Daily Office Reflection: Spirit and Truth

Psalms 31 * 35; Genesis 11:27-12:8; Hebrews 7:1-17; John 4:16-26

Two weeks ago today a medical condition was discovered and my 82 year old mother had the first of two operations to relieve pressure on her brain from a long-bleeding vein. She had a second brain operation the following Monday (11 days ago) to staunch a second bleeding incident. She remained in ICU for a little over a week and is now in a Rehab clinic regaining her strength and balance, getting her ready for independent living, which will hopefully re-start a week from now. The rapid pace of her recuperation is, I think, mirrored by the annoyance she expresses at being at this Rehab place and not home.

The neurosurgeon told me that if she survived the operations, which thankfully she has, her recovery would be very quick, which it is proving to be. In fact, he said, she will feel much better and more clear thinking quicker than her body will regain strength from being in bed for over a week. A true blessing of spirit and truth. A challenge to manage: expectations and desires and the reality of what she can and cannot yet do.

Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that all those who follow him must learn to worship God and understand God as spirit and truth. I saw God's hand at work in: the skill of the neurosurgeon, his OR teams and the ICU staff. I saw God's hand at work in the world by the care provided to me by my mother's friends and family.

No matter what comes our way, God is next to us, with us, supporting us, guiding us. There is spirit and truth all around us.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: The Epiphany

Psalms 46, 97 * 96, 100; Isaiah 49:1-7; John 21:2-27; Matthew 12:14-21

The word epiphany derives from a Greek word that means manifestation. We celebrate the discovery of the Incarnation of God in the infant Jesus today, with that infant being found by three travelers termed "wise". The word epiphany has come to be defined as having a moment of revelation - a clearness of thought - a deep understanding of something that had been hidden. I like to think of "epiphany" as being an "aha" moment: a time when woolheadedness is replaced with clear thinking and understanding.

These moments don't come all that often in life. We need to cherish them when they do, recognize them when they occur, and incorporate those understandings into our way of being in the world. We can re-live and re-appreciate those aha moments if we manage to accomplish that incorporation. Perhaps we might be called "wise" then.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: A New Chance

MP: Psalms 2, 110:1-5(6-7); Jonah 2:2-9; Ephesians 6:10-20; John 11:17-27,38-44

Eve of Epiphany: Psalm 29, 98; Isaiah 66:18-23; Romans 15:7-13

Friends have a way of telling us hard truths, of giving us second and third and fourth chances. True friends that is, not those who are not invested in us as we are in them. If we are blessed with having these kind of friends in our lives, we can be gifted with insights into ourselves and the world around us that we might not be able to see or understand without their presence and honesty in our lives.

In our MP Gospel reading we have Jesus raising Lazarus from his tomb, four days after he had been placed there. Jesus shouts into the tomb, after the stone is rolled away, Lazarus, come out! and when the he does come out bound in strips of cloth Jesus says, Unbind him, and let him go.

We are told by the Gospel writer John that Lazarus (and his sisters Martha and Mary) were not only followers of Jesus but also his friends. What a gift to be given a chance to live again. Perhaps that is one of the things we are asked to think about from this Gospel reading, a chance to be resurrected into a new life with our friends. Or, similarly, who in our lives needs to be shaken up, told to come out, to be unbound, to allow them to go free. Are we open to hearing those commands from our friends? Do we have the courage, strength and love to say something to someone who needs to alter the trajectory they are on? A new chance is always worth the effort.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Gifts and Costs

Psalms 85, 87 * 89:1-29; Joshua 3:14-4:7; Ephesians 5:1-20; John 9:1-12,35-38

I heard a sermon recently on the passage in Matthew concerning The Holy Innocents: those children two years and younger who were killed by Herod because of his fear of the King of Jews having been born. The sermon was an interesting reflection on darkness and evil in the world, the preacher saying the reason for their existence being inexplicable but ever-present, yet he was there to testify to the light that shines in that ever-present darkness. That light, of course, being Jesus. Perhaps a bit of a dark sermon in the Season of Christmas.

I thought of that sermon today as I read our lectionary selection from the Gospel of John, where Jesus heals the individual who was blind from birth. Jesus heals him and then the man is questioned (tried really), his parents are questioned (also tried - the part that is omitted from our reading) and then the newly sighted man is cast out. Jesus finds him and the man worships Jesus. There is a cost to this gift Jesus gives this formerly blind man.

