Pharisess and Tax Collectors

Luke 18:9-14
Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, `God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, `God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

In my sermon on this text I began by asking which team would you rather be on, the Pharisees or the Tax Collectors? While most of us might bravely select the Tax Collectors, most of us would qualify for the Pharisees.

The difference between these two characters that impresses Jesus is their level of humility. I'llbe you can think of a time when your lack of humility has gotten you itno trouble. I can think of several in my own life.

Of course, God knows the truth about us before we even begin a prayer, so there is no point in being anything other than totally honest with God when we do pray. What do you need to do to get yourself into a posture of humility rather than one of pride?

Peace,

Philip+

Lepers

Luke 17:11-19

Read this passage which is the Gospel text for 10/14/07.

The lepers in Jesus' time were not just people with a dreaded disease --they were ritually unclean. Consequently, his healing ofthese people required him to cross the boundaries of the church rules of the day. It was not that long ago that some people thought AIDS was a disease that represented God's vengeance on people who were gay. Now we know that gay and straight alike can catch AIDS and suffer horribly.

But what about the lepers? When have you ever felt so left out of everything that you wanted to hit someone or just sit down and weep? Jesus not only heals the lepers and us, his healing enables us to have a full life. Consider how God is at work in your life now healing and restoring. If you wish God were in your life but you think God is not, you need only ask. Asking for God's presence, brings God's presence.

Give It Your Best

Leviticus 27:30,32
"All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the Lord's, they are holy to the Lord. All tithes of herd and flock, every tenth one that passes under the shepherd's staff, shall be holy to the Lord."

October is the time for the pledge campaign and prayerful consideration of the scriptural imperative of tithing. There's not much in Leviticus to tell us what sort of attitude the folk had when they gave up their ten percent. Nevertheless, I like the idea that the tithes of "herd and flock were holy to the Lord." What we do is not simply a financial transaction. We are not engaging in a fund raising campaign at All Saints like a public radio or television pledge campaign. In our faith we are talking about something that God regards as holy.

Perhaps its easier to talk about our spiritual gifts this way. It is easier to see that our talents are God given. If I were good at numbers (I'm not), I could develop this gift into being a CPA or an engineer. In that way I can take God's gift and leverage it into something that is beneficial to others and well as income producing for my family.

The money we earn is a result of God's gifts, not only of talent, but of material abundance. We are giving a holy gift when we give our time, talent, and treasure to God. When you love someone and you want to give that person a gift, do you check first for opportunites for "regifting" something or do you give it your best effort?

Ask yourself what it means to Give God your best rather than your leftovers.

Pick Up Your Cross

Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

It was the practice in first century Palestine that when someone was to be crcified, the criminal had to carry the horizontal piece of the cross through town. People could throw things at the criminal who would not be in a postition to defend himself. Jesus is saying that when you follow him, you will be exposed in this way. As our society is increasingly less supportive of Christian behavior as a norm, we, as Christians may , for example, suffer some ridicule for using vacation time to go to scenic Biloxi to do construction work. I just read in the paper today that there is a 5K family walk in Baker Park on Sunday morning September 9. While faithful church attenders are now a minority, we have not reached the level of persecution of first cnetury Palestine. Try to imagine what it would be like to go to Yankee Stadium and cheer for the Boston red Sox for a glimpse of what it would feel like to be a despised outsider.

Ask yourself what you are willing to endure for your faith? Not everyone is called to die as a martyr, but each of us is called to pick up a cross -- our unique cross. What is your cross? Where do you get help when your cross is too heavy? Keep in mind that "[His] yoke is easy and [His] burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

Seen and Unseen

Seen and Unseen
My sermon of 8/12/07 was based on Hebrews 11:1 -- Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The things "unseen" are the things that are beyond your imagining which are, of course, unknown. But the things hoped for are within your imagination. What do you hope for -- for yourself or All Saints'? What changes, new commitments, or graces are required to get there?

Peace,
Philip

Luke 13:10-17

Luke 13:10-17
"Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

This the beginning of a healing story that is remarkable for a number of things: 1) The woman has an affliction that is the result of a "spirit" 2) Jesus calls her "Daughter of Abraham 3) He heals her on the sabboth.

Ask yourself these questions 1) What spirit possessess you that causes you to feel crippled? 2) What does it mean to be a daughter or son of Abraham? Does this help you to let go of that sprit? 3)Is there a good time and bad time for healing? Should we always do things "by the book" or respond to needs as we perceive them?

