VI Resurrection. 5th Sunday after Resurrection Day. Western Calendar.

VI Resurrection

 5th Sunday after Resurrection  Day

Beginning of Rogations

                                   

    

Greetings in Christ Jesus,

Sunday May 6, 2018

Epistle: Acts 16: 19-36

Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37

Psalm 70/71 “In thee, O’ Lord, I have hoped

My Friends,

It is now time to introduce the Days or Rogation, this is a Western Christian celebration that has actually been removed from the church calendar and is rarely celebrated in the United States. So what are the Rogation Days? Rogation is simply an English form of the Latin rogatio, which comes from the verb rogare, which means "to ask." The primary purpose of the Rogation Days is to ask God to bless the fields and the church geographic area that they fall in.

Starting at the church, (whether inside or outside, either one), the congregation would begin the Litany of the Saints and proceed to walk the grounds, not just the building itself but the whole of the property. This would be repeated as necessary depending on the size of the property and the length of time that it took to walk it. Or rather than repeating the Litany they would supplement it with some of the penitential or gradual Psalms. Thus, the entire church and property would be blessed, and the boundaries of the church would be marked.

After this a worship service would be held in which all were expected to attend. Rogation Days are tied to the spring planting. The Rogation days end on ascension day which is May 10, 2018. The Rogation Days are days of prayer, and formerly also of fasting, instituted by the Church to ask protection in calamities, and to obtain a good and bountiful harvest.

In the readings today we see troubles, there are health issues; a man is brought to Jesus who is deaf and has a speech impediment, Jesus heals the man. This healing may also be symbolic of the healing of mankind through the acceptance of Jesus the Christ. We first must hear the word and understand it before we can go out and explain it. The fact that the man's friends came to Jesus bringing the man along and the fact that the man agreed and allowed Jesus to put His fingers into the ears of the deaf man and then also to touch the man's tongue shows a faith in Jesus, his friends had the faith to lead him to Jesus and then the man had the faith to believe and so he was healed. The same as we and all who come to Jesus and believe are healed of our sins.

Notice that Jesus groaned before He healed the man; we have read this before when Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb. We have read that Jesus wept. This in fact shows that Jesus was not only God was was man as well. A man with emotions, one that could feel pain and hurt, one that demonstrated love physically for all people. Jesus is the God/Man. 

We see the Apostles are imprisoned because St. Paul cast an unholy spirit from a girl who was being used for profit by her keepers because she could divine or tell the fortunes of those who she came into contact with. This young girl was annoying the Apostle by following them around and constantly announcing who they were and what they were dong.This of course made those who were her keepers much money. While the Apostles were in prison they began praising God, an earthquake came and shook the prison, the doors of the prison were opened and the bands fell off of all of the prisoners.

God can do all things, there is no situation that we get ourselves into that God cannot help us out of. We simply must have the faith and believe. Keep in mind however, God's plan is far above ours. we suffer and we have plenty based on what God Himself has in store for us whether it is for purging, for testing, or for reward or necessity for our life. God is in control.

Our Psalmist speaks of his troubles and of those who seek his life and cause him great grief. Yet in spite of these things, even though his life is in peril, he praises God. He glorifies Him as savior and protector, he believes the promise of God, and he has great faith. The Psalmist as well as the Apostles, who are imprisoned after being beaten, never stops praising God in spite of their life being in great jeopardy.  These are lessons for us today. Regardless of our life and its many difficulties, we are loved and helped. We cannot know how much more difficult it would be for us if our Lord Jesus did not love us. Jesus groans at the healing of those who ask, Jesus weeps at the grave of His friend. Jesus does indeed love us to the point of giving His life for us.

Notice however that all of these people faced great challenges in their life. They had no easy life because they praised and preached Jesus, no, their life was indeed difficult. The world does not want anyone to live in eternal glory because the world is ruled by Lucifer the devil. He was and is the first to defy Almighty God and he suffers greatly for it. So how can he rule the world that God created? Because man allowed him into the world and followed him, this is how. Man continues to allow Lucifer to control him and the world system. Because we have been given free will by the Father, this will continue. We need to struggle against the devil and live for Jesus on this earth. There will come a day when man no longer praises the Creator and when this day comes it will finally signal the end. Currently people are still being born who turn to the Savior Jesus the Christ. Enough so that Almighty God has not instituted the end of the world as we know it and a new earth begins.

