Saint Andrew the Apostle

The Collect of the Day

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: Give us, who are called by your holy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Psalms
96, 100

The Readings (from the Evening Office, BCP, p. 996)
Isaiah 55:1-5     +     John 1:35-42

Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, 'What do you seek?' And they said to him, 'Rabbi, where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come and see.'

John 1:38-39

"Evangelical" is a word that has come to have all sorts of connotations. Many people have negative associations with the word, often for good reason. But that is also tragic, for the word is inseparable from the gospel. In fact, the word comes from the Greek euangelion, which means "good news"--the gospel. To be essentially evangelical, then, is to believe and live the gospel. To be an evangelist is to seek to spread the word of that good news: "Here is life! I have found it in Jesus."

Andrew was evangelical in this way. He was also, apparently, what we might today call "a seeker." This evening's reading from John's Gospel tells how Andrew goes from following John the Baptist to following Jesus. And the first thing he does after becoming a disciple is to tell his brother about Jesus, and to bring him to Jesus.

At bottom, evangelism consists of this: bringing people to Jesus. That bringing will inevitably involve some sharing of our own story and experience of the word of life that God has put within us. But there is no one right way to do this, no formula or approved program. Speak what you know. Share what you have experienced. And pray for grace to bring those near to you into the gracious presence of Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the life we have in you. Help us to be both courageous and sincere in sharing the blessing of your life and presence with those near and dear to us, that the word you have implanted in us may be ever growing. Amen.

Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist

The Collect of the Day

We thank you, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm
119:33-40

The Readings
Proverbs 3:1-6      +      II Timothy 3:14-17      +      Matthew 9:9-13

Go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.
~Matt. 9:13

Jesus' response here to the Pharisees who question the disciples about their teacher's willingness to eat "with tax collectors and sinners" may seem straightforward--but, as usual, some reflection reveals layers. One way to read his response is with an ironic twist--that Jesus is not in fact affirming a divide of "the righteous" and "the sinners," but is undermining that kind of binary thinking. Of course, we can't read the tone of Jesus' voice here, but it's difficult not to hear some irony when he tells his critics that they, by implication, being already well "have no need of a physician"--in other words, they don't need him. Taken literally, that would make Jesus superfluous to all those who are "already righteous" in God's sight. It would make Jesus not a universal Savior, but an option for all the screw-ups who can't make it on their own steam. (In other words, you know, everyone.)

But before the irony becomes too think, I want to pull up and remind myself that, while no one is perfectly righteous, still we're not all on a level playing field, or at the same place on our journeys. There are gradations of righteousness and sinfulness, of spiritual health and spiritual sickness, across our varied lives. We all need help, but some need more help than others; some need it more clearly or more urgently than others. Maybe these are the ones Jesus calls because these are the ones who are not too proud to hear him. These are the ones who don't harbor illusions about having it all figured out, with well-planned lives proceeding right on course. They can't hide their soul's need behind an outward façade of put-togetherness; they know they need a physician, and so with ready heart and will they answer when Jesus calls them to follow. In truth, the pictures the Gospels paint of those who gather around Jesus show a pretty shabby bunch. But these are the ones who listen to him; these are the ones who flock to him. And for his disciples, to be with Jesus is to be also with these "tax collectors and sinners." We may sometimes think we would prefer more polite company, but if we're eating with Jesus, these are the ones with whom he is pleased to break bread.

Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us to be your disciples. Thank you for welcoming us in love and fellowship. Help us to follow wherever you go, and to embrace all whom you embrace. Help us to live like you, and make our lives a sacrifice of mercy to God, whose mercies never cease. Amen.

Saint Bartholomew the Apostle

The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
91

The Readings
Deuteronomy 18:15-18     +     I Corinthians 4:9-15     +     Luke 22:24-30

. . . we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ . . .
~ I Corinthians 4:9-10

One of the more intriguing and unusual concepts in Christian spirituality is that of 'the holy fool.' Though associated most often with Russian Orthodoxy, holy fools can be found in many times and places (St. Francis of Assisi is a well-known example from Western Christianity). Eschewing social conventions, often in shocking and eccentric ways--dressed in rags, or naked in the snow, throwing away opportunities for wealth or stability, speaking blunt and unsettling truths that others fear to discuss--the holy fool appears unhinged, but his or her life is anchored in Christ and fired by a divine inspiration. Like the prophets of old, their appearance and behavior compels us to look, and to consider the shocking claims of this thing we call the gospel.

