are to be fishers of men. We are called not only for ourselves, but so that others might also meet and follow Christ, so that they too might be freed from sin and death.

Yet all too often we sit in our churches and think that it is all about us. We are afraid to share with someone we meet in our day to day lives what it means to meet Jesus. We keep it to ourselves. We say that our faith is a private matter. We watch the world around us and stay silent, afraid, and as a result our churches are shrinking. We wait for someone else to take the risk of sharing their faith.

But Jesus tells us “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” It is something we have to practice and prepare for so that we know how to best throw the net. We need to know how to make the mouth of the net come open so that it will actually form a circle around the fish.

When we sit quietly and hide the light of Christ, we never develop the skills to cast our line with accuracy to where the fish are. There may be fish on the right, but we know only how to cast the line to the left. There may be fish on the left, but we keep casting to the right. Casting, like discipleship, is an acquired skill. It rewards practice.

Fishing is noticing the weather, watching the wind and the clouds. Fishing, like the gospel, dear friends, is always practiced in context. It does no good to sit at one lake and wish to be on some other lake. It does no good to stand at the ocean and wish the weather were different. We are called to fish where we live, work, and play. God sends people into our lives sometimes for a moment, a day, or perhaps a lifetime. We are called to share the love of Christ with everyone we meet.

Let us learn from the first disciples that as followers of Christ we need to be ready to share the light of Christ. Let us practice our fishing with urgency, so that our catch may be bountiful for the Lord. Let us be faithful to responding to the light of the world and share the love of Christ with everyone we meet.

The Second Sunday after Epiphany

2008-01-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is given by The Rev. Br. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, MGC. Fr. Devlin serves in Las Vegas and is director of San Damiano Ministries. He is also a brother in the Mercy of God Community.

Here am I Lord and I have come to do your will

For this second Sunday in Ordinary time, our church provides us with biblical texts from Isaiah, Psalm 40, Corinthians and John.

For me the tie in for all the sacred texts is the Psalm, in which the Psalmist is crying to God, and God heard him, putting a new song into his mouth, a hymn to our God.

He realizes that God does not want sacrifices or sin-offerings, but rather ears open to obedience, and a heart in which God’s law presides. For me, this is more of a heart in which God’s Spirit resides.

The Lord tells us through Isaiah that God will make Jesus (and us) a light to the nations, that God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth. How; by being the ears of God, and holding on tightly to God’s law and living in the Spirit. It is too little, says God, for you to be my servant… God had a lot more in store for Jesus, and for us.

Returning in this Sunday’s gospel is John the Baptizer.

When we last encountered him in Advent, he was in prison waiting patiently, and sent his friends to see if Jesus was the one. Jesus never told John’s friends he was the One. He told them to report to John that the deaf hear, the dumb speak, and the lame leap. Those are the signs and wonders.

Now, John knows that Jesus is the One. He saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain on Jesus. John did not know Jesus, when he started his mission of preparation, but the One who sent him to baptize with water told him, “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”

John finishes by saying, “Now I have seen and testify that he is the Son of God!”

So here we are living out our lives, crying out to our God in all our needs. God hears us and will put a new song on our lips. God will let us know through signs and wonders that Jesus truly is God’s Son; thus allowing us to be obedient to the call of preparing our hearts to receive the law of our God, which can be visualized by seeing the dove of the Spirit resting on all of us.

May our Merciful God bless us all!

Amen.

First Sunday after the Epiphany

2008-01-13T08:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Most Rev. Theresa Margaret "Margo" Wilson, BOSA, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado. She is also the rector of Good Shepherd of the Hills Cathedral in Pueblo and the Fouder and Superior of the Benedictine Order of St. Michael the Archangel.

The Wisdom of a Twelve Year Old Boy

When Jesus was just twelve years old, he went with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. After the feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary started home and were unaware that Jesus was not with them. This was because in those days the children were watched by many people who traveled together in caravans.

Jesus actually had stayed behind because he was engaged in a discussion with the religious leaders in the Temple. The Temple courts were famous for being a place of learning. The coming Messiah was the topic of much conversation in that day. Jesus was listening intently and asking many questions as twelve year old boys are prone to do.

