The Present Is the First Step into the Eternal

The appointed Gospel reading for the daily prayer of the Church is taken from the Gospel according to John:

Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomsoever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

‘Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.  (Jn 5: 19-29).

The present is part of the eternal.  The relationships we develop and cherish, the things that we hold important in the present, last into eternity.  If we honor the Father and his Son today, if that relationship is important to us, it will last into the future where we will hear his voice and come forth from the grave.  Conversely, if we live our lives today focused on evil, we will have developed an eternal relationship with it.  So today matters for tomorrow.  Listen for Jesus’ voice today, and believe in him so that you may pass from death to life.

Let us pray:  Gracious Father, give us the grace of the Holy Spirit to follow your Son Jesus Christ today and to cherish our relationship with you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

The Lenten Series continues next Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church where we will hear from Kathy Culmer.

Friday and Saturday, 8 & 9 March, Wine Glass and Art Class with Lee Runion.

We will host St. Christopher’s quiet day and vestry planning day at St. Augustine’s the 9th of March.

Quiet Day of Prayer at Grace Episcopal, Saturday, 16 March from 9 A.M. to Noon with the Rev. Kate Picot, associate rector at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Houston.

Adult Christian Education Series continues this Sunday come and join us as Jillian and Tom Bain guide us through the Scripture behind Handel’s Messiah. This is a wonderful study!

Remember to collect those paper towel tubes and oatmeal containers for the Summer Art Camp at St. Augustine’s.

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

Your servant in Christ,

The Rev. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550