Wasting a Day or Two

"Then come, my sister! come, I pray,
     With speed put on your woodland dress,
And bring no book; for this one day
     We'll give to idleness."

William Wordsworth
"Lines Written At A Small Distance From My House..."
Lyrical Ballads

These past few days since Boxing Day and the Feast of St. John, I have indulged in the poet's suggestion to his beloved Dorothy and giv'n myself to idleness.  It is an important thing for a priest, or I suppose anyone, to do from time to time.  It is different from sabbath.  It is merely a time for sleeping in and letting the mind grow fat with nothingness.  With the coming of Sunday Services on the morrow, it will end for me, but it has been lovely. 

 

I visited my daughter and son-in-law and the girls at their newly acquired horse farm.  We made snowmen, went sledding, and drank hot cocoa, and laughed a lot.

I read books about training gun dogs in preparation for the selection and homecoming of the "Espaniel Breton" that Rebecca gave me for Christmas.  Tristan and I drove to Bay's Packing House on Pleasantville road and brought home the beef we bought back at the end of November.  The hanging weight of 1250 pounds netted us almost 700 pounds of packaged beef.  That well keep three families of us through the coming year! 

We watched "The Hunt for Red October" with Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin, and "The Replacements" with Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves.  We took in a couple of great parties. 

I hope that all of my readers were able to find at least a couple of days to do nothing over the holiday season.  I wouldn't reccomend it as a regular practice, but as an occasional indulgence, it is wonderfully refreshing!

Sermon For Christmas Eve 4 PM: Luke 2:1-20

Sermon for Christmas Eve, 4 PM
Luke 2:1-20
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 24 December, 2012

It was a time of great uncertainty. The taking of a census unauthorized by God had on more than one occasion led to judgment and disaster in ancient Israel. The country was rough and harshly policed by her rulers. The economy had created enormous inequities between the peasants who worked the land and the merchants who traversed it. Rebels and bandits and false messiahs rose up with distressing regularity. There was little love or respect between the Romans and the Jews, or for that matter, between the Jewish people and their leaders in Jerusalem.

And Mary and Joseph, following the orders of the Roman Governor, traveled from their home to Joseph’s ancient tribal capital in Bethlehem. There she delivered a baby, who was Christ the Lord. We will speak more of him later, but for now, turn your attention with me to the shepherds. Have you ever spent the night alone, or with a small group of friends, in a wilderness area? It could have been a forest or a desert, or a wind swept coastland. There was no electricity, and as the small fire flickered in the darkness, you could see the immensity of the heavens and hear the howl of the wolves and the yip of the coyote. Unknown sounds surrounded you, and perhaps you experienced real anxiety about what evils or unknown beings watched just beyond the glow of your small, your ever so small fire. As many nights as I have spent in the woods of the American Heartland, or in the deserts of the Tex-Mex border lands, I never managed to feel anything but small and vulnerable. Regardless of the armaments I carried or the company I kept, there was always that sense that lack of vigilance could lead to unspeakable situations. Such was the life of a shepherd. Falling asleep on watch could lead to the loss of a lamb or worse. Theirs was not a camping trip within view of the shelter house of the lodge. They were on their own.

And on that night, as they watched, the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. I dare say it was a first for everyone there. It must have been a terrible sight, for angels in the Bible are not the playful cherubs of Greek mythology and Valentine’s day cards. They are the celestial warriors of God- mail clad with great spears and an aspect both terrible and gentle to behold. Their sense of justice and their confidence reflect the character of their maker, and they are not to be trifled with. Yes, it was a terrible sight to behold, and without doubt the shepherds wondered what was happening. And the angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid.” Angels seem to say that a lot in the Bible; and so does Jesus. And both they and he are still saying it today. That is perhaps one of the greatest beauties of Christmas. In the midst of your fears and uncertainties, Jesus sends his angels to you to say “do not be afraid, for I bring you glad tidings, good news. Today, in fulfillment of the prophesies, God comes among you to deliver you and keep all of his promises. Perhaps it is not in a way that you expected it to happen, but it has happened just the same, so don’t be afraid. Your deliverance has come.”

