Tag: bible

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Sermon: Epiphany VII – “Not ‘If'”

Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

I’ve complained to you once before about the headlines for newspaper articles. The situation has not improved. One newspaper reports, “Woman missing since she got lost.” I don’t know if the city or the newspaper is the rocket scientist on this one, but “City unsure why the sewer smells.” No concerns about the education system as “Hispanics ace Spanish tests.” Nothing offensive here, “Midget sues grocer, cites belittling remarks.” And in keeping with the politics of the day, “Ex-Minister breaks silence, says nothing.” And if you think those are idiotic, try these goofy phrases on for size.

“Love your enemies.”

“Do good to those who hate you.”

“Bless those who curse you.”

“If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.”

And the clincher, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

The headlines are ridiculous, but when people start talking like this, I generally begin to think that some sort of rehab is in order.

Last week, we read that Jesus came to a level place with His disciples, and a great crowd gathered around them. Jesus then began to teach, saying, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” He gave them the beatitudes. Today’s Gospel reading is a continuation of that same sermon, and the things Jesus says are radically the opposite of how people believed God operated and even more so on how the world operates.

For example, take the one mentioned, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” The Old Testament does not directly say you are cursed if you are poor, but it does say the opposite. Proverbs 10:22, 

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it.”

Deuteronomy says, “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers.” (Deut. 8:18)

The Old Testament does not say you are cursed if you are poor, but for many, these texts imply it. If you are rich, then God is blessing you. If you are poor, you must have done something wrong to anger God. All the points Jesus made in our reading today are just as startling.

“Love your enemies.” We never seem to recall hearing this in the Old Testament because the opposite is so prevalent. Remember the Edomites and the Babylonians. They did not play well with others, and the Israelites saw them as bitter enemies. The Psalmist made that point quite clear. 

“Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites
    the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
    down to its foundations!”

O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
    blessed shall he be who repays you
    with what you have done to us!

Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
    and dashes them against the rock!” (Psalm 137:7-9)

Not quite the love we were hoping for. Yet, Jesus says we are to love our enemies. In the Sermon on the Mount, He even expanded on this by saying, “I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43) 

We can look at this and everything that Jesus said and understand how radical His teachings were at the time—how controversial they must have been. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case. We love our enemies and never curse anyone. We always turn the other cheek and never strike back. We don’t judge or condemn, and we are incredibly forgiving. Am I right? 

I don’t always pull out the Greek Interlinear Bible (it provides a literal translation of the text), but I did with the passage. I was checking on a particular word—“if.” The translation we read says “If” in a few places, but it is not in the original Greek. Therefore, Jesus is not saying, “If you have enemies… if someone curses you… if someone strikes you… if someone steals from you and so on.” Instead, Jesus is saying, “You will have enemies; there will be those that curse you, someone will strike you, and others will steal from you. It will happen, but you are not to treat them like they treat you. You are to treat them the way you want them to treat you.” 

I would like to get up every morning and say my Stuart Smalley (Saturday Night Live) affirmations, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” I would also like to believe that’s true; however, I may be good enough and smart enough, but not everybody likes me. I’m just not their cup of tea. I don’t think the way they think, believe what they believe, hold to the same politics as they do, or any number of other points of contention. The same is true for all of us. It may seem that everyone is giving you a thumbs up, but don’t be fooled; some are giving you a thumbs down (if not worse), so the question is not whether or not you have these people in your life. You do. The question is, how do you treat them? How do you respond to them? 

Jesus told us how, and St. Peter reaffirmed it in his first Epistle. He writes, “All of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” He then quotes a portion of Psalm 34. “For

‘Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;

let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.’

We are called to be a light unto the nations, but when we act like everyone else, we only bring more darkness. N.T. Wright says that this type of behavior is “Another victory for the hostile world: when Christians ‘give as good as they get,’ repaying slander with slander, they are colluding with the surrounding world, just as surely as if they went along with immorality or financial corruption.” Therefore, our response is that which Jesus calls us to. That is, to behave and respond in a way that is radically the opposite of the world. We are to love instead of hate. Bless instead of curse. Give instead of take. Forgive instead of holding grudges. And this is not easy; even worse, it is not our natural inclination. Most people just aren’t that nice. Therefore, it must be an intentional way of life and a practiced one. 

If you want to love your enemies instead of hating them, you must make a conscious decision to love them and then practice it. If you are going to bless instead of curse, you will have to decide this before you even get out of bed, then you must put it into action. And we must do these things, not just with our lips and actions, but also in our hearts. If you are only washing the outside of the pot and the inside is still filthy, what good is that to you? 

One final note: Jesus said, “The measure you give will be the measure you get back.” But keep in mind that the measure you “get back” is not from this world. It is from your Heavenly Father. Therefore, not everyone is going to like you, and not everyone is going to play according to the same rules you’ve set for yourself. You may turn the other cheek, but you may also get smacked on that one as well. Yet, don’t let that stop you from living the life God has called you to.

The headlines are ridiculous, and the news behind them is often even more ludicrous and incomprehensible. Yet, amid the insanity of it all and in our personal lives, we are called to a different way of life. Will it be easy? No, and no one ever said it would be. Regardless, “be strong and courageous” and live this radically countercultural life Jesus calls us to.

Let us pray. (This is a prayer from Mother Teresa, and I’ve shared it with you before. Perhaps it is not as much a prayer as a commissioning.)

