March 2, 2023

“He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.  The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4: 16-18)

Saturday Night Live had a skit in the early 90’s called “The Honest Planet”. The scene was a board room of a company called “Greedy Industries.” It’s after lunch; the chairman begins by saying he had 3 martinis at lunch and he has amorous feelings for his married co-worker. It gets worse from there! Just imagine if we lived on the Honest Planet.

Another word for repentance is honesty. Being as honest about yourself as you can (which is likely not completely honest) with others and with God. He is the God “to whom all desires are known and no secrets are hid,” after all.

The woman at the well discovered that dishonesty with Jesus is fruitless. But honesty, even and especially in the places of shame, is met with nothing but grace, which, of course, leads to freedom.

“O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Second Sunday in Lent – BCP)

March 1, 2023

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

In like a lion and out like a lamb? This March in Central Virginia is coming in like a lamb, with temps near 70. Birdsong is thick in the morning air. Daffodils dot the landscape. Like Aslan, Spring is on the move.

Inevitably, we will be in for a brace of bone chilling days, usually around the Ides of March. Here’s the thing: everything comes from the hand of God. There is not one detail, however difficult or seemingly stultifying in the moment that has escaped God’s control. And never forget – He works all things for good. In other words, Christ is both Lion and Lamb.

“Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Proper 28 – BCP)

February 28, 2023

“The One enthroned in heaven laughs…” (Psalm 2:4)

 A little longer ADD this morning, but an absolutely brilliant insight into comedy, exposure, and blanket forgiveness from W.H. Auden. I mean, SO GOOD!

“Comedy … is not only possible within a Christian society, but capable of a much greater breadth and depth than classical comedy. Greater in breadth because classical comedy is based upon a division of mankind into two classes, those who have arete [excellence] and those who do not, and only the second class, fools, shameless rascals, slaves, are fit subjects for comedy. But Christian comedy is based upon the belief that all men are sinners; no one, therefore, whatever his rank or talents, can claim immunity from the comic exposure and, indeed, the more virtuous, in the Greek sense, a man is, the more he realizes that he deserves to be exposed. Greater in depth because, while classical comedy believes that rascals should get the drubbing they deserve, Christian comedy believes that we are forbidden to judge others and that it is our duty to forgive each other. In classical comedy the characters are exposed and punished: when the curtain falls, the audience is laughing and those on stage are in tears. In Christian comedy the characters are exposed and forgiven: when the curtain falls, the audience and the characters are laughing together.”

“O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Wednesday in Easter Week – BCP)

February 27, 2023

“Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!” (Psalm 32:1)

Is pulling it together difficult for you on a Monday morning? Or are you ready to be done with the weekend? Maybe rejoicing that your kids are in school? Or are you retired or without work and one day bleeds into the next?

There is one reality that binds each one of us together. In the cross of Christ our transgressions are forgiven and our sins put away. That is from the psalm chosen for the first Sunday in Lent. Even as we contemplate the nature of our sin, that sin is long gone, having been dealt with once and for all by our Savior.

“Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (First Sunday in Lent – BCP)

February 24, 2024

George Frederick Handel suffered from anxiety and depression. A stroke impaired the movement of his right hand. He lost his eyesight. And yet, he wrote The Messiah  in just 24 days. When he finished the masterpiece, he simply wrote, “Soli Deo Gloria” – to God alone the glory.

Bible readers know that human weakness is the platform for Divine strength. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10)

“Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (First Sunday in Lent – BCP)

February 23, 2023

Have you noticed how much pot people are smoking while driving? At least, the Charlottesville streets are weed central. Waiting behind a motorist at a red light, or walking along the streets, one feels as though one is at a Phish concert. Not being a cannabis user myself, I don’t exactly know the effects of toking up while driving. However, I can’t imagine it is falls under the Best and Safest Policy Department. It is certainly against the law in Virginia, even as a passenger.

