tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52997735625244027302024-03-16T18:35:39.916-07:00Meditative MeanderingsLittle thoughts from my mind to yours about living a contemplative life in a far too busy world.Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.comBlogger1654125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-627594420489947872024-02-17T19:30:00.000-08:002024-02-17T19:30:25.033-08:00Lent 2024<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4660915289401534864" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpm6_4MpWZive_CsVHDH_szv5uDQesWhDBv6X9HZQrzFhieceKvkIIFY3_5HObPvxanbCsTxdS4IsoY5jhBHEUvKtdbdBoqCoLlroyQB3eKV2A_tdofSUJEoVwLwTA85ZPFsV7rIHrP32/s1600/Lent-Keeping+a+Holy+Lent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpm6_4MpWZive_CsVHDH_szv5uDQesWhDBv6X9HZQrzFhieceKvkIIFY3_5HObPvxanbCsTxdS4IsoY5jhBHEUvKtdbdBoqCoLlroyQB3eKV2A_tdofSUJEoVwLwTA85ZPFsV7rIHrP32/s1600/Lent-Keeping+a+Holy+Lent.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><i>From multiple posts in the Archives....</i><br /><br />Lent is a precious, precious time for me. In fact, I look forward to it with even more anticipation than Advent and Christmas.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong: I adore Advent and Christmas: the family traditions, the Christmas carols (especially the carols!!), the snugness of the house as winter approaches, the scent of cinnamon and baking wafting from the kitchen, and the anticipation of unveiling the secrets wrapped under the tree.<br /><br />But while Christmas is an amazing time of year, I admit that the excessive busyness and the hype get to me, robbing me of the joy I should be feeling in celebrating Christ's Incarnation ... which is why I look forward with such anticipation to Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday.<br /><br />In Lent, little hype and full concentration allow us to focus on God at work in our lives during the Spiritual Spring Cleaning of Lent.<br /><br />Several years ago I read an incredible post written by the wonderful Ann Voskamp at <b><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">A Holy Experience</a></b> (my favorite blog). She shared about the process of <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/03/when-you-want-easter-to-be-as-meaningful-as-christmas/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>making Easter as meaningful in our lives as Christmas.</b></a><br /><br />That's a convicting thought, isn't it?<br /><br />If we invest all this effort, time, and money into celebrating the Incarnation at Christmas, how can we not invest at least the same time and effort, if not more, in celebrating the Resurrection?<br /><br />Ann writes:<br /><blockquote><i>And Advent completes at Lent.<br /><br />When Christ completes what He came to do.</i></blockquote><br />She continues:<br /><blockquote><i>We call it the “spirit of Christmas,” the spirit of giving, and we try to contain it to holly and poinsettias, when it is holy and it is more. <b>The spirit of Christmas is the spirit of Easter, the Love that so loved the world, that He gave.</b></i></blockquote><br />And the words that sting my heart and motivate my soul:<br /><blockquote><i>The Incarnation of Christ was meant for the Crucifixion of Christ and <b>we never incarnate Christ until we abdicate self.</b></i></blockquote><br />And "abdicat[ing] self" is the whole meaning behind the practice of Lent.<br /><br />And I think it's perhaps why Lent feels so precious to me. For in the abdication of self, we may gain the merest glimpse of His glory: the swirl of His cloak, His whisper in the wind, His hand on our shoulder as He nudges us onward toward His holiness.<br /><br />And thus Lent is one way to join Christ on His journey to Calvary. It's a gift, really, to become one of the weeping women of His beloved city, the city He wept over while clad in bloody garments on His Way to the Cross, the women of Jerusalem whom He took the time to greet and to warn despite searing pain and the weight of the world on His shoulders, beaten raw, seeping blood.<br /><blockquote><i>"Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming...."</i> (Luke 23:28-29, ESV)</blockquote>Lent allows us to join Jesus on the Road to Calvary, sharing a minuscule bit of His pain as we follow in His footsteps, only imagining what He willingly bore for us: the agony, the betrayals, the sins of past, present, and future generations ... of all humanity. Even the mere visualization stabs my heart, much less the real experience of Christ's obedient suffering.<br /><br /><br />The following was composed years ago by myself and Pastor Stephen Sammons of <b><a href="http://lakemurraycommunitychurch.org/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Lake Murray Community Church</a></b> regarding Ash Wednesday and Lent:<br /><br /><i>Irenaeus (125AD–195 AD), mentions the idea of spending some time fasting in preparation for Easter. This developed into the observance of Lent (Council of Nicea, 325 AD). Lent is the forty days (not including Sundays as they are always days of celebrating the Resurrection) preceding Easter. The forty days of Lent are used to parallel the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and praying, before starting His earthly ministry. “Ash Wednesday” has been historically recognized as the day to initiate the period of fasting and repentance known as Lent. It's called "Ash Wednesday" because ashes were traditionally used to mark the foreheads or hands of those who attended church on that day.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>In the Old Testament, ashes are a sign of humility and repentance of sin. Jesus mentions repenting in sackcloth and ashes in Matthew 11:21. A mark is a sign of ownership; in Ezekiel 9:4-6, a mark on the foreheads of the people provided protection to those who served God. Therefore, a mark of ashes was used to show repentance of our sins and complete ownership by God.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>God calls us to do spiritual housecleaning every day. Our spiritual life is a day-by-day (in fact, moment-by-moment) walk with our Heavenly Father. However, this day can serve as a reminder of the need for us to take a spiritual inventory. We can take this occasion to come quietly and reverently before the Lord, offering our lives to Him to examine: Ask Him where He wants to work. Ask Him what He wants to change. Maybe there are some patterns of thinking and habits that we have fallen into that need reevaluated; maybe God is calling us to some new habits and a new manner of investing our precious time so it can reap eternal benefits.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>If you would like to read more about Lent, click on the "On Lent" option under this blog's header. </i></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4660915289401534864" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4660915289401534864" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><i>The life and writings of Saint John of the Cross have inspired me over the years, and here is one of my favorite quotations from his writings:</i></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-4660915289401534864" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #000066;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #000066;">"The Lord measures our perfection neither by the multitude nor by the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them."</span></i></b></div><div style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #000066;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #000066;">~Saint John of the Cross</span></b></div><div style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #000066;"><br /></span></b></div><br />During this Lent, may we walk with Him as He stumbles forward, humanly weak but divinely strong, as "he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8, ESV).<br /><br />And may we be so obedient in our Lenten disciplines, empowered by Christ and not ourselves as He molds us into His image, cutting away the sinful dross that accumulates all too easily in our lives.<br /><br />Wishing you a holy Lent,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUSTENozZapImhE1ZiFOo2D4iCn_SCBaKuBqgfGqKi0OHOL6rAeAbloYH3ATUme1Hch46g5E9fA6zqFoCDyy79yDLnU6rFJZstEMO-eQuDzqPLVWxPl3w4Ko2rvMrmJXcVEEIJyxsx3A8/s1600/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUSTENozZapImhE1ZiFOo2D4iCn_SCBaKuBqgfGqKi0OHOL6rAeAbloYH3ATUme1Hch46g5E9fA6zqFoCDyy79yDLnU6rFJZstEMO-eQuDzqPLVWxPl3w4Ko2rvMrmJXcVEEIJyxsx3A8/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-67490609717891340532024-01-15T22:27:00.000-08:002024-01-15T22:27:53.326-08:00A Prayer by Martin Luther King, Jr.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIf8rR73aN8FKRyDLk-SOWkHvS6tsIlF77ePgBVmyq3OLCyr-ygyvV-HXZAf_pgVdyASq3HuvmRFRHd7WciFMsfPIS1yzTktARpW5752QbjDX9hWoVkGRvfFMu1eiNbFP9T5frWxNz7fMgeFH3ahv7vbwLc3B0z6vFznNlu8WX_Z35NLf4AuJFV1jUUw0k/s299/MLK%20Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIf8rR73aN8FKRyDLk-SOWkHvS6tsIlF77ePgBVmyq3OLCyr-ygyvV-HXZAf_pgVdyASq3HuvmRFRHd7WciFMsfPIS1yzTktARpW5752QbjDX9hWoVkGRvfFMu1eiNbFP9T5frWxNz7fMgeFH3ahv7vbwLc3B0z6vFznNlu8WX_Z35NLf4AuJFV1jUUw0k/w404-h215/MLK%20Day.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><br /><p>I was late today in getting to my emails. I deleted the ads, but I didn't open the posts I wanted to read until after 10 PM. And then I found this gem. </p><p>Dr. Mark D. Roberts, who posts the Life for Leaders Daily Devotion, today shared a prayer written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was only 24. It's an incredible prayer, one I plan to copy into my commonplace book and try to pray regularly. </p><p>Here is the link to the original Life for Leaders post by Dr. Roberts which includes the prayer along with key information about Dr. King: <a href="https://depree.org/a-prayer-of-martin-luther-king-jr/" target="_blank">A Prayer of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. </a></p><p>And here is the prayer itself, broken into separate lines by Dr. Roberts to aid us in praying it:</p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ.</i></span></p><p><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">W</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">e often give in order to receive.</span></i></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>We love our friends and hate our enemies. </i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>We go the first mile but dare not travel the second.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>We forgive but dare not forget.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>But thou, O God, have mercy upon us.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Give us the intelligence to know your will.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Give us the courage to do your will.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>Give us the devotion to love your will.</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><i>In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray</i>.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Amen</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></p><p><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Amen and Amen. </span></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSQNIC6d6jLgA2ZG7vxo0NvE5u20rCBBkKC6Ghw-1QMC5ft7dArIFQDyE5YjNEav3QbSsds06XOC9fKHnzhvQ1tWbhFxP3HlZtvUCNoUmtybbyxyFYwBbcxsPWhOufC5gVesJFfyOwFBb_TMe3-2TO8Gfrze3mmRAD4Q-r_H2GuH__J6GLw2GkTEi7XeL/s106/1%20signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSQNIC6d6jLgA2ZG7vxo0NvE5u20rCBBkKC6Ghw-1QMC5ft7dArIFQDyE5YjNEav3QbSsds06XOC9fKHnzhvQ1tWbhFxP3HlZtvUCNoUmtybbyxyFYwBbcxsPWhOufC5gVesJFfyOwFBb_TMe3-2TO8Gfrze3mmRAD4Q-r_H2GuH__J6GLw2GkTEi7XeL/s1600/1%20signature.png" width="106" /></a></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-41195024297587558492023-12-02T23:26:00.000-08:002023-12-02T23:28:46.876-08:00Preparing for Advent <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsDgFhfqaefgd3VTyovs3vYQmE7Dnq0wUv08SwZ8f4Cs3Mua3h868Cm78rx5IeqeVa-CJn1Pv3v6MEKGTH_0oGRcV2Hfmq36XkEtXE5VhTY0LAUCn_lvhi7LMMKzo-wQl44CWV8tqgppkJ-RMjuFgr0cxAJKgoqakjC_ySwloXFFfh3aJWyzcq-RMF1lX/s450/Advent%20prepare%20the%20way.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="450" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsDgFhfqaefgd3VTyovs3vYQmE7Dnq0wUv08SwZ8f4Cs3Mua3h868Cm78rx5IeqeVa-CJn1Pv3v6MEKGTH_0oGRcV2Hfmq36XkEtXE5VhTY0LAUCn_lvhi7LMMKzo-wQl44CWV8tqgppkJ-RMjuFgr0cxAJKgoqakjC_ySwloXFFfh3aJWyzcq-RMF1lX/w402-h166/Advent%20prepare%20the%20way.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><br /><b><i><span style="color: #351c75;">The Life for Leaders section is reposted from the Archives...</span></i></b><p></p><p>This post is quoted directly from Life for Leaders, written by Mark D. Roberts. To view this post on the website, please click here: <b><a href="https://depree.org/getting-ready-for-advent/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Life for Leaders; Getting Ready for Advent</a>.</b></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" id="yiv5089962029templateHeader" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom: 0px; border-top: 0px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029headerContainer" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnImageContent" style="outline: none; padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><a class="yiv5089962029" href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=83ea7bc2c4&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title=""><img align="center" alt="" class="yiv5089962029mcnRetinaImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgallery.mailchimp.com%2F26727d66b832057a931976970%2Fimages%2F37924ae3-98a1-4b2d-8d36-0f9a9ff8e069.png&t=1606514112&ymreqid=31e64212-8e02-b3f4-2f23-8a00ba013700&sig=Gs1l1Y1wEGMoLsaLRXjbUA--~D" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0%; border: 1px none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 450px; outline: none; padding: 8px 8px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom; visibility: visible;" width="157.5" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center" id="yiv5089962029templateBody" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom: 0px; border-top: 1px none; outline: none; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029bodyContainer" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h1 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">LIFE FOR LEADERS</h1><h3 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 20px; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">Getting Ready for Advent</h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Written By <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=2deb0a1ef2&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Mark D. Roberts</a></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><em>For God alone my soul waits in silence,<br /> for my hope is from him.</em><div style="text-align: right;"><em><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=c993e14db0&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Psalm 62:5 (NRSV)</a></em></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlockInner" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="outline: none; padding: 9px 18px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="background-color: #efefef; border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 18px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left;">Focus</h4><div style="text-align: left;">The season of Advent is almost here. We’re coming into a time when we get in touch with our yearning for healing, justice, peace, and salvation. Most of all, Advent is a time for us to feel more strongly our yearning for God, even as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of the Messiah at Christmas.<br /><br />We have two online resources to help you have a rich celebration of Advent:<br /><br /><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=f0dc681ab6&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a>: Discover the meaning and spiritual value of Advent. I share my personal experience of Advent, including “My Greatest Advent Discovery.”<br /><br /><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=5412c36c07&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Devotions for Advent</a>: Five devotions, centered around the use of an Advent wreath. For individuals, families, or small groups.