Lent
Lent is coming up, it starts this
coming Wednesday, called Ash Wednesday.
So, what does the word Lent mean? It has an obscure origin, and is
probably a corruption of Lencten, or a similar term in ancient Anglo, Saxon,
and Germanic languages, all of which referred to spring, new life, and hope. Although it is generally considered to
be a time of mourning and repentance, it is more than that, it is like death, a
time of new life and hope because by means of the death of Christ, we receive
new life.
Many avoid Lent and Holy Week
because they think it isn’t a happy and uplifting time—but to be honest,
neither is most of life. Sometimes we come to church all scrubbed up, dressed
nicely, with smiles on our faces, and when people ask how we are, we reply that
everything is fine and we even boast how wonderful things are—but is it? Life is not always uplifting, or
wonderful, or pleasant, or joyous.
To claim it is, is to miss the whole point of the incarnation! God
became flesh in Jesus Christ. Jesus faced temptation, He suffered hunger and
thirst, He suffered the agony of crucifixion. Jesus our God did not face these
things so that we would be exempt from them, He faced these things so that we
would have dignity in them, He faced these things that in Him we might have
triumph.
The forty days commemorate the
significant "forty" periods in Scripture (although forty is not
always significant), including the forty years the Jews wandered in the desert
after they had been rescued by God from Egypt, and which did not end until they
repented. Jonah preached to Nineveh that God's judgment would come on them in
forty days. During that time the people repented and thus were spared God's
judgment. Jesus was tested by the Devil in the desert for forty days before He
began His public ministry, announcing salvation to the repentant and judgment
to those who continued to rebel against God. Jesus prophesied that God's
judgment would come against Israel for rejecting Him as Messiah within the time
of His own generation (Matt.
24; Luke 21; Mark 13). Within forty years of His death, burial, and
resurrection, Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple was so ravaged that
"not one stone [was] left here upon another" (Matt. 24:2). The Jewish Christians,
however, escaped this judgment of God by fleeing to Pella before the final
Roman siege, just as Jesus had warned them to do (Matt. 24:16-21).
Lent is a time for Christians to
contemplate their sinfulness, repent, ask God's forgiveness, and realize the
infinite sacrifice God made on their behalf. It is to be a time of quiet
contemplation, but not a time of despair, since it culminates in the
commemoration of the resurrection. Traditionally, those who are joining the
church spend this period in special instruction regarding Christian doctrine,
practice, and responsibility. Historically, prospective members
("catechumens") did not participate in the Lord's Supper portion of
the Sunday services until they were received into full membership on the Sunday
of the Resurrection of Our Lord. For them, this first experience of Ash
Wednesday and Lent has special significance as God's eternal plan of salvation
is applied to them personally.
When Jesus taught us how to pray,
He didn’t say, “If you elect to pray, do it this way…” and when He taught about
fasting, He didn’t say, “If you elect to fast, do it this way…”
He said, when you pray, don’t do it for show like the hypocrites do. It’s a
conversation between you and God. And He gave us the Lord’s Prayer as an
example of what we should pray about:
Address God
“Our Father, who
art…”
Submit to God’s will
“Thy Kingdom
come, thy will be done…”
Ask for your physical needs
“Give us this
day our daily bread…”
Ask for forgiveness
“Forgive us our
trespasses…”
To the degree that you yourself are willing
to forgive…
“As we forgive
our trespassers…”
Ask for help with temptations
“Lead us not
into temptation…”
And preservation from evil
“Deliver us from
evil…”
Recognizing whose world this really is
“For thine is
the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever and ever.”
Similarly, Jesus told us that when we fast (not if) we are not to make a show of it, like hypocrites do. A fast is
different from a hunger strike: a fast is a personal act of devotion to God,
while a hunger strike is a public act most often used to shine a spotlight on
injustice. A fast is also different from anorexia nervosa: it is disciplined diet, not total abstention
from food. During a religious fast, you still eat, you just abstain from
certain foodstuffs. Traditionally, people have fasted by eliminating luxury
items from their diets, such as meats. A fast can consist of eating whatever
you want, but drinking only water.
