Get with the Mystery!

9 Pentecost, Cp11, July 21, 2013   

Gen. 18:1-14    Ps.15  

Col. 1:21-29  Luke 10:38-42 

Lectionary Link

  The word mystery has various meanings for us today.  When we think of literature and cinema, Mystery is a genre which sometimes is synonymous with detective stories; the mystery is "Who dunnit?"  And the detective is the one who, if successful, solves the crime.  Of course there are many other varieties of the genre of Mystery in literature and cinema and television.

  In the study of religion, there is a classification of the Greco-Hellenistic religions as "Mystery Religions."  In various Temple based communities, initiates were initiated into the particular "mysteries" or secrets about the life of the gods and goddesses.

  Christianity was born within the crucible of the various expressions of Judaism at the time of Jesus and the many kinds of Mystery Religions which was part of the Roman Occupation of Palestine and the cities of Asia Minor. 

  Mystery religious were regarded to be false religions or competitors to the message of Christ since they centered upon the gods and goddess of the Greco-Roman religions and the Roman army also integrated Mithraism from Persian into the pantheon of Greco-Roman gods and goddesses.

  In Greco-Roman society, a person could have three religious perspectives; one was the civil religion in the cult of the Emperor, the other was a more philosophical religion and the third a more secretive Mystery Religion participation.  There were secrets and secret rites involved in the practice of a Mystery Religion.  We know about Mystery Religions from Christian writers who wrote against their practice and how they had come to influence those Christians who were regarded as heretics.  The success of Christianity meant that many of the writings of the Mystery Religions were destroyed.  One of the sad facts of human history is that doctrinal and ideological winners usually destroyed the writings of the losers.

  Tarsus where St. Paul was born was a prominent center for Mystery Religion.  The early Christian Movement could have a mystery and secretive status within the Roman societies, though the Christians were often persecuted because they refused to participate in the Roman civil religion, the cult of the Emperor.

  The Christian movement shared common language use with the people in the places where it grew and blossomed.  It is not surprising that things which are common to Mystery Religions are also found in the Christian movement.  All of the Mystery religions had sacred meals,  ritual baths as part of initiation and Divine human beings who had died and had rebirths, and who had goddess consorts or mothers.

  St. Paul had come into an experience of a mystery; he had been knocked to the ground by a mystical experience.  In this experience, he found that the physical Jesus of Nazareth could now be experienced the Risen Christ as a new and particular personal presence of God in his life.  After this experience, he coupled his study of Judaism with the religious vocabulary of his learning context and he gave birth to Gentile Christianity.

  St. Paul received a mystery that could compete with the mysteries of the Mystery Religions of his time.  The experience of St. Paul could be replicated by others who Paul found could also have an experience of the Risen Christ.  The entire Christian Movement became constituted by people who had this experience and shared it and were fascinated to see that they had the ability to transmit this experience in a communal way.  What the church did was to encode this Risen Christ Mystery experience within secretive writings which were shared only with the initiated members of the body of Christ.  Those who were in the body of Christ, understood themselves to be under the directed guidance of Christ as their head.  They were excited to witness the replication of the experience of the Risen Christ through what they called the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

  The writings of the church initially were secretive and they were coded.  How did a person have the life of Christ born within oneself?  They had this experience of being inundated, surrounded, cleansed and bathed by the Holy Spirit.  They were over-shadowed by the Holy Spirit.  So one can easily see how the early Christians coded this experience in the life of the Virgin Mary.  The Virgin Mary was every Christian whose life had been miraculously over-shadowed by the Holy Spirit and the life of Christ was born within a person who was initiated and began the life process of spiritual transformation.

  So, in the Epistle that we have read today, one finds that Paul is touting to fellow initiates this secret Mystery.  What is the mystery?  Christ in you, the hope of glory.  If one lived in Roman Society, one would be tempted to want the benefits of participating in their civil religion, the cult of the Emperor.  One could come to public recognition through participation in the Roman Civil religion.  But Paul said, to know the birth of Christ in oneself was to know such a particular presence of God in such a personal way that one had the fame and glory of being known and recognized by Christ.  One did not need the civil religion of Roman society because of the experience of being profoundly known and loved by Christ.

