Second Sunday after Epiphany, January 19th, 2020

Second Sunday after Epiphany, January 19th, 2020

For my secular job, I work at a juvenile prison as a counselor.  I see disrespect on a daily basis.  Well, to be honest, I see disrespect on an hourly basis.  The pattern is always the same.  When the boys don't get what they want, then they get angry, and when they get angry this is when they become insulting to the folks they are mad at.  And at that point when they let their anger take over and that is all they care about, they don't care about any consequences.   Talk about having "thick skin."  You really get to practice "turning the other cheek" at a job like that.  But honestly in the day and age in which we live, sadly, it seems as though all of us are getting more and more of an opportunity to "turn the other cheek."  You hear about incidents of "road rage" and see it with your own eyes when you aren't moving fast enough for the person behind you in traffic.  You see it in the stores when people seem to think it is alright to be rude to complete strangers.  You certainly see it here on the internet.  People will post all kinds of hateful comments and insults when they disagree with you.  And why do they do this?  I contend it's because there are no consequences for behavior like this on the internet like there would be in the real world.  On the internet I can write down some insult to a complete stranger and nothing will happen to me.  If I do that in the "real world" I run the risk of getting punched in the mouth.  But the point is still the same, whether it is on the internet or in the store or in traffic, we seem to have our fair opportunity for people to get mad at us.  

St Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans:  "Bless them which persecute you" (Romans 12:14)  Wow!  It would have been much easier if St. Paul had said that we should "Ignore them which persecute you."  Well, even then that might take a little doing but it would still be easier than Blessing them which persecute us.  St. Paul even goes on to say a few verses later:  "Recompense to no man evil for evil."  (Romans 12:17)  Don't we do this?  When someone does something wrong to us, don't we hope that person gets something bad done to them?  In fact we hope the other person gets it worse!   I suppose St. Paul gives this advice because Our Blessed Saviour in essence said the same thing:  "'But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you."  (St. Matthew 5:44)  Wow!  St. Paul just said for us to bless those who persecute us whereas Our Lord directs us to love them . . .  bless them . . . . do good to them . . . and pray for them!  As I like to say, Our Blessed Lord never asks us to do anything that He is not willing to do Himself.  Consider the words of Our Lord while He was hanging from the Cross:  "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (St. Luke 23:34)    None of us are perfect.  Very often we will fail but that does not mean we should stop trying.  Especially when it comes to being a Christian, we should always do our best.  And doing our best means following Our Lord's commands.  We  need to bless those who hate us.  Do good for those who wish us harm.  Pray for them that despise us.  Show love to those who wish evil to you.  These are not easy things to do by any stretch of the imagination but Our Lord did these things.  Our Lord practiced what He preached.  Our Lord asks us to do the same.  No, it is not easy but Our Lord asks us to do it.  

St. Margaret Church meets each and every Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.  We worship at the beautiful Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  We use the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Come join us as we listen to God speak to us through His Word.  At Communion time, we receive the Precious Body and Blood of Christ to nourish us and give us strength for our journey called life.

First Sunday after Epiphany, January 12th, 2020

First Sunday after Epiphany, January 12th, 2020

In St. Luke's Gospel, we hear about the time in which the Holy Family made their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover.  And St. Luke tells us when Our Blessed Lord was twelve years old, He remained behind teaching and preaching in the Temple.  Now, of course, all of this was done without the knowledge of St. Joseph and Our Lady.  When they discovered that their son was not with them, they searched for Him frantically.  And when they finally found Him and they asked Him what in the world He was doing there, He responded:  "knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (St. Luke 2:49)  Even St. Luke reports that neither St. Joseph nor Our Lady understood exactly what He was saying.  After that, the Divine Child Jesus went with St. Joseph and Our Lady back to Nazareth.    