Peace,
Philip

Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32 is the story of the Prodigal Son. In verse 17 its says, "He came to himself." What do you think this means? Can you name a time when you came to yourself? Who helped, what were the circumstances? Did the Father/Mother accept you?
Peace,
Philip

St. Patrick

For the life of me, I've never been able to figure out how St. Patrick's Day = green beer. But on Saturday, March 17 we remember the saint who was a missionary to Ireland. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, here is a literal translation of St. Patrick's Breastplate which I'm sure you've seen before:

    I arise today
   Through a mighty strength,
   the invocation of the Trinity,
   Through belief in the threeness,
   Through confession of the oneness
   Of the Creator of Creation.

   I arise today
   Through the strength of
   Christ's birth with His baptism,
   Through the strength of
   His crucifixion with His burial,
   Through the strength of

   His resurrection with His ascension,
   Through the strength of
   His descent for the judgment of Doom.

   I arise today
   Through the strength of
   the love of the Cherubim,
   In the obedience of angels,
   In the service of archangels,
   In the hope of the resurrection
   to meet with reward,
   In the prayers of patriarchs,
   In prediction of prophets,
   In preaching of apostles,
   In faith of confessors,
   In innocence of holy virgins,
   In deeds of righteous men.

   I arise today
   Through the strength of heaven;
   Light of sun,
   Radiance of moon,
   Splendour of fire,
   Speed of lightning,
   Swiftness of wind,
   Depth of sea,
   Stability of earth,
   Firmness of rock.

   I arise today
   Through God's strength to pilot me:
   God's might to uphold me,
   God's wisdom to guide me,
   God's eye to look before me,
   God's ear to hear me,
   God's word to speak to me,
   God's hand to guard me,
   God's way to lie before me,
   God's shield to protect me,
   God's host to save me,

   From snares of devils,
   From temptation of vices,
   From every one who shall wish me ill,
   Afar and anear,
   Alone and in a multitude.
   I summon today all these powers
   between me and those evils,

   Against every cruel merciless
   power that may oppose my body
        and soul,
   Against incantations of false prophets,
   Against black laws of pagandom,
   Against false laws of heretics,
   Against craft of idolatry,
   Against spells of women and
   smiths and wizards,
   Against every knowledge
   that corrupts man's body and soul.

   Christ to shield me today
   Against poising, against burning,
   Against drowning, against wounding,
   So there come to me
   abundance of reward.

   Christ with me, Christ before me,
   Christ behind me,
   Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
   Christ above me,
   Christ on my right,
   Christ on my left,
   Christ when I lie down,
   Christ when I sit down,
   Christ when I arise,
   Christ in the heart of
   every man who thinks of me,
   Christ in the mouth of
   every one who speaks of me,
   Christ in the eye of
   every one who sees me,
   Christ in every ear
   that hears me.

   I arise today
   Through a mighty strength,
   the invocation of the Trinity,
   Through belief in the threeness,
   Through confession of the oneness
   Of the Creator of Creation.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

St. Polycarp

Matthew 20:20-23

The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

---

I can just imagine the mother of the sons of Zebedee wanting the best for her kids. Wanting them to succeed in life, just as any parent would, and asking this request of Jesus -- that her sons would sit beside Jesus. Imagine her surprise when Jesus responds that they will have to be willing to suffer with him in order to receive such a great reward.

This is the appointed Gospel for the Feast of St. Polycarp whom the Church remembers today. Polycarp presided over the Church at a time of great tumult when Christians were fighting heresies left and right as well as persecution. Polycarp ultimately was faced with a choice: curse Christ or die.

The setting was the amphitheater in Smyrna. The proconsul asked him to curse Christ to which Polycarp responded, "Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” The account reports that the magistrate was reluctant to kill the gentle and harmless old man, but his hand was forced by the mob, who clamored that he be thrown to wild beasts.

Polycarp was burned at the stake. Before his ordeal, he is reported to have looked up to heaven and prayed, “Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed child Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and hosts and all creation, and of the whole race of the upright who live in your presence, I bless you that you have thought me worthy of this day and hour, to be numbered among the martyrs and share in the cup of Christ, for resurrection to eternal life, for soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. Among them may I be accepted before you today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice just as you, the faithful and true God, have prepared and foreshown and brought about. For this reason and for all things I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, your beloved child, through whom be glory to you, with him and the Holy Spirit, now and for the ages to come. Amen.”

If you were stuck in the same situation, what would you do? Curse Christ or die for your faith? It's a question worth contemplating during Lent as we prepare our hearts and minds for Easter.

St. Polycarp pray for us now and always.