April 22, 2011, Good Friday

Reflection (The readings are below, for your reference)

There is no way to make sense of the suffering in this world. Even so, I find this reading from Isaiah to be suffering’s redemption.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12

See, my servant shall prosper;

   shall be exalted and lifted up,

   and shall be very high.

Just as there were many who were astonished at him

   —so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,

   and his form beyond that of mortals—

so he shall startle many nations;

   kings shall shut their mouths because of him;

for that which had not been told them they shall see,

   and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who has believed what we have heard?

   And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a young plant,

   and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

   nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by others;

   a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;

and as one from whom others hide their faces

   he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities

   and carried our diseases;

yet we accounted him stricken,

   struck down by God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions,

   crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

   and by his bruises we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

   we have all turned to our own way,

and the Lord has laid on him

   the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

   yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

   and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

   so he did not open his mouth.

By a perversion of justice he was taken away.

   Who could have imagined his future?

For he was cut off from the land of the living,

   stricken for the transgression of my people.

They made his grave with the wicked

   and his tomb with the rich,

although he had done no violence,

   and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.

When you make his life an offering for sin,

   he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;

through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.

   Out of his anguish he shall see light;

he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.

   The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,

   and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,

   and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;

because he poured out himself to death,

   and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

   and made intercession for the transgressors.

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 21, 2011

Reflection (The readings are below, for your reference)

Every time that you or I comfort those who mourn, reach out to the broken-hearted, visit the prisoner, help the sick, feed the hungry or perform any act that lifts up another, then we are blessed and a blessing. It matters not what religion we practice, if any. That is how we come to know the sacred here on earth. Any one of us, at any time, in any place, may fall into the category of vulnerable or not – how blessed it is that we receive help when vulnerable and give help when able.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Isaiah 61:1-9

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

   because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

   to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

   and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,

   and the day of vengeance of our God;

   to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

   to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

   the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

but you shall be called priests of the Lord,

   you shall be named ministers of our God;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

   and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their descendants shall be known among the nations,

   and their offspring among the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge

   that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.

Psalm 89:21-27

Revelation 1:5-8

Luke 4:16-21

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 7, 2011

In today’s Gospel, John the Evangelist claims five proofs that Jesus is God’s incarnation: John the Baptist’s testimony, the actual works Jesus is able to pull off, scriptural prophesies, Moses, and God. What in your life proves to you that God is present and good?

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Exodus 32:7-14

Psalm 106:19-23

John 5:31-47

‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 6, 2011

“In a time of favor I have answered you, on a day of salvation I have helped you; … saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out.’” I have been working with the women of MCI Framingham for a couple decades now and these words from Isaiah are a refreshing stream of water to my soul.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Isaiah 49:8-15

Thus says the Lord:

In a time of favor I have answered you,

   on a day of salvation I have helped you;

I have kept you and given you

   as a covenant to the people,

to establish the land,

   to apportion the desolate heritages;

saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out’,

   to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

They shall feed along the ways,

   on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;

they shall not hunger or thirst,

   neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

   and by springs of water will guide them.

And I will turn all my mountains into a road,

   and my highways shall be raised up.

Lo, these shall come from far away,

   and lo, these from the north and from the west,

   and these from the land of Syene.

Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

   break forth, O mountains, into singing!

For the Lord has comforted his people,

   and will have compassion on his suffering ones.

But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me,

   my Lord has forgotten me.’

Can a woman forget her nursing-child,

   or show no compassion for the child of her womb?

Even these may forget,

   yet I will not forget you.

Psalm 145:8-9,13-14,17-18

John 5:17-30

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

Ruahmie: April 4, 2011

Ruahmie: April 4, 2011: "I am drawn to this line in the gospel, and it is spoken by Jesus, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Jesus knows us so..."

Ruahmie: April 5, 2011

Ruahmie: April 5, 2011: "“Therefore we will not fear even though the earth should change” … what a relief to accept earth’s changes without fear.Namaste! Amen!The Re..."

Ruahmie: April 5, 2011

Ruahmie: April 5, 2011: "“Therefore we will not fear even though the earth should change” … what a relief to accept earth’s changes without fear.Namaste! Amen!The Re..."

April 5, 2011

“Therefore we will not fear even though the earth should change” … what a relief to accept earth’s changes without fear.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Ez 47:1-9,12

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,

   a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

though its waters roar and foam,

   though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

   the holy habitation of the Most High.

God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;

   God will help it when the morning dawns.

The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;

   at God’s voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our refuge.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

   he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;

   he burns the shields with fire.

‘Be still, and know that I am God!

   I am exalted among the nations,

   I am exalted in the earth.’

The Lord of hosts is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our refuge.

John 5:1-16

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

Ruahmie: April 4, 2011

Ruahmie: April 4, 2011: "I am drawn to this line in the gospel, and it is spoken by Jesus, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Jesus knows us so..."

April 4, 2011

I am drawn to this line in the gospel, and it is spoken by Jesus, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Jesus knows us so well. There’s nobody down here but us humans and we do cling to our signs and wonders. A lost job is a sign of God’s curse or even absence. A new baby is a sign of God’s presence and favor. A miscarriage is a sign of judgment, a disease cured is an answer to prayer. I choose these examples because they are from my own life; yours is a different collection of signs.

In today’s story Jesus does indeed heal the Galilean’s son, but let us not conclude that the healing is a sign of God’s favor upon this one family at the expense of the family whose child succumbs. This kind of dualistic thinking is not what God and Jesus are about, nor is it helpful in our daily lives. It isn’t whether we win or lose, it’s how we play the game. I choose to play the game in God’s ball park and I choose to practice even after I strike out … because I strike out! I choose to shake hands with the other team and come back again tomorrow, to play like there is no more tomorrow. And to take a seventh inning stretch when I need it.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Isaiah 65:17-21

Psalm 30

John 4:43-54

When the two days were over, Jesus went from that place to Galilee (for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in the prophet’s own country). When he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the festival; for they too had gone to the festival.

Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’ The official said to him, ‘Sir, come down before my little boy dies.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your son will live.’ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, ‘Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.’ The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he himself believed, along with his whole household. Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 3, 2011

I commend to you this excellent reflection for this fourth Sunday of Lent. The preacher is Rev. Tony Buquor from Trinity Episcopal Church in Concord.

http://trinityconcord.org/Sermons/Buquor3Apr2011.mp3

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Psalm 23

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9: 1-41

As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet.’

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 2, 2011

Yesterday we reflected that when we love, let it be with passion, not holding back. Today we reflect that when we repent let it be complete capitulation, without holding back. No excuses, no finger pointing. Let it be a watershed, a turning point. And when we must repent yet again (and let’s be honest, who among us has not repeated an offense) let it not fade. I say this not because we are called to be a people of the guilt trip but rather because we are called to be a people of forgiveness.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Hosea 6:1-6

Psalm 51

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

April 1, 2011

Jesus, the new vessel of the covenant, and the scribe, who studies the ancient wisdom of God, meet and agree on the foundation of God’s law. Love God and one another. Not just superficially, but with your whole heart. Bring your passion to your love and you will be whole.

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Hosea 14:2-10

Psalm 81

Mark 12:28-34

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/

March 31, 2011

Abraham quotes Jesus in his famous “House Divided” speech delivered against slavery. How can we all work towards a “World United”? Make eye-contact, let the other guy go first, seek first to understand then to be understood, practice forgiveness: both in the asking and in the granting, give a compliment.

May I do one more bridge-building action than I did yesterday!

Namaste! Amen!

The Readings

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Psalm 95

Luke 11:14-23

Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

The reading is from the website below.

http://bible.oremus.org/