I must confess to wanting to be poly-anna at times - wanting to think the best about people's intentions, seeing only the good in the world. Today's reading from John (and the sermon on The Holy Innocents) are an appropriate reminder of the need to recognize there is the other side of the coin to take into account. Not to dwell in that darkness or be consumed by people's wrongful intentions, but to balance the joy of Christ's gifts to us with the knowledge that there will always be more work to do. Always.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Trusting Who We Are

Psalms 34 *33; 1 Kings 19:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:1-14

We are gifted such wonderful readings today. In First Kings we have Jezebel threatening Elijah, and Elijah becomes fearful and running away. He drops off his servant in Beersheba and continues on his journey. But he gives up hope and lies down, only to be provided sustenance and strength by God so he can continue his journey to God's mountain.

The selection from the letter to the Ephesians is that call by the author to live into who God has created us to be and to utilize the individualized gifts we are all given for the completion of the Body of Christ of which we are all apart.

And in the selection from John we have Jesus feeding the masses with five barley loaves and two fish with enough left over to fill 12 baskets.

On this second day of the New Year we have these three readings that provide assurance: of God's involvement in our lives, of God's love for us even when we think we should give up, of God's grace in giving us gifts to effectuate the building of the Body of Christ, and of our continued sustenance and satiated appetite even when we do not trust that the seeming impossible can be accomplished.

We are reminded today that we can trust in who we are and that the gifts God has given us are enough.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Holy Name & Happy New Year

Psalm 103 * 148; Isaiah 62:1-5,10-12; Revelation 19:11-16; Matthew 1:18-25

Lesser Feasts and Fasts tells us that prior to the '79 BCP this day was not known as Holy Name but as the Feast of the Circumcision. Luke tells us this ritual was performed on Jesus eight days after his birth, pursuant to Jewish custom and tradition. The church shifted away from that bloody and gruesome (and painful) image in '79 moving to a day where we reflect on the Holy Name given to Jesus on this day.

All three of our readings have to do namings: how Jerusalem is referred to will be changed; the names John uses to describe the images in his revelation, and the importance of Jesus' name being given him by Joseph in Matthew's Gospel. What we call something is important.

Names have meaning. It is a proven psychological principle that things we are called, names associated with us, can have lasting impact. When a child is called "fatso" or "ugly-zit-face", as much as those names may be untrue, they can still take root and help shape a person's self-image. Similarly, what we pray as Episcopalians is what we believe. By identifying ourselves as members of this peculiar community of Christians, we are not only saying something to others about who we are and what we believe, but we are all in the act of becoming that thing. It is important what we call ourselves.

On this first day of a new calendar year, as we think about and recognize Jesus' Holy Name, we are also asked to think about what name we want to be called this year. Who am I becoming, we can ask ourselves, and then actually embody that image we project. That authenticity will bring us to a very Happy New Year.

jfd+

Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: St. Thomas

MP: Psalms 23, 121; Job: 42:1-6; 1 Peter 1:3-9

EP: Psalm 27; Isaiah 43:8-13; John 14:1-7

I think St. Thomas should be the patron saint for all Episcopalians, for he had faith, but he had questions too. Thomas had stalwart confidence and loyalty and friendship to Jesus and the other disciples, but he wanted to understand too. His faith was there, just sometimes stalled by his intellect and his desire to methodically work through an issue.

We see these characteristics in our EP reading from the Gospel of John today. Jesus is interrupted in his final discourse at the Last Supper by Thomas who wants to know the answer to an obvious question: so you're going ahead of us - how the heck are we going to find you? And of course Jesus patiently and lovingly answers Thomas by saying it is through him, by believing and following him, that our way can be made clear. Probably not the clear answer Thomas was hoping for, but it is the only one Jesus is going to provide.

We have Thomas as an example and as a warning. As an example of his deeply routed faith and as a warning that we cannot let our intellect block that faith. Our intellect can help deepen that faith, but there are mysteries and beliefs that rely more on faith than our brain. A nice reminder on this last Monday of the Advent Season.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Enter Into the Joy

Psalms 40, 54 * 51; Zechariah 7:8-8:8; Revelation 5:6-14; Matthew 25:14-30

These past few days Jesus has been talking about being ready, getting ourselves ready for the end times, the last days. He continues along that theme in today's Gospel selection with the parable of the three slaves given 5 talents, 2 talents and 1 talent and what they did with those gifts.

