Where your treasure is

Investment is an interesting concept. It wasn't until relatively recently (1545 in England) that making some money with your money was an accepted practice. Sure the blacksmith could "invest" in iron and make money selling horseshoes, but it wasn't that the local blacksmith was giving his money to the local farmer to buy seed in hopes of a return on his investment come harvest.

Reading Jesus' famous words on the value of money struck me today. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I wonder if it really has to do with money the way we, consumerist as we are, read it to be. Did Jesus really equate wealth with treasure? I'm guessing no. I'm thinking that perhaps Jesus' sense of treasure had more to do with the whole of one's being.

As I invest the money I set aside to pay quarterlies in a high-yield interest account, I don't think of it as placing my treasure in ING's hands. I think of my treasure as my time, my relational energy, my love and affection. These things I place in important places. I give my time to my God, my wife, and my Church. I give my relational energy to the same. I give my love and affection right there too. That is where my treasure is, and by default (love, time, relational energy) my heart is there also.

I know I'll be preaching on the Feast of St. Claire. I know that her vow of poverty, along with that of St. Francis, is world renowned. I understand that Jesus did have something to say with how we use are money, but I have to imagine that he had a lot more in mind by treasure than an economic system.

Still, the lesson remains the same, doesn't it. I may not be giving ING my treasure and my heart, but I give it to a lot of things that are not needful of it. I give my time to the remote control as I channel-surf for a show I know isn't on. I give my love to thinks undeserving; material goods that in no way bring me closer to the man Jesus would have me be. I waste a lot of my treasure on things which are unnecessary thereby stretching my heart awfully thin. "Where your treasure is, there you heart will be also." Maybe it doesn't mean just money, but I still have a lot of work to do getting my treasures in the right places.

Sermon for Proper 12, Year C

When I was seven I began to take piano lessons. When I was fourteen I quit. During those seven years I successfully made it to level two in the four level series my piano teacher used. I hated playing the piano. I never practiced, and it showed. Practice is a “repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.”[1] It was the repeated and systematic parts I didn’t like. Practice is hard work, and it takes a lot of patience. But practice isn’t only for young piano students. Practice is one of the ancient images for the journey of faith. The Disciples, the Early Church Fathers, the Saints, and on have practiced following Jesus by way of things like; giving, hospitality, justice, and of course prayer. These things are called spiritual practices because when we start out we rarely get them “right”, so we practice, doing them over and over again, working on perfecting the craft of following Jesus.

Bill Hybels talks about exercise as a metaphor for the practice of prayer like this;

You’ve decided it is high time to get into good physical shape, so you investigate a health club. When you walk in the door, you are greeted by a staff member who takes you from station to station, showing you the state-of-the-art equipment. At the end of the orientation your guide asks, “Would you like us to set up a routine for you?”

At this point you may feel like backing out. Playing on exercise equipment is one thing: following an established regimen is quite another. Seeing your hesitation, the staff member explains: “You need a routine in order to work all the muscle groups properly and consistently, to keep track of how many repetitions you’ve done at which weight, to chart your progress and avoid becoming imbalanced.”

Looking around the fitness center, you see examples of serious imbalance. A behemoth with bulging deltoids walks out of the weight room. Still wearing his weight belt, he stumbles and gasps a couple of time around the track before gratefully returning to familiar territory. Then you see a guy glide effortlessly around the track. He probably does seven miles at a time, but from his upper-body appearance, you know his wife has to open the pickle jars.

Health-club instructors know that without a carefully structured plan, we’re all likely to become imbalanced. That’s because we all tend to do what we enjoy and ignore the difficult or distasteful or untried.[2]

Does that sound familiar? I know it does for me. I’m really good at asking God for things;: Lord bless this meal; Father grant us safe travel; Come Holy Spirit Come, but other forms of prayer like meditation, contemplation, and listening to God’s soft voice is very difficult for me, so often I just don’t do it.

I think this may have been what the continuously imbalanced disciples had in mind when they came up to Jesus one day and said, “Teach us to pray.” They saw Jesus praying so often and with such vigor that I’m sure they had come to realize if they wanted to pray like Jesus, they needed some coaching and a lot of practice. As Father Keith said last week, Jesus was the master coach, and he lives up to it in this example. He gives the disciples three quick lessons.

