Timely Words

Dear Friends

It would be easy to miss the fact that today, March 29th, is not only the 5th Sunday of Lent, but also the Feast of John Keble, Anglican Priest, 1866. You can google his name to learn more about him. While inspired by different circumstances, the collect written for his feast and one of his two hymns (#10) in our hymnal, are so timely!  

Grant, O God, that in all time of our testing, we may know your presence and obey your will; that following the example of your servant John Keble, we may accomplish with integrity and courage what you give us to do, and endure what you give us to bear; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

For you musical folk, his hymn below can be sung to these other familiar tunes (among many):

Old 100th          Praise God from whom all blessings flow....

Puer Nobis       What star is this, with beams so bright...

Rockingham    When I survey the wondrous cross...

New every morning is the love 

our wakening and uprising prove;

through sleep and darkness safely brought, 

restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day, 

around us hover while we pray;

new perils past, new sins forgiven,

new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind 

beset to hallow all we find,

new treasures still, of countless price,

God will provide for sacrifice.

Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be

as more of heaven in each we see

some softening gleam of love and prayer

shall dawn on every cross and care.

The trivial round, the common task,

will furnish all we ought to ask:

room to deny our selves; a road

to bring us daily nearer to God

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,

fit us for perfect rest above;

and help us, this and every day,

to live more nearly as we pray.

This comes with continuing prayers for all. If you are interested in seeing and hearing me reading Morning Prayer and giving my sermon for today, the easiest way would be to google stdcv which will lead you to the website for St. Dunstan's, Carmel Valley. There you will find the link to our You Tube channel.The sermon is under 10 minutes!

John

Animal Kingdom PSA ?

Dear Friends

I know we are being overwhelmed with information and inspiration (both important) right now, but I just had to share this photo I took 12 days ago, and today's Forward Day by Day meditation. Is this the animal kingdom's "Public Service Announcement" for "social distancing"? (Someone said it is really physical distancing we are being told to practice.) While we are, the timely meditation below, written many months ago to be ready for publication today, reminds us that God is as close to us as ever on this first full day of spring. 

The peace and presence of Christ be with you---today and always!  (Hugs from Carmel Valley)

John


FRIDAY, March 20                           

Mark 6:50 For they all saw [Jesus] and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Earlier on this day, Jesus and his disciples are on one side of the sea of Galilee with a crowd of five thousand people. What Jesus blesses, breaks, and gives to meet the crowd’s need is a miraculous abundance of more than enough.The disciples don’t have a chance to process the meaning of this miracle before they see the next one. Their exhaustion opens up their imaginations when they see Jesus walking on water, the same and very real water against which they are straining. Jesus boards their boat and the storm ceases—they are utterly astounded. They don’t yet understand that Jesus’ power and presence is the power and presence of God Almighty. Like us, the disciples struggle to understand that this miracle is about God being with them—present to them, saving them in the face of sure destruction. We are in good company. “Take heart—do not be afraid.”

Life is changed, not ended

Dear Friends

“Life is changed, not ended”

That phrase from our prayer book memorial service, refers to our mortality, the death we will all face, and the resurrection we embrace and celebrate as Christians.

But right now, I use it in terms of our immediate future---life is changed right now, but it is not ended! Our whole life is filled with little and big “deaths” and “resurrections”, little and big changes that lead to new ways of living this wonderful gift of life.  What’s different, for now, is that we are all experiencing a time of HUGE CHANGE and NEW KIND OF LIFE at the same time. Of course, the impact is and will be far greater for some, but we’re all connected.

We don’t know exactly for how long, or what lasting changes may come, but life will continue. In the meantime, let us ask God for wisdom, courage, patience and peace to calm our hearts and minds. 

And on this Happy St. Patrick’s Day, let us pray some of the words from his great hymn:

I bind unto myself today, the power of God to hold and lead

His eye to watch, his might to stay, his ear to hearken to my need

The wisdom of my God to teach, his hand to guide, his shield to ward

The word of God to give me speech, his heavenly host to be my guard

Christ beneath me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me

Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me

Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger

Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend in stranger

May the peace of Christ be with you and prevail!

John

Picture is from Carmel Mission grounds where spring has sprung!

John

It's about time!

Dear Friends

Lent comes from an old English word which means “lengthen”. While the days have been getting a little bit longer since December 21st, they will seem much longer this Sunday afternoon, with the return of Daylight Savings Time.

I am reminded of the cartoon showing a man speaking to his doctor. “What’s wrong?” the doctor is asking his exhausted patient. “Doc, I just don’t know how many more times I can spring forward and fall back!” Shall we add, after last Saturday, February 29th, “leap for a year”?

By the way, do you have a minute? On the face of it, hands down, now is a time to ask “Where did the time go?”  It seems it was only yesterday when we were “falling back” (Nov. 3^rd) to get an extra hour of sleep. Now, the Lord who gaveth us that hour is going to taketh it away, although one could argue the Lord is our light and he recognizes that now it is time to giveth us more light at the end of, not the tunnel, but the day. In any case, watch out and band together as we move forward together, holding little hands and big hands, or perhaps for now, just bumping wrists.

And talk about leaps of faith. I don’t want to leap (or jump) to any conclusions. We could be saying “Four more years!” (the next time we will have 366 days in the year), but do we want to risk being misunderstood? 

And finally, midway between “Leap Day Saturday” and “Spring Forward Sunday”, there is one more day to consider. And that is today. What else can I say but

March forth, to love and serve the Lord!

John