Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Wednesday, Week 4 '23

Peace is not something you can force on anything or anyone... much less upon one's own mind. It is like trying to quiet the ocean by pressing upon the waves. Sanity lies in somehow opening to the chaos, allowing anxiety, moving deeply into the tumult, diving into the waves, where underneath, within, peace simply is. 

~ Gerald G. May*

Lord of the Deepest Peace,
      There are so many days that I see the world around me is in such chaos ~ whirling in violence, poverty, pain, and legalized cruelty to others who are not "us" in Your name. I am at such a loss trying to know in which direction to turn, which good cause needs me the most. What can I possibly do to make any kind of useful difference? I am merely the tiniest pebble in the hole of a huge dyke that strains against impending disaster. And then, taking a breath, I remember You and my prayer begins again. Grant me the stillness within myself that I can turn into my focus outwardly. My footing is more certain when peace is in my heart and my soul takes its ease in Your comfort. From there I can move forward and the direction of my path becomes clear.  amen.  

*Gerald Gordon May, [1940-2005] was an American psychiatrist and theologian, and as a conscientious objector, worked as an Air Force psychiatrist in Vietnam. Later he was a staff psychiatrist in a prison mental hospital in Maryland. He later became a senior fellow at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Bethesda, Maryland conducting workshops in contemplative theology and psychology. He wrote several books on the subject of combining spiritual direction with psychological therapy. 

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Tuesday, Week 4 '23

The Lord did not come to make a display. He came to heal and to teach suffering [people]. For one who wanted to make a display the thing would have been just to appear and dazzle the beholders. But for Him who came to heal and to teach the way was not merely to dwell here, but to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him, and to be manifested according as they could bear it, not vitiating the value of the Divine appearing by exceeding their capacity to receive it.

~ St. Athanasius of Alexandria*

God, our Creator ~ God, our Redeemer ~ God, our Sanctifier,
     You, 3 in 1, are simply yet complexly God.  It is to each, all, and only You that I pray at this moment. My head cannot understand or define You in Your three-in-one-ness, but if I could, then You could not be You. Let me not be too concerned with the depth and breadth of all the philosophical and theological stuff that others much smarter than me, like Your servant Athanasius, have argued over. Just help me to remember, that each day in my life, all I only need is You to walk with  me on the Way. amen.

   *Renowned, Significant, Profound, Influential ~ there are too few superlatives to fully contain the work of St. Athanasius of Alexandria [c. 296-373] who is celebrated today. At age 30 he became the 20th Bishop (aka Archbishop/Patriarch) of Alexandria, Egypt with a tenure of 45 years. He is also known as  Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor and, primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church, Athanasius the Apostolic. He has been named a Doctor of the Church by the Roman Catholic Church, Father of Orthodoxy by the Eastern Orthodox, and Father of the Canon by Protestant theologians.  

   Despite being exiled 5 times by 4 Roman Emperors for political and theological reasons, it is his Trinitarian theology that defines mainstream Christianity today.
   His first great theological struggle was against Arius, a priest from Libya, at the first Council of Nicaea in the year 325. Arius denied the divinity of Christ and his "Arian" orthodoxy was the prevalent theology of the day. It was denounced and ultimately trounced by Athanasius who argued for the dual nature of Jesus ~ human and divine ~ declaring that only one who was fully human could atone for human sin and only one who was fully divine could have the power to save us. He said, that "Those who maintain 'There was a time when the Son was not [divine]' rob God of his Word, like plunderers." Arianism is now considered as heresy. 
   Athanasius' view of the Incarnation is what informed the structure of the Nicene Creed that is used today and he was also the first to identify the 27 books that make up the New Testament canon we use as well. Not without his detractors even today, nonetheless, even if you've never heard his name, if you are Anglican/Episcopal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Coptic Catholic ~ and any other Christian who reads the New Testament, you have the benefit of this man's work. Diminutive in stature, he was and continues to be a giant in the history of Christianity.

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Prayers of the People: This Way to Truth and Fullness: 5th Sunday of Easter '23 Yr A

For Sunday, May 7, 2023, Readings: Acts 7:55-60, Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 2:2-10, John 14:1-14

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. [Acts 7:59-60]

            In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge…Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe….lead me and guide me...for you are my tower of strength...Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth. [Psalm 31:1a, 3a-b, 5b]

       Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation...Come to him, a living stone...and like living stones, let yourself be built into a spiritual house...you are a chosen race...God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [1Peter 2:2 4a, 5a, 9a,b]

       Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe in me also...Jesus said to [Thomas], "I am the way, and the truth, and the life...If you know me, you will know my father also...Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these..." [John 14:1, 6a,b; 12a]

    We hear very little about Stephen in the lectionary even as he has the distinction of being Christianity's First Martyr. His story ~ there isn't a whole lot ~ is in the prior chapter and verses, with a few more words beyond his death. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles is Luke's summary account of the activities of the original 11, and the newer Apostles, from the Ascension of Jesus through Paul's final imprisonment in Rome. Stephen's story begins briefly in chapter 6:5 and carries through from 6:8 until 8:3 where we find Saul, who becomes Paul, ravaging the church because people lamented Stephen's death. The more success the Apostles became at attracting disciples to join them, even some of the priests, the angrier the High Priest and Council grew.  These Jesus-followers were a threat to their established order and especially their political power. They thought they had ended their woes when they fomented the political crucifixion of Jesus. And then those pesky followers kept growing in number. Another political murder was essential. It has never really ended; we just don't want to recognize it in our own time.

