Good Friday

Today is the day that God showed us how much He loved the world. Today the Son of God was rejected by man who shouted “crucify him.” Today the Word who became flesh was nailed to the hard wood of the cross. Today Emmanuel gave His life, forgiving those who took His, so that you and I would be reconciled to God, to each other and even with ourselves. Today is Good Friday.

The Gospel reading for today’s Daily Office tells us about Simon Peter. He was always quick to tell Jesus how much Jesus meant to him. Simon Peter was a big talker, but when the time came, Simon Peter betrayed Jesus:

Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times. (Jn. 13: 36-38).

Are you and I any different than Simon Peter? I don’t think so. How often do we talk big about being Jesus’ followers, but when the time comes to do more than talk, we deny even knowing Jesus by our actions? Through our sinful acts, you and I are no different from the crowd which called for Jesus to be crucified.

Let us pray: Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday. It is called “Maundy” from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning “command” because tonight Jesus commands us to love one another as he has loved us, and to do the Eucharist in remembrance of him. So the Gospel according to John goes straight to the Last Supper:

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’ (Jn. 17: 1-26).

Jesus is praying for his disciples, not only those who were with him at that meal, but also for you and for me, his disciples today. In his prayer, Jesus says that you and I belong to him, and he prays that God the Father will protect each and every one of us. He prays that we be protected not from earthly travails, but from separation and disunity, the marks of the evil one. He prays that we be one body in him. Jesus does not want us to run away from the world; Jesus wants us to go into the world and to spread the Word, the Good News of salvation.

Let us pray: Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially all of those serving in our Armed Forces at home and abroad.

REMEMBER ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINISTRY AT ST. AUGUSTINE’S: Praying for the Individuals on our Prayer List
The Margaret Biehl Community Garden
The Prayer Shawl Ministry
Sunday Fellowship Breakfasts
Art Classes
Feeding Medical Students at William Temple (next Wednesday)
The Altar Guild
The St. Augustine History Project

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Wednesday in Holy Week

On this Wednesday in Holy Week, we continue with Jesus as he walks toward Calvary. In the 12th chapter of the Gospel according to John, we see that 6 days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Martha, Mary and Lazarus (whom Jesus had raised from the dead), lived. Right after that, Jesus goes to Jerusalem where he is greeted with shouts of “hosanna” (Palm Sunday). Then we heard how the Pharisees said to each other, “You see that you can do nothing; look, the whole world has gone after him.” After this, the Gentiles came looking for Jesus, wishing to see him.

Today we pick up where we left off yesterday, and we hear how Jesus’ soul is troubled:

“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. (Jn. 12: 27-36).

Even though he is God, Jesus is like us in every way because he is also fully human. Today we see how human Jesus is. He knew what kind of death he was going to die. He was afraid, but in the midst of that fear, Jesus, who is ever faithful to the Father and to us, is able to say, “No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Jesus is all about glorifying God the Father no matter what he does and no matter what it costs.

How ready are we to glorify God in what we do?

Let us pray: Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST especially all of those serving in our Armed Forces at home and abroad.

REMEMBER ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINISTRY AT ST. AUGUSTINE’S:
Praying for the Individuals on our Prayer List
The Margaret Biehl Community Garden
The Prayer Shawl Ministry
Sunday Fellowship Breakfasts
Art Classes
Feeding the Medical Students at William Temple (next Wednesday)
The Altar Guild

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Tuesday of Holy Week

On this Tuesday of Holy Week, we hear from the 12th chapter of the Gospel according to John as Jesus draws closer to Good Friday:

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. (Jn. 12: 20-26).

The leaders of the Chosen People had rejected Jesus, but the Gentiles seek him out. Jesus tells his disciples and those who seek him out that following Jesus and God’s will is a costly vocation. Jesus came to reconcile the world to God and us to one another. Jesus came for the forgiveness of sins. He knows what will be required of him. Jesus knows that he will be put to death, but that his sacrifice will bear much fruit. You and I are called to follow him and to serve others as instruments of Jesus’ reconciling love.

Let us pray: O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Monday in Holy Week

On this Monday in Holy Week as we journey closer to the foot of the cross, we hear from the Gospel according to John. It is John’s account of Palm Sunday:

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord— the King of Israel!’

Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: ‘Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!’ His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. The Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!’ (Jn. 12: 9-19).

One really has to wonder about the Pharisees. Did they not see who Jesus was? If they didn’t, why couldn’t they? If they did see who he was, why did they react the way they did? We will never be able to answer these questions in our life time. Only God knows their hearts. But their apparent attitude as presented by John should cause us to ask these very same questions about ourselves. Do you and I see Jesus for who he really is? If we don’t, why not. If we do, shouldn’t our lives reflect it? As we continue our walk with Jesus this week, our walk to the foot of the cross, let us reflect on our relationship with Jesus. Have we shouted “hosanna” on Palm Sunday only to yell “crucify him” on Friday? Where do you and I stand with Jesus?

Let us pray: Almighty God, whose 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 that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

Little Did the Psalmist Know

One of the appointed Psalms for this Wednesday in the fifth week of Lent is Psalm 130, and it is appropriate as we approach Holy Week:

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

You can feel the profound emotion in this Psalm as the Psalmist is overwhelmed with a sense of his own emptiness, of his own sinfulness. But he knows that God is ever faithful, pulling him up from the depths of his own despair into the light of redemption where the Psalmist is bathed in God’s forgiveness and love for him. Little did the Psalmist know the depths of God’s love for him. Little did the Psalmist know that God himself would become one of is in every way, even death. Little did the Psalmist know that God the Son would offer his very life for him to redeem him from all of his iniquities.

Let us pray: Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

NETS FOR LIFE: We have about 8 nets thus far and our goal is 50. Spread the word and do what you can.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Tonight, Wednesday, 13 April at 6:00 p.m. we will meet at Grace for the Lenten program where we will experience the Covenant Players.

S.A.S.S. (St. Augustine Spiritual Support group) for those whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS meets every Thursday starting at 6:00 p.m. with a pot luck dinner. Let others know of this ministry as well.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:
Palm Sunday: Procession with Palms & Eucharist Rite II- 9 a.m.
Maundy Thursday: Foot Washing, Eucharist & Striping of Altar- 7 p.m.
Good Friday: Stations & Good Friday Liturgy -3 p.m.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Liz Mack and Caroline and Randy Furlong as Randy recovers from surgery.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

You Don't Hear Much About Being Saved These Days

FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST ON PALM SUNDAY: CAROL FREEMAN WAS ORIGINALLY SIGNED UP; HOWEVER, SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO BREAKFAST ON THE 17TH, PALM SUNDAY. I WOULD ASK THAT WE MAKE IT A “POT LUCK” BREAKFAST. JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT YOU WILL BRING SO THAT WE DON’T DUPLICATE. THANKS IN ADVANCE!

On this Tuesday in the fifth week of Lent we hear from the tenth chapter of St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans:

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Rm. 10: 1-13).

In today’s world, and even in today’s Church, one does not really hear much about “being saved.” You and I certainly cannot “be saved” by our own actions; Paul tells us that we cannot “earn” our salvation. Rather, being made “right” with God (righteousness), or what Paul also calls “salvation,” is a gift from God. We call it “grace.” As Christians who profess faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, you and I are called to bear witness to what we believe. We bear witness not only by what we say, but by how we live. Sometimes our actions proclaim who Jesus is much more loudly than words.

Let us pray: Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

NETS FOR LIFE: We have about 8 nets thus far and our goal is 50. Spread the word and do what you can.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

Next Wednesday, 13 April at 6:00 p.m. we will meet at Grace for the Lenten program where we will experience the Covenant Players.

S.A.S.S. (St. Augustine Spiritual Support group) for those whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS meets every Thursday starting at 6:00 p.m. with a pot luck dinner. Let others know of this ministry as well.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:
Palm Sunday: Procession with Palms & Eucharist Rite II: 9 am
Maundy Thursday: Foot Washing, Eucharist & Striping of the Altar: 7 pm
Good Friday: Stations & Good Friday Liturgy: 3 pm

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Liz Mack and Caroline and Randy Furlong as Randy undergoes surgery today for his cancer treatment.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550