</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">Devotion</h4>The season of Advent is almost here. In this devotion, I’d like to help you get ready for a rich experience of God’s grace in this special season of the year. I have found Advent to be a time for deepening and enriching my relationship with the Lord. I’d love to help this be true for you also.<br /><br />Officially, Advent begins this coming Sunday, November 29<sup>th</sup>, the first of four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. The length of Advent varies a bit each year because Christmas Day moves around in the week. In 2020, with Christmas Day on a Friday, Advent lasts for 26 days, beginning on November 29<sup>th</sup> and ending on December 24<sup>th</sup>, Christmas Eve.<br /><br />As you may know, the word “advent” is derived from the Latin term <em>adventus</em>, which means “visit” or “coming.” During Advent, Christians focus on the advent of Jesus . . . actually on two advents. We remember the ancient Jewish longing for God’s salvation through the Messiah, the Anointed King. In this way, we yearn for the first advent of Jesus. Also, we get in touch with our own longing for Christ’s return, when God will establish his kingdom and wipe away every tear. Thus, Advent stirs up our yearning for the second advent of Jesus.<br /><br />Many people I know—including me—feel glad about the approach of Advent, much as we might feel about the pending visit of a dear, old friend. Yet, many others among my friends don’t really pay much attention to Advent. These include quite a few of my Christian friends, by the way. They really aren’t even sure what Advent is or why anyone should be excited about it.<br /><br />Why do I love Advent? First of all, it is a season of preparation for Christmas. It helps us prepare our hearts for a truly joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent, though, isn’t just a kind of Christmas-lite. It has its own distinctive themes, moods, and colors. Christmas decorations feature red and green, backed up by white, silver, and gold. The major Advent color is, depending on your church tradition, either purple or deep blue, with pink as a secondary color. The distinct colors of Advent illustrate the fact that it isn’t only a time to get ready for Christmas. (If you want to learn more about Advent colors, check out <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=8b283a336e&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a>.)<br /><br />Above all, Advent is a season of waiting and hoping. Remembering what the Jewish people experienced as they waited and hoped for the Messiah, we also wait and hope for the two advents of Christ. Psalm 62:5 captures the spirit of Advent perfectly: “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.” Even the mention of silence is an Advent sort of theme. Whereas Christmas celebrations can be happily loud as we belt out “Joy to the World” and or the “Hallelujah Chorus,” Advent invites us into a time of quiet reflection.<br /><br />On a day when there is so much about our world that is broken, my heart is unusually eager for Advent. The pain in our lives stirs up my hope for God’s salvation. Plus, in this time, we are waiting. Yes, we are waiting for a vaccine that will stop the scourge of COVID-19. Yes, we are waiting for an improved economy and for a more just world. But, when we take time to reflect, we realize that we are waiting, most of all, for God. As we read in Psalm 62:1-2, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Lobster; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">Reflect</h4>What is your experience of Advent? What, if anything, does Advent mean to you?<br /><br />In what way (or ways) are you waiting on God right now?<br /><br />In what way (or ways) are you hoping in God right now?</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Lobster; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">Act</h4>If you have Advent traditions that you cherish, then make plans to invest in those traditions this year. If Advent is new to you, consider adding an Advent practice in your life. You can find lots of ideas in my <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=5a5ec857a4&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a> article.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Lobster; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">Pray</h4>Gracious God, as we come upon the season of Advent, I would love to draw near to you in a special way. I’d like to enter into this time of hope and waiting in a way that renews my relationship with you. I’d like to prepare my heart for a more meaningful celebration of the birth of Jesus. So I ask you to help me reorient my heart in the coming season. May I be more attentive to you and more in touch with my soul’s longing for you.<br /><br />For you alone, Lord, my soul waits in silence; from you comes my salvation. You alone are my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken. <em>Amen</em>.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none; padding: 18px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 1px solid rgb(100, 100, 100); min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="outline: none;"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Forwarded from a friend? <br /><strong style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer;"><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=3efc005d5a&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Subscribe to Life for Leaders</a></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQZXLnHV5Tc-ynCLYuskW6e4GMLo3vpkpMeBea4hyttejzwusbeyghTRA3RYUlNSHmMD8i2gI4a3DE4O2APbnHu3I6vRYVfYNlYnLr6Nf36aFZnHIowwAmmUVS9Cxc9EbcL9jgJVqP7BN/s352/advent-wreath-1.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQZXLnHV5Tc-ynCLYuskW6e4GMLo3vpkpMeBea4hyttejzwusbeyghTRA3RYUlNSHmMD8i2gI4a3DE4O2APbnHu3I6vRYVfYNlYnLr6Nf36aFZnHIowwAmmUVS9Cxc9EbcL9jgJVqP7BN/s320/advent-wreath-1.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today another of my favorite Christian resources, Renovaré, emailed a wonderfully contemplative Advent guide that included a thoughtful book excerpt by <a href="https://renovare.org/articles/praying-the-hours" target="_blank"><b>Jeremy and Monica Chambers on Praying the Hours</b></a> that you may also enjoy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So as we prepare our hearts, minds, spirits, and lives for these holy days of Advent -- and for a much shorter Advent than usual since Christmas Eve is the same day as the Fourth Sunday of Advent -- may we slow down every once in a while and seek the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wishing you all a blessed and holy Advent season,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s106/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s0/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-42322642355597100302023-11-26T00:02:00.000-08:002023-11-26T00:02:46.319-08:00The Sunday Before Advent: Christ the King<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6447157166050254053" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJaRxnE1HXQp1f65pV01QOzZMe8nRim2tWNUv9_6s2ApEdi1bpNukBWaZWzbNOP84K62dQasNvO9kgUvVKdXaf5dUafaBwij3XUazQAEBN_hnpTZdzT3hXMkxW3Vi14kRMSDIbCEqqCQ9/s1600/ChristtheKing-672x372-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcJaRxnE1HXQp1f65pV01QOzZMe8nRim2tWNUv9_6s2ApEdi1bpNukBWaZWzbNOP84K62dQasNvO9kgUvVKdXaf5dUafaBwij3XUazQAEBN_hnpTZdzT3hXMkxW3Vi14kRMSDIbCEqqCQ9/s400/ChristtheKing-672x372-1.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><i><span style="color: #990000;">From the Archives ...</span></i><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6447157166050254053" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Today is the final Sunday of the Christian Year, the celebration of Christ the King. </span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This daily devotional from <i><b><a href="https://depree.org/life-for-leaders/" target="_blank">Life for Leaders</a></b></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> (reposted from several years ago) is superb in explaining this observance. I have copied the devotional in its entirety:</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Make a Joyful Symphony to Christ the King</b><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">by Mark D. Roberts</span><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Psalm 98:1-9</b><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp,<br />with the harp and melodious song,<br />with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.<br />Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!</i><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(Psalm 98:5-6)</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Today is a special holiday in the Christian year (sometimes called the "liturgical year" or the "Church year"). It is Christ the King Sunday. This holy day is not as well-known as other celebrations such as Christmas or Easter, but it holds a unique place in the Christian year as the last Sunday of the year. On Christ the King Sunday, we celebrate the coming reign of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. We delight in the fact that when Christ reigns, the world will be restored, peace shall reign, justice shall be established, and all people will live in the fullness of the kingdom of God.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In the providence of God, our chapter from the Psalms for today perfectly fits the themes of Christ the King Sunday. If you’re new to the Daily Reflections, I should mention that on the weekends I focus on the Psalms, working psalm by psalm through the entire collection of 150. Today “just happens” to be the day for Psalm 98. This whole psalm resonates with the victory celebration. God has won. It’s time to rejoice. Verses 5 and 6 focus our praise: “Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!”</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Every Sunday, Christians gather to celebrate the victory of God through Jesus Christ. The one who was crucified was raised on Easter Sunday, thus defeating sin and death. On Christ the King Sunday, we shout to Christ the Lord with gratitude for his sacrifice. We announce his victory to the world, inviting them to join us in our celebration: “Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!” (98:4).</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">On Christ the King Sunday, we complete the cycle of the Christian year. It began almost one year ago with Advent. In that season prior to Christmas, we set our hope upon God, yearning for our Savior, as did the Jews so many centuries earlier. Today, we celebrate the fact that the Savior came, born in a manger. That he lived among us, proclaiming the kingdom of God. That he died, taking upon himself the sin of the world. And that he was raised from the dead, breaking the power of sin and death itself. Christ rules today as King of kings. This we celebrate, even as we look forward to the time when we will fully enjoy the life of his kingdom.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9OvodOvIUeNyCs9vijbGILSzeDUy6qfpOV-vxBsEr7ktnKiqZfyVBiDtLA1gzVCWFkv5fFpHRWFEqUyXGHDPT-XbE7IdShAq4WhZFRxA8df5RUFigstoiBShdFcQWYaUXldt-Q7UavVV/s1600/christ-the-king.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="294" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9OvodOvIUeNyCs9vijbGILSzeDUy6qfpOV-vxBsEr7ktnKiqZfyVBiDtLA1gzVCWFkv5fFpHRWFEqUyXGHDPT-XbE7IdShAq4WhZFRxA8df5RUFigstoiBShdFcQWYaUXldt-Q7UavVV/s400/christ-the-king.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="326" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Do you live as if Christ is the King of kings? What would it mean for you to acknowledge his kingdom each day? How can you celebrate Christ the King in your life today? How can you celebrate Christ the King in your daily work this week?</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">PRAYER:</span><br /><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br />For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br /><br />For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br /><br />The kingdom of this world<br />Is become the kingdom of our Lord,<br />And of His Christ, and of His Christ;<br />And He shall reign forever and ever,<br />Forever and ever, forever and ever,<br /><br />King of kings, and Lord of lords,<br />King of kings, and Lord of lords,<br />And Lord of lords,<br />And He shall reign,<br />And He shall reign forever and ever,<br />King of kings, forever and ever,<br />And Lord of lords,<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br /><br />And He shall reign forever and ever,<br />King of kings! and Lord of lords!<br />And He shall reign forever and ever,<br />King of kings! and Lord of lords!<br />Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!<br />Hallelujah! </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Amen.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_IFqxAYr_uVerVp-0yCng2owY52Ki-hhIcP45WBRGtXL0NVX_3Z4IrUTVcw2BAUbwF5j1z2Sh3dFRbB2U98NVn4GwscdiZsgamMshHbKdO1Vnkf_w5iXfVoDpYeF-NSLE1HBbzSKn8GN/s1600/ChristtheKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="750" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_IFqxAYr_uVerVp-0yCng2owY52Ki-hhIcP45WBRGtXL0NVX_3Z4IrUTVcw2BAUbwF5j1z2Sh3dFRbB2U98NVn4GwscdiZsgamMshHbKdO1Vnkf_w5iXfVoDpYeF-NSLE1HBbzSKn8GN/s400/ChristtheKing.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In England, this Sunday Before Advent is called "Stir-Up Sunday" for two reasons. The first may be seen in the Collect from the </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Book of Common Prayer 2011</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> below as we pray for the Lord to "Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people...." The Collect from the British 1662 Book of Common Prayer which would have still been in use in Jane Austen's time, as well as the Collect from the American 1928 Book of Common Prayer, both begin today's Collect with "Stir up, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people...."</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Secondly, "Stir Up Sunday" also marked the day that the Christmas puddings were stirred up and set to soak in brandy until Christmas Day when it was lit afire. We can read about this tradition in a fan fiction story written by </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://randombitsoffascination.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Maria Grace</a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> from Jane Austen's </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Pride and Prejudice </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">in which the Bennet family (including the odious Mr. Collins) prepares the Christmas pudding with all of the various familial and religious connotations of each step at </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;">Austen Variations</b><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">: </i><a href="http://austenvariations.com/pp-behind-the-scenes-stir-it-up-sunday/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;">Pride and Prejudice Behind the Scenes: Stir-It-Up Sunday</a><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold;">. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Enjoy!!! </span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">And from the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><i>Book of Common Prayer 2011</i></a></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">:</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Propers for the Sunday Before Advent: Christ the King:</b><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>THE COLLECT:</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who restores all things in your Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords; Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people, so that we may abundantly produce the fruit of good works and be abundantly rewarded in your eternal kingdom; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>THE READINGS:</b></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jeremiah 23.5-8; John 6.5-14; Psalm 85; Hebrews 7.1-7 </span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So we pray the old Christian Year out in thanksgiving and praise as we welcome in the new Christian Year beginning next Sunday with the First Sunday in Advent!! </span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wishing you a blessed day of victory in Christ Jesus our Lord,</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s1600/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-54712589127285816382023-11-04T22:30:00.000-07:002023-11-04T22:30:18.401-07:00A Joyous Octave of All Saints!! <p> </p><div class="post-header" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3143527761165527259" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHd_54bFo3onQrNfFW6XsCLRyCJJIW9l8Qry-nEVskplfHRLJLxCwJOejcNIE1hdZFI7pz1JJlhfA5CGVtnM9WjcQykoPJBRecv3Pi3XqyJpS6hkdmoTspPr1AFpfDG93Odv5hCNjSXM4/s1600/allsaints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="420" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHd_54bFo3onQrNfFW6XsCLRyCJJIW9l8Qry-nEVskplfHRLJLxCwJOejcNIE1hdZFI7pz1JJlhfA5CGVtnM9WjcQykoPJBRecv3Pi3XqyJpS6hkdmoTspPr1AFpfDG93Odv5hCNjSXM4/s400/allsaints.