Liturgy Lesson for the Second Sunday in Lent: Fasting Time
February 28, 2010
Frequently, when Christians think about Lent, they consider what they are fasting—giving up—for the season, without realizing every Sunday is a “little Easter”—a “feast day” when Lenten discipline may relent, if done so in honor of the Resurrection. Also interesting—every Sunday is also a “little Lent,” since many among us practice the ancient custom of fasting the communion—that is, not eating until after we take the Body and Blood and approaching our worship in an attitude of examen—Holy Spirit-powered self-examination before confession. In this way, every Sunday spent in the Lord’s courts are Lent and Easter combined—and model the season to us. We approach the Lord’s Presence by first confessing our shortcomings and hearing His forgiveness proclaimed, then break our fast in celebration of Christ’s mighty Resurrection that grants us access to the King, our Heavenly Father. We might also, instead of giving something up, add worship to our weekly routine—disciplining ourselves by “fasting” some free time to the Lord in services we usually don’t attend, such as Compline on Wednesday nights. Scrub us, Lord—and teach us where we need most to tune our relationship with You!
New Birth in the Lord by Mary Marty
February 26, 2010
God does work miracles in our lives in so many ways. I think just the fact that He chose us to be here as His living witnesses is a fundamental one. However, my story is directly about physical healing and, moreover, a true grounding of encompassing faith in God.
In early November 2009, I slipped on a throw rug and broke a bone in my right foot. Fortunately, I knew of an orthopedic office with a small emergency unit. After taking X-rays, the doctor confirmed the break and told me that it would be difficult to treat and slow to heal as the site received little blood supply. I was placed in a fiberglass cast and given an appointment to see my orthopedic surgeon in two weeks.
At that appointment, my doctor said he’d have to do surgery and place a screw into the bone as the bone was not healing. I had the surgery on December 2, 2009. From then on, it was wait and hope that new bone would fill in around the area where the screw was implanted. I was mostly homebound, lonely, and frightened.
At the next follow-up appointment with my doctor, he said I could put weight on the right foot while wearing an air cast. That was good, but he was cautious because only a little bone had begun to show up on the X-rays taken at that visit. I couldn’t drive much, but I managed to get to close places.
One Saturday I decided to write to Fr. Chip and see if he would accept me back at All Saints. He was more than welcoming. On that Sunday, Bishop Bena was there. It was a glorious service and a blessing to return to Holy Communion. After the service, Fr. Chip laid hands on me and prayed for healing of my foot. I appreciated that and hoped it might help.
After several weeks it was time to see the surgeon again for yet another follow-up on January 27, 2010. I knew folks at All Saints had been praying for me. The sense of God’s presence was strong within—something I’d never truly experienced for any length of time—and so I knew good news would come that day. The doctor came into the examination room and said that the bone had healed 90%—a miracle for that sort of surgery. I could tell he was amazed at what had happened; he even showed me the x- rays. Moreover, I could now wear both shoes!
All of this is God’s doing through prayer and faith in His mighty Word!
It is also a new birth for me in the Lord. I thank Him for his mighty deeds, His love, and His caring for me despite myself. It is good to come home to All Saints and be with such a marvelous group of people whose faith in God is so strong and sure. The words from a Psalm come to mind: “I will thank thee O God, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!”
Waking the Church Irrelevant to Become the Church Militant
February 24, 2010
Bible Reading: Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltiness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. – Matthew 5:12-14 (Amplified Bible)
Bonus Reading: II Chron. 36:16
Just read the official Air Force news release detailing how witchcraft and druidism have been codified at the USAFA.
Unbelievable. How our nation has drifted from its roots.
Our Air Force limits Christians, even chaplains, from public expressions of their Faith, while endorsing Hinduism, Islam and, now, Wicca. What’s next? Voodoo? Outright Satanism? Native American peyote rites? Bacchanalian orgies in base chapels? And how did we come to this?
When I travelled to the nation’s capital last summer, I took time to visit as many historical sites as possible. Without exception, they were marked with Judeo-Christian Scripture or symbols…or both. Ditto the writings of our Founding Fathers. When I see this kind of pluralism among our nation’s best and brightest in the training grounds of our military leadership, I’m chilled and alarmed…and for the first time in my life, a little ashamed of the Air Force uniform I wore for 25 years. Consider this prayer and commentary, from the first Continental Congress, taken from parishioner Bill Wimp’s Facebook page:
At the first meeting, September 1774 Rev. Jacob Duché read Psalm 35 and then gave an extemporaneous prayer that began, “O Lord, our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings and Lord of lords, Who dost from Thy throne behold all the dwellers of the earth, and reignest with power supreme and uncontrollable over the kingdoms, empires, and governments, look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection.” He ended “in the name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Savior. Amen.”
