Whit-Monday 2017, You Know Him

Luca Rosetti da Orta

Whitsun

John 14: 15 -26

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day, you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

 “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Whitsun II

Monday, June 5, 2017

John 14: 15 -26

Every day of our lives, the sun has risen. Its timing may drift over the course of the year. But we trust, we know that the sun will rise tomorrow. Experience has taught us this.

Our experience has also given us other knowledge. We have learned to trust, in whatever degree we can, in others. We have learned how much we can (or cannot) rely on outer circumstances.

There is One in whom we can trust absolutely. God, the Father, His Son and His healing Spirit, love us unconditionally. They are always offering us strength, encouragement, and hope. Just beyond our seeing, they wait for us to open to them. They clearly differentiate between what is ours to deal with, especially outwardly, and what they can rightly arrange for us. They are always willing to strengthen the capacities we need to cope with circumstances.

We can always ask for the strength to fulfill what the Divine Will has in mind for us. We can ask for the light that reveals our purpose on earth. We can ask for peace in fulfilling the destiny we have brought with us to earth. And we will be answered, for as Christ says:

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, the giver of spirit-courage, to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know Him, for He guides you as a higher being above you and He will enter your innermost heart." John 14: 16-17 (Madsen)

Christmas II, Dawn, December 25, 2014, Sun Sings

Christmas II

Luke 2: 1-20

Now is proclaimed the [middle of the Gospel[s], according to Luke in the second chapter.

Now it came to pass in those days that a proclamation went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone set out to be enrolled, each to the town of his ancestors.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and lineage of David. He went to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed. And Mary was with child. And it came to pass that while they were there, the time was fulfilled for her to be delivered. And she bore her son, her first-born. And she wrapped him in linen and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Blake

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks in the night. And an angel of the Lord came upon them [appeared before them] and the light of the revelation of God shone about them. And great fear came upon them [they felt the fear of fears].

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for I announce to you a great joy, which shall be for all men on earth: today is born unto you the Bringer of Healing, in the city of David,  Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign for you: you will find a little child wrapped in linen, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly around the angel was the fullness of the heavenly angelic hosts: their song of praise sounded forth to the highest:

God’s Spirit reveals itself in the heights

And brings peace to men of earth

In whose hearts good will dwells!

And as the angels withdrew from them into the heavens, the shepherds said to one another:

“Let us go to Bethlehem to see the fulfillment of the Word that has happened here, which the Lord let be proclaimed.”

And they came hastening, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they had seen, they made known the Word that was spoken to them concerning this child. [or, When they saw that, they understood what had been told them concerning this child.] And all who heard it were astonished about what the shepherds said.

But Mary treasured [preserved] all these words, pondering them [turning them over] in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God to everyone for everything they had heard and seen, which was just as it had been announced to them.

Bonnell

Christmas II, Dawn

December 25, 2014

Luke 2: 1-20

At certain times of the year, especially in spring, birds create a choral symphony in the dark before dawn. It is as if they want to announce to the world the arrival of a new day, the arrival of the light. When the sun actually rises, their song of praise falls silent. In the silence, if we could but hear, the Sun itself, the dwelling place of high choirs of angels, begins to sing. If we could but hear, we would perceive how the light-filled singing Word calls forth the plants, the animals, ourselves.

The angels sang to the shepherds at night, before dawn. They sang to announce the dawning of the light of the world. The shepherds’ hearts were perceptive. They heard the singing of the angelic chorus. They looked for the light that was dawning, the light of love that they found shining from the Child’s eyes. And their own words of praise ignited in their hearts and poured forth from their lips.

Vladimir Borovikovsy

Love, healing light-filled love, has been born to us. One day the true light will have dawned upon all of humanity. And all shall see and praise, as the poet says:

But the sun is one,

And the sun's name Right;

And when light is none

Saving of the sun,

All men shall have light.

All shall see and be

Parcel of the morn;

Ay, though blind were we,

None shall choose but see

When that day is born[1]

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[1] Christmas Antiphones by Algernon Charles Swinburne