The Church Seasons

2012 Lenten Journey February 24

2012-02-23T19:12:00.001-05:00

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

How would you define “sin”? It is thought that King David penned this Psalm after his affair with Bathsheba, during which he also had Uriah (Bathsheba’s husband) killed. Why do you think David wrote that he had only sinned against God (see verse 4), when it seems obvious to us that he also sinned against others?

Thank you to Pastor Jim Kroninger of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for providing our lenten messages this 2012. Visit our You Tube Channel here and follow Pastor Jim's sermons each week. Join us on Facebook and get to know us!

2012 Lenten Journey February 23

2012-02-22T21:03:00.002-05:00

Joel 2:12-17

Rend Your Heart

12 “Even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
13 Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the LORD your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

In what ways would you like to “return to the Lord with all you heart” during this Lenten season? What are some practical steps you can take to help make this happen?

Thank you to Pastor Jim Kroninger of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for providing our lenten messages this 2012. Visit our You Tube Channel here and follow Pastor Jim's sermons each week. Join us on Facebook and get to know us!

Ash Wednesday 2012

2012-02-21T18:53:00.002-05:00

Genesis 3:16-19

New International Version (NIV)

16 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
for dust you arehttp:
and to dust you will return.” http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Lent always begins with these sobering words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Do you often reflect on your own mortality? How does reminding yourself that you will return to dust one day impact the way you live your life?

Ash Wednesday service is at 6:30 at Our Savior Lutheran Church of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. All are welcome. There is a dinner hosted at 5:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Come and See!

Thank you to Pastor Jim Kroninger of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg, Tennessee for providing our lenten messages this 2012. Visit our You Tube Channel here and follow Pastor Jim's sermons each week. Join us on Facebook and get to know us!

Transfiguration of Our Lord Sunday Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

2012-02-18T20:23:00.003-05:00

February 19, 2012 The Transfiguration of Our Lord Sunday.
Our lessons begin in 2Kings.

Sunday School on these lessons begins at 9:15 am in the libraty at Our Savior Lutheran Church of Gatlinburg. Guests are welcome and encouraged to attend!

2 Kings 2:1-12
New International Version (NIV)
2 Kings 2

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

Our second lesson comes to us from Paul to the people of Corinth:

2 Corinthians 4:3-6
New International Version (NIV)
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

The Gospel Lesson for February 19, 2012

Mark 9:2-9
New International Version (NIV)
The Transfiguration

2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

God, thank you for being with us through the uncertainties of our life. Help us to know that your love for us never changes. Amen.

Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

2012-02-12T07:02:00.002-05:00

This Sunday we have a special service of healing. We hope you can attend!

This week's Lectionary Series:

2 Kings 5

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a]
2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
New International Version (NIV)
The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Mark 1:40-45
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

40 A man with leprosy[a] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant.[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Thanks to ELCA.org and Biblegateway.com for providing the texts posted here today. May the healing power of Christ be within you!

5th Sunday after Epiphany

2012-02-04T19:42:00.003-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

The Words of Isaiah in our First Reading for Sunday, Feb. 5th
Isaiah 40:21-31
New International Version (NIV)
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

God's Word from the Apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 9:16-23
New International Version (NIV)
16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Our Gospel Text According to St. Mark

Mark 1:29-39
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Heals Many

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Psalm 147: 11
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Thank you to ELCA.org and biblegateway.com for providing the Lectionary texts for this week.

Third Sunday after Ephiphany 2012

2012-01-21T14:37:00.003-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit, and make us worthy of your call, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Jonah 3

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Watch and Listen to Pastor Jim's Sermon on Jonah here!http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-ZRopuHZFpw

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰ those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹ those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Mark 1:14-20

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Psalm 62:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Thanks to www.elca.org for published lectionary series year B. Our Sunday School at 9:15 AM on Sunday give focus to the texts for the day. We welcome all to our classes and worship service. Casual dress is ok! Learn more about Our Savior Lutheran Church at www.joinusinworship.com

Second Sunday after Epiphany 2012

2012-01-14T06:49:00.003-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most merciful redeemer, for the countless blessings and benefits you give. May we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day praising you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Psalm 139 various verses:

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe^[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’^[d] the Son of Man.”

We welcome you to Sunday School at 9:15 am on Sunday mornings to study and ponder the lessons for the week each Sunday. Worship begins at 10:30 am. Blessings to your week. Let your light shine!

Thanks to www.elca.org and www.biblegateway.com for providing this week's prayer and scripture lessons.

The Baptism of our Lord

2012-01-04T21:14:00.005-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Holy God, Creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace and transform us by your Holy Spirit that we might follow your son , Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

¹ The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”^[c]—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”^[d]

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with^[e] water, but he will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

Amen

Epiphany

2012-01-04T21:04:00.008-05:00

Epiphany — if treated as a season in your private devotions, church services or family worship — is designed to highlight key aspects of our Savior’s earthly ministry, such as:

the miracles of Jesus
the parables of Jesus
the prophecies of Jesus
the teachings of Jesus, such as the Sermon on the Mount

This time is also a natural bridge between Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s coming, and Lent, the period of lament, reflection and confession leading to the cross.

Prayer of the Day

O God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives, and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Alleluia. We have observed his star at its rising and have come to worship him. Alleluia

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas........

2012-01-04T20:56:00.005-05:00

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Luke 2:41-52

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^[a] ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

If
someone
went
searching
for
you,
would
they
likely
find
you
doing
“God’s
business”
-‐-‐-‐
or
something
else?

For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another....
If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion,
how can the love of God remain in him?
Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 1 John 3

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas.......

2012-01-04T05:43:00.002-05:00

Grant us, almighty God, that the bringer of your salvation,
who for the world’s redemption
came forth with newness of heavenly light,
may dawn afresh in our hearts
and bring us constant renewal.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Luke 2:36-38

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[a]She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

How much time do you spend in devotions each day -‐-‐-‐ worshiping, fasting, praying?

Can you covenant with God to increase that time throughout this New Year?

Jesus, Son of the living God, King of glory, and Son of the Virgin Mary,
- brighten this day with the glory of your incarnation.

Jesus, Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God, Father of the future, Prince of peace,
- direct our lives according to the holiness of your human nature.

Jesus, all-powerful, patient, obedient, meek and humble of heart,
- show the power of your gentleness to all.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas.........

2012-01-03T05:08:00.002-05:00

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Luke 2:25-32

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss^[a] your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

Is there something you would like to see or experience before your time on earth is completed? Is there anything you can do to help make it happen, or do you have to simply wait patiently, as Simeon did?

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 2

On the Ninth Day of Christmas......

2012-01-01T17:29:00.003-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and yet more wonderfully restored it. In your mercy, let us share the divine life of the one who came to share our humanity, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Luke 2:21

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

"Jesus" means "God Saves." What does your name mean and in what ways is it ( or is it not) an accurate description of who you are?

Jesus, all-powerful, patient, obedient, meek and humble of heart,
- show the power of your gentleness to all.

Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule | in your hearts,
and let the word of Christ dwell | in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)

On the Eighth Day of Christmas......

2012-01-01T05:13:00.003-05:00

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What one hope do you have for your relationship with God in this New Year?

Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule | in your hearts,
and let the word of Christ dwell | in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)

On the Seventh Day of Christmas........

2011-12-30T23:43:00.005-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Eternal God you have placed in us a world of space and time and through the events of our lives you bless us with your love. Grant that in the new year we may know your presence, see your love at work, and live in the light of the vent that gives us joy forever in the hope of your son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you the Holy Spirit, One God , now and forever.

Psalm 136:1-3

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
² Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

Reflecting on the events of your life in 2011, make a list of some of the things that you can give thanks to the Lord

Alleluia Oh God you have been our refuge from one generation to another. Psalm 90: 1

On the Sixth day of Christmas.....

2011-12-29T21:14:00.003-05:00

Hear in kindness, O Lord, the prayers of your people, that those who rejoice at the coming of your Only Begotten Son in our flesh, may, when at last he comes in glory, gain the reward of eternal life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Colossians 3:12-14

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

What does it mean to you to "clothe" yourselves with the virtues Paul mentions? How do you go about doing that everyday?

Blessed are those that fear the Lord and walk in his ways. Psalm 128

And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful. Colossians 3

On the Fifth Day of Christmas.........

2011-12-28T14:24:00.006-05:00

Almighty and invisible God,
who scattered the darkness of this world by the coming of your light,
look, we pray, with serene countenance upon us,
that we may acclaim with fitting praise
the greatness of the Nativity of your Only Begotten Son.

Hebrews 2:14-18

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Do you fear death? If so, how can knowing Jesus broke the power of death for you help you understand death in a new light?

Almighty God, Father of the Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Church now celebrates your saving love,
- graciously receive our praise.

From the very beginning you promised us your victory
through Christ our Savior,
- let all be enlightened by the good news.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas..........

2011-12-28T00:09:00.003-05:00

Prayer of the Day

We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the innocent children of Bethlehem by order of King Herod. Receive into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims. By your great might frustrate the designs of great tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love and peace by your son Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen

Matthew 2:13-18

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”^[a]

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

¹⁸ “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”

On this “Holy Innocents Day,” when we remember the children killed by King Herod, what can you do to provide a better, safer, life for children in our community?

The Holy Innocents gave witness not by words but by their life's blood,
- give us strength to be your witnesses before all,
both by words and by actions.

On the Third Day of Christmas........

2011-12-27T05:52:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

All powerful and unseen God, the coming of your light into the world has brightened weary hearts with peace. Call us out of the darkness and empower us to proclaim the birth of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Hebrews 1: 1-4

¹ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Since Jesus is the "exact imprint of God's very being." How can that help you when trying to describe God to others?

If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 1 John 1

The Second Day of Christmas......

2011-12-25T19:16:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Amen

Psalm 98

A psalm.

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
² The LORD has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
³ He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

⁴ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
⁵ make music to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
⁶ with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

What Christmas carol best expresses to you the “marvelous thing” God did for us by sending Jesus?

Hail, the heaven-born Prince of peace!
Hail the Son of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King.

The First Day of Christmas

2011-12-25T00:57:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Amen

John 1:10-14

¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Why would God come in a way that many who saw him "did not receive him?"

