Our Customized Connection to God

 Day of Pentecost (Year B)

Acts 2.1-21; John 15.26-27, 16.4b-15

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 28:00)

 

A number of years ago, I did some work with the Kaleidoscope Institute, an organization affiliated with the Diocese that focused on issues of diversity and helping congregations to live more fully into our Baptismal Covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” One of the exercises we regularly did as part of our training programs was to have groups study today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles—the account of the Pentecost event and the coming of the Holy Spirit. One of the questions Eric Law, the director of Kaleidoscope, would always ask individuals and groups to consider was whether what occurred on that day in Jerusalem was a miracle of the tongue or a miracle of the ear. In other words, were people able to communicate because they were able to speak languages other than their own, a miracle of the tongue; or were they able to communicate because whatever language was spoken was somehow translated into their own, a miracle of the ear. Participants at the Kaleidoscope Institute training were to discuss this question, along with why they thought the miracle was one or the other—a miracle of the tongue or a miracle of the ear.

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Between Times

Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Acts 1.15-17, 21-26; John 17.6-19

The Rev. Michael K. Fincher

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 21:35)

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

Liturgically speaking, right now we find ourselves in a “between time.” A time between one event signaling the end of an old way of being and an impending event demarcating the beginning of a new way of being. We celebrated the feast of the Ascension this past Thursday. This event—the resurrected Christ ascending into heaven—signaled the end of a way of being for the disciples. In the 40 days after Christ’s resurrection, they had enjoyed time with their beloved friend and teacher, almost like old times. All appeared to be right in the world after the horrors of Jesus’ crucifixion. But that all changed with his departure, with his ascension to heaven. Prior to his ascension, Jesus did give his disciples an indication of what is to come. In the account of the Ascension in Acts, Jesus tells them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1.8). They may not have been completely clear on what Jesus was talking about, but we know that he was referring to the impending Pentecost event. And while we know it was a mere ten days to Pentecost, the disciples had no idea how long they would have to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. If there was anything they had learned from Jesus, God operates on his own schedule.

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Abide in My Love

Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

1 John 5.1-6; John 15.9-17

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 5:45)

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

One of the benefits of us now live streaming our Sunday worship services is that, even when I am not here, such as last Sunday, I can still keep tabs on what is going on in my absence. At least, at the 10:15 worship service. I particularly enjoy listening to the supply priest’s sermons. Most priest do not have the opportunity to hear their colleagues preach, so it is nice to hear different voices and sermon styles. Besides, I have to make sure Fr. Gary is not filling you all with heretical ideas.

 

In his sermon last week, Fr. Gary started off with a string of one-liners about love, primarily from the Epistle reading from the First Letter of John. He went on to talk about how such one-liners, along with other aspects of our church experience, such as our liturgy, are formational for our lives of faith. How, over time, these hopefully become ingrained in us, hopefully become part of our identity, and hopefully provide us with words to live by. That is, after all, why we do what we do in this place.

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The Good Shepherd's Promise

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Psalm 23; John 10.11-18

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 23:30)

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

Here at the mid-point of Eastertide, we make a transition. Leaving behind the accounts of Christ’s post-resurrection appearances and shifting our focus to some of Jesus’ teachings about what the reality of his resurrection means to us in our relationship with him and with God. We start off these teachings with some of the best known and most beloved scripture readings depicting that relationship: images of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Primarily the 23^rd Psalm and a portion of Jesus’ declaration of himself as the Good Shepherd from the Gospel according to John.

 

The 23^rd Psalm is one of the most well-known, if not THE most well-known of the Psalms. We hear this Psalm several times a year in Sunday worship, as well as it being the most commonly used Psalm at funerals. Largely because it provides words of comfort, as well as assurance of the love, mercy, and goodness of our Lord who shepherds us in life, as well as in death. Of course, being written prior to the birth of Jesus, the Lord who is identified as shepherd in the 23^rd Psalm is a reference to God and not to Jesus Christ per se. Although, in our Christian tradition and with our understanding of the trinitarian nature of God, we are able to expand our interpretation of this image of the Old Testament God to include Jesus.

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Woundedness

Third Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Luke 24.36b-48

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 19:30)

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

We are not even halfway through the season of Easter, in which we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, and yet today we hear the last of the post-resurrection appearances for the season. While there are seven weeks in Eastertide, we cannot really spend all our time focusing on Christ’s post-resurrection appearances. There are, after all, a limited number of these appearances and they are, for the most part, all the same—although each does have its own nuances. So, at some point, we have to move on. That being the case, the Gospel readings for the remaining Sundays in Eastertide will focus on Jesus’ teachings about our relationship with God, particularly in light of the mystery of the resurrection. Which makes this Sunday’s Gospel a bridge, of sorts. A bridge between Christ’s post-resurrection appearances and what the resurrection means for us—for those of us living post-resurrection. And something of how we experience this resurrected life.