“First,” he says, “when y’all pray (he actually uses the plural you, so maybe it is “when all y’all pray”) do it like this “Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.” You’ve prayed a version of this prayer thousands of times in your life. There are whole books written to help us understand the Lord’s Prayer. Across the world today there are, no doubt, tens of thousands of sermons being preached on what Jesus meant by each phrase.

I want to note only one thing about Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer. As I mentioned earlier, Jesus answers them by saying, “When all y’all pray.” The assumption from the outset is two-fold. One, they are praying, which is obvious from their question. Two, they are praying together, in community. Your personal prayer life is important. Spending regular time daily with the Lord is the second greatest practice you can have as you strive to be like Jesus. The greatest practice we have, however, is praying together, regularly, in community. That is why we gather together today. Praying together, as a community of believers compounds our abilities. We pray when the person next to us is in too much pain to pray. We pray when the person who normally sits next to us is too ill to even come to church. Together, in prayer, we are made one in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, petitioning God the Father. Pray in community.

“Secondly,” Jesus continues by way of a parable, “be persistent.” Having given the twelve a form for prayer, Coach Jesus goes on to teach them how their heart and mind should be in prayer. Be persistent. Over and over again Jesus affirms the persistence of those seeking the Kingdom; the persistence of the friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus; the persistence of the women who traveled with him; and the faithful, persistent prayer of the father of the demon-possessed boy.[3] In this parable Jesus wants us to note that it is not out of the kindness of the sleeping man’s heart that he gets up, but the shameless boldness, the annoying persistence, of the man at the door that raises the man from bed.

I remember one pastoral care class I took my first year of seminary in which we had an hour long conversation about prayer lists. Should we have them? Should we read them in the Prayers of the People? How should they be updated? And then in my internship church, the debate raged for two years as the prayer list swelled to nearly 60 names. Until this week, I was on the side that said, “Don’t read it, it is too long, it makes new comers uncomfortable.” But in light of Jesus’ advice to be persistent, I’m not so sure anymore. Taking the prayer list home to incorporate in your daily prayer life is important, but how much more so is it to pray for each of these people by name over and over again as a community. Be Persistent!

“Finally,” Jesus says, “don’t be afraid to ask. God will provide his Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.” Having given them a form and advising them to be persistent, Jesus’ final lesson is to pray with boldness. “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” It seems as though Jesus is handing us a blank prayer check. That it pronoun can get us into deep trouble. In boldness we pray for all sorts of things, good and ill. We pray for healing. We pray for jobs. We pray for Alabama to beat Auburn or Auburn to beat Alabama. We pray for a lot of things and often use this passage in the expectation that all will be given. I do it. When I recall this passage I always mess up the last verse. Instead of remembering it as “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” I forget the Holy Spirit part. “How much more will the heavenly Father give to those who ask him!” Despite what looks like a blank check from Jesus, we aren’t promised all we could ever imagine, we are instead promised the only thing we really need, the Holy Spirit.

“Not even Jesus received all he asked for. One dark night long ago in a placed called Gethsemane, he made a request and, in the end, his Father had to say no. A certain, bitter cup of suffering would not pass from Jesus. The next time we know Jesus prayed, he was crying out, "My God, my God, why? Why have you forsaken me?" Jesus moved from an unanswered prayer to a lament and yet his prayer life remained intact. His Father had said no, had had to abandon him for a time. But before he bowed his head and died, Jesus said to this same Father, ‘Into your hands do I commit my spirit.’ In our lives, too, our every prayer contributes to the thankfulness we owe to God. Even at our most disappointed, the Holy Spirit is in us and we receive the further anointing of that same Spirit every time we pray.”[4]

Praying for God’s kingdom. Praying for bread. Praying for forgiveness. These are all givens in the faith. All in all we are called to pray for God’s Holy Spirit. As much as we think we know what we may need, God gives us the only thing which really gives life. It requires practice. It required patience. But if we are to remain in balance in our prayer life, we must practice; not only on our own, but more importantly in community. Practice makes perfect the preparation of our hearts for the Holy Spirit to fill us with peace, strength, and hope for the days that lie ahead. Pray together. Pray with persistence. Pray with boldness for the Holy Spirit. Amen.

---

[1] Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006

[2] Too Busy Not to Pray, 61-2.