Alleluia! A Holy Day has dawned upon us. Come you nations and adore the Lord. Come let us adore Him!

Advent Preparations Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-24T06:17:00.000-05:00

Luke 2:15-20

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Who is one person who you can go back and tell the message of Jesus to?

Come quickly, we pray, Lord Jesus,
and do not delay,
that those who trust in your compassion
may find solace and relief in your coming.
Who live and reign with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Friday

2011-12-23T06:19:00.000-05:00

Luke 2: 8-14

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

What do you think it would have been like to be a shepherd and suddenly see an angel and then a whole choir of angels?

But who will endure the day of his coming?
And who can stand when he appears?
For he is like the refiner's fire,
or like the fuller's lye. Mal. 3

Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Thursday

2011-12-22T05:05:00.000-05:00

Loving God,

Amidst the busyness of these days and this season, may the time we spend with you now help keep us focused and better prepare our minds and hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen

Luke 2:1-7
New International Version (NIV)
Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Why do you think Luke added the detail that Jesus was "laid in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn?"

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Wednesday

2011-12-21T06:12:00.000-05:00

Loving God,

Amidst the busyness of these days and this season, may the time we spend with you now help keep us focused and better prepare our minds and hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen

Matthew 1:18-25
New International Version (NIV)
Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Name a difficult time when you became aware of the promise that God was "with you?"

Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. Ps. 33

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Tuesday

2011-12-19T19:08:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

John 1

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

What does it mean to you that the darkness cannot overcome the light?

To Christ our Lord, the light of the world , let us cry
with joy:
Come Lord Jesus!

Dispel our darkness with the light of your presence,
- and make us worthy of your gifts.

Save us, Lord our God,
- that we may praise your holy name this day.

Enkindle in our hearts the flame of your love,
- and make us long to be united with you.

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Monday

2011-12-18T21:14:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Titus 3:4-7
New International Version (NIV)
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

How does the Christmas story remind you that you are justified by God's grace?

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory! Ps. 71

Advent Preparations Week Four 2011 Sunday

2011-12-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear your redeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

While this passage is easy to quote, what exactly does it mean to you?

Lord Jesus, you came to save sinners,
- protect us in times of temptation.

Come, Lord Jesus!

You will come in glory to be our judge,
- show in us your power to save.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Advent Preparations 2011 Week Three Saturday

2011-12-17T05:12:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations 2011 Week Three Friday

2011-12-16T07:10:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hebrews 1:1-4

God’s Final Word: His Son

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

In what ways are you the "representation" of Jesus?

The Lord is coming from heaven in splendor to visit his people,
and bring them peace and eternal life.

We ask to be guided by his love.
He comes to us in more and more ways
as our longing grows.
At the same time, we are being prepared to receive even more grace
that we might be faithful in our daily lives.

Jesus is the Light that shines in the midst of any darkness
and witnesses to us that he is being sent to us
by his heavenly Father.
May we open our hearts to his coming.

Behold the king will come, the Lord of earth: and he will set us free.

Advent Preparations Week Three 2011 Thursday

2011-12-15T07:02:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Micah 5:2-4

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”

3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.

4 He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.

Why do you think God chooses unlikely places (Bethlehem) and people to carry out His will?

Our God loves us - with "enduring love."
Our God is in a relationship with us that is faithful, forgiving, healing.
Let us accept it, surrender to its power, and feel the joy
and freedom growing in our hearts.

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Ps. 30

Advent Preparations Week Three 2011 Wednesday

2011-12-13T21:34:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Luke 1:46-55

Mary’s Song

46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Is Mary's Magnificat good news to you .....or disturbing news?

Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.
Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up! Is 45

Advent Preparations Week Three 2011 Tuesday

2011-12-13T07:40:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Zephaniah 3:14-17

14 Sing, Daughter Zion;
shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
15 The LORD has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day
they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

When you think about God being in our midst and saving us , what song do you find yourself singing?

Prepare a path in our hearts for the coming of your Word,
- and let his glory be revealed among us.

Bring low the mountains of our pride,
- and fill up the valleys of our weakness.

Break down the wall of hatred that divides people and nations,
-and make level for mankind the paths to peace.

Advent Preparations Week Three 2011 Monday

2011-12-12T05:51:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations Week Three 2011 Sunday

2011-12-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Isaiah 11:6-9

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

While Isaiah's image of a peaceable kingdom seems beautiful but unrealistic, what is one way you can bring peace in this world?

The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it. 1 Thes. 5

As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations. Is. 61

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Saturday

2011-12-10T07:35:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Consider how you might do an ordinary activity today, "in the name of Jesus."

Lord Jesus, you will come with great power,
- look on our lowliness and make us worthy of your gifts.

You came to be the good news for mankind,
- may we always proclaim your saving work.

You are worthy of praises, for you have life and rule all
things,
- help us to wait in joyful hope for the coming of your
glory.

We long for the grace of your coming,
- console us with the gift of your own divine life.
Amen

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Friday

2011-12-09T05:17:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Luke 1:26-38

New International Version (NIV)

The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Do you truly believe that nothing is impossible with God?

Jesus,
in the darkness of these Advent days,
let us be guided by the light of your word.
Give us the humility to be led by you
and the wisdom to learn from you.

We feel your light in our lives
and in the world.
We are grateful for the Savior who awaits us,
and eagerly await the time of rejoicing.
Let us look forward in hope
and turn to you with great trust,
knowing you will guide our steps
along the unknown path of this day.

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Thursday

2011-12-08T06:37:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Wednesday

2011-12-07T07:15:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Philippians 1:9-11

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

In the past year, in what ways has your love for God and others "overflowed more and more?"

Loving and powerful God,
Some days we can only be in awe of your power and love.
You never tire of supporting us.
We constantly ask for help
knowing you will always be there.

From some place deep in our souls,
We hear you calling us by name
and we prepare with a joyful heart for your coming.

Grant us the gift of hope, patience and waiting in these Advent days
because we want the focus of our waiting to be on you.
We want to praise and glorify you with our lives.
Let is live our gratitude to you, rejoicing!

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Tuesday

2011-12-06T07:22:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Monday

2011-12-05T07:12:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations Week Two 2011 Sunday

2011-12-03T19:19:00.000-05:00

Advent Preparations Week One 2011 Saturday

2011-12-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

2 Peter 3:8-15
New International Version (NIV)
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a]

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b] That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Considerations from Psalm 85
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

Thanks to www.elca.org

Advent Preparations 2011 First Friday Week One

2011-12-02T07:58:00.000-05:00

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Psalm 27: various verses
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?

One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

Blessed are you, Creator of the universe, from old you have led your people by night and by day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways and you are the light and life of all creation.

In peace, in peace, we pray to you!
God of all mercy, hold us in love.

Thank you to The Holden Evening Prayer by Marty Haugen for the blessing......we will use tidbits of this also in our advent devotions. This is the evening service being used for the Advent Services. The Blessed are you part was sung by Pastor as the congregation responded. Blessings to you on this First Friday of the Advent Season. Stay patient and wait.

Advent Preparations Week One 2011 Thursday

2011-12-01T05:41:00.000-05:00

The readings of Advent open up a whole series of promises, full of powerful images, that keep reminding us that our God will come to save us. They free our imaginations to see and experience that coming with drama and joy – a banquet with “choice wines and rich, juicy food.” They invite us to imagine when “a time will come for singing.” They give us the opportunity to hope beyond our wildest hopes in the past – “the lion will lie down with the lamb” and “they will prepare for war no more.” They open our hearts to imagine the love of our God embracing us in the coming of one like us, who knows our life and its struggles and offers us the hope of the Spirits presence with us every day, in every moment.

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Isaiah 26: 1-6
On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:

"A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust in you."

Trust in the LORD forever!
For the LORD is an eternal Rock.
He humbles those in high places,
and the lofty city he brings down;
He tumbles it to the ground,
levels it with the dust.
It is trampled underfoot by the needy,
by the footsteps of the poor.

The reading from Isaiah is another promise of a day of victory,
when the tables will be turned on injustice.
Today, let's turn to our God, with all our needs.

Part of our Advent journey is about learning to hope
- learning to imagine what we can't see.
Let's go through our day today, desiring freedom with a growing confidence
in our God who promises to save us.

Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html

Advent Preparations Week One 2011 Wednesday

2011-11-30T05:16:00.002-05:00

When we wake up, each day this week, we can light the first candle and just take a few moments to focus.

Each morning this week, our prayer may become more meaningful, as it prepares us for the day we face ahead. As we head to work, walk to a meeting, rush through lunch, take care of errands, meet with people, pick up the phone to return some calls, answer e-mail, return home to prepare a meal, listen to the ups and downs of our loved ones' day, we can take brief moments to relate our desire for the coming of the Lord to our life. We may physically light a candle each morning before the sunrise, we can also mentally light that candle all day long to keep that focus as we travel through the many activities that make up a normal day.

In the evening as we retire our day we can be aware of how that one small candle brought light into this day and we can give thanks. Going to bed each night this week with some gratitude is part of the preparation for growing anticipation and desire.

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Romans 10: 9-18
Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.

Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html

Advent Preparations Week One 2011 Tuesday

2011-11-29T05:47:00.000-05:00

As the hurried days of the Holidays pass we can remember to create a new experience, a new way of preparations. We can all slow down. We can all breathe more deeply. We can all begin to trust that this will be a blessed time. Then, when we let ourselves be who we are, and hear the Scriptures, we can begin to quietly pray, “Come, Lord, Jesus.”

When we wake up, each day this week, we can light the first candle and take a few moments to focus on our prayer and scripture.

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Isaiah 11: 1-10
On that day,
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A Spirit of counsel and of strength,
a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
But he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land's afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.

Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
The calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra's den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder's lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.

On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
The Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

We need to really hear this “good news” so that our hearts can begin to be softened
to hear how profoundly our God desires to help us
and to make things right with all of creation.
Throughout the day today, we can lighten our spirits
as we turn to God and pray:
Let me rejoice at the coming of your Son, for me!

Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html

Advent Devotional Week One 2011 Monday

2011-11-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

It can be tempting to think that, because we are struggling these days, we can’t enter into Advent without a big change in our mood or without distancing ourselves from our real experience. Nothing could be further from the truth. Advent is about letting God come to us. We do the letting and God does the coming. And, the whole mystery of our faith is that God is not reluctant to come into an unusual relationship (like Mary and Joseph’s) or to be born in the poverty of a makeshift stable. We are tempted to prepare for Advent by cleaning everything up first – by, in effect, saving ourselves first. Our opening to Advent is to realize we need saving and to accept the saving love of our God.

We Open today in prayer:

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Today's Scripture Verse:
Isaiah 2: 1-5
This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,
saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come,
The mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.

O house of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the LORD!

Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

We want to begin this journey by rallying ourselves
to turn to the Lord with great hope.
In the midst of many discouraging challenges in our lives
and the violence in the world around us,
we desire to spend this day in anticipation of the graces
our God desires to give us.

Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html

Advent Devotional Week One 2011

2011-11-27T06:38:00.000-05:00

As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world.

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"
Mark 13:33-37

Jesus uses a little image which is important, but can be easily overlooked. Jesus uses the image of a land owner who goes on a journey, but leaves his servants, “each with his own work” to do. The challenge is not just to stay awake, but awake so as to do the work of bringing light and life to God’s world. Waiting and watching out of fear is passive and paralyzing. Waiting in faith is eager and exciting.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Show us your steadfast | love, O LORD,
and grant us | your salvation. Alleluia. (Ps. 85:7)

Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html

Lenten Journey 2011 Good Friday

2011-04-22T06:17:00.001-04:00

Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
John 18:1—19:42
Jesus Arrested
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[a]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”[a]
So this is what the soldiers did.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,[b] here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
The Death of Jesus
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”[c] 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”[d]
The Burial of Jesus
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

We will enter the church tonight, on Good Friday, in silence. We don't need a "gathering rite." It is as though we have been "gathered" since last night. Our preparation for Good Friday includes reflecting upon ourselves - all the feelings we want to identify and pay attention to. We might feel awe, gratitude, guilt and powerlessness, all at once. The silent moments at the beginning of the service allow us to prepare ourselves to not only remember the days events, but to ponder their significance this evening.

The readings take on a power from the quiet and solemnity of the service. We hear the story of the arrest. We become indignant at the treatment and scorn Jesus receives. We emphasize with Peter and we know we too would most likely deny our Lord in those circumstances. We are unsure of ourselves. Our leader has been taken from us and we cannot understand the enormity of what is happening. Then we hear of the questioning by Pilate and the derision of the crowd and soon we are walking with Jesus thru the stations of the cross… and in our silence…. we weep. We reflect on the words Jesus spoke from the cross, the different attitudes of the ones on either side and him, and of Jesus above the fray, making sure his Mother would be cared for. And then the darkening of the sky and we weep again at the death of our Savior.

We participate in the prayers, their style are perhaps the oldest liturgical ritual we have. They link us to the prayers of our sisters and brothers down through the centuries. They also give us a sense of our long tradition of public prayer. We also respond to the invitation to pray in silence. And we find our place in the march of history reflecting on all those who over the centuries have listened to these words and participated in this liturgy and we sense the power of our Lord and we find peace in the promise of his words.

With the closing prayer and a blessing, we will again depart in silence. We are a people who are full of faith, but who continue to wait for the fullness of our redemption. Our leaving in silence links this celebration to the Easter Vigil, as our beginning in silence connected us with Maundy Thursday. But the enormity of the events fill us this day and tomorrow, all in preparation for the glorious morn soon to come ……Easter morn.

Merciful God, your Son was lifted up on the cross to draw all people to himself. Grant that we who have been born out of his wounded side may at all times find mercy in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Lenten Jounrey 2011

2011-04-22T06:15:00.000-04:00

Eternal God, in the sharing of a meal your Son established a new covenant for all people, and in the washing of feet he showed us the dignity of service. Grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit these signs of our life in faith may speak again to our hearts, feed our spirits, and refresh our bodies, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John's gospel is a puzzle and a revelation. In this narrative of the institution of the Eucharist (Thanksgiving), Jesus washes his disciples' feet. With this ritual Jesus shows us how he gives us his body and allows his blood to be poured out for us. By his action Jesus says, here I am as servant for you, do this in memory of me.

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washes our feet. Each of us needs to "feel" the resistance of Peter. We have to "let" Jesus wash our feet, let Jesus give himself to us, let him be our servant. We need to "taste" resistance, independence, and the rationalization which almost convinces us that we don't need washing or healing or saving. Perhaps we need to "name" the part of our life, the part of ourselves that we want to surrender to the Lord to be embraced and loved, washed and healed.

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gives us a "mandate." He gives us the one commandment of the gospel, "Love one another, as I have loved you." He gives his very self to us, is broken and poured out, and calls us to give our very selves, to be broken and poured out, in love for others. It is important for us to "taste" our resistance to love. We can reflect on how difficult it is to love some people, either because we recoil at their "smelly-ness" or because we find them unattractive or unable to love us in return. The liberation happens when we let ourselves have our feet washed by Jesus. Then Eucharist flows from our gratitude. That gratitude is the seed for great loving - the first step we take every day on our journey of love, in reflection of the Lord who has shown his great love for us.
The love of Jesus is for all of God's people. We come to Maundy Thursday with the whole world in our hearts. The mandate to love, as Jesus loves, calls us to be people whose self giving love reaches out to all who need liberation and the dignity God desires.

The Table of the Lord.
Now we are prepared for the Eucharist. Now we can say, with a much louder voice, "It is right to give God thanks and praise!" Now, when we remember and celebrate how he loved us, the words are joined to the ritual of foot washing, servanthood and ministry for others. Now, when we open our hands to receive his body and blood, we can feel, with great devotion, the power of this gift and the meaning of its mission.

The Stripping of the Altar and Sanctuary.
The altar is stripped bare. With this solemn gesture, we ritualize what we as a community are doing to prepare for Good Friday. We strip our focus down to Jesus alone. All the signs and symbols are put aside. We are left with the taste of the Eucharist and gratitude in our hearts. We leave in focused silence. We leave with the image of Jesus, as servant for us, our hearts readied to celebrate the mystery of his passion and death for us.

Our Father, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave us a new commandment, to love one another as he loves us. Write this commandment in our hearts, and give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Lenten Journey

2011-04-19T20:44:00.002-04:00

O God of mercy and might, in the mystery of the passion of your Son you offer your infinite life to the world. Gather us around the cross of Christ, and preserve us until the resurrection, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever

The Crucifixion of Jesus
32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Son of Man came not to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life
as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28

Deliver us from evil.......

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-19T20:44:00.001-04:00

Father, in your plan of salvation your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cross and freed us from the power of the enemy. May we come to share the glory of his resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever.
Matthew 27
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. 30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Son of Man came not to be served,
but to serve
and to give his life
as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:28

Deliver us from evil.......

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-19T20:43:00.001-04:00

Sovereign God, you have established your rule in the human heart through the servanthood of Jesus Christ. By your Spirit, keep us in the joyful procession of those who with their tongues confess Jesus as Lord and with their lives praise him as Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Matthew 27

Jesus Before Pilate
11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.
15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesusa]"[a] Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” 18 For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

13 For I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life
Pslam 31: 13

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-19T20:42:00.001-04:00

Lord, grant us your forgiveness, and set us free from our enslavement to sin.

John 10:31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
The Jews answered him,
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God.”
Jesus answered them,
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.
He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.

In these last days of the 5th week of Lent We continue to prepare ourselves to be open to God's graces. We continue to try to choose Lent, to act Lent, in very concrete ways. We are examining our patterns and realigning our priorities. Our hearts are being renewed, as we experience God's reconciling love and beg for the gift of healing.

Teacher and Savior, you have shown us your fidelity and made us a new creation by your passion,
- keep us from falling again into sin.
Help us to deny ourselves today,
- and not deny those in need.
May we receive this day of penance as your gift,
- and give it back to you through works of mercy.
Master our rebellious hearts,
- and teach us generosity

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-15T18:17:00.000-04:00

God our Father, you always work to save us, and now we rejoice in the great love you give to your chosen people. Protect all who are about to become your children, and continue to bless those who are already baptized

John 11: 45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”

But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

So from that day on they planned to kill him.
So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.
Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?”

Humans, it seems, scatter and divide, while God gathers and unites. In the 2,000+ years since Jesus’ death, our history, like that of the ancient Israelites, has been one of division upon divisions –within families, nations, religions, within Christianity even – perhaps the most scandalous of all our divisions.

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask God to do His will “on earth, as in heaven”. It’s very clear that God’s will is that his fractious human children should get together – become one. (Remember: unity does not mean uniformity.) Why are we so divisive? That’s not hard to figure out. It’s arrogance, pride, greed, and power lust. “I am right, and to the extent that you differ from me, you’re wrong. Sure, we can all get together! All you have to do is see it my way.” Power lust was what was behind the Jewish leaders’ opposition to Jesus in today’s Gospel reading.

As always, these are not just interesting historical footnotes. They apply very much to each of us, personally, today. Look around – in our parishes, in our diocese, in the larger church. Are there divisions? Do we contribute to them? If not, are we at least working to heal them? If my answer to the last of these is “no”, then how is it that I am manifesting God’s unifying vision?

There are only a few days left until we celebrate God’s victory on the cross. It’s time to take God’s plan seriously. Yes, only God can do it, but God chooses to do it through us.

Christ was sacrificed so that he could gather together
the scattered children of God.
John 11:52

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-14T20:56:00.000-04:00

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-14T20:34:00.000-04:00

Father of mercy, hear the prayers of your repentant children who call on you in love.
Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts.

John 8 51-59
51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I wou
l'd be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

How many covenants do we enter? Agreements more encompassing than a contract with its specificity about who will do what, when and how. In my life I think of four, the covenants with my husband and three children.
The initial specifics were simple: “To have and to hold… until death do you part.” Were we able to foresee what that might mean in the living out of it? Or course not. Have we been blessed with grace and support when the unimaginable occurred? Yes, indeed.
And so it is with God and us: Through our Christian Baptism, we have been welcomed into this covenant. Lent offers the invitation to take time to reflect on how God and I have done with the promises given.