We all have different gifts, different things we have energy around, different levels of desire to "do" certain things while others we do our best to stay away from. There are times, naturally, where we just don't feel like "doing" those things we are called upon to do, those things that we have gifts and abilities to do. I do not think Jesus is talking about those particular times in all of our lives. I do think Jesus is talking about times when we purposefully ignore, and over the course of a longer period of time, do not live up to, or into, the life to which our gifts and abilities can lead us.

There is a joy in accomplishing a task, in completing a challenging assignment. There is also a joy in actually living into and actually doing that work we have abilities to do. All of these recent readings we have been having in our Gospel have been focused on being ready, being watchful, doing the work we are called to do before it is too late. Having these kinds of focused readings in Advent is a good reminder of what this season is all about: getting ready for what we celebrate a week from today. In a way, we celebrate the world ending a week from today, the coming of God into the world in a new way signals the end.... and the beginning.

In Eucharistic Prayer B there is a phrase toward the beginning of the prayer that starts "In these last days....." Jesus is reminding us with this parable of the talents that we are in these last days; that the celebration of the Word becoming flesh we are preparing for seven days from today marks an end to all things, and the beginning of new....all of which allows us to enter into the joy that is God's embrace. All we have to do is be our better selves.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: A Thirsting Soul

Psalms 30, 32 * 42, 43; Haggai 2:1-9; Revelation 3:1-6; Matthew 24:1-14

For EP today we are gifted two of my favorite Psalms: 42 and 43. Both Psalms are set out below for ready review. Some have asked me why I like these so much for there is some graphic, and some find off-putting, language (see 42:11-13). I find the imagery in those words far outweighed by other verses (see 42:1-2,6-7, 43:3-6).

I find in these two Psalms (that many commentators believe, at one time, to have been one) to provide the scope of a person's faith journey: desire, want, despair, questioning, resolution/faith. These Psalms, in 21 verses, run the gamut from: a deep desire to know God, a wanting to be in relationship with God, to despair that God seems to be absent in life's challenges, a questioning of one's faith and belief, and ending where we can start, at a faith that God is with us.

These are great Psalms to carry with us, to think about, during any time of the year, but in particular during Advent, this season of waiting and expectation and wonder. I commend them to you.

jfd+

Psalm 42:

1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks *

so longs my soul for you, O God.

2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *

when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?

3 My tears have ben my food day and night, *

while all day long they say to me,

"Where now is your God?"

4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things; *

how I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God,

5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *

among those who keep holy-day.

6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me?

7 Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet give thanks to the One,

who is the help of my countenance and my God.

8 My soul is heavy within me; *

therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,

and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.

9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *

all your rapids and floods have gone over me.

10 The Lord grants loving-kindness in the daytime; *

in the night season God's song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

11 I will say to the God of my strength,

"Why have you forgotten me? *

and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?"

12 While my bones are being broken, *

my enemies mock me to my face;

13 All day long they mock me, *

and say to me, "Where now is your God?"

14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me?

15 Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet give thanks to the One,

who is the help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 43

1 Give judgment for me, O God,

and defend my cause against an ungodly people; *

deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.

2 For you are the God of my strength;

why have you put me from you? *

and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?

3 Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, *

and bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling.

4 That I may go to the altar of God,

to the God of my joy and gladness; *

and on the harp I will give thanks to God, my God.

5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

and why are you so disquieted within me?

6 Put your trust in God; *

for I will yet give thanks to the One,

who is the help of my countenance and my God.

Daily Office Reflection: Something Different

Psalms 26, 28 * 36, 39; Amos 7:10-17; Revelation 1:9-16; Matthew 22:34-46

Ceasing the placing of human characteristics on what God can and cannot do is one of the concepts Jesus does his best to get across to the Pharisees today. He confounds the Pharisees today by making them reconsider whose son the Messiah would be: David's or God's. In one of those Gospel conundrums, we have Matthew (and other) Gospel writers straining to prove Jesus' relationship/lineage to David and yet in the same Gospel, many chapters later, saying that relationship is really irrelevant.