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="322" /></a></div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Lobster; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><i style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </i></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Lobster; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><i style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Revised from the Archives...</i></h3><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8300714470786598843" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.023px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Aaaah, one of the most joyous holy days of the year -- All Saints' Day! Yes, I'm posting a few days late, but this holy day is celebrated for an octave (eight days), so we still have another four days to celebrate!!</span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8300714470786598843" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.023px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-8300714470786598843" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.023px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">On November 1 (and for seven more days), we celebrate all of the holy people who, for the past two thousand years, have followed Christ with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. This pilgrim pathway we walk is not an untrod road; Christians have walked this path, this Way, for nearly two millennia and have given us encouragement, warnings, exhortations, and, most of all, examples of beautifully Christ-led lives. As Saint Paul taught the Church in Philippi, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen </span><em>in me</em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Phil. 4:9, my emphasis). As Saint Paul exhorts the Church to follow his human example as a follower of Christ, may we also look back through the ages to the examples of other saints and other holy people, drawing encouragement and lessons from their lives. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The term "Saints" seems to raise the hackles of many evangelicals, but it doesn't have to be that way. The Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and the "High Church" Anglicans seem to have the corner on the Saints of the Church, and many, if not most, of the Protestant community (especially evangelicals) misunderstand the concept and importance of Saints. Many believe, as I used to, that mistaken Christians pray *to* the Saints rather than praying to God. We'll get to that idea in a few minutes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">First of all, what is a "saint"? <i>The Oxford Dictionary of Current English</i> states that a saint is: 1) a holy or good person whom Christians believe will go to heaven after death. 2) a person of great goodness who is declared to be a saint by the Church after death. 3) (informal) a very good or kind person.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">So, basically, if we love the Lord and have asked Him to live in our hearts, then we are saints! We see this use of "saint" often in the New Testament, especially in Saint Paul's Epistles.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Then there are the extraordinary saints, those who have lived in exemplary obedience to God, often to the death. The Church has designated these special people as "Saints." I find their stories extremely interesting and valuable in my own Christian life. In fact, I purchased a beautiful coffee table book called <i>One Hundred Saints</i>. The text is Butler's <i>Lives of the Saints </i>(1759), and it is gorgeously illustrated with artwork depicting each particular Saint's life. Some of my family and friends have wondered at my having such a book, but when I tell them that I purchased it at Bob Jones University, their objections are usually quelled. (Few people know that Bob Jones University has the largest collection of Christian art in the world outside of the Vatican, including room after room full of depictions of Saints and an entire room devoted to Byzantine icons, my favorites!) Although the artwork is breathtakingly beautiful, it is the text of the Saints' lives that captivate me most.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPNLenUm4jNeJL7TkBNn8yqgiehvUkosvE3BsbuJ3IG1fLpI8BDe3xFkNx6Sfyv3uuvlWlvbSugN5RE6fmHFxx3ZRRAoNG9F3-853z2kj6I7ffgh5LILdlDe3Gdb7Fgo-lzUHK4zVM9Ij/s1600/One+Hundred+Saints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPNLenUm4jNeJL7TkBNn8yqgiehvUkosvE3BsbuJ3IG1fLpI8BDe3xFkNx6Sfyv3uuvlWlvbSugN5RE6fmHFxx3ZRRAoNG9F3-853z2kj6I7ffgh5LILdlDe3Gdb7Fgo-lzUHK4zVM9Ij/s320/One+Hundred+Saints.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">When I read about a particular Saint and their devotion (and often martyrdom) to Christ, I am encouraged to deal with my own difficulties. These Saints faced far more treacherous problems than I will likely be called upon to face, yet they demonstrated their love for Christ in remarkable ways through the strength of His Spirit. The stories of the Saints point me to Jesus, where my attention should be, and away from myself. Their examples glorify God and encourage me to love and serve others in His Spirit.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Many believe that Catholic and Orthodox Christians "pray to the saints." In fact, some of their prayers sound very much like they are doing exactly that. But when I asked my Catholic friends about praying to the Saints, they gently corrected my misunderstanding. They replied that when Catholics "pray" to a Saint, they are asking that Saint to pray FOR them, just as we evangelicals might ask a close friend or a pastor to pray for us.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Then I asked, "Why would people in heaven pray? Aren't they in eternal bliss, not to be disturbed by sorrow, etc.?" My Catholic friends replied with a Scripture reference: Revelation 5:8 which shows Saint John watching the Saints offer up their prayers to the Throne of Heaven. Well, for whom are the Saints praying? They can't be praying for people in heaven as they do not need prayer. So the Saints must be praying for those still on earth, right? Yes, we pray to the Father and to the Son, but we also marshall our prayers by asking friends to pray for us, right? So why not ask someone (such as a Saint) to pray for us when they are right there in the Presence of our Father?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">It makes sense to me, at least.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">So the Saints inspire us to love God and others and to show that love in ways that glorify Christ. If we want to, we can ask them for prayer, just as we would ask a dear friend or leader.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The Collect (a prayer to be prayed collectively, not only by a congregation but throughout the worldwide Anglican Communion) for All Saints' Day from the </span><em>1928 Book of Common Prayer</em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"> is as follows (and is to be prayed daily throughout the Octave (for eight days, through next Thursday):</span><br /><br /><em>O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.</em><br /><i><br /></i>And here is a more modern rendition of t<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">he Collect for All Saints from the </span><b><i><a href="http://www.bcp2011.info/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">2011 Book of Common Prayer</a></i></b><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">:</span><br /><i><br /></i><i>ALMIGHTY God, you have woven your disciples into one communion and fellowship in the mystical Body of your Son, Christ our Lord; Give us grace to follow your Saints in righteous and holy living, and to come to the joy beyond words which you have prepared for those who truly love you; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. </i><br /><i><br /></i><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The Epistle Reading for this Holy Day can be found in the seventh chapter of the Revelation to St. John, starting in the second verse. (Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The Gospel Reading for All Saints' Day is written in the fifth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, starting in the first verse. (Matthew 5:1-12, The Beatitudes).</span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bZMETvaiFQ30rhiuDdneOxE_5rfILQc9PIkGl8uAjHpUeVc8qXEN73iHqMjJB5_KVxB3JtZMhBEzYm2h4wcNo8tbimew6Nsb62NI8MpCbRMAEOMqEfjUILwCnlEypIB3nh5G-6UmPv82/s1600/all-souls-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="384" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bZMETvaiFQ30rhiuDdneOxE_5rfILQc9PIkGl8uAjHpUeVc8qXEN73iHqMjJB5_KVxB3JtZMhBEzYm2h4wcNo8tbimew6Nsb62NI8MpCbRMAEOMqEfjUILwCnlEypIB3nh5G-6UmPv82/s320/all-souls-day.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;">All Souls' Day (November 2)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">As I read in Oswald Chamber's </span><em>My Utmost for His Highest</em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">: </span><br /><br /><em>"There is no such thing as a private life -- 'a world within a world' -- for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ's sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints, and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for Himself on the other." </em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">("Ye Are Not Your Own," November 1)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">I also read in <i>The Crozier Connection</i>, the newsletter of the Reformed Episcopal Church, Mid-America Diocese of the Anglican Communion of North America for November of this year a letter from our Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Dr. Ray R. Sutton: </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">"Hebrews 12:1 specifically says, 'Seeing we also are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.' Clouds are obviously in the sky. Yet these are clouds in another world. They are heavenly clouds. These clouds are filled with 'witnesses,' those who have died in Christ. They are there, but they are not dead. They are alive through faith in the Resurrected, Living Jesus Christ. And significantly, we are surrounded by them, which means somehow we who believe in Christ in the present, are with them; and they are with us.... We are together in the present in a mysterious way. As such they of old are our contemporaries."</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">For Christians, all of our lives entwine around each others'. No one is separate; no one is alone. And today, All Saints' Day, is one day in which we can formally and joyfully celebrate our union as brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the ages. </span><br /><br />And, as the daily Saint-of-the-Day e-mail from AmericanCatholic.org reminds us, this Solemnity doesn't just mark those Saints who have gone through the long process of being proclaimed "Saint" by the Roman Catholic Church; rather, "<span style="color: #375d63; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Today’s feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known." Amen and Amen!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">A blessed All Saints' Day to you!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s1600/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-50299515109054628012023-10-28T21:48:00.003-07:002023-10-30T16:12:11.514-07:00All Hallows Eve ... aka Hallowe'en!!<p> </p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6813391755108130854" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAK3ownAm3qm5LCYdXrfoIIbH1X1A06o3lyKdjSvR0EH4ZJ58r_s_TY2XjZi9d8Oi5cR1kq9avlL0NSDdjINw8VnFhaVwMKjkBLbAJgOllrqbscJwQ_Ckn4HwyskIjTHXqnayt6rIR3W_H/s1600/all+hallows+eve.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAK3ownAm3qm5LCYdXrfoIIbH1X1A06o3lyKdjSvR0EH4ZJ58r_s_TY2XjZi9d8Oi5cR1kq9avlL0NSDdjINw8VnFhaVwMKjkBLbAJgOllrqbscJwQ_Ckn4HwyskIjTHXqnayt6rIR3W_H/s400/all+hallows+eve.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><em></em><br />(repost from the Archives)</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6813391755108130854" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><br /><strong><em>"If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” </em>-- Luke 11:36, ESV</strong><br /><br />The Vigil of All Saints, also known as All Hallows Eve or Hallowe'en, has been celebrated since 835 A.D. when All Saints Day was moved to its present date, November 1. All Saints Day is the celebration of all who have walked the pilgrim pathway on the straight path, entering by the narrow gate. We can admire these saints and emulate their lives as we, too, journey this pilgrim pathway trod hard and fast by the footsteps of those who have traveled it before us.<br /><br />However, Hallowe'en, the Vigil of All Saints, has been transformed from a night of fun and "well-mannered frivolity" to an evening that is dark, even dangerous. In my childhood, I remember Hallowe'en being a night of fun and neighborliness, and in our small mountain village, it remained so with several families providing small parties in their front yards for the parents to sit down around small fire pits and chat while the kids visit the houses on the street.<br /><br />In our former village, there's only one area with street lights and concrete curbs (nope, we have no sidewalks in our town -- concrete curbing is the best we have, and even that's rare), and that's where most of the Hallowe'en activity is concentrated. In the middle of this area, our local church used to host a "Gospel Barn" in a large front yard with stories and treats for the kids while parents mill around, chatting and drinking hot cider. Meanwhile, <b><a href="https://blessedtrinitychurch.com/">Blessed Trinity Church</a></b> is hosting an All Hallows Eve party at our rector elect's home near Alvarado Hospital on Sunday afternoon, the 29th.<br /><br />After Trick-or-Treating, it's a wonderful night to curl up with a bowl of popcorn in our laps and a "scary" movie on TV, watching the "classics" featuring Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi. But Hallowe'en seems to have been co-opted by older teens and adults, and a distinctly sinister tone exists that didn't when I was a child (or perhaps I was merely oblivious to it).<br /><br />As AmericanCatholic.org states:<br /><em>While this autumn feast can be used for evil purposes, our culture celebrates it as an innocent night of begging and fun. We who believe in the light of the world can use it to celebrate the Light. "Hallow" means holy and the word Halloween refers to the night before the feast of all holies, or All Saints Day. Emphasize all things good, joyful, and pure. Let your children know that they are "children of the light" called to walk in the light.</em><br /><br />Remember, though, that All Hallows Eve is a distinctly Christian feast, and Fr. Bosco Peters posted the Hallowe'en liturgy on his website <a href="http://www.liturgy.nz.co/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Liturgy New Zealand</a> which I reproduced for our use below:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQu8Lva2hlSFX_76TNwaLNWiAdRW3AelZMGRw-xOQI8NTPZjaVqSH43S5IhUl8Qx5B5HSol_au9DNSSkehNyctDsew9Nuj1rrSPlkKVzv1FHQgol6EZ5GR-huHhFHU5SOJbH8hwVGof-w/s1600/All+Saints+Fra+A.