A MESSAGE FROM OUR RECTOR
This afternoon, I invite you to take in a good, deep breath. Hold it for a second or two and then, really, let it go. Breathe in deeply…hold…exhale fully…Breathe in deeply, feeling your lungs expand…hold it in for a few seconds…then: feel the air leaving your body, lighter in weight and in spirit, as you let go of the breath. Breathe in God…breathe out Love. Let go of fear…make room for hope. Breathe in God…breathe out Love.
In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, our Lord calls us to rest with patience and faith in uneasy times. Jesus tells his first disciples: “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. (Mat 24:3-8)
When we dig in our heels and our emotions take over, our perceptions of the world can telescope in on us and tempt us to forget who we are…whose we are. Whether we cry out for change or long for a return to ‘the way that it used to be’, our discipleship calls us to remember that we are, first and foremost, followers of Jesus Christ. And our teacher asks us to ever-lean into our senses of faith, to take a long view when we’re anxious about the world around us. In truth, we live in a universe that is still expanding, a Creation that is still evolving, and we each play a role in Christ’s own becoming by what we do and by what we leave undone in our lives each and every day.
It seems as if, in all things, our Lord blesses us with increased difficulty throughout our life-long programs of study as His disciples. Particularly when we face forces (or persons) that strike us in our heart spaces as antithetical to what we stand for, just at the point where our senses of righteous indignation start to feel good, Jesus interjects: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” (Mat 5:44-45) Whether we feel called to march in protests, fervently seek to preserve the order of our status quo, or find ourselves in-between on the spectrum in our thoughts and feelings about the present state of social unrest in this country, we are called as Christ’s own to place our love for God and our neighbor at the center of our will. This is not a political statement for the Right or for the Left…it is a reminder that we belong to Christ…and that the world shall know us by our LOVE.
So dear sisters and brothers, may be breathe this weekend, and may we find rest in the assurances of our Lord. As we each seek, in our own ways, to do justice: may we each walk in love, humbly before our ever-merciful God.
Peace be with each of you,
Father Rick+
St. Edward’s Episcopal Church is inviting you to Evening Prayer – Friday. June 5, 2020
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82328056258
Join Code: 823 2805 6258
We will be showing the text on screen to make it easy to follow along. If you have a Book of Common Prayer, you may start on page 115.
Make certain you check your DAILY MESSAGE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON BY 4 PM for our link and information to our online Sunday Service of Trinity Sunday, as well as the link to join our Virtual Coffee Hour!
Also, we will be placing a basket with the June Scepter outside the front red doors tomorrow by noon. If you would like to view it online, click here.