Pentecost 21 – October 21, 2007

First of all, excuse the absence of a new post last week.  I must have hit the wrong button when I completed it.  This week, then, you’ll find two new entries.

In our reading from Luke for this Sunday, 18:1-8, Jesus tells the parable of a widow who is very persistent in her quest for justice.  Day after day, she comes before the judge. Day after day, he refuses even to listen.  After a while, however, she wears down the judge.  To get rid of her, he grants her what she is demanding.

Jesus says that this parable tells us about our need to always pray and to not lose heart.  God isn’t like this self-serving judge.  Instead, the Creator is Someone who listens, Someone who cares, Someone who loves.   Even is the answer seems a long way off, God will ultimately respond, sooner than later.

In the midst of this expectant waiting, we are to keep the faith, to keep trusting in God’s promises, sharing the GoodNews. God is faithful, and will prove just.  Waiting for Jesus is abut continuing to be active, to keep God’s vision of justice alive.

Let us keep going and share the heart of the Gospel.

Pentecost 20 – October 14, 2007

In our reading from Luke 17:11-19, only 1 person healed of leprosy comes back to thank Jesus.  The other 9 continue on their hurried journies to the priests, seeking to be declared clean.  The other returns, before he rejoins them.  Jesus praises him for his action.  He declares him healed, not because of any words from the priests, but because of his trust in God’s promises.

It doesn’t seem at first that the other 9 are doing anything wrong. They are only going where Jesus told them to go.  No one would blame them for wanting to get the religious stamp of approval as quickly as possible, so that they might resume normal life again.

Still, when we realized we have received a gift from God, do  we stop to thank the Creator for it? Or, do we just use it as quickly as possibe, get on with life?  I believe that Jesus tells us here that in the midst of life, we can still stop and offer thanks.  It might be extravagant or it might be known only in our hearts.  However we express it, we remember who is in charge, whom we honour, whom we turn to  in  good as well as bad.

To God be all honour, now and for ever. Amen

Thanksgiving Sunday – October 7, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving! Giving thanks is not an uniquely Christian thing to do. People of all faiths, and even of no faith, can be thankful, for a myriad of reasons.  Possibly, many Thanksgiving celebrations this weekend willl proceed with little thought of a Divine One.

Yet our readings from Scripture for this coming Sunday  invite us to remember or to make that connection.  For example, the writer of I Timothy (4:4-9) sees giving thanks as a continuing prayerful response to God’s promises.  Through it, the Creator draws us into relationship.  We begin to see the bigger picture of life, God’s vision of it.   We learn that we can have joy, thankgiving, even in the midst of troubles, struggles, and disbelief, because God in Christ revealed to us love, forgiveness, grace, and caring.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your gentleness be known to everyone.  The Lord is near.  Do not worry about anythng, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpases all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”