Teach us to pray - continued

Prayers before and after worship:


O Almighty God, you pour out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship you in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be present, be present, O Jesus, our great High Priest, as you were present with your disciples, and be known to us in the breaking of bread; who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who in a wonderful Sacrament has left to us a memorial of your passion: Grant us, we pray you, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of your redemption; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Grant, we beseech you, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may through your grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


[from The Book of Common Prayer]


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

That pesky widow

"This widow keeps bothering me"


Our Gospel reading for tomorrow (Luke 18:1-8) goes like this:


Jesus told the disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither fared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, 'Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, 'Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'"

And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"


What do you think -- will he?



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Benedictine Hospitality

Hospitality as a Justice Issue





In her book St. Benedict's Toolbox, Jane Tomaine says:

Benedictine hospitality is also concerned with issues of justice. Our hospitality is to extend beyond family, beyond neighborhood, beyond church, and beyond our local community. We're to seek Christ in far-reaching places of poverty and loneliness, extending hospitality in concrete ways. Hospitality says that the issues of the poor are our problem and that we must take steps for positive change in the lives of others. Hospitality is a call to action.

She then quotes Joan Chittister, O.S.B. from her book Wisdom Distilled from Daily Living:

Benedictine hospitality is more than simply thinking new thoughts or feeling new feelings about people we either thought harshly of before or, more likely, failed to think about at all. Benedictine hospitality demands the extra effort, the extra time, the extra care that stretches beyond and above the order of the day.

Real hospitality for our time requires that, instead of changing the channel or turning the page, we try to determine what it is about our own lives that is affecting these others. We have to wonder how we can help the poor at the doorstep who live thousands of miles away. Hospitality says that the problem is mine, not someone else's. It is my door and my heart upon which these people are knocking for attention.

Jane Tomaine continues:

Benedictine hospitality must extend beyond family and friends to the world. We who have been given the resources of education, money, and freedom can use those gifts to help the impoverished and forgotten in this country and abroad. We can be the voice that call as for justice and equity.

What do you think about this?


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

P.S. to my brother: Happy Birthday. I know what you did last summer. Don't forget that Mom's birthday is exactly six months from today. Love, Linda+

The Beloved Physician

Saint Luke the Evangelist



He wasn't one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He was a Greek physician and an outsider of sorts - a Gentile. Luke was Saint Paul's travel companion and according to the Acts of the Apostles, he was with Paul when he was shipwrecked on the Island of Malta, and was also apparently with Paul at Paul's martyrdom.

Luke gave us the second Gospel which includes a birth narrative and many stories of Jesus' miracles of healing. Luke continued his Gospel by writing the Acts of the Apostles, much of which is about the missionary journeys of St. Paul, which Luke relates in the first person plural.

Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church this love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

"Redeeming the time . . ."

Making the most of your time at work


We spend most of our waking hours working and getting ready for work, or thinking about work when we get home. So why should we relegate spiritual growth to private prayer time or worship on Sunday? Here are some tips for spiritual growth in the midst of earning a living. They come from St. Benedict's Toolbox by Jane Tomaine, in her chapter on "Work as a Holy Endeavor." No one needs to know you are doing this, of course. This is between you and God.

First thing in the morning, give your day to God. Use whatever words you would like. Examples include: "This one is for you, Lord," or "God, I give you this day" or "Be with me and guide me. Help me bring your presence to others."

When you first begin your work day, pray once again. Pray for God's presence throughout the day, for God's help in your tasks, and for the ability to be open to God's call.

Pray before you begin a task. You can express your love to God and ask God to be with you in the task. When you finish a task, give thanks for God's help.

Imagine Jesus next to you as you work. Envision his encouragement, support, and love.

Before a difficult conversation, pray. Ask for God's guidance. Ask God to help you stay put and not flee either physically or emotionally. Ask to remain open to the other person and to really listen.

Send arrow prayers to God throughout the day (such as "God help me" or "Thanks be to God.")

Repeat a short prayer or a Bible verse while you work. This works especially well when the work of the moment is physical. Use your favorite Bible verse such as, "The Lord is my shepherd" or "Do not let your hearts be troubled" or "Be still, and know that I am God." Or use your own words.

Pray the prayer of St. Francis each day. As you say this prayer, envision yourself in the place where you work, be it at home or in an office or outside. Envision coworkers, family or friends with you. This practice will prepare you to be in Christ's presence during the day.

Give thanks during the day. If you cannot think of anything to be thankful for, try giving thanks for your senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch.

Listen for God's voice in the voices of your coworkers, family, and friends. Everyone and everything can become a channel through which God speaks. When you hear that voice, listen carefully and respond.

Remember that your work is holy. Work gives you many opportunities to use the skills and talents God gave to you, to serve others, to be in close relationship with others, and to praise God. Underneath all the typewritten pages and through all the phone calls and all the vacuumed rugs, work is spiritual!



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

History not to be repeated

Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer
1555-1556


At an embarrassing point in Church history when people were burned at the stake by other Christians who opposed them theologically, the three men who gave us the Book of Common Prayer suffered such fate. Latimer and Ridley were killed at Oxford on October 16, 1555 at the order of Queen Mary of England, and Cranmer died likewise six months later. It is a very long and involved story worthy of late night reading in the dead of winter.

We are still using the Prayer Book which contains Cranmer's Great Litany, and we still commemorate Latimer's last words to Ridley: "Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle by God's grace in England as (I trust) shall never be put out."

Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, that, like your servants, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer, we may live in your fear, die in your favor, and rest in your peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ you Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

The Feast of Teresa of Avila

Teresa of Avila


Teresa, a nun and Doctor of the Church who died in 1582, had this to say about her life and times. Does this sound familiar?


Oh, how unfortunate the times and miserable the life in which we now life; happy are they whose good fortune it is to remain apart from the world. Sometimes it is a particular joy for me to see these Sisters gathered together and feeling such great joy at being in the monastery that they praise our Lord as much as possible. It is seen very clearly that their praises rise from the interior of the soul. I would want you to praise Him often, Sisters; for the one who begins awakens the others. In what better way can you, when together, use your tongues than in the praise of God, since we have so many reasons for praising Him?

--- The Interior Castle, 6:12



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333