Meditation in Eastertide ~ Saturday in Easter Week: But Can You Say It? '24

April 6, 2024 ~ Saturday in Easter Week

John 21:15-19

 

   When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”  

 

    Jesus says, to me and to you, Do you love me? I'm not sure if I have ever thought about this passage in terms of Jesus directing that question to me. I grew up with the little song Jesus loves me this I know... I have heard sermons, read meditations (and written a few) about how Jesus loves us so much that he... but how much do I/We love Jesus? I've fed his "sheep" through volunteer work, and employment. I've contributed money to charitable organizations, donated clothing and household goods, I go to Church and participate in a variety of ministries, I repeat all the necessary syllables of familiar prayers regularly. Yet what are my conscious thoughts relating to all of these? Have I said silently or out loud: Jesus, I love you?

 

Living, Loving, Lord,

    Too many times, even most of the times, ok ALL the times I pray to You I'm asking for You to give me, do for me, do for them, help me with... Today I've finally heard you ask Peter if he loves you. Like me, more often than I want to admit to me, I take it for granted, as Peter, of course I love You; You know that. And just like being in a human-to-human relationship when I know but I just want to hear the words, it dawns on me at last, I must say the words without the tag line after of gimme, gimme, gimme.  Jesus, I.Love.You.  amen.

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Meditation in Eastertide ~ Friday in Easter Week: Being Prayed Not For, But "In" ' 24

April 5, 2024 ~ Friday in Easter Week  

~ Kallistos Ware* 

 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.     [emphasis added]

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, for, and in 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 all or part of one’s 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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Meditation in Eastertide ~ Thursday in Holy Week: 56 Years Ago Today '24

April 4, 2024 ~ Thursday in Easter Week

    A genuine revolution of values means, in the final analysis that our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies.

   This call for a worldwide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one’s tribe, race, class and nation is in reality a call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all men. This often misunderstood and misinterpreted concept has now become an absolute necessity for the survival of man. When I speak of love, I am speaking of that force which all the great religions have seen as the key that unlocks the door which leads to ultimate reality. This Hindu-Muslim-Christian-Jewish-Buddhist belief about ultimate reality is beautifully summed up in the First Epistle of Saint John:

Let us love one another: for Love is of God:

and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love…

If we love one another, God dwelleth in us,

 And his love is perfected in us.*

    And, 56 years ago today, that hateful day of your murder, again we pray: Lord of All There Is, Seen and Unseen, bring us all in Your Human Family together ~ to know, to see, to understand, to accept and honor that we are ALL of Your Creation: all races, tribes, nationalities, ethnicities, religions, physical abilities, mental acuities, gender identities, sexual orientations, heights, weights, languages, etc. Guide us constantly to know and accept that we are better for one another together than fighting against our common interests apart, rewarding false prophets and power mongers who are damaging the lives You have given us to live, from where we each are to across this country and the entire planet. We ask through the memory and spirit of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and through Your Son, Jesus our Christ. amen

*From Dr. King’s final book: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community, Chapter VI, The World House, Beacon Press, Boston Massachusetts, Copyright 1968 by Martin Luther King, Jr. Copyright renewed by Coretta Scott King, Dexter King, Martin Luther King III, Yolanda King, Bernice King. All rights reserved.

 

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Meditation in Eastertide ~ Wednesday in Holy Week: Gifting '24

April 3, 2024 ~ Wednesday in Easter Week

Acts 3:1-10

    "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon.  And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”  And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.  Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God,  and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and astonishment at what had happened to him."

   Jesus, our Christ ~ 

     as Peter, John, and the other Apostles began to discover and accept the gifts given them by You through the Holy Spirit, help us to discover and accept and use the gifts we each have from You. Few if any of us would believe that we could heal someone physically without the gift of an education for becoming a medical doctor or nurse. But a simple hello, a smile, or asking a person if we may say a prayer with them at their bedside when they are ill, remembering to say a simple blessing over our food before eating even if alone, done in Your name whether out loud or silently, are gifts we can use in any moment of life without a formal education. I know, yet must regularly work to remember, that gifts I give, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, are gifts received. 

