Second Sunday of Easter: From Doubt to Healing in Faith, Hospitality and Reconciliation

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 5:27-32 (NRSV)

When the temple police had brought the apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

Psalm 118 (BCP., p. 761)


Revelation 1:4-8 (NRSV)

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

John 20:19-31 (NRSV)

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Blog Reflection

The Apostles in Acts find themselves being questioned by the council about their activities.  They had apparently not accepted the authorities request that they stop speaking in the Name of the Risen Christ.  Their words have brought happiness to those who have received the message of salvation joyfully.   As for those who were not so impressed, they are becoming a nuisance. The work of the Apostles is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.  St. Luke as the author of Acts, quotes from Deuteronomy 21: 22 in which Jesus was "hung on a tree."  Peter appropriately states that he and the other Apostles are witnesses to Jesus' death and resurrection as is the Holy Spirit who has given them God's work to accomplish.   

I think among the things we can take from the reading from Acts is that the work of the Gospel is the occupation of all who believe in the Name of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and risen from the dead.   Though society and even the Church may become disillusioned about how the Gospel is proclaimed, it is the work of those of us who have witnessed the power of the Paschal Mystery in our Baptism, Holy Communion and our every day lives.  The Easter Mystery that we have been celebrating these past eight days, and for the next forty-two becomes visible as we become the Risen Christ for others.   The power of the Resurrection gains even more ground when we take the time and opportunity to recognize the Risen Christ in each other.  Especially, but not limited to, those who are different from ourselves. 

Among the many reasons why the Christian Faith suffers so badly, is because of how Christians have limited the Gospel to our circles of privileged persons.  As Christianity spread and became part of the European culture, and eventually the culture of the America's, many other religions, cultures and races became subjected to oppression and violence. Violence in the Name of Christ, is zeal that has been directed by error, not truth or conviction. When conviction becomes an excuse for a lack of basic Christian Charity, the message behind the conviction becomes a weapon of mass destruction.  Not a ministry of evangelization and conversion.  As a result, the Easter event of the Resurrection becomes a fairy tale to those who are not privileged.  Not the message of salvation for the whole world.

As we turn from Acts to the reading from St. John's Gospel, we see that Jesus had a tremendous amount of compassion.  Especially for those who ran while He was crucified on Good Friday.  The Resurrected Jesus appears to the Apostles, those cowardly men and said "Peace be with you."  Jesus' message sounds very much like the Father receiving the Prodigal Son from the parable in Luke 15: 11b-32.  Jesus, who is God's perfect Revelation of Self, comes and greets those men with peace and the breath of the Holy Spirit, so that they can do the work of forgiveness and reconciliation on His behalf.  

I am ever so glad that over the years there has been a progression away from seeing St. Thomas' disbelief as making him weak.  The "doubting Thomas" idea has been adopted by many who feel that unless they see it in its physical reality, they just cannot believe.  To totally condemn this idea, is to flip the bird in total ignorance to what Jesus does with Thomas' situation.  Thomas' doubt opens the door for faith, that becomes the greatest of proclamations.  "My Lord, My God" says Thomas.  Thomas' faith is strengthened not by the fact that he originally doubted, but that Jesus met his doubt, and Thomas grew in faith and trust in God's work of redemption in Jesus Christ.  Jesus then completes his work by saying in the words of the Common English Bible: "No more doubting. Believe!"  Jesus tells Thomas and us to learn from this example and to put our trust in Him to lead us to a closer relationship with God and one another.  Jesus accomplishes this by God's ministry of hospitality and reconciliation with those who are afraid, weak, and becoming their every reason to find their strength in the joy of the Lord.

Every one of us finds our faith in the Risen Christ shaken from time to time.  We see Christians continuing to use the religion as a means for power, domination and the spreading of hate, wealth and prestige.  In today's Gospel, Jesus turns the weakness of faith in the Apostles into a moment of spreading peace, joy and hope.  The Church needs to continue that work in today's world.  We must not cling to doctrine only at the expense of lively faith, Charity, service and mission.  We ought to be inspired to be open to being servants to everyone, without exception out of thanksgiving to God for all God has accomplished on our behalf.  We must bring hope to women who continue to be marginalized and victimized by a male privileged society. We must end the religious based bigotry towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people.  There is a whole mission field that we can all participate in by calling for the end of injustices such as: President Obama's chained CPI cuts to Social Security, the sequester that is reeking havoc on the lives of cancer patients nation wide, and the abuses of the oil industry.  

St. Anselm of Canterbury once wrote: “For I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe-that unless I believe I shall not understand.”