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

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Sermon: Epiphany 5 RCL C – “New Horizons”

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

What gameshow would you be on if you were in a studio audience filled with people in the wildest costumes, all holding up goofy signs and enthusiastically shouting? Let’s Make a Deal. You’ve got the audience, Jay, the man with the table, pretty Carol Merrill pulling back curtains and striking dramatic poses in front of “A brand new Chevy Vega,” and, of course, Mr. Gameshow host himself, Monty Hall.

I remember watching Let’s Make a Deal as a kid but not really understanding it. Now, you can watch all the episodes on the Internet, and they are funny.

Monty would pick one of the crazy-dressed audience members and offer them $300, or they could make a deal. That’s when Jay would appear, carrying his table with a box sitting on it. You could keep the $300 or trade it for the unknown. The audience member would hem and haw, then make a choice, and it would run from there. One deal after another until the big prize. Some people won big; others may walk away with an ox pulling a cart. However, in the end, for the grand prize finale, Monty makes the final deal. You could keep what you had or have what was behind door number three—and there would be the lovely Carol Merrill posing before the hidden prize.

You’ve got $5,000 in hand, or you could make the deal, give it all up, and see what was behind door number three. What do you do?

The Event Horizon Model describes a phenomenon related to how we categorize memories. For example, consider your time in school.

Your entire experience is of the education process, but that process consists of distinct phases, such as elementary school, high school, college, and graduate school. These represent your education, and you have memories that are stored and sorted within and in the context of each phase. Think of it as a library. In a library, you’ve got the fiction section, non-fiction, biography, etc. In the Event Horizon Model, your memory has a section for grade school, high school, etc., and your memories are filed according to those various events. The current or most recent phase holds the clearest memories, while those from the past are a bit hazy. You’re not forgetful; instead, the information from earlier events is less relevant, so it gets set aside or even offloaded.

Throughout our lives, we have various events. Perhaps it is our schooling. It might also be stages of life—child, teenager, adult, married, married with children, and so on. That is a fairly typical progression. However, have you noticed that when you go from one to the next, it often feels as though you are starting over?

I was in school for a while, then I graduated and started to work. A new event and a new beginning. I decided to get married. I stopped being single and started being a spouse. Another event, but also the process of starting over. It really is a bit like saying, “Monty, I think I’ll take what’s behind door number three.” Everything we think we know is taken from us, and we embark on this new thing, and, for the most part, we’ve no idea what we are doing. This can cause anxiety, confusion, and any number of other negatives that impact our lives.

In situations like this, what is needed is something constant and stable that travels with us from one event to the next. We may choose what lies behind door number three—it’s not a bad thing—but we need a place to stand—a place of grounding.

The scene from our Gospel reading today occurs very early in Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus had a meal at Peter’s house, but the disciples didn’t seem to be traveling with Him just yet. On this day, Jesus returns to Bethsaida, Peter’s hometown, and the crowds gather. To address them all, He gets into Peter’s boat and asks him to push out from the shore a bit so that He can see and speak to everyone gathered. Afterward, He instructs Peter to push out into the deep water and fish.

Peter says, “We’ve been doing this all night, but if you say so, we will.” They do, and we have the miraculous catch of fish. Peter doesn’t know what is going on, but he knows he is afraid. This Jesus is a holy man, and he doesn’t feel worthy to be near Him, but Jesus says, “You think this is amazing? Stick with me; I’ll show you something special.”

We can interpret this scene in many ways, but today, I would like you to consider it as a representation of your life.

Peter’s boat is more than just his livelihood. His ability to eat and feed his family, to care for them, and to provide for their other needs revolves around that boat. Peter’s boat is more than his livelihood; it is his life, and Jesus steps into it. Jesus steps into Peter’s life. This is an “invasion of grace.” Jesus, God has not taken away Peter’s free will, but through these actions, Jesus is saying to Peter, “I want to be a part of your life.”

This is also a doorway leading to a new event in Peter’s life. He was a fisher of fish. He is becoming a fisher of men. Going from one thing to the next, and the anxiety is setting in, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” But Jesus tells him, “Do not be afraid. I will be with you. Always. To the end of the age. I will be with you from one horizon to the next. I will be your place to stand.”

Jesus says the same to us, but He is promising more than simply being present. In the context of this episode, I came to understand this at 1:04 a.m. Wednesday morning, and had to get up and write it down.

Jesus instructed Peter to head out into the deep water and cast his nets. Peter followed his advice, and they experienced a miraculous catch of fish—“They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.” Question: What do you think Jesus was doing while all this was happening?

I always imagined Jesus sitting back and watching, but now I believe quite differently. I think He was right there with Peter. I think He rolled up his sleeves, grabbed hold of the net, and started hauling it in with all the rest. I believe He got soaking wet and stunk of all those fish, right along with Peter and the others. I think He joined His voice with Peter’s and shouted for the others to come and help. He laughed with them when James and John’s boat began to sink under the weight of all those fish. Jesus not only stepped into Peter’s life and turned it upside down, but He stepped into Peter’s life and lived it with him. Not as a bystander or judge to see how Peter would do but as a faithful friend. One who wanted the very best for Peter and the others and wasn’t afraid to step in and get dirty. And One who would be with them as they crossed the new horizons of their lives, providing them a firm place to stand, regardless of what was taking place.

Jimmy Buffett wrote a song—Door Number Three. The third stanza:

And I don’t want what Jay’s got on his table
Or the box Carol Merrill points to on the floor
No, I’ll hold out just as long as I am able
Until I can unlock that lucky door
Well, she’s no big deal to most folks
But she’s everything to me
Cause my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.