    Guide us, O Lord of us all, to stop at the top and bottom of each hour, to consciously breathe in Your Presence that is always available to fill our minds, our hearts, and our souls. As we breathe out, let us send Your Grace to fill the world around us, to bless all we meet and pass by, to the neighbors just beyond our windows and to those beyond our reach. May each breath remind us of You as we give the gift of Your healing love, more by how we live our lives than by the words that we speak. amen. 

 

~Take a moment today to read the fairly short chapter of 1 Corinthians 12:1-27 to know again the Gifts of the Spirit given to us. If you don’t have a Bible at hand, click here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12&version=NRSVUE

 

 

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide: Tuesday in Easter Week ~ Are Your Eyes Open Yet? '24

April 2, 2024 ~ Tuesday in Easter Week

Luke 24:13-14, 30-31, 35 

      Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem and talking with each other about all these things that had happened....When he was at table with them he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight...Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 

      "If only..." is a frequent refrain for all of us who wish we had done things differently, or the pandemic had not happened, or the weather was ___ [fill in the blank]. Mostly, though, I think most of us have yearned, with some desperation at times, for that if only I could see, talk to, or touch them one more time moment. As for the death of one loved deeply, I can say from my own acute experiences that yes, much time does soften the punch and shock of loss, and it is then the memories become ever more important with the hope and desire to believe that they are still present with us. It is with that understanding that we enter this segment of Luke’s Gospel about two little-known disciples of Jesus.

      We read about two regular guys walking down the road to Emmaus talking about the strange events of the prior few days. This other guy shows up and seems unaware of these events and their importance. They, surprised he didn’t know, explain it and then invite him home to dinner. Suddenly the stranger is hosting the meal and even more suddenly, as he blesses and breaks the bread, he vanishes. In an instant their eyes were opened as never before and when they realized who He was, they rushed to tell the others what they experienced.     

      Let us remember from this day, that at any time and any place when we tear a piece of bread, especially when it has been blessed by spoken words or silent intention, whether we are alone or with another, to know Christ in the breaking of the bread. More than a memory, Christ is a living presence within us. As we travel the road of this life, wherever it takes us, when we call upon His name we know we are in His love. When we stay consciously in His love and our thoughts and actions are guided by His Truth, this Road will lead us Home.

     Risen Lord Jesus, our constant Companion on the Road to Everlasting Life, Your brutal death saves us all from the futile ways of sin, and we are born anew through Your Resurrection. Reinvigorate our dedication to walk through this life clean in heart and humble in soul by following Your Truth, to live in and act through genuine love for others and ourselves, and to set our faith and hope in God. We ask through You, the Living Enduring Word; and the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of our Souls; who together with our Impartial Creator, reign as One God, always, forever, eternally. Amen. 

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Prayers of the People: Rising to the Occasion and Beyond ~ 2nd Sunday of Easter '24 Yr B

For Sunday, April 07, 2024, Readings: Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, John 20:19-31

 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a great grace was upon them all. [Acts 4:33]

     Oh how good and pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity! [Psalm 133:1]

  ...if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us all from sin. [1 John 1:7]

   But Thomas...was not with them when Jesus came....[and] he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in his side, I will not believe..." [Jesus] said to him, "Have you [now] believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." [John 20:24, 25b, 29]

  Thomas is the ultimate skeptic, a patron saint for all of us who are skeptical of many claims of various types. He carries the load for those among us who are reluctant to admit to doubts about faith, questions about God, or wondering about events recorded in the Bible. By the way, the other Apostles also doubted briefly [see Luke 24:1-12] ~ so we who have had our own doubts are all in good company. And the company we are in is also the point ~ those who knew Jesus in their own lifetimes came together as a faith community sharing joy, fellowship, and the necessities of life as followers before and after Christ's Resurrection. Then, and in many succeeding generations, those we speak of as early Christians faced tremendous fear and the reality of vicious persecution as many Christians, and many members of other faith traditions, still do today. The continuous re-telling and re-living of our story keeps us connected by remembering the why of our faith even in those moments of faint acceptance or full unbelief.

     Easter, however, isn't merely a day or a season, it is meant to be our way of life, as Easter People. From the beginning of Advent we are preparing the way for and seeking the glory and joy of the Resurrection, achieved through the great sacrifice and pain that we are to have experienced through the readings of Holy Week and, Good Friday in particular.  