Placing human limitations on what God can and cannot do, Jesus is saying in part, is part of the Pharisees problem. We need to try to think beyond those limitations, see the world, and our workings within it, from a different perspective. God's love knows no bounds. We do a disservice to ourselves and to the coming Incarnation we celebrate in 17 days if we do not try and do something different, if we don't try to open ourselves to understanding God's love for us, and involvement in our lives, as something bigger than we are. That is a good Advent idea to chew on today.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: God's Things

Psalm 20, 21:1-7(8-14) * 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117; Amos 5:18-27; Jude 17-25; Matthew 22:15-22

This seems so simple, and yet it is not. This seems so direct, and yet it is not: Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's,and to God the things that are God's. Jesus says this to the Pharisees that are trying to entrap him in their plotting to have him killed by the Romans.

We are called by God to be of this world but not, to be part of and in this world, but not. Two seemingly diametrically opposed instructions to allow us to live into the kingdom. One of the things Jesus is saying today is that we must be in this world, operate within the parameters and frameworks of it, but not allow those parameters and frameworks to dictate or control what should be the center of our existence: God.

If we base at the center of our understanding of the world our belief in God's love for all, those "worldly" things, those rules and regulations that can get in the way of being centered in God, take their proper place. As we are called to be God's representatives here, as the Body of Christ in the world, well than we will not be able to fail if we keep ourselves centered in God's love. Will we be successful al the time, bring the secular world along to where it should be, not always. That does not mean we should either stop trying, or that we shouldn't find some way to still accommodate those issues of equality and justice for all in all of our actions.

Such a simple concept Jesus provides for us today, hard to effectuate, but always possible. A good thing to contemplate as we enter the second week of Advent.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: SNCMSRP

Psalms 119:1-24 * 12, 13, 14; Amos 3:12-4:5; 2 Peter 3:1-10; Matthew 21:23-32

The chief priests and the elders of the people come to Jesus today while he is teaching. In yesterday's reading from the Gospel of Matthew Jesus had cleaned the temple of the money-changers and those who sold doves. These elders and priests ask Jesus just who does he think he is, from where does he claim the authority to do and say the things that he does and says. Jesus replies asking about John the Baptist's missionary work and they equivocate, proving to Jesus and those who listen that they are a bunch of stiff-necked-closed-minded-self-righteous prigs (SNCMSRPs, for those who like acronyms).

Jesus gives them a parable about two sons: one who says nope, and then changes his mind, and the other who says yup, but doesn't do what the father asked. This parable sums up one of the wonders of our yearly season of Advent. We are all given a chance to not be SNCMSRPs. We are all given an opportunity to prepare ourselves for this gift God gives us in the Incarnation. Being human, we can all have, from time to time, a bit of the SNCMSRP in us. Just like the first son, we can reject initially, but God's waiting embrace is always there for us when we decide to turn and walk into that embrace.

Advent is a wonderful time to get a massage to loosen those tightened neck muscles, open our mind to ideas and concepts that we might have initially rejected, and be gracious in listening to others and not be so self-focused. A good parable to think on this Advent.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: St.Andrew

MP: Psalm 34; Isaiah 49:1-6; 1 Cor 4:1-16

EP: Psalm 96; Isaiah 55:1-5; John 1:35-42

We do not know all that much about St. Andrew. The most important thing we do know is that he was Simon's (named Peter by Jesus) brother. In John's Gospel, Andrew is one of two who first follow Jesus, and Andrew is the one who then brings Peter to Jesus.

Lesser Feasts and Fasts remarks today that Andrew did not seem to be part of the Jesus' inner circle, which consisted of Peter, James and John, although Andrew does appear in the Gospels more frequently than any others, besides the inner circle. Andrew's experience is so very typical of what happens in life: someone discovers something (or someone) and then introduces this to others, and others become more prominent.

And yet Andrew is not forgotten or cast aside. He is like the vast majority of us: those who open the way for others to exercise their gifts to the fullest extent. Not everyone can be a Peter. All of us can be like Andrew though, and open the door to those we know who need to become acquainted with Jesus. That is not a small thing.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Advent Eve

Psalms 137:1-6(7-9), 144 * 104; Micah 7:11-20; 1 Peter 4:7-19; Matthew 20:29-34

We are at the end of the church calendar year today. We begin Advent tomorrow! A new church year in which we switch "years" in both the Sunday lectionary and Daily Office lectionary. We change colors for what we wear. We start the church year in this season of Advent, where we have readings that provide us with the tension between contemplating the coming of the Prince of Peace and the End Times, Jesus' coming again.