Basil, Fool for Christ

The great onion-domed cathedral in Moscow is named 

for this 16th century holy fool, who is also buried there.

A scriptural inspiration for the holy fool may be found in today's passage from First Corinthians. But the idea is not simply a case of lifting a phrase from sacred writings to justify some bizarre behavior (though that can and does happen). In the writing leading up to this passage of the letter, St. Paul has been at pains to stress that the gospel itself is 'foolishness.' And we who cling to it are, by the world's standards, fools. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God . . . God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise . . . For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified (I Cor. 1:18, 27; 2:2).

Like the holy fools, Paul seeks to remind us that the gospel represents the great reversal: the least become the greatest, the mighty are cast down and the humble exalted, the first are last, God takes the form of a slave and is shamefully executed--God's power is made perfect in weakness.

It's tempting to look at Jesus and so much of the scriptures as representing a sort of exalted, respectable wisdom. And, indeed, in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). But God's wisdom is not the world's; the way of Christ is not a philosophical path to advancement, or a pragmatic road of conventional morality, or a set of keys to success. Perhaps it is inevitable that most of us fail to embrace fully the implications of the gospel, but the holy fools will at least not let us forget: the way of Christ is a scandal, and we who follow Jesus are his own fools.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, who gave all for love of us: may nothing in this world keep us from loving you. Amen. 

Saint Mary the Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 The Collect of the Day

O God, you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate Son: Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

~BCP pg. 243

The Psalm 

34:1-9

The Readings

Isaiah 61:10-11     +     Galatians 4:4-7     +     Luke 1:46-55  

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God . . . as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
~ Isaiah 61:10

August 15 is observed in the Roman Catholic Church as the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Among the Orthodox it is called the Dormition ("Falling Asleep") of the Theotokos. In both cases, the feast reflects the ancient belief that at her death, Mary was taken up, body and soul, to glory--to the presence of God. Though the Anglican tradition has never officially affirmed such a belief, it also does not deny it. Today's collect, in language at once reserved and solemn, demonstrates the Anglican characteristic of seeking to say neither too much nor too little about the deep mysteries of faith.

But I will nevertheless venture here to say something. Regardless of one's views (or agnosticism) about the end of Mary's earthly life, the traditional doctrine points to and is undergirded by a central article of faith: "the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." As always, Mary does not point to herself, but to her Son--and by extension, to all who are in Christ. "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his" (Rom. 6:5). Christians do not profess hope in some future of eternal disembodiment, nor in a vast, cosmic sea in which all individuality is obliviated. Rather, we profess by faith that we shall be raised, in the totality of our being. Whatever that mystery may look like ("raised a spiritual body," as St. Paul puts it in I Cor. 15), our Christian hope is that we shall be more, not less, than we were--more fully ourselves than ever before. And perhaps it is not too much to imagine that the body of the one who carried and bore the eternal Word of God into the world is already there where we shall by grace also be--the fullness of her being exulting in the glory of God her Savior.      

Closing Prayer

Anthem to the Theotokos
(from Saint Augustine's Prayer Book, p. 392; Greek Orthodox Hymn)

Into his joy, the Lord has received you,
Virgin God-bearer, Mother of Christ.
You have beheld the King in his beauty,
Mary, daughter of Israel.
You have made answer for the creation
to the redeeming will of God.
Light, fire, and life, divine and immortal,
Joined to our human nature you have brought forth,
     that to the glory of God the Father,
     heaven and earth might be restored. Amen.

Sunset at St. Mary's, Sewanee

The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Collect

O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
99

The Readings
Exodus 34:29-35     +     2 Peter 1:13-21     +     Luke 9:28-36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
~Luke 9:28-30

For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

~2 Peter 1:17-19

Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey (1904-1988), from his The Glory of God and the Transfiguration of Christ:

"Confronted with a universe more terrible than ever in the blindness and the destructiveness of its potentialities, men and women must be led to Christian faith, not as a panacea of progress or as an otherworldly solution unrelated to history, but as a gospel of Transfiguration. Such a gospel transcends the world and yet speaks directly to the immediate here-and-now. He who is transfigured is the Son of Man; and as he discloses on the holy mountain another world, he reveals that no part of created things, and no moment of created time lies outside the power of the Spirit, who is Lord, to change it from glory to glory."