     While the penitential season of Lent has given way to the joy of Easter, we are to continue to re-examine the manner in which we live our lives through our thoughts, words, and actions with and for everyone we meet. It is in fellowship, in a trusting faith community, that we remember, walk in, and reflect the light he himself is, with peace and the Holy Spirit within us. It is also a place where doubts are accepted without reproach as who among us, but the rare one or two, hasn’t doubted these events if briefly or frequently?

      In these still confusing and difficult times, let us work together to keep and dispense Christ’s message of Peace be with you, as we strive for unity and love wherever we are. Despite deep divisions among humans, and our own now and then doubts, through our companioning and fellowship with one another, God's truth within us, and living in Christ's name, we can rise along with Christ and each other to new heights of faith ~ undoubtedly! And oh how good and pleasant it is to rise to this glorious occasion in our own lifetime and live in it far beyond this one.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader:  ~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, release us from the stifling darkness of the sin and doubt of our own making, to accept the cleansing of our souls by Your Resurrection that bolsters our faith and fellowship in Your Name, through every facet of life.

                                                        Jesus, Light and Peace of God

   RESPONSE:              Raise us to new heights in Faith 

          

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, awaken Your great grace within us and especially in all the Lawmakers of our World, our Country, and our Community. Activate a deep desire to pursue unity in peace, health, and well-being, so that no one, anywhere, is further ravaged by war, poverty, disease, or any desperate need. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, grant Your healing touch of hope and love to soothe and comfort all who are unwell in body, mind, or spirit, and to all who give them care We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, You are Risen Indeed as are all of our beloved departed, who now shine in the glory of life everlasting with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith         

~ Holy Christ, our Lord and our Messiah, infuse Your anointed Disciples with an abundance of spiritual oxygen, to fill us all with the fresh air of Your Presence within and among us, lifting our purpose daily, and carrying us on the current of Your limitless love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

                                                       Jesus, Light and Peace of God

                                                       Raise us to new heights in Faith

The Celebrant adds: Holy Jesus, Risen Lord, guide us to see with new eyes, to love with new hearts, and to hope with new faith that we, as Easter People, open ourselves to new life, unburdened by doubt, radiating Your Light from within. We ask through You, our Glorious Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, our soul’s Wisdom; who together with God, our Almighty Creator, live and reign now and forever.  Amen.

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Meditation Moment in Eastertide: Monday in Holy Week ~ What's Left in Your Basket? '24

April 1, 2024 ~ Monday in Easter Week 

Now What?

    How often have we simply walked through the idea of the penitence of Lent, the excitement of Palm Sunday, the passion of Holy Week, and the joyful celebration of Your miraculous Resurrection, taking it all for granted because it happens for us every year? And now, all our work of Lent and Easter is over and we can get back to normal while we finish up the peeps, jelly beans, and what's left of the chocolate bunnies, right? Yet, a question remains ~ what are we to do with all the leftover faith eggs from our baskets?

O Christ Risen! 

    Where do we go from here? Of course life was so much simpler when I was a kid (in age, body, and mind). Easter was just a day for new clothes and a big family dinner like Thanksgiving and Christmas. And now, as an alleged grown-up (no doubt of that in age and body and mind!), I’m supposed to actually stop to think and reflect that You suffered, You died real actual death, and You Resurrected from that real actual death for each of us. Of course I have done that in the moment during Church services that were inspiring and then I'd go home, order pizza, flip through Facebook, watch tv, and make a grocery list. Yet, I've often felt as though I have more to do, more to be in terms of putting my faith into action ~ but ~ I am well aware that openly and intentionally following You carries some serious responsibilities and, honestly, I'm really not sure I'm completely up to the task. I mean, I fall off that wagon of attempted perfection quite regularly and those moments of doubting my faith and my commitment creep in. BUT ~  well, okay, insert taking a long deep breath here, it's a new week, it's a new season, maybe even a new me as in a new creation [1 Corinthians 5:17]. I'll keep going. I'm putting all of my faith eggs in one basket, Yours. I do believe that You are all I need but I could use some serious help here, please.

    In this and all times of trial, open our hearts to truly REJOICE in this Eastertide as if for the very first time and for all the best reasons. amen. 

 

 

 

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