Prepare the Way of the Lord

On this Wednesday in the third week of Advent, we hear from the very beginning of the Gospel according to Mark.  Notice how there is no birth narrative; rather, Mark starts with John the Baptizer:

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

           ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way;

            the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of                the Lord,make his paths straight” ’,

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ (Mk. 1: 1-8).

To be sure, the world that we live in today can feel very much like a wilderness.  In the aftermath of the events in Sandy Hook, we are learning of a young man who was mentally ill, fond of violent video games, and was part of a broken family and a parent who had many guns because she was afraid of being attacked in a society that is rampant with relativism which has lost a collective moral compass. Many of these mass shootings have been done by young people with mental issues who have addictions to violent video games who have become desensitized to the reality of death. 

During this season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s coming in the Feast of the Incarnation, and as we look forward for him to come again, let us look for the hope of Jesus in the present.  You and I, the Church, the Body of Christ, are called to proclaim the Goo News of Jesus and to be a prophetic voice preparing his way into the hearts of our communities.  Christ brings light into the darkness of our world.  Although at times things may seem hopeless, with Christ they are not because he has redeemed us.  We need to tell the world the Good News.

Let us pray: Gracious God, in the midst of darkness, reveal the light of your Son Jesus who is the Christ, and send your Holy Spirit to renew the face of the earth.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Thursday, 20 December starting at 11 a.m. the Seaside Seniors will have their Christmas luncheon in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine's.

Next Sunday, 23 December, we will have our Christmas pot luck lunch.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List especially all of those who are suffering in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

 

Christmas & Good Friday

On this Tuesday in the third week of Advent, the appointed Gospel reading for the Church’s daily prayer is taken from the Passion Narrative of the Gospel according to Luke.  As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Incarnation, this reading is a good reminder why Jesus came:

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance.  When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.  Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, ‘This man also was with him.’  But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’  A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not!’  Then about an hour later yet another kept insisting, ‘Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about!’ At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed.  The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’  And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Mocking and Beating of JesusNow the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?’  They kept heaping many other insults on him.

Jesus before the Council

When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said, ‘If you are the Messiah, tell us.’ He replied, ‘If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer.  But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.’  (Lk. 22: 54-69).

Christmas, the Passion and the Resurrection are all part of the salvation story.  If you look at the traditional Christmas carols, they start with the birth of Jesus but end on the cross. For example, the fourth verse of “We Three Kings” is: “Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume, breathes of life of gathering gloom, sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.”  The fifth verse of the carol celebrates the Risen Christ: “Glorious now behold Him arise King and God and Sacrifice, alleluia, alleluia, earth to heav'n replies.”

As we are in the frenzy of buying gifts, cooking, baking and going to holiday parties, let us remember why Christ came.  Jesus came so that you and I might have life, and have it more abundantly.

Let us pray:  Lord as we prepare for the coming of your beloved Son, send your Holy Spirit to inspire our hearts to remember why Christ came, and may we live our lives in response to your great love.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Thursday, 20 December starting at 11 a.m. the Seaside Seniors will have their Christmas luncheon in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine's.

Next Sunday, 23 December, we will have our Christmas pot luck lunch.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List especially all of those who are suffering in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

God Stands With the Poor & The Helpless

One of the appointed Psalms for this Monday in the third week of Advent is Psalm 41 where the Psalmist prays:

Happy are those who consider the poor;

  the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
  they are called happy in the land.
You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.
  The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
  in their illness you heal all their infirmities.

As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me;

  heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
My enemies wonder in malice
  when I will die, and my name perish.
And when they come to see me, they utter empty words,
  while their hearts gather mischief;
  when they go out, they tell it abroad.
All who hate me whisper together about me;
  they imagine the worst for me.
They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,
  that I will not rise again from where I lie.
Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,
  who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.
But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
  and raise me up, that I may repay them.
By this I know that you are pleased with me;
  because my enemy has not triumphed over me.
But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
  and set me in your presence for ever.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
  from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. (Ps. 41)

 

In the Old Testament, one of the prominent themes is God’s concern for the poor and those who are unable to care for themselves. In today’s Psalm we hear that God has a special place in His heart for those who care for those who are less fortunate because those who help the poor and those who cannot help themselves are carrying out God’s will. This is especially so at this time of year when there are many who have nothing and are struggling to make ends meet in a hard economy.  So take some time this week and remember to help those who are going through difficult economic times, for those who are not able to care for themselves. Next Sunday, you might even remember to bring something to place into the St. Vincent’s Food Pantry basket at the narthex of the Church, or to give a helping hand to someone who needs it.

