I Am The Bread of Life . . . . .

From all media reports, it seems that the first visit of Pope Francis to the United States seems to have been a huge success.  Everywhere you looked, Pope Francis was on television or in the newspapers or on social media.  People were talking about what the pope did and what he said and where he visited.  Now, full disclosure here:  I have seen Pope John Paul II multiple times, not only here in the United States but also at the Vatican.  In fact, I was blessed when I was a young seminarian in my first year of seminary . . . back in 1988, I believe .. . .  to actually attend Mass in the pope's private chapel in the Vatican with Pope John Paul II celebrating the Mass.  After Mass, all those attending had the opportunity to meet the pope.  So, that being said, I know very well the excitement of seeing the pope in person.  It is indeed very exciting and for most people throughout the world they will never get to experience the excitement first hand.  And, truth be known, probably most people who do get the chance to see the pope, for them it is a once in a lifetime experience.  So, I understand fully the excitement when you get the opportunity to see the pope in person and even up-close and personal.

Now, what really drove this home for me was the Mass in Philadelphia at the Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul when the pope celebrated Mass there.  I have been there many times myself and it is a beautiful, beautiful church.  What caused a little bit of commotion, so to speak, at this particular Mass, was a picture that was circulating on social media.  The picture showed Pope Francis at the altar, during the Mass, and on the other side where priests vested in their albs and chasubles concelebrating the Mass (in the Sanctuary) taking pictures of Pope Francis at the altar.  I will hesitate to criticize the priests who were taking the pictures while they were in the sanctuary during Mass.  Quite frankly, would I have done the same thing?  Honestly, I don't think that I would have but who knows?   Personally, I don't think snapping pictures on cameras or cell phones  was appropriate while they were in the sanctuary during the Mass but it is understandable, given the circumstances.

Now as stated above it is exciting to see or even meet someone famous such as the pope.  People go crazy over meeting all kinds of celebrities from movie stars to sports figures to important people.  I understand the feeling and I am sure it is part of our human condition.  But where all of this led me to thinking about something even more important.  If those priests . . . the ones pictured in the sanctuary . . . during Mass . ..  fully vested and concelebrating . . . if they found themselves so excited to be in the presence of Pope Francis as the main celebrant . . . . how must these same priests feel each time they celebrate Mass and are in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour?  I mean, when you think about it, if we truly believe the words Our Lord stated:  "This is My Body . . . This is My Blood"  . . .  then we must always remember that we are in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour each time we attend Mass.  Again, if you look at it that way, should we not all get excited to be the in Presence of Our Blessed Saviour each and every time we attend Mass?

Again, I am not condemning the priests mentioned above taking pictures . . . . unfortunately, it is a by-product of the age in which we live where everybody takes pictures of everything . . . . including "selfies."  But that being said, while it is exciting to be in the presence of a pope, isn't it exciting to be in the Presence of Our Blessed Saviour?  We are in His Presence every time we attend Mass.  We are in His Presence every time we pray to Him.  We are in His Presence every time we read Holy Scripture.  It seems to me we should put everything in perspective and realize that we are indeed in His Presence each time we do of the things mentioned above.  And if we do realize that we are in the Presence of God, it should cause us to be in awe and wonder that Our Blessed Saviour would be in our presence.  We have such a loving God that He comes to meet us but also waits for us to call on Him.  Let us get excited over our relationship with God and to praise His Holy Name for the gift of salvation He offers freely to each one of us.

16th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Listen to Fr. Todd's sermon for the 16th Sunday after Trinity given September 20th, 2015.

To hear the sermon, click on the following link:

Join us for the 16th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 20th, 2015

I am sure that each one of us has had the occasion in our lifetime where we were overjoyed that someone dear to us made the point to visit us.  Perhaps out of the blue, someone quite dear to us made a unexpected visit to our home.  Maybe it was a family member who lives far away or an old classmate from school.  Maybe it was someone who you had know years and years ago but through time, unfortunately, you had lost contact.  I personally have had the good fortune of being contacted  and surprised via email by friends that were so dear to me but through time we had lost contact.  It was so wonderful to hear from them and to catch up on old times.  Of course, as a result it brings back many wonderful memories perhaps long forgotten.  So whether it is in person, via telephone or via email, when someone dear to us makes a point to visit us, it helps us to reflect on how special that person is that visited us but also how much we mean to that person as well.  Obviously, the person that contacted us would not have made the extra effort to contact us if they did not want to.  It makes us feel appreciated and loved, when someone makes a point to visit us or contact us.