  The early Christian community also practiced the continual event of the reception of the Risen Christ into one's life.  This was the communal meal of the Holy Eucharist.  This is a mystery tradition of believing that the words Jesus used to associate the essence of his life with bread and wine, recited again and again could renew each recipient into the knowledge of the closeness of Christ to one's life.  In the Eucharistic meal, the church encoded in a liturgy the Mystery of how the Risen Christ was a real presence within the bread and wine.  Not surprisingly, the Latin word for the Greek "mysterion" is sacramentum.  A sacrament is the ritual way of perceiving the grace of the presence of Christ.

Why did the church practice rituals?  Why did the church publish the mysteries within the Epistles and Gospels which became the New Testament?  Paul and others knew that if the Mystery of the Risen Christ was not preached, practiced and renewed, it could be neglected and forgotten.  In fact, Paul wrote about people who had experienced the joys of the Risen Christ but lost the reality through non-observance and by refusing to share the experience so it could be replicated in the lives of others.

  The mystery of Christ in us can become neglected and forgotten, when our active and busy lives express the priority of earning a living and taking care of the ordinary issues of the life.

  The Mary and Martha story in the Gospel is not about Martha the worrywart worker who is troubled by her navel gazing space cadet sister who gets approved by Jesus for being able to neglect the practical work of hospitality by being on a perpetual religious retreat.

  Some would like to reduce this story to: Martha bad.  Mary good.

  This is not the purpose of the Gospel story at all.  The purpose of the Gospel story is to reveal that the Risen Christ is known and attended to by taking the time to spend in devoted contemplation of the Mystery of the personal presence of Christ to us.  The mistake of Martha is the human mistake to think that all of the other tasks of our lives are incompatible with and competing with the vocation that we have to contemplate the Risen Christ in our lives.

  It is not an either/or matter; it is both/and.  Yes the practical work needs to be done and should be done, but each person needs to know how and when to attend to moments of contemplation when the personal presence of the Risen Christ is being known in some telling way.

  The message of Mary choosing the better part is this:  Don't neglect contemplation of the Risen Christ in life.  Don't miss the continual replication of Christ in you, the hope of Glory.

  Today, we are invited to complement our active lives of work with the intentional practice of contemplation.  It was not difficult for Mary to tune into Christ.  In contemplation one learns to retreat into one's interior life as a retreat of being constituted and refreshed to go forth into the work and busyness of one's life.

  The Gospel Today:  Christ in you, the hope of glory.  Don't miss the glory.  Don't miss the experience of being personally recognized by God.  And don't neglect contemplation of the Risen Christ.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 17, 2016 C proper 11

Sunday School, July 17, 2016      9 Pentecost,  C proper 11

Themes

What is the most import “computer” center of the human body?

Is it our legs? Stomach? Arms? Heart? Mouth?

No it is our head which houses the most important computer center of our entire body.

So how do we know that our head is the most important computer center of our body?

We know when we learn to think and when we practice thinking and learning.

Paul said the church was like a body made up of many organs and parts.  But Paul wrote that the head of the body, the church was Christ.

And so how do we make the church function the very best?  We keep in touch with Christ as our brain.  We look to his life and his words and his example and the people whom he has inspired. 

We stay in touch with Christ so that we can make the church a group of people who practice love and kindness and service and telling people the Good News of Christ being with us as our Head.

Mary and Martha were friends of Jesus.

Sometimes in our lives we need to be very active.  We need to work; we need to prepare food, wash the dishes and the clothes and clean the houses.  Martha was a very good worker and she was upset when Mary was not working as hard as she was.  Mary was doing something else.  She was sitting and learning from her best friend Jesus.

In our lives we need to know when to work and when to stop working and learn to get to know Jesus as our best friend who can help us grow in being the very best persons that we can be.