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQu8Lva2hlSFX_76TNwaLNWiAdRW3AelZMGRw-xOQI8NTPZjaVqSH43S5IhUl8Qx5B5HSol_au9DNSSkehNyctDsew9Nuj1rrSPlkKVzv1FHQgol6EZ5GR-huHhFHU5SOJbH8hwVGof-w/s400/All+Saints+Fra+A.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;"><i>The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs</i> (tempera on wood) by Fra Angelico, c. 1423-24</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong><a href="http://www.liturgy.co.nz/churchyear/allsaintsvigil.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">All Saints Vigil (Hallowe'en)</a></strong><br />(congregational responses are in bold)<br /><br /><em>Liturgical Colour: White<the alight="" begin.="" brought="" candle="" church="" dark="" darkness.="" easter="" into="" is="" or="" partially="" paschal="" service="" so="" the="" to="" when=""><all stand.=""><the are="" greeted.="" people=""><br /><br />Alleluia! Christ is risen.<br /><strong>He is risen indeed. Alleluia! </strong></the></all></the></em><em><strong> </strong><br /><br />Let us pray.<silent prayer="" time.=""><one another="" appropriate="" be="" following="" may="" of="" or="" prayer="" the=""><br /><br />God of glory, as daylight fades, we give you thanks for surrounding us with the brightness of the evening light; as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ the light of the world. <strong>Amen</strong>.<br /><br />Grant us, compassionate God, the lamp of love which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City, where the true and never-failing Light lives: Jesus Christ our Saviour. <strong>Amen</strong>.<br /><br />God of the universe, you are the source of life and light: dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and the eternal light, loving and living, now and forever. <strong>Amen</strong>.<br /><br />Be our light in the darkness, God we pray, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of our Saviour Jesus Christ. <strong>Amen</strong>.<br /><br />Eternal God, who led your ancient people into freedom by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Grant that we who walk in the light of your presence may rejoice in the liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. <strong>Amen</strong>.</one></silent></em><em><br /><br />Any of the following may follow: Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, readings, a sermon, baptism, the eucharist. A Renewal of Baptism may be used at an appropriate point.<br /><br /><strong>A Renewal of Baptism</strong><br />I invite you (to stand) to affirm your commitment to Christ and your rejection of all that is evil.<br /><br />Do you believe in God the Father? </em><em><strong>I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.</strong><br /><br />Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? </em><em><strong>I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.</strong><br /><br />Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? </em><em><strong>I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.</strong><br /><br />Those who are baptized are called to worship and serve God. From the beginning, believers have continued in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.<br /><br />Will you commit yourself to this life?<br /><br /><strong>I will, with God's help</strong>.<br /><br />Will you forgive others as you are forgiven?<br /><br /><strong>I will, with God's help</strong>.<br /><br />Will you seek to love your neighbor as yourself, and strive for peace and justice?<br /><br /><strong>I will, with God's help</strong>.<br /><br />Will you accept the cost of following Jesus Christ in your daily life and work?<br /><br /><strong>I will, with God's help</strong>.<br /><br />With the whole Church will you proclaim by word and action the Good News of God in Christ?<br /><br /><strong>I will, with God's help</strong>. (NZPB p. 390)<if a="" be="" following="" font="" for="" in="" is="" may="" or="" said.="" special="" thanksgiving="" the="" to="" used="" vessel.="" water=""><br /><br />Let us give thanks to God.<br /><strong>It is right to offer thanks and praise.</strong><br /><br />We thank you, God, for your love in all creation, especially for your gift of water to sustain, refresh, and cleanse all life.<br /><br />We thank you for your covenant with your people Israel; through the Red Sea waters, you led them to freedom in the promised land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptised by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. Through the deep waters of death, Jesus fulfilled his baptism. He died to set us free and was raised to be exalted Lord of all.<br /><br />We thank you that through the waters of baptism, you cleanse us, renew us by your Spirit, and raise us to new life. In the new covenant, we are made members of your Church and share in your eternal kingdom.<br /><br />We pray that all who have passed through the waters of baptism may continue forever in the risen life of Christ. Through Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all praise and thanks be yours, Redeemer God, now and forever. <strong>Amen</strong>. (cf. NZPB pages 385-386)<the be="" congregation="" may="" sprinkled.=""><the baptism="" concluded="" following="" is="" of="" renewal="" the="" with=""><br /><br />God our creator, the rock of our salvation, we thank you for our new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of our sins, and for our fellowship in the household of faith with all those who have been baptized in your name; keep us faithful to the calling of our baptism, now and forever. <strong>Amen</strong>.</the></the></if></em><br /><br />A Blessed and Safe All Hallows Eve to you and yours, my friends!!<br /><br />In God's Holy keeping,<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0Dq4U-qO2oJiY-p8qMSmlA0tghuBQz3e7FO7t4nb9rkP9HMZ4HU1tEG69ajCvVEMQuEXeYSRZOuBqmNM4Uud8zIOQH86V2GQWsC5mE9kfSYJj2rRMPs4MQsDBWEghsh0-CxE_JN5KHTb/s1600/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0Dq4U-qO2oJiY-p8qMSmlA0tghuBQz3e7FO7t4nb9rkP9HMZ4HU1tEG69ajCvVEMQuEXeYSRZOuBqmNM4Uud8zIOQH86V2GQWsC5mE9kfSYJj2rRMPs4MQsDBWEghsh0-CxE_JN5KHTb/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-5710258190087112012023-09-29T09:29:00.000-07:002023-09-29T09:29:47.106-07:00What Is Michaelmas? <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75FSfL9B-3-x2PPM0MXzY_UJy8hJL8_JiulaUI4NJZuk6jpFSVaXMu8OUf0s5-gMeZID5TWxMqVXM3VRR_DGKbaaZIjAzmIvaAYBhwiUbykhlFTfC8G2wQTtQdPaNKiLcZF6COpXtogK-/s1600/st_michael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="684" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75FSfL9B-3-x2PPM0MXzY_UJy8hJL8_JiulaUI4NJZuk6jpFSVaXMu8OUf0s5-gMeZID5TWxMqVXM3VRR_DGKbaaZIjAzmIvaAYBhwiUbykhlFTfC8G2wQTtQdPaNKiLcZF6COpXtogK-/s400/st_michael.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5925453602340224936" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Updated from the Archives...</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Today, 29 September, is the celebration of the Feast Day of St. Michael and All Angels (which Father Acker and I celebrated this morning at our Friday Morning Prayer and Healing Service via Zoom). This is a feast that I was not terribly familiar with when I first became an Anglican, so I was glad to read an informative explanation in the <a href="https://www.franciscanmedia.org/source/saint-of-the-day/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>"Saint of the Day" e-mail from AmericanCatholic.org</b></a>:</span><br /><br /><blockquote><i>Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are named.<br /><br />Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.<br /><br />Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.<br /><br />Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.<br /><br />The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman [Church] calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's.<br /><br />Each of these archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael guides. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God's protection, communication and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.</i></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3nhkn46oiP0B89ocGnjQDUr2A1DJoAivKlMPMNLgag2HUNoYcsZdzqDlGt8mTE2djWTzl5PGhyB9IEsOZSvLywMVxcwfnf4GH53shVojMgQk9Mbc1x0VhwZj4PkKFQgM1tbM_H0VVPYd/s1600/st+michael+archangel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3nhkn46oiP0B89ocGnjQDUr2A1DJoAivKlMPMNLgag2HUNoYcsZdzqDlGt8mTE2djWTzl5PGhyB9IEsOZSvLywMVxcwfnf4GH53shVojMgQk9Mbc1x0VhwZj4PkKFQgM1tbM_H0VVPYd/s320/st+michael+archangel.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="211" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">As I've read much British literature over the years, I have come across the term "Michaelmas" as a British holiday (along with "Candlemas" which occurs on 2 February) and never knew what it celebrated; I only knew it occurred sometime in early autumn. So for my own edification and perhaps for yours as well, I discovered an article about Michaelmas from the Historic-UK website (read the complete entry here: <a href="http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Michaelmas.htm" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Michaelmas</b></a>):</span><br /><br /><blockquote><i>Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days; in England, it is one of the “quarter days”.<br /><br />There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas (25th December)). They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes. ... It used to be said that harvest had to be completed by Michaelmas, almost like the marking of the end of the productive season and the beginning of the new cycle of farming. It was the time at which new servants were hired or land was exchanged and debts were paid. This is how it came to be for Michaelmas to be the time for electing magistrates and also the beginning of legal and university terms.<br /><br />St Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Satan and his evil angels. As Michaelmas is the time that the darker nights and colder days begin - the edge into winter - the celebration of Michaelmas is associated with encouraging protection during these dark months. It was believed that negative forces were stronger in darkness and so families would require stronger defences during the later months of the year.</i></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The Scripture readings for Morning Prayer from the <a href="https://www.bcp2011.com/" target="_blank"><b>Book of Common Prayer 2011</b></a> include Revelation 12:7-12 regarding Michael the Archangel and the War in Heaven:</span><br /><em></em><br /><blockquote><em></em><em>7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers [1] has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”</em><br />(<a href="http://www.esv.org/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>English Standard Version</b></a>)</blockquote><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">In the </span><a href="http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1928Standard/Standard.htm" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">1928</span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"> </span><em>Book of Common Prayer</em></b></a><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"> the <i><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Book of Common Prayer 2011</b></a></i>, and in </span><em><a href="http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer/prayer/fixed/index.php" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>The Divine Hours</b></a></em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"> series edited by Phyllis Tickle, I found several </span><a href="http://meditativemeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/09/beauty-of-collect.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Collects</b></a><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"> to pray on Michaelmas, and I liked this one the best: from </span><em>Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime</em><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">, Midday Prayer for Monday nearest September 28:</span><br /><br /><div></div><blockquote><i>Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted the ministries of the angels and men in a wonderful order. Mercifully grant now that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.</i></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglx2Ix38BXI1funFzd5eOwpsEQgaUK0b8xkmgl0NnMZn9b7t5WFDcrqEkDbCU1o8Q59muiE_FOxcJ41KjgwwoY2ikR6ixag2hLBlQ6DAly8V0dgJXbEGOFI1PxV2sOl9Syeb3hNW7Ibqhf/s1600/St+Michael+the+Archangel+Stained+Glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglx2Ix38BXI1funFzd5eOwpsEQgaUK0b8xkmgl0NnMZn9b7t5WFDcrqEkDbCU1o8Q59muiE_FOxcJ41KjgwwoY2ikR6ixag2hLBlQ6DAly8V0dgJXbEGOFI1PxV2sOl9Syeb3hNW7Ibqhf/s320/St+Michael+the+Archangel+Stained+Glass.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="199" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">The Christian season of Michaelmas lasts from 29 September all the way to the beginning of Advent, so we have much time to pray this song during Morning Prayer, immediately following the First Reading of Holy Scripture in the<b> <i><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Book of Common Prayer 2011</a></i></b>: </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><b><u>The Angels' Song of the Lamb</u></b> (<i>Magna et mirabilia</i>):</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Great and amazing are your deeds, </i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>O Lord God the Almighty.</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Just and true are your ways,</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>O King of the nations.</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your Name?</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>For you alone are holy.</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i>All nations will come and worship you,</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><i> for your righteous acts have been revealed.</i> (Revelation 15.3-4)</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">So here we have the historical and spiritual background of Michaelmas as well as Scripture and prayer with which to celebrate this day and season, remembering that although Angels are both wonderful in their beauty and terrible in their fury, they are created beings, made by the King of kings and the Lord of lords for His purposes and for our help. We humans, formed in the likeness of God, were created but "a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5), made by the Magnificent One, the Lord God of Hosts.</span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5925453602340224936" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-5925453602340224936" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;">Soli Deo Gloria,<br /></span><span style="color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image: initial; border-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpynox5KLW5-qADAC3b_QwIECOyErDtz2q9JM8iSvG0fm0XZ6BEKtwMYWIM672Hp87dqhbnwCtJB85V-A4VmVkBJ9OcDovP3HeHwsd0n2iSRFdpinxawQTN6UYs-_shXZh8OR8RvFgRHlQ/s1600-h/1+signature.png" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387021445833062498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpynox5KLW5-qADAC3b_QwIECOyErDtz2q9JM8iSvG0fm0XZ6BEKtwMYWIM672Hp87dqhbnwCtJB85V-A4VmVkBJ9OcDovP3HeHwsd0n2iSRFdpinxawQTN6UYs-_shXZh8OR8RvFgRHlQ/s200/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; float: left; height: 51px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative; width: 106px;" /></a></span></span><div style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"></div></div><div><span style="color: #672799;"><br /></span></div><div class="post-footer" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;"></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-19254950227370877952023-06-10T23:20:00.001-07:002023-06-10T23:23:12.741-07:00A Little E.E. Cummings for a Sunday Morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSsrUdwjavlzuscs3FwXPUtcKbGO_B1nA112dHu6k2lb2Z35jJaspNbrK-Pau3D6nDYlhBR_4BV-cOLjphr0QToJPBmm5F0mLI2VeCV1IiNUYgfr5uD2Mr4sqRm39PgTb5MzF13Rv3rOw3U3RUK9ADQ5Jk0GCq74Kcs5GTJCSB0oOZ2Fl_lJOJorGsA/s345/E-E-Cummings-poet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="250" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSsrUdwjavlzuscs3FwXPUtcKbGO_B1nA112dHu6k2lb2Z35jJaspNbrK-Pau3D6nDYlhBR_4BV-cOLjphr0QToJPBmm5F0mLI2VeCV1IiNUYgfr5uD2Mr4sqRm39PgTb5MzF13Rv3rOw3U3RUK9ADQ5Jk0GCq74Kcs5GTJCSB0oOZ2Fl_lJOJorGsA/w184-h254/E-E-Cummings-poet.