Closing Prayer
Holy God, help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, confident of the glory that shall be revealed. And may our lives even now and ever more fully reflect the brightness of the same. Amen.

Saint Peter & Saint Paul, Apostles

 The Collect

Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm
87

The Readings
Ezekiel 34:11-16     +     II Timothy 4:1-8     +     John 21:15-19

Of Zion it shall be said, "Everyone was born in her,
     and the Most High himself shall sustain her."
The LORD will record as he enrolls the peoples,
     "These also were born there."
The singers and the dancers will say,
     "All my fresh springs are in you."

~Psalm 87:4-6

The collect, psalm, and readings for this day emphasize both the universality of the gospel--the gathering in of God's people from all nations--and the cost of that proclamation for these two great apostles, who gave their lives in martyrdom for the sake of the gospel.

In several places in the New Testament, we see Paul and Peter in disagreement. Sometimes it's explicit and sometimes only hinted at. Mostly, it has to do with that very question of the universality of the gospel, and how the Gentiles, "the nations," are to be incorporated into the People of God. The apostles and the communities they led had to grapple with the practical implications of proclaiming Jesus as both the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews and the Lord of lords and King of kings, who is to judge the living and the dead. The culturally diverse world of the first-century Roman Empire meant that such a confession led to all sorts of questions about the Jewish law and morality, the old religions and their cultural expectations, the relation of Christians to the power of the state, and the identity and life of the People of God. We see these discussion played out especially in Paul's letters. But for all the debates and disagreements, some of which are still with us today, the place where both Paul and Peter were one was in their love for Jesus. For love of Jesus, Paul was willing to be poured out as a libation. For love of Jesus, Peter willingly followed him, knowing that it would lead to being stretched out in the agony of a death like his Lord's.

Today, we too face many disagreements, questions with which to grapple, often without easy solutions, that may call into question many of our long-standing assumptions--all of which takes place here in the household of faith. That is part of what it means to take seriously our call as disciples. In these important conversations and even debates about how best and most faithfully to carry out the work of the gospel, may we look to Peter and Paul as examples. For to do so will mean that above all else we look in love and longing to Jesus. Come what may, he is the one foundation, upon which we may ever stand firm.

Closing Prayer

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

~A prayer For the Mission of the Church, BCP p. 816

St. Peter & St. Paul (Byzantine Icon, Mt. Athos)

The Nativity of St. John the Baptist

 The Collect

Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
85

The Readings

Isaiah 40:1-11     +     Acts 13:14b-26     +     Luke 1:57-80

A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
     make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
     and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
     and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
     and all people shall see it together,

     for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

~ Isaiah 40:3-5

The fortieth chapter of Isaiah contains some of the most familiar prophetic words in scripture (thanks in part to Handel's Messiah and the season of Advent). It's a mixture of both comfort and strong medicine, tenderness and hard words--which is  pretty true of most prophets' messages. Even verses 3-5 above, which we probably associate fondly with Christmas (and indeed they are good news), literally describe massive displacement and upheaval.

John the Baptist, in my mind, is something like the quintessential prophet--the last of the great biblical prophets, directly preceding the long-promised Messiah, wild in appearance, bold in word, meeting a bloody end like so many before him. Of his nativity, St. Augustine sermonizes: "Zechariah's tongue was loosened because a voice was born. John was a 'voice', but in the beginning the Lord was the Word. John was a voice for a time: but Christ, who in the beginning was the Word, is the Word in eternity."

A voice says, “Cry out!”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
    their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
    when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
    surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
    but the word of our God will stand for ever.

It is sometimes trendy, both within and without the church, to identify 'prophetic voices.' Certainly, there are such voices among us, and the Lord is never without messengers. But it is likely that such voices, when they cry out, will not entirely please us; will not fit easily into our narratives, but will explode our Procrustean beds; will not leave us unscathed--but also will not leave us hopeless.

See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
    and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
    he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
    and gently lead the mother sheep. 

Re-read Isaiah 40:1-11. Think and pray; how does this word of the Lord speak to you today? 

