Scriptures and Reflection Questions for October 2

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior;  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. 

_________________

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
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Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

From Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work.

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die." Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin." "

__________

How might you incorporate the 10 Commandments into your own life?

________________________________________________

Psalm 19

The heavens declare your glory, O God, *

      and the firmament shows your handiwork.

One day tells its tale to another, *
     and one night imparts knowledge to another.

Although they have no words or language, *

     and their voices are not heard,

Their sound has gone out into all lands, *

     and their message to the ends of the world.

In the deep you have set a pavilion for the sun; *

     it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
     it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; *

     nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

Your law, O God, is perfect and revives the soul; *

     your testimony is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.

Your statutes are just and rejoice the heart; *

     your commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes.

The fear of you is clean and endures for ever; *

     your judgments are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *

      sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.

By them also is your servant enlightened, *

     and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern unwitting sins? *

     Cleanse me from my secret faults.

Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; *

     then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, *

     O God, my strength and my redeemer.

Saint Helena Psalter

_________

What do you desire "more than much fine gold"?

What are your "secret faults" and "presumptuous sins"?  _______________________________________

Philippians 3:4b-14

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

__________

Paul claims that he met the requirements for righteousness as an observant Jew, but it did not satisfy him. What would you say might have been missing for him?

____________________________________

Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus said, "Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures:

`The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord's doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes'?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

_______

What does this parable mean to you?

What do you think Matthew wants to say when he interprets the parable as speaking about the chief priests and Pharisees?

________________________________

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love. Our Rule of Life: We aspire to... worship weekly pray daily learn constantly serve joyfully live generously. www.stpaulsfay.org

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for September 25

Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

__________

What does it mean to you that God gave the people water from the rock in the wilderness?

How do you think about this story literally?

How do you think about it as a metaphor?

________________________________________________

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Page 694, BCP

Hear my teaching, O my people; *
     incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable; *
     I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

That which we have heard and known,

and what our forebears have told us, *
      we will not hide from their children.

We will recount to generations to come

your praiseworthy deeds and your power, O God, *
     and the wonderful works you have done.

You worked marvels in the sight of their forebears, *
     in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

You split open the sea and let them pass through; *
     you made the waters stand up like walls.

You led them with a cloud by day, *
     and all the night through with a glow of fire.

You split the hard rocks in the wilderness *
     and gave them drink as from the great deep.

You brought streams out of the cliff, *
      and the waters gushed out like rivers.

                                                    Saint Helena Psalter

_________

When have you known God’s hand guiding you through a hard time?

_______________________________________

Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 

who, though he was in the form of God,

     did not regard equality with God

     as something to be exploited,

but emptied himself,

     taking the form of a slave,

     being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

     he humbled himself

     and became obedient to the point of death --

     even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him

     and gave him the name

     that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

     every knee should bend,

     in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue should confess

     that Jesus Christ is Lord,

     to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

__________

How might you take Paul’s teaching into your environments?

In your home?  In your work?  Among your friends and relationships?

____________________________________

Matthew 21:23-32

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" And they argued with one another, "If we say, `From heaven,' he will say to us, `Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, `Of human origin,' we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

"What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, `Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, `I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, `I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him."

_______

How is it hardest for you to “walk your talk”? 

Where do you see people who make an appealing appearance, but who do not act consistently?

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for September 18

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 20, Year A, Track 1
September 18, 2011
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Collect


Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly;
and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast
to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
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How to use this page:


Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.


For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on 
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link: 
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
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The Lessons


Exodus 16:2-15
Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45
Philippians 1:21-30
Matthew 20:1-16


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Exodus 16:2-15


The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the
wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the
 LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread;
for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with
hunger."


Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and 
each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will
test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when
they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other
days." So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall 
know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning
you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against
the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?" And Moses said, "When 
the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning,
because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him-- what are
 we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD."


Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, `Draw
near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" And as Aaron spoke to the
 whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the
glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have
heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, `At twilight you shall eat
 meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know
 that I am the LORD your God.'"


In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was
 a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface
of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When
the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not 
know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you
to eat."


_________


In the misery of their wilderness, God feeds the people.  They see God's glory.


When have you been in the wilderness?  What happened?


Have you ever been upheld in your own experience of wilderness?


________________________________________________




Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45


We give you thanks, O God, and call upon your Name; *
     we make known your deeds among the peoples.


We sing to you; we sing your praise *
     and speak of all your marvelous works.


We glory in your holy Name; *
     let the hearts of those who seek you rejoice.