Work is good; prayer and learning from Jesus is also very good and most important.  We need to take time to work but never forget the importance of prayer and talking to Jesus.

Sermon

  Ding dong, the door bell rings.  And you open the door and you have surprise visitors; it’s grandmother and grandfather.  They are on a trip and can only spend a few hours at your house.  What do your parents do?

  Do they make you go finish all of your chores?  Do they make you leave the room and wash the dishes?  Do they make you practice your music lesson or finish your homework?

  No, why?  Because grandmother and grandfather are only going to be there for just a few hours and so everyone gets to spend time being with them.

  Well, Jesus dropped in one day at the home of his friends Mary and Martha.  And they were very excited because Jesus was a special person in their lives and they could not see him all of the time, so they wanted to make his visit special.

  Martha loved her friend Jesus and she was a good hostess.  She wanted to treat Jesus as a special guest.  So she wanted to get the house all fixed up and cleaned and she wanted to get the food all prepared.

  But her sister Mary just sat in the living room talking with Jesus.  And that upset Martha because Mary wouldn’t help.

  Jesus was not worried about getting food and he was not worried if the house was not in order or if the good napkins were put out and fresh flowers were in place.

  Jesus only wanted to spend time with his friends:  He wanted Mary and Martha to be with him and talk with him.  And he wanted to talk with him and tell them some wonderful things.

  Did you know that you and I can sometimes be so busy we forget that God is our friend and that God just wants to spend time with us?

  That is why God gave us the commandment about the Sabbath or worship day of Sunday.  It means that we are to stop everything in our lives sometimes and just take time to be with God, to be with Christ.

  And we do this by hearing the stories of the Bible.  We do this by praying with others.  And we do this each day by setting aside some time to just talk with Christ.

  Jesus was happy that Mary took time from her work to talk to him.  And Jesus is happy when we take time to pray and to spend time with God.

  Let us remember what Mary did.  She remembered to take time to be with Jesus.  And so we should do the same.  Amen.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 17, 2016: The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Jesus in the Morning, Only A Boy Named David, I Come with Joy, Christ Beside Me

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: Jesus in the Morning, (Christian Children’s Songbook,   # 134)

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning, Jesus at the noontime.  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus when the sun goes down.

Love him, love him, love him in the morning, love him at the noontime.  Love him, love him, love him when the sun goes down.

Serve him, serve him, serve him in the morning, serve him at the noontime.  Serve him, serve him, serve him when the sun goes down.

Praise him, praise him, praise in the morning, praise him at the noontime.  Praise him, praise him, praise him when the sun goes down.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Liturgy Leader: In our prayers we first praise God, chanting the praise word: Alleluia

Litany of Praise: 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

A reading from the Letter to the Colossians

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 52

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; * I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

I will give you thanks for what you have done * and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.

Liturgy Leader: I invite you to let us know what you are thankful for today

   As we thank God let us chant Thanks be to God

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God!

Litanist:

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!

(Sing Birthday blessings or wedding blessings to those present who are celebrating)

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Liturgy Leader: Next in our prayers, we remember people who have special needs.  As we pray let us chant:  Christ Have Mercy

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

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

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Song: Only a Boy Named David, (All the Best Songs for Kids, # 112)

Only boy named David.  Only a little sling.  Only a boy named David, but he could pray and sing.  Only a boy named David, only a rippling brook.  Only a boy named David, and five little stones he took.  And one little stone went in the sling and the sling went round and round.  And one little stone went in the sling and the sling went round and round.  AND….round and round and round and round and round and round and round.  And one little stone went up in the air.  And the giant came tumbling down.

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 heaven.”

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 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.

And so, Father, the gifts of bread and wine will be presented at the Eucharist. We ask you to 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.

We remember that 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 and 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: (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 be 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:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion Song: I Come with Joy, (Renew! # 195)

I come with joy a child of God, forgiven, loved and free, the life of Jesus to recall, in love laid down for me.

I come with Christians far and near to find, as all are fed, the new communion of love in Christ’s communion bread.