Knowing better just does not translate into doing better. It never has and it never will, at least not comprehensively. That is why the apostle Paul says, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13)

And that is why we pray this prayer for the first Sunday in Lent.

“Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (First Sunday in Lent – BCP)

February 22, 2023

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:20-21)

This famous passage from the Sermon on the Mount is always included in the Ash Wednesday lections for good reason. From dust you were created and to dust you shall return. The treasures you have stored up, assuming they survive moth, rust, and thief, will be of no use when you return to dust.

Treasure in heaven, as I understand it, is treasure that lasts. That treasure is reaped now through love. And, according to Jesus, that love is expressed in 2 specific ways: love of God and love of neighbor.

Pretty clear, isn’t it?

“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Ash Wednesday – BCP)

February 21, 2023

If you are of a certain age, you remember 40-year-old song lyrics from songs you didn’t particularly like in the first place, but you don’t immediately remember why you walked into the kitchen. Or jingles from Burger King ads, but you forget to bring your lunch to work.

All our lives – from cradle to grave – are known by God at once. The psalmist says, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:16)

So comforting. I don’t have to remember myself, because God remembers myself for me. And makes it all okay.

“O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of 
any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.” (A Collect for Peace – BCP)

February 20, 2023

Entropy is the gradual decline of all matter. We see it at work in our bodies. We see it at work in the world around us. There is no escaping entropy.

But, what of it? So, we fall apart – big whoop. Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

And there will be a new heaven and a new earth. And you, too, will be made new.

“O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Proper 12 – BCP)

February 17, 2023

Robins can hear worms when the worms are underground. That’s why they cock their heads to the ground. A bloodhound can smell something up to 15 miles away.

What can humans do? Communicate directly with the God who created the universe. Have a living relationship with Jesus Christ, alive today through His Holy Spirit. Or in the words of the bible, you can “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

“Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our 
life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (A Collect for Guidance – BCP)

February 16, 2023

I think people like the Crossword and Wordle because each presents a problem that can be solved.  A cab driver once told us his philosophy of life: life is a series of problems that you are asked to solve. If one solution doesn’t work, then try another. There is some truth to that! And yet there are always problems that don’t have solutions.

God solved the problem of human sin and rebellion. It was a solution no one saw coming. The solution was Christ’s death on the cross. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

The signs with “John 3:16” should always include John 3:17 too.

“Blessed Savior, at noon you hung upon the cross, stretching out your loving arms: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may look to you and be saved; for your tender 
mercies' sake. Amen.” (Collect for Noonday Prayer – BCP)

February 15, 2023

My wife delights in roaming around the woods and foraging for animal skulls. She  cleans them in the laundry sink, and then displays them around the house. Macabre? I don’t think so. Instead – she has a love for creation and an interest in how things work. Peeling back the layers for a peek underneath is fascinating.

I like the skulls because I like to think about death. Macabre? I don’t think so. Albert Schweitzer said, “Thinking about death…produces love for life. When we are familiar with death, we accept each week, each day as a gift.”

Here is the psalmist on the subject. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

“Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast allour care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal lifemay hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christour Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany – BCP)

February 14, 2023

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16)

Love is not God, but God is love. We know that wherever there is cruciform love, there is God. Even one person laying down his or her own rights and agenda, forgiving another, acting outside of obvious self-interest, desiring the good of another with no strings attached – is miraculous.

And not just miraculous, but proof of God’s existence.

“O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into ourhearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounteddead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Seventh Sunday After the Epiphany – BCP)

February 13, 2023

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

At the UVA – Duke basketball game on Saturday, the officials overturned a foul call that would sent Duke to the free throw line to potentially win the game at the end of regulation. UVA ended up winning in overtime. After the game, ACC officials admitted that the call should not have been overturned. They made a mistake.

Life isn’t fair. In this case, the good guys won and the bad guys lost! But it doesn’t always go that way. Except as it relates to the gospel in the reverse. The gospel isn’t fair. And that is good news for us. On the cross The Only Good Guy loses, and the rest of us bad guys win. That is the offense of the gospel.