In St. Luke's Seventh Chapter, the people from the city of Nain must have felt in awe of the visit that Our Blessed Saviour made to their city.  Upon entering the city, Our Lord witnessed the funeral procession of a young man being buried by a widow.   As St. Luke reminds us, Our Lord was moved with compassion and brought the young man back to life.  The people who witnessed this were certainly astounded, as we would all be, to witness such a miracle.  "And there came a fear on all:  . . . .  That God hath visited his people" (St. Luke 7:16)  The people of Nain . . . certainly the young man which was brought back to life and his mother, first of all . . .  were astounded as the miraculous sights they saw that day.  They were wise enough to realize that God had indeed visited their town that very day.  Similar to the people of Nain, we need to be able to recognize the miracles that God has done in our life.  We need to recognize the miracles that God has done for each one of us as well.   And once we recognize the fact that God has touched our lives in a whole host of ways, I am sure that we will be similarly astounded that "God hath visited His people."  God has visited us.  He has blessed us in ways that we never even imagined.  But it is the time to realize the many wonderful things that God has done in our life.  It is the time to realize that God has blessed us and to acknowledge the blessings and to acknowledge that God has visited His people and continues to visit His people.

St. Margaret Church celebrates Mass each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located as 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Join us for Mass as we listen to the Word of God found in the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we hear God speaking to us in His Word.  Our Lord also offers to each one of us His Most Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  Receive the Precious Body and Blood to strengthen and nourish you for your daily journey.  And afterward, please join us for our Coffee Hour to have some delicious goodies and good fellowship.

Sermon from 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd given on Sunday, September 13, 2015, the 15th Sunday after Trinity.  Click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:

Sermon from 14th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

The sermon of Fr. Todd Bragg given on Sunday, September 6th, 2015, the 14th Sunday after Trinity.  Click on the following link to hear Fr. Todd's sermon:

Join us on 15th Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 13th, 2015

It just so happens that I am writing this on the September 11th anniversary.  To look at the various pictures, to hear the sound bites, and to read about what happened on that fateful day fourteen years ago still affects me and brings back vivid memories of a tragic day that can never be erased by time or distance.  Surely, those in New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania were affected in a horrific way, but whether you were in California . . . or Texas . . . or Minnesota . . . or anywhere else for that matter, you were affected that day as well.  I can only speak for myself but I remember that tragic day like it was yesterday.  As events unfolded, I did not know the magnitude of the events as they were happening.  So many questions . . .  so few answers . . .  so many emotions . . . so many tears . . . September 11th, 2001 touched not only our nation, but the world quite frankly.    We truly were witness to the acts that evil men can accomplish to satisfy their hatred and anger.  The whole world was witness to pure evil on September 11th.   And as tragic as that fateful day was, in the days that followed we witnessed the heroism, courage, bravery, and fortitude of those affected.  We heard the stories of determination in the face of pure evil.  We heard the stories of bravery and courage in some of the darkest hours our country has ever seen.  And we also heard the stories of compassion coming from those who wanted to do their part to bring about healing to those were were hurt physically and hurting emotionally.

I can not help but also reflect on the lives of all those poor souls who died on that fearful day and the fact that for them September 11th was no different than any other day:  September 10th . ..  September 9th . ..  etc.   For the thousands and thousands that made their way to work that morning, I am sure that each and every one of them went through the same, exact motions that they had went through on a thousand days just like it:  wake up; take a shower; get dressed; get some breakfast; get some coffee; fight traffic; listen to the morning news; etc.  And yet despite the fact that the usual morning routine had been accomplished just like it had been thousands of mornings before this . . .. despite this fact, 9/11 would turn out to be a day like no other.  For some, sadly, it would be their last day.