Some view Advent as a "mini-Lent", a mini-penitential season. Others view it as a time for quiet reflection and preparation on the gift God gives us on Christmas: the Incarnation. Whatever this beginning season is for us, we are given a clue of what we should be thinking about in today's Gospel selection from Matthew, where Jesus asks two blind men what they want him to do for them and they say, let our eyes be opened.

That small phrase is a good one to think on today, this last day of the Season after Pentecost, this Advent Eve. What have we closed our eyes to this past year? What should we open our eyes to this new year? What should we try and focus on this Advent? Let our eyes be opened.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Thanksgivings and Remembrances

MP: Psalm 147; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; John 6:26-35

EP: Psalm 145; Joel 2:21-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

Growing up, my family home was one where the extended family came for the holidays. Thanksgiving was for my mother's family and Christmas, my father's. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends would swarm to the house. The usual arrival time was 3:00 in the afternoon, with dinner being served around 5:00. But preparation started days before (shopping, cleaning, setting up, pulling out the good china and silver and crystal, finding the folding chairs, putting the leaves in the dining room table). Thanksgiving morning had bustling about beginning early, with getting the turkey ready, peeling the potatoes, cutting the turnips, preparing the appetizers, doing the final set up to make sure the hoards of people would have a welcome and fun time. In between the prep, there was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and all those balloons and floats, perhaps Laurel and Hardy's March of the Wooden Soldiers, and of course, football. Hard work, but a time to be thankful for and a remembrance of people, many of whom have long since gone to the embrace of God.

So many things to be thankful for today, so many people to remember and to be grateful for having in my life. A good day to also remember and pray for all those less fortunate, who do not have tables to share and food aplenty. A good day to remember God in our lives, loving us wherever we are, and whoever we may be.

Happy Thanksgiving.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: The Importance of Kids

Psalms (120), 121, 122, 123 * 124, 125, 126 (127); Nahum 1:1-13; 1 Peter 1:13-25; Matthew 19:13-22

As a church we, often times, do not do a good job incorporating our children into the full life of our corporate bodies. Children of all ages are segregated away from the rest of us, told to act like adults (and not like children), frowned at when they do act like children. Those types of experiences chase parents away from church and can leave marks on the child that do not go away.

At the beginning of our Gospel reading from Mark today we hear about Jesus laying hands on little children and praying. The disciples speak sternly to those who brought the children to Jesus. Jesus said Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for t is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.

Having children around us in all aspects of the life of the church is a vital reminder of this passage for us. By having kids among and around us, as full members of this Body of Christ we are all a part of, makes us complete, allows us to be who God created us to be, allows us a glimpse of the kingdom Jesus is announcing. It also provides a basis for those children to continue in the life and work of this Body in which they are an equal part.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Forgiving

Psalms 107:33-43, 108:1-6(7-13) * 33; Isaiah 65:17-25; Revelation 22:14-21; Matthew 18:21-35

I am often asked by friends, both "churched" and "non-churched", how these ancient documents we study and worship could possibly be relevant to today's world. And I many times will ask them to look at the pericope from Matthew we have today in response to their challenge.

Jesus is pointing out a flaw in our human nature: one having to do with gripes and retained sore-feelings over against forgiveness. We all get resentful, have our feelings hurt, are treated badly by someone or some group. Those feelings many times can become longstanding resentments where forgiveness finds it hard to put down any roots. These feelings and our human nature, are the same as those disciples, represented by Peter today. We haven't much changed from those folks who walked around with Jesus 2000 years ago.

As an example of that: I live in a large, multi-unit condo building and I was down in the laundry room early this morning (around 6 AM). I was there before anyone else in the building was awake or active enough to get their laundry down to the basement. I did not meet anyone when I went down initially or when I went to move the clothes from the washers to the dryers. When I got back down there to take the clothes out of the dryers (well before the time had expired on the machines) there was a woman there who had already put clothes in the other unused dryers and was impatiently waiting for me to come down (even though my machines had yet to finish their drying cycles). She was obviously in a very bad mood and completely unresponsive to my greeting or attempt at light conversation. That kind of rudeness just pisses me off and although I felt like giving her a lecture I chose to stay quiet, calmly (and perhaps a bit more slowly than necessary) getting my clothes out of the dryers, and left the laundry room. I was more annoyed than I should have been, and thought about today's Gospel reading on the elevator ride back upstairs.

