Showing posts with label B proper 22. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B proper 22. Show all posts

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Jesus Affirms Love As the Norm

19 Pentecost Cycle b proper 22 October 3, 2021
Genesis 2:18-24 Psalm 8
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 Mark 10:2-16
Lectionary Link




In the field of freedom in which we live, the probability of things going wrong, charity failing, and sin happening are certain.  The probability of evil and failure is certain.

And it is so certain that we begin to live our lives with the certainty of things being much less than perfect and certain about the reign of sin.

And if we normalize the reign of sin, which it is easy to do, because it is so common and predictable, we can begin to live our lives according to the inevitability of sin and failure.

And this is where we need the correction of the ideal and the normalcy of the perfect in the words of Jesus.  Lawyers can be very good at responding to the failure of love and charity and so they begin to think from the point of view of failure as the predictable norm.

What seems to be a common norm when it comes to marriage?  A common norm seems to be divorce, or the failure of charity.  Not just in our time, but in the time of Jesus.  So it was an issue, and an issue for religious lawyers who wanted to stump Jesus about whether post-divorce relationships for divorcees would be adultery.

And for many years the church preached that a marriage was so inviolate, that divorce was not permitted by the church.  In fact, divorce resulted in the discipline of excommunication.  Which is very counter to the pastoral wisdom of care, especially to women who often were the offended party in a divorce.   You've just gone through the heartbreak of divorce? Well, we offer you the rebuke of withholding the communion with Christ from you as the penance which we force on you.  Unless, of course, you can jump through all of the hoops of an annulment and get your first marriage declared as a "non-marriage" in the sight of God and the church.  The practice of the church was done for very good biblical reason; the church was claiming to uphold the high standard of Jesus as is expressed in the Gospel words read today.  The words are coupled with a reference to being child-like, and certainly one of the central purposes of marriage is to protect children and the child-like.

I believe that the practice of the church regarding divorce has missed an important emphasis of the words of Jesus.  Are God and Jesus, those who demand such a high standard that there is not forgiveness and love and second and third and many more chances?  I believe we misrepresent Jesus if we think that people who are divorced deserve the perpetual disapproval of the church and society, especially in a patriarchal world where divorced women have been most often the offended party and the party most faithful to the church in their actual piety.

So why the high standard of Jesus regarding divorce?   It was a rebuke to the emphasis of the religious lawyers.  "Jesus, since divorce is so common, how are you going to going to deal with it?"

Jesus was saying, "I'm not going to play your game.  Even as I accept human failure and the failure of human charity, I am not going to make failure the norm.  The standards are still the same, even in the face of failure.  Do not try to dumb down God's normal to human failure."

God's norm, lifelong union, remains the norm even though human beings fail.  I suppose that Zsa Zsa Gabor and Elizabeth Taylor both thought that each time they got married that they were doing it until death did them part from their multiple spouses.   Failure at charity does not change the standard.

Divorce does not make marriage less normal; divorce does not remove one's divorced partner from the world and it does not erase the history of having been married.

Jesus was simply saying, that he is more "for" marriage, than against divorce.  Why?  Because divorce cannot alter the basic standard of God and Christ.

Can we appreciate marriage within the cosmic symbols of the church mystics.  Marriage was a symbol of the union of Christ with the Church.  Marriage is a symbol of the union between God and humanity in that we are created in the image of God and meant to be united in and with God our Creator.  The union of a particular marriage relationship, and the union on the cosmic level is the normal plan of God from creation.  So, don't try to make sin and divorce the new norm, simply because it has become so common and rampant.

And then we see that Jesus uses a child as a metaphor again.  The early church mystics understood that they were called to be children of God, symbolizing the union of God and humanity that was realized because of the Holy Spirit's indwelling..

You can live in the kingdom of this visible world where sin and failure seem to be the norm or you can be born through the power of Holy Spirit energizing the rising of the image of God within you.  And when this has happened you can live in wonderment as the child who has realized that you are in the kingdom of God, in the family of God.

So, let us not get into the old historical habit of punishing and judging divorced people, or any other person whose lives have known significant failures, namely, your life and mine.

