Today's Scripture Readings
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
Psalm 62 (BCP., p.669)
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NRSV)
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
I often wonder what score those first disciples would have gotten on their General Ordination Exams (GOE). Who would their facilitators been? Even more so, who would have been on their discernment committees? Who would their Formation Masters have been? If a church body were able to determine their suitability for ministry, what kind of criteria would be used? What might the Church look like today if a Vocation's Director decided that Peter or John were not qualified to be Apostles?
The readings for today are all about God calling us. God called Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh. Paul tells us to go on our way as if we have nothing. Jesus calls those first disciples from where they are. In Mark's Gospel, this narrative does not go one with the endless names. It just gives a few names and says they left what they had in hand and followed Jesus. It sounds to me like Mark doesn't want to waste any time.
God calls us where we are, because God loves us where we are in Jesus. Jesus was God's prefect revelation in the human person. All of our human limitations, potential and promise came to us infused by the Divine Presence in God's Anointed One. "All the fullness of God's Divinity was pleased to dwell" (see Colossians 1:19) in our humanity in Jesus who came to love us where we are, and call us to do God's work in obedience to God's will in the here and now. The obstacles we face in our lives including the labels others place upon us, along with whatever our history may say about us; prevent God from bringing us where God wants us, only if we put ourselves in God's way.
Though I am a Monk in training, there are so many ways in which I fail to be obedient, or agree to conversion of my manners, and evade God through instability. God does not ask me (or anyone) to always succeed. All God asks of us is to be faithful in responding to Jesus who loves us and calls us from where we are. The way to holiness of heart and life is through allowing God to love us in the midst of our pain, disobedience and confusion and bring about God's healing and reconciliation in our lives and those around us. In The Rule of St. Benedict at the end of Chapter 4 On the Tools of Good Works, he writes: "never despair of God's mercy."
God calls us without discriminating against our gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, health condition, disability, language or for any other reason. It is we who discriminate against ourselves and/or one another. Each of us are called and loved by Jesus to do in this moment, in this vocation and doing this work what the Holy Spirit empowers us to do. Whether that vocation is ordained ministry, parents, spouses, manual labor, religious life, lay people, teaching, social justice work and/or administration. This list is hardly comprehensive. I have left out a vocation that someone is being called to right now.
Are we listening for God to call us right here and now?
What are we ready to set aside to follow the God who loves us and calls us "by name"? (See Isaiah 43:1b).
What do we hear God calling us to in the depths of our hearts?
Jesus is calling each of us to let Him love us here where we are. The sky is the limit with the possibilities that are before us if we accept the love and call of Jesus.
What will your answer be?
Prayers
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do.
Psalm 62 (BCP., p.669)
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NRSV)
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
Blog Reflection
I often wonder what score those first disciples would have gotten on their General Ordination Exams (GOE). Who would their facilitators been? Even more so, who would have been on their discernment committees? Who would their Formation Masters have been? If a church body were able to determine their suitability for ministry, what kind of criteria would be used? What might the Church look like today if a Vocation's Director decided that Peter or John were not qualified to be Apostles?
The readings for today are all about God calling us. God called Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh. Paul tells us to go on our way as if we have nothing. Jesus calls those first disciples from where they are. In Mark's Gospel, this narrative does not go one with the endless names. It just gives a few names and says they left what they had in hand and followed Jesus. It sounds to me like Mark doesn't want to waste any time.
God calls us where we are, because God loves us where we are in Jesus. Jesus was God's prefect revelation in the human person. All of our human limitations, potential and promise came to us infused by the Divine Presence in God's Anointed One. "All the fullness of God's Divinity was pleased to dwell" (see Colossians 1:19) in our humanity in Jesus who came to love us where we are, and call us to do God's work in obedience to God's will in the here and now. The obstacles we face in our lives including the labels others place upon us, along with whatever our history may say about us; prevent God from bringing us where God wants us, only if we put ourselves in God's way.
Though I am a Monk in training, there are so many ways in which I fail to be obedient, or agree to conversion of my manners, and evade God through instability. God does not ask me (or anyone) to always succeed. All God asks of us is to be faithful in responding to Jesus who loves us and calls us from where we are. The way to holiness of heart and life is through allowing God to love us in the midst of our pain, disobedience and confusion and bring about God's healing and reconciliation in our lives and those around us. In The Rule of St. Benedict at the end of Chapter 4 On the Tools of Good Works, he writes: "never despair of God's mercy."
God calls us without discriminating against our gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, health condition, disability, language or for any other reason. It is we who discriminate against ourselves and/or one another. Each of us are called and loved by Jesus to do in this moment, in this vocation and doing this work what the Holy Spirit empowers us to do. Whether that vocation is ordained ministry, parents, spouses, manual labor, religious life, lay people, teaching, social justice work and/or administration. This list is hardly comprehensive. I have left out a vocation that someone is being called to right now.
Are we listening for God to call us right here and now?
What are we ready to set aside to follow the God who loves us and calls us "by name"? (See Isaiah 43:1b).
What do we hear God calling us to in the depths of our hearts?
Jesus is calling each of us to let Him love us here where we are. The sky is the limit with the possibilities that are before us if we accept the love and call of Jesus.
What will your answer be?
O Jesus, joy of loving hearts,
the fount of life and our true light,
we seek the peace your love imparts,
and stand rejoicing in your sight.
(Hymnal 1980 #649).
Prayers
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our
Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News
of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive
the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Third Sunday After the Epiphany. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 215).
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before
you for all members of your holy Church, that in their
vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, The Book of Common Prayer, p.100).
Almighty Father, whose blessed Son before his passion prayed
for his disciples that they might be one, as you and he are one:
Grant that your Church, being bound together in love and
obedience to you, may be united in one body by the one Spirit,
that the world may believe in him whom you have sent, your
Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, The Book of Common Prayer, p.255).
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