 

Let us pray:  Generous God, you love those who put their trust in you.  Help us to remember those who are in need this season and all year round. We ask this in Christ’s name.  Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Thursday, 20 December starting at 11 a.m. the Seaside Seniors will have their Christmas luncheon in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine's.

 

Next Sunday, 23 December, we will have our Christmas pot luck lunch.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List especially all of those who are suffering in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

 

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

St. Lucy

Today the Church remembers and honors a martyr from the early 300s, Lucy (whose name means “light”).  Virtually nothing is known about her except what we know by tradition.  Lucy vowed to give her life to Christ and the service of His Kingdom; however, Lucy’s mother had other plans.  She tried to arrange a marriage for Lucy with a non-Christian Roman, but Lucy did not want to marry the man. Lucy prayed for her mother to overcome a long illness, and tradition has it that her mother was cured. Now Lucy’s mother was more receptive to her daughter’s way of life. Lucy gave all of her money to the poor and committed her life to God.

Tradition has it that the jilted bridegroom was less than happy with Lucy and turned her over to the Roman authorities for being a Christian. The governor tried to send Lucy into prostitution; however, the guards who came to take her away could not move her. Ultimately, Lucy, like so many other Christians during Diocletian’s reign, was tortured and died for their faith.

Let us pray:  Loving God, for the salvation of all you gave Jesus Christ as light to a world in darkness: Illumine us, with your daughter Lucy, with the light of Christ, that by the merits of his passion we may be led to eternal life; through the same Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Next Sunday at 2 p.m., Bishop Doyle will dedicate the new Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center at Trinity Episcopal School.

Adult Christian Education on Sundays at 11 A.M. during Advent: The Scripture behind Handel’s Messiah.

Christmas Eve Eucharist, Rite II on 24 December at 4 P.M.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

 

It Is Time to Turn Your Life Around

On this Wednesday in the second week of Advent, the appointed Gospel reading for the daily prayer of the Church is taken from the Gospel according to St. John.  It is the familiar story of the woman who was caught in adultery:

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’ (Jn. 8: 2-11).

 

This passage makes 2 key points: (1) everyone of us is a sinner, and (2) Jesus accepts us where he finds us, but he doesn’t expect us to stay there.  Although John does not tell us what Jesus wrote, it would seem that he was enumerating other sins, and one by one they all depart—each one of them recognizing his sin.  Then Jesus turns to the woman who was caught committing a sinful act.  Jesus does not condemn her, but he does tell her “from now on do not sin again.”  Jesus invites the woman to turn her life around.  This reading is very appropriate for Advent, a season where we look back at Christ’s first coming, look forward to his second coming while we look for him in our midst today.  Jesus knows that we all fall short, but once we encounter Christ, he invites us to turn our lives around and to follow him.

 

Let us pray:  Lord, we are all sinners.  Give us grace to realize our sinfulness and to turn our lives over to you in all things.  Amen.

 
CALENDAR REMINDERS
 

Next Sunday at 2 p.m., Bishop Doyle will dedicate the new Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center at Trinity Episcopal School.

 

Adult Christian Education on Sundays at 11 am during Advent: The Scripture behind Handel’s Messiah.

 
Christmas Eve Eucharist, Rite II on 24 December at 4 P.M.
 
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.
 
Your servant in Christ,

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

 

Two 20th Century Powerhouses: Karl Barth & Thomas Merton

Today the Church remembers two powerhouses: Karl Barth, one of the foremost theologians of the 20^th Century, and Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and a prolific writer.

KARL BARTH: 

 

Barth was born in Switzerland on 10 May 1886 and he died on this day in 1968.  He was a Reformed pastor and theologian, and he is referred to as “the Father of Neo-Orthodoxy.” 

Just as there is a pre-Einsteinian science and a post-Einsteinian science, so there is a pre-Barthian and post-Barthian theology; the contribution of Barth to theology is, like that of Einstein to science because it marks one of the great eras of advance in the whole history of the subject.

Barth believed that Christian theology should derive its entire thinking about God, man, sin, ethics, and society from what can actually be seen in Jesus Christ as witnessed by the Old and New Testaments rather than from sources independent of this revelation.

