In today’s Daily Office we hear from the seventh chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew:
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Mt. 7:13-21).
Matthew is more concerned with how one acts than in exactly what one believes. Simply calling upon the name of the Lord is not enough; rather, the follower of Jesus must, like Jesus himself, do the will of the Father. Doing the Father’s will is not easy. Today, Jesus tells us it is like entering a narrow gate; it can be a tight squeeze, and sometimes it will entail rejection by even those closest to us. Nevertheless, the follower of Jesus, the Christian, is called to do just that, the Father’s will. Those around us will be able to tell that we are His followers by fruit of our lives.
Let us pray: Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS
THIRD ANNUAL ART SHOW: Please sign up to host. The annual art show allows us to share our facilities with others and to showcase the creativity of artists. It last for 2 more weeks: Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. during Art Walk.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.
ECW & DOK QUIET DAY RETREAT: Saturday, 8 October starting at 9:30 a.m. with the Rev. Helen Appelberg. Please call 409.762.9676 or email judyricketts100@gmail.com to let them know you will attend.
BLESSING OF THE AMINALS: Saturday, 8 October at 9:00 a.m. on the lawn in front of Sutton Hall. Please pass the word along to those you know.
ECW ANNUAL RETREAT 14-15 OCTOBER 2011 at Camp Allen. Please sign up.
ST. AUGUSTINE IS GOING GREEN (WITH OUR COFFEE CUPS). St. Augustine is going green (with our coffee cups). In order to cut down on the use of Styrofoam cups, please bring a coffee cup for the Fellowship hour, and maybe even 2 or 3 to share with our visitors. We will store them in Sutton Hall and wash them in our dishwasher.
CLOTHING DRIVE FOR VICTIMS OF THE WILDFIRES: We will begin a clothing drive for the victims of the wildfires, especially the people of Bastrop and Calvary Episcopal. Please bring only CLEAN CLOTHES, SORT THEM BY SIZE, MALE/FEMALE, AND BOX THEM. Thank you in advance.
FELLOWSHIP ON SUNDAYS: If you haven’t signed up yet, please do.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.
“It is not that I want merely to be called a Christian, but actually to be one. Yes, if I prove to be one, then I can have the name.”—Ignatius of Antioch (35-120)
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Mt. 7:13-21).
Matthew is more concerned with how one acts than in exactly what one believes. Simply calling upon the name of the Lord is not enough; rather, the follower of Jesus must, like Jesus himself, do the will of the Father. Doing the Father’s will is not easy. Today, Jesus tells us it is like entering a narrow gate; it can be a tight squeeze, and sometimes it will entail rejection by even those closest to us. Nevertheless, the follower of Jesus, the Christian, is called to do just that, the Father’s will. Those around us will be able to tell that we are His followers by fruit of our lives.
Let us pray: Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS
THIRD ANNUAL ART SHOW: Please sign up to host. The annual art show allows us to share our facilities with others and to showcase the creativity of artists. It last for 2 more weeks: Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 9 p.m. during Art Walk.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. in Sutton Hall. Please join Jillian Bain for this prayerful study of Scripture.
ECW & DOK QUIET DAY RETREAT: Saturday, 8 October starting at 9:30 a.m. with the Rev. Helen Appelberg. Please call 409.762.9676 or email judyricketts100@gmail.com to let them know you will attend.
BLESSING OF THE AMINALS: Saturday, 8 October at 9:00 a.m. on the lawn in front of Sutton Hall. Please pass the word along to those you know.
ECW ANNUAL RETREAT 14-15 OCTOBER 2011 at Camp Allen. Please sign up.
ST. AUGUSTINE IS GOING GREEN (WITH OUR COFFEE CUPS). St. Augustine is going green (with our coffee cups). In order to cut down on the use of Styrofoam cups, please bring a coffee cup for the Fellowship hour, and maybe even 2 or 3 to share with our visitors. We will store them in Sutton Hall and wash them in our dishwasher.
CLOTHING DRIVE FOR VICTIMS OF THE WILDFIRES: We will begin a clothing drive for the victims of the wildfires, especially the people of Bastrop and Calvary Episcopal. Please bring only CLEAN CLOTHES, SORT THEM BY SIZE, MALE/FEMALE, AND BOX THEM. Thank you in advance.
FELLOWSHIP ON SUNDAYS: If you haven’t signed up yet, please do.
PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially all parishes with search committees as they seek new rectors, for all of those suffering from the wildfires, and in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.
“It is not that I want merely to be called a Christian, but actually to be one. Yes, if I prove to be one, then I can have the name.”—Ignatius of Antioch (35-120)
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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