The Eternal Pursuit

D025 Passes House of Bishops

2009-07-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

General Convention 2009

2009-07-13T15:15:00.000-04:00

We are in the midst of the nitty gritty of GC. A number of resolutions that will provoke discussion are in process. The deputies passed D025 and it awaits treatment by the bishops. It basically affirms TEC’s desire to remain within traditional Anglican relationships and supports the participation of gay and lesbian persons within the entire range of the ordered life of TEC. It will certainly be controversial. There will be many prognosticators offering interpretations of what it will mean in practice.

It certainly describes the situation of TEC. Most want to remain within the historic umbrella of Anglicanism, and many see the acceptance of gay and lesbian persons as connected with Gospel imperatives and sacramental theology. Agree or disagree, this is where we are at the moment.

Resolution C056 is making its way through the legislative process. It would authorize the development of rites for the blessing of same-sex unions to be formally considered at the next GC. The resolution came out of committee with widespread support for discussion.

The debates continue and the process lurches forward. It will be interesting and will fuel much more conversation. Whatever we do will have implications in this country and throughout the Anglican world.

To follow along go to General Convention Media Hub.

Acts 5

2009-06-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

In the Daily Office lectionary cycle, we are in the midst of Acts. Chapter 5 records a phase of conflict between the religious authorities and the Jesus movement. It is one of my favorite vignettes from Acts.

5:33
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

5:34
But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time.

5:35
Then he said to them, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men.

5:36
For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared.

5:37
After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

5:38
So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail;

5:39
but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!" They were convinced by him,

Gamaliel offers a very interesting bit of direction in this passage. He postulates that the Jesus movement looks like many prior movements and they all failed. Gamaliel, however, leaves the door open. God might be doing something in Jesus. If that is the case, it is not to be resisted, but embraced.

What could Gamaliel be saying to us?

Perhaps, he provides a lens to view our approach to the “New Movement”. If God is part of our mission and ministry, we will know it by how well we meet mission objectives. Growth and health have some role in helping us see the presence of God in the initiative.

I don’t mean this in some limited or fatalistic way. I mean big picture, health and vitality. It is more comprehensive than how we might feel as individuals. It is based more in an objective dimension.

The Gospel is about calling people into relationship with God. We help others recognize God’s love is present for the taking and sharing. We are the community charged with this message. On some level, we know it is working and the Spirit is in our midst, when others are responding.

What would it mean for us to apply “Gamaliel’s gauge” to our individual lives, the life of the parish and the state of the Church?

Looking Back at Missed Opportunities

2009-06-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

The Lead provided a link to this interesting post on the blog of Thomas Brackett. He speaks of how examining the past is easier than grasping the gravity of the present moment. Brackett applies this to his experience of conversations about the lack of health found in the Church of England. This is my description, not his. His point is that the exclusion of younger people in leadership 20 years ago is part of the sad state of the C of E now.

Growth and health are not accidents. Growth and health are gifts of the Spirit. We can accept the Spirit’s offer or decline it. Too often we reject. We are too comfortable or too afraid to accept the new life offered us.

What if parishes were communities of exploration and experimentation? What if we shed tired programs that feel like burdens and tried new approaches? What if we were to encourage new people in the community to make suggestions rooted in fresh vision and experience? What if we were prepared to share what God is doing in our lives and why Church matters to us? What if we were to recognize the few things we can do well and do them? What if we were to become serious about worship? What if we were to become intentional about the formation of the next generation of leaders?

These questions and more will determine the state of the Church, we enjoy, as we look back to this moment.

General Convention

2009-06-09T08:24:00.000-04:00

In my diocese, like many others, we hold a clergy gathering with the deputies going to GC. It is a time for sharing information, asking questions and clarifying opinions about the issues on the table. Our GC forum was just last week. In the days since, I have found myself pondering GC itself as a legislative unit, rather than the issues that will be considered.

In the midst of our economic upheaval, some say we should cancel GC. It is too expensive. It should be a teleconference. Some have argued that we should shorten it and just deal with budget. The immediate crisis is rarely a helpful force for sound decision-making or long-term vision.

In a somewhat different fashion, the economic crisis has crystalized my thinking about the Episcopal Church. The failure of General Motors has sparked something for me. GM, once the largest corporation on the planet, has failed and sought reorganization after years of decline. It has been clear through most of my lifetime that GM was not in a position to compete over the long-term with manufacturers like Honda and Toyota. GM has long been top heavy, slow and cumbersome in operation. Every CEO of GM over the last thirty years has promised to improve vehicle quality and profitability. Yet, the slow, stumbling giant has fallen to his knees. An elixir with chunks of SUV will not help him to his feet. What now?