Let us continue to look to the standard of marriage and the union of God with humanity and creation as the high standard that we seek as we try to live out harmonies within our marriages, within our communities, within our environment as we interact with animals and the beautiful world of nature over which we have been made stewards.

The long and short of the Gospel words of Jesus:  Just because sin and failure are so common, don't make them our norm.  Let us make marriage and the mystical experience of being one with God, the spiritual norm that is always beckoning us to be better in our lives.  Amen.





Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Sunday School, October 3, 2021 19 Pentecost, B proper 22

 Sunday School, October 3, 2021   19 Pentecost,  B proper 22


Though Sunday takes precedence, October 4th is also the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday School Themes and a liturgy for the Blessing of Animals which include a vow to be good stewards of creation, maintaining the beauty and safety of our world and taking good care of the animals which are given into our care.

From the Genesis lesson one can see that in the Garden of Eden Story, God gave Adam the tasks of naming the animals.  We can see this as naming animals as a group of animals or giving each animal a special name.  What is the difference between a cow, and Sam the cow?  If the cow has an individual name of Sam that was given by a person who cared for that cow, the giving of a name means that one also takes upon oneself the task of taking care of an animal in a special way.

We should not just stereotype animals as a group because we rely upon them for our food; we should also see each creature as a special being for whom we care and give thanks.  Jesus said that there was not even a sparrow which falls to the ground without the Father knowing about it.  If God has made men and women to have the kind of intelligence to have the most responsible role in the world, then we then to be very good at taking care of our world and the animals of the world.  Let us remember to give each animal a special name as a sign of love and care.  And while we may use animal for our food let us be like God the Father and be aware with gratitude when the life of an animal is sacrificed to be food for our lives.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said that God has made everything subject to men and women even more than to angels.  So we have a very important role in managing all of the goodness of creation.

The Gospel is about Jesus blessing children.  Children were very important to Jesus.  One might think that the children in the time of Jesus were not treated very well or that they were neglected.  The disciples of Jesus did not want children to bother Jesus, but he told them he wanted the children to be with him and he blessed them.  Jesus had given people an important talk on the lives of moms and dad and then he blessed children.  Jesus was saying that adults should not let their adult problem cause them to neglect children.

Remember the themes of this day: Animals and children.  Both need good and responsible people to take care of them.  This is why Jesus asks to be committed to take care of those who do not yet have the strength, the ability or the experience to take care of themselves.

And so we bless children and we bless animals as a reminder of the friendship that Francis of Assisi had with animals.  Learning to live in peaceful harmony with animals, creation, children and all people is the calling that we have from Jesus.

A sermon for the blessing of the animals

Today we celebrate the life of St. Francis.  St. Francis was a man who came from a wealthy family.  But he decided to leave the family business and try to live his life just like Jesus lived his life.  He decided to live his life with people who were poor.  He decided to take care of people who were sick and poor.

  St. Francis became a friend of animals; the birds used to fly down and rest on his shoulders because they were not afraid of him.
  Today, we are going to honor the life of St. Francis by blessing the animals of our lives.  But we are also going to do something else.  We are going to make promises to God to take good care of our world.  We are going to promise to care for the air, water, plants and trees.  Why?  Because we want all people in the future to be able to enjoy them.  We are going to promise to take care of our pets and animals too.
  The world of plants and animals provide so much to help us live.  So we need to be good at protecting our world so that our world will continue help people live for a long, long time.
  Today, we thank God for our wonderful world of animals, trees and plants.
  And the way that we thank God, is to promise to take good care of the world that God has given to us.  And to take care of the pets that we enjoy as our friends.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
& Blessing of the Animals

October 3, 2021 The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:

Morning Has Broken,  If I Were a ButterflyMake Me a Channel of Your Peace, All Things Bright and Beautiful

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s Kingdom now and forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Morning Has Broken (Blue Hymnal # 8)

Morning has broken like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first bird.  Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!  Praise for them springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass.  Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!  Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play!  Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s re-creation of the new day!