We search for you and your strength; *
     we continually seek your face.


We remember the marvels you have done, *
     the wonders and the judgments of your mouth.


O offspring of Abraham, your servant, *
     O children of Jacob, the chosen ones.


You led out your people with silver and gold; *
     in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.


Egypt was glad of their going, *
     because they were afraid of them.


You spread out a cloud for a covering *
     and a fire to give light in the night season.


They asked, and quails appeared, *
     and you satisfied them with bread from heaven.


You opened the rock, and water flowed, *
     so the river ran in the dry places.


For you remembered your holy word *
     and Abraham your servant.


So you led forth your people with gladness, *
     your chosen with shouts of joy.


You gave your people the lands of the nations, *
     and they took the fruit of others' toil,


That they might keep your statutes *
     and observe your laws. Alleluia!


                          The Saint Helena Psalter


_________


Feel the joy of this Psalm.  
How might you express similar joy to God for the blessings
in your own life?


__________________________________________


Philippians 1:21-30


For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that
means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed
 between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better;
but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this,
I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy
 in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when 
I come to you again.


Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether
I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing
firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel,
and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their
destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. For he has graciously
granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for 
him as well -- since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now
 hear that I still have.


________


Sense the perseverance that Paul expresses in this passage.


In what ways do you persevere in your own life?


___________________________________________


Matthew 20:1-16


Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the
 morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for
 the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine
o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You
also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 
When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And 
about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to 
them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one
has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came,
the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them 
their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired
about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the
first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received
 the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner,
saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who
 have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one
 of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual
daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same
as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? 
Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first
will be last."


__________


An employer is generous, and gives a daily wage, a living wage, to everyone, not
 just to those who had worked the whole day?   What does this story mean to you?


With whom do you identify?  The all-day workers?  The late comers?


Who in our economy might read this story and feel encouraged?


_______________________________
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On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection  to this same list, offering a thought
about the readings from the Daily Office.


Lowell


The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.


Our Rule of Life:
  We aspire to...
     worship weekly
     pray daily
     learn constantly
     serve joyfully
     live generously.


Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 11 Remembered

Sermon preached by the Rev. Lowell E. Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas

September 11, 2011; 13 Pentecost, Proper 19, Year A, Track 1

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary 

 

(Matthew 18:21-35) – Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, `Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Ten years ago on the Sunday after the September 11 attacks, we brought our own sense of trauma into this holy place, to offer our anguish before God – to remind ourselves that in the cross of Jesus we see the presence of God in our most extreme human suffering and evil.  I said that morning, “Whenever evil appears to triumph over innocence, there is Jesus the holy victim.  Whenever human beings suffer physical pain or spiritual abandonment, there is Jesus the man on the cross.  Whenever people know the terror of certain and unavoidable death, there is Jesus the crucified one.  God knows our plight.  God is with us.”

I invited you to take your memories of that week and to see everything “through the reality of the cross.  …See Jesus there, protecting, guarding, loving.  …See God=s divine light surrounding (everyone) in an eternal, protective love that is more powerful than death.”  I asked us to “look beyond the superficial material image of earthly terror, and see the spiritual reality that is present and strong to save.  Believe that the resurrection of Easter is already present in our Good Fridays.”

At that time, we had not yet heard many of the inspiring stories that would emerge from Ground Zero.  The South Tower of the World Trade Center came down just a few feet from Trinity Episcopal Church.  A friend and former Arkansan, the Rev. Stewart Hoke was inside the old church.  After the noise and shaking stopped from the first tower’s fall, Stewart looked at the congregation gathered there in the dust, and he recited the Beatitudes.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,” and so forth.  An observer said, “It was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever encountered.  That was the response of faith.  It wasn’t the reaction to run, it wasn’t the reaction to react violently, or panic.  It was very meaningful.” [i]

Our friend Fred Burnham was nearby in another part of the Trinity Church complex.  He has since visited us twice to tell about his experience that day of a profound circle of infinite love and an unbounded interrelatedness of Being that transformed him as he huddled in the smoky dark just a few feet away from the falling buildings.  In the months that followed, he marveled at the outpouring of compassion that found a place of creative expression and self-organizing at St. Paul’s Chapel, there at Ground Zero.  Groups from our congregation traveled twice to serve in that place, which has become a shrine to healing and restoration.  For those who have eyes, God has been profoundly present through it all.