Do you believe today that Jesus Christ has come into the world to salve our wounds and to meet our needs and to enfold us in his love? Are you willing today to face the evils and difficulties of this world with the angels by your side? Are you willing to heed the words, “be not afraid?” You see, Christmas is not about the trimmings of gifts and trees and family feasts. Those things are all good and holy and ought to be enjoyed, because they express our transport at the true message of Christmas. But the true meaning of Christmas is that Jesus has come into the world to save us from all that the devil or man can do to destroy us or to mar all that God calls us to be and to do. When the angels said “Don’t be afraid” to those shepherds so many years ago, they were in effect speaking to all of us. They were announcing to us that Jesus has come to give us a strength beyond our own to face our fears and trust in the love of God given to all who will believe.

Today, on this Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, on this day when we celebrate and venerate the fact that the creative and sustaining Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us to deliver us from evil and restore us to friendship with God; on this day, might we bring to this altar all of our fears, and our uncertainties, and our hurt and our pain and our guilt and our shame. Might we with the shepherds travel to that small cave where the King of Glory lay in humility in a manger. Might we receive the gift of salvation that God has prepared for us. And might we rejoice without fear as we hear the angel’s song.

I invite you, in just a moment, to walk through your fears and stand with me to boldly and publicly confess that Jesus Christ has come into the world just as the Bible proclaims, to meet all of our needs: spiritual, and emotional, and physical, and relational. Confess with me in the Creed that Jesus Christ is who the Bible says he is, and that he has accomplished all which the Bible says he accomplished. Then kneel with me and bring him all of your needs. Tell him of your fears and your hopes, your situations, and realities, and dreams. Then confess your sins. Admit to him those things that you have thought or done which have shown disregard for him and disrespect for the people and things he has made. Receive his forgiveness and feel the arms of his love envelop you with liberty and peace and new creation. Wish to all here God’s blessing at this holy season, and ask forgiveness of any present whom you have wronged. Then hear the words of the sacred mystery of God’s salvation and come to receive his mercy and grace and strength by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of our God. Receive the grace and mercy and love of God and you will have truly experienced the real joy of Christmas this year. May God bless us every one in this holy season, and may the peace of the Lord be with you all.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Sermon for Advent IV C, Luke 1:39-55

Sermon for Advent IV, Year C Revised Common Lectionary
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 23 December, 2012
Luke 1:39-55

Mary's Visit with Elizabeth

In his First Letter to the Corinthian Christians, St. Paul says, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition…” (I Cor. 10:11) In essence, he tells us that the events and occurrences we read about in the Bible are given as examples to teach us how we ought to live. And that brings us to these last days before Christmas. How are you spending them? Are you so busy that the spirit of the season has seemingly departed from you? Is the busyness and the rush of getting ready for this visit or that party robbing you of joy and of the milk of human kindness? Are you dreading the long hours and pressures of making sure that the family party is just right? Are you so focusing on who is not there this year that you have rendered yourself incapable of appreciating those with whom you will share the holy day?

Into the midst of our seasonal distractions and responsibilities, God sends this wonderful example of Saint Mary the Mother of Our Lord and her visit to Blessed Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Forerunner, who would one day announce to all the world, “Behold the Lamb of God! Behold him who takes away the sin of the world.” When the very pregnant Elizabeth heard the very pregnant Mary’s greeting, baby John leaped in her womb for joy in the presence of his cousin and his Lord. The Holy Ghost fell upon Elizabeth and she, like Deborah of old, prophesied. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Mary was overcome by the presence of God and responded with those words we know so well: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour…” It was a time for rejoicing. Even with so much to do.