If GM is to survive, it will be through a radical transformation. A top to bottom renaissance is required. I hope GM can make it work.

I wonder what it was like to be inside GM during the long slide. It seems that some raised the alarm. Why was the response inadequate? I imagine some just wanted to believe everything would be fine, after all, we are talking about GM...I am sure many didn’t want to let go of the known for the unknown.

The Church is in the midst of decline. The Mainline has been in a slide for quite some time, maybe as long as GM. As a denomination, we don’t seem to be doing very much about it. Some have examined the data considering birth and death rates. Some have noted growth in larger parishes, and argued that we are experiencing a shift and not decline. Some will argue that faith, health and vitality cannot be quantified.

The numbers included in the “State of the Church” piece of GC seem to illustrate simple decline. There are fewer members of the Episcopal Church. There are fewer people in the pews of Episcopal parishes on your average Sunday.

The Episcopal Church is not a business. There are a zillion ways comparing the Episcopal Church to GM is unfair, but I am thinking about practical dynamics. How connected is GC to the actual state and health of the Church? GC is a legislative body that produces a huge number of resolutions, revisions and what not. How effective is GC at empowering the Church to be the Church? For that matter, how effective is our present model of “being” Church? Do GC, current diocesan structures and parish structure serve the Church well at present, or will they serve the Church of the future?

My questions are not asked out of fear or scarcity. I am not saying we should pare down to run the enterprise more inexpensively. What I desire is a more vibrant, committed, exciting and growing community of servants of Jesus Christ. We face real decisions as the Church. Will we simply operate the way we always have, and pretend that the slide of the last thirty years isn’t happening? Will we expend all our resources and energy propping up an institution that is not currently structured to meet our needs? If GC had the will and support of the rest of the Church, maybe we could do a new thing, a better thing, a more faithful thing. With the aid of the Spirit, it is time for the Church to remake itself.

Pentecost and Beyond

2009-06-08T08:09:00.001-04:00

The Spirit is the most difficult person of the Trinity to conceptualize. We speak of God as Father. He gets billing as a bearded, sage-like older gentleman. Jesus is of course the Son. He was a human being, so it is simply not that difficult to picture him as a first century Jew. He gets the sandals and the requisite Middle Eastern garb.

But the Spirit simply defies description. Sure, we have the violent wind language. What does wind look like? I don’t think I have ever seen wind. I have seen the effects of the wind, but never the wind itself. I have felt the wind, but not to feel its shape or to know its essence. Yet, I still know it is there.

The Holy Spirit must be something like wind. The Spirit is known by its impact, not by our ability to force it into a form.

I remember being present for a service that included the Veni Creator Spiritus. It is an 8th century hymn that invokes the presence of the Holy Spirit. The most typical setting is a call and response piece. The Bishop starts: Come Holy Ghost our souls inspire. The people respond: Enlighten with celestial fire. It goes on. It is a beautiful piece, even if it is very familiar.

However on this particular occasion, we sang another setting, a Tazie piece, named for the monastic community that is known for the style. The style is marked by its simplicity and repetition. The words go Veni Sancte Spiritus, Veni Sancte Spiritus. The congregation sang to line over and over. A cantor began a variation on the line just out of time and pitch with the rest of us. It created this incredible and delightful interplay of sound and voice. The organ gently played in the background, swelling and then fading. The volume of our voices followed the lead of the organ. After what seemed like a long time, voices and organ faded to whispers.

The hair on the back of my neck was standing straight and tall. My flesh was marked by goose bumps. We invoked the presence of the Spirit, and the Spirit obliged. At the reception following, everyone I talked with shared that sense of the Spirit breaking in on us and making us aware of that fact.

The essence of this day is the coming of the Spirit. As Jesus speaks to the disciples in John, he makes it clear that he is leaving, but they will not be alone. The will have a powerful partner to support and guide them. They will be given words. They will be given hope. They will be given the animating force that permeates the essence of God.

Acts demonstrates the way the Spirit comes and makes itself known. It is a force of translation and transformation, breaking into the moment and revealing a deeper, richer, more complete picture of God’s relationship to the world. The Spirit breaks down the barriers of ethnicity, language and allegiance. The Holy Spirit unites those who will accept unity and executes God’s vision for a reconciled people bound together in love. The Spirit comes to accomplish the task.

There is a lot of talk about spiritual renewal in our time. It is usually couched in terms of an inner pursuit. It is often about quiet, inner peace. It is often very individualistic.

Individual devotion is a critical piece of the spiritual life. Believers need internal clarity and commitment.

But the Spirit we speak of this day is a supra-personal. This Spirit is working beyond individuals, and for the peace of the entire body of Christ.