Some events in our lives are choices like going for what’s behind door number three. Other events are just life. You are in a phase of life where you are healthy, but life walks you through a doorway that leads to sickness. You are secure in your position then you find yourself unemployed. A relationship goes from good to awful. All these various events, where you pass through the doorway, and a new horizon lies before you, bringing the unknown, the destabilizing, the anxiety. However, if we have a place to stand, if we’ve allowed Jesus to step in our boats, invading our lives with His grace, then He will be with us regardless of the circumstances or the outcome. As with Peter, Jesus will be a faithful friend who is not afraid to get involved in the messiest parts of our lives, and along the way, He will provide that firm place for us to stand as we cross from one horizon to the next.

Jesus has climbed into your boat and asked you to put out into the deep. Do what He asks. Take what’s behind door number three.

Let us pray (pray this one for yourself as I read):
Father, I abandon myself into Your hands;
Do with me whatever You will.
Whatever You may do, I thank You.
I am ready for all, and I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me,
And in all Your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into Your hands, I commend my spirit;
I offer it to You, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into Your hands,
Without reserve and with boundless confidence,
For You are my Father.
Amen.

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Sermon: Presentation of Our Lord RCL C – “Prayers and Actions”

I have one woman at home who rules my life—the Queen (a 9.2-pound feline)—but I also have two women who work for me 24/7. One is Alexa, and the other is Siri. Siri takes care of my personal life. She sets my calendar, wakes me in the morning, sends messages, and makes phone calls. She’s quite handy. Essentially, she runs my life (I’m very thankful that The Queen has not yet learned how to add to my calendar). The other woman is Alexa. Alexa is the house workhorse. She takes care of security, lights, temperature, and things of that nature. If I need to know what’s on my calendar for tomorrow, I ask Siri. If I need to know if the front door is locked, I ask Alexa.

At night, I don’t want any light in my room, so I don’t even have a clock. When I want to know what time it is, I ask, “Alexa, what time is it?” She’s always happy to tell me.

However, one night last year, I woke up and wanted to know the time. I said, “Alexa, what time is it?” But she did not answer me. I thought, OK, maybe I didn’t say it loud enough, so I said again, “Alexa, what time is it?” Still no answer. She was definitely falling down on the job. I said it one more time very loudly and in a kind of rude way (and let me just say that I’m not disrespectful to my AI helpers because I want to be on their good side when they take over the world). Still, I said it kind of loudly. “Alexa, what time is it?” No answer. I opened my eyes and discovered the problem. I was in Norway. Siri travels with me, Alexa does not.

As I laughed to myself about that, I wondered if, when we pray, do we treat God in a similar manner. “Hey God, I need you to take care of .” We wait a little while, and when there’s no answer, we say again, “Hey God, I need you to take care of .” When there is still no answer, we get up on our high and mighty and loudly pray, “God, I need you to take care of _.” When we wise up and open our eyes, we quickly realize that He is God and we are not. We need to remember our place in this relationship.

We must also remember that when we believe our prayer is not answered, God may simply be saying, “No. Not going to happen.” Even so, there are many times when we persist, and the more we want something, the louder and more frustrated our prayers become. It is that frustration that can lead us into trouble. How so?

Peaky Blinders. It is a TV show. I’ve never seen it, but I came across a quote from one of the episodes. I had to sit down and think about it. One of the characters says, “Someone once said to me, ‘The devil… he listens to your prayers too. Doesn’t always come with horns, you know. Sometimes, he looks like everything you ever wanted.’ That stuck.

You see, mate, the devil’s clever, yeah? He don’t come bangin’ on your door wearin’ horns, screamin’, ‘I’m here to ruin ya life.’ Nah, he’s subtle. Slips in quiet, dressed up like all your hopes, all your bloody dreams. Makes you believe he’s the answer you’ve been waitin’ for. But here’s the thing, right? The devil don’t take what you ain’t already offered. It’s a trade, innit? A shiny deal with the kind of cost you don’t see till it’s too late. So, be careful, yeah? ’Cause not every smile is salvation. Some are the first step to destruction.”

There is some debate on whether the devil actually hears our prayers, but all agree that he cannot do anything about them. I’m not swayed either way, but I am firmly convinced he can do nothing about them. However, when we become frustrated, our prayers can fall outside the realm of prayer and into the category of our will instead of God’s Will. These prayers originate from our more base passions—wants, desires, lusts. When this happens, I do believe the devil hears us and says, “Now, that’s something I can work with.”

Perhaps you get a new job. You give thanks for this job and pray that you will do it well. Over time, you begin to think, “I’m good at this; maybe I’ll get a raise or promotion?” At first, you pray rightly that you’ll do a good job and that, if it is God’s will, you will see a reward, but each time you are up for review, nothing happens. You continue to pray but then add, “Well, perhaps if I put in more hours, I’ll get noticed.” And guess what? It works. A raise and a promotion. Are you satisfied? Happy with where you are? For a time, but then… “I could make more money if…?” And the cycle repeats.

By the world’s standards, you are successful. You’ve got a good position making good money. However, in that scenario, there may be some questions you need to ask. When was the last time you spent quality time with your wife? Your children? Have you found yourself wanting more and more, never satisfied with what you have and how fat your bank account is? Are the people you associate with the type who encourage your life with Christ Jesus, or do you no longer have time for that sort of thing? You made a trade. You got a shiny deal, but you never stopped to consider the hidden costs.