Closing Prayer

Lord God of the prophets, we praise you for sending John as the Forerunner of your promised Christ. Help us to heed his voice, and the voice of everyone who cries out to point us back to you; help us to be open to your Spirit, that our voices also may proclaim the coming of the One who is our hope, even Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Icon of St. John the Baptist, the Forerunner

Saint Barnabas the Apostle

 The Collect
Grant, O God, that we may follow the example of your faithful servant Barnabas, who, seeking not his own renown but the well-being of your Church, gave generously of his life and substance for the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
112

The Readings

Isaiah 42:5-12     +     Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3     +     Matthew 10:7-16

Thus says God, the LORD,
     who created the heavens and stretched them out,

     who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
     and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,
     I have taken you by the hand and kept you ...

~Isaiah 42:5-6a

These verses form part of one of the "servant songs" in the book of Isaiah--songs about a suffering, righteous servant appointed by God. Christians have understood these songs to point to Jesus, the Messiah, and in several places the gospels draw on the words and images of these songs to show Jesus as the fulfilment of the prophet's words. But as we read in today's Gospel, when Jesus sends out the Twelve, he instructs them: "Proclaim the good news . . . cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons" (Matt. 10:7-8). Those called and sent by Jesus are to do the very things that Jesus does; our ministry is his ministry, in which we participate. 

So, today receive these words as spoken to you: the God who creates all that is, who stretched out the heavens and the earth and gives life to all who move upon it--this God has called you, will hold you, and will keep you.  

Closing Prayer
Thank you, God, for calling us and empowering us for the ministry of your gospel. Help us, like your servant Barnabas, to be good, joyful, and faithful. And may we remember that you hold us always; through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Collect
Father in heaven, by your grace the virgin mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
113

The Readings
I Samuel 2:1-10 + Romans 12:9-16b + Luke 1:39-57

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb . . ."
And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . ."

A reading from the 17th century Anglican divine, Bishop Jeremy Taylor:

'Mary found no one so fit as her cousin Elizabeth to share the first emanations of her overjoyed heart, for she was to be the mother of the Baptist, who was sent as forerunner to prepare the way of the Lord her son. It is not easy to imagine what collision of joys was at this blessed meeting; two mothers of two great princes, the one the greatest that was born of woman, and the other his Lord. When these who were made mothers by two miracles came together, they met with joy and mysteriousness. The mother of our Lord went to visit the mother of his servant, and the Holy Ghost made the meeting festival. Never, but in heaven, was there more joy and ecstasy. For these women were hallowed and made big with religion and they met to unite their joy and their eucharist. By this God would have us know that when the blessings of God descend upon us, they should be published in the communion of the saints, so that our charity and eucharist may increase that of others, and the praises of God be sung aloud, till the sound strike at heaven and join with the alleluias which the morning stars in their orbs pay to their great creator.' 

Closing Prayer

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Detail from an icon of the Visitation

Saint Mark the Evangelist

 (transferred from April 25)

The Collect
Almighty God, by the hand of Mark the evangelist you have given to your Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God: We thank you for this witness, and pray that we may be firmly grounded in its truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
2

The Readings

Isaiah 52:7-10     +     Ephesians 4:7-16     +     Mark 1:1-15

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." 

~Isaiah 52:7

Rejoice! It is Easter! It is no mistake that the season of Easter, "the Great Fifty Days," is longer than the forty-day season of Lent. This is the season of life and victory toward which every Sunday eucharist calls us. This is the feast of victory for our God, who has comforted his people and bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth might see the salvation of our God. This is the time to give ourselves over to rejoicing.

It is also a time to share the joy. The good news we have received, given by the hand of Mark the evangelist (literally, "bringer of good news") and so many other faithful saints of God, is always for us to proclaim and pass on to others. (I know that can sometimes seem intimidating--for a great discussion on sharing this greatest of all stories, see here.) That word of good news is always in season, but perhaps never more so than in Easter season. The world needs good news--how beautiful are all who announce it!