     Stephen's commitment to Jesus mirrored Jesus' commitment on the cross when Stephen asked for those who stoned him to be absolved, as Jesus did. The recurring theme in all these readings for this Sunday, for me, is commitment. What is the state of my commitment to Christ? Should I be, need I be willing to be a martyr for Christ? Yes, no, maybe, sort of? Is death the only form of martyrdom? It’s not something we western Christians generally want to ponder. Isn’t going to church (even if usually online) and/or praying regularly (mostly), and sending some money, enough of a commitment? We’re not 1^st century Israel after all and I liked the Good Shepherd story better.

     Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled yet, especially in an unsettled local and global political and economic environment, it is troubling to wonder how I am supposed to be as a Christian. The messages from various denominations, not to mention some political factions, seem entirely contradictory to the message of Christ as I know it. But it was the same in Jesus' time, and in many more times since, and this is where we hit and become the living stones on The Way. We cannot be certain that we believe as fully and completely and as well as we want to or know as much as we think we’re supposed to. Yet knowing and living into the strong and true teachings of Jesus becomes that strong rock, that precious cornerstone that holds our spiritual house in place. When we truly turn our hearts and commit our spirits to his teaching through our words and actions, it will definitely be a very rocky road on more than a few occasions. It is by walking together in and as a community of faith, by continually exploring our own understanding of what we believe and why we believe it that our foundation is strengthened, and our hearts are un-troubled a little more each day. We will trip and fall, be ignored or outright rejected, we'll get a lot wrong, but if we got this far on faith, it is because in our hearts we are becoming the living stones. Together we find the courage and the strength to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called each of us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Let us drink deeply of the pure, spiritual milk that will nourish us as we turn to Christ as our Way into His Truth, and the Fullness of this Life into the Next.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
 
Leader:  ~ Jesus, our Stronghold, You are the Cornerstone of our spiritual house, the purest Milk for our spirits; our Way, our Truth, and our Life. Lead us into the fullness of God’s marvelous light, away from the deep darkness of sin.
 
                                                          O Lord, O God of Truth                                            
          RESPONSE:                    Oh Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, embolden us, and arouse the courage of Stephen within us to urge the political powers across this Nation, this Community, and this Planet, to employ compassion to quell violence, cruelty, and injustice. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, un-trouble the hearts of all who are fearfully ill and, reinvigorate all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
           
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, we give You praise and thanksgiving for receiving the spirits of those we love, who now dwell with You in the everlasting peace of God. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
 
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
                       
~ Jesus, our Stronghold, grant our anointed leaders ever-increasing fortitude, patience, and desire, to help us flourish as Living Stones, obedient to Your Word, with a firm foundation in faith. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
 
                                                       O Lord, O God of Truth
                                                       O Christ, our Rock and our Refuge
                                                                                                        
The Celebrant adds: Creator God, our Tower of Strength, shine Your face upon us that through our spiritual sacrifices, we may fully commit ourselves into the hands of Christ. As did Your servant Stephen, may we proclaim His mighty acts unashamed, hold no sins against others, and be acceptable in Your sight. We ask through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior; and the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of our souls; who live and reign with You, as One God, forever and ever.  Amen. 

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Monday, Week 4 '23

May 1 ~ Feast of:

 Sts. Philip and James

Jesus, Fisher of Souls,
       You called these everyday-men to give up their ordinary lives to follow You, and they did.  Without completely understanding all that You were about, they trusted, they believed, and they grew into all that You wanted them to be. Even though there was uncertainty, they sometimes squabbled, asked frustrating questions, and they were occasionally fearful, You reached their hearts, and minds, and bodies. You molded them into Your earthly legacy that comes down to us today.  
      Thank You, Lord, for the example of these men. They remind me that, as an ordinary everyday person who doesn't always understand everything, with You as the Cornerstone of my Faith, I am also part of the continual building on the foundation they began, living in and through all that You taught. In this Easter season, help me to know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, each and every day.  amen. 

      Saints Philip and James are on the Anglican/Episcopal Church calendar today, two of the original 12 Apostles called directly by Jesus to follow Him (see Mark 3:13-19). What little we know of Philip is that he lived in Bethsaida, in Galilee, the same town as Peter and Andrew. After meeting Jesus, Philip told Nathaniel that Jesus is "the one about whom Moses and the Prophets wrote" (see John 1:43-51). 