This day we recognize the life-giving power of God calls, supports and sustains us even now. The Spirit of strength, discernment and blessing resides with us. The Spirit is able to break in on us even now and give us life we could never claim alone.

We should gather in expectation that the Spirit just might tear the fabric between heaven and earth. When we gather, we risk the presence and power of the Spirit. Veni Sancte Spiritus!

Results

2009-05-11T09:32:00.000-04:00

Like many, I have been following the discussion about torture. Bits of information, declassified memos and accounts of conversations are bringing light to this dark area. The discussion has taken a turn that makes me nervous. Did torture produce good intelligence and information?

Using this question as a measuring stick makes me queasy. Results cannot be the ultimate tool for evaluating methodology. If we employ this sort of logic, it becomes too easy to justify terrifying behavior. History is certainly replete with examples of this type of justification.

Diana Butler Bass posted an excellent piece on this topic on beliefnet.

America's Moral Conscience

Sacrifice

2009-04-21T14:47:00.000-04:00

Giles Fraser, the vicar of Putney, wrote an interesting piece on atonement theology, a week or so back. It is an interesting little piece published in the Guardian. I link it HERE .

Fraser is quite correctly critical of a particular kind of doctrine of the atonement, we might refer to as substitutionary. The idea is that God demands a sacrifice to restore right relationship with humanity and Jesus becomes that sacrifice. The formulation of this way of thinking about the atoning death of Jesus is much more complex and subtle, but this is the broad brush.

It is troubling for all the reasons Fraser mentions. It smacks of brutality and violence. It doesn’t portray God in a very positive light. In certain global quarters, it might even lend support to practices most of us would consider quite barbaric.

I am not sure, however, that it would be appropriate to divorce Christianity of the atoning death of Jesus on the cross of Good Friday. The scriptures clearly see Jesus death in sacrificial terms. Surely, Jesus death in the minds of the writers of the scriptures, and in my mind was “for us”. So there is a sense in which Christ is the sinless victim for a sinful humanity. I don’t think you can simply walk away from Christian history, teaching and the Bible.

That said, I don’t think we need to be forever tied to a particular vision of the meaning of sacrifice. Usually, ritual sacrifice denotes an unwilling victim to be the offering. In the case of Jesus, the scriptures portray a victim, conflicted, but having a choice. It seems that Jesus chose to accept his death in service of God. The Bible does not indicate Jesus death was a transaction. It speaks in terms of kenosis, the free pouring out of life by choice in service of God. St. Paul certainly speaks of his life in these sacrificial terms. The martyrs of the early Christian Church seemed to embrace this same vision of sacrifice.

Here in the west, we don’t care for sacrifice. We rightly reject the implications of ritual sacrifice. However, we don’t much care for the notion of kenosis either. Offering ourselves and accepting less is not our strong suit. God is not a hungry, blood thirsty beast, that tends to be our territory. Maybe what we need is a deeper grasp of the mystery of Jesus’ self- authenticating, self-sacrificing acceptance of the cost of love?

Octave of Easter-still hearing from Egeria...

2009-04-15T14:00:00.001-04:00

Services in the Easter Octave.

Moreover, the Paschal days are kept up to a late hour as with us, and the dismissals take place in their order throughout the eight Paschal days, as is the custom everywhere at Easter throughout the Octave. But the adornment (of the churches) and order (of the services) here are the same throughout the Octave of Easter as they are during Epiphany, in the greater church, in the Anastasis, at the Cross, in Eleona, in Bethlehem, as well as in the Lazarium, in fact, everywhere, because these are the Paschal days. On the first Lord's Day2 they proceed to the great church, to the great church again, that is, to the martyrium.

Moreover, on the eight Paschal days the bishop goes every day after breakfast up to Eleona with all the clergy, and with all the children who have been baptised, and with all who are apotactitae, both men and women, and likewise with all the people who are willing. Hymns are said and prayers are made, both in the church which is on Eleona, wherein is the cave where Jesus was wont to teach His disciples, and also in the Imbomon, that is, in the place whence the Lord ascended into heaven. And when the psalms have been said and prayer has been made, they come down thence with hymns to the Anastasis at the hour of lucernare. This is done throughout all the eight days. 10. Vesper Station at Sion on Easter Sunday.1 Now, on the Lord's Day at Easter, after the dismissal of lucernare, that is, at the Anastasis, all the people escort the bishop with hymns to Sion. And, on arriving, hymns suitable to the day and place are said, prayer is made, and the passage from the Gospel is read where the Lord,1 on the same day, and in the same place where the church now stands in Sion, came in to His disciples when the doors were shut. That is, when one of His disciples, Thomas, was absent, and when he returned and the other Apostles told him that they had seen the Lord, he said: "Except I shall see, I will not believe."2 When this has been read, prayer is again made, the catechumens and the faithful are blessed, and every one returns to his house late, about the second hour of the night.

Saturday of Holy Week

2009-04-11T19:30:00.000-04:00

Vigil of Easter

Now, on the next day, the Sabbath,1 everything that is customary is done at the third hour and also at the sixth; the service at the ninth hour, however, is not held on the Sabbath, but the Paschal vigils are prepared in the great church, the martyrium. The Paschal vigils are kept as with us, with this one addition, that the children when they have been baptised and clothed, and when they issue from the font,1 are led with the bishop first to the Anastasis; the bishop enters the rails of the Anastasis, and one hymn is said, then the bishop says a prayer for them, and then he goes with them to the greater church,where, according to custom, all the people are keeping watch. Everything is done there that is customary with us also, and after the oblation1 has been made, the dismissal takes place. After the dismissal of the vigils has been made in the greater church, they go at once with hymns to the Anastasis, where the passage from the Gospel about the Resurrection is read. Prayer is made, and the bishop again makes the oblation. But everything is done quickly on account of the people, that they should not be delayed any longer, and so the people are dismissed. The dismissal of the vigils takes place on that day at the same hour as with us.

Friday of Holy Week

2009-04-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

Good Friday.--(a) Service at Daybreak.

And when they arrive before the Cross the daylight is already growing bright. There the passage from the.Gospel is read where the Lord is brought before Pilate, with everything that is written concerning that which Pilate spake to the Lord or to the Jews;1 the whole is read. And afterwards the bishop addresses the people, comforting them for that they have toiled all night and are about to toil during that same day, (bidding) them not be weary, but to have hope in God, Who will for that toil give them a greater reward. And encouraging them as he is able, he addresses them thus: "Go now, each one of you, to your houses, and sit down awhile, and all of you be ready here just before the second hour of the day, that from that hour to the sixth you may be able to behold the holy wood of the Cross, each one of us believing that it will be profitable to his salvation; then from the sixth hour we must all assemble again in this place, that is, before the Cross, that we may apply ourselves to lections and to prayers until night."

(b) The Column of the Flagellation.

After this, when the dismissal at the Cross has been made, that is, before the sun rises, they all go at once with fervour to Sion, to pray at the column at which the Lord was scourged.1 And returning thence they sit for awhile in their houses, and presently all are ready.

(c) Veneration of the Cross.

Then a chair is placed for the bishop in Golgotha2 behind the Cross, which is now standing;3 the bishop duly takes his seat in the chair, and a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the deacons stand round the table, and a silver-gilt casket is brought in which is the holy wood of the Cross. The casket is opened and (the wood) is taken out, and both the wood of the Cross and the title1 are placed upon the table. Now, when it has been put upon the table, the bishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred wood firmly in his hands, while the deacons who stand around guard it. It is guarded thus because the custom is that the people, both faithful and catechumens, come one by one and, bowing down at the table, kiss the sacred wood and pass through. And because, I know not when, some one is said to have bitten off and stolen a portion of the sacred wood, it is thus guarded by the deacons who stand around, lest any one approaching should venture to do so again. And as all the people pass by one by one, all bowing themselves, they touch the Cross and the title, first with their foreheads and then with their eyes; then they kiss the Cross and pass through, but none lays his hand upon it to touch it. When they have kissed the Cross and have passed through, a deacon stands holding the ring of Solomon and the horn from which the kings were anointed; they kiss the horn also and gaze at the ring2 . . . all the people are passing through up to the sixth hour, entering by one door and going out by another; for this is done in the same place where, on the preceding day, that is, on the fifth weekday, the oblation was offered.

(d) Station before the Cross. The Three Hours. And when the sixth hour has come, they go before the Cross, whether it be in rain or in heat, the place being open to the air, as it were, a court of great size and of some beauty between the Cross and the Anastasis; here all the people assemble in such great numbers that there is no thoroughfare. The chair is placed for the bishop before the Cross, and from the sixth to the ninth hour nothing else is done, but the reading of lessons, which are read thus: first from the psalms wherever the Passion is spoken of, then from the Apostle, either from the epistles of the Apostles or from their Acts, wherever they have spoken of the Lord's Passion; then the passages from the Gospels, where He suffered, are read. Then the readings from the prophets where they foretold that the Lord should suffer, then from the Gospels where He mentions His Passion. Thus from the sixth to the ninth hours the lessons are so read and the hymns said, that it may be shown to all the people that whatsoever the prophets foretold of the Lord's Passion is proved from the Gospels and from the writings of the Apostles to have been fulfilled. And so through all those three hours the people are taught that nothing was done which had not been foretold, and that nothing was foretold which was not wholly fulfilled. Prayers also suitable to the day are interspersed throughout. The emotion shown and the mourning by all the people at every lesson and prayer is wonderful; for there is none, either great or small, who, on that day during those three hours, does not lament more than can be conceived, that the Lord had suffered those things for us.1

Afterwards, at the beginning of the ninth hour, there is read that passage from the Gospel according to John where He gave up the ghost.2 This read, prayer and the dismissal follow.

(e) Evening Offices. And when the dismissal before the Cross has been made, all things are done in the greater church, at the martyrium, which are customary during this week from the ninth hour3--when the assembly takes place in the martyrium--until late. And after the dismissal at the martyrium, they go to the Anastasis, where, when they arrive, the passage from the Gospel is read where Joseph begged the Body of the Lord from Pilate and laid it in a new sepulchre.4 And this reading ended, a prayer is said, the catechumens are blessed, and the dismissal is made.

But on that day no announcement is made of a vigil at the Anastasis, because it is known that the people are tired; nevertheless, it is the custom to watch there. So all of the people who are willing, or rather, who are able, keep watch, and they who are unable do not watch there until the morning. Those of the clergy, however, who are strong or young keep vigil there, and hymns and antiphons are said throughout the whole night until morning; a very great crowd also keep night-long watch, some from the late hour and some from midnight, as they are able.

Thursday of Holy Week

2009-04-09T08:55:00.000-04:00

Maundy Thursday.--(a) Mass celebrated twice.

On the fifth weekday everything that is customary is done from the first cockcrow until morning at the Anastasis, and also at the third and at the sixth hours. But at the eighth hour all the people gather together at the martyrium2 according to custom, only earlier than on other days, because the dismissal must be made sooner. Then, when the people are gathered together, all that should be done is done, and, the oblation is made on that day at the martyrium, the dismissal taking place about the tenth hour. But before the dismissal is made there, the archdeacon raises his voice and says: "Let us all assemble at the first hour of the night in the church which is in Eleona, for great toil awaits us to-day, in this very night." Then, after the dismissal at the martyrium, they arrive behind the Cross, where only one hymn is said and prayer is made, and the bishop offers the oblation there, and all communicate. Nor is the oblation ever offered behind the Cross on any day throughout the year, except on this one day. And after the dismissal there they go to the Anastasis, where prayer is made, the catechumens and the faithful are blessed according to custom, and the dismissal is made.

(b) Night Station on the Mount of Olives.

And so every one hastens back to his house to eat, because immediately after they have eaten, all go to Eleona to the church wherein is the cave where the Lord was with His Apostles on this very day. There then, until about the fifth hour of the night, hymns and antiphons suitable to the day and to the place are said, lessons, too, are read in like manner, with prayers interspersed, and the passages from the Gospel are read where the Lord addressed His disciples on that same day as He sat in the same cave which is in that church. And they go thence at about the sixth hour of the night with hymns up to the Imbomon, the place whence the Lord ascended into heaven, where again lessons are read, hymns and antiphons suitable to the day are said, and all the prayers which are made by the bishop are also suitable both to the day and to the place.

(c) Stations at Gethsemane.

And at the first cockcrow they come down from the Imbomon with hymns, and arrive at the place where the Lord prayed, as it is written in the Gospel1: and He was withdrawn2 (from them) about a stone's cast, and prayed, and the rest. There is in that place a graceful church. The bishop and all the people enter, a prayer suitable to the place and to the day is said, with one suitable hymn, and the passage from the Gospel is read where He said to His disciples: Watch, that ye enter not into temptation1; the whole passage is read through and prayer is made. And then all, even to the smallest child, go down with the Bishop, on foot, with hymns to Gethsemane; where, on account of the great number of people in the crowd, who are wearied owing to the vigils and weak through the daily fasts, and because they have so great a hill to descend, they come very slowly with hymns to Gethsemane. And over two hundred church candles are made ready to give light to all the people. On their arrival at Gethsemane,2 first a suitable prayer is made, then a hymn is said, then the passage of the Gospel is read where the Lord was taken. And when this passage has been read there is so great a moaning and groaning of all the people, together with weeping, that their lamentation may be heard perhaps as far as the city.

(d) Return to Jerusalem.

From that hour they go with hymns3 to the city on foot, reaching the gate about the time when one man begins to be able to recognize another, and thence right on through the midst of the city; all, to a man, both great and small, rich and poor, all are ready there, for on that special day not a soul withdraws from the vigils until morning. Thus the bishop escorted from Gethsemane to the gate, and thence through the whole of the city to the Cross.