Closing Prayer
Almighty God, we thank you for this time of joy and resurrection, and for the eternal life that is ours by your gracious gift and mighty victory; give us grace to share the joyful tidings with the people in our lives, that they may see and know in us the life we have in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Coptic icon of St. Mark the Evangelist

Saint Joseph

The Collect
O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
89:1-4, 26-29

The Readings
II Samuel 7:4, 8-16     +     Romans 4:13-18      +      Luke 2:41-52

When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them.
~Luke 2:48-50

The Las Vegas based rock band The Killers has had a tradition of releasing an original, non-traditional Christmas song each year around the holidays. One year, they took St. Joseph as their theme: imagining what it must have been like for him, being chosen to be the father of this strange, wonderful, precocious child. We hear in the scriptures about Mary’s "pondering in her heart" and we’ve done quite a bit of pondering about her--consider the ubiquity of the song "Mary, Did You Know?". But Joseph surely pondered, as well. And it can’t have been easy. In their song, The Killers ask Joseph if he ever wanted to go back to the simplicity of just being Joseph the carpenter, in his shop among his tools. The title of the song is, "Joseph, Better You Than Me."

I don't know if St. Joseph had those kinds of days, but I suspect he did, at least to some extent. In any event, I take some comfort in reading today's Gospel and being reminded that even Joseph and Mary, divinely chosen to be parents to the Son of God, accidentally left Jesus behind in Jerusalem and lost track of him for three whole days. Talk about a parent's nightmare.

Of course, the saints are not given to us primarily to make us feel okay about our shortcomings--they are given to us as companions in faith and exemplars of discipleship, people whose lives shine with the reflected light of Christ. And Joseph is certainly that, in his obedience and quiet faithfulness. But it is also true that the lives of even the greatest saints bear cracks. And that’s also a gift, because sometimes that is exactly what we need--someone we can turn to in those moments of confusion or even failure and hear, "Yes. I've been there, too."

Closing Prayer

Ancient of Days, Alpha and Omega, still you knew the long years of growth and learning; Lord Jesus, teach us by the example of Joseph to act in justice tempered by kindness, to be obedient to your call, and to work for the well-being of those committed to our care; make us faithful in the work you give us to do. Amen.

Saint Matthias the Apostle

 

The Collect

Almighty God, who in the place of Judas chose your faithful servant Matthias to be numbered among the Twelve: Grant that your Church, being delivered from false apostles, may always be guided and governed by faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm
15

The Readings
Acts 1:1-15     +     Philippians 3:13-21     +     John 15:1,6-16

". . . I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last . . ."
~John 15:15-16

In our home we have a prayer corner. It is a designated space for family or individual prayer, Bible reading, or just being. The corner includes a number of icons--holy images of Christ and the saints such as have been venerated by generations of Christians as aides and companions in prayer. Among these is the first icon I ever received--a small image known as Christ Pantokrator ("Almighty" or "Ruler of All"). In this particular version (there are many such icons, with varying details), Christ is seated with an open book, and on the page can be read a portion from today's Gospel: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you."

It is, perhaps, a puzzling statement. The setting is the Last Supper, and Jesus is speaking here to the disciples, his closest friends and companions. Did they not indeed choose Jesus, in deciding to follow him? Well, yes, they did. But their decision to follow Jesus was a response to his call. Christ's work and action preceded their own--he chose them before they even knew.

This is how it is for each of us. No matter the circumstance, God has always been present and at work in our lives, even before we knew. Our part is always that of response to the grace-filled work of Christ that is already there. As the First Letter of John puts it, in a passage that bears overtones of today's Gospel, we love, because he first loved us (I John 4:19).

The small icon of Christ that hangs in our prayer corner was given to me by a family friend when I was a young boy. I actually don't remember receiving it, so in my mind it has always been with me. It is an image that bears the truth of Christ's call and claim on me before I even knew what or how to answer. On one level, of course, that was the work of my family and friends. But that is also how Christ works, in and through us, to draw us and others ever closer to himself.

Consider your own life in Christ. Can you look back and see places where God was at work in you before you even knew? Consider also your response to God's loving work--what fruit are you bearing in your life?


Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us friends, and for revealing the very life and love of your Father to us; give us wisdom to know your presence with us now, as always, that our lives may bear the fruit of salvation. Amen.