It is still a time for rejoicing. Yes, there are details to be worked out: hams and turkeys to be cooked, pies and breads to bake, and tables to set. And don’t forget presents to wrap. But we are called today to emulate the example of these two holy women, who in the midst of their duties found time to listen to the Holy Spirit and rejoice that the Saviour was come into the world. Consider what this great blessing of the first Christmas means in our lives:

1. God’s mercy is poured out on all who fear him forever!

2. He has exalted those who are powerless and victimized, and overthrown the plots of the treacherous and the arrogant.

3. He has turned the tables on the selfish and proclaimed equity for all.

4. He has fulfilled the promises of the covenant he made to his people, and through them to all people.

Let me make a few suggestions today. Sit back today and enjoy this Church service. Appreciate the beautiful decorations and the music. Confess your faith in the Creed with an ever deepening appreciation for him who came to save us. Bring him your prayers with a real expectancy that Jesus is still in the miracle business, and determine to see the evidence of his working in your life and in the lives of those you love. When you confess your sins and shortcomings of this past week, believe with all your heart that they really are forgiven and forgotten by God, and that he wishes you to have a new start, free from guilt and shame and discouragement. When you share the peace with those around you, wish them the very best of God’s blessings from the bottom of your heart without reservation, whether they deserve it or not, and if you have wronged anyone here present, go to them and make amends before you approach the altar of God together as siblings and spiritual friends. Give of your wealth in the offering for the support of God’s work and the relief of suffering, and let your gift be a token of your willingness to give yourself to God and to his work in every way you can. Then come forward and receive God’s grace by eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy and Blessed Trinity, God himself. As your teeth press the bread and as the warmth of the wine spreads through your body, know that you are filled with the Spirit of the Living God, and endowed with his love and his gifts to bring hope and purpose to everyone you meet. Then go forth to share the love of God with all those for whom Jesus came into the world.

In short, join me and so engage God this day, in this service, that all of us might rise above the distractions which surround us and say with Mary, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor upon me.”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

How Are You Doing This Advent?

Sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year C
Preached at St. John’s Lancaster 16 December, 2012

Saint John the Baptist Preaching to the Masses in the Wilderness
by Peiter Brueghel the Younger

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Canticle 9 BCP 86, Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

Here we are at the third Sunday of Advent. How are you doing preparing for the birth of the Saviour? Are you finding something to rejoice about in your life? Are you being gentle to the people you meet? Are you doing better not worrying about things? Are you praying more, and taking your issues and problems to God with a real thankfulness and a belief that he will meet your needs? Are you experiencing in a knowable way that peace of God which passes all understanding? If we are to believe the lessons for today, such measuring sticks ought to be regular parts of our lives.

Christianity is a very practical faith. It is not just an exercise in philosophical reasoning or a denial of the realities around us. Perhaps that is why God chose to reveal himself to us through the incarnation of Jesus. We believe that at Christmas God came down and became one of us. As St. John says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.” That is why the Fathers of the Church worked so hard to verify that all four Gospels were eyewitness accounts before they approved them for continued use in the Church. That is why all of those stories about Jesus sitting down and eating with folks are so essential to our faith. That is why of all the stories that could have been told about the post resurrection appearances of Jesus, Jesus telling Thomas to touch him is so important. Christianity is not just about great ideas or noble beliefs, it is about the reality of God stepping into the physical world to assure us of his love.

Lots of people over the years have used Christianity for lots of things. Some have killed in the name of God. Others have used the faith as a stick to beat others into submission. Some have employed faith to get themselves a pretty comfy berth with good pay, social prestige, and a bit of power over their neighbors. Many have taken a verse or two or three out of context and ridden their partial truth into the ground in ways that caused much suffering and pain. But the mistakes, and sins of fallible men and women in no way negate the fact that God loved us so much that he sent Jesus Christ his only begotten son into the world to save you and me from ourselves and our sins, and to allow us friendship with God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son in the power of the Holy Ghost.