[3] Day1.net – The Rev. Dr. Sam Matthews – July 29, 2007

[4] http://cep.calvinseminary.edu/thisWeek/index.php

on preparation

On August 11th I am scheduled to preach at the service of Ordination to the Priesthood for a dear friend from Seminary. That is a little less than two weeks from right now. I am nervous. As if preaching in front of a crowd eagerly awaiting an ontological change to happen in someone else isn't difficult enough, I am a deacon, preaching the ordination of a priest. The Bishop of, well whatever diocese it is in, (I should figure that out), has made it clear that this isn't the norm, but he is allowing it. GULP.

Anyway, two weeks of preparation seem like a good idea to me. The readings that are found here are for that day. I will be reading them with much intent and vigor over the next couple of weeks, please read them with me, and pray, pray hard, for me.

The crux of this post, however, isn't about me or my preparation. Instead it is about the call to "be prepared" that is so clear in Luke 12.32-37. God wants to give you the Kingdom, are you ready? Well no, of course I'm not. I've got a sermon to write. I've got a webpage to put together. I've got names to learn. I've got s**t to do, thank you very much. Excuses are not going to make the Kingdom of God. Preparation and action will. When the master, drunk from a wedding banquet that lasted several days, stumbles back home, the servants best be prepared for his arrival. How much more so should we be prepared for the God of all love and power when he comes, Kingdom in hand, ready to give it to us. To be asleep seems as though it would be a bad thing. To be unprepared, not sure whether it is God at the door, that would be unwise. Know the LORD and await his arrival.

All right, I get it. I'll be prepared. I'll start by working on this sermon.

I'm kinda sure

"The LORD will make good his purpose for me; *
O LORD, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands."

I haven't noticed the Psalm for Weekly Lection in quite some time. I often run through it in hopes of arriving at an insightful word from Paul. Even though I am now reading the Scripture in the context of Morning Prayer (today done at 1:45 PM) I don't read the Psalm first, I just cram all the readings together. I need to work on that.

I did, however, notice the Psalm today. Verse 9 really spoke to me with its assurance and yet doubt.

"The LORD will make good his purpose for me;" - I know this. Though I am just at the beginning of my ministry, very green, very nervous, and with a lot to learn, I know that God has great things in store. I know that his purpose for me here is without compare, that is why I was called to St. Paul's. God's got some big things planned.

"O LORD, your love endures forever;" - I know this too. I've said it and sung it to God in Canticles too many times to remember since finding Morning Prayer. God's love for me, in fact for all Creation, is never ending. We were created by the overflowing of love from the Trinity. God wanted to love more and more, so He created. He repeatedly called us back from our rebellion, to the point of sending his Son, Himself, to earth to die on our behalf. I know that my God loves me.

"Do not abandon the works of your hands." - And yet. And yet, I still doubt. Your plan is good, don't let it fall through the cracks. Your love is never-ending, don't forget about me. This verse is the definition of faith for most, if not all, believers. I know, but. It is hard to trust in God. So many other things have failed us; parents, education, politicians, the Church, and on and on. We are conditioned to be guarded, to offer a Psalm like this one.

But with God, we can stop 2/3 of the way through. "The LORD will make good his purpose for me; O LORD, your love endures forever, AMEN!" Now, if I can convince myself of it, I'll be golden.

good satire is good satire

no matter who it is poking with a stick. HT to the tallskinnykiwi for the link. As an emerging Christian who is humble ;-) this one is my favorite.




Find them all here.

I'm Family Friendly

the history of naval gazing

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ." (Col 2.8)

Sometimes I forget that well intentioned naval gazing isn't a new phenomenon. I haven't studied philosophy so I often lose sight of the fact that the history of it goes back to before Christ was born. I guess the Greeks and the Romans were probably some of the worst offenders of empty deceit in all of human history. So while I feel awfully sorry for St. Paul, I take some solace in his call to the Colossians to put aside the pride that goes with heady, philosophical conversation.

Modernity, too, had its fair share of "human tradition". With its love of science and the arrogance that comes from "progressive truth finding", humanity spent most of our post-enlightenment history captive to our own understanding. I'm recalling my own being held captive during a three-hour naval gazing conversation about one chapter of Barth's Homiletics at my favorite modernist institution, Virginia Theological Seminary.

