The Daily Office Epistle reading for today is from Paul’s most influential letter, the one he wrote to the Romans. This epistle has influenced the conversion and change in many, including our own St. Augustine and Martin Luther. We start at the beginning of the letter today:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish — hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. (Rom. 1: 1-15).
Paul had never visited the Romans. This was a letter of introduction to them and Paul wanted to explain his theology to them. One of the first things that Paul says, the Romans “are called to be saints.” So are we. Saints are people who strive for holiness, who desire to deepen their relationship with God. Each and everyone of us is called to be a saint. No doubt, sometimes it can be very difficult especially in the work a-day-world, when someone cuts us off in traffic, or when people are less than kind to us and are done right rude. But Paul gives offers insight for us about what church should be: “we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” That is what we should offer one another, and at St. Augustine’s, I believe we do.
Let us pray: Gracious God, giver of all good things, we thank you for the gift of our faith, and for those who encourage us as we journey to You. May I be a source of encouragement for others, this I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus, who lives with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please remember everyone on our prayer list.
We will have two children baptized next Sunday, Father’s Day.
Please remember all Father’s on Father’s Day with a prayer.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish — hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. (Rom. 1: 1-15).
Paul had never visited the Romans. This was a letter of introduction to them and Paul wanted to explain his theology to them. One of the first things that Paul says, the Romans “are called to be saints.” So are we. Saints are people who strive for holiness, who desire to deepen their relationship with God. Each and everyone of us is called to be a saint. No doubt, sometimes it can be very difficult especially in the work a-day-world, when someone cuts us off in traffic, or when people are less than kind to us and are done right rude. But Paul gives offers insight for us about what church should be: “we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” That is what we should offer one another, and at St. Augustine’s, I believe we do.
Let us pray: Gracious God, giver of all good things, we thank you for the gift of our faith, and for those who encourage us as we journey to You. May I be a source of encouragement for others, this I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus, who lives with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Please remember everyone on our prayer list.
We will have two children baptized next Sunday, Father’s Day.
Please remember all Father’s on Father’s Day with a prayer.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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