Wednesday of Holy Week

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wednesday in Holy Week

On the fourth weekday everything is done as on the second and third weekdays throughout the whole day from the first cockcrow onwards, but after the dismissal has taken place at the martyrium4 by night, and the bishop has been escorted with hymns to the Anastasis, he at once enters the cave which is in the Anastasis, and stands within the rails; but the priest stands before the rails and receives the Gospel, and reads the passage where Judas Iscariot went to the Jews and stated what they should give him that he should betray the Lord.1 And when the passage has been read, there is such a moaning and groaning of all the people that no one can help being moved to tears at that hour. Afterwards prayer follows, then the blessing, first of the catechumens, and then of the faithful, and the dismissal is made.

Tuesday of Holy Week

2009-04-07T08:06:00.000-04:00

Tuesday in Holy Week

On the third weekday1 everything is done as on the second, with this one thing added--that late at night, after the dismissal of the martyrium, and after the going to the Anastasis and after the dismissal there, all proceed at that hour by night to the church, which is on the mount Eleona. And when they have arrived at that church the bishop enters the cave where the Lord was wont to teach His disciples,2 and after receiving the book of the Gospel, he stands and himself reads the words of the Lord which are written in the Gospel according to Matthew, where He says: Take heed that no man deceive you.3 And the bishop reads through the whole of that discourse, and when he has read it, prayer is made, the catechumens and the faithful are blessed, the dismissal is made, and every one returns from the mount to his house, it being already very late at night.

Monday of Holy Week

2009-04-06T15:40:00.000-04:00

Each day of Holy week, I will post a description of Holy Week in Jerusalem in the 4th Century. I found an online edition of Egeria’s Pilgrimage. The link to the entire text HERE .
I hope it will be of some interest and use.

Monday in Holy Week

On the next day, the second weekday, everything that is customary is done from the first cockcrow until morning in the Anastasis; also at the third and sixth hours everything is done that is customary throughout the whole of Quadragesima. But at the ninth hour all assemble in the great church, that is the martyrium,1 where hymns and antiphons are said continuously until the first hour of the night and lessons suitable to the day and the place are read, interspersed always with prayers. Lucernare takes place when its hour approaches, that is, so that it is already night when the dismissal at the martyrium is made. When the dismissal has been made, the bishop is escorted thence with hymns to the Anastasis, where, when he has entered, one hymn is said, followed by a prayer; the catechumens and then the faithful are blessed, and the dismissal is made.

Fredrick Denison Maurice

2009-04-02T16:41:00.000-04:00

Maurice saw worship as the meeting point of time and eternity, and as a fountain of energies for the Church’s Mission. He Wrote, “I do not think we are to praise the liturgy but to use it. When we do not want it for our life, we may begin to talk of it as a beautiful composition.”

-From Lesser Feasts and Fasts

Pray Big

2009-03-24T20:02:00.000-04:00

St. Columba’s has a tradition of doing a book study in the Lenten season. We are reading Rediscovering New Testament Prayer by John Koenig. This volume is a real jewel and has produced great conversation in our study group. Originally, I had intended to do a weekly post based on the chapters studied. Time, however, has been in short supply. Now, I hope to do a few short posts in the time left.

The subject of prayer raises all manner of questions. Chapter 5 of Rediscovering New Testament Prayer is titled: Whatever You Ask for in Prayer. Chapter 5 deals with several pertinent issues. The title for the chapter itself is based on Jesus assurance in the Gospels that God answers prayers grounded in faith. This is a bold pronouncement and is one that doesn’t always feel true to us. We feel, at times, that our prayers go unanswered.

There are several possible ways for believers to consider this. Perhaps, we don’t see or grasp the answer to our prayers. Sometimes resolution to a situation occurs in an unforeseen way. The timing of event and resolution can be such that we are unable to connect the dots.

It could also be that we are being told not yet. Maybe the time is not right, for us or for others involved. It very well could be that other elements have to shift for a situation to come together. So maybe, the answer is not no, but not now. There may be more to do or more to let go of, before we are ready to have a particular answer.

Of course another possibility is that we are being told, no. No is not an easy message to receive. Most of us like having our desires met. Our individual desires, however, might not be in our best interest or the best interest of all involved. Part of practicing faith is trusting that we are part of something larger. We trust that God is in a position to see a larger view than we are.

Koenig raises an interesting possibility related to the perception of unanswered prayers. He suggests that maybe we are told no or not yet, because we are not asking for enough! It could be that we are not getting what we want because God wants to bestow more than we currently desire. We need to grow into God’s abundant vision of life in the Kingdom and grasp that bold vision. Maybe we are told no because we are not living up to God’s grand vision for us!