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray
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.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

Liturgist:  A reading from the Book of Genesis

The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 8

You give men and women mastery over the works of your hands; *you put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, * even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, * and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:
For our animal friends and pets, past and present. Thanks be to God!
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.
   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Fr. Cooke:

Collect for the Feast of St. Francis

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfect joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Vow to Creation
Celebrant:  Will you cherish the beauty of the Good Earth that God has entrusted to you, and will you do all in your power to preserve its beauty for own age and for the people of the future?

Response:  I will with God’s help.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of God that issued from God’s mouth and created all things and God’s Spirit moved over the deep and made creation happen; you have called creation good, and we celebrate the goodness of creation which you have given to us to enjoy and tend; Bless the Good Earth and its fruits, and us as we commit ourselves to stewardship, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Vow to our Animal friends

Celebrant:  Will you promise to love, enjoy, and care for all God’s creatures, and especially for the pet whom you present for a blessing?
Response:  I will, with God’s help.


Blessing:

Lord Jesus Christ, your friends, have brought to you these special friends:  Bless we pray these delightful creatures, and grant that those who tend to their care will take delight in all of God’s creation, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Song sung during the blessing of each Animal: If I were a Butterfly
1-If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.  And if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank you Lord, that I could sing.  And if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you Father for making me ‘me.’

Chorus:  For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.  You gave Jesus and you made me your child.  And I just thank you, Father for making me, ‘me.’

2-If I were an elephant, I’d thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk.  And if I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you.  And if I were an octopus, I’d thank you Lord, for my find looks, but I just thank you Father, for making me, ‘me.’  Chorus

3-If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you, Lord that I could squirm.  And If I were a Billy goat, I’d thank you, Lord for my strong throat.  And if I were a fuzzy-wuzzy bear, I’d thank you, Lord, for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair, but I just thank you, Father, for making me ‘me.’  Chorus


Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song: As the Deer Pants for the Water, (Renew # 9)

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you; you alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you.  Refrain: You alone are my strength, my shield, to you alone may my spirit yield; you alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship you!

I want you more than gold or silver, only you can satisfy; you alone are the real joy-giver and the apple of my eye.  Refrain.


Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of God.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.
Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we
   Forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as 
  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death, resurrection of Christ and that his  presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory
 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,  


Our Father (Sung): (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from evil: Hallowed by thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.
Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:        Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Word of Administration.

Communion Hymn: Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.  Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.  Refrain

Refrain:  Oh, Master, grant I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.  Where there is darkness only light, and where there’s sadness ever joy.  Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving to all men that we receive and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.  Refrain.
Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;
We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.
And His Presence has been known to us.
We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers
    and sisters in Christ.
Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the
     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,
As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: All Things Bright & Beautiful (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 12)

Refrain:  All things bright & beautiful, all creatures great & small, all things wise & wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, he made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings.  Refrain

The purple-headed mountain, the river running by, the sunset, and the morning that brightens up the sky.  Refrain

He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell how great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.  Refrain

Dismissal:  

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Finding Innocence and Living Beyond the Knowledge of Good and Evil

20  Pentecost Cycle b proper 22 October 7, 2018
Job 1:1; 2:1-10    Psalm 26
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12  Mark 10:2-16
Lectionary Link
The Hebrew Scriptures reveal the great gift of the law to the people of Israel.  And what is law?  I would call law the revelations of the best insights for how to live given the conditions of freedom which exist in our world.

The great Bible story begins with a totally innocent world and through the work of the serpent and human agency the knowledge of good and evil became the human experience.

Once human beings discover good and evil within the freedom of the world, what does God do to help people live together with safety and without sustaining too much harm?

God gave the law.  The law arises as recommended actuarial living.  When people live in the conditions of freedom, what probably will happen?  How can human being live so that more probable good can happen than more probable evil? How can people in community live to create the best probable outcomes?  This is where the law comes in.

Israel through Moses received the law with great and wonderful actuarial wisdom on how to live so that there is more probability of good things happening than bad things.