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">E.E. Cummings, Poet and Artist</p><p>I came across this poem which I posted to my blog nearly thirteen years ago. I had completely forgotten about it, and now I just have to share it with you (again). </p><p>At Sunday services at Blessed Trinity Church (Anglican), I usually read aloud a hymn from the hymnal as a poem, but I think that I will share this poem instead. E.E. Cummings is my favorite poet, and one of my prized possessions is a copy of <i>Complete Poems: 1913-1962 by E.E. Cummings</i> published by Harcourt Brace and given to me by a co-worker at the Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ) Bookstore in 1989. It's long out of print, and Tam covered the book jacket with a library-quality protector, and it now graces the prized position at the exact center of my poetry bookshelf. </p><p>Here is the poem; I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do:</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> <u>77</u></b></p><p><b><i style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">i am a little church(no great cathedral)<br />far from the splendor and squalor of hurrying cities<br />-i do not worry if briefer days grow briefest,<br />i am not sorry when sun and rain make april<br /><br />my life is the life of the reaper and the sower;<br />my prayers are prayers of earth's own clumsily striving<br />(finding and losing and laughing and crying)children<br />whose any sadness or joy is my grief or my gladness<br /><br />around me surges a miracle of unceasing<br />birth and glory and death and resurrection:<br />over my sleeping self float flaming symbols<br />of hope,and i wake to a perfect patience of mountains<br /><br />i am a little church(far from the frantic<br />world with its rapture and anguish)at peace with nature<br />-i do not worry if longer nights grow longest;<br />i am not sorry when silence becomes singing<br /><br />winter by spring,i lift my diminutive spire to<br />merciful Him Whose only now is forever:<br />standing erect in the deathless truth of His presence<br />(welcoming humbly His light and proudly His darkness)</i><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">E.E. Cummings</span></b></p><p><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">In addition to enjoying Cummings' poetry, I have also come to appreciate his paintings; this one is my favorite thus far: <i>The Artist's Mother</i>:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXktRkQeCrvoNkZCFDfVO2wYh5eC8u_JWy_vGiv7qjO_BYgLSsHPj0wfRiN7g_96x_XrOaxMc26aiPBuuK9yqA0v2Mh0DT8t-7-PNV4-PjFFgNHsJAsdfv2qampxF9nYQC0vkn4SGbg0CnIVFfYyBOYVyyp68Xv7cUnmiDmbRsC-qTrBNDVZ8FUzaIg/s750/eecummings--the%20artist's%20mother.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="607" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXktRkQeCrvoNkZCFDfVO2wYh5eC8u_JWy_vGiv7qjO_BYgLSsHPj0wfRiN7g_96x_XrOaxMc26aiPBuuK9yqA0v2Mh0DT8t-7-PNV4-PjFFgNHsJAsdfv2qampxF9nYQC0vkn4SGbg0CnIVFfYyBOYVyyp68Xv7cUnmiDmbRsC-qTrBNDVZ8FUzaIg/w313-h386/eecummings--the%20artist's%20mother.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">And this was the first painting by Cummings that I encountered: <i>Patchen Place:</i></span><p></p><p><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A0nKFtvBS_OmkDyBGT0vd_NelKx7pg7Q29OuNmK9EbQZStNh9vED569ob2ZaMTRDqNV8tous36QUjC2RHZg1huzGWT1bAp-YrcYBeuflpRFeuk7qDa84Ousq8t1ukVkX6lWceLQDEZVtQLe_8YVjVsJFH-tnfz4IX411ALqw6ezJ6pAJ25Ja46MbbQ/s1185/ee%20cummings%20Patchen%20Place.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="880" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A0nKFtvBS_OmkDyBGT0vd_NelKx7pg7Q29OuNmK9EbQZStNh9vED569ob2ZaMTRDqNV8tous36QUjC2RHZg1huzGWT1bAp-YrcYBeuflpRFeuk7qDa84Ousq8t1ukVkX6lWceLQDEZVtQLe_8YVjVsJFH-tnfz4IX411ALqw6ezJ6pAJ25Ja46MbbQ/w323-h436/ee%20cummings%20Patchen%20Place.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><br /><i> </i>And this one I saw for the first time tonight as I draft this post:<i> Bouquet in White Vase:</i><p></p><p><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TdDDKrkJc8kyhezrU5zSS18Yhfryzf9zcFJpu6ZoT1ET_hzgziblnOwHqceJQBoMBCWvH9lBs_z8xl027Esh73wOZHOp1ucEEzJg7QKw8U8SHD6FBlF9jIunMww7ICOMWxwnaZtJh7_DrCjstrjhHFkKmrbm9hmzETmjHsCosS91Fgr_Gy7atnVCvw/s750/ee%20cummings%20Bouquet%20in%20White%20Vase.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="554" height="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TdDDKrkJc8kyhezrU5zSS18Yhfryzf9zcFJpu6ZoT1ET_hzgziblnOwHqceJQBoMBCWvH9lBs_z8xl027Esh73wOZHOp1ucEEzJg7QKw8U8SHD6FBlF9jIunMww7ICOMWxwnaZtJh7_DrCjstrjhHFkKmrbm9hmzETmjHsCosS91Fgr_Gy7atnVCvw/w319-h423/ee%20cummings%20Bouquet%20in%20White%20Vase.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p><p><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><i> </i>Wishing you a lovely and peaceful Sunday,</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitu3b_2sQIEUjFyvBSA1mzUcGJybeMkXcOVlL1NuzJp8TYXt4EtSebdrjvcwYzkCuzJh-qch3LeWgiEmCG_QZiZNBmFmNvYpQh0uF20a50AO9VQQQQ1rCzHVbKKZ7W1zbSUYeJMFkR2QoxHOV1PQGE041aXT6LNOssF6tcqIKDwT73jyUUZ_O6T4m1Qw/s106/1%20signature.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitu3b_2sQIEUjFyvBSA1mzUcGJybeMkXcOVlL1NuzJp8TYXt4EtSebdrjvcwYzkCuzJh-qch3LeWgiEmCG_QZiZNBmFmNvYpQh0uF20a50AO9VQQQQ1rCzHVbKKZ7W1zbSUYeJMFkR2QoxHOV1PQGE041aXT6LNOssF6tcqIKDwT73jyUUZ_O6T4m1Qw/s1600/1%20signature.png" width="106" /></a></div><br /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><p></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-6231204662469988462023-06-04T00:39:00.001-07:002023-06-04T00:39:29.601-07:00Trinity Sunday and Quotations<p> </p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3426372352355769781" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pn_KmUgmWwSUlhW6biJWLsSiVD5WMgTsKLxauMRBMGuhSefZ0n4f8ik6FuV4nqCe_LHFOaHgsg0DyG03H952iM53Zj8hv8xUPlQ0wNs4ycwrcpseKiBJql1z1FSfjr4Tlsf4VaUNzFvB/s1600/TrinitySundayIcon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pn_KmUgmWwSUlhW6biJWLsSiVD5WMgTsKLxauMRBMGuhSefZ0n4f8ik6FuV4nqCe_LHFOaHgsg0DyG03H952iM53Zj8hv8xUPlQ0wNs4ycwrcpseKiBJql1z1FSfjr4Tlsf4VaUNzFvB/s400/TrinitySundayIcon.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><em></em><br /><em><span style="color: #cc0000;">Updated from the Archives...</span></em><em></em><br /><br />The Sunday following Pentecost/Whitsunday is the celebration of the Holy Trinity. Trinity Sunday is a celebration of just one day, and the liturgical color is white, symbolizing the purity and sinlessness of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.<br /><br />Now that the Holy Spirit has arrived on the scene to complete the Trinity, Ordinary Time shall begin starting next week, stretching over twenty-some weeks until the arrival of Advent in late November to early December. Nearly half of the Church Year consists of Ordinary Time for which the liturgical color is green, symbolizing the continual growth of our faith as we follow Christ and endeavor to become more like Jesus. During Ordinary Time, the weeks are counted as being "after Trinity": the First Sunday after Trinity, the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, etc.<br /><br />But today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. The website <a href="http://www.churchyear.net/trinitysunday.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Church Year</b> </a>explains:<br /><blockquote><em>Trinity Sunday, officially "The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity," is one of the few feasts of the Christian Year that celebrates a reality and doctrine rather than an event or person. On Trinity Sunday we remember and honor the eternal God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost, and lasts only one day, which is symbolic of the unity of the Trinity. The Eastern Churches have no tradition of Trinity Sunday, arguing that they celebrate the Trinity every Sunday. Westerners do as well, although they set aside a special feast day for the purpose.</em></blockquote>The Collect from the<b><a href="http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1928/BCP_1928.htm" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"> </a>1928 </b><b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1928/BCP_1928.htm" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Book of Common Prayer</a> </b>reads:<br /><blockquote><em>Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity; We beseech thee that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.</em></blockquote>For the Epistle today, the Book of Common Prayer requires the reading of the fourth chapter of Revelation; you may read it here in the English Standard Version: <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=revelation+4&src=esv.org" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Revelation 4:1-11, ESV</b></a>.<br /><br />The Gospel reading for Trinity Sunday is written in the third chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John, the first verse through the fifteenth. You may read it here, again in the ESV: <a href="http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=John+3%3A1-15" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>John 3:1-15</b></a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboUz_WUemfyTTWki6yChOy5smn8T8iVEDVm-HwaBYnNZJEdOHYPOvbRuscdUxUHs8MgJHj_JH7GPlv2Qzkk2spDc0VA2DRn0gJHiZhlYnJQpE3_chyphenhyphenbL9Qx_nivL7-rXh7wU6Wtz3uXc5/s1600/trinity-diagram.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboUz_WUemfyTTWki6yChOy5smn8T8iVEDVm-HwaBYnNZJEdOHYPOvbRuscdUxUHs8MgJHj_JH7GPlv2Qzkk2spDc0VA2DRn0gJHiZhlYnJQpE3_chyphenhyphenbL9Qx_nivL7-rXh7wU6Wtz3uXc5/s1600/trinity-diagram.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><br />Today is also the <a href="http://thedailyoffices.blogspot.com/2006/10/feast-of-dedication-2006.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Feast of Title</b> </a>for our church, <span style="color: #672799;"><a href="http://blessedtrinitychurch.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Blessed Trinity Church</b></a>,</span> formerly in Alpine and now meeting in El Cajon. I have been attending weekday healing services led by Father Keith Acker when he was Rector of Christ the King Episcopal Church and also after he and his church left the San Diego Episcopal Diocese and reformed as Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity. The church relocated a few years ago to the more central SCAIR building on Main Street in downtown El Cajon as <a href="http://blessedtrinitychurch.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Blessed Trinity Church</b></a> which is now part of the <a href="http://rechurch.org/recus/recus/index.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Reformed Episcopal Church</b></a>. <br /><br />So today we give special thanks to our Lord, one God realized in three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although we praise God for the Trinity each and every day of the year, this day we celebrate it more than usual, remembering His gracious goodness, His lovingkindness, and His ever-faithful mercy, as Dr. Stephen Sammons, our former pastor at <a href="http://www.lakemurraycommunitychurch.org/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Lake Murray Community Church</b></a> often stated, "loving us as we are, yet loving us too much to allow us to remain that way." In the traditional words of the <em><b>Gloria Patri</b></em>, "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen." <br /><br />Here's the Collect for Trinity Sunday from the <a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Book of Common Prayer 2011</b></a>:<br /><br /><b><em>ALMIGHTY and eternal God, who gave grace to your people to proclaim the true Faith, acknowledging the glory of the eternal Trinity and, by the power of your Divine Majesty, worshiping One God; Keep us standing firm in this Faith and always defend us from danger; Who lives and rules, one God, now and forever. Amen</em>. </b><br /><br />Also, I wanted to share a few quotations on The Trinity ... which are not easy to find, by the way. But I really like these words from an Anglican who started the Holiness movement:<br /><br /><em><strong>"Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God."</strong></em><em><strong> </strong></em><br /><em><strong> ~John Wesley</strong></em><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />And another quotation, this time from a Catholic mystic of the 14th century:<br /><br /><strong><em>"You, oh eternal Trinity, are a deep Sea, into which the deeper I enter, the more I find, and the more I find, the more I seek."</em></strong><br /><strong><em> ~Saint Catherine of Siena </em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />And from another mystic, this time from the 20th century:<br /><br /><strong><em>"He is at once infinite solitude (one nature) and perfect society (three persons)." </em></strong><br /><strong><em> ~Thomas Merton </em></strong><br /><br />And finally, from a saint gone Home to glory:<br /><br /><strong><em>"God the Father is fully God. God the Son is fully God. God the Holy Spirit is fully God. The Bible presents this as fact. It does not explain it." </em></strong><br /><strong><em> ~Billy Graham</em></strong><br /><br />Wishing you all a blessed Trinity Sunday as Ordinary Time begins once more...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s1600/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-11368887741933588872023-05-27T23:45:00.000-07:002023-05-27T23:45:11.174-07:00Wishing You a Joyous Pentecost!<p> </p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6981412744177568945" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 4px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QaSyO2wzLpMhCTD8E9NrJy5BKoW3BuAvpS7VxMVDV1BsCssHQmQrGnX7vzEEwk_9m6e3sdcpsbaO99-UeqaDz7hTt1I7xkJciA5uKPtZt7pXn7-N9fFuBaW4tc2wPeW83IQ7ogTtOWKr/s1600/Pentecost+EO+icon.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QaSyO2wzLpMhCTD8E9NrJy5BKoW3BuAvpS7VxMVDV1BsCssHQmQrGnX7vzEEwk_9m6e3sdcpsbaO99-UeqaDz7hTt1I7xkJciA5uKPtZt7pXn7-N9fFuBaW4tc2wPeW83IQ7ogTtOWKr/s320/Pentecost+EO+icon.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;">An <span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Eastern Orthodox</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">icon</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> of the Christian Pentecost. This is the Icon of the Descent of the </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Holy Spirit</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> on the </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Apostles</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">. At the bottom is an </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">allegorical</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> figure, called </span><i style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"><span style="color: #672799;">Kosmos</span></i><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">, which symbolizes the world. (Source: <i>Wikipedia</i>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">A re-post from the Archives</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> as I attempt to keep up with my wonderful </span><a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">Brave Writer</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> families and students in Literary Analysis: Shakespeare's <i>Macbeth....</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Scripture tells us that the Gift Jesus promised His disciples has arrived at Pentecost: the Holy Spirit. We read Christ's promise in the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John, beginning at the 15th verse:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.... 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you..." (ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETqVSvkH-IWY5K5DUcNmjUJzq0dwTUPX6lJxnKRIdps6uXyHGg2N4Z0gD3obcG5WPSjRgX7CsxYt_z3Win7s1O5JWIits9RQDOfOxSfnCzTFToxIixGGhcmw5cUfBmBl1cuuxNyIsat2V/s1600/Pentecost+partial+icon+with+title.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETqVSvkH-IWY5K5DUcNmjUJzq0dwTUPX6lJxnKRIdps6uXyHGg2N4Z0gD3obcG5WPSjRgX7CsxYt_z3Win7s1O5JWIits9RQDOfOxSfnCzTFToxIixGGhcmw5cUfBmBl1cuuxNyIsat2V/s400/Pentecost+partial+icon+with+title.