  Our Blessed Saviour spoke the following words:  "Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on."  (St. Matthew 6:25).  I am sure that so many who died on that horrible day fourteen years ago were anxious about many things:  getting up on time; getting ready; finding the right outfit to wear; anxious about the morning rush hour; getting to work on time; getting the reports ready that needed to be accomplished; etc.  And so many of us today are still anxious about so many of these same things.  We get anxious about life in general.  And yet Our Blessed Saviour is telling us to not be anxious about what we shall eat . . . or what we shall drink . . . or what we shall wear . . .  or life in general.  None of us knows when our time is up.  None of us know what tomorrow brings.  None of us knows.  And so we need to live our life today.  Live life today.  So many of us are so worried about tomorrow, we miss out on today.  Don't let this be the case with your spiritual life.  Don't plan on having a spiritual life down the road or sometime in the future.  Have a relationship with God today.  Don't worry about your anxieties in regards to tomorrow.  Enjoy your blessings today.  "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."  (St. Matthew 6:33-34)

Please join St. Margaret and Holy Spirit Churches on Sunday, September 13th, 2015.  Please note that there will be only one Mass celebrated on this day.  The members of Holy Spirit Parish in Greenfield will join the members of St. Margaret Church on Sunday, September 13th at 9:30 AM.  Mass is celebrated in the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Come join us as we worship Our Heavenly Father and listen to His Word found in the King James Version of the Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as we gather together as God's family to dedicate this time to Him.  And, finally, gather with us as we receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Jesus at Communion time to strengthen and nourish us.  

Christ, My Lord and My Saviour, and My Hope

I rarely watch television any longer.  One thing I refuse to watch, quite frankly, is the news.  Whether it is the local news or the network news, I have gotten out of the habit of watching the news for quite a while now.  Why is this, you might ask?  It is because I get depressed watching the news.  The local news is filled with shootings and crime and accidents and it is just depressing to see all of this negative stuff.  The network news is again filled with depressing things as stated above but the network news is even worse because it is agenda-driven and the media only shows you news items they want you to watch.  Or they slant stories a certain way in which they show the point they want you to see.  It is the same with the radio . . . . or the internet . . . or even with Facebook.  Everywhere you look, there is the potential to be flooded with negativity and negative stories.

Now, why do I point all of this out?  I do it because I think people do look at all of the negativity being thrown at them all the time and it does have an impact on people.  Look, I know just as well as anyone else how easy it is to be all caught up in negative stories and doom and gloom predictions that seem to come from every corner.  But the bottom line is that constantly reading all of this, . . .  constantly listening to all of this (either on the TV or on the radio),   . . . .  constantly looking at controversy after controversy on Facebook or other social media . . . . all of this barrage of negativity takes a toll on people eventually.

Death and war and crime and controversy have been with us basically as long as the world has been around.  And it will continue to exist in this old world of ours.  But for the dedicated, committed Christian, we are reminded that God is bigger than all the negativity that the world has to offer.  In the Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy, we hear the following:  "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord Thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Deuteronomy 31:6)  And then two verses later:  "And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8)  Now, more than ever, Christians should plant these words of Scripture in their hearts, in their minds, in their souls.  Christ will be victorious and His Kingdom will prevail.  Christians are called to be hopeful and their mission is to spread this hope throughout the world.  The Church does this by giving testimony of Christ.  We can all give our testimony on what Christ means to us.  Christ is my Lord and Saviour.  He is the One Who died for me on the Cross.  He continues to be with me in my everyday struggles . . . . to guide me . . . to strengthen me . . . to lead me.   I need to let those around me know this fact and I can let people know by the words that come out of my mouth, by the actions I take on a daily basis, and the love I show towards others around me.