So, Israel, you need an identity that will keep you together as a people so that you don't fall apart as a community.  How do you do that?  You love one God.  You don't imitate the neighboring tribes who have many gods.  You keep from hypocrisy of saying you believe in one God when in practice you don't.  (Don't take God's name in vain). You give God some time to build your One God identity. (Keep the sabbath).  You want to add good probability to your life?  Honor family relations, like parents and spouses.  You honor property rights; don't steal.  You honor truth; don't lie.  You honor life; don't kill.  And you learn impulse control; don't covet.  And so there are many of laws and rules for times and places in one's life for social order.  Big laws and little laws, all based on some notion of actuarial wisdom.

But if one observes the law to one's best ability, does that keep bad things from happening to anyone?  There was a tradition of religious thinking that arose which said that if bad things happened to you, then you must have offended God and transgressed some law and so the resulting evil was a reciprocal punishment.  Conversely, if you were blessed with luck and success that must mean you were properly observing God's law and attaining the resulting blessing.

And so we have the witness of Job; he was an religious observant man.  He was faithful, helped the needy and was law abiding.  He should have been the one obviously blessed to have good fortune.  He was proving good probability theory.  But Job was the figure in a wisdom story to challenge very narrow minded thinking about the law.  The story about God who is perfect freedom, included the Satanic agency of bad things happening.  No matter how religious one is or how one lives, good and bad things can happen to anyone in seeming inconsistent ways.

Why do so many of the world's tyrant get so much power and wealth while being the most dishonest and cruel people of their times?  This kind of disproves the theory of only good things happening to good people.

Job is the story of bad things happening to a good man and his struggle to maintain his faith and belief in God, even while his friends victimized him and told him to admit his secret faults which had caused his bad luck.

Keeping the law is good actuarial practice; but it still does not guarantee exemption from bad things happening to anyone.

The presence of the law in the lives of people also requires an expansion of the number of laws.  Why?  Because people fail to keep the law and when people fail to keep the law, new laws of sentencing and punishment have to be written to deal with human failure.

Charity often fails in human relationship, in marriage and divorce happens.  The reasons for permitting divorce was a big theological question among the rabbis in the time of Jesus.  Jesus was upset with the emphasis that religious leader expressed.  Just because people fail at charity, the failure at charity and divorce cannot overturn the standard of marriage as being the norm.

Jesus was saying just because people fail at charity, such failure cannot be stated as the norm.  Marriage is the still the law, even if people fail a marriage.  Jesus was not denying the fact that divorce occurred in the lives of people, he was upset that the religious leaders began to treat divorce as being a legal principle which challenged the primacy of marriage.  The law of marriage remains the same no matter how much people fail and petition for divorce.

Jesus confronted people who were burdened with legalistic lives.  Some people thought they were blessed because they were members of the correct religious party.  Others were so concerned with failure to keep the law, that they began to treat failure as the norm.

Jesus was fed up with adult religious life of religious leaders which had become legal arguments between religious parties about who believed in the right way.

What did he do?  He brought a child and rebuked the adult religious cynics.  "See this child...this child is innocent...this child lives beyond good and evil of adult religious legalism.  You want to understand God's kingdom, access your child aspect of personality, the part of you that still retains original blessing and original innocence.   With the energy of your inner child you can be restored in the new birth that you need to understand God in the adult world so bogged down within the knowledge of good and evil and their effects upon us."


What have we learned from Holy Scriptures today?

No matter how religious we are, we are not exempt from the free conditions that can happen to anyone.  So let us not get bogged down in claiming such an exemption.  Don't presume to know why bad things happen to us or anyone else.  We may victimize them instead of simply offering our assistance and care.

Next, just because it is common to people to fail to keep the law, the norm and ideal still remain the same.  Human failure at marriage does not change the normalcy of marriage and enduring love in personal commitment to each other.

Finally, is the world of the knowledge of good and evil making you cynical and angry and unable to love.  Is the knowledge of good and evil making us misanthropic, leaning toward disillusionment with humanity?  Look to project upon the infant and the child and recover the power of innocence within oneself to know the power of a new birth.  The power of innocence can help us survive living with the free conditions of knowing good and evil.  With the power of innocence, we can overcome the anxiety of the adult world of living with the knowledge of good and evil.