    We don't know much about James except that he is the son of Alphaeus and he is called James the Lesser ~ and he is not the son of Cleopas, nor is he James the son of Zebedee who is known as James the Greater, nor is he considered to be the author of the Letter of James in the New Testament. 

    We do know that they were pretty ordinary guys called to follow an extraordinary man. It appears from some of the discussions all the Apostles had with Jesus at one time or another that they weren't always swift on the uptake. Jesus was a bit impatient at times with their lack of "getting it" (see John 14:8-9a) but they ultimately understood and, as Jesus said they would, they received the power to heal, and preach, and teach in His name. They were each an integral part of the foundation that Jesus laid and He, the Cornerstone, called them, and us, to continue the work after His resurrection.

  

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Saturday, Week 3 '23

To show the love that we have for Him, we ought to serve and love every rational creature and extend our charity to good and bad -- as much to one who does us ill service and criticizes us as to one who serves us. For, His charity extends over just men and sinners. 

~ St. Catherine of Siena*

Our Risen Lord Christ, 
       We need Your help, more than ever, to live into Catherine's description of Your Great Commandment. Keep us conscious of the lives we touch and the impact we have whether intended or not. When we love and forgive with You in our hearts, it is the right place, and the right time, to remember the Teachings You give to us all.  amen.

*Catherine [1347-1380] was a Third Order member of the Dominicans, a lay person, not a vowed member of the community but an adherent to its principles and rules. She was also a Scholastic Philosopher and Theologian. Named a Doctor of the Church (one who has shown significant importance in theology and doctrine) by Pope Paul VI in 1970 along with Teresa of Avila, the first two women so named to one of the Roman Church's highest honors. Only 33 at her death, Catherine's profound spiritual writings and tremendous political influence were highly exceptional for her times and she remains greatly respected today.

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Friday, Week 3 '23

 the mythical Phoenix

  rises from the ashes of its previous life

I get knocked down

But I get up again

You're never going to keep me down

~ Chumbawamba

If there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, 

I know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: 

that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love.  

~ Julian of Norwich*

Dear God of Skinned Knees, Bruised Egos, Grieving Hearts, 

Pain-Filled Bodies, and Damaged Souls,

       I've been hit hard here and there ~ more than some, less than others ~ and then life goes on in its way until the next bump, or fall, or smack-down and I pick myself up, dust myself off, and life goes on again. Some days, though, I do have to fight back the quiet fears of what's next while the world turns on its axis, the sun rises and sets, and the seasons change. I know You are here with me, I don't know how I would have gotten this far without You. And as long as I have breath within me, I will try to remember to turn to You in those inevitable times. But, could you give me a nudge now and then? Sometimes I need it to get myself out of the dark. Better yet, send me off to help someone else ~ then I'll get out of my own stuff and let Your light shine. amen.

*Julian of Norwich [1342-ca 1416], was an English Anchoress ~ a hermit who lived in, and was sometimes permanently enclosed in, a small cell attached to a wall of the church ~ whose life consisted of daily devotions, prayer, devotional reading, and writing. She is considered to be one of the most important mystics in all of Christianity. Her manuscript of Revelations of Divine Love - also known as the Short Text - is thought to be the oldest surviving book written in English by a woman. She is probably best known for her words that with God, "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."

 

 

                

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide ~ Thursday, Week 3 '23

 Prayer of the heart is prayer of the total person, body, soul, and spirit. But since the heart is the place of the Divine indwelling, prayer of the heart is praying in which it is not only I that speak, but it is the prayers which Christ and the Holy Spirit are saying within me. 

Those who attain prayer of the heart have the experience of being prayed in. 

~ Kallistos Ware*

Lord and Spirit of my Heart ~
    It's true, then. I have felt You here, within me, but I was afraid to recognize You, to acknowledge You, and I have also denied to myself that I have felt You. It hasn't happened often but I would like it to happen again, and, more often. 
   The times of my life when I have needed the most comfort have sometimes been the most difficult to enter into prayer. And sometimes the happiest times distract me from praying my thanksgivings. I'm working on all of that and I ask You ~ I invite You ~ to come into my heart, my soul, and all of me and help me to discover again all that deep prayer can do with and for me. Pray in me, please, and let my heart and soul feel full of You.  amen.

*Timothy Ware [1934-2022] of Bath, England was raised in the Anglican Church and read classics and theology at Magdalen College, Oxford.  In 1958 at age 24 he affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church. After much travel in Greece and a significant amount of time at the Monastery of St. John of Patmos and elsewhere, he was ordained to the priesthood and tonsured [shaving of all or part of the head] as a monk in 1966.  At that time he received the name "Kallistos."  He was later consecrated bishop and his career path led him to be a Lecturer in Eastern Orthodox Studies at Oxford University, a position he held for 35 years before retirement.  He authored many books and articles on the Orthodox Christian faith.

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