By the time I reached my apartment door I had found a place to forgive her and forget the incident. Part of the elevator self-conversation I had was debating going back and giving this rude individual a piece of my mind weighed against holding a grudge and being snippy to her next time I ran into her in the complex, or praying for her and letting my base instincts be just that, base and to be recognized as that.

By these simple, every day, human interactions is how these holy Scriptures are still applicable today. They point us to a better world, a kingdom proclaimed and modeled for us in the life and teachings of Jesus.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Wrong Question

Psalms 105:1-22 * 105(23-45); Maccabees 4:1-25; Revelation 21:22-22:5; Matthew 18:1-9

The disciples get Jesus a bit riled up today! They ask him who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and Jesus, basically, says Hey folks, wrong question! Jesus points them to a rearranging of their attitudes and understanding of what life would be like and needs to be like in this kingdom Jesus is pronouncing.

Jesus brings a child forward and says, be humble like this child, change and be like this child. The humble are the greatest in the kingdom! And then Jesus warns about the dangers of inhibiting someone who is like this child, warns about allowing those non-humble moments (those stumbling blocks) controlling how we act in the world.

Humbleness is, for many, a hard change to accept in their outlook and understanding of the world. Jesus recognizes this when he says Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, and yet he says, if we do stumble, get up, watch were and how we are walking, change. Jesus knows we are human and fallible, but that doesn't lesson his love for us, nor does it lesson God's love for us. But that does not mean we shouldn't get up, watch were we are going, change, try again when we do stumble. We need to re-think the question, perhaps not even think about "greatness", but instead think about how we can change that question to how do we make the kingdom among us become more real, not only for us but for all those who have yet to find a way into this kingdom.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: Doubt and Faith

Psalms 97, 99 (100) * 94 (95); Maccabees 3:25-41; Revelation 21:1-8; Matthew 17:14-21

Jesus comes down the mountain today with Peter, James and John, having been just transfigured before their eyes, and he is greeted by a man who tried to have his epileptic son healed by the disciples who had remained behind. But they failed at their attempt to heal the boy.

Were the disciples annoyed at being left behind by Jesus? Were they starting to panic about being left alone: what if Jesus doesn't come back? What are we to do? And, perhaps in that panic, in that doubt, their faith (which was still developing) waned and they were not able to heal the epileptic boy. Perhaps Jesus' annoyance was directed at these disciples he left at the base of the mountain to take care of those things while he was busy doing something else. Jesus says as much at the end of today's Gospel reading when he says, in response to a query as to why they couldn't heal the boy, Because of your little faith.

Doubt, perhaps, got in the way of those disciples' efforts at healing. Doubt got in the way of what they had seen first hand, what they knew they could do in Jesus' name. They forgot, let doubt get in the way, of the knowledge of how the world can be different because Jesus has entered our world. Doubt got in the way of their faith.

Doubt will always be with us. Balanced against that doubt is a sure and confident knowledge that God loves us, became human in Jesus, knows us better than we know ourselves and is here with us at all times. That knowledge can outweigh the doubt and tip the scales to the side of faith, if we allow that to happen. Which side of the scale are we going to allow to rule us today?

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.

Daily Office Reflection: After Images

Psalms 89:1-18 * 89:19-52; Maccabees 3:1-24; Revelation 20:7-15; Matthew 17:1-13

We have Matthew's rendition of the Transfiguration in today's Gospel selection. Matthew does something interesting in how he describes how Jesus is transformed. Matthew says, after they climbed a high mountain (by themselves), Peter, James, John witnessed Jesus be transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Imagine that: a face shining like the sun, clothes being dazzling white. The Greek word that Matthew uses (egastrapon) can be translated not only dazzling white, but "as if lightning bolts were emanating" from him. Think about what lightning does to our eyesight: we are blinded for a moment and all we see are shadows and after-images. Combine that with Jesus' face "shining like the sun" and we are provided with an image that is not only too bright, but also becomes indistinct and otherworldly: all else fades, leaving a marked place. And that after-image from that lightning has burned an image onto our mind's eye.

Perhaps that is the image Matthew is trying to leave with us today in his description The Transfiguration. The concept he is trying to burn into our mind's eye: the brilliance of Jesus' presence, making it the center of all that we see. The after-image from the lightning that stays with us, is other-worldly yet somehow a part of this world, is a way for us to carry Jesus with us through the day, to remember his real presence with us in all the ordinariness of our lives, making those moments extra-ordinary.

jfd+

Copyright 2009, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.