Be Careful How You Live...Understand What the Will of the Lord Is

The selected Epistle for today is taken from Paul Letter to the Ephesians.  Paul writes:

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.  (Eph. 5: 15-33).

Our faith is expressed by the way you and I live.  If we proclaim salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection, then we will conduct ourselves in accordance with that proclamation.  All things are to be done in moderation. For example, there is nothing wrong with enjoying wine with friends; however, drinking to the point of losing one’s ability to make rational decisions, to render one’s free will ineffective, is to make a mockery of our being made in God’s image and likeness.

Paul’s tells us that marriage is a two way street; husbands and wives are to love each other as Christ loves his Church, being selfless in all things.  For those of us who are married, the way we lived our married lives is also an expression of our faith.

Let us pray:  Gracious God, you have made us in Your image and likeness, and have brought us to Your side through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who has redeemed us and made us whole.  Send Your Holy Spirit to shower us with grace empowering us to live as Your Son would have us live, in union with You.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

The Painted Church Tour: We will travel to Schulenburg (about a 2 hour ride), tour 3-4 churches, have lunch and return to St. Augustine. We will be traveling on the bus to each of the churches so there is not a lot of walking expected, but it is recommended that you wear comfortable shoes and dress comfortably. Of course it is too early to predict the weather, but we hope it will be pleasant.

Departure Date: Saturday, February 23, 2013 at 7:30 a.m.

Depart From: St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church, 1410 41st St.

Cost: $20 to cover tour and lunch

If you are interested in going but may not have the funds, please contact Michelle Allen, there may be some scholarships available.

We will be using the Galveston County Senior Citizen Program bus and they require everyone to be 55 years of age to ride the bus. The bus has some additional requirements that we must follow:

No eating or drinking (except water)

Mobile phones are for emergencies only

No smoking

The bus will only hold 30 passengers, so it is a first come first serve basis. If we have more sign up, Mr. Allen will add you to a waiting list. Please respond to her by email: ms.walk.1@hotmail.com, or call Ms. Allen at 832-244-1817 to let her know if you are interested.

MARDI GRAS AT ST. AUGUSTINE’S HOSTED BY OUR KING & QUEEN OF MARDI GRAS, BILL & TAMMIE TAYLOR, in Sutton Hall on Tuesday at 6 p.m., February 12.

ASH WEDNESDAY IS FEBRUARY 13, Ash Wednesday Liturgy with the Imposition of Ashes at 6 p.m.

LENTEN PROGRAM: Starting at 6 p.m. with the Way of the Cross, Eucharist, light supper and then the program with—

Feb. 20: The Rev. Allen Robinson, Rector of St. James in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Galveston native and a son of St. Augustine (1410 41st St.)

Feb. 27: Br. Michael Gallagher, OSB & Fr. Peter Funk, OSB, Benedictine Monks and Co-Founders of Holy Cross Monastery at Grace (1115 36th St.)

Mar. 6: Ms. Kathy Culmer, Storyteller & Diocesan Mission Funding Coordinator, at Trinity (2216 Ball Ave)

Mar. 13: The Rev. Canon John Newton, Diocese of Texas Canon for Lifelong Christian Formation, at St. Augustine (1410 41st St.)

Mar. 20: The Rev. Pittman McGehee, Priest, Author & Jungian Analyst, at Grace (1115 36th St.)

Mar. 27: The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of the Diocese of Texas, at Trinity (2216 Ball Ave)

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