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Then on the Feast of the Pentecost, with Jerusalem filled with Jews from around the known world, Christ fulfilled his promise fifty days after His Resurrection. We read in the second chapter of The Acts of the Apostles:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, 'Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.' 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine” (ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifojdcVL5ZauQ_obGClCyA04Jker0IYQLpTCI9qJAqJNtIzrZcPjKUC0h_XrHBxts1_v1v31dfdywB5mvo5ROZAn6npz3Lj-Bl2FASLpdNPPxGQ7N6M8tz4P6TAD2U_P5olsWLSTmCDu-s/s1600/pentecost-icon.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifojdcVL5ZauQ_obGClCyA04Jker0IYQLpTCI9qJAqJNtIzrZcPjKUC0h_XrHBxts1_v1v31dfdywB5mvo5ROZAn6npz3Lj-Bl2FASLpdNPPxGQ7N6M8tz4P6TAD2U_P5olsWLSTmCDu-s/s320/pentecost-icon.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="284" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Peter then preaches to the astounded visitors to Jerusalem (also in the second chapter of Acts), quoting the prophecy of Joel hundreds of years past as well as passages from the Psalms of David while also relating what he and the other disciples witnessed of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as well as the many sightings of Christ following His resurrection from the dead until His ascension to the right hand of the Living God. Peter concludes:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">"32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing" (Acts 2, ESV).</span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">And then we read the response of the crowd listening to Peter:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2, ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2lGbx4svwbD6Da8ECXH6JepMVV6O0dhqzjULesQrzmT5B8cnbe9rjAHAxvJFfMdfbKt9uA500vDfBNWBAlsB0Fa1cWowNjUWjTlWklMo2ziSYHKXVGI4Gmyl6alWdax4qCixpMPOVr9/s1600/pentecost5.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2lGbx4svwbD6Da8ECXH6JepMVV6O0dhqzjULesQrzmT5B8cnbe9rjAHAxvJFfMdfbKt9uA500vDfBNWBAlsB0Fa1cWowNjUWjTlWklMo2ziSYHKXVGI4Gmyl6alWdax4qCixpMPOVr9/s400/pentecost5.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="286" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">The events of this Pentecost are simply incredible, and it is from this amazing Gift of the Comforter, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God, that the Gospel of Christ first began to spread and the Church began to form. Why evangelical churches do not regularly celebrate Pentecost is a mystery to me. It always lands on a Sunday and thus it can be easily celebrated with Scripture readings, praise songs and hymns about the Holy Spirit, sermons focused on the Holy Spirit, and perhaps even with baptisms since approximately 3,000 people were baptized and added to the Church on the first Pentecost after the Resurrection in Acts 2. Pentecost is a Biblical holy day, and we can celebrate it Biblically, too, with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart[s]" (Ephesians 5:19, ESV).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">In the 1928 </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Book of Common Prayer</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">, one of the Collects (collective or public prayers) for Pentecost reads thus:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b><i>Almighty and most merciful God, grant, we beseech thee, that by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit, we may be enlightened and strengthened for thy service ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end.</i> Amen.</b></span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">And the </span><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Book of Common Prayer 2011</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">'s Collect for Pentecost (also in the sidebar of this blog):</span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">"<i style="font-weight: bold;">O GOD, you teach the hearts of your faithful people by sending us the light of your Holy Spirit; By your Spirit, give us right judgment in all things, so that we may rejoice forever in his holy comfort; Through the victory of Christ Jesus our Savior, who lives and rules with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen." </i>(References: John 14.26; Acts 2.1-4; Philippians 1.9-10; Acts 9.31)</span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">The Anglican Church has an interesting name for Pentecost: </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15614b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Whitsunday</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> which comes from the white garments worn by those who are baptized this day, just as over 3,000 people were baptized on that first Pentecost in Acts 2. In the above hyperlink to the Catholic Encyclopedia entry of "Whitsunday," an interesting fact is given:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Whitsunday, as a Christian feast, dates back to the first century, although there is no evidence that it was observed, as there is in the case of Easter; the passage in 1 Corinthians 16:8 probably refers to the Jewish feast. This is not surprising, for the feast, originally of only one day's duration, fell on a Sunday; besides it was so closely bound up with Easter that it appears to be not much more than the termination of Paschal tide [Eastertide].</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiswOrTrvs1RC04bqKvRN5VkJNMABYyHJZ2ny6Vo0ZDGPbsoW1NenYuuSv7LhrvVDNJ_T0FbTTgqoxHB7v07g30qb06oX40Z6uvtMpoq0TiwrzyMsaYTpQQiHES4JWXUHIlkrUXRqWlT1jHRPa2dHMuMYSJnEk0odyH6GKafvwsPo23JTaG43pahGacbA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiswOrTrvs1RC04bqKvRN5VkJNMABYyHJZ2ny6Vo0ZDGPbsoW1NenYuuSv7LhrvVDNJ_T0FbTTgqoxHB7v07g30qb06oX40Z6uvtMpoq0TiwrzyMsaYTpQQiHES4JWXUHIlkrUXRqWlT1jHRPa2dHMuMYSJnEk0odyH6GKafvwsPo23JTaG43pahGacbA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">So why is this important Biblical Holy Day, celebrated from the very earliest days of the Christian Church, hardly mentioned in evangelical churches, including my own? I don't know. I simply don't get it. But I pray that the evangelical churches will indeed start to celebrate Biblical Holy Days more and more in the future, pulling on the rich, 2,000-year heritage of Pentecost/Whitsunday.</span></div><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">I close with this quotation on the importance of Pentecost:</span><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">"Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us."</span></i><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></i><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">~Robert Baer</span></b></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Wishing you a blessed Pentecost,</span><br /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHWkY1-lnVvtboPohqONad9p9vNqMBtEX4XQZUrS3MnIt1mCVtJdK4OF1rl9pBu2OeYo9UfBV_Lj1pcE1l1nWmEvyPYJLMw9esyMCQWBZmT_Pb4m9ICCXMRo4aAqU3YzJ64eJScXCQPfH/s1600/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHWkY1-lnVvtboPohqONad9p9vNqMBtEX4XQZUrS3MnIt1mCVtJdK4OF1rl9pBu2OeYo9UfBV_Lj1pcE1l1nWmEvyPYJLMw9esyMCQWBZmT_Pb4m9ICCXMRo4aAqU3YzJ64eJScXCQPfH/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a><div><br /></div></div></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-74095108583010680652023-04-15T17:35:00.000-07:002023-04-15T17:35:08.768-07:00Welcome to Eastertide: Easter Lasts 50 Days!<p> </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pU5QNQw43ngAiuO3-op-Euyuf88UqwQopo3PNIU7ljjUWFXnJsL1jGuhq7JBpbcobJDeT3GlCwHl_FX_RUBBLNRiEVVWpKC6E8V3E5JJ4sz_B0YkGlmxNVdEmvJRi_2yYtugXAlWw7Vq/s1600-h/resurrection_icon_critical_cut.gif" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326517307306143282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pU5QNQw43ngAiuO3-op-Euyuf88UqwQopo3PNIU7ljjUWFXnJsL1jGuhq7JBpbcobJDeT3GlCwHl_FX_RUBBLNRiEVVWpKC6E8V3E5JJ4sz_B0YkGlmxNVdEmvJRi_2yYtugXAlWw7Vq/s320/resurrection_icon_critical_cut.gif" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; display: block; height: 216px; margin: 0px auto 10px; padding: 8px; position: relative; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Throughout the 50 days of Eastertide, Anglican Churches </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">substitute The Venite (Psalm 95:1-7; Psalm 96:9,13) with a series of three Scriptures prayed one after the other, followed by the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Gloria Patri</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">. These form a "Call to Worship" at the beginning of Morning Prayer which I love to pray as they truly celebrate Christ's Resurrection with great joy. Here they are from the <a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/">2011 Book of Common Prayer</a> (with ESV Scriptures):</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><p>Alleluia. Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival; Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia. (1 Corinthians 5:7b-8)<br /><br />Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died, he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Alleluia. (Romans 6:9-11)<br /><br />Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)<br /><br />Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever; Now and always. Amen.</p><br /></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The Collect for the First Sunday after Easter, from the 2011 Book of Common Prayer:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>ALMIGHTY Father, you gave your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification; Grant that we may remove the leaven of malice and wrongdoing from our lives, so that we may always serve you in righteousness and truth; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.</b></span><b style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></b><b style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Amen. </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #000099; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">(References: 1 Corinthians 15.3-4; Romans 4.24-25; 1 Corinthians 5.7-8; Matthew 5.8).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">In case you're interested, the 2011 BCP Epistle reading for this day is 1 John 5:4-12 and the Gospel reading is John 20:19-23. We are also reading Psalm 81.1-4 or Psalm 118.22-25, plus the historical reading of Acts 2.14a, 22-32. If you happen to live in the San Diego area, you are welcome to join our weekly worship at Blessed Trinity Church. We meet in the SCAIR office on East Main in downtown El Cajon at 10:00 AM. (Just look for SCAIR in Google Maps.)</span><div><span style="color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Also, note the quotation for the week in the sidebar of this blog: </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #000066; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>"Every commandment is about love, and all of them add up to one commandment."</i></b></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #000066;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #000066;"><b>~St. Gregory the Great</b></span></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A Joyous First Sunday after Easter to you all! Remember, Eastertide lasts all the way until Pentecost (that's what Pentecost means: 50 days), so we have lots of time to celebrate the Resurrection ... not that we should ever </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">stop</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> celebrating the pivotal fact of our faith, but now's the time to really, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">really</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> make a big deal over Christ's Resurrection from the dead! </span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Wishing you a joyous Eastertide,</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkiU3MbHzG137R35smz_x6HsRlR3_s4l7geXLACBIgK8WZL6Xwi3OTz9kmRwinH_sqqQv2-T2KdyRkeStODLmY-V7pymVFlfexbWX6W1sI2FGa7k_z_3ADNqe6F7w1YSRsvyW--bWeoyrG6tvpzIs2B5DvQGtrZn_hVB-gXODRSCLtqMQwNSgEVdnXA/s106/1%20signature%20(BIT).bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkiU3MbHzG137R35smz_x6HsRlR3_s4l7geXLACBIgK8WZL6Xwi3OTz9kmRwinH_sqqQv2-T2KdyRkeStODLmY-V7pymVFlfexbWX6W1sI2FGa7k_z_3ADNqe6F7w1YSRsvyW--bWeoyrG6tvpzIs2B5DvQGtrZn_hVB-gXODRSCLtqMQwNSgEVdnXA/s1600/1%20signature%20(BIT).bmp" width="106" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-58036457653664791842023-03-18T23:45:00.008-07:002023-03-18T23:50:14.311-07:00A Day Late, but Still Celebrating Saint Patrick<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ls1OLq73vd4vgZbzSwWMWahNxq6Dyfa8mF6X5C7xfjD98t9Cco8gXaUPUWaLiBZXCFLh_tn2EPb6qxAZXbdsoESMqQBZmB_wXfIifzqsTWX3p1SBbBaKfPyGRKGM-f4NltaaGGVgHUYDaoxrgOCE9AS812Yi2DZ1Bzy7gmKhx1nqeFO7KKCZpXz1FA/s858/Saint%20Patrick%20of%20Armagh.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ls1OLq73vd4vgZbzSwWMWahNxq6Dyfa8mF6X5C7xfjD98t9Cco8gXaUPUWaLiBZXCFLh_tn2EPb6qxAZXbdsoESMqQBZmB_wXfIifzqsTWX3p1SBbBaKfPyGRKGM-f4NltaaGGVgHUYDaoxrgOCE9AS812Yi2DZ1Bzy7gmKhx1nqeFO7KKCZpXz1FA/w280-h400/Saint%20Patrick%20of%20Armagh.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Image by Marcy Hall</div><p></p><p><i style="color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #990000;">Updated from the Archives...</span></i></p><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432675128902769058" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><br /><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">Yesterday I donned my wee green socks, covered in the requisite shamrocks, my greenest of green tops, and my silver Celtic cross set with a green gemstone. And we also enjoyed corned beef and cabbage (with potatoes, onions, and carrots, of course). The scent of corned beef simmering in crock pot filled the apartment. </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432675128902769058" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432675128902769058" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">I also took down and re-read a little Catholic pamphlet on Saint Patrick which contained excerpts from his autobiography and several of his prayers. These moments of remembering this British teenager, kidnapped by pirates, forced as a slave to watch over the flocks of sheep and, during the long hours, recalling the strong Christian faith of his parents that he had so easily set aside, and then returning to Ireland after his escape to serve as a missionary is a heartening tale. I'm glad I spent time today re-reading the details and especially his prayers and poems, suffused with faith in Christ; it was so much more important than wearing green and enjoying a favorite dinner. </span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432675128902769058" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif"><br /></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3432675128902769058" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 506.4px;"><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">I have often written about Saint Patrick, one of my favorite saints, on this blog. Rather than rewriting, I thought that in remembrance of this amazing man of God, I would direct you to some of my posts of years past. </span><br /><br /><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">So feel free to join me in remembering and celebrating Saint Patrick, Apostle to Ireland, with these posts:</span><br /><br /><b><a href="http://meditativemeanderings.blogspot.com/2008/03/saint-patricks-day.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Saint Patrick's Day</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://meditativemeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/03/st-patrick-british-missionary-to.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Saint Patrick, British Missionary to Ireland</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://meditativemeanderings.blogspot.com/2009/03/st-patricks-breastplate-prayer.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">The Breastplate Prayer of Saint Patrick</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://meditativemeanderings.blogspot.com/2007/09/prayer-of-st-patrick.html" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Saint Patrick's Prayer for the Faithful</a></b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekCF_DRbLRHK96f94gZqh_ntL0V2RBcPRZWxrOnWnlOW17xLfScfggfsMvcaS-SmTBWo6eIEfq2expdFO0Q5Ps2UWEs3851bvjBZomSd7MrRncBOuSgKGSio9tvHFhaAeIVFcwbQObKRE/s1600/st+patrick.