More positively, you can fast in
other areas beyond food, you can commit to a something that can benefit the
church, such cutting back in an entertainment area, using that time for Bible
study and donating the savings to the church.
On Palm Sunday, there were crowds
who cheered Jesus as the King, but where were all those fair-weather friends
when Jesus prayed in agony on Gethsemane, and where were they when He hung upon
the cross? Let us be bold to join Him, fasting in the wilderness for forty days
during Lent; let us be bold to pray with Him in the garden on Maundy Thursday,
let us fearlessly stand at the foot of His cross on Good Friday, so that we may
witness His Resurrection and His Ascension, and join in His triumphant reign.
Mite
Boxes
If you read this report at all,
you know the Anglican Orthodox Church (AOC), and this parish in particular, is
not about money. Not that money is
not useful, but the parish has plenty.
Any extra we get, we send it to the AOC to use for their mission
work. The AOC works on a very slim
budget, they aren’t about money either.
The AOC is about the Great Commission; to go forth and spread The Word
of the Lord:
18And Jesus came and
spake unto them, saying, ‘…19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mt. 28:19-20)
You may not realize it, but the
AOC has national church affiliates in 22 countries around the world, that does
take a little money. Not great
quantities of money, but some and as a church, we would be dirt poor, if we had
dirt.
So, that is where the Mite Boxes
come in. Ash Wednesday is 22
February 2012; Easter Sunday is 8 April 2012. That period is Lent.
Often thought of as a time for fasting, it is more importantly a time to
channel your attention towards God.
A time to let your heart open to the Holy Ghost that you might come
closer to God and perhaps do His Work more effectively.
So, to exercise this concept, we
are asking you to cut back. We
know the economy is not really great and you are probably cutting back
already. So, cut back a bit
more. Take part of your
savings every day and put it in the Mite Box. If you did not cut back on a given day, dig into your wallet
or purse and cut out a bit of cash for the Mite Box anyway. Every day, except Sundays. Sundays are the Lord’s Day and a day of
celebration. They are not part of
Lent. By Easter Sunday, you will
have a full Mite Box. Bring it to
church, this church, another church, that is best. If you cannot find a church to actually go to on Easter, you
probably aren’t looking hard enough, but pull the money out and send us a
check, payable to the Anglican Orthodox Church and we will send it on.
One box for each member of the
family. A little bit, just a mite,
every day. Every day, miss
none. Every day, every body in the
family can do just a little bit.
When you drop your daily contribution in, think, “Did I do what I could
today for the Lord? Did I fall
short or meet the standard? Can I
do better tomorrow? Will I?” It should be a time of reflection. It will be if you do it.
By the way, what is a Mite
Box? Named after the smallest of
Roman coins, a normal wage of the time being 10 mites per hour, of which two
were donated by the widow, in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4, it is normally a
small cardboard box, say 3 inches each dimension, a cube piggy bank so to
speak. If you don’t have one,
call, email or write. We have a
pile of them.
Don’t miss this opportunity to
contribute to the Lord’s Work and make your life better at the same time.
Propers
The Propers for today are found
on Page 122-124, with the Collect first:
The Sunday called Quinquagesima, or the
Sunday next before before Lent.
The
Collect.
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LORD who hast taught us that all our
doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into
our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of
all virtues, without which whoso-ever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant
this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
Ryan Hopkins read
the Epistle for today, which came from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians,
starting at the First Verse of the Thirteenth Chapter. Paul talks of charity[1],
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I
am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift
of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing.” Paul goes on to say that
no matter what you do, if in your heart you have not that love for others, it
is all to naught. Our
understanding here on earth is limited, we will never here see the fullness of
God’s plan, yet the part most clear is the love we must have one for another,
to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, for no reason other than we
know that is right so to do. Paul
uses the phraseology “through a glass, darkly”, which is very interesting
inasmuch as CS Lewis uses a variation to describe earth as compared to
heaven. He calls the earth The
Shadowlands and says in heaven all is clear and bright, not dark and muddled as
here on earth.
