One of the Psalms appointed for today is Psalm 51. It is an earnest prayer by a penitent who knows that he has failed to live as God would have him live; he has not been in a right relationship with God. The Psalmist prays:
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
then you will delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
God desires our hearts. God loves us, but God will never force us to love Him. God respects our decisions because He has gifted us with free will. God will never take that away from us. God respects that gift even when we use it to move away from him. Time and time again, God pursues us gently. God goes to great lengths to demonstrate His never end and faithful love for us, and the most remarkable is the gift of Jesus Christ, who loved us even crucified on a cross. The love of God for us sinners is borne out in the resurrection; death itself could not keep God’s love away from us. for this, we should be ever thankful. You and I, along with the Psalmist, can pray: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. … O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: A big thank you to Bill Taylor who earlier in the week informed the Building Committee that he a friend of his would donate a 6 burner, grill top, double oven commercial range. He met with the contractor yesterday to make arrangements to have it installed. When you see Bill, please let him know how much we appreciate what he has been able to accomplish. We will also write a letter to the donor thanking him for this gift and I would like as many people as possible from the congregation to sign it.
As part of the construction contract, the contractor will also install an ice maker (65 pound capacity) and a dish washer, and of course, a refrigerator.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
then you will delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
God desires our hearts. God loves us, but God will never force us to love Him. God respects our decisions because He has gifted us with free will. God will never take that away from us. God respects that gift even when we use it to move away from him. Time and time again, God pursues us gently. God goes to great lengths to demonstrate His never end and faithful love for us, and the most remarkable is the gift of Jesus Christ, who loved us even crucified on a cross. The love of God for us sinners is borne out in the resurrection; death itself could not keep God’s love away from us. for this, we should be ever thankful. You and I, along with the Psalmist, can pray: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. … O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: A big thank you to Bill Taylor who earlier in the week informed the Building Committee that he a friend of his would donate a 6 burner, grill top, double oven commercial range. He met with the contractor yesterday to make arrangements to have it installed. When you see Bill, please let him know how much we appreciate what he has been able to accomplish. We will also write a letter to the donor thanking him for this gift and I would like as many people as possible from the congregation to sign it.
As part of the construction contract, the contractor will also install an ice maker (65 pound capacity) and a dish washer, and of course, a refrigerator.
PRAYER LIST: Please remember to pray for everyone on our prayer list, especially, Betty Head and her family, Tammie Taylor, Peggy Tuthill and Cotele Singleton.
Adult Christian Formation: Heaven and Hell: Angels With Harps, Demons With Pitchforks Or Maybe Something Else? In the nave from 11:00 to 11:30 on Sundays.
COMMUNITY GARDEN MEETING: Sundays at 11:30 in the nave.
GOSPEL BY THE SEA: 12 June 2010
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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