Ash Wednesday

The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The Readings
Isaiah 58:1-12     +     Psalm 103     +     2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10     +     Matthew 6:1-6,16-21


A sermon for Ash Wednesday, 2021, by the Rev. Gerri Endicott

Today we are invited to enter into a Holy Lent.  To begin our annual Lenten journey – although in ways it seems like the continuation of a year-long Lenten marathon.  I recall that last years’ Ash Wednesday - the last time I participated in the Eucharist in both kinds – we were on the cusp of pandemic shut-downs.  Uncertain of what the future would bring, and certainly never anticipating the extent of the twists and turns and changes we would endure, and are still experiencing.

As with most things this year, our Ash Wednesday observance is different this time around.  For the first time in memory, today I will not kneel in supplication before the altar as an ashen cross is imposed on my forehead with the words “remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. 

I will not wander through life the remainder of the day, mindful that the visible cross (or smudge) on my forehead is not for others to see and think I am somehow more holy than they, but to remind me of who, and whose I am, and that it is my charge, perhaps even burden, to carry my mortality and sinfulness, while at the same time Jesus’s divinity and perfection, into the world.

If we read the rubrics – the italicized instructions – in the Book of Common Prayer, we will see that the imposition of ashes, although customary and particularly meaningful, is not necessary.  IF ashes are to be imposed, it reads.  The ashes serve as an outward sign and reminder of something that already dwells deep within each of us.  We can and will enter a Holy Lent this year, ashes imposed not by clergy, but at home with our families - or no ashes at all. 

Let’s remember what defines this Lenten period:  Self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial, reading and meditating on God’s word.  The ashes remind us of our mortality – a reminder that is likely already fresh on our minds.  It is the work of Lent, not the ashes, that we are called to at this time.

As I write these thoughts, I do so watching the weather reports, uncertain as to whether or not I will be able to deliver them.  I realize that, even if ultimately they are only for me, I am fed by them.  It’s Monday, and I hear the sleet hitting the window.  Looking out I see a sound absorbing blanket of snow and ice, with far more predicted to come.

While I enjoy the cold, damp, bone-chilling weather from the comfort of my warm, dry home, I am mindful of those who are exposed to the elements – especially those affected by poverty, mental illness, addiction, and homelessness.    I remember the winter clothing, gloves, hats, and blankets we here at Holy Apostles donated only a couple of weeks ago, and trust that they are enveloping those in need in their warmth and protection, bringing at least some measure of relief.   I pray that all will find shelter, comfort, and respite.  

 I am reminded that Lent is a time for quiet introspection.  There is never a time when we are not to do our work in the world, but Lent is a time set aside when we are called to do so especially quietly and intentionally – each of us working internally on examination of what it is to live out our lives in Christ.

Last year at Ash Wednesday, we were at the beginning of pandemic, this year there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.  We’re not there yet, but we’re on our way.  Each year Lent rolls around, but we know that Easter always comes.  We, as followers of Christ, are accustomed to living in the “in-between”, the “not yet”.  The cycles of life – the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, and our lives of service in Christ’s name, informed by the example he provided for us.  For we are both Lenten and Easter people.

In the Ash Wednesday litany, we admit to and unburden ourselves of our sins, so that we can live a life in forgiveness.  God forgives us, and we forgive others in order that we may experience the freedom of doing God’s work in the world unburdened by those oh so human feelings of unworthiness that seem to sneak up on us.  It is in repentance that we are freed to do the work set before us.

Let us with clear conscience, contrite hearts, and true repentance enter this Holy Lent.  May our studies, disciplines, and self-examinations cleanse us and empower us to follow the example of our Lord and Savior as we walk with him through the cross and into resurrection and new life.

Amen.

The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The Collect

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm

72

The Readings

Isaiah 60:1-6     +     Matthew 2:1-12

. . . and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.

                                                             +    +     +

A sermon preached at a service of Solemn Evensong at Church of the Holy Apostles on 6 January, 2021. 

I had earlier prepared a brief homily for this service in celebration of this great feast of the church. But I am mindful that this is a moment of anxiety, sorrow, and anger, in our nation and in our lives. At some point this afternoon, I thought I had better revisit what I had prepared to say. But in considering it, it seemed to me still quite appropriate. So I offer it to you now, with a prayer that God may bless these words, even as we also pray that God may look mercifully upon this nation.

The celebration of the Epiphany on January 6^th is one of the most ancient observances of the church—in fact considerably older than Christmas in its development.