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HOUGH I
speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become
as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give
my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity
suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself,
is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge,
it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when
that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see
through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then
shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity,
these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Deacon Striker Jack Arnold read the Holy Gospel for
today which came from the Gospel of Saint Luke, starting at the Thirty-First
Verse of the Eighteenth Chapter.
The Gospel starts out telling of Jesus’ trying to prepare his disciples
for what was to come, and they could not grasp it: “Then Jesus took unto him
the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things
that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be
accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked,
and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put
him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none
of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the
things which were spoken.” The
Gospel goes on to tell of Jesus’ healing of a blind man near Jericho, “And it
came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by
the way-side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it
meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried,
saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before
rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou
son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be
brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt
thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And
immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all
the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
If you take nothing else from today’s Gospel, take
this – Faith will save you. After
you are saved, you need to act on your faith. The order is clear.
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HEN Jesus took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we
go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning
the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the
Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and
they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise
again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from
them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pass, that
as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside
begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they
told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou
son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he
should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have
mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and
when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do
unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto
him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received
his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw
it, gave praise unto God.
Sermon – Time
and Action
Today’s sermon brought the
Collect, Epistle and Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords
above.
Consider these words from the Collect:
… that all our doings without
charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that
most excellent gift of charity …
In the Collect, we acknowledge to God that if we have
not charity, nothing we do is worth anything; we then ask Him to send the Holy
Ghost into our hearts with the precious gift of charity. Webster tells us that Charity is love;
universal benevolence; good will; the word which properly denotes love. Properly understood the Love of God,
that perfect love, to which man should aspire.
Paul tells us no matter our gifts, talents and so
called accomplishments, without the Love of God, we are nothing and have done
nothing. It must be clear to
us that our understanding here on earth is limited, we will never here see the
fullness of God’s plan, yet the part most clear is the love we are to have one
for another, to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, for no reason
other than we know that is right so to do. When Paul talks about God’s great plans, he uses the
phraseology “through a glass, darkly”, which is very interesting inasmuch as CS
Lewis uses a variation to describe earth as compared to heaven. He calls the earth The Shadowlands and
says in heaven all is clear and bright, not dark and muddled as here on
earth. So, here our understanding
is limited, it will not always be so.
As they were coming in to Jericho, Jesus told the
disciples of what was to come, yet they could not grasp their leader would
submit to such treatment on their behalf.
He was the Conqueror; in a sense they were right, He was to conquer
death for us, but not the Roman Empire.
As they went along, they encountered the blind man. The blind man who wanted his sight and
knew Jesus had The Power. He cried
unto the Lord and was rebuffed by His People. Did he give up?
No, he cried the more. When
Jesus heard him, he turned and asked what the man wanted. MY SIGHT! No generalizations, no beating about. He asked of Him what he truly
wanted. Ask and it shall be given
unto you. The blind man lacked
sight, but not vision. Nor, it
might be added did he lack faith.
To some, the faith he had might seem a blind faith, but it was one that
he acted on and gained what he lacked.
Will we have the faith to act?
True love is Faith, Hope, Charity[2].
Bishop Ogles’ Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get
copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.
Today is one of those Sundays.
Today we get a brilliant and inspiring sermon based on the propers for
this week:
Sermon
Notes for Quinquagesima Sunday
19
February 2012 Anno Domini
The Sunday called Quinquagesima, or the
Sunday next before before Lent.
The
Collect.
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LORD who hast taught us that all our
doings without charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into
our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of
all virtues, without which whoso-ever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant
this for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
31 Then
he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are
written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and
shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death:
and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And
they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them,
neither knew they the things which were spoken. 35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh
unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what
it meant. 37 And
they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David,
have mercy on me. 39 And
they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried
so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought
unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43 And
immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all
the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. (Luke 18:31-43)
We
will see today how Christ was so exceedingly constant in His love for us even
while His death was impending. He never waivered in the face of His coming
passion, It is an unattainable standard to which we must aspire. It is not a
simple matter to consider the welfare and spiritual disposition of others while
we are headed for a cruel cross ourselves, but Christ DID, and He did so as
earnestly as He did at the beginning of His ministry.
We
will know also how prevailing prayer, in the face of detractors, will be heard
by God. Though many – even supposed believers – may attempt to severe our
voices from a direct access to God, with perseverance, no wall can divide from
the Springs of Mercy in Christ.
We
would miss the great thrust of the day if we did not make mention of the
prescribed Epistle for today – 1 Cor 13 – the Love Chapter. All that Christ
bore in His body and soul for us was an open demonstration of that love
presented in 1 Cor 13.
1 Though
I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am
become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so
that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it
profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity
envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her
own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth
all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be
prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then
that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Cor
13:1-10)
This
beautiful chapter tells us that all our labors, works, and service must have
their foundations in love.
No
matter the good we do, if love is not the motivator and cause, it is a waste to
us for heavenly approval.
Christ
gave, out of love, His very lifeblood for us. He was longsuffering and patient.
He did not sound a trumpet before Him, but came speaking in a voice of kindness
and soft accent. Christ bore all things for us – what have we born for
Him?
Let
us now address the text of Luke 18:31-43
Jesus
is on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. He is fully aware of the
cataclysmic events that will occur: His betrayal, His trial, His torture, and
His terrible death on the cross. But He continues to love and serve as long as
His life's breath remains – even forgiving and receiving a thief on the very
cross upon which He suffered.
31 Then
he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are
written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and
shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death:
and the third day he shall rise again. 34 And
they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them,
neither knew they the things which were spoken.
As
Jesus approached Jericho, there was a certain man who had sat begging by the
roadside. He had sat there year in and year out begging for the mere sustenance
of life. When he had been led by his friends to the place he sat down that
morning, he had not dreamed of the blessings the day would bring.
Often,
we worry about the days events but most often, our worries are unfounded and
God will provide an unexpected blessing.
Though
the man knew not of the Coming Christ, the man's plight and circumstances was
fully known by Jesus. He had watched all those years as the man sat begging
beside that dust road to Jericho. Perhaps the pre-incarnate Christ would have
wanted to touch the man's eyes with healing before he ever came to beg, but,
with God, there is a time and season for all things.
It
may be that Christ desired us to glorify God more mightily in the visible
example of His healing of the man. Even the blind have glorified the Father by
His manifest works.
35 And it came to
pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way
side begging
How
random this sounds – how accidental even. But with God, there is no random
thought or action, and there are no accidents. Christ was surely coming to the
very place that this blind man sat begging.
Christ
knew the man was worried with the cares of life much more greatly than those
who were whole. The man would have been satisfied, before he met Christ, to
have received a few shillings with which to buy food – but after we have met
Christ, those concerns fall away. Our souls loom before us and we must care for
them in Christ.
Though
blind in sight, the man was privileged to retain his hearing – and it was made
more acute by his blindness. : 36 And hearing the
multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. He wondered at the
approaching crowd and what this meant. Little did he know that he had come to
this place as a blind beggar, but would leave a blessed child of God, rejoicing
and glorifying God. He would also be a follower of the Lord who had healed his
eyes as well as his soul.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth
passeth by
God must have seen to it, in His divine Providence, that this man had heard of
Christ being discussed by passersby and his friends. He had hung on to every
word that he had heard – not knowing or believing that such as him would SEE
Christ face to face!
When
we while away our hours and days contemplating our troubles and loneliness,
little do we know that the Savior is on His Way to us.
38 And
he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. The blind man may never
have even given thought to the possibility that Jesus would restore his sight.
That was not important to the man. The most important blessing that would
outweigh all else was that Christ would simply have mercy upon him. That mercy
of Christ is of greater benefit than all else.
It
is sadly true that those nearest to Christ are often the very ones who bar the
way to others in coming to Him. This is often true even in the Church. We stake
out our territories and spheres of influence and woe be unto any who trespass.
We
too often want to keep the blessings of God to ourselves and by that desire
loose them.
39 And
they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried
so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
As
Paul counsels "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free …" (Gal 5:1) Give no ground to the naysayers.
When the enemy attack becomes most intense, retreat not – commit your reserves.
No man was going to silence this man's voice when God was listening. He simply
redoubled his effort and his volume.
40 And
Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come
near, he asked him
When
God stands still it is the moment of His greatest action. Christ stopped for
the blind man.
You
and I were blind too before Christ came to us. When we call on His Name,
He will stop and command us to be brought to Him – often by the Holy Ghost, but
now by men. He has commanded us to bring many souls. Have we done?
When
we are near to Christ, we can hear His voice.
Now
that the blind man was assured of the mercy of the Lord, he felt free to ask
whatsoever he needed most: "41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do
unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 And
Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. Please observe that Christ heals fully and not
partially, immediately and not with delay. When we have called upon Him, when
we have COME to Him, when we have HEARD His voice – He will heal us and SAVE
us. The man had great faith – and His faith was well-placed.
We
should remember how the man came to the roadside, but also how he left it. 43 And
immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all
the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
Once we have seen and known,
our souls should be changed completely. We do not depart from Christ in the
same manner in which we came. We must, if we have been made whole, depart
praising Him and glorifying His Holy Name. Our lives will be an inspiration and
curiosity to others who need to know Christ.
Bishop
Dennis Campbell’s Sunday Sermon
As
is oft the case, we are honored to present Bishop Dennis’ Sunday sermon
presented to his parish. Dennis
has an excellent command of scripture and is able to present it in a manner
which is completely understandable to the rest of us. This year’s sermons are being drawn from the book of
Psalms, or, as it is known by Anglicans, "The Psalter" which begins on page 343 of the Book of Common
Prayer. But, today he moved to
drawing the propers together in a far different sermon than Hap’s and adding in
the psalm for this Sunday, Psalm 19.
We think you will really enjoy it!
God's Law Is Love
Psalm 19,
1 Corinthians 13:1-13,
Luke 18:31-43
Quinquagesima Sunday
19 February 2012
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lessed
Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant
that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the,
that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold
fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our
Saviour Jesus Christ.
Psalm 19. Cæli enarrant.
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HE heavens declare the glory
of God; * and the firmament showeth his handy-work.
2 One day telleth another; * and one night certifieth another.
2 One day telleth another; * and one night certifieth another.
3
There is neither speech nor language; * but their voices are heard among them.
4
Their sound is gone out into all lands; * and their words into the ends of the
world.
5
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun; * which cometh forth as a bridegroom
out of his chamber, and re-joiceth as a giant to run his course.
6
It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto
the end of it again; * and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7
The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; * the testimony
of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.
8
The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of
the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.
9
The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever; * the judgments of the
Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
10
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; * sweeter also
than honey, and the honeycomb.
11
Moreover, by them is thy servant taught; * and in keeping of them there is
great reward.
12
Who can tell how oft he offendeth? * O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.
13
Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over
me; * so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.
14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable
in thy sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Quinquagesima Sunday is
the Sunday before Ash Wednesday and marks the passing of the fiftieth day
before Easter. The Collect is fairly new by Anglican standards. Less than 500
years old, it was composed for the 1549 Prayer Book by Archbishop of Canterbury
Thomas Cranmer, who was so influential in bringing Biblical Christianity back
to Britannia. The Epistle for the day is that great and inspiring passage which
defines Christian love, and the Gospel foretells God's supreme act of love in
the suffering of Christ. The Psalm for this morning shows us that the love of
God is revealed in creation and in the Law of God. These Passages remind me of
the words of Christ in two other passages of Scripture; "God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son," and, "Greater love hath no
man than this."
We are accustomed to
hearing that creation reveals the existence of God. "The firmament showeth
His handy-work," according to Psalm 19:1 and, Romans 1 tells us God is
clearly "seen" in the things He has made. But how does creation show
the love of God? Think of something you have made. Why did you create it? Did
not some part of you create it for the sheer love of creating? And doesn't some
part of you enjoy what you make just because you made it? If we can experience
such love for our creations, surely God can too, for we are created in His
image. But we don't have to rely on speculation to learn this. In Genesis we
see God lovingly engaged in the work of creation, bringing the world to its
crowning glory, which is the man and woman who were created in His image, given
dominion over the earth, and given the ability to know and love Him. Yes, God
also had other reasons for creating us, but among all His reasons, love was one
of the most primary among them. Recognizing this, we thank God daily for all
His "goodness and loving kindness," and "for our creation,
preservation, and all the blessings of this life."
God's love is also
revealed in the Law. Love is the meaning of the Law, and giving the Law was an
act of love. God's Law is love because it shows what we have to do if we want
to live in a world of peace and good will. Most people, even in today's self-worshiping
and materialistic culture, still agree that the world would be a far better
place if everyone obeyed the Ten Commandments. Many of these people have never
read 1 Corinthians 13, but if it were shown to them, I think they would agree
that a world in which people live by that kind of love would be a wonderful
place. But what is the foundation of 1 Corinthians 13? It is Exodus 20, the Ten
Commandments, which our Lord Himself summarized saying, "Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind," and, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two
commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God's Law shows us the
way to love one another. Psalm 19 makes a statement some people will find surprising
because they consider the Bible outdated and its rules oppressive. But Psalm 19
says of the Laws of God, "In keeping of them there is great reward."
There are benefits to knowing and/or living by the Law of God. I know many
people who are miserable because they are reaping what they have sown. They
have lived in sin. They have wasted their lives in wantonness and selfishness.
They have given themselves to things that destroy people, and they have found
that they have destroyed themselves. Truly there is "a way that seemeth
right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." By contrast,
living by the Law of God gives joy. It rejoices the heart. God's Law shows us
the way of peace and unity and harmony. People often want to know the secret to
good relationships or a happy marriage. There is no secret. It is all right
here in the Bible. The more closely we follow its teachings the better and
happier life is. The further we go from it the more misery we pile upon our own
heads. Our problem is not that we don't know what to do; it's that we don't do
what we know.
God's Law is love because
it points us to the Saviour. We are so used to hearing Law and Grace used as
antonyms that we sometimes forget they are both part of the same love of God
freely given to us in Christ. They are only opposites when used to describe the
way we are made acceptable, unto God. Law then becomes our attempt to cancel
out our sins by being "good" while grace means being made acceptable
by the free gift of God. In this sense, the two are completely opposite. But,
in every other way Law and grace are both expressions of God's unfailing love
for us. In fact, Law is an essential part of Grace, for God's Law shows our
need of forgiveness as a gift from God. The Law is our "schoolmaster to
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" as we read in
Galatians 3 last Monday night. Seeing ourselves in the light of God's Law makes
us realize we can never atone for our failure to live according to the moral
and spiritual way of life it reveals. We realise, then, that we are entirely
out of fellowship with God, and that our only hope of regaining that fellowship
is Him. He must do something to forgive our sins and restore us to Himself.
Learning that He has done this in the life, sacrifice, resurrection and
ascension of Christ, we run to Him in faith.
No wonder the Psalm says
God's Law is more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey. Apart from God
Himself, there is only one thing more valuable than the Law of God, and that is
the forgiveness of our trespasses against it through Jesus Christ.
