Today, the Daily Office looks to Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, and Paul writes:
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ (1 Cor. 1: 1-19).
As your servant in Christ, I can truly echo the words of St. Paul when he says: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I give thanks every day for the privilege of serving this community of faith. The community of faith at St. Augustine of Hippo has truly shown me what it means to depend on the grace of the God, and on its strength. Over the last three years, we have overcome much. We have rebuilt in the face of disaster and have become the stronger for it. Now we must look for what God is calling us to do. God has restored us. Now God asks us, “What will you do to build up the body of Christ which is suffering from the devastation?” The choice is yours. I pray that we respond with the generosity that was shown to us.
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, from whom comes every good and perfect gift: Send down upon us, the congregations committed to your care, the healthful Spirit of thy grace: and, that they may truly please you, pour upon us the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
We will celebrate the ministry of St. Vincent’s House on Sunday, 25 September 2011 with Eucharist Rite II at St. Augustine of Hippo.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ (1 Cor. 1: 1-19).
As your servant in Christ, I can truly echo the words of St. Paul when he says: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I give thanks every day for the privilege of serving this community of faith. The community of faith at St. Augustine of Hippo has truly shown me what it means to depend on the grace of the God, and on its strength. Over the last three years, we have overcome much. We have rebuilt in the face of disaster and have become the stronger for it. Now we must look for what God is calling us to do. God has restored us. Now God asks us, “What will you do to build up the body of Christ which is suffering from the devastation?” The choice is yours. I pray that we respond with the generosity that was shown to us.
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, from whom comes every good and perfect gift: Send down upon us, the congregations committed to your care, the healthful Spirit of thy grace: and, that they may truly please you, pour upon us the continual dew of your blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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: Today we give thanks for all of those who helped our community to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Ike. 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.
“You are surprised that the world is losing its grip? That the world is grown old? Don't hold onto the old man, the world; don't refuse to regain your youth in Christ, who says to you: 'The world is passing away; the world is losing its grip; the world is short of breath. Don't fear, your youth shall be renewed as an eagle.’” St. Augustine of Hippo
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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