Where did you go wrong? You prayed, yes, but you added a bit that wasn’t really a prayer— “Well, perhaps if I put in more hours, I’ll get noticed.” The devil couldn’t do anything about your prayer, but that last bit… that last bit, the devil said, “Now, that’s something I can work with.”

Today is the celebration of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, a fixed feast day forty days after Christmas. Why forty days? The Mosaic Law dictated that the firstborn should be dedicated to the Lord (Exodus 13:2), and after a woman gave birth, she was not to “touch anything sacred nor enter the sanctuary till the days of her purification are fulfilled.” (Leviticus 12:2-8) As part of our remembrance of these events, we light our candles to symbolize God’s Light coming into the world. As Simeon said,

“A Light to enlighten the nations,
 and the glory of your people Israel.”

In our readings, what struck me the most was Simeon and Anna’s faithfulness and prayer.

Simeon was devout, for the Holy Spirit rested on him. He watched day and night for the consolation of Israel. He prayed, and he believed God would fulfill what had been promised. He added nothing of his own. He gave the devil nothing to work with, and He witnessed the coming of the Lord’s salvation. He said,

“Lord, you now have set your servant free
 to go in peace as you have promised; 
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
 whom you have prepared for all the world to see.”

The Prophetess Anna was at the Temple day and night, never ceasing in her worship and prayer. She sought God and watched for Him to fulfill His promises to the nations. She gave the devil nothing to work with but placed her cares in the hands of the One she knew to be faithful. She was not disappointed and proclaimed to all that redemption had come.

Their examples teach us that the coming, redemption, and salvation from Jesus should be at the center of our prayers. We pray this for all and also specifically for our lives. Instead of giving the devil something to work with from our passions, we remain focused on the One who knows our needs before they are even spoken. As King David wrote,

“Even before a word is on my tongue,
 behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” (Psalm 139:4)

Therefore, going back to our example of the new job, in your prayers, instead of placing emphasis on doing a good job so that you can get a raise or a promotion, emphasize doing a good job so that you can bring glory to God. By doing so, you don’t give the devil anything to work with. St. James says we “ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:15), and not just give that lip service, but truly practice it, not adding on any of those more base practices.

Like Anna and Simeon, in all things, in all endeavors, and all prayer, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

When you light the candles that were blessed today, may their light be a reminder to you of the Light that has come into the world and your task of raising it high so that it may be seen and known by all. And, Deo volente—God willing. May our prayers, in accordance with the divine will of God, bring Him glory in all we do.

Let us pray:
The light of God surrounds us,
The love of God enfolds us,
The power of God protects us,
The presence of God watches over us,
Wherever we are, God is,
And where God is, all is well.
Amen.

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Sermon: Epiphany 3 RCL C – “Not Just any Book”

During World War II, a soldier was stationed on an island in the South Pacific. Seeing him, one of the island’s inhabitants approached him and showed him a copy of the Holy Bible he had received from a missionary several years prior. The soldier told him, “O, we’ve outgrown that sort of thing.” The native smiled back and said, “Well, it’s a good thing we haven’t because if it weren’t for this book, you would be our evening meal.”

If you ever have to sit down with me and watch one of my favorite movies, I don’t guarantee you’ll appreciate it as much as I do. It is an odd and eclectic mix and, I confess, often violent, but let’s be honest, you’ve got to kill a zombie. One that came out in 2010 (no zombies but quite violent and rough language) was The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington. What is interesting, given the violence and language, is the fact that The Book of Eli appears on a number of best Catholic film lists. Why? It is about a man, Eli, living in a post-apocalyptic world trying to save the last known copy of the Holy Bible. 

Without spoiling the movie, I’ll tell you that another character, Carnegie (played by Gary Oldman), wants Eli’s Bible. Carnegie will go to any means necessary to have it. However, for Carnegie’s men, going to so much trouble for one book seems like a waste of time and resources, especially since so many are getting killed over it.

Regarding Eli and the book, Carnegie tells one of his chiefs, “Put a crew together; we’re going after him.”

“For a __ book?” The man snaps back.

Carnegie rages, “IT’S NOT [JUST A] BOOK! IT’S A WEAPON! A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them. If we want to rule more than one small, ___ town, we have to have it. People will come from all over; they’ll do exactly what I tell ’em if the words are from the book. It’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. All we need is that book.”

That would be funny if it weren’t true.

Robert Seiple, former president of World Vision, writes, “In 1915, A Russian Armenian was reading his Bible when he was beheaded. I saw the Bible—large, thick, and well-used. Inside was a reddish stain that permeated most of the book. The stain was the blood of this man, one of more than a million casualties of a religious and ethnic holocaust. About 70 years later, a large shipment of Bibles entered Romania from the West, and Ceausescu’s (dictator of Romania) lieutenants confiscated them, shredded them, and turned them into pulp. Then they had the pulp reconstituted into toilet paper and sold to the West.”

People want to take the Bible, weaponize it, and use it for gain, and others see it as so dangerous that they want to destroy it. One book is causing so much trouble. However, in America, studies show that we don’t read it and don’t think much of it. 

To be a member in good standing of the Episcopal Church, you only have to receive communion three times a year. That’s pretty low. When it comes to reading the Bible, American Christians as a whole aren’t much better. The American Bible Society “defines Bible users as people ‘who use the Bible at least 3–4 times each year on their own, outside of a church setting.’” 