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekCF_DRbLRHK96f94gZqh_ntL0V2RBcPRZWxrOnWnlOW17xLfScfggfsMvcaS-SmTBWo6eIEfq2expdFO0Q5Ps2UWEs3851bvjBZomSd7MrRncBOuSgKGSio9tvHFhaAeIVFcwbQObKRE/s1600/st+patrick.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><b><br /></b><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">One of my favorite sermons ever was one by our former youth/worship pastor, now Pastor of </span><strong><a href="http://www.lavinacc.com/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">La Vina Community Church</a></strong><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif"> in Miami,</span><strong> Rollo Casiple</strong><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">, who preached on Saint Patrick during Advent, of all times. But he helped us to visualize so clearly Saint Patrick's relaying of the Gospel to the pagan Irish king that I almost felt that I was there at </span><strong><a href="http://www.slanecastle.ie/history-of-slane-castle.aspx" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;">Slane Castle</a></strong><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif"> myself on that Resurrection Sunday 1500+ years ago. Of course, having just watched U2's Slane Castle concert on DVD earlier that week aided my visualization greatly, but that's another post... ;) </span><br /><grin><br /></grin><grin>In a past <a href="https://lifeforleaders.depree.org/" style="color: #672799; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Life for Leaders</b></a> online devotional, Tim Yee writes this about Saint Patrick:</grin><br /><grin><br /></grin><grin><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">"Though much of St. Patrick’s life has a legendary quality, his manuscript <em>The Confession of Saint Patrick</em> does give us a glimpse into the man’s life and character. One aspect becomes clear: his humility. He opens with, 'I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many….' Even though Patrick could take credit for bringing thousands of former pagans into the Christian family, he did not embrace a 'savior' mentality. Instead, he knew that only the true Savior, our Lord Jesus, can bring powerful transformation that lasts."</span></grin><br /><div style="widows: 1;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div style="widows: 1;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">Although Saint Patrick lived more than 1500 years ago, he provides a powerful example of a missions-oriented leader for us all, even today. </span></div><grin><br /><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">From the </span><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="color: #672799; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;">2011 Book of Common Prayer</a><span face="verdana, geneva, sans-serif">, a Collect for "A Saint's Day":</span></grin><br /><blockquote><i>Almighty God, who calls us to faith in you and has surrounded us by so great a cloud of witnesses; Encouraged by the good examples of holy <strong>Saint Patrick</strong>, grant that we may run with perseverance the race that lies before us and at the end reach your eternal joy; Through him, who is the founder and perfecter of our faith, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and rules, one God, now and forever. Amen. </i>(References: Hebrews 12.1-2)</blockquote><grin>So I wish you all a blessed remembrance and joyous celebration of the life, ministry, and prayers of this incredible missionary. May we serve our Lord with similar devotion, submission, courage, and bravery as we walk in the footsteps of Saint Patrick and countless Christians along the Pilgrim Pathway that leads to eternal communion with Christ our Lord.<br /><br />God's blessings be upon each of you this Saint Patrick's Day, my friends,</grin><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXrMWRnm7Dv0U9Ivq7wuvLW6MhJdbA2Wn6at8DwP532ykU-QGTNkzvRdXbX2HeD5dYyJ8AE5_FFfvR7UiceEi81AR47gRa9ZtcfXxy5m9GYTsFdyWRs65uPHIQneoa_s56RgElnX-M2k2/s1600/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXrMWRnm7Dv0U9Ivq7wuvLW6MhJdbA2Wn6at8DwP532ykU-QGTNkzvRdXbX2HeD5dYyJ8AE5_FFfvR7UiceEi81AR47gRa9ZtcfXxy5m9GYTsFdyWRs65uPHIQneoa_s56RgElnX-M2k2/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-22925175032108248612022-02-20T00:52:00.000-08:002022-02-20T00:52:32.793-08:00Quotation of the Week: Vision<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg73vI6VfJHGIvEbmrHMNJBQRHkkzKZgQNX538EuQ0RtsqakBirA1eZ7sXRVLMDpd1z5iIWmNOEkeF6-JQZcwlMa9Hi1OzdgMrr4UOc3a540ZHXRwSQjbXZ4crkBf7muxvs5BDThYABqPO11_Kcy-VcrExIRZJRiUh1TfR5rZI9yYJb1sL1QioUppyt8Q=s2121" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2121" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg73vI6VfJHGIvEbmrHMNJBQRHkkzKZgQNX538EuQ0RtsqakBirA1eZ7sXRVLMDpd1z5iIWmNOEkeF6-JQZcwlMa9Hi1OzdgMrr4UOc3a540ZHXRwSQjbXZ4crkBf7muxvs5BDThYABqPO11_Kcy-VcrExIRZJRiUh1TfR5rZI9yYJb1sL1QioUppyt8Q=w463-h308" width="463" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">"Vision is the art of seeing the invisible."</span></i></div><p></p><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i>~Jonathan Swift</i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Vision is a word of significance. It's used in business, in personal and church mission statements, and, of course, the physicality of sight. The satirist Jonathan Swift defines vision as insight -- "the art of seeing the invisible" -- in other words, the ability to see beyond the present and into the realm of future possibilities, beyond what our eyes can see and our minds can know. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">I hate being asked to write a personal vision statement. The future is too amorphous, too beyond, to commit to paper, much less to share with others.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">But I still like the heart of this quote.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Another thing I am trying this year, hopefully more successfully than my "go to bed by 11 PM" goal (she writes at 12:30 AM), is to try to not work (on Brave Writer or my grading business tasks) on the Sabbath. There will be times when I will need to, but I am going to try to get as much done on Saturday as I possibly can and try to leave Sundays for three activities: church, Dungeons & Dragons, and relaxing family time. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">D&D Session 84 Update: our intrepid party of storm sorcerer, rogue/ranger, light cleric, eldritch knight fighter, and a battle master fighter, killed the adult green dragon named Son Iru the Sly who has been trying to kill us since we killed her wyrmling (baby dragon) in self-defense in Session Five, almost exactly two years previously in our time, but about three months in-game. Son Iru has sent many assassins after us, and we managed to fight them off without too much trouble. My light cleric presented the party with a Heroes' Feast the previous night, a sumptuous spread of savory meats, succulent and exotic fruits, fresh bread still warm from the oven, decadent desserts, and rich red wines. Our sorcerer's pet (adjustable-sized) cockatrice Hei-Hei was presented with sparkling rock quartz in a bowl to consume since he eats rocks only. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">The Heroes' Feast provided our party with 24 hours of immunity against Poison and becoming Frightened, and gave us extra hit points. Considering that a green dragon's main weapons are poison and fright, the Heroes' Feast helped greatly. However, when our battle master fighter walloped her something fierce, the dragon killed him. Not merely unconscious -- he was dead. Fortunately, my light cleric had the required diamond and spell slot at hand, cast Revivify, and our fighter returned to the living. My cleric also cast Heal and added her Healing Hands, giving him 82 hit points so that he could continue the good fight. And it was a fight we won. Now what to do with a dead green dragon? </span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Have a wonderful Sunday and week ahead!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif43wC27g1iMCiVy3J6d-CHu3ydG5yN3Ax2xtVTsUtCMpGCKlbfebFgNKAmB3dC2YecKZFOA_dSksJPIiRqmE2lDepzb_QbiUu8D6HEMFm2T0LAg_n_blnQVq1kivqEDWbYscinV0GfxEPZSQ6Gw3GhhCwIzUlautX0sZTe2n3_0r4f1EWrkfUMP6PYA=s106" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif43wC27g1iMCiVy3J6d-CHu3ydG5yN3Ax2xtVTsUtCMpGCKlbfebFgNKAmB3dC2YecKZFOA_dSksJPIiRqmE2lDepzb_QbiUu8D6HEMFm2T0LAg_n_blnQVq1kivqEDWbYscinV0GfxEPZSQ6Gw3GhhCwIzUlautX0sZTe2n3_0r4f1EWrkfUMP6PYA" width="106" /></a></div><br /><div style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-87142428934191803202022-02-12T23:45:00.000-08:002022-02-12T23:45:29.175-08:00Quotation of the Week: February 13<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHUQe2khAg7HPpVSKaz_S572jITIMZhFk-LLrWjm-od4LsvFr-fhRaZs2umsBnHnmeJIvH7YSc3IqyMWd5kaWkmTge_FwMsOiHvMqRBE9wW3H0fNrRmIQp1fSu64ma7yMoyEjFD76jdf52gEj5Tm-99JLGHmdzDszK5ioDi48YpXcr0qqmLtMsN4dIkA=s311" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="311" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHUQe2khAg7HPpVSKaz_S572jITIMZhFk-LLrWjm-od4LsvFr-fhRaZs2umsBnHnmeJIvH7YSc3IqyMWd5kaWkmTge_FwMsOiHvMqRBE9wW3H0fNrRmIQp1fSu64ma7yMoyEjFD76jdf52gEj5Tm-99JLGHmdzDszK5ioDi48YpXcr0qqmLtMsN4dIkA=w490-h255" width="490" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i>"Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer."</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i>~Maya Angelou</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Prayer is the heart and soul of my existence. I don't write this to sound all holier than thou-ish; I write it because I have no other choice. Prayer isn't anything more or less than talking with God. Because praying became too difficult when I first became ill with chronic pain, I found help in praying through the Book of Common Prayer in which prayers are written to be read aloud as a church body or by oneself in private prayer. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I also found great solace in a slim little volume of prayers that I pulled out earlier today to pray from: <i>A Diary of Private Prayer</i> by John Baillie. It's now out of print in its original form; an updated form is available on Kindle, but I only want Baillie's original book, not a revised edition. I've mentioned this book many times on this blog over the years, and it's a book overflowing with solace and peace. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And gratitude. There's a book -- a very popular book -- a <i>New York Times</i> bestseller for over a year, that I can't recommend highly enough: <i>One Thousand Gifts</i> by Ann Voskamp. Counting our blessings -- the biggies as well as the little incidentals of our ordinary days -- this is truly the heart of following God and feeling His Love for each and every one of us. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And Ann Voskamp's blog, <i>A Holy Experience</i>, is truly, to misquote John Keats' poem "Endymion," "a thing of beauty and a joy forever." There's nothing quite like pulling up a chair on Ann's huge front porch to listen to her words of wisdom born of suffering, and the resulting joy of a life being lived perfectly imperfect, as we all are. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And, ahhh! The pen of Maya Angelou is gentle one moment and militant the next -- calling out the wrong and lauding the right and with compassion for everything and everyone in-between. She is a Truthteller, Maya is. And she doesn't hold back her punches, no matter whose jaw she is aiming for. Yet her love conquers the injustices she rails against -- and she can be as gentle as this beautiful quotation I've chosen to share with you this week. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I need to get to bed ... as soon as I post the new Collect for Septuagesima (the Third Sunday Before Lent) -- it's included in this week's sidebar -- to our Book of Common Prayer's Facebook group, copy down the verses of the Communion hymn I'll be reciting as poetry via Zoom for our Blessed Trinity Anglican Church's service tomorrow, and pray Compline before bed. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday, whether you will be watching the big game or enjoying the unseasonably warm weather here in San Diego (it's supposed to be 83 here on Sunday) or doing whatever else you enjoy most on this day of relaxation and rest. The majority of my family will be trying to slay a green dragon in our 84th Dungeons & Dragons session. Here's hoping we survive until Week 85! </p><p style="text-align: left;">Warmly,</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTq7pPQp5U-pQmzYcbMyaXl8uK1TdZhHlzddp4tB_bYjlokZtusb9eZGUdw2QKEJN91gldyz6-cnOhxlaIvJ8HEhxxnMXorCHuUarLmOR2A7q3PvdBTKcfh3SgfZGo_NBSxrLMvrZzKs7EL_NxTJ2a2CT4BbEQChyfcC7z09j4AoDwu4l1ISVM5mcZug=s106" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTq7pPQp5U-pQmzYcbMyaXl8uK1TdZhHlzddp4tB_bYjlokZtusb9eZGUdw2QKEJN91gldyz6-cnOhxlaIvJ8HEhxxnMXorCHuUarLmOR2A7q3PvdBTKcfh3SgfZGo_NBSxrLMvrZzKs7EL_NxTJ2a2CT4BbEQChyfcC7z09j4AoDwu4l1ISVM5mcZug" width="106" /></a></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-28817710197225644402022-02-06T00:59:00.004-08:002022-02-06T01:04:01.433-08:00Quotation of the Week: Be Yourself<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRCCY6y_ZO_VqEsuJJfrDuxlC4zQevE7XdwVco0EcsxgXXMEe-P_HBAP4eBd3_7UQouGySn-pMKh3HO6HLbMJIwlGyvox1ucFcdjsW2xo-3p1eSGZ6PlTn9LoTkL-DWitanUwaW2RiFZyGSwcmqfet3T7SPNdVKv0q1UT-BetcuX5woMt5dvEWa9_6fg=s275" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRCCY6y_ZO_VqEsuJJfrDuxlC4zQevE7XdwVco0EcsxgXXMEe-P_HBAP4eBd3_7UQouGySn-pMKh3HO6HLbMJIwlGyvox1ucFcdjsW2xo-3p1eSGZ6PlTn9LoTkL-DWitanUwaW2RiFZyGSwcmqfet3T7SPNdVKv0q1UT-BetcuX5woMt5dvEWa9_6fg=w408-h271" width="408" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;">"No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself." </span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i>~Virginia Woolf</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana;">I'll just leave this quote as it is, without explanations. It's an important quotation, though -- one I hope to learn to accept and embody as time goes on. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana;">Later today I'll be likely fighting a dragon in the guise of my part-angelic demon hunter character, Fionnlagh (pronounced Finlay) in our weekly <i>Dungeons and Dragons</i> session. Fighting an ancient green dragon is no joke, yet I believe that our party of five is as ready as we'll ever be. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana;">Because Fionn is a Light Cleric, she has access to a spell called a <i>Heroes' Feast</i> which will give us extra protection against the dragon for twenty-four hours after we feast. It also costs a jeweled bowl worth 1000 gold pieces which will be consumed by the spell. But being protected from poison (this dragon has poisoned breath rather than fire breath) and from being frightened when fighting a very angry ancient dragon whose offspring we killed (in self-defense) will be well worth the price of the spell.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana;">Wish us well, and have a blessed week!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: courier;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieVu_w7yJ_SeYeXiBs-sImhYkbpF9NJTdZK2QfZ2HrhSKvBuSc34aDvxoAqaYR5s8iBqIdmHJK7NOH5-c_OMKVTKUr7x_YKAGOXVMyRBs4KpRrTR8hKvHmSRINAS2QaYtCvkZFGAdotDqK2BVdMnFlg1TbQw-1hgPnZMf6UYHWeana7y5AjwLf-gLMEQ=s106" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieVu_w7yJ_SeYeXiBs-sImhYkbpF9NJTdZK2QfZ2HrhSKvBuSc34aDvxoAqaYR5s8iBqIdmHJK7NOH5-c_OMKVTKUr7x_YKAGOXVMyRBs4KpRrTR8hKvHmSRINAS2QaYtCvkZFGAdotDqK2BVdMnFlg1TbQw-1hgPnZMf6UYHWeana7y5AjwLf-gLMEQ" width="106" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: courier;"><b><br /> </b></span><p></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-72454038420768799822022-01-29T23:00:00.002-08:002022-02-06T00:41:02.960-08:00Quotation of the Week ... and a Side of Dragons <p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;"><b>Quotation of the Week</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: courier; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK38NcqRqReROZOR4Ltii_wkrYirhag3i1n0Ojv7BykNmzClvmhvVenN3EURP67Wfw3eDAdLWxmCDJf5rxtN5mpX4iD598YP57oMUYKFy7IIj8p1-QRd7MfCwaKV98NTUlb1gVcFnhw50Xu7y4vyGrcSY9AEkKHwS4nOkGZrpq8jUwoeO7Kx1qdz0TYQ=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK38NcqRqReROZOR4Ltii_wkrYirhag3i1n0Ojv7BykNmzClvmhvVenN3EURP67Wfw3eDAdLWxmCDJf5rxtN5mpX4iD598YP57oMUYKFy7IIj8p1-QRd7MfCwaKV98NTUlb1gVcFnhw50Xu7y4vyGrcSY9AEkKHwS4nOkGZrpq8jUwoeO7Kx1qdz0TYQ=w452-h282" width="452" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: x-large;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">"Wisdom begins in wonder."