The appointed Epistle for today comes from Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews. We read:
When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you and multiply you.’ And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute. In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Heb. 7: 13-20)
You can bet that the source of all truth and goodness, God, will keep His promises! God made a covenant with Abraham; God promised to bless him and to multiply his descendents. God did that through Jesus, His Son. By Jesus’ response to God, by Jesus saying “yes” to the Father and by Jesus giving his all as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, Jesus brought us back into relationship with God the Father so that not only Israel, but all people are Abraham’s descendents. God kept his promise to Abraham, swearing by himself, and more fully, by giving of Himself in His Son, Jesus, who is the Christ.
Let us pray: Glorious Father, through your Son, Jesus Christ, you gathered from every race, nation and language a people for yourself, making us one family bound together in unity by the Holy Spirit. Give us grace to live lives worthy to be your sons and daughters, we ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
CONFIRMATION CLASS on Sundays starting at 10:50 a.m. If you want to be Confirmed when Bishop Harrison visits us on Sunday, 5 February, you will need to participate in the Confirmation class. Please come!
SACRED PLACES TOUR: St. Augustine will be on the tour this year in February. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our faith history with others. Please plan to be a part of it.
PLEASE REMEMBER everyone on our Prayer List, especially those who are chronically ill, the lonely, the depressed, the unemployed, the ill and those who have no one to pray for them.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, ‘I will surely bless you and multiply you.’ And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute. In the same way, when God desired to show even more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it by an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God would prove false, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Heb. 7: 13-20)
You can bet that the source of all truth and goodness, God, will keep His promises! God made a covenant with Abraham; God promised to bless him and to multiply his descendents. God did that through Jesus, His Son. By Jesus’ response to God, by Jesus saying “yes” to the Father and by Jesus giving his all as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, Jesus brought us back into relationship with God the Father so that not only Israel, but all people are Abraham’s descendents. God kept his promise to Abraham, swearing by himself, and more fully, by giving of Himself in His Son, Jesus, who is the Christ.
Let us pray: Glorious Father, through your Son, Jesus Christ, you gathered from every race, nation and language a people for yourself, making us one family bound together in unity by the Holy Spirit. Give us grace to live lives worthy to be your sons and daughters, we ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
CONFIRMATION CLASS on Sundays starting at 10:50 a.m. If you want to be Confirmed when Bishop Harrison visits us on Sunday, 5 February, you will need to participate in the Confirmation class. Please come!
SACRED PLACES TOUR: St. Augustine will be on the tour this year in February. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our faith history with others. Please plan to be a part of it.
PLEASE REMEMBER everyone on our Prayer List, especially those who are chronically ill, the lonely, the depressed, the unemployed, the ill and those who have no one to pray for them.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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