Remarkable, that some believe today that these men were not Christians and did not want God and prayer involved in government and public places. In fact, this is what our nation was founded on. Our only hope for our nation is to change and to return to our Christian faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
The current sorry display of basic values demonstrates a lack of Christian spiritual understanding and underscores the need to pray for our leaders…and to engage our elected representatives and military leadership to express our concerns. The looming reason this is going on is that the Church is not engaged, but is a sideline in our society—when it once was hugely influential. The task falls to us to change that.
But, as we learned in the Gospel on a recent Sunday—the parable of the workers—it’s never too late to go to work for the Kingdom in this life—and get the reward. Our second reading teaches us that God will eventually deal with those who don’t listen when His people speak. So, this is a call to action for the Church.
WE CARRY THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE. For it to compete, we raise the banner of Christ—it’s our job. We have to pray. We have to fast. We have to carry His Word into the marketplace of ideas, even it’s not popular—or even allowed. And, to do that, we have to know what He says, abundantly in our hearts, so that means we have to study, fellowship, worship, and make His Kingdom a priority. That’s why Jesus told us that we are the Light of the World. Let’s flip the switch on…and keep it on. And Lent is the ideal time to think about that…is our light switch on, off, or on “dim?”
May the God of all Glory wake the Church Irrelevant to become the Church Militant!
Victory in Jesus,
Chip+
Alpha Course Holy Spirit Day
February 22, 2010
Who: Fifteen persons from All Saints
What: Holy Spirit Day: a mid course all day session that asked the questions
- Who is the Holy Spirit?
- What does the Holy Spirit Do?
- How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
Where: Faithfille Village on Route 46 in Comal County
When: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Liturgy Lesson for the First Sunday in Lent: Liturgical Silence
February 20, 2010
In this season of penitence and examen, we frequently search for devotional focus. Such is the ancient practice of Silencio—liturgical silence—designed to evoke in worshippers a sense of awe and reverence of God’s Presence and attention, while recalling St. Paul’s description of times the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us—when words fail us. When practiced in the company of worshippers who have prepared themselves in quiet, Spirit-led devotion, this sense of the Presence is amplified, not only underscoring Immanuel—“God with us,” but also giving us humility and abjection, befitting the creation in the Presence of the Creator. As in the ancient Church, this is most powerfully experienced in the Holy Eucharist, when, just before invoking the Real Presence into the bread and wine, we pause to remember those who are on our lips or in our hearts in the Prayer for the Whole State of Christ’s Church. In these intermissions, we can use Silencio’s sense of awe before our God to provide opportunity for the Spirit to speak to our hearts, as He prompts names for us to speak aloud before the Great Throne in Common Prayer. The Lord is in His Holy Temple—let all the Earth keep silence before Him. His temple is inside us
Lenten Challenges from Father Ed Morgan
February 17, 2010
Lent consists of 40 days in preparation for Resurrection Sunday. Traditionally Lent means giving up of some thing or action. I want to make a suggestion that might be construed as a challenge. Some of this might be uncomfortable, but remember that Christ came to serve not be served—that was a challenge!
So, speaking of challenges, here are my six Lenten challenges for you:
CHALLENGE 1: 40 days of prayer—not the abstract vague type of prayer, but very specific prayer. Pray for yourself, not the normal self-serving type, but one that asks for a closer, more intimate relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Use the prayer of confession and substitute I, me, myself in the place of we, then use the Trinity 21 Collect for absolution, again substituting I, me, myself in place of the corporate. Now follow with supplication, asking for the deeper relationships.
CHALLENGE 2: Go buy the small book The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence and read it. This small book contains fewer than 100 pages, and the language is simple. It is available for less than $5 on the Featured page of the All Saints Amazon Bookstore, and The Brother Lawrence Collection, which also includes Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence and a biography of Brother Lawrence, is available in the Church Fathers section of the bookstore. Practice being a pot scrubber and gofer during this time of Lent.
CHALLENGE 3: Football is over. Make a commitment to be at Wednesday night potluck and teaching followed by Compline during the short period of Lent.
CHALLENGE 4: Attend Passover with Beth Simcha downtown the Saturday before Easter Sunday. You can start planning now to make the $25 ticket price manageable. If you save $25 a week starting now, you could afford six tickets. A family of six could be blessed by this historical event that has been celebrated for more than years. Passover commemorates the deliverance from Egypt by the Angel of the Lord. What a wonderful, joyous celebration this is with food, fellowship, dancing, singing,and listening to the Word of God.
CHALLENGE 5: Pray for the discernment of the Vestry as they work on how to proceed concerning the need for larger worship space, education space, and fellowship space.