We do not know when this end and the new beginning will be, in spite of the many modern prophets who make a living selling Jesus and the destruction of the world; we have no clue when it will be. In the meantime, it rains on us all, haters and lovers of Jesus. The sun shines on us all, haters and lovers of Jesus. We remain together in this world until that day. So take a lesson from the readings. Continue to praise and worship Jesus the Christ and the Father through Him. Never cease to pray and live according to the gospel. Allow the Holy Ghost to guide you. Love God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength; love your neighbor as yourself. You never know whose life you will change because of this love of God in you.

The light has entered the world and the times; they are a-changing. 

If one does not have love for the soul of mankind and the desire that all come to the truth than one does not have Christ in them fully.

Little children, love one another; because this is our Lord’s command and if you fulfill this, nothing else is needed. Through love and because of love we will follow all of the commandments that we have been given. They are written on our hearts by the hand of Almighty God. We simply need to see them within us and follow.

Remember; if we confess our sins and repent, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

  

May the peace of our Lord Jesus the Christ be with you throughout this day and the rest of your life. May the Holy Spirit fill us all to overflowing so that everyone in whose path we cross may receive a blessing from our Lord Jesus the Christ.

Blessings

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Bishop William’s videos; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW8XyPtkmtu6a1vVg6MEiNg

Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

Who is Jesus the Christ 2

V Resurrection! 4th Sunday after Resurrection Day!

V Resurrection!

4th Sunday after Western Resurrection Day  

                                      

Greetings in Christ Jesus

Sunday April 29, 2018

Epistle: Acts 4:36-5:11

Gospel: John 9:1-38

Psalm:  Psalm 69/70

Friends,

Christ has risen. In today’s Epistle the Apostle Peter is speaking to someone who sold a piece of property and brought the money to the church to be used to help others who may have a need. The man lied and stated that he was giving all that he had. When Peter confronts him the man drops dead. Later his wife comes in and Peter then questions the man’s wife who backed up her husband’s amount therein again another lie was told, when Peter confronts the woman she falls down dead as well. Why? The issue here is not that the couple kept back some of the money or proceeds from the sale of the property, the issue is also not because the couple lied to Peter, when Peter confronted the man he said; you did not lie to us but to God, when the man heard these words he fell dead.

This is the lesson; we cannot hide anything from God, we cannot lie to God. There is no where we can go that He will not see, there is nothing that we can do that He will not also see, and there is nothing that we can say that He will not hear. We must be honest and upfront in all that we do. Lying to God or attempting to trick Him is always a bad idea. We must confess and repent of these things now or we will pay a price.

In our Gospel we see that Jesus is healing a blind man by putting clay on the blind man’s eyes and then telling him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. Jesus can obviously heal the blind man Himself without anything else needed so why did Jesus use clay on the blind man’s eyes and then tell the man to go and wash in the pool?

A few things here; one is obedience, do we obey God when He directs us to do something or do we whine and question? The blind man did not question but obeyed and came away seeing. Two; Jesus spit on the ground and made clay. When man was created God Himself used clay to form man from the earth, by spitting and using the clay Jesus is symbolically showing the old man made of clay which is placed on the eyes of the blind man and then by obedience the blind man goes and washes in the pool of Siloam which is symbolic of obedience and being baptized in water for the washing and regeneration and forgiveness of sins, thus washing away the old man (the clay) and walking away seeing symbolizes the new man created in Jesus who is now no longer blind to faith but can now see.

In spite of those who refuse baptism claiming it is simply a sign, and in spite of those who feel as if because they said a special prayer calling on Jesus so that now they are saved that they can continue living their life as they please making no changes. This is incorrect. Once our eyes are opened it is our job and duty to change for the good. We are saved unto good works. We are saved to glorify God. 

