Look Beyond Yourself

Today is the second day in Lent, and we hear from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians.  He writes:

 

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.  (Phil. 3:17-21).

 

Paul is moved to tears for those who he calls enemies of the cross of Christ.  Why are they Christ’s enemies?  Their focus is solely on themselves and on their search for pleasure.  Paul calls those who follow Jesus to look beyond the self, to look beyond the immediate and to give ourselves over to what Jesus would have us do, and in doing Jesus’ will, we will be transformed and become more like Christ.

 

Let us pray:  Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Next Wednesday, the 17^th of February 2016, we will meet at Grace Episcopal Church at 6 PM for Eucharist, followed by a light super, and then the presentation by our first Lenten speaker, The Rev. Dr. A. Katherine Grieb is Meade Professor of Biblical Interpretation and New Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially John, Katie, Pat, Gladys, Helen, Karen, and those who are alone.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

Ash Wednesday

Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday. 

 

Lent is a time of self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, and self-denial. Ashes from the burned palms of the preceding year’s Palm Sunday are blessed. With these ashes, the priest marks a cross on the foreheads of worshipers, saying, “remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19). From Biblical times, sprinkling oneself with ashes has been a mark of sorrow for sin. 

 

What is sin?  The Greek word for it in the New Testament is ἁμαρτιῶν (pronounced “hararton”), literally “missing the mark/not hitting the target.” During Lent we must be honest with ourselves, a not all together easy task,  and ask: “How have I missed the mark?  How have I failed to hit my target?  Has my missing my target caused pain to others?  Have I separated myself from others because I have missed the mark?  How has missing the mark hurt not only others but God, and even myself?  How have I cut myself off from God, neighbor and self?  How can I be reconciled to God, neighbor and even myself?”

 

With the Church all around the word, let us pray:  Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

 

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

St. Agnes

Today the Church remembers St. Agnes.  It is also the anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood.

 

The Rev. Dr. Edward Ambrose writes this about St. Agnes:

 

Around the year 304, in front of the Roman prefect, stood thirteen-year-old Agnes, pale but calm; Agnes was accused of being a Christian.  Agnes' parents were pagan, but it was customary for rich parents to entrust the education of daughters to nurse-slaves. Apparently, the nurse-slaves who were educating Agnes were Christian.

 

“I am a Christian,” Agnes testifies to the prefect, “I have vowed my fidelity and my virginity to Christ.” With rage, the prefect explains: “Your blasphemy against the gods deserves death. But I will give you another chance. You choose: You can sacrifice to the goddess with the vestal virgins, or you will be dragged into the house of dishonor. Consider also the honor of your family.”

Counting on the help of God, she calmly answers: “Mr. Prefect, if you only knew who was my God, you would not dare speak this way. He will send an angel to protect me.” The prefect-judge then stands up: “May this young girl, Agnes, convinced of blasphemy and of sacrilege, be stripped of her clothing, and be exposed in the house of shame!”

 

As the guards unclothe Agnes, her hair starts to grow, coming down and covering her body like a veil, while they lead her away under the eyes of the crowd that had been set against her.

 

The prefect is overwhelmed — he willingly would have let Agnes go, if it was not for the protests of the people who demand the death of this witch, an enemy of the gods. (A scene similar to the one of Holy Thursday in front of Pilate's court.) He entrusts the case to his sub-prefect, who orders that Agnes be burnt alive on a stake, in the public square. But the flames do not touch her. She prays: “I bless You, Almighty God, that, by Your Divine Son, I escaped the threats of faithless men. And behold, now You free me from all harm and worry amidst the flames. But I cannot wait to go to You.”

 

Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, who choose those whom the world deems powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of your youthful martyr Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Please pray for everyone on our Prayer List, and we especially remember all of those who are being ordained priests during this month, John, Katie, Pat, all of those victims of the attack in Pakistan, and for those who have no one to pray for them.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

The Wedding Feast of Cana

The appointed Gospel reading for this Friday in the Week of the First Sunday after Epiphany is the familiar story in John’s Gospel of the wedding feast at Cana where Jesus performs the first sign of the coming of the kingdom of God:

 

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days. (Jn. 2:1-12).

 

“On the third day” is a phrase we will hear again, especially at the end of the Gospel.  There is feasting on the third day; it is a day of rejoicing. It is the day of Resurrection.

 

The bride and groom have run out of wine for the celebration, and at that time and in that culture, it would have been humiliating. Here they are starting a life together, a merger of 2 families and they do not have enough to celebrate the event.  Mary asks Jesus to intercede for the young couple.  Jesus does.  He takes water that is used for the rituals of purification and turns it into wine for rejoicing, and there is plenty for everyone. The wine steward pulls the groom aside and asks him what all this is about, “serve the good stuff first, and after they can’t tell anymore, bring out the cheap stuff.”

 

This is what the Kingdom of God looks like: At the Resurrection, there will be great rejoicing and feasting, and there no one will be in need. All of us, all of creation, will be purified and restored, in perfect union with God and with each other.

 

Let us pray: Almighty God, whose Son revealed in signs and miracles the wonder of your saving presence: renew your people with your heavenly grace, and in all our weakness sustain us by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Sunday, 17 January, Annual Parish Meeting in Sutton Hall following the service.

 

Monday, 18 January, MLK Prayer Service at St. Vincent’s Episcopal House at 12 noon.

 

Thursday, 21 January, Seaside Seniors meets in Sutton Hall at 11 AM.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Deloris, John, Pat, Peggy, Katie and all those who are alone.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

The Evil Route Is the Easy Way

On this Thursday after the Baptism of Our Lord, we hear from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews where he writes:

 

Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. As it is said, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’

 

Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? But with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

 

We are easily deceived.  Evil is not stronger.  It is easier, more seductive.  Evil is the easier route. It is much harder to do that which is good.  It is easy for us to harden our hearts when we do so in order to fulfill our own agenda.  Paul warns us to be careful and not to disguise evil for good.

 

Let us pray: Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

St. Aelred

Today the Church remembers the life and ministry of St. Aelred who was born in 1109 in Durham and died on this day in 1167.  Aelred became master of the Household of the King of Scotland., but  he found success at court unsatisfying. At the age of 24, he entered the Cistercian monastery at Rievaulx in Yorkshire. Bernard of Clairvaux encouraged him to write his first work, The Mirror of Charity, which deals with seeking to follow the example of Christ in all things. In 1147 he became abbot of Rievaulx, a post which he held until his death of kidney disease twenty years later at the age of 57.  His most famous work is called Spiritual Friendship.

Let us pray: Almighty God, you endowed the abbot Aelred with the gift of Christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness: Grant to your people that same spirit of mutual affection, that, in loving one another, we may know the love of Christ and rejoice in the gift of your eternal goodness; through the same Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550

In the Beginning Was the Word

On this Monday after the Baptism of Our Lord, the appointed Gospel reading for the Daily Office comes from the first chapter of John’s Gospel.  For me, these are some of the most powerful paragraphs in the New Testament:

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

 

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

 

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. (Jn. 1:1-18).

 

One could easily spend a whole book unpacking these words. The Word of God is the very ground of creation who then becomes a creature in creation; God fully with us as one with us to take us out of the darkness humanity was dwelling in to be brought into God’s living light bathed in grace so that we ascend to the very throne of God.  One could read these words over and over again, and still find such depth in them to last, literally, an eternity.

 

Let us pray: Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth, in whom we live, and move, and have our being; may your light shine in our hearts that we may grow in grace upon grace. Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMIDNERS

 

Annual Parish Meeting Sunday, 17 January 2016.

 

Seaside Seniors, 21 January 2016 at 11 AM in Sutton Hall.

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550