Morning Prayer ends with a couple of possibilities. Following the dismissal, there are three sentences from the scriptures with the provided instruction that one of them could be read. The last option really says it all. “Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:20, 21

Bishops Release Letter on the Economy

2009-03-19T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hat tip to the lead.

Pastoral Letter

Lent

2009-03-09T21:10:00.002-04:00

Ashes

2009-03-03T13:37:00.000-05:00

Father Jones has a thoughtful piece over at the Anglican Centrist.
Sin is pervasive and we all participate. All need repentance.

Ashes, Ashes We All Fall...

Lenten Practices

2009-03-03T13:35:00.001-05:00

With ashes imposed and the Great Litany prayed, Lent is upon us. I must confess that in many ways, Lent is my favorite season of the Church year. As we tend to meander along through the year, Lent serves as a giant "stop" sign, forcing us to consider our next steps.

Lent is about being conscious and attentive to our relationship with God and one another. The various practices of Lent are focused on increasing our awareness and consciousness. Prayer, self-denial and study have long been part of this holy season.

Prayer is somewhat obvious. It is about maintaining an ongoing conversation with God. Prayer is not only speaking, but it is also listening. I suspect few of us take the time to listen. Try making some quiet time that you might hear the whispers of God.

Self-denial is probably the most misunderstood practice of Lent. We tend to equate it with punishment, which could not be less helpful. Self-denial is about recognizing the ways we willfully satiate ourselves to mask the reality of the human condition. We gorge, literally and metaphorically, to avoid feelings of emptiness and isolation. Lent is the perfect time to remove the anesthesia, and look for God to fill the emptiness we mask in so many unproductive ways.

Finally, study is a hallmark of lenten devotion. Historically, Lent was a time of preparation for Baptism. Converts spent the season, leaving worship before the Eucharist to receive instruction in the mysteries, and then received communion at the Great Vigil of Easter. The Church still has plenty of mystery to contemplate. Hopefully, many will attend our book study or commit to another form of inquiry.

Times and traditions change. Yet, there is substance underneath changing forms and practices. My prayer for us is that we mine for substance and grow in awareness, consciousness and faith.

Christian Century Blog

2009-02-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

Amy Frykholm asks some interesting questions about Church membership. It is worth a read and some thought.
Is Membership an Outdated Idea?

For Episcopalians, this is a particularly tricky area. We have a number of descriptions of membership that mean slightly different things. Part of the confusion, I think, has to do with the role of Confirmation.

It seems, according to my fallible memory, Confirmation is no longer required, if you have made an “adult profession of faith” in the denomination you are leaving. Prior to this change, the action of a General Convention, Confirmation was required of converts from denominations with no notion of the Historic Episcopate. This practice emphasized being in communion with the the bishop as a sign of apostolic authority and continuity. The change emphasizes Confirmation as a rite of passage denoting a certain spiritual maturity.

There are certainly positions to be taken and defended about Confirmation, but that is only one dimension of the membership question. According to canon, there are financial expectations for one to be a “member in good standing”. An individual or family is expected to make a pledge, which I see as an open-ended contribution to parish operations with no expectations other than general good stewardship. However, there are many that choose to make financial contributions of record to specific ministries. A member of a certain parish may designate a gift for music, mission or something else. The rub is that a pledge and a designated gift are different things.

There is also the expectation of attendance. Again, working from a soft, mushy brain, “members in good standing” are expected to attend and receive communion a couple of times a year. I think the intent is for attendance and reception on specific feasts, but I believe the specific wording of the canons to be murky on this point.

Of course, membership status means little in terms of practice. The two exceptions might be the privilege of having a wedding in a parish and voting in an annual parish meeting. Usually, good Episcopal clergy will baptize and bury almost anyone regardless of parish membership status.

Membership is a clubby sort of word that I don’t particularly care for, but I think it communicates investment and identification. I wish we could come up with a better word to communicate investment and identity. I also wish we thought in more enduring terms.

The ASA (average Sunday attendance) is probably the most useful indicator of life and “membership” of a parish. The ASA represents the people that are present through the course of the year. The word Church itself from Greek (ekklesia) really means assembly or gathering. Membership is really about the people that are present (obviously, I don’t intend to exclude those absent by virtue of health or infirmity).

Epiphany 5b 2009 Sermon Notes

2009-02-04T16:06:00.000-05:00

In The Gospel According to Mark, Jesus maintains a frantic pace. His ministry is marked by rapid shifts from scene to scene. In fact, Mark's Gospel employs transitional words that note the shifts. "Immediately" is a word that appears often in the Gospel. Little phrases jump out at the reader paying attention like "again," and "then." These phrases give the attentive reader a true sense of Jesus' pace. Grasping the pace of Jesus' work gives us a feeling for the rhythm of Jesus' life and ministry.