I have discovered that as human beings we are always "about somebody's business."  In other words, for example, when I am fixing something at home or putting some item up at home, I am typically about my wife's business.  When I am at work and working on a report that was due five minutes ago, I am typically about my supervisor's business.  Even when I am doing nothing but sitting around reading a good book or watching an interesting television program, I am about my business or I could say I am about the business of relaxation.  Human beings are always trying to accomplish something.  They are bout the business of earning a paycheck so that they can pay bills  . . . . they are about the business of maintaining their home so that it will look good . . . . they are about the business of pleasing our loved ones . . .  But as Christians, just as the Divine Child said, we should be about Our Father's business.  As stated earlier, whether we realize it or not, we are always about somebody's business . . . . our business .  . . . our bosses' business . . . . our children's business . . . . etc.  We are always keeping busy with day to day business as human beings.   But it is important as Christians to be about Our Father's business no matter how busy we get.  You see, this is the key.  Very often we get so involved in the, what I like to call the "busy-ness" of life.  In other words, we become too "busy" for God.  It's vital that we always keep God first and foremost in our minds, in our hearts, in our souls.  Thus, when we get into the habit of keeping God involved in all our actions, then everything we do we will be about Our Father's business.  You see, when the Child Jesus was in the Temple He was spending that time telling them about God.  And St. Luke tells us that all those in His Presence were "astonished."  So, too, when we let people know about God through what we say and what we do, people will be astonished.  Be about your Father's business and let Him shine through your actions.

St. Margaret Church meets each and every Sunday at 9:30 AM at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Join us as we hear the Word of God found in the 1928 Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible.  Come dedicate one hour of your week to God.  Step away from the busy-ness of the world for just one hour and focus totally on God.  Come and worship Him.  Let Him feed you spiritually.   Receive the Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.

Second Sunday after Christmas, January 5th, 2020

Second Sunday after Christmas, January 5th, 2020

I have no doubt whatsoever but I am convinced that everyone goes through the same, exact struggles at the beginning of a new year:  that is, unsure of which year to write.  We know it's a brand new year but we are in the habit of writing a different year.   Just now, for example, when I began to type the headline of this little essay, the part where I put the date, I began to type "2019" instead of "2020."  I hear a lot of people complain about this same phenomenon at the beginning of a new year so I guess I am not the only person afflicted by this ailment at the beginning of every year.  Obviously, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why this is a problem.  We do it because we are "creatures of habit."  We do things over and over again and get in a groove, so to speak, of doing it that way.  Writing down a date at the beginning of a new year is a very simple and obvious example, but let's face it, there are other things that we get into habits of doing:  getting up at a certain time; driving to work a certain route; etc.  Each one of us can come up with our own list of examples but each one of us has certain things that we are accustomed to doing and it is difficult to ever try to break those habits.   

Having a relationship with God is, for most of us, just another habit.  For many of us who go to church, for example, we may go to church on a regular basis simply because we were raised that way and it has been what we have always done:  we get up on Sunday morning; get dressed; and go to church.  No more, no less.  Now, for many, for this same group just mentioned you might factor in the fact that we were taught this by our parents because they went to church every Sunday.  Now, don't get me wrong, this is actually a good reason for going to church.  It's good to get taught this habit by our parents.  All habits are learned, whether they be "good habits" or "bad habits":  e.g., smoking; eating healthy; cursing; exercising; etc.  So even if what is described above in regards to going to church every Sunday, even if it is a "habit," then it is a "good habit."  But this is not the best reason for going to church:  simply because it is a "habit," albeit it is a "good habit."

Going to church and having a relationship with God is something much more than simply a habit.  It is a way of life.  It is a commitment.  Having a relationship with God is a dynamic, life-changing, ongoing event in our lives.  Knowing God should be the reason for our very existence.  Having a relationship with God should be our motivation for getting up each day.  Being in love with God is something that we should proclaim:  not only through our words; but also by our actions; and they way in which we regard others.  And once we realize this, once we take our relationship with God seriously, we can not help but radiate the holiness of God through our lives.  In the book of the Prophet Isaiah we hear: " . .  . because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek."  (Isaiah 61:1)  God has anointed each one of us to preach about Him.  God has anointed each one of us to have a relationship with Him.  God has anointed each one of us to grow in love with Him.  And yet not everyone does.  This is because most people don't heed the call because they are too concerned with the ways of the world.  For others, the devil has convinced them that they are not worthy to do the "things of God."  By our own merit, none of us is worthy; but with the help of God, He is our sufficiency.  He gives us strength where we are lacking.  Make God a priority in your life in this new year and throughout the year.  Make God more than just a "habit."  Make Him the very reason for your existence . . . .  because He is and He is worthy of your faithful, committed love.

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

   Join us as we take time to listen to the Word of God; to hear what God is saying to each one of us.  Worship God is traditional worship.  Receive His Most Precious Body and Blood at Communion time.