The Epistle for the Daily Office is taken from Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians:
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1: 20-31).
By the world’s standards, what Christians believe and do makes little or no sense. In a world where power is desirable, why would anyone believe that a life of service is better? In a world where the accumulation of wealth seems to be the goal, why would anyone desire to be generous and expect nothing in return? In a world where one’s selfish desires and appetites are placed above the needs of others, why would one be willing to lay down one’s life? In a word, the world says that what Christians believe and do is “foolish.” But as St. Paul says, “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” It is in giving that we receive. It is in losing our lives that we find them. It is in dying that we are born to life eternal. Just ask Jesus. Read the Gospels, and there you will see the wisdom of Christ crucified.
Let us pray: Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Bishop’s Committee Meeting after the Eucharist (this is the third Sunday of the month).
We will celebrate the ministry of St. Vincent’s House on Sunday, 25 September 2011 with Eucharist Rite II at St. Augustine of Hippo.
The Third Annual St. Augustine Art Show begins this month and the theme is "Love."
PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE ON OUR PRAYER LIST: On this the third anniversary of Hurricane Ike, we give thanks for all of those who helped our community to rebuild. We pray for all of those whose lives have been impacted by the wild fires blazing through Texas, especially the people of Bastrop and the congregation of Calvary Episcopal Church and their rector, the Rev. Lisa Hines. We pray for all of the unemployed. We pray in thanksgiving and gratitude for the generosity of St. Augustine’s friends who show the love of Christ to us, and especially for John J. Makowski, Jr.
“Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 1: 20-31).
By the world’s standards, what Christians believe and do makes little or no sense. In a world where power is desirable, why would anyone believe that a life of service is better? In a world where the accumulation of wealth seems to be the goal, why would anyone desire to be generous and expect nothing in return? In a world where one’s selfish desires and appetites are placed above the needs of others, why would one be willing to lay down one’s life? In a word, the world says that what Christians believe and do is “foolish.” But as St. Paul says, “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” It is in giving that we receive. It is in losing our lives that we find them. It is in dying that we are born to life eternal. Just ask Jesus. Read the Gospels, and there you will see the wisdom of Christ crucified.
Let us pray: Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Bishop’s Committee Meeting after the Eucharist (this is the third Sunday of the month).
We will celebrate the ministry of St. Vincent’s House on Sunday, 25 September 2011 with Eucharist Rite II at St. Augustine of Hippo.
The Third Annual St. Augustine Art Show begins this month and the theme is "Love."
PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE ON OUR PRAYER LIST: On this the third anniversary of Hurricane Ike, we give thanks for all of those who helped our community to rebuild. We pray for all of those whose lives have been impacted by the wild fires blazing through Texas, especially the people of Bastrop and the congregation of Calvary Episcopal Church and their rector, the Rev. Lisa Hines. We pray for all of the unemployed. We pray in thanksgiving and gratitude for the generosity of St. Augustine’s friends who show the love of Christ to us, and especially for John J. Makowski, Jr.
“Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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