If today’s second lesson tells us what our attitudes ought to be like, and if the Gospel tells us practically how our lives should change after we meet Jesus, then the Old Testament lesson and Canticle give us a glimpse of what the future holds for those who are in the process of living into friendship with God. It is a practical vision of what the world could be like if we all treated others the way God wants us to treat each other. Imagine, no more war or violence against children like we saw this week in Connecticut and in China. Imagine no more worrying about making ends meet or being alone. Imagine a world where there was no laziness or oppression, and where everyone pulled their weight with a sense of cooperative teamwork and justice. Imagine a world where the most vulnerable among us were protected by all of us, and where everyone believed that human life was sacred and that every human being had a God given right to live decently and to earn the respect of his or her neighbors.

Advent is about getting ready for such a world, and about living in the here and now as if that world were just around the corner. To paraphrase that first paragraph of this sermon about how are you doing, perhaps this would be better. Are you so living in this world that when the new world comes, you won’t have to change a bunch of habits or practices, because you are already doing now what you will be doing then? This life you see, is just practice for the next. Jesus Christ came into this world very physically two thousand years ago so that we could see what it would all look like, and to take the steps necessary for you and me to get another chance with God. We are going to celebrate that first coming in just nine days. Some day, Jesus Christ is coming into this world again just as physically to usher in the promises we heard in today’s Old Testament lesson and Canticle. That is the message of Advent.

Are you ready to meet him when he gets here? Are you in the habit of practicing those attitudes and actions which he modeled for us when he was in a physical body living with the disciples in Judea and Roman Palestine? We have been reminded this week, as we are reminded every week, that there are many people in the world who have not yet started making themselves ready for Christ’s Return, and the world is a worse place for it. God calls all of us who name Jesus as Lord and King to be in the habit of practicing today that which will be the norm when he returns. As we follow him in obedience and faith, as we live in humility and love, all the world will see the wisdom of this better way, this promised way, and the Holy Ghost will use our actions and attitudes to draw many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our true King. This is the real meaning of Advent. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

How to Build a New Year's Resolution

Rector's Rambling for January 2013
St. John's Lancaster

Looking to the Future
Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Henry Landseer 1851

December is the busiest time of the year for a priest.  But I must admit (as my good wife occasionally points out) that much of the busyness is of my own making.  I agree to do things that are good in and of themselves, and I suppose it is an honour to be asked to do them, and someone should do them; but they don't directly support my mission and vocation to be a good priest at St. John's, a good husband and father, and a great grandpa.  This December experience, which is much the same every year, prompts me to consider a new rubric for developing my new year's resolutions for the coming year.

Somewhere along the line, probably in the Army, I attended a management seminar which taught that I should establish a brief, quantifiable mission statement for my life, and that everything I do ought to be justifiable in terms of that mission statement.  For instance, I am a parish priest.  Therefore conduct of the worship service on Sunday is very important, because that is what my status as a priest demands that I do.  In like manner, sermon preparation, personal prayer, and adequate rest are essential to the successful performance of my professional duties, and therefore are given a high and justifiable priority.  On the other hand, a three week trip to Argentina to shoot game birds might be lots of fun, and might be very relaxing is some ways, but there is no possible way that I could say it supports my mission priority as a parish priest.  It would have a much lower priority in my life, and would be done on vacation time, not work time.  And it would be improper for the church to fund such a trip.  All because it is not directly related to my mission as a priest.