We have received a new life. Be thankful for that and tell others, live a life in Jesus, do good. When we fall, confess from our heart and repent. Get back up and keep on going. Praising God.

So from the Psalm let us pray; O God come to my assistance, O Lord make haste to help me. Let those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is Great!” But I am poor and need; hasten to help me O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!

The light has entered the world and the times; they are a-changing.  

If one does not have love for the soul of mankind and the desire that all come to the truth than one does not have Christ in them fully.

Little children, love one another; because this is our Lord’s command and if you fulfill this, nothing else is needed. Through love and because of love we will follow all of the commandments that we have been given. They are written on our hearts by the hand of Almighty God. We simply need to see them within us and follow.

Remember; if we confess our sins and repent, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Bishop William’s videos; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW8XyPtkmtu6a1vVg6MEiNg

Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

Who is Jesus the Christ 1

IIII Resurrection Day! 3rd Sunday after Resurrection Day

IIII Resurrection!

3rd Sunday after Western Resurrection Day  

                                      

Greetings in Christ Jesus

Sunday April 22, 2018

Epistle: Acts 2:22-28

Gospel: John 4:5-42

Psalm:  Psalm 67/68

Friends,

Christ has risen. In today’s Epistle the Apostle Peter is speaking to everyone who will listen to him on the Day of Pentecost about the risen Christ, after the Apostles received the Holy Ghost, this Jesus whom they had crucified has now risen, many people became believers on this day and were baptized.

In our Gospel we see that Jesus is leaving Judea and has to pass through Samaria to get back to Galilee. We see a lot going on here in these verses during the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. One unusual thing is that Jesus, who is recognized as a Teacher or Rabbi as is plainly seen in the gospel is actually speaking not just to a woman but to a Samaritan woman at that. Jewish leaders of the day did not have common conversation with women and an Israelite would not speak to a Samaritan. Yet we find the Jewish Rabbi speaking to a Samaritan woman.

With this alone we see that when it comes to salvation and all being equal in Christ that Jesus is teaching us that in the course of humanity, male and female do not exist in Christ but are equals. This is not to be mistaken though for the fact that men are still men and women are still women. Each has a different role to play in humanity but each role or every role is equal under Christ. A woman is not less important than a man nor is a man any more important than a woman. God made them male and female, each with their own special role.

They were at Jacob’s well, Jacob was of course the father of the twelve Patriarchs who essentially fathered the twelve tribes of Israel. In Deuteronomy, 11:29-30 Moses tells the Israelites that when they cross over into the land that they are to set a blessing on Mt. Gerizim and a curse on Mt. Ebal. This is the same Mt. Gerizim where Jesus is now speaking.

The Masoretic Text of the Tanakh says the Israelites later built an altar on Mount Ebal, constructed from natural (rather than cut) stones, to place stones there and whiten them with lime to make korban (peace offerings on the altar), eat there, and write the words of this law on the stone. The Samaritan Pentateuch version of Deuteronomy, and a fragment found at Qumran, holds that the instruction actually mandated the construction of the altar on Mount Gerizim, which the Samaritans view as the site of the tabernacle, recent Dead Sea Scrolls work supports the accuracy of the Samaritan Pentateuch's designation of Mount Gerizim rather than Mount Ebal as the sacred site.

We find in reading the Book of Joshua chapters 7 and 8 the battle of Ai and the lessons of not following God, of sinning and not confessing until one is forced to confess because one’s sin has been discovered and what happens when one follows God. Joshua built an altar of unhewn stones there on Mt. Gerizim, the Israelites then made peace offerings on it, the law of Moses was written onto the stones, and the Israelites split into the two groups specified in Deuteronomy and pronounced blessings and curses as instructed there. Later in the Book of Joshua, when Joshua becomes old and is dying, he gathered the people together at Shechem, and gave a farewell speech, and then wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and set up a stone as a witness, placing it next to the sanctuary of the Lord, under the oak tree.