The central theme is the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles—God’s self-revealing to all nations, in fulfillment of the prophets, bringing to culmination the story of God’s relationship to Israel, that they might be a light to the nations. This manifestation is dramatically demonstrated in several ways early in the Gospels—in Christ’s baptism at the Jordan, in his miraculous turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. And, here at the very start of Matthew’s Gospel, this manifestation is witnessed in the story of the wise men from the East—Gentile astrologers—who fall down in worshipful homage before this Jewish child enthroned on the lap of his peasant mother, and acknowledge him as king.

Matthew does not say call these travelers kings, nor give their number. Tradition has named and numbered them as three. And Matthew does note their three gifts—gifts which, as so many Christmas and Epiphany hymns note, are of mystic meaning. In the words of one ancient homily: “as the magi look, they believe, and their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die.”

All this—the manifestation of the Christ as not only for Israel but for the nations, and of the Messiah as both God and King who will be a sacrifice for all the world—all this is beautifully and memorably presented in Matthew’s telling. But that is not all.

There is, lastly, the story itself: this narrative of conflicting responses to the birth of the Messiah. On the one hand we have travelers journeying far, no doubt at great cost and with difficulty, to bring gifts to a king. And when they find him, they rejoice exceedingly with great joy.

On the other hand we have an earthly king, Herod, and those in his retinue, who though near at hand to this birth have a very different reaction: fear, paranoia, scheming, and finally, as we know, appalling and ruthless violence.

The contrast could not be more glaring, as Matthew clearly intends us to imitate the one and guard against the other—to join the wise men in rejoicing at Christ’s appearing as the one who comes to bring peace to the nations, and bringing ourselves into his presence to worship and adore--and not to be among those who seek fearfully to insulate themselves against the threat of what this birth means for the ways of the world.

Perhaps that seems too obvious to mention—why, after all, would anyone identify with Herod? Why, indeed? And yet, Herod had cause to be fearful—he was in fact right in sensing that the birth of Jesus presented a threat to him and to his established order. A threat to an established order of injustice, oppression, greed, indifference, division—yes, a threat to that order is what his birth means, both then and now and always.

And, if we are honest, his birth will likely mean a threat to us at some point; or rather to anything within us that grasps and hoards, that seeks self over and above others, that would maintain or create an established order of absolute self-determination and power at all costs, no matter how delusional or destructive. All such destructive forces will themselves find their destruction in this birth. Yet let us be among the wise ones who kneel down and pay him homage. Amen.  

Adoration of the Magi, by Abraham Bloemaert

Chalking the Door at Epiphany

The blessing of homes with prayer and chalk at the feast of the Epiphany (January 6) is a centuries-old tradition in the church. It is an appropriate time to ask God’s blessing for the year ahead, and in memory of the wise men who “entered the house, and saw the Child with Mary, his mother” (Matt. 2:11). It is a way of asking Jesus to be our daily guest, and to bless all our comings and goings.

The marking of homes has roots in the Old Testament, both at Passover and in the following passage from Deut. 6:4-9: “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away … write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Chalk is used to make the following mark over your front door (or a porch step or other convenient location):

20 + C + M + B + 21

Between the numbers of the current “year of our Lord” are a series of crosses—the sign of our salvation—and the letters C, M, and B. The letters have a double meaning. They are reminders of the traditional names of the three wise men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. And they stand for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat—“Christ bless this house.”  

The blessing may be simple or elaborate. Use the short liturgy below, or create your own! Other prayers and customs may be found at fullhomelydivinity.org and other sites online.

A Little Liturgy for the Blessing of a Home at Epiphany

All gather at the entrance of the home. The head of the house, or any member of the family, may serve as the leader.

Leader:   Peace be to this house, and to all who enter here.

All:        Amen.

Leader:   The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in;

All:        From this time forth for evermore. Amen.

 

A psalm or passage of Scripture may be read. Suggestions include: Psalm 121 or 128, Matt. 2:9-12, Luke 1:39-56

 Then, using chalk, a member of the household writes the following over the door, or some other convenient, visible location: 

20 + C + M + B + 21

 

Leader:   The Lord be with you.

All:         And also with you.

Leader:   Let us pray.

            Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. We pray you bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen.