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Invited Into New Life

Easter Day

Acts 10.34-43; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11; John 20.1-18

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 31:45)

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

On this Easter Day, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with others who, like us, rejoice at the good news of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. With others who, like us, have experienced the Risen Lord in our own lives, either directly or indirectly. I am not just talking about standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those who are in the pew next to us as we gather in this place. I am also talking about those across the ages who have experienced the Risen Lord. A broad array of individuals too numerous to count, with backgrounds and life experiences as varied as they were and are. A living demonstration of the opening statement Peter makes in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality.” Expressing Peter’s new understanding that God’s salvation is not just for a select few, but is extended to all. Peter’s understanding, and this reality, is woven throughout our readings for this day. This understanding is an integral part of the tapestry our faith tradition. This understanding is an integral part of our individual and collective experiences of the Risen One.

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New Beginnings

Great Vigil of Easter

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 1:02:05)

 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

New beginnings are often exciting. At least, I think they are. Of course, I grew up in a military family in which new beginnings were a way of life. We had new beginnings in the form of moving to a new duty station anywhere from every three months to every three years. Each bringing with it a new home, a new school, new friends, new experiences, and new opportunities. In some ways, it was a chance to start life anew, with a clean slate.

 

Admittedly, not all new beginnings are exciting. Especially when necessitated by a less-than-positive event such as the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, or a tragic life-changing situation. But even then, new beginnings can and often do have a silver lining. Sometimes, in the midst of what life can unexpectedly throw at us, a new beginning can, in the fullness of time, prove to be just what is needed for us to move on. Providing an opportunity for a new life and change of pace that can ultimately be beneficial in the healing process. A way of resetting so as to put the past behind us and to chart a new course into the future.

 

Easter is the religious equivalent. The chance for a new start in our lives of faith. Hopefully one that has been shaped and informed by the Lenten disciplines we engaged in through the preceding 40 days. An opportunity to follow the new path that was charted during the Lenten season, leading to renewed and strengthened relationship with God.

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What is Truth?

Good Friday

John 18.1—19.42

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 31:15)

 

“What is truth?”

 

These words are Pontius Pilate’s response to Jesus during an exchange about whether Jesus is the King of the Jews. His response to Jesus’ comment: “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” It’s hard to know Pilate’s intent asking Jesus, “What is truth?” Was this merely a rhetorical question? Was it a genuine attempt to ascertain the truth? And if so, whose truth? Or was it a mocking inquiry designed not to further, but rather to shutdown, conversation? We cannot be entirely sure as to the truth surrounding this question, “What is truth?”

 

Although there is something interesting about the placement of this exchange within John’s account of the Passion Narrative. Pilate’s interrogation of Jesus and his famous utterance of “What is truth?” comes virtually at the midpoint of the Passion Narrative. Mere coincidence, or intentional on John’s part? Again, we cannot know for sure. Although it was not uncommon for the authors of the Gospels to structure their writings so that central themes are positioned at the center of the written text. A literary device to further highlight the central point of the story.

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Palm/Passion Journeys

Palm/Passion Sunday (Year B)

Mark 11.1-11; Mark 14.1—15.47

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook page (beginning at 38:45)

 

You may have noticed that during the season of Lent, I frequently use the term “Lenten journey” as a way of characterizing our experience. A reminder that as we move from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday, we are not just marking days off the calendar as a countdown to Easter. If we are doing Lent appropriately, we are making a journey as people of faith. This journey occurs on several levels. Symbolically, this journey is one we take with Jesus as he “turns his face toward Jerusalem.” As he shifts his focus from his public ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, to beginning to make his way toward Jerusalem and the events and experiences we just heard in the Passion Narrative. But this 40 days is more than just recalling the story of Jesus’ journey as he draws closer and closer to Jerusalem. This is also a spiritual journey that we make, individually and as a community. A journey in which, through our own Lenten disciplines, we seek to draw closer to God. A journey in which we seek to strengthen and deepen our relationship with God and with Christ. Bringing us closer to the One who stands in solidarity with us. With the One who loves us so much he would do anything for us, including being willing to die for us.

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Drawing All People

Fifth Sunday in Lent (Year B)

John 12.20-33

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 21:55)

 

Throughout our Lenten journey, we have been traveling with Jesus as he makes his way toward Jerusalem and to his Passion. At this point in the journey—just one week before Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week—Jerusalem is on the horizon. Although in a bit of scriptural disconnect, Jesus is a week ahead of us. Our Gospel reading for today takes place immediately after Jesus has made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem—what we now refer to as Palm Sunday. As we join the scene, there is a flurry of activity on multiple fronts—much of it behind the scenes of the Gospel passage.

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