February 1, 2023

In saying the rosary, the mechanical element frees the mind to rest in the mysteries, or more simply to find its repose in God. – Robert Llewelyn, A Doorway to Silence

I don't know where I came across this book, but it's a guide, so to speak, on the use of the rosary. Mr. Llewelyn was not Roman Catholic, but served as Chaplain of the Julian Shrine at Norwich. Over his time there he came to appreciate praying the rosary on a daily basis. As I've mentioned before, I discovered the rosary and began one while I was in Oregon. When the open-carry of weapons became legal, I decided that wearing a rosary would be a better open-carry option.

There is a difference between a Catholic rosary and an Anglican rosary, primary of which is the Catholic rosary is made up of “decades” (ten bead sections) while the Anglican rosary is made up of “weeks” (seven bead sections) – please, no jokes about us being “Catholic-lite.” Another difference is that the Catholic rosary often makes use of set prayers (such as the Hail Mary), while the Anglican rosary leaves it up to the user to develop their own prayers.

I've developed my own system over the years which includes the opening acclamation from Holy Eucharist, the Trisagion, and the Lord's Prayer.

This repetitive prayer at first holds the mind's attention; it gives us something to focus on so that our minds don't wander willy-nilly, leaving us to wonder why we were even praying. The repetitive prayer, if said often enough, eventually becomes an anchor, holding us secure but allowing the mind to drift within the mystery of God, engaging God in ever deeper levels.

In some sense, then, our Sunday liturgy might also be seen as a type of rosary. There are elements that change from week to week (hymns, Collects, and readings), but even those things that change are in always-familiar places. And there are elements that rarely change (Holy Communion).

For people new to the Episcopal church, the repetitive nature of the liturgy can hold their attention or get them to focus on worship. Which book we use (red or blue), what page we're on, and whether we're singing S-120 or Hymn 120 all take concentration. Eventually, though, as a person becomes familiar with the service, the repetitive words and actions become more and more familiar, allowing the liturgy to become an anchor while they begin to contemplate the mystery of God and engage with God in ever-deepening levels. Both the rosary and liturgy have also been described as a safe, protective blanket, allowing one to be wrapped up in God's love.

So whether you are praying the rosary or praying the liturgy, I encourage you to see those things as anchors to your faith that allow you to lose yourself in the mysteries of God without getting lost.

January 25, 2023

One thing have I asked of the LORD; one thing I seek;*  that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life – Ps. 27:5

Psalm 27 is one of my favorite psalms. It talks of how the Lord protects the psalmist from his enemies. It longs for the day when the psalmist can dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. It speaks of how the Lord will sustain the psalmist in times of trouble.

When I have found myself in times of trouble or distress or discomfort, I have often turned to this psalm for strength and comfort.

There are times when Verse 5 is more on point than other times. Sunday mornings when I arrive before anyone else and the church is quiet, with the morning sun streaming through the Resurrection Window, I will sit for a minute and think, “I would love to dwell in this house all the days of my life.”

Christmas Day is another time where Verse 5 stands out. It's the first service after the Christmas Eve Mass, it's quiet, and the faint scent of incense is still hanging in the air. In that moment the nave looks and smells like I imagine what the throne room of God looked like to Isaiah (Is. 6:1-4) or John (Rev. 4).

Verse 5 stands out for me every Sunday morning when we are gathered as the people of God and we join our voices with angels and archangels as we sing, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.”

The flip side of this verse is not only a desire to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever, but a desire to escape. In reading this psalm there is a plea from the psalmist to have God remove him from the troubles of the world. That desire to escape the troubles of the world has been around a long time. It shows up in this psalm. It shows up at the Transfiguration when Peter says to Jesus, “Let us build three dwellings: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” It shows up today when people have built a whole religion around the rapture.

But we are not called to escape this world. Jesus never called his disciples to follow him into the desert and disappear. The rapture is a theological fantasy developed by misunderstanding scripture. Jesus didn't let Peter build those dwellings, and they all had to go down the mountain into the midst of people.

Later in Ps. 27 the psalmist writes, “You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.”* Your face, LORD, will I seek.”

May we always remember that our faith is not calling us to escape from the world, but to live in the world while continually seeking the face of God.

January 18, 2023

In the gospel reading from this past Sunday we heard John's version of how the disciples connected up with Jesus. In the synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee when he comes across Simon Peter & Andrew and James & John and basically says, “Get out of your boat and follow me.”

In the Fourth Gospel, however, we are given a different scenario. In this gospel we see John the Baptist and some of his disciples sort of hanging out when John says, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” and his disciples, one of whom is Andrew, follow after Jesus. Jesus invites them to come see where he is staying, and then Andrew goes and rounds up his brother Simon Peter to also come along.

In her sermon this past Sunday, Dcn. Sue talked about the revelation of when, where, and how we see Jesus. She also recalled some of her own call story into ministry. In that story she said it was her pastor at the time who invited her to step out of her comfort zone and, with the help of a young teenage boy, write the prayers of the people for their worship service.

In her story her pastor was playing the part of Andrew. He, like Andrew, was someone who was already following Jesus when he invited someone else to come along.

I think that sometimes we can get so focused on the synoptic version of being called to discipleship that we forget about John's version of being called to discipleship. What I mean is, we hear any number of call stories and assume it's Jesus who is calling us. After all, there are plenty of scriptural references to that, such as the calling of the disciples I've already mentioned, or where we read that God or Jesus called someone, as well as hymns (Jesus calls us o'er the tumult of our life's wild restless seas). We hear these stories or hymns and we automatically think, “Jesus calls out to all of us directly.” That leads us to maybe think that if we don't hear Jesus we aren't being called.

I'm not saying that's not true, but what I am saying is that sometimes call stories (Dcn. Sue's and Peter's from Sunday's gospel, for instance) take another avenue. Sometimes those call stories happen because someone pointed someone else in the right direction. For Dcn. Sue it was her pastor. For Simon Peter it was Andrew.

The point is this: The Season of Epiphany is all about revelation. It's all about finding out who Jesus is. It's all about seeing the light. The season started when the wise men followed the star to the Holy Family's house. Then we heard about the baptism of Jesus and the voice and descending dove. Sunday we heard Andrew being point to Christ by John the Baptist and then pointing his brother to Christ.

In this Season of Epiphany, let us remember that Christ calls to everyone in a variety of ways, and sometimes that involves us inviting others to follow along with us. Don't forget to help point out Christ to others wherever you may find him.

Todd+

January 11, 2023

Frantic, frenetic, and constant chaos. We do not have enough chocolate in the building to help.

That pretty much sums up the month of January.

We are preparing for the annual meeting. People are writing and sending in reports. Ballots are being mailed both physically and electronically today. The annual report is being produced in stages as we receive reports.

The Search Team for our next Minister of Music has been working hard with interviews, checking references, planning to meet candidates in person, and everything else associated with process.

We are reaching out to a variety of different contacts and resources in our ongoing effort to replace Katherine as our treasurer.

It seems there are a multitude of people working to plan and organize the festivities associated with Mark King's final Sunday.

Mark and I have worked to plan ahead so our interim organist, Brenda Weiser, can focus on providing quality music during this time. We're also working ahead so that our hopefully newly-called Minister of Music will have an easy transition.

In addition to all of that, Mark is working on sorting, cleaning out, and moving 28-years of office stuff.

And lest I forget Melonie, in addition to her regular duties she is also caught up in all of the extra activities mentioned above. Her desk often looks like someone turned her drawers upside down and scattered the contents all over the office; but at the end of the day she's managed to put everything back where it belongs.

Things here are frantic, frenetic, and in constant chaos. I think we need more chocolate.

At this time of the year, and this year in particular, I am grateful for those moments I can slow down, put all of the chaos and stress to the side, breathe, and spend some time with God. For me this comes when I end the day in the South Transept and pray Evening Prayer. It comes on Wednesday at 12:15 when I escape out of the office into St. Mary's Chapel for the midday/mid-week Eucharist. And it comes every Sunday when, for about 2-1/2 hours I worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; a time when I hear the readings, pray the Psalm, join with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven as we sing, “Holy, holy, holy Lord . . .” and especially a time when I have the privilege and honor of administering Holy Communion.

There are times when things are frantic, frenetic, and in chaos. There are times when you don't have enough chocolate to cope. But hopefully, in the midst of all that frenzy, you have a time a place to sit, breathe, slow down, and be with God.

“Be present, O merciful God, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changlessness.”

January 4, 2023

Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

Today is the 11^th Day of Christmas and the above citation from John is the first verse of the Gospel reading appointed for today.

This is one of those verses that often gets misused by Christians.

It gets used to prove how right they are and how wrong other people are. It gets used to condemn people to hell. It gets used to denigrate and devalue other religions and the people who follow them. It gets used in a decidedly unloving way, thereby being completely opposed to the message of love found in John's gospel and letters.

As I said in my sermon this past Sunday (the Feast of the Holy Name) and in Soundings, “The name of Jesus is holy and powerful because he was the one who gave us the example of what it means to live in complete unity with God.”

As Christians we believe Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, Son of God, and the Word incarnate. Jesus gave us the perfect example of what it means to live in unity with God. Therefore, following Jesus is following him in the way to the Father. Following Jesus allows us to live into the truth of God. Following Jesus gives us the life God intended from the beginning of creation. It is in following Jesus that we embark on the way, live into the truth, and are given life. We come to the Father by following Jesus and living into his example.

I think everyone would be much better off if Christians of all stripes spent more time following the way of Christ and living into his example rather than condemning people who are different and beating them over the head with the cross in an effort to correct their wayward ways and win converts.

As we come to the close of the Christmas season, maybe the best gift we can give God is not how many converts we notch on our bibles but is our willingness to follow the path of Jesus in all we do, pointing the way to the truth of God by how we live.

Merry Christmas,

Todd+

December 28, 2022

Merry Christmas to you!

Today is the Fourth Day of Christmas, and despite most radio stations returning to their regular programming, despite stores having removed Christmas decorations and priced certain items for quick clearance in order to make room for their Valentine's Day product, it is still the Christmas season. It is still the season of joy and light. It is still the season when we recall that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Between December 25, Christmas Day, and January 6, the Epiphany, there are celebrations for the lives of Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, and Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist (and our patron), as well as the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus Christ (which we will celebrate on Sunday, January 1, at 9:30).

There is also today.

Today we commemorate the Holy Innocents, the day we remember the slaughter of children in and around Bethlehem on Herod's order after the wise men departed for home without telling him where they found Jesus and his family. In the midst of the Christmas celebration, we have the remembrance of a horrific event. In some places this day has been turned into “Children's Day,” when children are given authority to rule the household, or for children to play practical jokes, becoming a day of merry making for children. Although in medieval England, children were whipped in bed to remind them of the mournfulness of the day.

Despite this becoming a day of festivities for children, this day still commemorates and reminds us of a horrific event called for by an evil tyrant in an effort to put an end to God's plan by killing innocent children. The festivities are only a weak attempt to cover up the horrors of that day.

This day, as much as Good Friday does, reminds us that the powers and principalities of this world will stop at nothing to crush the light of God. This day reminds us that the rulers of this world will not bat an eye if innocent people are victimized, imprisoned, abused, neglected, and killed, as long as the methods used keep the powerful in power and those under their rule fearful of an invisible “other.”

Holy Innocents is not just about the children killed on Herod's order. It is for all people of color who are victimized by overt and covert actions of white supremacy and systemic racism. It is for all women who are abused and victimized by men. It is for all victims of domestic abuse, both men and women. It is for all those who suffer from mental health issues but can't get help because programs have been cut. It is for all innocent refugees turned away at borders and refused help. It is for lgbtq+ people ostracized and abused for being who they are. It is for anyone who suffers at the hands of those in power because they are seen as an inconvenience or a threat.

But Holy Innocents also reminds us that no matter how much people work against God, God always finds a way to keep the light shining. The Holy Family escaped. There are instances when justice wins. The light continues to shine in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.

Blessings,

December 21, 2022

Christmas Eve and Day are right around the corner. The time we celebrate the birth of Christ, God incarnate, and see God among us with our eyes is upon us.

I picked up several copies of Holy is His Name: Daily Devotions for Advent for people to use during this season of preparation. This devotional is a daily meditation on the Canticles of Luke (the Magnificat, Benedictus, Gloria [a song of the Eucharist with its first lines found in Luke], and Nunc dimittis). As we approach Christmas, I thought today's meditation was particularly appropriate, so I include it here in full for this Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Advent.

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

We will not know the time or day of Jesus's second coming. Early Christians knew that this day could be at any moment. In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, Jesus explains that five of the young women brought oil with their lamps to meet the bridegroom. The other five, however, were foolish and did not bring oil. When the bridegroom was late, the wedding party grew tired and fell asleep. At midnight, a cry came that the bridegroom had arrived at last. The ten trimmed their lamps, so that the flame could burn bright and free of smoke. But the foolish bridesmaids had no oil and had to go and buy more. They stumbled back to a closed door and a bridegroom who did not know them.

We must not assume that we are wise and ready for the day of the Lord's coming. We are all sleepers who must awake and meet Christ with a ready heart. While we profess our belief that Christ will come again, there are things to reconsider. The first Christians devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and to prayer. In taking seriously the teaching of the apostles, they held all things in common, selling their possessions and giving their money away to those in need. Without earthly possessions, the early churches entered into a new economy where every need could be met and satisfied.

The need for new life can be found everywhere. We tire of the status quo that only benefits the 1 percent. Abuse in our churches and communities demand of us better systems of accountability and repentance. Wars started for the sake of ego leave us all broken and bleeding. The deluge of sins can leave us feeling defeated and discouraged. But evil does not tell the complete story.

The church continues to wait for the return of Christ the Bridegroom some 2000 years later. If we take seriously Jesus's promise that his return is still just around the corner, what changes will we make in our lives? How do we enter into God's work to ready a broken and grieving world for salvation?

We have seen the Savior whom God has prepared for all the world to see. How might we make him know to the world around us?

May you have a joyful Christmas and blessed New Year.