All Hallows Eve

Today is the vigil of All Saints, or as it was known in years past, All Hallows Eve.  In England, saints or holy people were called “hallowed”, hence the name “All Hallows Day” or “Hallowmas.” The evening, or “e’en” before the feast became popularly known as “All Hallows Eve,” or even shorter, “Hallowe’en.”

Since the night before All Saints Day, “All Hallows Eve”, was the vigil and required fasting, many recipes and traditions have come down for this evening, such as pancakes, boxty bread and boxty pancakes (the boxty made from potatoes), barmbrack (Irish fruit bread with hidden charms), and colcannon (combination of cabbage and boiled potatoes). This was also known as “Nutcrack Night” in England, where the family gathered around the hearth to enjoy cider and nuts and apples. In England “soul cakes” were another traditional food. People would go begging for a “soul cake” and promise to pray for the giver’s departed friends and family in exchange for the treat, an early version of today’s “Trick or Treat.”

Tonight at St. Augustine’s, we will welcome children from the neighborhood and rather than giving them “soul cakes,” we will give them the Americanized version of the treat for the vigil, candy.

Let us pray: Rejoice, people of God, Praise the Lord. Let us keep the feast in honor of all God’s saints, in whose victory the angels rejoice and glorify the Son of God.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Remember to set your clocks back one hour this Saturday!

All Hallows Eve at St. Augustine, this Thursday. Starting at 6 PM, we will be welcoming the children of the neighbor and giving away treats!

This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of All Saints at the 9 AM Eucharist.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Jo and Pat.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

The Rev. Dr. John Wycliffe: The Morning Star of the Reformation

Today the Church remembers a great scholar and someone who was a firm believer that the Bible should be accessible to all people in their own language, John Wycliffe, who was born in Yorkshire, England around 1330, and was educated at Oxford, becoming a doctor of divinity in 1372.  Wycliffe is known as “the Morning Star of the Reformation.”

Wycliffe began translating the Bible into English with the help of John Purvey.

The Roman Catholic Church leaders bitterly opposed it writing that: “By this translation, the Scriptures have become vulgar, and they are more available to lay, and even to women who can read, than they were to learned scholars, who have a high intelligence. So the pearl of the gospel is scattered and trodden underfoot by swine.”

Wycliffe responded: “Englishmen learn Christ’s law best in English. Moses heard God’s law in his own tongue; so did Christ’s apostles.”

Wycliffe died before the translation was complete and before the authorities could convict him of heresy. Purvey is considered responsible for the version of the “Wycliffe” Bible we have today. Though Wycliffe's followers, who were known as “Lollards,” were driven underground, they remained a persistent irritant to Roman Catholic authorities until the English Reformation made their views the norm.

Let us pray:  O God, your justice continually challenges your Church to live according to its calling: Grant us who now remember the work of John Wycliffe contrition for the wounds which our sins inflict on your Church, and such love for Christ that we may seek to heal the divisions which afflict his Body; through the same Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Remember to set your clocks back one hour this Saturday!

All Hallows Eve at St. Augustine, this Thursday. Starting at 6 PM, we will be welcoming the children of the neighbor and giving away treats!

This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of All Saints at the 9 AM Eucharist.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Jo and Pat.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

The Persistent Sower

REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR THIS SATURDAY NIGHT

 

 

The Gospel reading for the Daily Prayer of the Church is taken from Matthew where we hear the familiar story of the sower of the seeds:

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ (Mt. 13:1-9)

There are periods in our lives where the seed of God’s Word falls on different soil.  There are times in our lives when we place a shell around ourselves that are as hard as rock.  No matter who tries to get through, even God, we keep them out.  Sometimes we are shallow concerned with trivial things, seeking after things that do not last, and so we lack depth and nothing can take root in us.  There are those times when the events in our lives seems to bring nothing but trouble, and the word of God is choked off so that God’s Word cannot take root.  Then there are other times, when we are open and looking for a deeper meaning to life, and God’s Word takes up root within us.  What is constant in our lives is this: God keeps planting the seed no matter where we are in our lives.  God is faithful in doing this, and one day, just one day, that seed will take root in us and we will grow thirtyfold, sixtyfold and even a hundredfold.

Let us pray: Gracious God, you are always faithful.  No matter where we are in our lives, you are always there, reaching out to us.  Give us the grace of your Holy Spirit to receive your Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, that we may live life abundantly to the glory of your name.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

All Hallows Eve at St. Augustine, this Thursday. Starting at 6 PM, we will be welcoming the children of the neighbor and giving away treats!

This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of All Saints at the 9 AM Eucharist.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Jo and Pat.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

The Gifts of the Spirit

The Epistle for the Daily Prayer of the Church today comes from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth where Paul tells us about the gifts of the Holy Spirit:

 

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.

 

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. (1 Cor. 12: 1-11).

 

What is clear is that the gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit are for the good of the Church; they are not for our own individual use. The Spirit is selfless, always building up the Body of Christ.  If you ever encounter someone who boasts that they have a particular gift, be very wary. 

 

Let us pray:  O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were being cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

 

Thank you to Lee Runion and everyone who helped to make the 5^th Annual Art Show a success.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

  

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

 

Karen’s birthday celebration will begin at 5 p.m. in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

St. Francis of Assisi

Today the Church honors and remembers St. Francis of Assisi who was born in 1182 and died on this day in 1226.  He was born to a wealthy family, and Francis was a man of the world, a soldier, until his conversion.  Francis took literally Christ’s words to sell all that he had, give it to the poor and to come and follow Jesus.  He did exactly that.  Francis was a humble man who had an affinity to the poor.  He shunned fame and riches.  Here is a portion of one of Francis’ letters:

 

O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul, and your neighbor as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshipers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers, saying: “Our Father, who are in heaven,” since we must always pray and never grow slack.

Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to very human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Let us pray: Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace gladly to renounce the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfect joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  Dear all, Karen Lehr is having a birthday, and she wants to give thanks for all of those special people in her life, and the only way to do that is to have them there.  So here are the details, the celebration will be in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 12 October at 5 p.m.  Please RSVP to penny.joann@yahoo.com.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially T.J. Carol, Gladys and those suffering from addictions of various sorts.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

The 5^th Annual Art Show at St. Augustine is open! Invite your friends and get the word out.  The show is only 1 week this year from the 28^th of September to 6 October, and we’ll have extended hours on the 6^th since it is Artwalk night.”

 

Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, 5 October at 11 a.m. Bring your cats, dogs, birds, lizards, fleas, or whichever of God’s creatures are a part of your home to be blessed.

 

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

Act on the Word

 

 

The Gospel for the Daily Prayer of the Church continues in Matthew where yesterday’s theme continues:

 

On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”

 

‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’

 

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (Mt. 7:22-29).

 

There are those who think that all one has to do is to confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior and that’s it—bingo—done—end of story—all is well.  However, Jesus tells us that actions matter: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. … And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”  Many in our day are as astonished as those who Jesus spoke these very words to nearly 2000 years ago.

 

Let us pray:  Gracious God, in you we live and move and have our being.  Open our hearts to the Eternal Word, the Word made flesh, Jesus your son, and give us the grace through your Holy Spirit to act on the Word given to us.  Amen.

 

A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  Dear all, Karen Lehr is having a birthday, and she wants to give thanks for all of those special people in her life, and the only way to do that is to have them there.  So here are the details, the celebration will be in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 12 October at 5 p.m.  Please RSVP to penny.joann@yahoo.com.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially T.J. Carol, Gladys and those suffering from addictions of various sorts.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

The 5^th Annual Art Show at St. Augustine is open! Invite your friends and get the word out.  The show is only 1 week this year from the 28^th of September to 6 October, and we’ll have extended hours on the 6^th since it is Artwalk night.”

 

Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, 5 October at 11 a.m. Bring your cats, dogs, birds, lizards, fleas, or whichever of God’s creatures are a part of your home to be blessed.

 

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

Action Follows Faith: You Will Know Them By Their Fruits

 

 

The appointed Gospel reading for the Daily Prayer of the Church is taken from Matthew:

 

‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

 

‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

 

‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Mt. 7:13-21).

 

Following Jesus is not easy.  There are those who start to do so, but the cares of the world, and other desires take over, and they fall away preferring the easier life with fewer demands, ethical and otherwise.  Jesus tells us that just because you say you follow Jesus does not necessarily mean that you are.  In short, actions speak louder than words.   Those who follow Jesus live a certain way; their belief and knowledge that through Christ they are saved, makes itself known in the way they live.  One follows the other; action follows faith.

 

Let us pray:  O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; especially those on our Prayer List and T.J. Cegelski; that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

 

A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  Dear all, Karen Lehr is having a birthday, and she wants to give thanks for all of those special people in her life, and the only way to do that is to have them there.  So here are the details, the celebration will be in Sutton Hall at St. Augustine’s on Saturday, 12 October at 5 p.m.  Please RSVP to penny.joann@yahoo.com.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

The 5^th Annual Art Show at St. Augustine is open! Invite your friends and get the word out.  The show is only 1 week this year from the 28^th of September to 6 October, and we’ll have extended hours on the 6^th since it is Artwalk night.”

 

Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, 5 October at 11 a.m. Bring your cats, dogs, birds, lizards, fleas, or whichever of God’s creatures are a part of your home to be blessed.

 

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

The Single Life or the Married Life?

One of the appointed readings for the Daily Prayer of the Church is taken from Paul’s first letter to the Church in Corinth where he writes:

 

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

 

If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly towards his fiancée, if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancée, he will do well. So then, he who marries his fiancé does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.

 

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.  (1Cor. 7:32-40).

 

Today’s reading may cause problems for some people, but Paul is indeed speaking the truth.  Paul is essentially saying that if one is single, one can totally be devoted to God’s work with fewer responsibilities.  However, Paul acknowledges that some should be married; that is, after all, part of God’s plan as well.  In another place, Paul tells us that those who are married should treat each other with reverence and honor.  He tells husbands to be like Christ with the Church, giving his all, and that wives should treat their husbands with honor.  For his part, Paul did not marry.  He wanted to be fully free to preach to word of God without the responsibility of a family. 

 

Let us pray:  O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore:  Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you,  all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Please remember to pray for everyone on our Prayer List especially Carol.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

The 5^th Annual Art Show at St. Augustine is open! Invite your friends and get the word out.  The show is only 1 week this year from the 28^th of September to 6 October, and we’ll have extended hours on the 6^th since it is Artwalk night.”

 

Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, 5 October at 11 a.m. Bring your cats, dogs, birds, lizards, fleas, or whichever of God’s creatures are a part of your home to be blessed.

 

The BBQ at Grace is back!  After being interrupted by Ike, the tradition is back again.  Saturday, 12 October 2013 from 11-3.  There will be a silent auction with all sorts of wonderful items including James Avery jewelry and a bird watching cruise.  Come and support our brothers and sisters at Grace Episcopal Church.

  

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550