As Christ breaks bread, and bids us share, each proud division ends.  The love that made us, makes us one, and strangers now are friends.

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: Christ Beside Me (Renew! # 164)

Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, king of my heart.  Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me, never to part

Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand, Christ all around me, shield in the strife.  Christ in my sleeping, Christ in my sitting, Christ in my rising light of my life.

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God! 

The Expansive Meaning of "Neighbor"

8 Pentecost, Cp10, July 10, 2016  

Deut. 30:9-14   Ps.25:3-9  

Col. 10:25-37  Luke 10:25-37 

Lectionary Link

  We as citizens of our world have had some heart wrenching events of death and dying dominate the news cycle.  Some events in our country and some overseas.  The Orlando night club shootings which targeted a group of LGBTQ people; the bombing in the Istanbul airport, the bombing of a restaurant in Dacca, Bangladesh, the deaths of almost 300 in ISIS bombings in Iraq, the deaths of two African American men in seeming routine law enforcement  interactions and the shooting and injury of police officers and bystanders after a peaceful rally in Dallas, Texas.  All lives are valued lives even though the apparent effects of the death of people are different for each of us.  We feel particularly moved in the death of members of the armed service and our police officers because these are people who have voluntarily signed up to put their lives on the line to protect the lives of other people.  And so we feel rather devastated when the lives of the officers who were protecting the rights of free speech had their lives taken and injured.
  Today, more than ever everyone in our world needs a lesson in the meaning of the word neighbor.  Killing others because they are anonymous people reveals a terrible pre-condition of the heart.   Killing people because of their race, their various personal identities, nationalities or occupation means that someone has dehumanized another person to the point of eliminating them from one's world. 
  Most people have not killed or thought about killing other people, but we are all tempted to "eliminate" people from our lives by just pretending that they don't exist or by complete neglect or passive aggression.
  The Gospel account is about an  encounter between Jesus and a lawyer.  "Jesus, what must I do for eternal life?  Love God and your neighbor.  But the lawyer wanted to quantify the meaning of the word neighbor?  The lawyer was really asking, "Jesus, who are the people whom I have to love in order to say that I have kept God's law?"
  Jesus answered him with a story.  The famous American story teller Garrison Keillor retired this past week.  In one of his books he wrote, "You get old and realize that there are no answers, just stories."  Jesus taught with stories, the ones we call parables.  And so we have the story of the Good Samaritan.
  The Good Samaritan story was a brilliant way to counter this debating lawyer.  The story is simply cleverly wise and hits us right between the eye, and Jesus does not even have to say, "Gotcha!"
  The rules states: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  With the Good Samaritan, Jesus was saying that You are the neighbor when you are treating everyone like your neighbor.  Who do I have to love Jesus?  No, you are the neighbor when you are doing the loving care.  Do you see how Jesus showed us that neighbor is both a passive and an active notion.  The lawyer wanted neighbor to be a very passive and limited notion.  "Well, Jesus, I will love the people whom I like but don't ask me to love the people whom I don't like or whom I don't associate with." 
  The Good Samaritan story also reveals the smallness and the ethnocentricities of our hearts.  What do we feel like when someone whom we do not like, does something wonderful and kind?    We get angry when our prejudices are exposed.  The Jews in the time of Jesus did not like the Samaritans.  So what did Jesus do?  He told a story to the Jews which had a natural enemy of the Jews play the role of the loving kind person.  And he used Jewish religious leaders as those who could not be inconvenienced to stop and help the man who had been robbed, beaten and left for dead.
  Whether one is Gentile, Jew, Samaritan, white, black, red or yellow, everyone is supposed to act neighborly and regard everyone as one's neighbor.
  Can we see how Jesus expanded the notion of being a neighbor from the passive to the active?
  We need this full notion of what it means to be a neighbor today.  You and I can sometimes be in the passive mode of being a neighbor.  We often need the kindness of friend and stranger in our lives.  And may God grant us friends and Good Samaritans in the times of our needs.
  The point of the parable of Jesus was this: the passive notion of neighbor is not enough.  All of us need to be active neighbors to anyone who needs us.  The reason we have embraced a path of spiritual transformation is so that our hearts can be expanded to be active neighbors when the opportunity arises.
  If I have fear, bias and prejudice against people which inhibit me from acting in a caring way, then I am not a neighbor as Jesus Christ defined neighbor.
  Ask not what my neighbors can do for us; let us ask what we can do as active neighbors toward all of the neighbors who come into our lives.
  Today, more than ever our world, our country, our neighborhoods need this Good Samaritan notion of neighbor.
  Let us ask God for the largesse of heart actively to be good neighbors today.  Amen.