God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness,
- that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ.
Let your word be a lamp to guide us,
- that we may live the truth and grow always in your love.
Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake,
- that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your Church.
Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more,
- and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.

Lenten Jounrey 2011

2011-04-14T20:33:00.001-04:00

Lord, help us to do your will that your Church may grow and become more faithful in your service.

John 8: 31-42

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts.

In our reflection, Jesus is about to face a fiery furnace, which represents the full rejection of all our sins, and the crushing defeat of death itself.
In prayer we might ask God to help us grow in a sense that this is all "for me," for my freedom.
We grow in a sense of repentance and deep sorrow.
We grow in a desire to celebrate the glorious Light in the midst of all darkness.

Rid yourself of all your sins
and make a new heart and a new spirit.
Gospel antiphon, based upon Ezekiel 18:31

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-11T19:12:00.000-04:00

Father of love, source of all blessings, help us to pass from our old life of sin to the new life of grace. Prepare us for the glory of your kingdom.

John 8: 1-11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area,
and all the people started coming to him,
and he sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery
and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him,
“Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery.
Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.
So what do you say?”
They said this to test him,
so that they could have some charge to bring against him.
Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him,
he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin
be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
And in response, they went away one by one,
beginning with the elders.
So he was left alone with the woman before him.
Then Jesus straightened up and said to her,
“Woman, where are they?
Has no one condemned you?”
She replied, “No one, sir.”
Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.
Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”

The story within the story here is God’s mercy. God reads our minds and hearts. God knows what motivates our actions, sometimes better than we do! God is always merciful to a sinner. God, who is love, cannot help but be merciful.
Let God do the judging. It is not our task in life. Trust in the mercy and love of God.

Though I walk in the valley of darkness,
I fear no evil,
for you are with me.
Psalm 23

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

Thanks to: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040611.html

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-10T06:58:00.000-04:00

Let us pray for the courage to follow Christ.
John 11: 1-41

Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany,
the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil
and dried his feet with her hair;
it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.
So the sisters sent word to him saying,
“Master, the one you love is ill.”
hen Jesus heard this he said,
“This illness is not to end in death,
but is for the glory of God,
that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
So when he heard that he was ill,
he remained for two days in the place where he was.
Then after this he said to his disciples,
“Let us go back to Judea.”
The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and you want to go back there?”
Jesus answered,
“Are there not twelve hours in a day?
If one walks during the day, he does not stumble,
because he sees the light of this world.
But if one walks at night, he stumbles,
because the light is not in him.”
He said this, and then told them,
“Our friend Lazarus is asleep,
but I am going to awaken him.”
So the disciples said to him,
“Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”
But Jesus was talking about his death,
while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.
So then Jesus said to them clearly,
“Lazarus has died.
And I am glad for you that I was not there,
that you may believe.
Let us go to him.”

So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples,
“Let us also go to die with him.”
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus
had already been in the tomb for four days.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away.
And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

When she had said this,
she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying,
“The teacher is here and is asking for you.”
As soon as she heard this,
she rose quickly and went to him.
For Jesus had not yet come into the village,
but was still where Martha had met him.
So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her
saw Mary get up quickly and go out,
they followed her,
presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him,
she fell at his feet and said to him,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping,
he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said,
“Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”
And Jesus wept.
So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.”
But some of them said,
“Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man
have done something so that this man would not have died?”
So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb.
It was a cave, and a stone lay across it.
Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him,
“Lord, by now there will be a stench;
he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus said to her,
“Did I not tell you that if you believe
you will see the glory of God?”

So they took away the stone.
And Jesus raised his eyes and said,
“Father, I thank you for hearing me.
I know that you always hear me;
but because of the crowd here I have said this,
that they may believe that you sent me.”
And when he had said this,
He cried out in a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come out!”
The dead man came out,
tied hand and foot with burial bands,
and his face was wrapped in a cloth.
So Jesus said to them,
“Untie him and let him go.”
Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

We have a long Gospel today with several important aspects. Here are a few reflection possibilities you may ponder about just what this whole story is about.
The story is about death and resurrection.
The story is how personal Jesus is with His love.
The story is about Jesus’ calling us out of our personal tombs.
The story concerns Jesus’ being The Light and The Life.
The story is about the role of “signs” or “works” for the Jews to believe in Jesus.
The above-mentioned elements are spread all through this entire chapter from John’s Gospel. There was a man of blindness presented so Jesus could be “seen” and seen as the “one Who had been sent.” There was hunger and a lack of bread so that Jesus could be taken in or received interiorly. There was thirst so that Jesus could be revealed as “Living Water.” Here there is death so that Jesus would bring “life” to this world.

Let us praise our loving Redeemer, who gained for us this season of grace.
Let us pray to him, saying:
Lord, create a new spirit in us.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-09T07:32:00.001-04:00

Lord, guide us in your gentle mercy, for left to ourselves we cannot do your will.

John 7: 40-53

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,
“This is truly the Prophet.”
Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family
and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
Some of them even wanted to arrest him,
but no one laid hands on him.
So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees,
who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.”
So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?
But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them,
“Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him
and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him,
“You are not from Galilee also, are you?
Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”
Then each went to his own house.

Some years we feel like we "fail" Lent. We have treated it like a required course that we didn’t really want to take but needed to graduate. Rather than really participating in it, we will – in a metaphorical sense – sit in the back of the class, not say much, turn in as much homework as needed to get by and wait for it to end. This is not the way to approach Lent. Those years weI would have been better off just ignoring it than going through the motions. Like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, we have tried to adhere to the letter of the law without so much as giving a thought to its spirit. The word Lent means Spring. In our journeys we want to Spring towards Easter. Lent can be a process of repruning and regrowth. It is never too late to begin to experience your Lenten journey and your walk with God.

The snares of death overtook me,
the ropes of hell tightened around me;
and in my distress I called upon the Lord,
and he heard my voice.
Psalm 17

Let us always and everywhere five thanks to christ our Savior, and ask him with confidence:
Lord, help us with your grace.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

Message from last night's church service will be sent this mrng.

"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."

May we reach out with joy to grasp your hand.

John 7: various

1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not wanta] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,
10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”
30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

You wonder what Jesus thought. The Son of God comes among us and those in power plot to kill him. The disciples appear clueless. And the people in Jerusalem said you can’t be the Christ; we know where you’re from! One wonders how frustrated Jesus must have been. Did he question his mission or purpose? Did he think it would be easier to be like the wicked ones? Or did he trust God and discern the innocent souls’ reward?
In trying times where God seems distant and injustice seems to reign, we have a choice. We can distance ourselves from God or move closer to God. It always seems to come down to faith and trust. As we move towards Easter this is a time to think about Christ and His sacrifice. The Lenten season offers us an opportunity to spend more time with God. My prayer today is for each of us to know the Lord is watching over us and to deepen our relationship with God.

Let us pray to Christ our Savior, who redeemed us by his death and resurrection:
Lord, have mercy on us.
You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and so enter into your glory,
- bring your Church to the Passover feast of heaven.
You were lifted high on the cross and pierced by the soldier's lance,
- heal our wounds.
You made the cross the tree of life,
- give its fruit to those reborn in baptism.
On the cross you forgave the repentant thief,
- forgive us our sins.

Lenten Journey 2011 April 7

2011-04-06T19:29:00.001-04:00

"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."

John 5: 31-47

Jesus said to the Jews:
“If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John’s.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.

You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.
“I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.

For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?”

Here wee hear Jesus chide his adversaries for not attending and responding to the testimony available to them—namely, Jesus’ witnessing to the Father, the Father’s own works in Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist’s testimony, and the testimony of the Scripture as they speak of Jesus. This testimony talk is a reminder to us that our own faith life is about responding to testimony—what we see, and hear about faith-filled people acting and doing in the world around us. How can we give more in our response to the grace and love of Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation?

God has revealed himself in Christ. Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts:
Remember us, Lord, for we are your children.

Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church,
- that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.

Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.
Seek the Lord and his strength,
seek always the face of the Lord.
Psalm 104:3-4

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040611.html

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-06T19:28:00.001-04:00

"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise."

John 5:17-30

Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.

For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.
“I cannot do anything on my own;

I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.”

Christ says in today’s reading from the Gospel of St. John that “for just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life.” Raising the dead refers to the life in eternal bliss promised to all followers of Christ but also to our mission to raise up those among us, who are “dead” in one way or another, who are, for example, constrained in developing their potential because of being born into a household that cannot afford a decent education, whose health is threatened because of their inability to afford basic health care, and who are depressed because they cannot find work.

This, our mission, asks us to reflect not only about our individual ways of showing love but also about our collective mission as church to “raise the dead.” Let us be inspired by Christ who said the following in today’s Gospel: “whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life.” Listening to and believing in Christ gives us eternal life and inspires us to give life to humanity, raising others from death by transforming our society and world.

Let us give thanks to God, our Father:
through the power of the Spirit he purifies our heart and strengthens us in love.
Let us humbly ask him:
Lord, give us your Holy Spirit.

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/040611.html

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-06T19:27:00.001-04:00

Father, may our Lenten observance prepare us to embrace the paschal mystery and to proclaim your salvation with joyful praise.

John: 5: 1-16

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate
a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him lying there
and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,
“Do you want to be well?”
The sick man answered him,
“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool
when the water is stirred up;
while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath.
So the Jews said to the man who was cured,
“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”
He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,
‘Take up your mat and walk.’“
They asked him,
“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”
The man who was healed did not know who it was,
for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.
After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man went and told the Jews
that Jesus was the one who had made him well.
Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus
because he did this on a sabbath.

In today’s readings we find the potential benefits of water as a recurring theme. We hear of water in the desert and a pool with potentially healing powers. In the last month, this has not been many people’s experience of water, rather than life-giving, water has shown itself as destructive. Rather than abandoning God in our moments of unforeseen crises, these moments tend to bring us closer to the Transcendent. Perhaps these times remind us of our human frailty. Perhaps it grows out of a human desire to be in control and these moments remind us on a grand scale how little control we really have. It is also interesting how in times of difficulty people often blame their situation, even when it is a natural disaster or physical limitation on their personal actions. Again, I think this comes back to our desire for control. These situations that occur are typically out of our hands, but by blaming it on our own sinfulness, this somehow brings it back under our control (our cause for our effect). It is interesting that even the commentators on today’s Gospel find a need to make it clear that the physical invalidity of the man in John’s Gospel was not related to a previous sinful act.