It is so easy to look at everything that is happening today and get depressed by the senseless murder, the hatred, the anger, etc.  And yet Christ is bigger than any of these things.  Christ endured hardship during His time on earth.  Christ endured the hatred and envy of others while He walked among us.  Christ endured grief, sorrow, pain, and death.  As human beings, we will endure all of these things as well during our lifetime.  But Christ overcame all of these things and rose to a new life!  He overcame death.  He overcame the world.  He overcame the bitterness and hatred of those who sought to destroy Him.  And with Our Lord's help, through His dying on the Cross, we will overcome all of these things as well one day.  This is what we should be focusing on rather than focusing on the latest controversy or evil that the world has to offer.   Our Lord's words have more meaning for our present age than ever before: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I given unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your hear be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (St. John 14:27)  Let Christ be your guiding light.  Let Him rule your life.  Do not conform to the dictates of the world.  Follow Our Blessed Saviour and always look towards Him in hope.

Join us for Mass on Sunday, September 6th, 2015

Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, September 6th, 2015

Giving Proper Thanks . . . .

In a strange, ironic twist the term "Thank You" is simultaneously one of the "most used" and "least used" terms we have.   On the one hand, think about how many times you say "Thank you" on a daily basis.  When you go to the store and buy something, for example,  you probably say "Thank you" to the cashier or clerk.  If you sneeze and if someone says "God bless you," I bet you respond "Thank you."  At your job, if a coworker and/or a customer gives you something that you ask for, I am sure you respond "Thank you."  I am sure that if we were to try to count how many times in a given day that we used the term "Thank you," I am pretty sure that we would utterly amazed how often we say that specific term:  "Thank you."  On the other hand, how often do we say "Thank you" for the things that we really ought to say "Thank you" for?  The prime example, of course is expressing proper thanks when we are given a gift.  Some people are incredible when it comes to sending out "Thank you" cards, for example, when they receive a gift.  Others, myself included, are not so good at this practice.  Whenever we receive something from someone, whether the item be great or small, we should always be in the practice to say two simple words:  "Thank you."  

As an aside, I am continually amazed when I am out in the public and I do not see someone put the practice of saying "Thank you" into use.  For example, have you ever gone into or perhaps come out of a store and you took the time to hold a door open for someone, and the person did not say "Thank you" or acknowledge you at all.  Even in traffic, have you ever let someone ahead of you that wanted to get over into your lane.  Often, the person will wave or acknowledge your kindness as a way to say "Thank you."  I notice big semi truck drivers will blink their flasher lights on and off as a way to say "Thank you."   What happens if someone does not "wave" or acknowledge your letting them ahead of you?  If you are anything like me, you mumble to yourself sarcastically, "You're welcome!"   The bottom line is we like to be thanked for what we do for people.  We like for people to acknowledge what we have done for them.  Whether it be a simple act of holding open a door or giving a gift to a loved one, it is only right to receive thanks for what we did.  

In the Seventeenth Chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, we hear the story of Our Blessed Lord  heal a group of ten lepers.  Now keep in mind that all ten men were healed but only one of them made the point to come back and properly thank God and acknowledge the healing that he had received.  "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks" (St. Luke 17:11 ff)  But Our Lord pointed out that while this man did give proper thanks and acknowledgment for the healing that he had received, He went on to question where were the other nine???  You see, God likes to be acknowledged as well for the blessings that He bestows on His children.  Our Lord was happy to bestow blessings as we saw in today's passage with the healing of the ten lepers.  But on the other hand He showed disappointment when only one out of the ten came back to given proper thanks.  We should always make a point to give proper thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on each of us.  Very often, we do not take the time to thank God and acknowledge His blessings because we are too busy concentrating on what is wrong in our life.   

Two opportunities to hear Mass on Sunday, September 6th, 2015:

Join St. Margaret Anglican Church on Sunday, September 6th, 2015 at 9:30 AM as we celebrate Mass in the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.

Join the Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, September 6th, 2015 at 1:00 PM as we celebrate the 14th Sunday after Trinity.  Mass is celebrated at the beautiful, historic First Presbyterian Church in Greenfield, which is located at the corner of South and Pennsylvania streets near downtown Greenfield.  

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.  Listen as God speaks to you directly.  Worship God by taking one hour out of your busy week and dedicate this hour to God.  Let God reward you by giving you His Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.  

Sermon from Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2015

Fr. Todd's sermon from the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity given on Sunday, August 30, 2015: