St. Andrew the Apostle

"Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ; and brought his brother with him ..."

Who could have imagined on that first Galilee morning that Andrew's act of faithfulness and brotherly love would have led to the presence of Christian believers in nearly every country on Earth?

From that one act -- "He first found his brother Simon and said to him, 'We have seen the Messiah'" (John 1:41) -- is formed the nucleus of the apostles. In that one act, Andrew is superseded by his brother, whom we know as Peter, the Rock on whom Christ's Church will be built. Through that one act, Jesus' ministry starts to bear fruit that will last.

Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, a country a long way from Galilee, and that spiritual connection is a testament to the worldwide spread of Christianity. Even the Episcopal Church in America, which didn't even exist until 1700 years after Andrew met Jesus, has Andrew (and Scotland) memorialized in our shield:

The red and white cross is the St. George's cross of England, and the blue and white saltire cross in the top left corner is the St. Andrew's cross of Scotland.

Though we trace our heritage back to the Church of England, the first bishop in the Episcopal Church, Samuel Seabury, was consecrated by Scottish bishops whose liturgy did not require from him an oath of allegiance to the English king. As a matter of fact, the Communion service in our Book of Common Prayer down to this day is based in part on the service used by the Scottish Episcopal Church.

All of this may sound a long way from Andrew's first encounter with Jesus and his introduction of his brother to the one he knew to be the Messiah, and it is -- but just think, what might come of your introducing one person to Jesus? What might grow and spread from that one introduction?

In one of the prayers for mission at Morning Prayer we ask God to "Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (BCP 100).

Who in your life might like to meet Jesus? Why not do like Andrew did, and introduce them today?

1 Advent, Monday

"Guide our feet into the way of peace ..."

Last night at St. Thomas we enjoyed a special evening of "Kaleidoscopic Worship" focused on the labyrinth. Youth from several churches and adults from St. Thomas and other neighboring churches had a chance to enjoy a meal together, experience two labyrinths, and reflect on what we learned.

One of the labyrinths was traditional, modeled on the Chartres labyrinth. Set up in the chapel, it invited a slow, contemplative pace for some and a breakneck, hairpin-curve "wheeee!" for others. Its winding path led both inward and outward, so we found ourselves doing the dance of courtesy, making way for each other as we passed.

In the auditorium, a more contemporary labyrinth based on the work of reJesus in the UK was laid out on the floor, with a single path leading to various stations where we were invited, through various activities, to contemplate God's love for us and to lay aside preoccupations and worries.

Young people and adults alike remarked at the end of the evening on the unexpected insights they received, and I especially appreciated having the chance to pray quietly while surrounded by people -- a rare opportunity when we tend to be overstimulated when we're together or unsure what to do when we're alone.

My thanks to all the youth and adults who organized the evening. May God continue to guide all our feet into the way of peace as we make our way deeper into this Advent season.

First Sunday of Advent

Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation

Katrin and I enjoy watching what we call "crackpottery" -- TV shows and movies about the Knights Templar and secret Vatican conspiracies, angels and demons, and ancient prophecies. Last night's documentary on Hell was a real corker. Blending some Biblical passages with a heady mix of literature and art, the narrator painted a picture of humanity's enduring preoccupation with judgment and the afterlife.

Over against that preoccupation we have today's corrective passage from the Second Letter of Peter. "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think about slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Do not be preoccupied with dates and times, he essentially says, "but while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation" (2 Peter 3:14-15).

We cannot know what the end of days will be like -- and, crackpot documentaries aside, we certainly cannot predict when it will happen -- but we do learn from the Scriptures, as we pray them day by day, how God would have us live right now, today, in these in-between times.

I invite you to join me in my Advent Project of praying the Daily Office and reflecting on the Scripture lessons appointed for each day. Together let's give thanks for the patience of our Lord and listen for his word for our life today.

Proper 29, Saturday

http://www.svumc.org/images/beholdwin_lg.jpg

My house shall be a house of prayer ...

We end the Church Year with images of the New Jerusalem in our mind, and with the hope of Advent dawning in our hearts.

The lessons this morning have to do with the cleaning out that has to happen in order to make way for the glory of the New Jerusalem. Zechariah describes the plagues that will befall those nations that don't come into the city to worship, and his book ends on the note that "there shall no longer be traders in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day" (Zech. 14:21). Luke's gospel recounts Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in the days leading up to his Passion, his symbolic action of driving out the moneychangers to prepare the Temple for a new day (Luke 19:45). And the letter to the Philippians describes that day yet to come, when "at the Name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10-11).

Since the Middle Ages, our churches have been decorated with stained glass as a way to help us visualize the New Jerusalem, where "the foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel" (Rev. 21:19-20). One of the canticles we use in Morning Prayer describes how

Nations will stream to your light, *
     and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
Your gates will always be open; *
     by day or night they will never be shut.
...
The Lord will be your everlasting light, *
     and your God will be your glory. (BCP 87)

As we close out the old year, and welcome the new, let's keep before our eyes this vision of peace and unity in the new city of God. And then let's work in our own cities to make the vision come true.

Proper 29, Friday

We're winding down the days to the end of the Church Year, staying focused on images of Christ the King.

Once more today we read about the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, this time from Luke's perspective, but the collects appointed for Fridays in Morning Prayer provide a poignant counterpoint to the cries of "Hosanna" that rang around Jesus on that first Palm Sunday.

Every Friday morning we pray to "Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified" (BCP 99).

Though we proclaim Jesus as Lord, we never lose sight of the cost of that kingship. "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus," Paul writes, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself ... humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death -- even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:5-8).

We also pray to Christ himself, "who stretched out [his] arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of [his] saving embrace" (BCP 101).

The example that Jesus sets -- the example of complete self-offering -- is what the reign of Christ the King is all about. We belong to a kingdom where we are to "outdo one another in showing respect" (Rom. 12:10) rather than worrying about our own status.

The Friday prayer for mission continues with the desire that Jesus would "so clothe us in [his] spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know [him] to the knowledge and love of [him]" (BCP 101).

To whom do you need to reach out your hands today? What service or respect do you need to offer freely?

Lord Jesus, King of Kings, quickly come. Amen.

Thanksgiving Day

"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35). 

The canticles appointed for Morning Prayer on Thursday -- even though this is a special Thursday, Thanksgiving Day -- celebrate God's saving work in history and sing out with a voice of praise and gratitude.

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
     the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea. (Canticle 8)
.....
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
     we worship you, we give you thanks,
     we praise you for your glory. (Canticle 20)

This American holiday on the Episcopal Church's calendar focuses on gratitude for "the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them" (BCP 246). We are especially grateful on a day like this for America's "amber waves of grain," and we are mindful also of the needs of others.

But even the regular Thursday canticles this morning point our attention back to God, who supplies all our needs -- from deliverance out of bondage, to manna in the wilderness, to Jesus himself, the "bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John 6:33).

Every Thursday, and really every other day, too, our morning prayers express our gratitude to God ...

"for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of our world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory" (BCP 101).

I hope your celebrations today will remind you of all God's blessings in your life, and that your hearts will be turned to praise.

Let us bless the Lord!
Thanks be to God!

Proper 29, Wednesday

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfillment of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This collect, which we pray most every Wednesday morning, amplifies the passage in the Gospel reading where Jesus says to Zaccheus, "Today salvation has come to this house" (Luke 19:9).

Today, God has kept the sun shining and the world turning for 24 more hours.

Today, God is exercising power on our behalf.

Today, we face temptation and adversity.

Today, we have the chance to participate in God's plan for the world.

When Paul writes to the Ephesians, he says, "In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory" (Eph. 1:13-14).

It's the same story today as when Paul wrote his letter -- we have heard the gospel of our salvation, we have believed, we are marked for redemption, we have the chance to offer praise to God.

In all we do today, Lord God, direct us to the fulfillment of your purpose. Amen.

Proper 29, Monday

"A certain young ruler asked Jesus, 'Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?' .... Jesus said to him, 'There is one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me'" (Luke 18:18-22 passim).

Here's the trouble with this passage from Luke's Gospel: We are all the young ruler. Every single one of us.

What is needful for us is the same now as it was for the young man who comes to Jesus to ask what to do. "I've followed all the commandments," he says. "What more should I do?"

At Jesus' answer he turned away sad, the Gospel says, "because he was very rich." It is the same for us.

No matter where we fall in the socioeconomic scale, no matter what the recession has done to us, each one of us is rich (by any standard of comparison to our neighbors around the world), and each one of us is just as tangled up in our possessions as the young ruler.

I'm a gearhead; ask any one of my colleagues. I love to have the newest BlackBerry -- I'm that guy at the AT&T store the day the new model is released. Others of my colleagues are car nuts, others have children drowning in toys. With our friends, Katrin and I go over the top decorating our houses and throwing parties.

Now, literally selling everything is one way to address the issue. Jesus is very good at cutting through the static and distilling the issue down to its heart. But his goal is not just the young ruler's wealth, it's the young ruler's freedom. Jesus wants him free to love and serve God with all his heart, and the young ruler can't do that while his possessions are dragging him down. None of us can.

As we enter the Christmas-industrial complex, which is already in full steam, ask yourself what preoccupation you can do without in order to be free to love God with all your heart. What can you let go of, what can you not even bring into the house, that will leave you lighter and freer?

This parable reminds me of another story, this one from the Desert Fathers of Egypt, who recount the time the young monk, Abba Lot, came to visit Abba Joseph. "Father," he said, "As far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace, and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?"

Abba Joseph held up his hands, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. "If you want," he replied, "why not become totally flame?"

Why not be free to love and serve God? Why not let go of some of that weight of possessions? Why not become totally flame?

The Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King)

In the tender compassion of our God *
     the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death *
     and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

As we close out the Church Year, we prepare for the coming of Christ the King, "whose will it is," the Collect of the Day suggests, "to restore all things" (BCP 236).

The lessons appointed for Morning Prayer today remind us of the last time people celebrated Jesus as an earthly king -- his triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the last week of his life. At that time, the people placed palm branches on the road and shouted "Hosanna, Lord, hosanna!" just as we did in Psalm 118 this morning.

However, Jesus did not turn out to be the king we hoped for. His first act after the triumphal entry, Matthew tells us, was to make a whip of cords and drive the moneychangers from the Temple (Matt. 21:12), an act calculated to get him hauled up before the authorities. It was the opening act of the drama that concluded, or so we thought, with his crucifixion.

The perspective of a little time, perhaps 40 years or more, brought to the community of Christians an understanding of the kingship of Jesus, the Christ, which was accomplished in his resurrection. "Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison ..." (1 Peter 3:18-19). Through Christ's resurrection, even those who died before have had the way to God opened for them.

In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn has indeed broken on us, "who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death," and we now have constantly before us the example of Christ, whose baptism we share, whose fellowship we participate in, and whose will we make real in the world.

Our high calling -- to restore all things in Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- we pray for each morning in the Collect for Mission: "Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom" (BCP 100).

Lord Jesus, quickly come! Amen!

New parish assignment

Now that I am canonically resident in the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, Bishop Jacobus has assigned me to serve as deacon at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Neenah/Menasha starting on the First Sunday of Advent, November 28.

I'm looking forward to working with Fr. Osborne and the many, many active parishioners at St. Thomas. Check out the parish website -- there's a lot going on!

I'll also be restarting my Daily Office reflections in Advent, so watch this space ....