And, I'm sorry to say, our captivity continues. As much as I love my time spent in emerging/Emergent conversations, it too has the capacity to fall into its own empty deceit. As Bishop Baxter says, "when we look to anything other that Jesus to save us, we're in trouble." Even this blog, with its often heady study of scripture, can, at times, be accused of not being focused on Christ alone. I know it. It is impossible to avoid really. Heck, even St. Paul was dealing with it in one of his missions.

So today is a conviction day for me. It is a call to prayer (see Genesis and Luke). Heady exploration of scripture and theology, done in the context of prayer, will seek Christ alone. Done any other way, will, more often than not, results in the puffing up of my own ego.

The Corner: Signs of the Apocalypse: Insane Frank Pastore Column

The Corner: Signs of the Apocalypse: Insane Frank Pastore Column

You must read this post by Bob Carlton over at the Corner. In light of the Tony Jones link from yesterday, it would be bad reporting on my part not to pass this along to you and yours. Enjoy!

WOW

I haven't shared this story yet, but now seems like an appropriate time.

In early May of this year I was tapped by Diana Butler Bass and the Cathedral College to help put together the Draughting Theology sessions for the Church in the 21st Century conference at the Washington National Cathedral. My compensation was free admission to the conference, so I took full advantage. During one breakout session, lead by Tony Jones, National Coordinator for Emergent Village, a man went on a rant about what the central claim of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is.

Afterward, and I don't know how this happened, but we were engaged in a conversation when I had to stand my ground and affirm that his central claim and mine were different. And then the flood gates opened. Apparently, and I didn't know this, but my walk with Christ is a self-centered faith, focused only on saving my own butt from the fires of a hell that I made up. His tirade went on for a few minutes. I said I was sorry he felt that way and that I wished perhaps we could have a more generous conversation about our faiths. Anyway, to toot my own horn, I had three people come up to me later and say how impressed they were with my reaction. This must have been the Holy Spirit because I am German and Irish, we don't typically respond well in the face of criticism.

All this to say that we really need to work on the tenor of our conversations in theology. A Spirit of Generosity and humility is completely lacking. And while my friend happened to be on the left side of the old conservative liberal paradigm, it happens both ways. Take a listen to the redonkulous appearance by Tony Jones on the Albert Mohler Radio Program. For background, go here, and then spend 35 minutes or so listening to what I can only describe as a Spirit-filled reaction by Tony Jones to a venomous attack by Dr. Russell Moore, the guest host that day.

Enjoy. WOW!

i found something new

Well at least it is new to me. And that may not even be true, it may be something I noticed before and forgot, but it is new to me today. I've read the passage from Luke 11 on prayer dozens of times in my life. I've heard it preached on. I was part of a Lenten series on the Lord's Prayer. I thought I had some idea what was going on in this passage. Then today, as I read it again I noticed something very peculiar, something that I had not noticed before.

The passage for the Lectionary ends with verse 13 (I don't have verse #s but it is something like), "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

"How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"!!!!!

Have you ever noticed that before? When I think of this passage in my mind I hear it as "How much more will the heavenly Father give to those who ask him!" But that isn't what Jesus is promising here. Jesus isn't promising that the Prayer of Jabez will bring you riches. He isn't promising that every time we pray for healing it'll happen. He isn't promising victory for the side that prays more. Nope, he is promising the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. He is promising the overflowing of the Spirit to those who ask again and again.

In light of the examples; bread, fish, eggs, it seems like Jesus is calling us to ask for that which gives us life. Immediately then, he tells us what to ask for. Not for 2 747s for your ministry. Not for a million dollars. Not for a brilliant idea. Nope, ask for that which give life, the Holy Spirit. Ask again and again. God will give you so much of the Spirit that you'll overflow. I'm glad for this realization. It makes my prayer life easier. "Give me the good stuff God, fill me up with your Holy Spirit!" That I can pray with confidence.

From Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving

With a stop at utter despair in between. My post on Friday was an upbeat one. It was really one of my better posts, I think. Not rambling as I am want to do. Not sullen as my mindset often is. Really good theology, I think, oh and use of the BCP, a 5 for sure from the GOE readers.

And then I got a phone call. It was SHW calling to let me know that because she was "unemployed" she was disqualified from being licensed by credentials in the great state of Alabama. Mild panic and great annoyance set in immediately. The tone of thanksgiving that had flowed so easily to God just hours before was now gone in a flash of bitterness and frustration as I tried to figure out what we would do now.