 The liturgy may conclude here, with the exchanging of the Peace, or with the Lord’s Prayer, or both.

Sermon for the Second Sunday after Christmas Day

The Collect of the Day

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Readings

Jeremiah 31:7-14; Matthew 2:13-15, 9-23

A sermon given by the Rev. Deacon Gerri Endicott, at Church of the Holy Apostles 

I don’t know about you, but I woke up this past Friday morning, the first day of 2021, hopeful. Hopeful for a new year, for the end of pandemic, and political and social strife. It didn’t take long, though, to realize that the world of the first day of 2021 was pretty much the same as the world of the last day of 2020. There was no magic spell that took effect at midnight, erasing the old year, and making the world new - there never is.

We find ourselves exactly where we were the day before. Makes one wonder why we place so much significance on the new year – every year. Perhaps it’s that little bit of hope in something better that keeps us focused on working to make it so, no matter how hopeless our efforts may sometimes seem.

Today’s readings serve to remind us that we are not alone in our hope for better times. Indeed, this hope has been with us since the beginning of time. Our hope, as followers of Christ, rests on the promises of God’s word.

Jeremiah’s prophesy, his message from God, is full of this hope. It sings of a world brought to rights by God’s power. Where all – particularly those we consider as on the margins, the blind, the lame, the weeping – come together in peace, in a world in which God’s promises rule, a world in which the lowly become great – and the great, lowly. In God’s “reversal of fortunes”, we are given a view of what Eden might look like today. A bucolic description of a land where we could say with conviction, “God is in his heaven, and all’s right with the world”. This is the story of the redemption of Israel. It’s a glimpse into the world we all hope for year after year as our calendar rolls over yet again.

But then, we return to the Gospel, to the birth narratives of Jesus – God incarnate, who we believe was sent to fulfill this prophesy of a better world. We see that the dark world into which the infant Jesus was born, in which his light now burns, is not immediately transformed by his miraculous birth. Indeed, this promised most beloved son, is born into peril. In a juxtaposition of narratives, for we won’t read of the visitation of the magi until Wednesday, today’s Gospel reading picks up as the visitors from the East depart, and as Jesus’ small family flees to Egypt to save his young life.

Jesus’ human story begins and ends with its disruption to the power structures of his time. We see it over and over again throughout history – when continued power is threatened, the insecure powerful fight back. Even against the child who was born to save the world. Reminiscent of Moses’ survival story against those seeking to do him harm, is today’s story of Jesus’ flight to Egypt. And like Moses, Jesus emerges from Egypt to do his appointed work in the world. Just like those released from captivity by Moses, we who follow Jesus enter into uncertain, and at times dangerous, territory. Yet, Jesus tells us over and over again, “Be not afraid’.

Today’s Collect points out that we are partners in this enterprise, as we pray that “we may share in the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity”, we understand that we are active participants in bridging the gap between the life and light of Christ, and the realization of God’s perfect creation of peace. As we carry the light of Christ within us, and share it with others, despite the ups and downs of our lives and the world of our times, we are truly doing God’s work.

As the Christmas season of this year winds down, we have heard the story and the peaceful songs of silent nights, mangers, and the little town of Bethlehem. Today’s Gospel brings us back to reality, to the troubled times into which Jesus was born – and to the times in which we now live. Perhaps today is best described by the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter”, with its ending lines providing us with our marching orders: “Yet what can I give him? Give my heart”.

Give my heart – isn’t that they key? The lesson we learn from Christ’s life and teachings – our hearts, our whole hearts, are what we have to give in order to bring God’s kingdom to fruition. We take the example of Jesus – God incarnate – and use it to inform our lives and our actions. Even though at times those actions may place us in peril, may place us and the powerful elite of our time in opposition. “Be not afraid” for we are following our Lord and Savior. A Lord and Savior who did not walk among us as an observer, but who lived the span of his earthly life as one of us.

As the theologian Howard Thurman reminds us in his “The Work of Christmas”:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost, heal the broken,
To feed the hungry, to release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among the people,
To make music in the heart.

Whatever this new and uncharted year brings, let’s be mindful that our Work of Christmas continues, as the light of Christ dwells within us. Even the smallest pinpoint of light shines in the deepest darkness as a beacon of warmth, comfort – and hope.

Be the beacon.

Amen.