Bishop Breidenthal has over the past three years or so led our diocese in the development of a set of mission priorities.  Our budget and diocesan staff are now organized around these priorities, and all expenditures of time and money are expected to be justified in terms or their relationship to the priorities.  And so as I approach the new year, I find myself thinking that I should dig back into my old notes from the Army, and inspired by the example of our bishop, try to tighten up my own erratic calendar of commitments in the year to come.  My mission statement has already been stated above.  I will strive to be a good parish priest, a good husband and father, and a great grandpa.  That is the easy part.  Now comes the hard part.  As I fulfill current obligations, will I have the strength to say "no" to future opportunities to do good things if they do not directly support my priorities- my mission?  What it means to be a good parish priest is clearly outlined in the ordinal in the Book of Common Prayer and in the Pastoral Epistles of Saint Paul.  What it means to be a good husband is clearly outlined in the vows and charges of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.  What it means to be a great grandpa (and perhaps a good dad) is measured more subjectively by balancing the laughter of Margaret and Helen with the raised eyebrows I get from their mother!  Other things, even good things, which do not fit into one of these three priorities are luxuries that I may or may not be able to afford.  I may say yes to a few, but if I say yes to too many, I will fail to accomplish my mission and purpose, because my focus will be scattered and my resources spread too thin.

I dare say the conundrum I ponder faces us all most of the time.  In the coming year, I hope that we will all be able to establish a list of priorities, a mission for our lives.  I pray that we will have the wisdom to focus not on all of the good things that need to be done, but on those things which God has called us to include in our mission.  It may be that on occasion there is some justification for saying "yes" to something that does not directly support our mission.  But if we do that too much, we will never accomplish the work God gives us to do.  In this coming year, I hope God will give you the strength to say "no," and the wisdom to know when to say "yes."  And I believe with all my heart that if we include him in the process of determining what is the real purpose and mission of our lives, he will give us all of the strength and wisdom we need.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.  AMEN.

   

Sacramenmtal Confession at St. John's

Dear Friends,

Over the past months, the “Pizza and God Talk” sessions with the youth of St. John’s have led us to consider how we might experience a deeper sense of forgiveness and acceptance from God. One of the disciplines we discussed was “The Reconciliation of a Penitent,” found on page 447 of The Book of Common Prayer. This sacramental rite, sometimes called “Confession,” has not been regularly offered at our parish for many years, if ever. When properly considered and practiced, it allows a Christian to be much more specific about dealing with issues which can produce guilt, shame, or alienation than the general confessions of the church are likely to do. Verbalizing one’s specific sins and shortcomings to God in the presence of a priest; and discussing practical spiritual, emotional, and vocational responses within the pronouncement of forgiveness, can be a powerful way to develop spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Telling God what you are doing in the presence of a priest who is sworn to confidentiality not only gets the secret off your heart, but it also can give you strength to not commit the sin again.

Some of the young people of our parish have asked if I will hear their confessions. If you are a parent and have questions or concerns about this discipline, please call me at 740/215-3900 so that we can set up a time to talk. If you would like to participate in or learn more about this ancient practice of the church, please call me as well. Regular confession can be a wonderful, healing part of your Christian devotion and can make you feel clean and at peace with God.

Sincerely,

Bill+

Spiritual Classics of Anglicanism

The Compass Rose of Anglicanism

I was attracted to Anglicanism by many things.  But perhaps its eminent practicality and pastoral realism were for me the greatest draw.  If the writers of the old British situation comedy "Yes, Prime Minister" are right in season one episode seven (The Bishop's Gambit), and theology in the modern church is merely an exercise for justifying not believing in God, then eminent practicality and pastoral realism, growing out of a warm faith in Jesus, based in apostolic orthodoxy, constitute a welcome respite from what often surrounds us.  In any event, I sometimes get tired of arguing with hard headed zealots (both Whigs and pharisees) on the one hand, and pinheads who employ intellectual methodology to redefine the faith on the other.  Perhaps it is better to believe that which I have received from eyewitnesses- that which is contained in Creed and Canon of Scripture.  Perhaps it is better to acquiesce to the faith received than to argue modern notions of piety or interpretation.  Perhaps it is better to live the religion I have known and experienced by faith than to agonize over that which I am not smart enough to understand or industrious enough to discover through honest scholarship.

