The appointed Epistle reading for today’s Daily Prayer is taken from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth where Paul reminds us that God’s ways are not the ways of the world:
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).
To be sure, the Early Church was a mixed bag of rich and poor, but it was particularly attractive to those who the world considered to be of little importance, for example, the poor, slaves, women and children. Paul preached the Good News of Jesus that redemption was open to all; it made no difference who you were. In fact, Jesus himself was not a man of wealth and he died the death of a criminal being crucified. In the eyes of the wise and powerful, God’s approach seemed absurd. Why would God save creation through the death of someone on a instrument of execution? God’s values and not the world’s values. God values everyone, no matter that their station in life might, or might not, be.
Let us pray: Almighty God, whose most 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 our Lord. Amen.
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, but especially, Robert, Gladys, Shirley, Lee and all of the families of the victims of the shootings at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
St. Vincent’s House Day, Saturday, 28 September at 10 a.m. at St. Vincent’s House with Bishop Fisher and continuing on Sunday, 29 September, with the celebration of the Eucharist at St. Augustine’s at 9 a.m. followed by breakfast.
Adult Christian Formation: this Sunday at 11 a.m.-the ethical consideration of stem cell research.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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