Sunday School, July 10, 2016 8 Pentecost, C proper 10

Sunday School, July 10, 2016       8 Pentecost, C proper 10

Exploring the Theme of the Parable of the Good Samaritan

What is a neighbor?

Sometimes we think that neighbors are people who live close to each other.

Sometimes we think that neighbors are just the people who we feel familiar and comfortable with.

When Jesus said that we are to “love our neighbor as ourselves,”  a man asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  He was really asking Jesus, “Who am I required to love in order to please God.”

Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to show a different meaning for “neighbor.”

Neighbors are not just people who live close to each other and are familiar with each other.  A neighbor is one who cares for anyone who is in need.

So a neighbor is doing and not just being.  This means we have to work in our lives to practice kindness all of the time so that we are always in good practice of being a neighbor.

Sermon

  What is a neighbor?

  Sometimes we use neighbor to mean only the people who live close to us.

  But sometimes people who live close to each other are not very friendly.

  Jesus told a story to help teach a young lawyer about the meaning of being a neighbor.

  One day a man was traveling to Jericho.  And he was attacked by robbers.  They hurt him and took all of his belongings and left him in the ditch.

  Two very important people, a priest and Levite saw the poor man in the ditch and but they did not stop to help him; they walked by because they thought that the man was dead.

  Then a man, a Samaritan, came and saw the man. (The Samaritan was a man who would not be liked by the lawyer).  The Samaritan nursed and cared for the man and carried him on his donkey to a place where he could heal.

  After Jesus told the story, he asked the lawyer.  Who was the neighbor?  And the lawyer answered, “The Samaritan, the one who showed care and mercy.

  Jesus taught an important message about the meaning of being a neighbor.

  A neighbor is not just someone who lives close to us.  A neighbor is you and I, and anybody when they show love and kindness and mercy to people who are in need.

  Today, we want God to make us good neighbors, because we want to be those who respond to people in need.

St. John the Divine Episcopal Church

17740 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Family Service with Holy Eucharist

July 10,  2016: The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: Kum Ba Yah, This Little Light of Mine, Seek Ye First, Praise Him

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: Kum Ba Ya, (Christian Children’s Songbook  # 150)

Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah.  Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah.  Kum ba yah my Lord, kum ba yah.  O Lord, kum ba yah.

Someone’s singing Lord, kum ba yah.  Someone’s singing Lord, kum ba yah. Someone’s singing Lord, kum ba yah.   O Lord, kum ba yah.

Someone’s loving Lord, kum ba yah.  Someone’s loving Lord, kum ba yah. Someone’s loving Lord, kum ba yah.  O Lord, kum ba yah.

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Liturgy Leader: In our prayers we first praise God, chanting the praise word: Alleluia

Litany of Praise: 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

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy

For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, when you obey the LORD your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 25

Show me your ways, O LORD, * and teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me, * for you are the God of my salvation; in you have I trusted all the day long.

Remember, O LORD, your compassion and love, * for they are from everlasting.

Liturgy Leader: I invite you to let us know what you are thankful for today

   As we thank God let us chant Thanks be to God

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God!  (Chanted)

Litanist:

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 Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, `Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon –   

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Liturgy Leader: Next in our prayers, we remember people who have special needs.  As we pray let us chant:  Christ Have Mercy

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

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

People:                        And also with you.

