Join us for Mass on the Fourth Sunday after Trinity, June 28, 2015

Being a Christian is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination.  Come to think of it, being a human being is not an easy thing either.  Having to make decisions that affect your own life.  Having to make decisions that affect others . . . . for example, if you are a parent or the owner of a company.  Having to do things that you would prefer not to do but have to be done . . .  cutting the grass comes to mind or paying bills.  Having to juggle various roles all at the same time . . .   going to work . . . taking care of your home . . .  being a parent . . .  being a child . . . . paying bills . . . doing chores . . .  etc. The point being is that life is busy . . . at least it is for me . . . and life is full of difficulties and challenges . . .  again, at least it is for me.  But as I look around on social media and in the news and listening to people's conversations, it seems that people must have a whole lot of free time that they don't know what to do with.  It used to be that if you held a different belief than me, I might not have agreed with you but it amounted to nothing more than that:  a difference of opinion.  Period.  End of story.  I might not like your choice or I might not like your belief but on the other hand you might not be too fond of something about me either.  But we just left it at that.  And, more importantly, we left it alone.  You had your belief.  I had my belief. Period.  Today, people get into all kinds of arguments and criticisms of one another if they do not agree and support the other person one hundred and twenty percent.

In St. Luke's Gospel, Our Lord said:  " BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."  (St. Luke 6:36)  But then He goes on to say in the following verse:  "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   (v.37)  It is that last part that we should be most concerned with . . . ". .  . forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."   I have long said that we tend to be so focused on the wrong-doing in others lives, if for no other reason, it takes the focus off of our wrong doing.  If I focus on someone else and where they are wrong in their life, it means that I have less time to focus on what is wrong in my own life.    A few verses later, Our Lord states in Verse 41:  "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"  Why am I so concerned about the speck that I see in my brother's eye when I am totally oblivious to the plank in my own eye?!?  The bottom line is this:  Don't be too quick to criticize someone else because your backyard probably needs a little sprucing up as well.  You don't have to be in complete agreement with someone in order to be civil and loving to that person.  Our Lord stated that we need to "love one another"  He did not say that we need to "agree with one another."  And finally,  show a little mercy and compassion to those around you.  Do not be so quick to condemn someone who does not agree with you.  That person may not agree with you either on other subjects.  The bottom line is that each one of us needs to be concerned if we agree with God.   I should be LESS concerned about making MY own voice heard  . . . and be MORE concerned about making GOD'S voice heard in my life and the way in which I treat others around me.

You have two opportunities to join us for Mass this weekend:

St. Margaret Anglican Church meets every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

The Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit meets every Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church, located at 116 W. South Street, at the corner of South and Pennsylvania Streets, in Greenfield, Indiana.

Join us as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we worship Our Heavenly Father as His family here on earth.  Come receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Our Blessed Saviour at Communion time so that you can be nourished and fortified for the week ahead.