When the Babylonian Captivity was over and Jews began returning, there was a large split between the Samaritans and Jews developed, with the Samaritans, but not the Jews, regarding Mount Gerizim as the holy place chosen by God. The Samaritans built a temple there on Mt. Gerezim.  The Jews on the other hand went to Jerusalem. Now in all fairness, many of the Samaritans stayed behind during the captivity and they continued the worship as they always had. They believed that they were on the holy mount of God and worshiping in the manner that had always been; they also believed that the Jews in Jerusalem corrupted the worship and the law after the captivity when they returned and that the Jerusalem Jews were not the faithful ones. Of course the Jerusalem Jews had the concept that they were the true Israel and that the Samaritans were corrupted people with a corrupt worship. So with this very short history on the Samaritan well and Jesus the Jewish Rabbi speaking to a Samaritan woman at that well now stated, we can see the some significance of this whole scene. 

Men and women under Christ or in Christ are equal in their humanity, Jesus declares Himself to be the Living Water of eternal life. We see that in spite of the prejudice between Jew and Samaritan Jesus shows us that in Christ there is no prejudice; there is no Jew nor Greek or in this case no Samaritan, there is no race of human that cannot be accepted into the Body Of Christ. He declares Himself to be the Christ, the Messiah that all Jews to include the Samaritans are waiting for. Jesus also declares that the ritual worship in the two temples; Jerusalem and the place of the Samaritans are void and will become meaningless because the true worshipers of God will worship in spirit and truth because God is spirit.

So from the Psalm let us declare; Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

The light has entered the world and the times; they are a-changing.  

If one does not have love for the soul of mankind and the desire that all come to the truth than one does not have Christ in them fully.

Little children, love one another; because this is our Lord’s command and if you fulfill this, nothing else is needed. Through love and because of love we will follow all of the commandments that we have been given. They are written on our hearts by the hand of Almighty God. We simply need to see them within us and follow.

Remember; if we confess our sins and repent, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

In Christ.

   

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church of the Americas

Bishop William’s videos; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW8XyPtkmtu6a1vVg6MEiNg

Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William

Who we are A O C C A

XXI Pentecost! Married and Called?

XXI Pentecost! Married and Called?

                                      

Greetings in Christ Jesus

Sunday October 29, 2017

Epistle: 1Timothy 3: 1-13

Gospel: Luke 16: 1-13

Psalm:  Psalm 112/113

Friends,

(About Bishops: “if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.” Bishops should be blameless, husband of one wife, sober, prudent, good behavior, chaste, given to hospitality, teacher, not given to wine, no striker, modest, not quarrelsome, not covetous, one that rules well his own house, children in subjection with all chastity, not a neophyte, having a good testimony. Also Deacons. Also women.)

So what is it in this epistle today that St. Paul is saying to us? It starts with saying that the desiring of the office of Bishop is a good work and then he speaks on what makes a good Bishop; blameless; this does not mean to be sinless as this is impossible, St. Paul is stressing that the man should live an upright life in honesty, high integrity and not be the subject of scandal. Next we see that he is to be the husband of one wife; this will automatically exclude polygamists, one wife is also taken to mean that he should have been married only once not married, divorced and remarried.

Does it also mean that being married is a requirement of the office? For those who forbid the marriage of a Bishop (which of course goes against the scripture) they will say that this is not a command or requirement and of course they will say this because they refuse the office to a married man (which again goes against the scripture). Of course we realize that it is not an actual binding requirement because not all of the apostles were married. 

However I do find it ironic that the two largest groups of Christianity who claim ancient apostolic descendancy refuse marriage to a Bishop and one of those two actually forbids it. These two ancient groups of apostolic descendancy do not even agree on apostolic teaching or understanding, each has excommunicated the other, each claims that the other withdrew from the true church and yet anyone who is called to preach, who fasts, studies his lessons, listens to the Holy Spirit and lives a life dedicated to Jesus Christ teaching only that which has been taught since the apostles and the church father’s but was not born and raised into either of these groups and is married is not recognized as a teacher of the word, even though the two cannot themselves determine between them what is truth.