We have a Book that people fight and die for, but we, as a Christian people, don’t give it much thought. Why?

My opinion—and that is what it is—is that it is too convenient. We’ve never had to fight for it. In this country, it’s a bit like running water. We don’t give it much thought unless, for some reason, we have to do without it. That is my opinion; however, Barna’s Christian research group has a more researched opinion.

Barna states, “We have shifted from being a nation in which people believed that right and wrong—i.e., morality—was defined by the Bible. We now live in a nation where only 42 percent believe that the Bible is true, accurate, and relevant, and where the largest share of adults believes there is no absolute moral truth, that all truth is determined by the individual.

“On what basis do they determine ‘their’ truth? Primarily emotions: if it feels like the right or appropriate thing to do, say, or believe, then that becomes the course of action, no questions asked.” (Source)

In other words, when it concerns the Bible, we’re like that World War II soldier, “We’ve outgrown that sort of thing.” Because of that attitude, the cracks are beginning to show.

In the time of Nehemiah, the people had returned to Jerusalem after being exiled to Babylon. In our reading today from Nehemiah, the people have completed rebuilding the walls around the city and have come together for one purpose—now that the city walls are restored, they want to restore their hearts to God. To do this, they ask that the Book of the Law be read so a day is set and a platform built. 

Generally, the Scriptures would have been read in the synagogue, but this day was special. We read, “Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen,’ lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” For about six hours, the people stood and attentively listened to God’s Word. When the reading was complete, the people got down on their knees, bowed their heads to the ground, and worshipped.

They worshipped because they had been provided the opportunity to hear God speak. Then, of all things, they wept. They cried over hearing God’s word. Why? It could have been for joy at knowing that through God’s word, they were being restored. It could have been bitter tears from knowing their sins and how far they had fallen. They could have been crying over the beauty of the message. They were likely crying for all these reasons and more, which led Nehemiah to tell them not to. He wanted them to rejoice in the Word of God and the fact that God, in His goodness and mercy, had provided them with a written document on how to maintain relationship with Him. And it is for this very reason that we, too, should be reading the Bible daily. It contains the words of life and, more importantly, the words of our God.

Preaching in the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom tells his congregation, “I exhort you, and I will not cease to exhort you to pay heed not only to what is said here, but when you are home also you should occupy yourselves attentively with the reading of Holy Scripture…. The reading of Scripture is a great defense against sin. Ignorance of the Scripture is a great misfortune, a great abyss. Not to know anything from the word of God is a disaster. This is what has given rise to heresies, to immorality; it has turned everything upside down.”

Seven or eight years ago, I had kidney stones—a most unpleasant experience. After the procedure, I still had some issues. My doctor responded to those issues: “Drink more water.” I said, “There’s also this going on.” He said, “Drink more water.” “And what about this,” I asked. “Drink more water.” When it was sorted out, I asked my doctor how I could prevent them in the future. He said, “Drink more water.” I began to see a trend.

Would you like to know more about God and how He works in the world? Read your Bible. Would you like to know about God’s plan for your life? Read your Bible. Would you like to have a better understanding of the world around you? Read your Bible. Would you like help getting from one day to the next? Read your Bible. See the trend? Don’t have a Bible? I’ll buy you one. Need help reading the Bible? Let’s talk.

Writing in the sixth century, St. Isidore says, “If a man wants to be always in God’s company, he must pray regularly and read regularly. When we pray, we talk to God; when we read, God talks to us.” Read your Bible. You haven’t outgrown it. Let God talk to you.

Let us pray: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Sermon: Epiphany 2 RCL C – “Water into…”

You all know that I make wine, and many of you know that my wine is good. My wine is so good that even former Baptists like it. Given that, I don’t mind telling you a couple of short wine jokes.

It’s funny how eight glasses of water a day seems impossible, but eight glasses of wine is a sign of a good meal. 

I’ve trained my dog to bring me a glass of red wine. It’s a Bordeaux collie.

I was having wine with my wife when she said, ‘I love you so much, you know. I don’t know how I could ever live without you.’ I said, ‘Is that you or the wine talking?’ She said, ‘It’s me talking to the wine.’

One of the funniest water-into-wine skits I’ve seen has Jesus and the disciples going to a fancy restaurant. The waitress comes up to the table and asks them what they’d like to drink, at which point they all start to giggle. Jesus elbows Peter to get him to stop, then says to the waitress, “We’ll just have water.” And then they all fall out.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus performs many “signs” and turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana is the first. In looking at it more deeply, we can see that this one event defines Jesus’ mission and purpose—transforming the lesser into something greater—the fulfillment of its higher purpose. 

This week, during our Wednesday night study of the Pivotal Players of the Church, we learned about the life and teachings of the Venerable Fulton Sheen, and this idea of the lesser being transformed into the greater came up. It was summarized in the video, so I went looking for Sheen’s actual words, and I found them. Sheen writes, “The sunshine, the carbons, and the rain could never share the life of the plant unless they died to their lower existence and were assumed or taken up into plant life. Plants could never share the sensitive and locomotive power of animals, unless they died to their lower existence and were taken up by the animal. None of the things in lower creation could live in man, and share his arts, his sciences, his thinking and his loves unless they ceased to be what they were, submitting to the death of knife and fire.” (These are the Sacraments, 1962)

If the sunlight, elements, and rain are to fulfill their higher purpose, they must give themselves up and be absorbed into the vine and the grapes. If the grapes want to ascend into and fulfill their higher purpose, they must be picked and crushed. If the wine wants to achieve its higher purpose, it must be consumed by a person. 

So that the lesser can become greater, the lesser must die to itself and become a part of something else. So, then, how can we become greater and fulfill our higher purpose? St. Paul tells us, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ—I have died to myself—and have become a part of Christ Jesus.

We fulfill our higher purpose not by living our best life but by giving up our life, participating in Jesus’s life, and serving His purposes. How do we do this?

These days, it’s a hard thing to “sell.” We have so many other options of things to do and see—books, movies, internet, sports, hobbies etc., etc., etc. All of these are our attempts to find true fulfillment in our lives. However, to fulfill our higher purpose, we must die to self and participate in the life of Christ. We do this by being filled with God’s Holy Spirit and then—and this is the hard sell—participating in the life and ministry of the Church, for the Church is Christ’s Mystical Body. 

In his book, The Mystical Body of Christ, Fulton Sheen says, “What now is this new Body which Christ assumed after He had ascended into His glory, to which He sent His heavenly Spirit, and through which He continues to exercise His office as Teacher, King, and Priest? If I said it was the Church, I would not be believed. I will therefore let St. Paul say it clearly and unmistakably: ‘Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for His Body, which is the Church.’ (Col 1:24)” (p.37) Paul rejoices in his suffering for he knows it is serving God’s purposes and Christ’s Body—the Church. To achieve his higher purpose, Paul knows that he must be caught up in the Body of Christ, the Church.

Remember when John was baptizing on the banks of the Jordan River? Following Jesus’ baptism, Jesus’ “popularity” began to eclipse John’s. Some came to John and asked him what he thought about this, to which John responded that he had told them all along that he was not the Christ, and there was another coming. His conclusion, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) To fulfill our purpose, those words must become ours. “Jesus must increase, but I must decrease.” The Mystical Body of Christ—His Church—must, through our participation, increase, and for this to happen, we must decrease.

Today is our Annual Meeting. There’ll be good food, vestry elections, reports given, budget shared, all sorts of fun stuff. However, the meeting is ultimately about us and how we, as the Body of Christ in this place, are dying to self and fulfilling our purpose in God’s Kingdom on Earth. God will not force us. We are quite free to choose. Jesus turned water into wine, and the water had no say in the matter, but we do. Jesus could say He chooses to transform us into the very best, and we could respond, “Ya know… thanks, but I’m happy being water.” However, if we say, “We will die to self and decrease, so that You may increase in us,” we will become something extraordinary.

I believe we have already begun that transformational process—you’re already a pretty tasty Bourdeaux Collie—but there is always more “dying” that must occur. Therefore, as individuals, we must ask, “How might I decrease so that Christ Jesus can increase in me?” and, as the Body of Christ, we must ask the same.

We generally begin the Annual Meeting in the Parish Hall, but today, I would like to start it now so that our first action together is receiving the Body and Blood of our Savior in the Eucharist. This will nourish our spirits and help us continue on the path to achieving God’s higher purpose for our lives and His Church.

Let us pray: Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in this Annual Meeting of St. Matthew’s for the renewal and mission of your Mystical Body, the Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Sermon: Confession of St. Peter

The Princess Bride—a brilliant film. There are several outstanding characters, one of which is Vizzini. Short, mostly bald, and thinks he’s much more intelligent than everyone else. At one stage, Vizzini gets into an argument with the Man in Black (aka the Dread Pirate Roberts and our hero in disguise.) Attempting to strike fear into the heart of the Man in Black, Vizzini says,

Vizzini: I can’t compete with you physically, and you’re no match for my brains.

Man in Black: You’re that smart?

Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?

Man in Black: Yes.

Vizzini: Morons. 

However, Vizzini has a favorite word—inconceivable. He uses it all the time and under many different circumstances. While traveling with Inigo Montoya (he’s looking for the six-fingered man who killed his father), Vizzini says, “Inconceivable,” for the umpteenth time, and Inigo Montoya has had enough. Looking at Vizzini, he says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Today is the Confession of St. Peter, that is, Peter, declaring that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” However, when you and I hear those words, well, “I do not think it means what we think it means.”

Since the time of the Prophets, Israel had been eagerly waiting and searching for the Messiah—the king who would lead them into a new era. 

When Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, he does not understand Jesus as the Son of God as we understand it—as the second person of the Holy Trinity. Instead, Peter is saying that Jesus is this long-awaited Messiah—Jesus is the anointed one (much like a priest or king would be anointed) who is in a special relationship with God as God’s representative to lead the people. 

For Peter and the people, this anointed one, this king, would not only rule over some small Mediterranean country but would bring all the world under his dominion. Therefore, Peter’s confession was a hugely political statement. It was a threat to Herrod, who ruled in Palestine, and a threat to Caesar in Rome, who also claimed to be the son of God. Peter’s statement is a declaration of war, which is why Jesus strictly forbade them from telling anyone that He was the Christ. It was not yet the time, for we know what Peter and the others did not. Jesus was not declaring war on Caesar. Jesus was declaring war on sin and death, and He did not want the earthly “powers” to interfere until all was ready. 

Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Disciples would come to fully understand the implications of Peter’s Confession, but for now, it was a foreshadowing of that greater truth. However, there was one who recognized Jesus as the True Son of God, and it was the least likely of all people.

Luke’s Gospel tells us of the death of Jesus. In the end, “Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.” Luke then tells us, “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’”

Just as the curtain of the temple was torn in two, the Lord God tore in two the curtain covering the centurion’s eyes and allowed him to truly see—the first of many—who Jesus was. Why, a centurion, of all people, I don’t know, but what Jesus strictly forbade the Disciples from telling is now being freely declared—Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the One True Son of God. Now, the whole world knows what that means.

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Sermon: The Baptism of Our Lord RCL C – “Suffering”

A jet traveling from New York to California was experiencing a severe thunderstorm. As the passengers were being bounced around by the turbulence, a woman turned to the priest sitting next to her and, with a nervous laugh, asked, “Father, you’re a man of God. Can’t you do something about this storm?”

The priest replied, “Sorry, I’m in sales, not management.”

Baptism has been popping up these past several weeks. Sometimes, I plan several sermons around a particular theme or topic, but this was not one of them. Yet, here we are again—The Baptism of Our Lord.

As we understand, we have been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus and given new life in Him. It is an assurance of God’s love for us, but do you ever think God has a funny way of showing His love for you? If you did feel that way, you wouldn’t be the first.

Teresa of Avila was traveling in bad weather. When she attempted to cross a stream, her carriage suddenly stuck in the mud, and she fell into the water. She complained to Jesus, and He said, “That’s how I treat my friends. ” Teresa replied, “No wonder you have so few friends.”

It would seem that if we were joined with God in our baptism, then everything should be coming up roses. For many, this is their way of thinking, and when things go south, they begin to wonder. Does God love me? Has He forgotten me? Is He angry and punishing me? Or maybe God just likes to mess with us.

The movie Bruce Almighty with Jim Carrey? Very funny and surprisingly accurate. When Bruce experiences a series of unfortunate events, they bring suffering into his life. When he’s had enough, he gets mad at God and says, “God is a mean kid sitting on an anthill with a magnifying glass, and I’m the ant. He could fix my life in five minutes if he wanted to, but he’d rather burn off my feelers and watch me squirm!”

When we think of God’s love and our union with Him through baptism, and things go wrong, we begin to feel that it’s just not right. These kinds of nasty things should not be happening to me. I’m on the team. But thinking in such a way shows that we haven’t been paying attention.

We read that when Jesus was baptized “and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” Such a declaration from the Father could lead you to believe that nothing would ever come against Jesus, but…

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

The “men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him.” (Luke 22:63)

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

The crowd “kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’” (Luke 23:21)

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

The soldiers “flogged [Jesus]. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands.” (John 19:1-3)

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

“They crucified him (Luke 23:33)… mocked him (Luke 23:36)… he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)”

“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” You are God’s sons and daughters. You are His beloved. With you, He is well pleased. However, from what we know of Jesus’ last day, it is not always easy to be a child of God. Although we have passed through the waters of baptism and participated in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the raging of the seas still pound against us. We have been redeemed, but all creation is still groaning and waiting. 

Archbishop Michael Ramsey writes, “The old world continues with its contradictions and its sufferings, but by the Cross and resurrection these very contradictions and sufferings can be transformed into things fruitful and creative wherein, by faith in the Crucified, the power of God may be found. There is no escaping from the facts of this world. Rather does membership within the world-to-come enable Christians to see the facts of this world with the light of the Cross and resurrection upon them, and to know that their own tasks are but the working out of a victory that Christ has already won.” (Glory: the Spiritual Theology of Michael Ramsey, p.25)

Our faith in God’s will is not a fatalistic acceptance but a faithful one—faith in the Father’s love. Faith when you pray, “Thy will be done,” for this is baptism. We are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus, but that death we are baptized into is an internal death of the old self—the person of sin that resided in us all. Therefore, our souls experience this new and resurrected life in Christ, but our bodies, like Jesus’, must continue to endure the crushing waves of the world and the suffering that comes with it.

How’s that old song go?

“I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There’s gotta be a little rain sometime.”
(Rose Garden by Lynn Anderson)

In this life, Jesus never promised us a rose garden. St. Peter confirms this. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) 

Suffering is going to happen, so what are we, as a Christian people, to do when trials and suffering arrive at our doorstep? Peter answers that one for us as well. “Let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:19)

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:43-45a) In other words, pray to your Father in Heaven and say, “Thy will be done,” then have faith that God’s will is being accomplished regardless of the suffering that is pouring out. You may not feel all that great about it. His will might just be painful at times. In many cases, you will not understand it or know why, but have faith and “pray for your enemies.” That is, continue doing good, for this is also your Father’s will.

The Father says, “You are my child, my beloved; with you I am well pleased.” “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For I am certain,” St. Paul tells us, “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:18, 38-39)

You are God’s child. He loves you, and regardless of your circumstances (that is a management decision), He is pleased with you. Therefore, stand in faith and perseverance, knowing His will is being fulfilled in your life.

Let us pray (a prayer of St. John Paul II):
O God, You are our Creator. You are
good and Your mercy knows no bounds.
To You arises the praise of every creature.
O God, You have given us an inner law
by which we must live. To do Your will
is our task. To follow Your ways is to
know peace of heart. To You we offer
our homage. Guide us on all the paths we travel
upon this earth. Free us from all the evil
tendencies which lead our hearts away
from Your will. Never allow us to stray
from You. Amen

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Sermon: Harriet Beddel

Deaconess Bedell with a medicine man and Bobby Jim Tiger outside the Seminole mission

There are many sources within the Church listing the Saints celebrated. Because there are so many, most days have more than one Saint appointed. Today is no different. There are at least a dozen we could name. In the Episcopal Church, included in these feast days are those who may not be official Capital “S” Saints but who the Church describes as Holy Women and Holy Men. Today’s saint comes from this list, and she is closely linked to Oklahoma—Harriet Bedell.