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

Offertory Song: This Little Light of Mine, (Christian Children’s Songbook, # 234)

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.  This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, No!  I’m going to let it shine.  Hide it under a bushel, No!  I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Don’t let anyone blow it out, I’m going to let it shine.  Don’t let anyone blow it out, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine.  Shine all over my neighborhood, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

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 heaven.”

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 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 or said)

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 a 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.

And so, Father, we gifts of bread and wine will be presented. We ask you to 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.

We remember that 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 the holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and 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: (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 be 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:       Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast. 

Words of Administration

Communion Song: Seek Ye First, (Blue Hymnal, # 711)

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you, allelu, alleluia. Refrain: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, allelu, alleluia.

Ask, and it shall be given unto you, seek, and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you; Allelu, alleluia.    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: Praise Him, All Ye Little Children (Christian Children’s Songbook,  # 184)

Praise him, praise him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Praise him, praise him all ye little children, God is love.  God is love.

Love him, love him all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Love him, love him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.

Thank him, thank him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love.  Thank him, thank him all ye little children, God is love, God is love.

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God! 

Confessing Primary Citizenship

7 Pentecost, C p 9, July 3, 2016  

Isaiah 66:10-14 Psalm 66:1-10

Gal. 6:1-18    Luke 10:1-12,16-20  

Lectionary Link
  What if you were ask me today:  Can I be American citizen?  I would be rather shocked and I might have some questions for you.  Like: Aren't you already an American citizen?  Were you not born in the United States?  Were not your parents American citizens?  And how did you come to believe that you are not an American citizen?  Didn't you get instructed about your identity and rights as an American citizen?  Did someone not tell you that you were an American citizen?  Did someone tell you that you were not good enough to be an American citizen?  Why are you confused about not being an American citizen? 
   If you did not know about your American citizenship the I would want to teach you about your true identity as an American citizen.
  When Jesus grew up in Palestine he discovered something about many people.  He discovered that many people did not believe that they were children of God.  Why?  They did not have good knowledge about God or themselves.  Why?  Because many religious leaders made them feel like God was not their heavenly Father?  Why?  Because these religious leaders had some many special little rules which people did not and could not easily follow, and so the religious people came to tell people that only certain people were God's chosen people or children.
  This angered and saddened Jesus.  Why?  Because when he prayed, he prayed to God as his Father and he wondered why all people could not pray to God as God's children too.  Jesus knew that God created the world and that God made people in God's image, and so everyone is a child of God.  And Jesus knew that God had created a world for God's children to live in.  So all people live as God's children in God's world or God's kingdom.
  Jesus was sad that people did not know and believe this.  He was angry with people who did not preach this correct information to people.
  So when Jesus began his ministry he realized that he had a big mission to accomplish.  He had to correct all of the bad information that people had about themselves and about God.
  Jesus trained his friends and disciples to become group of people to spread the true message about God and about how all people could accept themselves as sons and daughters of God.  Jesus trained his evangelist to go to people and offer them peace and to tell them: The kingdom of God is near.
  Jesus wanted all people to know that everyone lives in the kingdom of God as a citizen of God's kingdom.
  When the disciples of Jesus came back from their mission, they were excited that they had defeated the devil who is the father of lies.  When they brought the truth of the message of God's kingdom, they defeated the lies that had ruled peoples' life.  And they were very proud of their mission.
  But Jesus had an important reminder for them.  No matter what we do, we need to rejoice that "our names are written in heaven."  This is a poetic way of saying, "The most important truth of our lives is that we are sons and daughters of God and we are made in God's image and we are citizens of God's kingdom in our lives while we live and we will continue to be citizens of God's kingdom after we have died.
  Tomorrow is the 4th of July and we will celebrate the birthday of our country.  We are proud of our country and we are proud to be citizens of our country.  But let us remember today,  that we have another larger country, we have the entire country of God's creation and so we live too as citizens in God's kingdom as God's sons and daughters.
  Let us be thankful that Jesus came to remind us that we live as citizens in God's kingdom as sons and daughters of God.  Amen.