When he made his one visit to the U.S. in 1962, he was asked how he would summarize the essence of the millions of words he had published, he answered, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Let us pray:  Almighty God, source of justice beyond human knowledge: We thank you for inspiring Karl Barth to resist tyranny and exalt your saving grace, without which we cannot apprehend your will. Teach us, like him, to live by faith, and even in chaotic and perilous times to perceive the light of your eternal glory, Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, throughout all ages. Amen.

 

THOMAS MERTON:

 

He was born on 31 January 1915 in France to American parents, and he died on the same day that Barth did. 

Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews, including his best-selling autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain (1948). 

After a rambunctious youth and adolescence, Merton converted to Roman Catholicism while he was at Columbia University.  On this day in 1941, Thomas Merton entered The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, in Kentucky and he became a Trappist monk.

At the core of Merton’s spiritual writings is the search for the true self, the self that is not to be experienced alone but to be lived in community. He writes often about the importance of relationships focusing on 4, the relationship with self, God, other people, and all of creation. By nurturing our relationships we deepen our connections to God and our selves.

Let us pray: Gracious God, you called your monk Thomas Merton to proclaim your justice out of silence, and moved him in his contemplative writings to perceive and value Christ at work in the faiths of others: Keep us, like him, steadfast in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Next Sunday at 2 p.m., Bishop Doyle will dedicate the new Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center at Trinity Episcopal School.

Adult Christian Education on Sundays at 11 am during Advent: The Scripture behind Handel’s Messiah.

Christmas Eve Eucharist, Rite II on 24 December at 4 pm.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

Your servant in Christ,

The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, A Selfless Giver

Today the Church remembers and celebrates a bishop of the Church who has been morphed into a popular cultural icon: St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra (the western part of what is now Turkey), who lived in the 4^th century.

Nicholas happened to be in Myra when the clergy and people had gathered together to select a new bishop, and they believed that God had directed them to select Nicholas. This was at the time of Diocletian's persecutions at the beginning of the fourth century.  Nicholas served as bishop caring for his people in any way that he could.

One of the most widely known stories of Nicholas involves a man who had 3 daughters who were not married partly because the family was poor and could not provide a dowry for each of them. Given the socio-economic structure of the day, in order to earn a living, chances were that they would end up as prostitutes.

Tradition has it that Nicholas went by the family’s home on 3 separate nights, and each time he went by, he threw a bag of gold through a window.  As a result, the family had enough to provide dowries for the 3 daughters who were then able to marry. 

With this and other such stories about Nicholas’ anonymous generosity, he became symbolic of giving without seeking any reward for himself, just as Christ had done through his death and resurrection.

 

Let us pray: Almighty God, who in your love gave to your servant Nicholas of Myra a perpetual name for deeds of kindness on land and sea: Grant, we pray, that your Church may never cease to work for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Handel’s Messiah Advent Christian Education Series: Join this wonderful exploration of Scripture for Advent through the beauty of Handel’s Messiah in Bright-Davies Hall at 11:00 a.m. every Sunday with Tom and Jillian Bain.

Christmas Eve Eucharist, Rite II, at 4 p.m. on the 24^th of December.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Caleb Boyer.

Your servant in Christ,

The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

 

St. Andrew: An Ordinary, Hard Working Man, Who Left Everything to Follow Jesus

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of St. Andrew, an apostle.  Matthew writes:

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him. (Mt. 4: 18-22).

When Jesus called Andrew, he left all that he knew and followed Jesus.  Andrew would follow Jesus until he gave up his life for the one who called him.  Andrew was an ordinary man, a hard working man.  Yet when he encountered Jesus, he knew in his heart who Jesus was.  Andrew knew that Jesus was the one who was sent into the world to call the lost sheep.

Tradition has it that Andrew was crucified on a cross shaped like an “X”, and it is known as the cross of St. Andrew.  Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.  Several centuries after the death of Andrew, some of his relics were brought by a missionary to Scotland, to a place then known as Fife, but now known as St. Andrew’s, and best known as the site of a world-famous golf course and club.

Let us pray:  Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give unto us, who are called by your Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

St. Augustine will be hosting World Aids Day in Galveston on Saturday, 1 December 2012 starting at 1 p.m. and ending at 5 p.m. This event will not only provide important information about HIV/AIDS, but we will also have HIV/AIDS testing, food give-aways, a hot dog lunch, music and much more. Please join us.

