John's prologue

This Sunday's reading of John 1:1-18 is the prologue of his gospel, and in it we see his major theme of light versus dark and a developed theology as to who Jesus is.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

 

Christmas canticle selections

 I think we all need a musical interlude this Christmas, so I give you the Christmas canticles which I have sung in various choirs over the years. The haunting Benedictus by Karl Jenkins is a must listen.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum

The Benedictus 

Nunc Dimittis

Gloria

One good gift for Christmas from the CofE

 This new version of The First Nowell is about the only good thing to come out of the CofE this year. 

Pray for the remaining defenders of the Faith in the CofE.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Pope Francis Yields on Same-sex Blessings: German Bishops 1 - Roman Catholicism 0

Pope Francis has approved same-sex blessings. 

I am not shocked.

After all, the German Bishops who approved same-sex blessings earlier this year were never formally disciplined as I reported a few weeks ago. 

Will this cause schism in the Roman Catholic organization (previously known as a church)?

From Fox News,

Same-sex couples can now be blessed by Catholic priests, following formal approval from Pope Francis.

A new document explaining the change in Vatican policy was released Monday, saying that "people seeking God's love and mercy shouldn't be subject to ‘an exhaustive moral analysis’ to receive it," The Associated Press reported.

Francis sent a letter to two conservative cardinals in October, suggesting that such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if those receiving the blessing did not confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. 

The church stands firm in its stance that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman, and that blessings should not be given at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with other actions or clothing related to weddings.

The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office says requests for such blessings should not be denied.

"Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God," the document said. "The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live."

"It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered," the pope added.

In the new document, the Vatican said the church must shy away from "doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying."

It stressed that people in "irregular" unions — gay or straight — are in a state of sin. However, it said that should not deprive them of God’s love or mercy.

"Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it," the document said.

Conservative R.C. bishops beware. This appears to be a mandate (no pun intended) from Francis.

Maybe we will go back to the time when there were two Popes.

Perhaps now is the time for such bishops and people to swim the Tiber in the opposite direction (hint, hint Gavin Ashenden and Michael Nazir Ali).

Swim over to ACNA people.

 

Thank you St. Paul for the reminder and the blessing

This Sunday's reading from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 is incredibly short with a lot of dos and don'ts,

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this."

"Test everything" is great advice, but I suspect that it is routinely ignored. Part of this is due to our human brain which responds emotionally fractions of a second before our logic circuits kick in, A large part is also due to out laziness. 

Thank you St. Paul for the reminder and the blessing.  

 

Dr. Fauci really does need to go to church

I saw this over at RedState and thought that Dr. Tony Fauci's opinion of church attendance was emblematic of how many people feel about liturgical churches, 

“A number of complicated reasons,” he said. “First of all, I think my own personal ethics on life are I think enough to keep me going on the right path.”

“And I think there are enough negative aspects about the organizational Church,” he continued. He noted that Kay was “very well aware” of these things, without naming them.

“I’m not against it,” Fauci explained. “I identify myself as a Catholic. I was raised, I was baptized, I was confirmed, I was married in the Church. My children were baptized in the Church.”

“But as far as practicing it, it seems almost like a pro forma thing that I don’t really need to do.” 

For those who need the current definition of pro forma, 

pro forma adjective 

1: made or carried out in a perfunctory manner or as a formality (Merriam-Webster)

I can understand how regular church attendance at a liturgical church can bring about the feeling that one's attendance is a mere formality because of the repetitive recitation of the words of the liturgy week after week (for Sunday pewsitters) or daily (for those using the daily offices). Maybe this is why so many people are attracted to modern independent churches many of which offer services that seem more like entertainment than worship. 

At least those churches give people a church family(we hope).

A good liturgy (unlike what the Episcopal church seems to be creating) should offer protection against heresy, especially the type of heresy that denies the need for congregational worship. Such denial takes one down the pathway of setting oneself up as the creator of their own personal religion. This inevitably leads to any of a number of heresies. 

The sin that grows out of a self created religion is the sin of Pride. With congregational worship, especially with a good liturgy, should come a sense of humility as we prepare ourselves to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the form of the bread and wine of the Eucharist. It is Pride that keeps us from repentance and it is Pride that holds us back from getting down on our knees before God to accept His free gift of salvation.

No, Tony, swallow your pride. Swallow the bread and the wine. You really need to "do" church. We all do.

The end of the Earth

 Scientists think that all life on Earth will end in 600,000,000 years. In today's reading from Peter 3:8-15, that is 1,644 God years if my calculations are correct. 

 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.

 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him,

We shall all be toast before that time, but don't rely on my calculations if you think you can wait before you reconcile yourself with the Lord.

 

Oh Canada!

 As previously discussed here, Canada has been pushing physician assisted suicide to new extremes. They call it Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), but that is just a soft sell for what is really going on. Surprisingly, the Canadian government is launching a new suicide prevention hotline as announced by Justin Trudeau. Just like a big government to on the one hand promote suicide while creating a department to prevent it.

I wonder what kind of advice they will be providing. Maybe they will be sending out instructions on how to obtain MAid as an option.

 

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Justin Trudeau

@JustinTrudeau

As of today, Canada’s new suicide crisis and emotional distress helpline is available across the country. If you need help or know someone who does, you can reach out to 9-8-8 by phone and text, in English and French, at any time of day and any day of the week.

10:49 AM · Nov 30, 2023

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Face the Master

 This Sunday our parish had Bishop Bryan for a couple of confirmations for which we give thanks.

The Bishop preached on Mark 13:24-37,

 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake.[a] For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows,[c] or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

 Much like the parable of the virgins and their lamps, we are called to always be ready. I think this applies not just to the end of the Earth's days, but for our own end. Every one of us will face the "master of the house" some day.

After the service a feast was had in the Parish Hall, and we quickly forgot about the day of reckoning. 

So, this is just a little reminder.