Born in 1875, Harriet knew from an early age that she wanted to serve in the church, especially after hearing a missionary preach on the needs of those in China and Native Americans in this country. Her mother said no to her traveling abroad but allowed Harriet to go to school in New York to become a missionary/teacher in the United States.

She attended St. Faith’s Training School for Deaconesses. What is a Deaconess? Diane is training to be ordained a Deacon, but until 1970—Ladies, don’t shoot the messenger—until 1970, women were not allowed to be ordained, so the church created the position of deaconess. According to the Episcopalian Dictionary, “A deaconess used to be a ‘devoted unmarried woman’ appointed by the bishop to do just about anything that happened to be needed in a parish or an institution.  She could be a spinster or a widow–if she married, that automatically terminated her appointment.

She wore a distinctive, identifying garb and went wherever she could make herself useful.  She visited the sick and the poor, she gave Baptism and Confirmation instructions, she read Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and the Litany at public services, she specialized in work with women and children, and when licensed by the bishop to do so, she gave ‘addresses–which means she preached.  And if circumstances called for it, she mopped the floor and mowed the lawn.” (Source)

The church may not have had ordained Deacons, but they had Deaconesses doing the work of one.

Following her training in New York, Harriet traveled to Watonga, Oklahoma, where she worked alongside Deacon David Pendleton Oakerhater at the Whirlwind Mission. The Cheyenne so respected her that she was adopted into the tribe and given the name Vicsehia, which translates as “Bird Woman.” She served there for ten years until contracting tuberculosis and moved to Colorado for treatment.

Afterward, she would serve various Native American nations in Alaska and Florida. She remained very active following her retirement in 1938 and died on this day in 1969.

The daughter of Pharoh was bathing in the river when a basket, holding the infant Moses, floated down to her. Moses’ sister saw all this and ran to the daughter of Pharaoh and asked if she could find a nursemaid for the child. Pharaoh’s daughter said yes, so Moses’ sister brought Moses’ mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.”

Harriet lived her life as though she had heard those exact words, except that in her case, the child she was to care for was the Native Americans she was called to live among. She also understood that the wages she would receive were not worldly but, instead, blessings from Our Father in Heaven and entry into His Heavenly Kingdom.

I wonder, how might our Lord be saying to you, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.”

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Sermon: Christmas 1 RCL C – “Being Light”

A young girl once consulted with her priest. “I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign.”

“Will you tell me,” asked the priest, “where lights are placed?”

“What has that to do with it?” the young Christian asked him rather bluntly.

“Never mind,” the priest replied. “Answer my question: Where are lights placed?”

“I suppose in dark places,” she replied.

Speaking of Jesus, John wrote in the Prologue of his Gospel, “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it…. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.”

It speaks of Jesus, but it also speaks of the illuminating light of Jesus. A light that seeks out others and enlightens them in the ways of God. Jesus says toward the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus is the light, but he has shared His light with us so that we might also become beacons of hope and love in the darkness.

What does such light look like? 

Desmond Tutu was born in 1931, and he died on December 26, 2021. He was also one of ours—a South African Anglican bishop and theologian known for his work against apartheid and for human rights.

In 1940, Desmond’s mother worked as a cook in a hospital for women. The story tells that Desmond—he was nine years old at the time—and his mother were walking down the street, and a white man in a dark suit was walking toward them. The rules of apartheid dictated that Desmond and his mother step into the gutter, bow their heads, and allow the white man to pass. However, before they had the opportunity to do so, the white man stepped off the street first and, as they passed, tipped his hat to Desmond’s mother. After a time, Desmond asked his mother why the white man would do that, to which his mother replied, “He is a man of God.” The white man was Trevor Huddleston, Bishop in the Anglican Church.

Bishop Huddleston not only could have but should have ignored them; instead, he ignored the societal expectations and norms and honored the Image of God that was within them. He became a light in a dark world.

Tutu said much later, “I couldn’t believe my eyes, a White man who greeted a Black working-class woman.”  This one event was a great deal of the inspiration for Desmond becoming an Anglican priest.

What does it look like to be the light in the darkness? It is not necessarily something big and grand. Sometimes, it is nothing more than a tip of the hat, but that tip of the hat can speak volumes of the work of God.

Later, Bishop Tutu would say, “So often when people hear about the suffering in our world, they feel guilty, but rarely does guilt actually motivate action like empathy or compassion. Guilt paralyzes and causes us to deny and avoid what makes us feel guilty. The goal is to replace our guilt with generosity. We all have a natural desire to help and to care, and we simply need to allow ourselves to give from our love without self-reproach. We each must do what we can. This is all that God asks of us.” 

How will you be the light? You don’t have to look far, and you don’t have to come up with some grand scheme. All that is required is that you be faithful to God’s calling to love one another as He has loved us.

Let us pray (a prayer from Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman that we can each make our own):  Dear Jesus, help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that my life may only be a radiance of Yours. Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus! Stay with me, and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, O Jesus, will be all from You; none of it will be mine; it will be you, shining on others through me. Amen.

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