We also gain a sense of what Jesus is about, as we explore the vignettes that the Gospel of Mark connects. The portion of the Gospel we just heard has four distinct shifts. We begin with Jesus leaving the synagogue. He enters the home of Simon and Andrew. He heals and casts out demons at the doorstep. In the morning, he seeks a deserted place to pray. We might think of Jesus' work as teaching and debate in the synagogue, domestic health and wholeness at Simon and Andrew's, public ministry outside the home, and private prayer alone.

The way the story is told, we see the focuses of Jesus' ministry, because they are connected. A balance of study and teaching, home, community and individual emerge. This balance is reinforced by the fact that most of the action occurs on the initial day of Jesus' ministry. It is easy to miss, but the Gospels from the last two Sundays reflect Jesus' work on a single day.

At this point, it would be very easy to make some trite point about time management. I have something more significant and substantial in mind.

The challenge is to become self-reflective and self-aware. If I claim to be a follower of Jesus, there has to be some reconciliation with who I am and what I say I am. So this balance of the Christian life, the one Jesus lived and called disciples to live, is the life we are called to live, if we are to be his followers.

A good first question is "What are we doing?" Jesus and his disciples were actively going from place to place engaging individuals on some occasions and crowds on others. Are we active enough as the body of Christ? Are we available, in appropriate and authentic ways to make the love of God known?

Next, are we united in a worshipping community seeking knowledge and a deeper understanding of God?

Are we seeking health, wholeness and love at home, with our intimates?

Are we open to life just outside our doors? Surely our homes and families aren't barriers to the world as the family of God.

Am I maintaining my personal relationship with God?

The answers to these questions will tell us if we are becoming who we claim to be. The Good News is that Jesus offers us the power to grow into our identity. It is not about perfection or being some kind of goody-goody. It is about living a life of congruence and integrity. It is about living a desiring life with God as the object and knowing we are objects of God's desire.

Backing into a Theology of Worship

2009-02-04T13:53:00.000-05:00

Father Alexander of St. Stephen’s, Providence has an excellent post on worship. While I am unconvinced of the practicality of the “Silent Canon”, I think the underlying thought is right on target.

Read it all Here.

The money quote:

“Several years ago, I received an anonymous note after Mass complaining about the noise of the fans we use in the church on hot summer days. The note read in part: “The entire service was a waste of my time, for I could not hear a single word that was said.” (Or words to that effect.) Admittedly, the noise of those fans resembled the whine of airplane propellers, and I have since replaced them with quieter ones.

But I wished I could have explained to that person that the purpose of liturgical prayer is not primarily the instruction or edification of the faithful, much less their entertainment or aesthetic gratification. I wished I could have explained that regardless of what this person could hear or understand, his assistance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by presence and prayers, was anything but a waste of time. But the Silent Canon itself makes all those points much more forcefully and eloquently than any such explanation ever could.”

Deaf and Mute

2009-02-03T15:38:00.000-05:00

In my personal study of the scriptures, I examined Mark 7:31-37. This passage is a healing story. Jesus encounters a man who is deaf and suffers from a speech impediment. Jesus takes him aside, touches him and prays, "Be opened."

Obviously, the man was healed or there would be no story to tell. The literal meaning of the story is powerful. We depend on hearing and speech to such an extent that it would be difficult to imagine life without these abilities. To have these abilities restored, or experience them for the first time would be monumental. In Jesus time, life without speech or hearing must have been incredibly lonely.

Fortunately, time often brings progress. Therapies and technology have helped many with these same issues. Sign language, itself, has relaxed many of the barriers to communication, so much so, we often speak of "Deaf Culture.” Some argue that we should think in terms of difference, rather than disability. The cultural argument recognizes the existence of community and connection.

I don't really know what it means to be deaf and unable to speak. I do know what it means to be lonely and isolated. Jesus' words have resonance beyond the particulars of the story. When Jesus commands, "Be opened," the assumption is that something is closed.

There are numerous ways we are closed. As individuals, we have formative backgrounds and experiences that shape the way we see and hear. Through trial and error, each of us developed strategies to manage life. We tend to gather into groups that reinforce our individual choices, even if we are unaware of having made choices. Perspectives develop, opinions form, minds are made up and doors close.

What would it be like to examine the closed doors in our lives? Is it possible to examine who we are, what we think and remake choices? Can we be honest with ourselves that some of the doors we have closed make us residents of our own self-constructed prisons? When I am closed to you, I am closed to God. The promise of the Gospel: there is no door that cannot be opened.

Have a look at Father Matthew’s video below this entry. I think this is the story he is talking about telling.