--
tR. Dennis Campbell
Bishop of Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy Trinity Anglican
Orthodox Church
Powhatan, Virginia
www.HolyTrinityAnglicanOrthodoxChurch.org
Commentary
on Quinquagesima Sunday's Gospel
from F.B.Hole Commentary on the NT
Courtesy of Rev. Geordie
Menzies-Grierson, AOC UK
Commentary on Sunday's Gospel
Gospel Reading for Sunday:Luke
18:31-36
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lord was now on His final
journey to Jerusalem, and He approached Jericho for the last time. The blind
man intercepted Him in faith. The crowd told him that Jesus of Nazareth was
passing by, yet he at once addressed Him as the Son of David, and asked for
mercy. The rich ruler had asked what he should do, when the Lord had just
spoken of the kingdom being received. The blind beggar said that he would
receive when the Lord enquired what He should do to him. No transaction came to
pass in the case of the ruler: a transaction was completed on the spot in the
case of the beggar. The contrast between the two cases is very decisive.
The beggar received his sight,
and, said the Lord, "Thy faith hath saved thee." This shows that the
transaction went deeper than the opening of the eyes of his head. He became a
follower of the Jesus, who was going up to Jerusalem and to the cross; and
there was glory to God, both on his part and on the part of all the beholders.
An equally distinct case of spiritual blessing met the Lord when He entered and
passed through Jericho.
If, at this point, Luke’s Gospel
be compared with Matthew 20: 29-34, and Mark 10: 46-52, a serious discrepancy
becomes evident. Luke most definitely places the cure of the blind man as Jesus
approached Jericho, and the other two Evangelists as definitely place it as He
left Jericho. With our limited knowledge it seemed impossible on this point to
reconcile the different accounts. But during the last few years the archaeologists
have been digging in the Jericho area, and have laid bare the foundations of
two Jerichos; one, the old original city, the other, the Roman Jericho, a short
distance off. The blind man understood the begging business and planted himself
between the two! Luke writing for Gentiles, naturally has the Roman Jericho in
his mind. The other Evangelists very naturally are thinking of the original
city. We mention this to show how very simply what looks like an insuperable
objection vanishes, when we know all the facts.
What is Quinquagesima?
Quinquagesima, or, in full, Quinquagesima Sunday, is
the name for the Sunday next before Ash Wednesday in the Catholic (Universal or Whole)
Church Calendar.
The name Quinquagesima originates from Latin
quinquagesimus (fiftieth), referring to the fifty days before Easter Sunday
using inclusive counting, which counts both Sundays (normal counting would
count only one of these).
Since the forty days of the Lenten fast included only
weekdays, the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, succeeds Quinquagesima Sunday
by only three days. The earliest Quinquagesima Sunday can occur is February 1
and the latest is March 7. The Roman Church no longer observes much of the
Christian Year, including Quinquagesima and the two immediately before it —
Sexagesima and Septuagesima Sundays.
The contemporary service books of many claiming to be
Anglican provinces do not use the term but it remains in the Book of Common
Prayer.
The 17-day period beginning on Septuagesima Sunday
spanning Sexuagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays was intended to be observed as a
preparation for the season of Lent, which is itself a period of spiritual
preparation for Easter. In many countries, however, Septuagesima Sunday marks
the start of the carnival season, culminating on Shrove Tuesday, more commonly
known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday.
The Ashes for Ash Wednesday
The tradition of ashes,
though not Ash Wednesday, goes back to well before Christ. The ashes we use are made from the
palms fronds and crosses of last year’s Palm Sunday. They are mixed with left over ashes from years past and
thus, the ashes are a continuum to the church gone before.
[1]
Charity - Love;
universal benevolence; good will; the word which properly denotes love. Properly understood the Love of God,
that perfect love, to which man should aspire. [1913 Webster]
[2]
The three Gloster
Gladiator fighters Faith, Hope and Charity defended Malta against the Italian Air Force during the
early part of the siege of Malta in World War II. Legend has it that all three persisted and of the three, Charity never failed.