Let each of us find the new birth of the child within us to counter the effects of living with the knowledge of good and evil.  Amen.

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Sunday School, October 7, 2018 20 Pentecost, B proper 22

Sunday School, October 7, 2018    20 Pentecost,  B proper 22

Though Sunday takes precedence, October 4th is also the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday School Themes and a liturgy for the Blessing of Animals which include a vow to be good stewards of creation, maintaining the beauty and safety of our world and taking good care of the animals which are given into our care.

From the Genesis lesson one can see that in the Garden of Eden Story, God gave Adam the tasks of naming the animals.  We can see this as naming animals as a group of animals or giving each animal a special name.  What is the difference between a cow, and Sam the cow?  If the cow has an individual name of Sam that was given by a person who cared for that cow, the giving of a name means that one also takes upon oneself the task of taking care of an animal in a special way.

We should not just stereotype animals as a group because we rely upon them for our food; we should also see each creature as a special being for whom we care and give thanks.  Jesus said that there was not even a sparrow which falls to the ground without the Father knowing about it.  If God has made men and women to have the kind of intelligence to have the most responsible role in the world, then we then to be very good at taking care of our world and the animals of the world.  Let us remember to give each animal a special name as a sign of love and care.  And while we may use animal for our food let us be like God the Father and be aware with gratitude when the life of an animal is sacrificed to be food for our lives.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said that God has made everything subject to men and women even more than to angels.  So we have a very important role in managing all of the goodness of creation.

The Gospel is about Jesus blessing children.  Children were very important to Jesus.  One might think that the children in the time of Jesus were not treated very well or that they were neglected.  The disciples of Jesus did not want children to bother Jesus, but he told them he wanted the children to be with him and he blessed them.  Jesus had given people an important talk on the lives of moms and dad and then he blessed children.  Jesus was saying that adults should not let their adult problem cause them to neglect children.

Remember the themes of this day: Animals and children.  Both need good and responsible people to take care of them.  This is why Jesus asks to be committed to take care of those who do not yet have the strength, the ability or the experience to take care of themselves.

And so we bless children and we bless animals as a reminder of the friendship that Francis of Assisi had with animals.  Learning to live in peaceful harmony with animals, creation, children and all people is the calling that we have from Jesus.

A sermon for the blessing of the animals

Today we celebrate the life of St. Francis.  St. Francis was a man who came from a wealthy family.  But he decided to leave the family business and try to live his life just like Jesus lived his life.  He decided to live his life with people who were poor.  He decided to take care of people who were sick and poor.

  St. Francis became a friend of animals; the birds used to fly down and rest on his shoulders because they were not afraid of him.
  Today, we are going to honor the life of St. Francis by blessing the animals of our lives.  But we are also going to do something else.  We are going to make promises to God to take good care of our world.  We are going to promise to care for the air, water, plants and trees.  Why?  Because we want all people in the future to be able to enjoy them.  We are going to promise to take care of our pets and animals too.
  The world of plants and animals provide so much to help us live.  So we need to be good at protecting our world so that our world will continue help people live for a long, long time.
  Today, we thank God for our wonderful world of animals, trees and plants.
  And the way that we thank God, is to promise to take good care of the world that God has given to us.  And to take care of the pets that we enjoy as our friends.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church
17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Family Service with Holy Eucharist
& Blessing of the Animals

October 7, 2018 The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs:

Morning Has Broken,  If I Were a ButterflyMake Me a Channel of Your Peace, All Things Bright and Beautiful

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
People: And blessed be God’s Kingdom now and forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.
And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.
Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: Morning Has Broken (Blue Hymnal # 8)

Morning has broken like the first morning; blackbird has spoken like the first bird.  Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!  Praise for them springing fresh from the word.

Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass.  Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!  Mine is the morning born of the one light Eden saw play!  Praise with elation, praise every morning, God’s re-creation of the new day!

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray
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.