Our prayer today is for a willingness to grow in trust in the Lord.
We pray for the openness to see God as my stronghold.
We pray for those suffering from situations that are beyond their control.
Come to the waters, all who thirst;
though you have no money,
come and drink with joy.
Isaiah 55:1

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-06T19:26:00.001-04:00

The LORD of hosts is with us;our stronghold is the God of Jacob.Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
Psalm 46 8-9

Jn 5:1-16There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gatea pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying thereand knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him,“Do you want to be well?”The sick man answered him,“Sir, I have no one to put me into the poolwhen the water is stirred up;while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.”Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath.So the Jews said to the man who was cured,“It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me,‘Take up your mat and walk.’“They asked him,“Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?”The man who was healed did not know who it was,for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there.After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him,“Look, you are well; do not sin any more,so that nothing worse may happen to you.”The man went and told the Jewsthat Jesus was the one who had made him well.Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesusbecause he did this on a sabbath.

Like the nourishing water flows all the time, always supporting the fish, always watering the trees, always healing, the love of God and his healing energy never stops. Not even on the Sabbath. Maybe especially not on the Sabbath. I understand the whole idea of a day of rest, but sometimes people need emergency medical care on the Sabbath, and I think it would be preferable to be “worked on” during the Sabbath rather than dying because care was not available. Jesus seemed to think that this man should not have to wait for his medical care, for his healing. Like the healing waters that do not dry up on the Sabbath, Jesus was expressing that the love of God is a continual state. God’s love and his care for his people is our stronghold. And it doesn’t take a day off.

May your Holy Spirit be our teacher, that we may encourage those in doubt and error to follow what is true and good.Enable us to enter more deeply into the mystery of your Anointed One, that our lives may reveal him more effectively. Purify and renew your Church in this time of salvation, that it may give an ever greater witness to you.

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-06T19:24:00.001-04:00

Let us pray for a greater faith and love. Father of peace, we are joyful in your Word, your Son Jesus Christ, who reconciles us to you.
Let us hasten toward Easter with the eagerness of faith and love.

John 9: 1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said this, he spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” —which means Sent—.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
“Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?”
Some said, “It is, “
but others said, “No, he just looks like him.”
He said, “I am.”
So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
He replied,
“The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’
So I went there and washed and was able to see.”
And they said to him, “Where is he?”
He said, “I don’t know.”
They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.

Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”
So some of the Pharisees said,
“This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath.”
But others said,
“How can a sinful man do such signs?”
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
“What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
Now the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind and gained his sight
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
“Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?”
His parents answered and said,
“We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself.”
His parents said this because they were afraid
of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
“He is of age; question him.”
So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, “Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner.”
He replied,
“If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.”
So they said to him,
“What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?”
He answered them,
“I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
They ridiculed him and said,
“You are that man’s disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses,
but we do not know where this one is from.”
The man answered and said to them,
“This is what is so amazing,
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.

We know that God does not listen to sinners,
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything.”
They answered and said to him,
“You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?”
Then they threw him out.
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
He answered and said,
“Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”
Jesus said to him,
“You have seen him,
the one speaking with you is he.”
He said,
“I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
“I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see,
and those who do see might become blind.”
Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”
Jesus said to them,
“If you were blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.

When we encounter the unbelievable hope we have in Jesus it is so easy to try and explain it, to make sense of it, to try and reason why Jesus is or perhaps is not who we say Jesus is. But one thing is true. A man was blind. Many, many women and men witnessed this. Jesus healed this man and he could see. Many, many women and men witnessed this and even died defending what they saw. Even his parents! This is what we know: it really and truly happened.
Perhaps when we try to explain everything we just make it complicated. Perhaps living in hope and faith is not knowing and explaining but simply stating “I do not know how.

This Sunday has a joy-filled tone.
We enter into the second part of Lent with a spirit of eagerness.
Our celebration of the mercy and life given to us in Jesus is near.

“Brothers and sisters, you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” Eph. 5, 8

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

Lenten Jounrey 2011

2011-04-06T19:22:00.000-04:00

Let us pray for a greater faith and love.

2 Cor 5:17-21
Brothers and sisters:
Whoever is in Christ is a new creation:
the old things have passed away;
behold, new things have come.
And all this is from God,
who has reconciled us to himself through Christ
and given us the ministry of reconciliation,
namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting their trespasses against them
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

So we are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

This Sunday has such a joy-filled tone. We enter into the second part of Lent with a spirit of eagerness. Our celebration of the mercy and life given to us in Jesus is near. This letter to the Corinthians can be a meditation for the week. The old order has passed away. “Now we are ambassadors for Christ” and we have been "given the ministry of reconciliation." We can ask to be "lifted up" with Jesus in his surrender with the Father: lifted up on the cross and therefore, lifted up in Glory. And, we can express our desire to be an instrument of his healing love, in the hearts of those to whom he sends us.

Loving Father, We feel the pace quicken, the time draw near. We are filled with joy as we move toward Easter and the promised reconciliation with you. Teach us to follow the example of your Son, to be worthy of being called one as his people: as Christ-ians. Help us to live each day as he did turning hatred to love and conflict to peace. We await the new life with eagerness, faith and a deep gratitude.

“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Ps. 34

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's people
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-04-06T19:21:00.000-04:00

Merciful Father, fill our hearts with your love and keep us faithful to the gospel of Christ. Give us the grace to rise above our human weakness.

Hosea 14: 2-10
Thus says the LORD:Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,and return to the LORD;Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,and receive what is good, that we may renderas offerings the bullocks from our stalls.Assyria will not save us,nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’to the work of our hands;for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,I will love them freely;for my wrath is turned away from them.I will be like the dew for Israel:he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,and put forth his shoots.His splendor shall be like the olive treeand his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.Again they shall dwell in his shadeand raise grain;They shall blossom like the vine,and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.“I am like a verdant cypress tree”– Because of me you bear fruit!

Let him who is wise understand these things;let him who is prudent know them.Straight are the paths of the LORD,in them the just walk,but sinners stumble in them.

In this Lenten season, we find comfort in Hosea’s record of God’s response: “I will heal their defection, says the Lord, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them.” His imagery of moisture, green leaves, tender blossoms, and juicy fruit coming forth in the midst of an arid land resonates with us here in the snow-covered Midwest as we wait for spring. Like the desert, our snow-covered world presents a lifeless vista that is waiting for the breath of God. Although we have a glimpse of this living breath each spring, in another sense our world seems to remain always in winter as we await the fulfillment of all things, including the promise of bodily resurrection and a world where death no longer dwells with us.

But while we wait for that fulfillment, we know that God has breathed His life into us, and through divine love the dust from which we are formed has become beloved. He invites us to dwell with Him and with one other in relationships transformed by His love.

God of Mercy, We feel my heart overflowing with your tenderness. We sense your loving touch deep within my soul. We ask for your help in my weakness that we might be faithful to your word and we are so grateful that your mercy for our failings is as strong as your unbounded love for us. Amen

Our Savior Lutheran Church
www.joinusinworship.com

Called as God's People
Equipped by the Holy Spirit
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people.

2011-04-01T06:02:00.000-04:00

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-31T04:40:00.000-04:00

Father, Make our love grow each day as we approach the feast of our salvation. AMEN

Psalm 95 various versus

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

Come, let us bow down in worship;let us kneel before the LORD who made us.For he is our God,

Oh, that today you would hear his voice:Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,as in the day of Massah in the desert,Where your fathers tempted me;they tested me though they had seen my works.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Todays Psalm refrain is haunting, but what does it mean for us? Would we really harden our hearts, and not listen to God? Or is it true that not listening and not acting on what the voice says is what actually happens in the heat and hurry of our everyday lives? God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness, that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ. Let your word be a lamp to guide us, that we may live the truth and grow always in your love. Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake, that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your Church. Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more, and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.

Loving God, We hear your invitation, "Come back to me" and we are filled with such a longing to return to you. Show us the way to return. Lead me this day in good works we do in your name and send your Spirit to guide us and strengthen our faith. We ask only to feel your love in our lives today. Amen

Lenten Jounrey 2011

2011-03-30T05:22:00.000-04:00

Lord, during this Lenten season nourish us with your word of life and make us one in love and prayer. Amen

Mt 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples:Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letterwill pass from the law,until all things have taken place.Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do sowill be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.But whoever obeys and teaches these commandmentswill be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.Jesus was Gods revelation to mankind. The Son of Man was sent by his father to back up the authority of the Old Testament even though the era of the 'Law and Prophets' had passed and many things in the Old Testament no longer applied to Christians.In his mercy Jesus simplified the laws for us. Love God and Love thy neighbor as thyself. If we love God then we will love our neighbors and if we love our neighbors, we love God. A simple win-win scenario that while easy to understand is difficult in practice.I truly believe that we see the face of Christ in our relationships. Look for the face of Christ today and see who looks back.

Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your Spirit. Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit, and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace. Free us from all negligence and sloth, and give us joy in your gifts of grace.

Lenten Journey 2011l

2011-03-29T08:09:00.000-04:00

Lord, you call us to your service and continue your saving work among us. May your love never abandon us. Amen

Matthew 18:21-35
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,‘Pay back what you owe.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their masterand reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

Today’s gospel brings to mind the Jesuit value of a faith that does justice. This value refers to a justice that is borne out of one’s faith in God. It is usually thought of in terms of social justice, but it seems applicable in the justice of forgiveness. It is a conviction about God’s love and mercy for us that compels us to love and forgive others. How often do we seek God’s forgiveness without truly acknowledging and appreciating His redemptive love?

In the gospel story, the first servant is granted his request for forgiveness of his debt. However, without a humble appreciation of the very generous gift that has been given to him by his master, he in turn does not grant another servant forgiveness of a much smaller debt. He lacks the faith and love that would lead him to treating his fellow servant in a manner similar to his master’s forgiveness of him.