When Mary noticed that Jesus was not in the caravan, she became frantic and asking everyone if they had seen him. No one seemed to know where he was, so Joseph and Mary went back to Jerusalem to find him. As a parent myself, I can only imagine the emotions that Mary experienced when she could not find her son.

When Joseph and Mary returned to Jerusalem, they went to the Temple to look for him. There they found him speaking to the scholars and they were astonished. The wisdom of that twelve year old boy astounded everyone that day. Why is it that even today, many are astounded by what Our Lord can do for us? I just celebrated the fifth anniversary of my cancer diagnosis and I can assure you that Our Lord has had His hand on my life all these days. The cancer that I had was every advanced and I was not given much hope of recovery. The doctors’ consensus of opinion was that with treatment I would have about a fifty percent chance of survival, and without treatment only about a twenty-five percent chance. I have always believed that my days are numbered by God as the Scripture teaches and therefore He was the only one whose opinion counted at that time. Obviously my numbered days had not come to an end!

Jesus reply to his parents when they expressed their anxiety about his disappearance was, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know I had to be in my Father’s house?” His father, Joseph and mother, Mary, did not understand what he meant by those words. We know what he meant because we have the rest of his story.

For each of us in this day, we have a need to be in the Father’s house doing His work. That may mean doing Mass at a regular service, taking communion to the sick, visiting a prisoner, helping an elderly home-bound person, giving someone a ride who has no transportation, cooking a meal for someone who is hungry, or simply listening to someone whose heart is aching. We are in Our Father’s House when we abide in Him and He abides in us. Let us stay with Him in this New Year and be about His business.

Epiphany Sunday

2008-01-06T09:38:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele, Archbishop and Metropolitan Primate of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Western Rite. Archbishop Raffaele is also the Rector of St. Gregory the Great Cathedral in Medford, New York in Long Island.

The Christmas Season has come to an end. The Savior of the world has been born and yet still a baby. The chosen people of Israel have had the first opportunity to behold their King. Some have recognized Him, others have not. God the Father sent His Son for the whole world to be redeemed, not just Israel. Israel got first crack at this revelation but did not accept or understand their centuries of prayer had been answered. And now there needs to be a revelation to the gentiles...the rest of the world.....and us.

Epiphany means revelation, a showing, an idea, a presentation, a manifestation. Captain James Hook of Peter Pan says " I had an epiphany" in a sudden revelation that came to his mind in dealing with Peter Pan.

In much a similar fashion, we see the arrival in Judea of three foreigners. They came together due to an epiphany they each had from their knowledge of the heavens and the stars and prophecy that something strange and great was occurring on the earth. Signaling a possible new era of love and possible peace for the nations, and they travelled from their respective homelands to find the source of this epiphany, this manifestation. They find it in Bethlehem; they locate the infant child, and recognized him as the redeemer, the true king of kings. And as royalty, they offer Him gifts due royalty: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Imagine the facial expressions of Mary and Joseph at this sight - their son being adored by three foreigners of high positions in foreign courts. Those wise men represent us, who make up part of the rest of the world. We are privileged to have this revelation manifested to us, and know in our hearts that Jesus has come to us, to be with us, and be there for us against the tyranny of sin and evil in response to God the Father's wish that one equal to himself redeem souls of all in order to regain heavenly fellowship with the Father.

Our journey through life is an epiphany. As we go from one phase of life to another, we are shown new meaning and value to what the Lord has done for us, and we yearn for the Bethlehem of Heaven, where we too may offer in addition to the gold, frankincense and myrrh, our gifts of faith hope and love from our souls to the eternal king.

Epiphany Blessings,
The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele
Archbishop and Primate – AOCC

The First Sunday in Christmastide

2007-12-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is given by The Rev. Jason Tardiff, a Benedictine Father of the AOCC and co-director of the Benedictine House of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Bedford/Fort Worth, Texas. Father Tardiff is also the Chancellor of the Diocese of Texas.