“O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany – BCP)

February 10, 2023

“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.” (Matthew 12:1)

I’m friends with a 2 ½ year old boy who is in the process of giving up his nap. Consequently, he is a tired mess. All day long, he cries out “I just want somebody to hold me!” When the family is eating dinner, he cries out “I want a snack!”His dad says, “Son, we’re eating dinner.”

I just want somebody to hold me. I want a snack. Sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it? Some basic human needs just don’t change. When it comes right down to it, I’ve never met a non-needy person.

“Watch over us, O Lord, as our days increase; bless and guide us wherever we may be. Strengthen us when we stand; comfort us when discouraged or sorrowful; raise
us up if we fall; and in our hearts may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (For a Birthday – BCP)

February 9, 2023

“Happy are those who trust in the Lord, who rely on the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:7)

NFL Quarterback Aaron Rogers is doing a 4 day “darkness retreat” in order to decide his playing future. All darkness for 4 days. The darkness retreat house does have a food slot. How will he eat his food if can’t see it? He said the decision he will make will be “in the highest interest of my happiness.”

Sorry, Packer fans, to take a pot shot at Rogers, but happiness never emerges from focusing on one’s own happiness. Happiness is a by-product of self-forgetfulness; it rises as an afterthought of life outside one’s self.

“Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.” (Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – BCP)

February 8, 2023

“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” (Genesis 3:17-18)

Try as you might, you just cannot avoid pain. Physical pain as well as psychic pain. Pain is a problem that sometimes cannot be solved, only endured. I’m afraid I don’t have anything good to say about pain. Certainly not “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” That is just plain stupid. Usually pain just makes you weaker.

I suppose the best thing to say is that God is present in pain. Sounds like a cliché, I realize. But it is unavoidably true. Just look at the cross.

“Lord Jesus Christ, by your patience in suffering you hallowed earthly pain and gave us the example of obedience to yourFather's will: Be near me in my time of weakness and pain; sustain me by your grace, that my strength and courage maynot fail; heal me according to your will; and help me always to believe that what happens to me here is of little account ifyou hold me in eternal life, my Lord and my God. Amen.” (In Pain – BCP)

February 7, 2023

“I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)

Even what we assume to be the most predictable of days is still crackling with unpredictability. You just never know what is going to happen. As Bruce Cockburn sings, “Anything can happen / To put out the light / Is it any wonder/ I don’t want to say goodnight?”

You might like this; you might hate this. But, one thing is sure – it is a reminder that you are simply NOT in control.

So please, get on your knees.

“Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all ourworks begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlastinglife; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (For Guidance – BCP)

February 6, 2023

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Bare, spare February. The bony limbs against the red morning sky are a beauty unto themselves. Bird activity is on the uptick; they are more visible now, as there are no leaves for camouflage. The shortest month, although the evening light begins to lengthen. A harbinger of approaching Lent.

But darkness holds its own treasures; be careful of wishing it away. Stretches of hibernation will work small wonders. You have an off switch, too.

“Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give thine angels charge over those whosleep.  Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield thejoyous; and all for thy love's sake.” (Evening Prayer – BCP)

February 3, 2023

“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.” (Psalm 95:6-7)

Think about it for a second. You are made by someone. He made you. He knows how you work. He knows how you operate. He knows how you fail to operate. You did not make yourself. And although you may sometimes be a mystery to yourself, you are not a mystery to your Maker.

James Joyce -brilliant as he was – was wrong about God. He said, “The artist, like the God of the Creation, remains within or behind or beyond or above his handiwork, invisible, refined out of existence, indifferent, paring his fingernails."Our Maker is also a Shepherd who cares. You are under His care. Shepherds have dirty fingernails. In fact; He cares so deeply His hands are pierced for you.

“Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (A Collect for Fridays – BCP)