With these things in mind, I have been considering two books which I have long thought to be among Anglicanism's greatest classics: Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, and The Compleat Angler, by Izaak Walton.  Neither book is particularly religious, and the former was written by a neo-pagan, but both describe admirably the nature of Christian life and community within that aphorus ideal which is called "the ethos of Anglicanism."

A Story of Living Together

Wind in the Willows chronicles the everyday adventures of forest dwellers who are very different, and at times even at odds, but who are forced to co-exist by virtue of their geographic proximity to each other.  In simple ways, that proximity over the years allows them to develop a common set of basic values which ultimately transcends their diversity.  Perhaps this lesson of the animals is an idealized reflection of what ought to be in a land where all the King's subjects are in a sense the responsibility of the King's Church, whether they realize it or not.  As weasels and stoats, badgers, rats, moles, rabbits, and otters live together in and around the wild wood and the river bank; so all those who name Christ as Lord, and beyond that all those for whom he died, are called to realize that we share one world, bestowed upon us by a loving Heavenly Father for our own benefit and pleasure.  It behooves us to get along and to care for one another, for God desires our reconciliation to himself and to each other.

The Izaak Walton Window
From Winchester Cathederal's South East Transcept

The Compleat Angler grows out of one of Mater Anglicaina's most difficult experiences, that of the interregnum under Cromwell and parliamentary rule.  What is a good man to do in impossible times?  To follow the example of Christ's apostles and "go a fishing" is perhaps the best thing.  But fishing is more than merely the pursuit of meat for the frying pan.  It consists of true conviviality, of sharing fellowship, wisdom, and material goods with friends and strangers alike.  It is a matter of appreciating the blessings and beauty around us, and sharing them generously with all people in the name of simple civility and grace.

In these uncertain times, when so many things that seemed so sure are vanishing with each ensuing day, I cling to the faith I have received from the Anglican Divines, the Church Fathers, the Apostles of our Lord, and so many other good and godly people.  I suppose I have stopped looking for a perfect church, or state, or institution of any type.  I must be content to live where I find myself, trusting in God, coming to terms with those people, good and not so good, among whom I live, and doing all the good I can in all the ways I can.  Others may be called to other ways, or to other visions of how the faith ought to be lived, but for me, at my age and in my place, the graces and beauties of classic Anglicanism, with all of her lovability and all of her warts, will have to do. 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  AMEN. 

Goodbye Pony Girl

Ashley on Squirt in 1996

Today, Dr. Forsythe came to the farm and we put Squirt down.  The Cushing's had advanced to the point that keeping her comfortable was beyond our available resources.  Ashley came up for the day to brush her one last time and to be with her as she died.  Our tears have flowed freely today.  Rebecca and I hugged each other as T.J. buried our beloved pony next to Locksley, her old stablemate.

Tristan and Squirt, ready for pass in review sometime in the  mid '90's

She taught several children to ride, taught us all to drive, and was the hit of many a school or church festival, where she tirelessly gave pony rides to scores of children who without her never would have been close to a horse.  In her younger years, she was a regular fixture at St. Francis Day animal blessings, and her flash and style made her a real crowd pleaser.  As a three year old, she placed third at the Ohio State Fair in open roadster class, and we bought her not long after that.  Dave Bailey and I drove to Darke county and brought her home for $500.  It was some of the best money I ever spent.

Ashley driving a very young Tristan somewhere,
Perhaps to a regimental muster?

 

Tristan called home from University to see how things went with the vet.  While he never developed a love of horses like his sister, he did think a great deal of this little gal who was so much a part of our lives here at Briarwood. 

I'd like to thank all of the people who have called and written to express their condolences to us about the loss of animals over the past two weeks.  First we lost Faithful Pat the white hound, and now Squirt.  It is as if an era in our lives has passed.  We give thanks for what has been, and look forward to a wonderful future together.  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.

Goodbye Squirtie

Fergus, Pat, and Lassie
other good friends from the old days