If we are to demonstrate belief in the Resurrection, so that we and others may understand what Easter means, then we need to be willing to live as Easter Christians.   Thomas like so many of us, need the community of others around us to point us to the Risen Christ in the world.  The community of society and the Church needs all of us who believe, to do the same.   

May the song of Easter with Alleluia's ringing out like there is no tomorrow, be our trumpet call to live the Resurrection story in our lives.

Amen.

Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all
who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body
may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Collect for the Second Sunday in Easter, Book of Common Prayer, p.224).

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Mission of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.818).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p.823).

Monday in the First Week of Lent: Whom Are we Serving?

Scriptural Basis

Matthew 25: 31-46 (NRSV)

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. ³⁴Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? ³⁸And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? ³⁹And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” ⁴⁰And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,^* you did it to me.” ⁴¹Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴²for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’ 

31

Blog Reflection

St. Louis de Monfort wrote: "I will love my God who lives in my neighbor."  "My God who lives in my neighbor."

Those who see religion from a particular point of view might respond to Monfort's statement: "Is he telling me to idolize my neighbor?"  That is a fair question.   In the Old Testament we read the words: "I am the Lord your God,,, you shall have no other gods before me."  (Exodus 20: 2,3).

When Jesus tells us that whatever we do to those who are members of his family, we do to him, is Jesus telling us to worship him?   When St. Louis de Montfort tells recognizes his God who lives in his neighbor, is he worshiping an idol in his neighbor?

If we see each person as their unique entity with no beginning in someone or something beyond themselves, then the answer to the previously asked questions is yes.   There are religions that would respond yes to the questions I raised.  They are entitled to their point of view.

For Christians however, our answer to those questions is no.  As Christians we recognize that the God that we worship and serve has created and therefore resides in and with our neighbor.  Christians should understand that to not serve our neighbor is to fail to serve God.  Our worship of God in our churches finds it's fulfillment when our liturgical celebrations become the true and living stories of our lives as we serve the God we worship in the needs of our neighbors.  Therefore we are to serve God in our neighors, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and queer people.   We love our God who is in our neighbor in people of other genders, gender identities/expressions, other religions, other languages, other cultures/traditions, races, nationalities, wealth and health status and so on.   We do not draw a line in the sand about who we serve God in, and who we refuse to serve God in, if we embrace the cross of Jesus Christ as seriously as we say we do.

Just in today's news clips all over the internet, we are seeing Jesus in our neighbor being bruised and injured.  A teacher in southern California has been bullying a gay student by writing S for "sinner" on the hand of a gay student.  An individual has stated that God is punishing the country of Japan for atheism by way of the horrible earthquake and tsunami.  A young teenager named Nick Kelo age 13 shot himself after he was bullied for being gay, before and especially after he joined the school band.   We continue to see Jesus told that he has no bargaining rights, as they are taken away from Union workers all over the country.   Jesus' budget for those who are poor, destitute and pregnant continues to be exploited and taken away, while tax breaks for corporations becomes a greater priority.

The voice of progressive Christians is so very important as we work through this season of Lent.  We have opportunities to pray and work for the liberation of Jesus in our neighbor who continues to be assaulted by right wing political scams.  Our prayers and voices for those who continue to be oppressed and marginalized are so very important.

Yes, we are to love our God who lives in our neighbor.  God is so very good to us, so out of thanksgiving to God for God's goodness we should be willing to share that goodness with God who lives in our neighbor.  Amen.

Prayers,

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully increase in us your gifts of holy discipline, in almsgiving, prayer and fasting; that our lives may be directed to the fulfilling of your most gracious will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, on God, for ever and ever.  Amen. (Prayer for Monday in the First Week of Lent, Holy Woman, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 36).


O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected, Book of Common Prayer, page 826).

Compassionate God, whose Son Jesus wept at the grave of his friend Lazarus: Draw near to us in this time of sorrow and anguish, comfort those who mourn, strengthen those who are weary, encourage those in despair, and lead us all to fullness of life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.  (On the Occasion of a Disaster, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 733).  

Vincent de Paul; The Saint for Those Left Out

Matthew 9: 35 to 38 (NRSV)

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ 

The Episcopal Church gives the option today of taking a page from our Anglo-Catholic side.  We are commemorating St. Vincent de Paul "The Apostle of Charity".

Psalm 37: 27-33 (BCP page635)  reads:

The righteous are always generous in their lending,
  and their children shall be a blessing.

Turn from evil, and do good,
  and dwell in the land for ever.

For the LORD loves justice;
  God does not forsake God's faithful one's.

They shall be kept safe forever,
  but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.

The righteous shall possess the land
  and dwell in it for ever.

The mouth of the righteous utters wisdome,
  and their tongue speaks what is right.