The introduction in John is a various recognizable. Most have heard the phrase "In the beginning was the Word..." It reminds us that God has always been and will always be. But little did we realize that the Child heralded and born in a stable would also factor into this famous phrase.

The Word was sent to be one of us, live as one of us to save us from ourselves.

Jesus came to us when we needed him most. He taught us about the way to salvation, how to know God and how to live a good life. He also took in him the sins of the world and those inequities were expunged when he died on the cross. Not anyone could have done what Jesus did.

Christmas isn't just a time to open presents and gorge ourselves on sugary foods. Christmas is much more than that. It is a time for us to reflect on the "gift" God gave us: the Gift that saved us from ourselves.

Christmas is also a time to reflect on how we factor into Gods plan. Have we done all we could to live the way God expects us to? Have we been kind, gentle, compassionate and caring? What can we do different in the year to come?

Christmas is not just one day and then you take your ornaments down and go back to work. No, there are twelve days that we can pray, worship and glorify the Son of God. And in those twelve days we can resolve to live more like him. And the Christmas spirit does not dissolve at midnight on the 25th of December. We need to remember the feeling of giving and helping those in need and do it everyday. We need to make it Christmas every single day of the year.

Amen.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

2007-12-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's Sermon is offered by The Rev. Thomas Squiers, BOSA, of Fort Worth. Father Tom is an Oblate Priest and is the Co-Director of Guadalupe House in Bedford of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He is the Chaplain of Integrity Fort Worth and also serves as the Vicar General of the AOCC's Diocese of Texas.

Today's Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday in Advent comes from Matthew 1:18-25. This group of verses tells about Joseph's reluctance to take Mary as his wife when learns that she is already pregnant. What the verses do not explain is Jewish custom concerning marriage and virginity. It was important to keep the "marriage bed" clean by abstaining from any intercourse prior to marriage.

When Joseph, who abided by these Jewish laws and customs, learned of Mary's pregnancy, his first thought was to shun her as he felt that she had wronged him. That night, after having learned of Mary's disposition, Joseph had a dream in which an angel sent from God explained that Mary has been selected to give birth to the Messiah which the Jews had long awaited and the Torah spoke about - especially according to the Prophet Isaiah. The angel explained how Mary conceived of the Holy Ghost and that Joseph was to name the child Jesus. Following the dream, Joseph followed the angel's instruction by taking Mary as his wife and when the Messiah was born, he was named Jesus.

As we celebrate the last Sunday of Advent, we look for Christ coming as a babe, as the Emmanuel. And yet, I wonder how often do we look at Christmas as an opportunity to ready ourselves for our Second Christmas with Jesus – the day Christ shall return not as a baby but as the Lord of humankind and gather his Church on earth? That is what Advent is all about – preparation. Christmas is to celebrate the coming of Christ. The Second Coming is what Christians hope for. It is even what the Apostles hoped for.

So this Christmas as you open your gifts, sip your eggnog, and gather around the Christmas Tree – take this as a time to reflect upon your relationship with Christ, the Emmanuel, and meditate upon how ready you are should he reappear for that Second Christmas. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.”

While we are captive in our own right to sin and the bondage of this life, we look for Christ to reveal himself soon in Glory when we shall truly take our part seated at His feet of His throne.

Advent Blessings and Have a Merry Christmas!

The Third Sunday of Advent

2007-12-16T05:49:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Rev. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, MGC, of Las Vegas. Father Thomas Bonaventure is also a Francisan in the Mercy of God Community.

What a great gift we are expecting anxiously. The fulfillment of all our Scripture. The gift of God, the gift of God made man.

As in Isaiah, "The wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower!" Our God is on the way to us, and will save us. Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, lame men and women will leap like deer.

In James we are told, "Wait patiently for the Master's arrival, stay steady and strong, our Master can arrive at any time. What a gift life is to those who stay the course."

Matthew tells us about John the baptizer who is in jail waiting patiently. John had sent his friends to ask Jesus, "Are you the One we have been expecting, or are we still waiting?"

Jesus told them to go back to John and tell him what is going on: The Blind see, the Lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, the Deaf hear, the Dead are raised to life.