RBC Kids: Jillian and Jo want to thank our St. Aug's family for adopting the Rainbow Connection as your Christmas outreach this year. The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving children living with cancer or blood disorders, and their families. Activities include: The Rainbow Connection Camp, community education, holiday parties, parent support activities, quarterly newsletters, and outings. We have a Christmas party for them each year, with a Santa shop where the children may choose a few gifts. As mentioned in Church, we are most in need of gift cards and gifts for teenagers. If you'd prefer, you can give a cash donation to Jillian. We will be shopping for gifts on December 12, and would appreciate having all donations in hand by then.

Advent begins on Sunday, 2 December, as well as our new Adult Christian Education series from Kerygma on Handel’s Messiah where we will explore:

         Comfort, Comfort My People

         Who shall Abide the Day of His Coming?

         For Unto Us a Child is Born

         Glory to God in the Highest

The Seaside Seniors will have their lunch at St. Augustine’s on Thursday, 20 December.  This will be the Christmas luncheon for the group.  The children’s choir from St. Vincent’s House will provide their joyous tones for the event.  There will be deserts of every kind and door prizes for the season.  If you know any seniors, please invite them.  A big “thank you!” to Michelle Walker for heading up this ministry.

PRAYER LIST: Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Caleb Boyer who is recovering from surgery, all of those who are unemployed, all of those serving in the Armed Forces, Izzola Collins, Gladys, Patricia and Betty.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Once Found, the Lost Are Called to Build the Kingdom

The appointed Gospel for the Church’s daily prayer is taken from Luke where we hear the story of the king who gave his servants funds to invest while he was gone.  Interestingly, this parable is preceded by the story of Zacchaeus where we are told why God sent His Son, Jesus:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’  (Lk. 19: 1-10).

Jesus came to “seek out and to save the lost.”  Who among us is not lost?  We are all lost.  Some of us are lost in addictions of all sorts: alcohol, food, drugs, sex.  Some are lost in loveless families.  Some are lost in abusive relationships.  Some are lost in sickness.  Some are lost in fear.  Some are lost in confusion.  Some are lost in self loathing.  Some are lost in despair.  Some are lost in loneliness.  Some are lost in hunger and poverty.  Some are lost in abundance and wealth.  You know how lost you are. 

But here is the Good News: Jesus, the Son of Man, came to seek out and to save the lost.  Jesus came to seek out and to save everyone who is lost. Christ came to seek you out and to save you.  Jesus came to seek me out and to save me.  Jesus then takes those of us who were once lost, but are now found, and He invests in us giving us talents to use for building God’s kingdom.  God expects a return on His investment from those of us who were once lost.

Let us pray:  Holy God, heavenly Father, you formed me from the dust in your image and likeness, and redeemed me from sin and death by the cross of your Son Jesus Christ.  Through the water of baptism you clothed me with the shining garment of his righteousness, and established me among your children in your kingdom.  But I have squandered the inheritance of your saints, and have wandered far in a land that is waste. Therefore, O Lord, from these and all other sins I cannot now remember, I turn to you in sorrow and repentance.   Receive me again into the arms of your mercy, and restore me to the blessed company of your faithful people; through him in whom you have redeemed the world, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

St. Augustine will be hosting World Aids Day in Galveston on Saturday, 1 December 2012 starting at 1 p.m. and ending at 5 p.m.  This event will not only provide important information about HIV/AIDS, but we will also have HIV/AIDS testing, food give-aways, a hot dog lunch, music and much more.  Please join the various agencies involved, including St. Vincent's House, the Gulf Coast Center, Aids Coaloition of Coastal Texas and others, in this annual event.

RBC Kids: Jillian and Jo want to thank our St. Aug's family for adopting the Rainbow Connection as your Christmas outreach this year. The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving children living with cancer or blood disorders, and their families. Activities include: The Rainbow Connection Camp, community education, holiday parties, parent support activities, quarterly newsletters, and outings. We have a Christmas party for them each year, with a Santa shop where the children may choose a few gifts. As mentioned in Church, we are most in need of gift cards and gifts for teenagers. If you'd prefer, you can give a cash donation to Jillian. We will be shopping for gifts on December 12, and would appreciate having all donations in hand by then.

Advent begins on Sunday, 2 December, as well as our new Adult Christian Education series from Kerygma on Handel’s Messiah where we will explore:

          Comfort, Comfort My People

         Who shall Abide the Day of His Coming?

         For Unto Us a Child is Born

         Glory to God in the Highest

PRAYER LIST: Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Caleb Boyer who is recovering from surgery, all of those who are unemployed, all of those serving in the Armed Forces, Izzola Collins, Gladys, Patricia and Betty.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

 

Our Faith Is Built on the Foundation of the Apostles

In this last week of the Church year, we hear from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth.  Paul writes:

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’, and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’

So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. (1 Cor. 3: 10-23).

All of us as Christians have received our faith from others.  This is part of the apostolic succession. Our faith is built first upon Christ as its foundation which as its first layer has the faith as transmitted by the apostles, and then the next layer by those who came after them, and so on to the present day.  There is a great cloud of witnesses who have handed down the faith through the centuries.  Paul reminds us that through the centuries, the temple of God, the Church, is made up of people, those who came before us and now us.  The head of the Church is Christ himself and we should not put our faith in, or “boast about human leaders” as Paul reminds us. 

Let us pray:  Almighty God and Father, your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the head of the Church, as we are sanctified as the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.  Renew your Church in all things, keep it leaders ever mindful of who they serve.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

RBC Kids: Jillian and Jo want to thank our St. Aug's family for adopting the Rainbow Connection as your Christmas outreach this year. The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving children living with cancer or blood disorders, and their families. Activities include: The Rainbow Connection Camp, community education, holiday parties, parent support activities, quarterly newsletters, and outings. We have a Christmas party for them each year, with a Santa shop where the children may choose a few gifts. As mentioned in Church, we are most in need of gift cards and gifts for teenagers. If you'd prefer, you can give a cash donation to Jillian. We will be shopping for gifts on December 12, and would appreciate having all donations in hand by then.

Advent begins on Sunday, 2 December, as well as our new Adult Christian Education series from Kerygma on Handel’s Messiah where we will explore:

         Comfort, Comfort My People

         Who shall Abide the Day of His Coming?

         For Unto Us a Child is Born

         Glory to God in the Highest

PRAYER LIST: Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Caleb Boyer who is having surgery today, all of those who are unemployed, all of those serving in the Armed Forces, Izzola Collins, Gladys, Patricia and Betty.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

 

Restore In a Spirit of Gentleness

In this last week of the Church year, we hear from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians:

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.

Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.  (Gal. 6: 1-10).

You and I do not live in isolation.  We live in relationship to one another both inside the community of faith and outside the community of faith.  We cannot avoid one another.  We one person does has an impact on others.  So Paul tells us that when someone within the community sins, we are to “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.”  We are to be honest with others, but we are not to be harsh.  So when someone transgresses, let them know, but do it in a kind way.

Let us pray:  Forgiving Lord, each of us misses the mark, we all sin.  Give us the spirit of repentance when we transgress and when others sins, give us the gift of justice tempered with mercy.  We ask all this in Christ’s name.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

RBC Kids: Jillian and Jo want to thank our St. Aug's family for adopting the Rainbow Connection as your Christmas outreach this year. The Rainbow Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to serving children living with cancer or blood disorders, and their families. Activities include: The Rainbow Connection Camp, community education, holiday parties, parent support activities, quarterly newsletters, and outings. We have a Christmas party for them each year, with a Santa shop where the children may choose a few gifts. As mentioned in Church, we are most in need of gift cards and gifts for teenagers. If you'd prefer, you can give a cash donation to Jillian. We will be shopping for gifts on December 12, and would appreciate having all donations in hand by then.

  

Advent begins on Sunday, 2 December, as well as our new Adult Christian Education series from Kerygma on Handel’s Messiah where we will explore:

Comfort, Comfort My People

Who shall Abide the Day of His Coming?

For Unto Us a Child is Born

Glory to God in the Highest

PRAYER LIST: Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially all of those who serve in the medical field, all of those who are unemployed, all of those who are alone this Thanksgiving, all of those serving in the Armed Forces who are away from home, all of those who are in the hospital during this holiday season, and for Izzola Collins, Gladys, Patricia, Betty and Duane.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

In All Circumstances Give Thanks

On this Thanksgiving Day, the appointed Epistle for the daily prayer of the Church is taken from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians:

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. (1 Thes. 5:12-24).

In all things be thankful! Yes, in good times and in bad times.  For Paul, it is a matter of perspective.  If we live in the Holy Spirit and if our focus is on Jesus Christ and on his Father, there is much to give thanks for come what may.

Let us pray:  Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.  And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550