Lenten Disciplines

During our Ash Wednesday Services the celebrant always says, “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” (BCP p. 265).

When you first read that list, it certainly doesn’t sound like something in which you would readily want to participate. Most of us would prefer to go to the movies, out to dinner, or to spend time with our friends. Perhaps that’s why churches see more people at the Pancake Supper than at the Ash Wednesday Service. But as you consider that list of Lenten disciplines, we might also consider another quote from the catechism of the prayer book: “Redemption is the act of God which sets us free from the power of evil, sin and death.”(BCP p.849). For me, that quote is particularly helpful in this time of Lent. It is helpful because it reminds me that the point of examining and repenting from my sin is not because I deserve the torment of having my sins thrown in my face, but rather because I deserve the great JOY that comes from receiving the redemption only found through believing in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Being redeemed means knowing that God has removed my sin. Through redemption, God has taken away those things which once blocked our relationship and the result is an increased feeling of His presence in my life. And that joy, which redemption brings, is not the same kind of joy I get from eating pancakes or going on vacation. Rather the joy that comes from my renewed relationship with God is much fuller, deeper, and powerful.

So as you think about Lent this year, my encouragement to everyone would be to embrace those often uncomfortable disciplines of our faith so that by working with them you might receive the greatest joy imaginable. No one knew that truth quite like, Peter Chrysologus, a bishop of a town in upper Italy around the 5^th century. I will leave you with a quote from one of his sermons where he is speaking about the necessity of prayer, fasting, and showing mercy to others:

There are three things, my brethren, which cause faith to stand firm, devotion to remain constant, and virtue to endure. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other. Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God's ear to yourself. When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery. Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor.

~ from a sermon by Peter Chrysologus, bishop

Jesus' High Priestly Prayer

Tonight's reading from the Daily Office is the last part of Jesus's high priestly prayer. It is a humbling thing to hear our Lord pray for us. In His prayer we can hear that Jesus' greatest longing is for us to truly know God and to be united with Him in God. He wants us to know God the way He knows God and He realizes that if we do it will change the world. What makes this prayer even more humbling is that Jesus wants it for us so much that he is willing to suffer and die for us to have this supernatural unity with God.

How much are we willing to give so that the world may know God's love?

John 17:20-26 20

'I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 'Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.'

The Little Things We do for God

"Nothing, how little so ever it be, if it is suffered for God's sake, can pass without merit in the sight of God."

~Thomas a Kempis

I love this quote from Thomas a Kempis. It reminds me that God appreciates everything I do to try and further His kingdom, even those things I do that don't turn out so well or that I feel are a waste of time. After all who knows what impact they have in the world of the spirit. Also, for those who aren't familiar with Thomas a Kempis, he was a medieval monk who literally wrote the book on spiritual growth and development. The book is called The Imitation of Christ. It would be a good work for us all to look over this lent.  

The Qualities of a Christian Priest

I thought for my first post on this new blog I would submit an adaptation of a newsletter article I wrote for my former parish that was beginning their search process for a new rector. I often return to this reflection of mine as I consider my calling both as a follower of Christ, and as the priest of St. Anskar’s.

The qualities of a priest:

As I consider the many qualities a priest must possess, I thought I would offer for consideration the same ones that Michael Ramsey, the 100^th Archbishop of Canterbury, offers in his book, The Christian Priest Today, expanding on them in my own words. In this book, Michael Ramsey suggests a priest must be a man of theology, a minister of reconciliation, a man of prayer, and a priest of the Eucharist.

Michael Ramsey 100th Archbishop of Canterbury

First, a priest must be a person of theology. When most of us think of a priest, among our first thoughts are their ability to speak from the pulpit, from the lectern of the adult forum, and in our time alone in council. If a priest is not knowledgeable in the Christian faith, how can we expect them to transmit that faith to us? In addition, we must also consider that knowledge in the faith is more than mere learning; it is experience in the growth of holiness. After all, if a priest is not somewhat familiar with the obstacles besetting our path to Christ, how can they council us in our journey?

Next, a priest must be a minister of reconciliation. That is, a person of peace who desires collaboration instead of conflict and seeks God’s will over his own. A priest must work for reconciliation both between fellow members of the parish, but also between each of us and God. A good priest will be a person who helps us see and understand the barriers between us and Christ and will work to remove them.

Thirdly, a priest will be a person of prayer and by that I don’t mean the obligatory extemporaneous  prayer said before the parish potluck dinner. Rather they will be the sort of Christian who spends time on their knees in private making intercession for the needs of the church, themselves, and the world. This standard is something that every one of us should aspire to but it is especially important for the parish priest who will not be able to be successful unless they find their strength in Jesus and allow themselves to stand aside so each of you can come into His presence.

Finally, a priest must be a man of the Eucharist, which is a person who is able to be fully present in the worship of God. As a priest he must truly stand in the place of Christ at the altar and represent Jesus to the Church. At the same time the priest also stands before our Lord, representing the Church to God. The priest offers intercession for the church and pronounces the forgiveness of God to the church. The priest proclaims God’s love and Gospel not only to those in attendance on Sunday, but to the entire world and to everyone they encounter.

I hope you have found these reflections helpful and I hope this type of thought will help both clergy and laity understand the role of the priest as someone who’s primary job is not simply to guide the parish to greater numbers and better programs, but to the heart of Christ. Finally, I will leave you with these often quoted and ancient words.

O Sacerdos, quid es tu?

Non es te, quia de nihilo,

Non es ad te, quia mediator ad Deum,

Non es tibi, quia sponsus ecclesia,

Non es tui, quia servus omnium,

Non es tu, quia Dei minister,

Quid es ergo?  Nihil et omnia,

O Sacerdos.

O Priest, what are you?

You are not from yourself, for you are from nothing;

you are not to yourself, because you a mediator to God;

you are not for yourself, for you are spouse of the Church;

you are not of yourself, for you are a servant of all;

you are not yourself, for you are a minister of God;

what therefore are you?  Nothing and everything,

O Priest.