Certainly we all can think of times when we had a hard time asking for someone’s forgiveness as well as times when forgiveness has been difficult for us to grant. If we have faith in God’s love and mercy despite our unworthiness, it will lead us to treat others justly with a conviction of their being created in God’s loving image.

God of infinite love, we thank you for this reminder of your love and your call that we be more patient, gentle and compassionate with others. Here in the middle of Lent, we turn to you to beg for your help. Please soften our hearts. Help us to let go of judging others. We ask this, in Jesus' name. Amen

Lenten Jounrey 2011

2011-03-28T06:09:00.000-04:00

God of mercy free your Church from sin and protect it from evil. Guide us, for we cannot be saved without you. Amen

Luke 4:24-30
Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Jesus tells his fellow Jews of two instances in which God’s prophets ministered miraculous acts of grace to Gentiles while Israel was in unbelief. Jesus is doing God’s work… abandoning those who have rejected him and turning to those who are ready to receive him. These seem like harsh words and actions from a loving God. The Jewish hearers proved themselves to be unworthy of God’s blessings and so the gospel would also go to the Gentiles. This pattern is seen throughout the rest of Jesus’ ministry: Jesus went to the Jews; they rejected Him. He told them of Gentile participation in the kingdom and some Jews wanted to kill Him. But He was not killed until the proper time, when He chose to die.

What does this story mean to us today, on our Lenten journey? Pastor Janet tells us of the wounds of Christ. We wound Christ every time we sin or turn away from him. But we plead we are only human. Martin Luther continually whipped himself in an attempt to make him worthy of Christ’s love. Now we understand we are loved unconditionally by God and thus because of his love for us we are free to shine as a sunbeam, showing Christ’s love for others thru our actions. Our focus is on spreading the love of Christ to everyone-not just those who attend our church or denomination, but to the unloved, the poor and the destitute.

Merciful God, Free your Church from the sins of this world and protect us from evil we see and the evil we prefer to ignore. We need your guidance, Lord for we cannot do this alone. Only with your help can we be saved. Thank you for your desire to save us and love us. Amen
lL

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

Merciful God, with the fountain of living water, you quench our thirst and wash away our sin. Give us this water always. Bring us to drink from the well that flows with the beauty of your truth through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

John 4:5-42
5 Jesus came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17 “I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
Many Samaritans Believe
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

This Gospel is a long story with several highlights. The first is that the meeting between Jesus and the water-wanting woman is at “noon”. In John’s literary way, very good things happen in the day and bad things happen at night.
The gospel starts with Jesus is sitting at the well in a district where Jews are not welcomed. A woman comes for water at noon. Respectable women of the town do this early in the morning. This woman has a well-known past which she assumes that Jesus does not know. Jesus greets her with a simple, but leading question. Jesus is going to reverse things. Shame is transformed into honor. Jesus reveals Himself as the Living Water, the One Who is to come. He not only speaks directly to her, but honors her with a personal invitation to believe. She responds with the awareness that He knows her past and does not hold it against her. She experiences something inside, drops her bucket and returns to town telling everybody that she feels differently about herself, because of this “man” who might be the Christ. The town’s folks go out to see for themselves after believing in her word. Jesus stays with them, now no longer a stranger and a foreigner. They believe and make a great statement, “This truly is the savior of the world.
We too have made such affirmations even in the dark times of personal shame. We have our buckets and we long for a something to bring light and self-acceptance with gratitude, into our lives. We come to this true well, as did this woman, and we have found and continue finding a Well of something differently new. She had been drinking “shame-water” and was thirsting for “Honor-Water” which would take away her need for anything else. Jesus told His followers that His life’s work was to complete creation, the work of revelation. Our basic thirst is for completion, union.
Our shame is that we have tried to find that central thirst’s satisfaction in various wells which offered invitations which lead only to other dissatisfying wells. This woman had tried five wells and was digging a sixth. Now we must drop our buckets of shame to be blessed and honored to drink of the Living Water.

“Whoever drinks the water that I will give him, says the Lord, will have a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.” Jn. 4, 13-14

God of all compassion, Father of all goodness, heal the wounds our sins and selfishness bring upon us.
We acknowledge our sinfulness, our guilt is ever before us. When our weakness causes discouragement,
let your compassion fill us with hope and lead us through a lent of repentance to the beauty of Easter joy.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-26T06:51:00.000-04:00

Eternal God, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death and resurrection of your son. Help us to hear your word and obey it, and bring your saving love to fruition in our lives through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

Luke 13: 1-9Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

In this story about the fig tree, there is a lot going on. The owner intends to put the soil that the tree sits on to better use. The gardener intervenes and pleads for one more season to nurture the plant to growth before it will either produce or be cut down. This gardener, our gardener, takes on the fate of all humanity, our suffering and our death, head on. He not only tends to the tree, but dies on a tree. He suggests that being cut off from God is a terrible fate, and then he endures that fate with us and for us. By joining us in our suffering, Jesus does not answer the questions about why we suffer. Instead he lives it. He shows us that it does not have the last word. Beyond our hope and comprehension is something greater still, of which by his death we can only catch a glimpse. For this purpose he tends the unproductive tree and dies with it, with us. We turn to our constant gardener for help and hope that we might indeed become productive, just as a plant will turn toward the light that is in part fuel for its fruit. The process is the point-and the point is our process. In this gardener we find our purpose and our deliverance - our growth and our potential - our promise through his presence. Jesus carries his cross for us and before us, that God's response to our suffering is not indifference but to join us in it and walk with us through it. We may never understand it, but we know that unexplained suffering and pain are not our journey's destination or our life’s point. The why may elude us... But the who is always with us - as a companion in a pilgrimage.... in our Lenten journey.

O God, your son came among us to serve and not to be served, and to give his life for the life of the world. Lead us by his love to serve all those who to whom the world offers no comfort and little help. Through us give hope to the hopeless, love to the unloved, peace to the troubled and rest to the weary. God of all our days, help us to treasure each person and each day you give us. Guide us to live always for your glory. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-25T06:58:00.001-04:00

God our Father, by your gifts to us on earth we already share in your life. In all we do, guide us to the light of your kingdom. Amen

Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them Jesus addressed this parable. “A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants,‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returnswho swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him,‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’

Today's gospel is a powerful reminder that Lent is not about what we are doing for God, but what God is doing for us! It describes a God who "delights in clemency" not judgment. A God who cares not about what we have done, only that we are home. A God who says to us "everything I have is yours."
Today's Gospel is a very familiar story to us. The Pharisees and scribes are complaining that Jesus welcomes sinners, and actually sits down to eat with them, so Jesus tells them a story about God, about just how much God wants everyone to come home, no matter who they are or what they have done. Even someone who has done the most outrageous thing – one who demands his inheritance from his father before he has died, and who then spends it all on momentary pleasures and self gratification…and then has the audacity to try to come home!!
I think when the younger son came near his father’s house he waited, wanting to go all the way to the house, but fearful of rejection. But he asked himself where else can I go? He had spent everything and was living with pigs. We too want so much to come home to God, but we are also scared. “What will he ask of me?” Or “What I did was so awful, I can’t face the punishment that is sure to come, I prefer the company of my shame.” But we see in Jesus’ story that God runs to meet us and has a feast to celebrate our return. God is watching for us, calling to us, actively looking for us, seeking for ways to draw us in and bring us home!

God of infinite love, you shower us with limitless gifts in our lives. In our every thought and action today guide us to the bright and loving light of your kingdom. Help us to be aware of the many ways you allow us to share in your life so intimately. Thank you for the gifts you have placed in our lives. Let us be grateful every moment of this day. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-24T02:18:00.000-04:00

Merciful Father, may our acts of penance bring us to your forgiveness, open our hearts to your love, and prepare us for the coming feast of the resurrection. Amen

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, he will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done,and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

It is easy for us to “understand” this story because we see it from the “other side of the resurrection.” We believe the chief priests and the Pharisees were very concerned about the effects the radical changes of Jesus’ message would make to their lives. But today, we know that Jesus died for our sins. But do we place our complete trust in his hands? Do we follow his “radical teachings?” Through prayer and reflection we can learn from our experiences and those of others. We can see there is a better way to live our lives. Asking God to help us find our inner strength and resources; to help us in our spiritual growth may require more quiet time, more introspection after reading his word, even more awareness of the world around us. We need to allow our faith and trust in Go,d to become the cornerstone in our lives.

Loving God, Caring parent, we are a children who so often turn our back on your love. Please accept our small acts of sorrow today and help to release us from the self-absorption that closes our hearts to you. As we journey through Lent, let us remember the feast you have prepared for us in the resurrection and let us be filled with thanks to you. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-23T05:33:00.000-04:00

God of love, bring us back to you. Send your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works. Amen

Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuadedif someone should rise from the dead.’“

Luke talks in his gospel about great reversals. Those who are rich in this world’s goods are cursed and those who are poor are blessed. We understand it is not the wealth or lack of it that makes a person blessed or cursed but it is the object of one’s trust. Luke never waters down Jesus’ teaching that the rich are cursed and the poor are blessed. We know nothing about Lazarus except that he was poor. Did he trust in God? The text does not say. On the other hand, we know plenty about the rich man. He dresses in the very best, dines sumptuously each day, steps over a poor man who lies at his door, yet will not even give him scraps to eat. The dogs are more merciful than he is. Yet, after both die the great reversal occurs. The rich man is cursed and the poor man is blessed. The man who would not even give a scrap of food to Lazarus is denied the tip of Lazarus’ finger dipped in cool water and placed upon his tongue. He is rewarded based on the merits of his deeds. In this torment he thinks of his brothers and believes that they will repent and turn to God if someone goes back to them from the dead. This request, too, is denied. God knows the human heart. If the rich man’s brothers will not believe Moses and the prophets, why would they believe someone who is raised from the dead?

We know Jesus and that he is risen from the dead! But are we persuaded to trust in him? The cursed simply will not. But blessed are they who hope and trust in the Lord!!