First Litany of Praise: Chant: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia
O God, you have made us! Alleluia
O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia
O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia
O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia
O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia
O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

Liturgist:  A reading from the Book of Genesis

The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 8

You give men and women mastery over the works of your hands; *you put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, * even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, * and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God! (chanted)

Litanist:
For our animal friends and pets, past and present. Thanks be to God!
For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!
For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!
For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!
For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!
For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!
For work and for play. Thanks be to God!
For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!
For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!
For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.
   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
People: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Fr. Cooke:

Collect for the Feast of St. Francis

Most high, omnipotent, good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfect joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Vow to Creation
Celebrant:  Will you cherish the beauty of the Good Earth that God has entrusted to you, and will you do all in your power to preserve its beauty for own age and for the people of the future?

Response:  I will with God’s help.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of God that issued from God’s mouth and created all things and God’s Spirit moved over the deep and made creation happen; you have called creation good, and we celebrate the goodness of creation which you have given to us to enjoy and tend; Bless the Good Earth and its fruits, and us as we commit ourselves to stewardship, in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Vow to our Animal friends

Celebrant:  Will you promise to love, enjoy, and care for all God’s creatures, and especially for the pet whom you present for a blessing?
Response:  I will, with God’s help.


Blessing:

Lord Jesus Christ, your friends, have brought to you these special friends:  Bless we pray these delightful creatures, and grant that those who tend to their care will take delight in all of God’s creation, in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Song sung during the blessing of each Animal: If I were a Butterfly
1-If I were a butterfly, I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings.  And if I were a robin in a tree, I’d thank you Lord, that I could sing.  And if I were a fish in the sea, I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee, but I just thank you Father for making me ‘me.’

Chorus:  For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile.  You gave Jesus and you made me your child.  And I just thank you, Father for making me, ‘me.’

2-If I were an elephant, I’d thank you, Lord, by raising my trunk.  And if I were a kangaroo, you know I’d hop right up to you.  And if I were an octopus, I’d thank you Lord, for my find looks, but I just thank you Father, for making me, ‘me.’  Chorus

3-If I were a wiggly worm, I’d thank you, Lord that I could squirm.  And If I were a Billy goat, I’d thank you, Lord for my strong throat.  And if I were a fuzzy-wuzzy bear, I’d thank you, Lord, for my fuzzy-wuzzy hair, but I just thank you, Father, for making me ‘me.’  Chorus


Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song: As the Deer Pants for the Water, (Renew # 9)

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you; you alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you.  Refrain: You alone are my strength, my shield, to you alone may my spirit yield; you alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship you!

I want you more than gold or silver, only you can satisfy; you alone are the real joy-giver and the apple of my eye.  Refrain.


Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of God.”
All become members of a family by birth or adoption.
Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.
A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.
The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.
Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we
   Forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;
You have made us in your image
And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:
Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.
And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph
And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat
  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as 
  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death, resurrection of Christ and that his  presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory
 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,  


Our Father (Sung): (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from evil: Hallowed by thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.
Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:        Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia!

Word of Administration.

Communion Hymn: Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me bring your love.  Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord, And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.  Refrain

Refrain:  Oh, Master, grant I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace.  Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope.  Where there is darkness only light, and where there’s sadness ever joy.  Refrain

Make me a channel of your peace.  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, in giving to all men that we receive and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.  Refrain.
Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;
We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.
And His Presence has been known to us.
We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers
    and sisters in Christ.
Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the
     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,
As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: All Things Bright & Beautiful (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 12)

Refrain:  All things bright & beautiful, all creatures great & small, all things wise & wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, each little bird that sings, he made their glowing colors, he made their tiny wings.  Refrain

The purple-headed mountain, the river running by, the sunset, and the morning that brightens up the sky.  Refrain

He gave us eyes to see them, and lips that we might tell how great is God Almighty, who has made all things well.  Refrain

Dismissal:  

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!

Eucharist and Sign Value Crisis

Maundy Thursday March 28, 2024 Ex. 12:1-14a Ps. 78:14-20, 23-25 1 Cor 11:23-32 John 13:1-15 Lectionary Link On Maundy Thursday, many Christi...