If one has been called by our Lord to teach, studies, fasts, prays, teaching according to the apostles and the father’s then no one has anything to say regarding this one’s calling. “Master, said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus replied, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”…  Hmm. Perhaps the true church would like to monopolize the people of the earth and claim all for themselves instead of for Jesus Christ. Perhaps power has gone to the head and they have become drunk with pride and arrogance. I do not know but I do know that I am tired of those who would attempt to bar the gates of heaven to those who are of a different fold even though they may teach the same doctrine.

If you have been called then you must answer. I myself was married and had children when I received the call. Even though there was a calling and a desire within me at a very young age, I did not fully respond until I was married and had children and yet the calling persisted. I remember distinctly saying to the Lord, “O.K. Lord I am ready, test me and prove me to see that I am ready and make me to become what it is that you are calling me to do.” Since I uttered those words well over forty years ago I have had three hit and run drivers in my life who have driven off leaving me for dying.

Also there has been two shotgun attacks and one pistol attack. During these times I have seen an angel come, intervene, and go leaving me to live in spite of my pistol attacker, once while lying in the hospital and not expected to survive the night the Holy Virgin, the Blessed Mary the Mother of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ visited me and spoke with me. This was attested as true to me and not just a dream because the night nurse came bursting into the room and turning on the light asking how was it that I was awake and talking and who and where was the woman that she heard talking to me. So I know that it was not a dream as I lay supposedly dying.

One must answer the call; I have been called from my sleep at 2:00 a.m. to pray for the soul of a man who unknown to me at that moment was burning to death in bed over 50 miles away. I learned of it later that morning when I received a phone call. Listen, each and every one of us can reach someone that no one else can reach, even if only one it is still worth the effort and attacks from the evil one. Hardships will not cease, I have lost four homes during my lifetime as well because of the relentless adversary. Amazingly I am alive and well, still working at physical labor (although soon to be retired from the secular workforce), still have a wife, food on the table, and a roof over my head. It has truly been an amazing adventure.

Is God calling you? The rest of the epistle speaks on Deacons and women serving as well, these are to meet the same requirements as the Bishop or Priest, Pastor, Elder, Deaconess, or whatever name one chooses to use. Answer the call.

Rich man with a steward, and the steward reduces the bills of debt so that the debtors will receive him into their houses. Jesus says to make friends of the mammon of iniquity that when you shall fall they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. Faithful in the least…No man can serve two masters; you cannot serve God and mammon.

The gospel talks about a not so wise steward who misused the master’s money and so was fired from his job. He immediately went out and reduced the bill of what was owed to the master by the master’s debtors in order to win favor with them so that they may take care of him once he was completely gone.

We do not know if he cut the master’s itself down in order to reduce the size but this may not be likely since the master praised him for his ingenuity. He may have over charged the debtors from the start and simply reduced the bill to cost or he may have completely given up his own commission on the debt in order to reduce it.

However, let us see the master as our Lord Jesus and we are merely His stewards of what He has given us. Nothing is ours, everything is a gift that we are to use wisely and if we do not use it wisely we will be called in to answer for it. As for the parable; if the earthly master commended his steward for acting shrewdly after he had squandered his master’s goods, how much more will our heavenly master commend us if we do not squander but use our gifts wisely? Answer the call.

“Praise the Lord, you children: praise you the Name of the Lord. Blessed be the Name of the Lord: from henceforth now and forever. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Name of the Lord is worthy of praise. The Lord is high above all nations: and His glory above the heavens…”

As the Psalmist say; praise, praise the Lord, bless His holy Name, the rising of the sun and the going down does not refer to simply a block of time but since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west it covers the whole earth. This means that everywhere, every land, every nation, every person, all of life everywhere should be praising the Lord.

If one does not have love for the soul of mankind and the desire that all come to the truth than one does not have Christ in them fully.

Little children, love one another; because this is our Lord’s command and if you fulfill this, nothing else is needed. Through love and because of love we will follow all of the commandments that we have been given. They are written on our hearts by the hand of Almighty God. We simply need to see them within us and follow.

Remember; if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

In Christ.

Member of the Autocephalous Orthodox Catholic Church 

of the Americas

Monk Michael's videos; http://www.youtube.com/user/HieroMonkMichael

Many Blessings!

+William