A day of contradictions - Rector's Rambling for March 25, 2018

Today is a day of contradictions.  We begin our worship with the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and then very quickly the tone and tenor of the worship turns to Jesus’ death and burial as we read the Passion Gospel lesson.

I wish that we could just spend the entire liturgy concentrating on the events of Palm Sunday, and those immediately following.  On the same day, he cleanses the Temple by casting out those who sold, and overturned the tables of the money changers – all of which must have been quite a sight.  He also has an encounter with the chief priests and scribes who are displeased that their children are proclaiming, “Hosanna to the son of David” to which Jesus responds, “Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou has perfected praise?” (Matthew 21:16).  And in between Palm Sunday and Jesus’ arrest there are five chapters of Matthew’s gospel full of some of the most important of Jesus’ teaching.

But the Church puts these two lessons together for a reason.  When the lectionary was developed centuries ago, it was assumed that attendance at a weekday service would not be as good as on Sunday, and that proves to be correct today.  Not as many people will join us for worship on Good Friday, although I would like to be proven wrong on that point this year.

During this week there will be ample, important opportunities to worship and enter deeply into the last days of our Lord’s earthly life.  On Wednesday we have a service of Psalms and Lessons, called Tenebræ, to set the mood for the upcoming Three Holy Days (Sacrum Triduum) of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.  Tenebræ on Wednesday, and the Maundy Thursday service are both at 7:00 PM.  Good Friday worship is from noon to 3:00 PM (come for all or whatever portion you are able).

On Saturday evening, at 6:00 PM, we begin our celebration of the Resurrection with the deeply symbolic service of the Easter Vigil, and then, on Easter Day, we have our 8:00 and 10:00 AM services, with Brass accompaniment at the 10:00 AM Solemn High Mass (prelude at 9:30 AM).

Now is the time to set these dates on your calendar, and to invite friends, family, and neighbors to join us for worship!

Deeper yet - Rector's Rambling for March 18, 2018

Today we go yet another step deeper in our preparations for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Back during the -gesima Sundays we switched to purple vestments and hangings and lost the “alleluia” in the liturgy.  When Lent arrived the flowers disappeared (except for Lætáre Sunday last week) as did the white surplices on the servers and choir.

Now we go deeper with the beginning of Passiontide, as we veil the crosses in the church, and see the “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost” suppressed in our increasing Lenten fast.  And when we get to the Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) the liturgy gets even more stark on those days.

Why?  “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi” is a statement that what we pray is what we believe (literally “the Law of Prayer is the Law of Belief).  Our corporate worship, particularly the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, as well as the Holy Communion, helps us to express what we believe.  And yet in Lent we strip things back as a tangible reminder that soon we will be looking at the sublime reminder of the painful price Jesus Christ paid on the cross for our salvation.

During these two weeks I hope that we all will take the time to begin to meditate on what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross.  Just as we do Stations of the Cross on Friday at noon, you can also read the various passion narratives in the four gospels and think deeply upon the offering Jesus made of himself.

Also, now is the time to make sure you have marked on your calendars the important worship on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Day, and to make sure nothing prevents you from joining us for worship on those days.

And you should also be inviting your friends and family to join us for Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Services.  You may be the vehicle God will use to draw others closer to Him, and in an active relationship, just by your invitation to others to join us for worship!

Laetare! - Rector's Rambling for March 11, 2018

Happy Lætáre Sunday!  This Sunday is also known as Rose Sunday (take a look at the vestments and hangings today to figure out this title), and in our mother Church of England it is known as Mothering Sunday (like our Mother’s day in May).

Still a Sunday in Lent, this Sunday is a mid-point when we “lighten up” a bit.  The deep penitential purple vestments are replaced with the lighter rose.  The Latin title gives us a hint as to this lightening up of the day.  Lætáre is the opening word of the liturgy in Latin, on which our liturgy is based.  The first word of the Introit, sung by the choir at the 10:00 AM service, is “REJOICE”.

Although a penitential season, on this Sunday we rejoice that we have passed the half-way point of Lent.  We rejoice because Passiontide (the last two weeks before Easter) and Holy Week are in sight.  We rejoice because Easter is just around the corner.  We rejoice because, to date, we have kept a good Lent, OR because we still have a chance to have a good Lent starting today.  But above all we rejoice because we have a Saviour, Jesus Christ, who paid the price of our sins.  We rejoice that in Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of those sins and are reconciled unto the Father through His blood.

So if you haven’t started “keeping Lent” there is still time to give something up, and to take some things on like extra prayer at home or attending special services here at St. John’s.  And, of course, Fr. Kelly and Fr. Bedford are available to hear your confessions.

"Do the Stations" - Rector's Rambling for March 4, 2018

As we spend time in Lent looking at the destructive effects of sin in our lives, both how they affect us in the flesh as well as our souls, we do so with a purpose.  That purpose is to place our sins at the foot of the Cross and let the Blood of Jesus wash them away.

“Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins”.  This is the only reason we merit heaven.  Eternal Life has been bought for us by the death of Jesus Christ.  We will be reminded of this in the readings on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday.  But it is an awesome act by a loving, sinless, God-made-flesh, that he should die for us.

One poignant way that we remember this gift is by praying the Stations of the Cross.  Every Friday in Lent at noon, we gather in the church and begin a 25 minute journey covering the last hours of Jesus’ life.  We walk as a group, starting at the foot of the steps to the sanctuary, and circumambulate the interior of the nave (seating area).  We stop at each of the 14 Stations to be reminded of that journey Jesus took from his being sentenced to death by Pilate, carrying his cross to his death on Calvary.  At each station we begin by saying, “We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by thy Holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.”  Next we hear a description from scripture of a part of that journey, pray a Collect for that portion, and then move on to the next station while singing verses from the ancient hymn Stabat Mater.

At least once in Lent you should take the opportunity to join us to pray the Stations.  It is a powerful reminder of the selfless, loving act that Jesus Christ did for us.  It is so easy to gloss over the crucifixion with a pretty cross or picture.  But spending time meditating on that journey drives home the big reality of God’s love for us.

We have 11:15 AM Mass before, and  Benediction follows, but the Stations are that unique Lenten Devotion that YOU should take advantage of this year to be reminded just how much Jesus loves you.