It is amazing how quickly our prayers can change. I guess it really more amazing how quickly life can change. From being excited and humbled by being a part of God's plan to being really pis*ed of at God for not making it as easy as I think it should be in about 3 seconds. Prayers go from adoration and thanksgiving to rants of anger and frustration. God can take both, another reason for thanksgiving I suppose.

Anyway, when she finally couldn't take it anymore, SHW called her old boss. Before her story was over, he said, "what do you mean you are unemployed?" Her 6 week unpaid leave will come to a close here soon, and she'll be commuting to DC for a part-time job, but I'll be darned if she doesn't still have a job. And BAM! We're back to thanksgiving, humility, and awe at the power of God, at the way he works through people and relationships to bring his will to fruition on earth as in heaven.

Whether it is the small stuff like being thankful for rain, or the big stuff like the reign of God prayer works. Offering thanksgiving to God never goes unnoticed. Asking with persistence for the in breaking of the Kingdom of God will bring it about. So from Thanksgiving to despair to Thanksgiving, I'm back, looking at the good gifts, standing in awe of the Lord.

Readings for This Week

Proper 12: Year C

The Collect

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Genesis 18:20-33

The LORD said to Abraham, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."

So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

Psalm 138 Page 793, BCP

Confitebor tibi

1

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.

2

I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;

3

For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.

4

When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.

5

All the kings of the earth will praise you, O LORD, *
when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6

They will sing of the ways of the LORD, *
that great is the glory of the LORD.

7

Though the LORD be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.

8

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.

9

The LORD will make good his purpose for me; *
O LORD, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Colossians 2:6-15

As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

Luke 11:1-13

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

And do not bring us to the time of trial."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, `Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

the giver of all good gifts

to Him be thanks and praise. I am struck this morning as I read the Gospel for the 29th by what Jesus says about God as he talks about prayer.

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

It is so often the case that I forget how great God is. I rarely realize the extent to which God has poured out his blessings upon me. When it rains, I grumble. When it is hot, I complain. When things go well, I congratulate myself. When things don't go so well, I blame, well usually I blame someone else. I forget to thank God for all these things. I forget that nothing is to wondrous for the Lord, and I assume I've got it all under control. I'm convicted today to thank God. I'm reminded today of Charlie Price's masterpiece in the 79 BCP.

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have
done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole
creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for
the loving care which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best
efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy
and delight us.

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures
that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the
truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast
obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying,
through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life
again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and
make him known; and through him, at all times and in all
places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.


I'm glad to have this prayer today. I'm glad Scott moved me on to the readings for next week. I'm thankful for all the gifts given to me by Him through whom all things were made. Thanks be to God!

Distractions Redeemed

In thinking yet again about the Mary and Martha story as it relates to my own constant state of distraction and worry I was reminded of a prayer. This prayer comes from the book , Women's Uncommon Prayers: our lives revealed, nurtured, celebrated, an odd place for a 27 year-old post-conservative to pull from, but a good book none-the-less. The prayer I recalled was written by the Rev. Mary Anne Akin and is entitled "Sunday Night Tub Cleaning". It reminds me a lot of the option Martha chose not to choose, finding God in the distractions, seeking God in the mundane.

This post is sort of worthless, I am realizing, due to a very stern copyright notice on the first page of Women's Uncommon Prayers. I can't copy it here for you to read, but point you to Google Book Search where you can search for "Sunday Night Tub Cleaning" and find it quite easily.


Anyway, I just felt that a series of posts on distractions and worry wouldn't be finished without noting that God is in the small stuff. God shows up slumped over the bathtub in the same way, and often with more power and might, than on a Sunday morning in a stuffy church service. To live as Monday through Saturday followers of Christ rather than just as Sunday church-goers is to seek God in the grime of the bathtub, the frustration of the traffic light, or the silence of an empty house.

Changing Again

I'm preaching a friend's (a classmate and blogging buddy) ordination to the priesthood in a couple of weeks, and he has decided to rejoin the blog-o-sphere for it. His Email to me said;

success! It was good to blog again. I am going to blog Today, Friday, and Saturday. I preach the 29th so this (and anything you contribute) will help toward that sermon. Next week I will post the readings for the 3rd. The following week we will begin for the 11th. I'll simply post a note that we are working together for a sermon on St. Claire.

does this work?

So I'll be switching back and forth between readings for the next few weeks. I'll just be sure to note what Proper I'm using.