The law of their God is in their heart,
  and their footsteps shall not falter.

St. Vincent de Paul and those who have established Societies in his name serve the poor and needy in many local areas.  Right in Minneapolis a wonderful woman by the name of Janice Anderson at the Basilica of St. Mary oversees a ministry that provides free lunches to people who are suffering from economic hardship, as well as a shoe ministry on Saturdays.  The St. Vincent de Paul ministry that Janice Anderson oversees helps struggling individuals to get a fuel voucher once a year and/or a bus card so that they can have transportaiton to and from their jobs.

I am one of those individuals who has experienced difficulties during the economic downturn of the past two years.  When I was coming back out after no longer attending meetings for Courage (the ex-gay ministry in the United States and abroad), I found myself in need of a place to go for economic assistance.  This was before I found St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral as my new spiritual home, and it was before I met my partner Jason.  Janice Anderson received me with such a warmth and sense of compassion.  She remembered me from another time and when I shared with her my situation she said something to me that I will never forget.  "Isn't it interesting what can happen when we surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit, rather than try to stifle what the Holy Spirit is trying to do?"  In that, she was referring to my experience with Courage as opposed to the feelings of freedom I was experiencing after I left and found myself with a greater sense of peace and acceptance over the fact that I am gay.

St. Vincent de Paul is a reminder to all of us to see the Holy Spirit working in all situations, even the those that seem like they are hopeless and painful.  Sometimes the most difficult thing is to turn to someone and ask for help.  When we call for help there are many who will let us down and say they cannot help.  But if we will keep turning and asking, and looking for those who can lead us to someone who has the resources it is amazing what can happen.  St. Vincent de Paul reminds us to keep on looking, asking, knocking and eventually finding.  As Jesus in our Gospel did not turn anyone away, so he will not turn any of us away when we are in pain or feeling a sense of loss.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning and queer (LGBTQ) people know what it is like to be turned away from churches, jobs, individuals and whole communities, even our families.  We know the sense of searching for someone to love us just as we are, without throwing our sexual and gender diversity in our faces as something evil or wrong.  When it comes from someone in society it hurts very deeply.  When it comes from someone in a church community it can feel as if our souls are ripped out of our chest.  This is the experience that many LGBTQ Catholics in Minnesota are now feeling with the DVD against marriage equality circulating around the State urging them to vote against candidates who support marriage between people of the same-sex.  As someone who spent 15 years of my life in the Catholic church, even though I am now Episcopalian, I still hold on to my love of things that are Catholic.  Yet the pain and the rejection that many LGBTQ people experience because of this DVD and the words behind them, create wounds that church hierarchy are responsible for. This does not represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor does it represent the openness of what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is suppose to be about.

Jesus Christ came for all those left out by society and the Church.  We read yesterday the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16: 1-13.  The rich man who had everything to give, yet left Lazarus outside found himself on the other side of Lazarus in another time and place.  What will the leaders of the Church who have enjoyed servants at their beck and call, enjoyed in many cases lavishly decorated homes, car allowances and trips to foreign countries find with those whom the Church has neglected for so long?  What will be the experience of heterosexuals who have benefited from those who are not?  How will those who are not Caucasian look to those who are?  How will men look, when women suddenly find themselves in positions of enjoying more than men ever did?  The reality is at any point in time the person who is down on our luck could be any one of us.  When we need that help, the people we ignored just might be the one's who help us most.  When that happens, will we be prepared for such a humiliation? Will we be open to the Holy Spirit's grace of conversion?

The challenge of St. Vincent de Paul is not just a challenge for the Church, it is also a call to all people of good will.  We are given the opportunity to serve the underprivileged of our time.  We are blessed with knowing many people around us who need a word of encouragement or help to find their way up from ground one.  That is why this election year is so important.  That is why every vote cast for a Tea Party Candidate or even a Republican is such a dangerous decision.  In the end those who are suffering so much from the economy now, will be even worse with extreme right wing individuals making decisions for corporations at the expense of the underprivileged.  In these hard economic times, many of us are among those who are underprivileged.

Today, let all of us pray for one another to the Holy Spirit that she will help us all to know and respond to how we can help those left out by society and the Church to draw closer to God.   May we all ask God to help us love one another better today than we did yesterday and tomorrow better than we did today.

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 21, Book of Common Prayer, page 234).

Loving God, we thank you for your servant Vincent de Paul, who gave himself to training clergy to work among the poor and provided many institutions to aid the sick, orphans and prisoners.  May we, like him, encounter Christ in the needy, the outcast and the friendless, that we may come at length into your kingdom where you reign, one God, holy and undivided Trinity, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Vincent de Paul, Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 607).

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Collect for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, page 99).