A Relationship with God Lasts Forever

One of the Psalms appointed for today is Psalm 73, and the Psalmist prays:

Truly God is good to the upright,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For they have no pain;
their bodies are sound and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not plagued like other people.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them like a garment.
Their eyes swell out with fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues range over the earth.
Therefore the people turn and praise them,
and find no fault in them.
And they say, ‘How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?’
Such are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain I have kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
For all day long I have been plagued,
and am punished every morning.
If I had said, ‘I will talk on in this way’,
I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I perceived their end. . . .

They are like a dream when one awakes;
on awaking you despise their phantoms. . . .

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will receive me with honor.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.
Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;
you put an end to those who are false to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
to tell of all your works.

Sometimes you and I look around at the rich and powerful and it seems that they gained their wealth by unfair means. They are, to put it in a common saying, “fat and happy.” You and I may may ask ourselves, “why be good, it doesn’t get me anywhere; ot doesn't pay off? Just look at those who aren’t good, they have easy lives and no worries.”

The Psalmist is struggling with this. He thinks that he has kept his heart clean in vain. The Psalmist writes: “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God.” when he comes before God, then his mind is cleared and he understands that riches and fame are passing; they do not last forever. What outlasts wealth is the Psalmist’s relationship with God. That relationship develops with his daily decisions to live as God would have the Psalmist live. That is a good reminder for us. What we do in our everyday lives has eternal consequences. Either we build our relationship with God or we build a relationship with things that do not last. God is always available and calls us into relationship. The choice is ours.

JOINT OUTREACH PROJECT BETWEEN HOLY SPIRIT AND ST. AUGUSTINE

Tomorrow, the Youth Group from Holy Spirit in Houston will team up with St. Augustine to make 300 "breakfast bags" for the volunteers at the Texas Episcopal Disaster Relief at William Temple, the food pantry at St. Vincent's House, and also for the parishioners at St. Augustine of Hippo to take and deliver to those in need. We will provide the goods for the bags and Holy Spirit will provide the manpower. The “breakfast bags” will contain a water bottle, a breakfast bar, a fruit bar (or something similar) and will be sealed with a sticker with St. Augustine’s address and service time.

REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR FELLOWSHIP

Jo and Jim have sent the sign-up sheet for our Sunday morning fellowship. Please be sure to sign up.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Tonight is Friends & Family Game Night at 6:00 p.m. Bring your favorite game and most importantly, a friend. Everyone is also encouraged to bring a snack, a dessert or a beverage to share.

Adult Christian Formation: Join us every Sunday in Bright-Davies Hall at 11:00 a.m. as we study the Gospel according to Mark.

All Saints Sunday, 7 November 2010.

Thanksgiving Lunch on Sunday, 21 November after the Eucharist. Please sign up to bring a dish.

Art Classes begin in November. Stay tuned for details.

Big Mista BBQ Fund Raiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Tickets go on sale soon. Tell everyone you know about it.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST! Please pray for Angela Lemons who is in the hospital with a pneumonia.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550