Here in Fayetteville, as part of our response we invited a teacher from the Muslim community to spend several Sunday mornings with us sharing us about Islam.  I thought it was very instructive and helpful.  I found myself humbled, hearing witness about the Muslim discipline of five rituals of daily prayer and of a month of fasting; the ethos of surrender to God and the commitment to practices of charity that are at the heart of Islam. 

We shared prayer with our Muslim neighbors.  Who could forget the evening when they joined us in the Parish Hall where Muslims prayed the prayers for the end of the Ramadan fast and Christians prayed our Evening Office, then we shared an incredible feast.  Some of the best food and smells we’ve ever had in that wonderful space.  Somehow it tickled my funny-bone that from our Parish Hall, the direction one kneels in order to face Mecca is directly toward First Baptist Church.

We’ve made a lot of friends since September 11.  A number of us participate in various University programs of cultural dialogue.  It is not unusual for a St. Paul’s host family to bring their Muslim guests to church here on Sunday morning, where I believe they find welcome, hospitality and respect.

Since 9-11 we’ve also heard stories of acts of hostility toward Muslims and toward people who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent.  The apostle Paul speaks in today’s reading an invitation to inclusiveness and reconciliation when people are divided by custom and by religious beliefs.  “Let all be fully convinced in their own minds,” he says.  Follow your conscience, and allow others to follow theirs.  “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister?” Paul asks.  “Or why do you despise your brother or sister?  For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” 

In today’s Gospel, Peter asks Jesus about the boundaries of forgiveness.  Jesus gives Peter an unsettling answer.  Jesus calls us to be a radically forgiving people. 

There is still much forgiving, healing and reconciling to do.  I know I was heartbroken that our leaders decided to focus their response by invading and occupying Iraq, but I also recognize I was in a small 7% minority of Americans opposing the war at that time.  I still have my own work of forgiveness to embrace, as I grieve what looked like a lost opportunity for a more peaceful and creative response.

How heartening it is now to see the yearning for freedom rising again in the Middle East in the aspirations of today’s Arab Spring.  There is much to be hopeful about. 

And yet the world remains an unpredictable and conflicted place.  It has always been so. 

In some way, what we experienced in the terrorist attacks of 9/11 is a familiar and continuing reality for so many in other parts of the world.  Now we know a little better how they feel. 

I am thankful for the intelligence services, who do the hard work of penetrating the circles of organized crime.  They’ve done a good job to undermine Al-Qaeda and to protect innocents everywhere.

I am thankful for those who serve in the military.  As we remember and memorialize those who died on 9-11, and others whose lives were severely marked on that day, we also remember our military families, especially those who have served in combat – those who have suffered; those who have died; those who still suffer and die daily.  We also see God’s divine light with them, surrounding them in an eternal, protective love that is more powerful than death. 

Ten years ago I said, “The one battle that you and I can engage in against the unseen enemy that has attacked our people, is for us to refuse to let them damage our souls and our lives.  We must refuse to let their evil have power over us.  We must continue to be the people we were created to be B loving, compassionate, and strong.”  That is still our calling.

Every decade brings new challenges.  What can we learn from the previous decade?  I think we can learn from Steward Hoke and from Fred Burnham, and from the healing outpouring of compassion that characterized the work at St. Paul’s Chapel.  How can we bring that kind of spirit and creativity to the new challenges of 2011?  I think we can learn from our own acts of meeting and befriending the other. 

In this coming decade, how can we become more loving, more related, more generous? 

If we are to solve the considerable challenges that face us on September 11, 2011, we will need to be more deeply in touch with the reality of infinite love and the unbounded interrelationship of Being that is God’s presence in our world.  We will need to remember and embrace the Beatitudes.  We will need to forgive.  We will need to reach out to the stranger, the other.  We will need to organize on behalf of generosity and healing and community.  The same strengths and virtues that brought health and healing to us a decade ago are the qualities we need for this moment and its challenges. 

We have learned from 9/11.  We have learned that we always do better as a people when we function out of hope rather than fear, out of creativity rather than reactivity, out of interrelatedness rather than division.  Let us claim that knowledge, and go do the work of rebuilding that we need to do today.

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[i] Nathan Brockman, quoted by Catherine Kohn, St. Paul’s Welcomes the Pilgrims of 9/11, in The Living Church, September 11, 2011, p. 5.

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The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate

God's infinite grace, acceptance and love.

For information about St. Paul's Episcopal Church and its life and mission:

P.O. Box 1190, Fayetteville, AR 72702, or call 479/442-7373

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