Loving God, we hear your invitation, "Come back to us" and fill us with such a longing to return to you. Show us the way to return. Lead us this day to do good works in your name and send your Spirit to guide us and strengthen our faith. We ask only to feel your love in our lives today. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-22T05:50:00.000-04:00

Father, teach us to lead good lives, encourage us with your support and bring us to eternal life. Amen

Matthew 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking? Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus foretells that his revolutionary message will eventually so shake the foundations of the existing power structure to the point that he will be put to death, but triumph over it three days. But in an instance of true irony, the disciples appear to listen to His message with the same tin ear that afflicts all of us. The same shortcomings of envy and pride that will cause the scribes and the chief priests to seize Jesus, overcome the disciples. When James & John, two his disciples appear to be lobbying for special treatment and entrance into God’s kingdom, the other ten, become “indignant” as if to say: “Hold on, I’m at least as important as they are!”

We humans haven’t changed much in thousands of years. Most of us like to be honored, told we are doing a good job and making a positive difference. That’s fine if we leave it that. What we need to contain is the urge to tear others down to create the illusion that we are more important and worthy. The best sorts of leaders are those who are quick to give credit to others. They don’t shift the blame to others but take responsibility for their failings.

As we work thru Lent, let’s all work on being more humble and giving more credit to others. We don’t always remember or even understand that what we do is seen by others and has an influence on their lives. Each of us is a model to someone-even if only for a moment- so it is important to think first and then act or speak in the way we really want to.... as our Lord, Jesus Christ has taught us.

God of Love, through this Lenten journey, purify our desire to serve you. Free us from any temptations to judge others, to place ourselves above others. Please let us surrender even our impatience with others, that with your love and your grace, we might be less and less absorbed with ourselves, and more and more full of the desire to follow you, and live our lives according to your example. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-21T05:56:00.000-04:00

Lord, watch over your Church, and guide it with your unfailing love. Protect us from what could harm us and lead us to what will save us. Help us always, for without you we are bound to fail. Amen.

Matthew 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

We get a bit of a comeuppance today as we read this passage. ”The greatest among you must be your servant.” It’s about listening to the cries of the hurt, the maimed and the oppressed and then acting on them without praise or attention. Listen, understand the call and then as a servant help all who you know to be in need. Hear the orphan’s plea (in Haiti… in Afghanistan); defend the widow (in refugee camps in Africa); help the oppressed (in Sevier County).
I find it terribly uncomfortable to read the whole of this scripture for today. I find it much easier to concern myself with the tiny world of my standing with God. But Jesus calls me to the role of a servant wherever we see the need. He calls us to look outside.. at the world.. to see the results of our actions, unintended or not. Ouch.

God in heaven and in my life, guide us and protect us. We so often believe we can save myself and always end in failure. Lead us with your love away from harm and guide us on the right path. May your Spirit inspire the Church and make us an instrument of your love and guidance. Thank you for your care. Amen.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-20T06:10:00.001-04:00

Let us pray for the grace to respond to the Word of God.

John 3: 1-17
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g]
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

A part of everyone's lenten journey is to re-examine, refresh, re-boot! Today our gospel message goes further and Jesus tells us how to be born again, how to begin life anew. Jesus tells Nicodemus about being born of the water and of the spirit. There are times when life gets a little stale, boring and empty, when you do the same things over and over and over again. You go through the motions but that inner motivation is not there. It can happen in so many aspects of our lives, our work, our school, our marriage, spiritual lives and ministry. In the season of Lent we turn back towards God. We examine the sin within us and turn towards God. In our text today Jesus tells Nicodemus that you can indeed be born again, washed clean and anew in the Holy Spirit. In our baptism we find this promise. Turn to Christ your Lord for this rebirth, remember your baptism each day and wash clean as the water did then, have the Spirit of Jesus Christ living inside of you means that God’s gracious love comes and lives inside of your heart.

It is wonderful to begin this week acknowledging that we need God's help to live anew.
It is so powerful to ask for his grace to express our desire for wholeness.
And, we humbly ask for light in the midst of whatever might keep us from living with the grace of Christ within.

May your kindness, LORD, be upon us,
we have put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:6

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-20T06:08:00.001-04:00

God our Father, teach us to find new life through penance. Keep us from sin,
and help us live by your commandment of love. Amen.

Luke 6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

We were reminded on Ash Wednesday that we were dust and to dust we will return. We are only on this earth a short time. How will we use that time? For many of us it is working from deadline to deadline. There is so much to be done. This time of year we become tired. Even the weather contributes to a mild depression. Many of us are ready for winter to end. The days are still short and often grey. We spend a lot of our time indoors. Colds and flu circulate through the population. We focus on the shortcomings of our environment. We can easily become critical. In close quarters, it is easy to notice the faults of others. In our society it is politically incorrect to judge. Nevertheless criticism and cynicism are widespread. We become the people Jesus warns us not to be in the Gospel. The Lenten Gospels present Jesus in his season of challenge. May we dwell a moment or more on His challenges and re-commit ourselves to listen more attentively to His words.

My prayer today is for the insight to recognize the places where my efforts can make a difference. I pray for the strength and will to use these opportunities wisely. I pray for hope and patience to endure. I pray for the grace to once again appreciate the world as a gift. Amen.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-18T06:52:00.000-04:00

Lord, may our observance of Lent help to renew us and prepare us to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever. Amen.

Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

God wants us – loves us – anyway. There is no way we can demonstrate our worthiness. God imputes worthiness to us – as a free gift, undeserved, impossible for us of ourselves. There is nothing we can do to change God’s mind about this. But just knowing and believing that unconditional love, guides us to want to be “more like” Christ. Oh, we fall short ..over and over, but Christ picks us up, again and again. And he wishes us to understand and return that love of his to everyone! In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus points out that forgiveness…love of one another… is the way to righteousness.

Almighty God, renew me: bring me to new life in you. Touch me and make me feel whole again. Help me to see your love in the passion, death and resurrection of your son. Amen.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-17T09:29:00.000-04:00

Father, without you we can do nothing. By your spirit help us to know what is right and to be eager in doing your will. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 7:7-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets.”

Jesus asks us to pray, “Ask … Seek … Knock …” There is persistence in this request! We know that sometimes our prayers are answered by a “NO!” Note that the last thought is the “Golden Rule.” We place our prayers humbly before the Lord, praying for our needs and the needs of others, knowing that the Lord is still full of mercy and compassion and will do what is best for us. Meanwhile we should continue to “Do to others whatever we would have them do for us!”

Lord, I’m not always eager to do your will. I’d often much rather do my own will.
Please be with me on this Lenten journey and help me to remember that your own spirit can guide me in the right direction. With a grateful heart, I acknowledge your love and know that without you, I can do nothing. Amen.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-16T06:17:00.000-04:00

Dear Lord God, our strength, the struggle between good and evil rages within and around us, and the devil and all the forces that defy you tempt us with empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your word and when we fall, raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Luke 11:29-32
While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

Jesus says “there is something greater than Solomon and there is something greater than Jonah here.” We are being called to review our values. What is important to us? What is worth fighting for? What is worth holding on to during our “last days”? Is there a transgression we’ve done or a bad habit we perpetuate, for which we can repent? We do not know when Jesus will come again. But He constantly prods us to always be ready because Jesus Christ has chosen us and we are his! Halleluiah!

Almighty God, I know you receive what is in my heart. Let me be inspired by your words and by the actions of your son, Jesus. Amen and Amen.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-15T05:46:00.001-04:00

Father, look on us, your children. Through the discipline of Lent help us to grow in our desire for you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen

Matthew 6: 7-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This is how you are to pray:

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

“If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Jesus’ teaching on prayer likewise instills great confidence. “Don’t bother trying to attract God’s attention by a lot of words,” he says. “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him!” Prayer’s purpose is not to inform an absent God of a present need, but rather, as St. Augustine suggests, to enlarge our hearts to be able to receive all the good God wishes to give us. We can count on his knowledge of us and our situation; we can count on his desire to give us good things!
As we let go of many useless and false things during these Lenten days, so may we pray to remove all that keeps us from confident prayer!

Heavenly Father, We know your love for us is limitless beyond imagination. You care for us as a loving parent. Through our smallest Lenten sacrifices, help us to become less selfish and more aware of your ways. Fan the flame of our desire to draw ever closer to you. Amen

Lenten Jounry 2011

2011-03-14T05:41:00.000-04:00

God our Savior, bring us back to you and fill our minds with your wisdom. May we be enriched by our observance of Lent. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen

Matthew 25: 31-40

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,

and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteouswill answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.

It is powerful to re-learn this wisdom - Jesus identifies with each of these "least" cared for. Who might we feed, welcome, clothe, comfort or visit this week? We have been baptized into Jesus, we all take on this shepherding, feeding, serving, uniting mission as well. However we use our gifts, as parents, business people, elderly - whatever our state of life and way of life - we all share this role of helping our Lord's desire come true.

Loving God, you call us back to you with all of our hearts. We feel your call for us deep in our hearts and we know you want us back
as much as we want to return. Please, Lord, give us the wisdom to know how to return. Make our journey back to you this Lent one of grace, forgiveness and gentle love. Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-13T05:14:00.000-04:00

Bring us back to you.
This week we pray for a renewal of our lives.
We are beginning to be more attentive and alert.
We are trying new patterns.
The difficulties we encounter keep us humble.

Let us pray that this Lent will help us reproduce in our lives the self-sacrificing love of Christ.

Matthew 4:1-11

At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert
to be tempted by the devil.
He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry.
The tempter approached and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command that these stones become loaves of bread.”
He said in reply,
“It is written:
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth
from the mouth of God.”
Then the devil took him to the holy city,
and made him stand on the parapet of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.
For it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you
and with their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus answered him,
“Again it is written,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain,
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence,
and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you,
if you will prostrate yourself and worship me.”
At this, Jesus said to him,
“Get away, Satan!
It is written:
The Lord, your God, shall you worship
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then the devil left him and, behold,
angels came and ministered to him.