CHALLENGE 6: Take advantage of the opportunity that Holy Week gives us to participate in the PASSION OF CHRIST. The week is filled with acts of service: Wednesday night Tenebrae, Maunday Thursday Holy Communion and foot washing—following Christ’s example of washing the feet of his disciples, the Stations of the Cross at noon and 6p.m. on Good Friday, Saturday night vigil prayer and the Passover celebration, followed with sunrise service and then the grand worship on Resurrection Sunday. What a privilege we have!!!! Let us rejoice! Again I say, Let us rejoice in the Lord, Who has made heaven and earth and all that is in it. Glory be to God!
Liturgy Lesson for Ash Wednesday: Day of Ashes
February 16, 2010
Today is the first day of Lent, called Ash Wednesday, derived from the Latin, dies cinerum (day of ashes) liturgy found in eighth century copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary—a worship and devotional guide for the ancient Church. On this day, devout Christians, according to ancient custom, approach God’s altar before the Holy Eucharist starts, where the presbyter (priest), using ashes blessed for worship, thumbs Christ’s cross in ash on their foreheads as a mark of our separateness from the World and our inward contrition before God. Ashes on the head are also a very ancient demonstration of mourning—a broken spirit—and convey our intention to fast to demonstrate our repentance, deepen our life in the Lord, mortify our flesh, and unite us more closely with God in our own spirit. Fasting before God is an ancient, venerable spiritual discipline and not only models many great Old Testament examples, but also follows Jesus’ own practice, teaching us discipline and self-control through self-denial. The important concept here is not the ritual, but a Spirit-led personal desire for repentance and revival to better equip us for God’s work for each of us. If we do this by the leading of the Holy Ghost and in prayer, these devotions and spiritual disciplines can enrich our lives and bring us to a fuller, more personal presence of God with us. May the Spirit, then, so enable us as we walk the Wilderness with Jesus in this season.
40 days of wall to wall devotion and attendance to see what God does this Lent!
February 15, 2010
OK, if you did the math, you will count more than 40 days. We take out Sundays and holy days.
Yes, this is Lent—an old German word used, loosely in ancient English to translate the Latin term “quadragesima,” meaning “fortieth” for 40 days. It’s a time for fasting and prayer, denying our flesh —”buffeting” it, as St Paul describes, and making it our servant. The principle of combining this with prayer yields us spiritual leverage, helping us grow in the Lord and prepare for big-time Easter blessings.
What we suggest is to pray and fast—yes.
But, this year, we’re also calling everyone to try “Wall-to-Wall” devotion—40 days of solid commitment to attending worship, discipleship, prayer meetings, and fellowship beyond what you usually do. Basically, if the parish or church is meeting—be part of it—for 40 days, while praying EVERY DAY for the Spirit to move among us. Combine this with our usual annual prayer and fasting in Lent, and watch what God does in your life and in ours as a parish community. In short, we want to see you reap “Wilderness Blessings!”
The idea here is growth as Christians. Being more like Jesus. That takes a willful choice to do what He wants, not what we naturally want. This is a job for the Holy Ghost. Call Him into it to fill you, lead you, empower you…and you’ll be there.
Join us, beginning Ash Wednesday at 7; every Sunday at 9, 11:15 and 6; every Wednesday at 6:30. In Holy Week, join us Wednesday night at 7:15; Thursday night at 7; Good Friday at noon and 6; Easter Sunday at sunrise (7:20 AM) and at 11.
Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
February 14, 2010
Don’t forget the Shrove Tuesday Fajita Dinner on Tuesday, February 16th. Though reservations had been requested, tickets will also be available at the door,
Lent starts on Wednesday, February 17th. All Saints will observe Ash Wednesday with a service of Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes beginning at 7 PM.
Liturgy Lesson for Quinquagesima: Lent Approaches
February 14, 2010
This Sunday is Quinquagesima (50 days before Easter) and points us to our immediate spiritual task, beginning Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, a special period of six weeks preceding Holy Week marked by fasting, penitence and prayer. “Lent” is an Old Saxon word, meaning spring, and corresponds roughly to the 40 days of fasting our Lord submitted to in the Wilderness. The first day, this coming Wednesday, is called Ash Wednesday, owing to the ancient custom of sprinkling ashes on the heads of penitents—a Biblical token of a personal choice to humble ourselves in sorrow for sin or to entreat God for His mercy. Wisely, the Church Fathers provided this season as a tool to drive a deeper personal seeking of God among the faithful and for them to enter into a Spirit-led examen to prepare their hearts for more complete and spiritually-edifying celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection. It is the original revival (meaning new life) of God’s Holy Church, as it is intended to infuse us with His new life by asking the Holy Spirit to help us clear out space for God to be Lord in our lives, through our discipline and devotion. May God speak to us in each of our lives as we seek His voice in the wilderness of Lent!