We are in this wilderness like John, prophets of our own age, asking our friends to repent and hear the good news. We are the hands and feet of our God, like John, of whom the prophet Malachi announced, "I am sending a prophet ahead of you, to make the road smooth for you."

The road prepared is straight, no one can get lost on it, it is devoid of ferocious animals. It is a Holy road. It is for God's people exclusively. This is the road to our reward, full of joy and gladness, all our sorrows are taken from us here.

Our Lord is coming, swiftly; stay the course, be strong. We will be healed, we will be taken care of and our desert will be changed into an oasis.

Come Lord Jesus, come.

Second Sunday of Advent

2007-12-09T05:49:00.000-06:00

This Sunday's sermon is offered by The Most Rev. Theresa Margaret "Margo" Wilson, BOSA, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado. She is also the rector of Good Shepherd of the Hills Cathedral in Pueblo.

In the Scripture reading for the second Sunday of Advent (Matthew 3:1-12), we find a picture of John the Baptist as a forerunner of Jesus Christ. He is compared by some to the Old Testament prophets because of the warnings he brought about God’s judgment and because he announced the coming of God’s “chosen one” – the Messiah.

John was born to an elderly couple named Elizabeth and Zechariah after the angel Gabriel told them they would have a son. This son would have special work to do in preparing the way for the Messiah. John is described as a prophet who preached in the desert and warned people that they should get ready for the new thing that God was going to do.

He told the people that they could not count on being accepted by God simply because they were descendents of Abraham. They had to realize how they were disobedient to God and get ready to accept the new powerful messenger that God was going to send to them.

John told everyone that the Messiah would be much more powerful than he was, and that his job was to prepare the people for the Messiah’s coming. This event in history has become known as the First Advent of Christ.

In a pure sense, the season of Advent which we celebrate is a time of preparation; preparation for the remembrance of Our Lord’s First Advent. There are many books available with meditations for each day of this season and many resources online.
In our time, we can look forward to the Second Advent of Our Lord and increase our awareness of this coming event during this season. We can expect to see signs of God’s love and grace and hear His message of salvation during this time.

During this season, let us listen to the promises of hope and take these promises seriously. Look for the signs of God’s grace and mercy all around you. Prepare to be filled with newness of life in our communion with Him. Prepare to be filled with hope, power, and grace abounding.

First Sunday of Advent

2007-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today's sermon is offered by The Most Rev. Joseph J. Raffaele, Archbishop of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, who also oversees the Archdiocese of New York.

Today is the First Sunday of Advent. I refer to the Gospel of Luke21:25-33,which is the appointed Gospel of the Mass according to the the traditional one year cycle. (If you are using the three year cycle, your scripture lesson gospel will be Matthew 24:36-44.)

In St.Luke's account, Jesus is telling the disciples to pay attention to the signs and symbols about the Heavens and the Earth. Watch the stars, watch the fig trees,the uneasiness of nations,roaring of the seas etc. Following these various occurrences look to see the Son of Man approaching on a cloud in Triumph and Glory. The kingdom of God is at hand. Our Redemption is assured.

This is the end of the story, it is here for us to get an idea of what the beginning of the story should be. With all these things happening, we need to be ready, be prepared, but not for a Royal Hierarchy with his royal court ready to dish out justice and punishment, but ironically we are getting ourselves prepared for, of all things,a baby...just a baby who is born into such poverty that he has his birthplace in an animal's stall, a cave, a stable...this is what we are supposed to be waiting for?

Israel is waiting for her king. Well, did she miss the boat on this one or what? Israel and all of us await the arrival of a being who will set us free from darkness to the brightness of freedom and light.

Advent is a time where we are called to repentance as we will hear that voice in the wilderness (John the Baptist) proclaim. But more so than repenting, we are called to be ready and prepare. In your parish the priest may wear purple vestments, or the blue vestments, which reflects Advent Preparation. We will see an Advent wreath. Just like one is to observe the signs in the the heavens, watch the advent wreath from week to week - watch the progression from darkness to light as shown through the candles lit on it, and know the Lord Is Near. As Luke's account says: "...when you see these things come to pass,know that the kingdom of God is at hand."