It is a tradition to speculate on just what these three temptations of Jesus represent. Perhaps they are the usual pattern of the Tempter by which the Tempter has seduced humanity down through the ages. Perhaps they are pride, envy and lust for certainty through power. They are well-known to those of us who experience deeply our own fallenness. Jesus’ responses to all three human attractions are based solidly in trusting God for His identity rather than having God do tricks so that faith would be unnecessary.

There is the Lenten call to repentance and to our being more prayerful, more generous and more eager to do the works of charity. This is not a dark time or gloomy as we ponder our failures, true they be. Our participation in the envy, greed and pride of Adam and Eve is not ever to be the main picture, dramatic though they be. Jesus’ whole life, His entire embrace of His own humanity is the divine embrace of our own personal and collective selves. We are saved, not alone, by Jesus hanging on the cross of Calvary, but Jesus as He hangs in on His whole life of living faithfully Who His Father has given him to be for us.

“The Lord will overshadow you, and you will find refuge under his wings.” Ps. 91, 4

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-12T05:50:00.001-05:00

Father, look upon our weakness and reach out to help us with your loving power. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen

Luke 5: 37-42

Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”

Jesus came to heal all of us because we all sin. He loves all of us despite our flaws. He refuses to be as small as we are when we choose up sides and say God is on OUR side. With Jesus, there is no side – just common, struggling humans who need help and healing to greater or lesser degrees. We’re on a common journey as “one body in this one Lord.”

Loving Creator, We are not asking to overcome our weakness, but to use it in some way to glorify you. Let us be aware of the many ways you reach out to help us today and let us stand in awe of the power that you use in such loving ways.

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-11T07:36:00.000-05:00

Lord, with your loving care guide the journey we have begun. Help us to persevere with love and sincerity.

Psalm 51
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Isaiah 58: 5-9a
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

So, for our prayer today, let us look, carefully at what Isaiah tells "is the fasting that God wishes." Let us give God the only thing God wants: our hearts, contrite and humbled, meek and peaceful, kind and just. Then will the glory of the Lord be fully revealed as, fully alive, we give true thanks to God, Who announces to each one of us, "Here I am!"

Lord,
We know how much you love us. It’s hard for us to feel it sometimes, but we know your love is always with us. Help us to use your love as a way to persevere in our Lenten journeys. We am weak, but we know with your help, We can use these small sacrifices in our lives to draw closer to you.
Amen

Lenten Journey 2011

2011-03-10T05:03:00.000-05:00

Lord, may everything we do begin with your inspiration, continue with your help,
and reach perfection under your guidance. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Luke 9: 22-25

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected
by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all,

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
yet lose or forfeit himself?”

The immediate point of Jesus’ image was this: Follow me, and you can expect to be targeted for some rejection and shaming. Identify with me, and some will reject you as they rejected me. Stand for life in the way I’m teaching you to understand life, and those elements of society who support deathly things (like ignoring the needs of the poor, or acting as if might makes right), and some people are sure to reject you. That’s the bad news. But, if you remain faithful to my way nonviolence and of love of enemies, you will gain the fullness of life—now and hereafter. It is in that sense that whoever loses his life for my sake will save it (Luke 9:24b).

Just three chapters before this scene, Jesus put the same thing in the form of a Beatitude: Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you and denounce your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way (Luke 6:22-23).

God has revealed himself in Christ. Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts:
Remember us, Lord, for we are your children.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T06:31:00.000-05:00

Let us pray in quiet remembrance of our need for redemption.

Joel 2:12-13
Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

Lent is an invitation to be open, to be transformed, to be loved. To be open to Love’s love, to Love’s invitation, to Love’s challenge and it is not always easy. Lent is a get-away time. A time to spend together, the Lover and the beloved. It is a time to relax into the relationship, to enjoy, and to refresh and to grow within our unique and intimate bond. Lent is an invitation to trust. Lent is an opportunity to allow Mystery to reveal truths about who I am and who I am called to be. Lent is about inner healing, inner growth. Lent is not a season of doing something, but of experiencing something.

Heavenly Father,
Help us to honor this day with the ashes on our forehead. May they help us remember where we have come from and where we are going. May we acknowledge to you our sins and our deep need for your loving forgiveness and grace. We pray that this Lenten season will make us so much more aware of how much we need your healing in our lives.
Amen.

2010-12-24T02:07:00.000-05:00

Candle Lighting: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Prayer:
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
Free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
That eagerly we may receive your promises

Today’s readings: (all three provided for further reference) Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Luke 2:1-14

The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

And so this evening..the reason for the journey is revealed..Glory to God in the highest..Today a Savior is born to you..A great joy to all people

The E-Team wishes each and every one of you a

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Called as God's people;
Equipped by the Holy Spirit;
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: The Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, ELCA and http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112810.html

December 23, 2010 Praying the Advent Season

2010-12-23T03:52:00.000-05:00

Candle Lighting: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Prayer:
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
Free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
That eagerly we may receive your promises.

Today’s reading is from Luke 1: 57-79

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zechariah’s Song
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Today's Gospel passage recalls almost fondly the birth of John the Baptist, who will be the forerunner and messenger of the Lord whom we all seek. It's a domestic family scene, the naming of their child by Elizabeth and Zechariah, but it created wonder, fear, and awe. For when Zechariah wrote down, "John is his name," his tongue was freed and his mouth was opened with a beautiful prayer of blessing we now know as "The Benedictus," chanted in monasteries and Churches ever since the formation of the Christian Scriptures in the late first century.
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has come to his people and set them free...He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant, David, etc."
Zechariah's song ends with these beautifully hopeful words, "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." What an apt description of the Coming of Jesus, Emmanuel, Our Savior, the Prince of Peace, the celebration of whose birth is tomorrow evening. This is the last day of Advent. Tomorrow begins the season of Christmas!!

Dear Lord, we have traveled together the past weeks along the path of remembrance. Thru your scriptures we have prepared ourselves for tomorrow night, one of the holiest in Christendom. The path has been prepared and now we journey forward toward your tender compassion from on high which 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. Amen and Amen

Called as God's people;
Equipped by the Holy Spirit;
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: The Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, ELCA and http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112810.html

December 22, 2010 Praying the Advent Season

2010-12-22T02:58:00.000-05:00

Candle Lighting: Come, Lord Jesus.
Opening Prayer:
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
Free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
That eagerly we may receive your promises.

Today’s reading is from Luke 1: 46-56

Mary’s Song

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

As we heard yesterday, Elizabeth confirms the angel Gabriel’s message to Mary. That's all the confirmation Mary needs. She sees clearly a most remarkable thing about God: He is about to change the course of all human history; the most important three decades in all of time are about to begin. And where is God? Occupying Himself with two obscure, humble women-one old and barren, one young and virginal. And Mary is so moved by this vision of God, the lover of the lowly, that she breaks out in song--a song that has come to be known as the Magnificat.

Mary and Elizabeth are wonderful heroines in Luke's account. He loves the faith of these women. The thing that impresses him most, it appears, and the thing he wants to impress on Theophilus, his noble reader, is the lowliness and cheerful humility of Elizabeth and Mary. Elizabeth says (1:43): "And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? And Mary says (1:48): The Lord has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden." The only people whose soul can truly magnify the Lord are people like Elizabeth and Mary--people who acknowledge their lowly estate and are overwhelmed by the condescension of the magnificent God.

Dear Lord, thru this passage you have lifted us to hope. Help us to open our lives to the coming of the Spirit. Help us to be like Mary. Her faith is a wonder of courage and strength. Inspire us to simply say yes to your call to witness. Thank you for this Advent journey. Our lives get so busy that we forget to focus. Thank you for guidance and thank you for the quiet moments when reading the scriptures we have felt your love.

Nothing is impossible with God.

Called as God's people;
Equipped by the Holy Spirit;
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: The Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, ELCA and http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112810.html

December 21, 2010 Praying the Advent Season

2010-12-21T02:39:00.000-05:00

December 20, 2010 Praying the Advent Season

2010-12-20T02:09:00.000-05:00

Candle Lighting: Come, Lord Jesus.

Opening Prayer:
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come.
With your abundant grace and might,
Free us from the sin that hinders our faith,
That eagerly we may receive your promises.

Today’s reading is from Luke 1: 26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

“Do not be afraid, Mary!”... “May it be done according to your word....”
These familiar words from Luke continue the advent vigil into our celebration of Christmas.

Throughout this week we hear the angel of God delivering messages of joy, of unbelievable events, and of ordinary people being surprised and then growing into acceptance of God’s presence among them. Yesterday it was Joseph, today Mary.
The announcement to Mary of her pregnancy, of Mary and Elizabeth ministering to one another in their extended visit, of the birth of John and Zachary’s unbelief turned into joy as he announces his son’s name, and then the story of the humble birth of Jesus.

These words and happenings, God’s caressing words of presence, “Do not be afraid,” can awaken us to the now of God’s call in the midst of our lives today.
How often do we find ourselves in day-to-day struggles and ‘have to do’s’ - not wishing to continue, perhaps unsure of ourselves or the project or the challenge of the day? It is times like these that we may very well experience raw fear - the unknown lurks and we are unsure of ourselves. Yet, it is in trying to do this ourselves – to find the courage within us to face our fears that we stumble...it is these times that God is present, whispering, “DO NOT BE AFRAID”.

Mary’s questions, “How can this be?” are very real. She found herself in the midst of an incredibly strange experience of being told something very frightening and awe-filled - that she was to be with child...who was to be God’s son!
Mary was willing to be open to God with her questions, her fears, and her consternation. AND, Mary was willing to trust the angel’s assurance of God’s presence, in the midst of the questions, fears and unknown future.... and to move forward - “Let it be done according to your word.”

As we face our futures of unknown beginnings, or daily humdrum moments or a closing of life’s chapter, may we allow God in ... open with our fears, longings, emptiness and emotional roller coasters.... to trust the loving embrace of God and be open to what may be revealed in these days...according to God’s word and promise.

Dear Lord, ease my doubts and calm my fears. I know I don't always hear your messengers because they aren't what I expect. They aren't wearing wings or halos but are the people I see on the street, at my work and in this church. Fill me with the light of your Spirit and enter into my life. Amen

Called as God's people;
Equipped by the Holy Spirit;
Sent to boldly proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to all people

Thanks to: The Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, ELCA and http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112810.html