I've got some friends who tell me that they want God to come down and move in a such a mighty way that there is no way not to believe - or at least to quench any of their own doubts about His existence. These are the types who ride the fence, simultaneously hoping God will move mightily and also hoping He won't, so that their lives will not be altered in any way. So, when I read the the Gospel in the Office today, my first thought following Jesus' words were, "Yeah, I know that type..."

Continue reading "Sure, but it does help..." »

Posted by Michael at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the things that struck me immediately as I was reading today's Gospel in the Daily Office was the infamous show stopper, ala Fr. Rich. What's a show stopper? It's anything that we do that hinders the grace of God flowing to us, and in this case, it's quite simple: "if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Those are the words of Jesus (I figured, why not make 'em red?), so they hold some weight, you know. So that means, if we don't forgive others, then God doesn't forgive us, and then unforgiveness becomes a show stopper. Kind of a bummer, if you ask me, and more than enough reason to reevaluate our unforgiveness levels, but also a reason to celebrate, because we know that if we've forgiven others, then we too are forgiven and the Grace of God abounds in all, and nobody dies from high blood pressure.

Continue reading "show stoppers and why bothers" »

Posted by Michael at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The other day I was reading through the Daily Office, and I ran across this verse:
Was any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. -1 Corinthians 7:18

Ok, if you were circumcised, you should not become uncircumcised. Is that even possible? Yikes. I imagine it would involve some form of surgery that would border on the miraculous. Not to mention you'd .... never mind.

Continue reading "Owww!!" »

Posted by Michael at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last week's Daily Office (Week of 2 Lent), contained readings from 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8 for Wednesday, and 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 for Thursday. When I first started reading on Thursday morning, I thought, "Hey, wait a minute. I thought I stopped on 8?" So I double-checked, and sure enough, there are verses dropped out.

I wonder why anyone would want to ignore verses 9-11? Especially when verse 11 is so beautiful: "...but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God."

Maybe it has to do with the tense of the verb to be in the first part of verse 11: "That is what some of you were, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God." Who knows. Maybe I'll look it up in the 1928 BCP and see if it's there or not.

Posted by Michael at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, the season in which we remember the Suffering of Christ, and his subsequent death and resurrection. And we do this by entering into our own forms of suffering and sacrifice, in the hopes that we, through our own suffering, might begin to rely on God for all things.

And that should bring you joy.

Posted by Michael at 4:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today's Gospel reading (John 10:1-18) is simply beautiful. Self-sacrifice, power, forgiveness, loyalty and clarity. It's all there. What a wonderful thing.

Posted by Michael at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

One of my friends is always talking about how he wants God to show up in a big way. But the reason he wants God to show up in big, unmistakable way, is because he doesn't fully believe that God is truly out there. Well, he has an idea that God is there, but just needs a little more proof.

Continue reading ""I just need a sign"" »

Posted by Michael at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The timing on today's Daily Office reading couldn't have been better.

Continue reading "Jesus, CEO" »

Posted by Michael at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yesterday as The Stacia and I were driving home from Taize Service, I had an incredible urge for something to drink. But the way I explained it to her was, "I'm at that stage where my lips aren't dry, but my body is still yearning for some water. I'm thirsty, but not like I'm close to dehydration. It's that in between stage of being parched or just needing something."

Continue reading "drink, please" »

Posted by Michael at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In today's Gospel Reading I ran across, and noticed it for the first time ever, the fact that Jesus was compared to a snake on a stick.

Continue reading "Jesus Like a Snake" »

Posted by Michael at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Every time I run across this story of how Jesus drives the merchants from the Temple, I get all charged up, and want to just jump up and holler "YEAH!!! That's m'Jesus!" Of course, I'm the quiet reserved type, so that doesn't behoove me so well. Instead, I just get all pumped up and excited on the inside.

Continue reading "Jesus Kicks Butt" »

Posted by Michael at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

In today's Gospel reading, Philip tells Nathaniel about this great guy he's just met, and Nathaniel responds with that question: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

That's some doubt, pure and simple, with a little personal bias mixed in.

Continue reading "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" »

Posted by Michael at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

"...and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage."

One of the most amazing things about our faith is that we have a God who came to the earth, not to seduce and impregnate unsuspecting women, but to offer His life up as a sacrifice that we might have life. (Hebrews 2:11-18)

Continue reading "through fear of death" »

Posted by Michael at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I've often heard people using the example of the woman caught in adultery as an argument for why we ought to let all people do as they wish - since we ourselves are dirty rotten sinners, we ought not to judge anyone. But there's a bit of a logical flaw there, and when I read the Gospel in today's Daily Office, I was reminded of these arguments.

Continue reading "...go and sin no more..." »

Posted by Michael at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last Wednesday's Daily Office Readings included Psalm 119:97-120. The first line begins with "Oh, how I love thy law!" and the last line ends with "My flesh trembles for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments."

Continue reading "The Kingdom of God is Closed" »

Posted by Michael at 4:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)