</span></i></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i>~Socrates</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">It's been quite a while since I posted regularly to this blog. Life has become increasingly challenging and difficult, and writing wasn't something I had much time for, much less emotional strength and "brain" to make it happen. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">I'd like to start posting here again, likely in snippets, while the boat seems to right itself slowly and we all remain afloat. Sometimes that sinking sensation comes and fear rears its ugly head, but we are fighting it off, supporting one another, and finding strength in faith, family, and friends. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">And I get to kill bad dudes and monsters when we settle down on Sunday afternoons to play Dungeons and Dragons. That helps <i><u>a lot</u></i>. Especially since my character is an Aasimar Light Cleric named Fionnlagh ("white warrior" in Irish) -- basically, she's an angelic creature with an impressive amount of firepower in her pocket. And our party's master tinkerer actually made her a Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch (yes, given that our family's favorite movie is <i>Monty Python and the Holy Grail</i>, we had to go there!), one for each vambrace, filled with holy water for fighting fiends and demons. We're now at Level 11, just having celebrated our second anniversary of this campaign on January 18, and we will be playing Session 82 today (Sunday). And we have a green dragon sending assassins after us. Our plan is to go in and attack her ... which should be interesting, to say the least. I'll let you know if any of us make it out alive ...</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">And if any of you know me, you know that I love to collect quotations. They're thought-provoking, illuminating, and FREE. And I'm now filling my third journal of quotations. So I thought that, if nothing else, I would share a quotation each week. It's not that much to do, and I'll write more if I can. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">Have a lovely week, everyone! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: verdana;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwAnZgdUjljHxrbJZPYocZc7ylQjE6kcqqQ3rzrR7Y2pU0foJv3o259QGmbRCSxu_O5xZoaIf3Z4eNe5sHJjGNEB3ptmLXOWtNZJfEFoj_OGyB5ekviDOLClNBnNSYJbj-CzwIOGEjB-3eTzh523Xkme-arFmg7vtT9VAM4wlKaOI_yJotaXsY81hAMQ=s106" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwAnZgdUjljHxrbJZPYocZc7ylQjE6kcqqQ3rzrR7Y2pU0foJv3o259QGmbRCSxu_O5xZoaIf3Z4eNe5sHJjGNEB3ptmLXOWtNZJfEFoj_OGyB5ekviDOLClNBnNSYJbj-CzwIOGEjB-3eTzh523Xkme-arFmg7vtT9VAM4wlKaOI_yJotaXsY81hAMQ" width="106" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-55220300129307893032022-01-10T20:24:00.008-08:002022-01-10T20:28:46.102-08:00The Wonder of Winter<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_XoKhcOwZhRmtFbNGuKXZ7TIyP_KRyE6wg_r_5QT66cuHxQlYLcTCCxMh2EoFpIqokMypRWWFZO_oNR-Jjw2Ppit7o4HfXdr9v7fcp07zMUxjAtZK8dgu8FEwbElAowUTskjhlOHI60y2bqD4i8f6xN7uJv7vXvx753EZYo5AGKIiH4E5zjDiszCcNg=s630" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="630" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_XoKhcOwZhRmtFbNGuKXZ7TIyP_KRyE6wg_r_5QT66cuHxQlYLcTCCxMh2EoFpIqokMypRWWFZO_oNR-Jjw2Ppit7o4HfXdr9v7fcp07zMUxjAtZK8dgu8FEwbElAowUTskjhlOHI60y2bqD4i8f6xN7uJv7vXvx753EZYo5AGKIiH4E5zjDiszCcNg=w400-h399" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">I recently ran across a bunch of beautiful quotations on winter and filled up nearly a page of my quotation journal with them. This is one of my favorites ... </span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana;">Warmly,</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_I-Sdk5WnDbNt_Ghx1eIWekjYPXSgtBcmt4vc09ONGFxNAtJc_OLYQ6kGcb8NcsDvMEKf2Nzw-2m-f6qGGPVC-MMObQXKsUZ1XrvCOuHFqsEFcJjnAFnnQT7AP-sb8FcNdN_cLn1YlAhStcQxZTT-6Egx4Yzr4IKPYnMtFluUbOL3_gzz4eWNPJ2kTw=s106" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_I-Sdk5WnDbNt_Ghx1eIWekjYPXSgtBcmt4vc09ONGFxNAtJc_OLYQ6kGcb8NcsDvMEKf2Nzw-2m-f6qGGPVC-MMObQXKsUZ1XrvCOuHFqsEFcJjnAFnnQT7AP-sb8FcNdN_cLn1YlAhStcQxZTT-6Egx4Yzr4IKPYnMtFluUbOL3_gzz4eWNPJ2kTw" width="106" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-66649899214391552292021-09-11T10:01:00.001-07:002021-09-11T22:30:05.372-07:00Morning Prayer – Saturday, 11th September 2021 | Canterbury Cathedral<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/orw2hHdaOaY/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/orw2hHdaOaY" frameborder="0"></iframe>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-69814127441775689452021-05-22T23:49:00.003-07:002021-05-22T23:49:13.603-07:00Wishing You a Joyous Pentecost!<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QaSyO2wzLpMhCTD8E9NrJy5BKoW3BuAvpS7VxMVDV1BsCssHQmQrGnX7vzEEwk_9m6e3sdcpsbaO99-UeqaDz7hTt1I7xkJciA5uKPtZt7pXn7-N9fFuBaW4tc2wPeW83IQ7ogTtOWKr/s1600/Pentecost+EO+icon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QaSyO2wzLpMhCTD8E9NrJy5BKoW3BuAvpS7VxMVDV1BsCssHQmQrGnX7vzEEwk_9m6e3sdcpsbaO99-UeqaDz7hTt1I7xkJciA5uKPtZt7pXn7-N9fFuBaW4tc2wPeW83IQ7ogTtOWKr/s320/Pentecost+EO+icon.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">An <span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Eastern Orthodox</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">icon</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> of the Christian Pentecost. This is the Icon of the Descent of the </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Holy Spirit</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> on the </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">Apostles</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">. At the bottom is an </span><span face="sans-serif" style="color: #672799;"><span style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">allegorical</span></span><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"> figure, called </span><i style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;"><span style="color: #672799;">Kosmos</span></i><span face="sans-serif" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px;">, which symbolizes the world. (Source: <i>Wikipedia</i>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">A re-post from the Archives</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> as I attempt to keep up with my wonderful </span><a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">Brave Writer</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> families and students in Literary Analysis: Shakespeare's <i>Twelfth Night...</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">I just do not understand something. Why don't evangelical churches celebrate Pentecost? Because of COVID, we are still not yet attending church "live" but instead, I worship via Zoom with Blessed Trinity Anglican. Thus, I have no idea if this year was different and <a href="http://www.pinevalleycommunitychurch.com/">Pine Valley Community Church</a> celebrated Pentecost during the church service. I hope so! It breaks my heart not to attend, but until we feel all clear with several of us having autoimmune challenges, I'll keep on Zooming. </span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Scripture tells us that the Gift Jesus promised His disciples has arrived at Pentecost: the Holy Spirit. We read Christ's promise in the 14th chapter of the Gospel according to Saint John, beginning at the 15th verse:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.... 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you..." (ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETqVSvkH-IWY5K5DUcNmjUJzq0dwTUPX6lJxnKRIdps6uXyHGg2N4Z0gD3obcG5WPSjRgX7CsxYt_z3Win7s1O5JWIits9RQDOfOxSfnCzTFToxIixGGhcmw5cUfBmBl1cuuxNyIsat2V/s1600/Pentecost+partial+icon+with+title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETqVSvkH-IWY5K5DUcNmjUJzq0dwTUPX6lJxnKRIdps6uXyHGg2N4Z0gD3obcG5WPSjRgX7CsxYt_z3Win7s1O5JWIits9RQDOfOxSfnCzTFToxIixGGhcmw5cUfBmBl1cuuxNyIsat2V/s400/Pentecost+partial+icon+with+title.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Then on the Feast of the Pentecost, with Jerusalem filled with Jews from around the known world, Christ fulfilled his promise fifty days after His Resurrection. We read in the second chapter of The Acts of the Apostles:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">2:1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, 'Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.' 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others mocking said, "They are filled with new wine” (ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifojdcVL5ZauQ_obGClCyA04Jker0IYQLpTCI9qJAqJNtIzrZcPjKUC0h_XrHBxts1_v1v31dfdywB5mvo5ROZAn6npz3Lj-Bl2FASLpdNPPxGQ7N6M8tz4P6TAD2U_P5olsWLSTmCDu-s/s1600/pentecost-icon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifojdcVL5ZauQ_obGClCyA04Jker0IYQLpTCI9qJAqJNtIzrZcPjKUC0h_XrHBxts1_v1v31dfdywB5mvo5ROZAn6npz3Lj-Bl2FASLpdNPPxGQ7N6M8tz4P6TAD2U_P5olsWLSTmCDu-s/s320/pentecost-icon.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Peter then preaches to the astounded visitors to Jerusalem (also in the second chapter of Acts), quoting the prophecy of Joel hundreds of years past as well as passages from the Psalms of David while also relating what he and the other disciples witnessed of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection as well as the many sightings of Christ following His resurrection from the dead until His ascension to the right hand of the Living God. Peter concludes:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">"32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing" (Acts 2, ESV).</span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">And then we read the response of the crowd listening to Peter:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls" (Acts 2, ESV).</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2lGbx4svwbD6Da8ECXH6JepMVV6O0dhqzjULesQrzmT5B8cnbe9rjAHAxvJFfMdfbKt9uA500vDfBNWBAlsB0Fa1cWowNjUWjTlWklMo2ziSYHKXVGI4Gmyl6alWdax4qCixpMPOVr9/s1600/pentecost5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwt2lGbx4svwbD6Da8ECXH6JepMVV6O0dhqzjULesQrzmT5B8cnbe9rjAHAxvJFfMdfbKt9uA500vDfBNWBAlsB0Fa1cWowNjUWjTlWklMo2ziSYHKXVGI4Gmyl6alWdax4qCixpMPOVr9/s400/pentecost5.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">The events of this Pentecost are simply incredible, and it is from this amazing Gift of the Comforter, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God, that the Gospel of Christ first began to spread and the Church began to form. Why evangelical churches do not regularly celebrate Pentecost is a mystery to me. It always lands on a Sunday and thus it can be easily celebrated with Scripture readings, with praise songs and hymns about the Holy Spirit, with sermons focused on the Holy Spirit, and perhaps even with baptisms since approximately 3,000 people were baptized and added to the Church on the first Pentecost after the Resurrection in Acts 2. Pentecost is a Biblical holy day, and we can celebrate it Biblically, too, with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart[s]" (Ephesians 5:19, ESV).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">In the 1928 </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Book of Common Prayer</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">, one of the Collects (collective or public prayers) for Pentecost reads thus:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><b><i>Almighty and most merciful God, grant, we beseech thee, that by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit, we may be enlightened and strengthened for thy service ; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end.</i> Amen.</b></span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">And the </span><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Book of Common Prayer 2011</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">'s Collect for Pentecost (also in the sidebar of this blog):</span></span><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">"<i style="font-weight: bold;">O GOD, you teach the hearts of your faithful people by sending us the light of your Holy Spirit; By your Spirit, give us right judgment in all things, so that we may rejoice forever in his holy comfort; Through the victory of Christ Jesus our Savior, who lives and rules with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen." </i>(References: John 14.26; Acts 2.1-4; Philippians 1.9-10; Acts 9.31)</span></blockquote><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">The Anglican Church has an interesting name for Pentecost: </span><a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15614b.htm" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;"><b>Whitsunday</b></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> which comes from the white garments worn by those who are baptized this day, just as over 3,000 people were baptized on that first Pentecost in Acts 2. In the above hyperlink to the Catholic Encyclopedia entry of "Whitsunday," an interesting fact is given:</span></span><br /><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Whitsunday, as a Christian feast, dates back to the first century, although there is no evidence that it was observed, as there is in the case of Easter; the passage in 1 Corinthians 16:8 probably refers to the Jewish feast. This is not surprising, for the feast, originally of only one day's duration, fell on a Sunday; besides it was so closely bound up with Easter that it appears to be not much more than the termination of Paschal tide [Eastertide].</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkQ9h6GWnM8iQehlZxKECTVB78Mk3xVqOdUYjkRbA_iBw0UtFfEKcj5ckuUUd7uyF__jLMrt__NPT8BXTj4KpE2n4oFSCGXelQCeA4_-RmY_fvnufJA0fFUg0r40LWhjcIL_v2j5VejL5/s1024/Pentecost+2021.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkQ9h6GWnM8iQehlZxKECTVB78Mk3xVqOdUYjkRbA_iBw0UtFfEKcj5ckuUUd7uyF__jLMrt__NPT8BXTj4KpE2n4oFSCGXelQCeA4_-RmY_fvnufJA0fFUg0r40LWhjcIL_v2j5VejL5/w330-h330/Pentecost+2021.jpeg" width="330" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">So why is this important Biblical Holy Day, celebrated from the very earliest days of the Christian Church, hardly mentioned in evangelical churches, including my own? I don't know. I simply don't get it. But I pray that the evangelical churches will indeed start to celebrate Biblical Holy Days more and more in the future, pulling on the rich, 2,000-year heritage of Pentecost/Whitsunday.</span></span><br /><br /><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">I close with this quotation on the importance of Pentecost:</span><br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">"Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us."</span></i><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></i><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><b><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: #073763;">~Robert Baer</span></b></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face=""verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Wishing you a blessed Pentecost,</span><br /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHWkY1-lnVvtboPohqONad9p9vNqMBtEX4XQZUrS3MnIt1mCVtJdK4OF1rl9pBu2OeYo9UfBV_Lj1pcE1l1nWmEvyPYJLMw9esyMCQWBZmT_Pb4m9ICCXMRo4aAqU3YzJ64eJScXCQPfH/s1600/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; color: #672799; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHWkY1-lnVvtboPohqONad9p9vNqMBtEX4XQZUrS3MnIt1mCVtJdK4OF1rl9pBu2OeYo9UfBV_Lj1pcE1l1nWmEvyPYJLMw9esyMCQWBZmT_Pb4m9ICCXMRo4aAqU3YzJ64eJScXCQPfH/s1600/1+signature.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a><div><br /></div></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-57857277984820355632021-04-04T00:18:00.006-07:002021-04-04T00:26:19.183-07:00Christ Is Risen! Alleluia!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jZjkafAYIq72Gl6mcKd8kj28YXqJuIXy0me9CcymGB0qVWkI7LxCHhHlyqUI9gkCS2sKxe4NtLflcGIbPUOw5Hi6KUKHqbTbsu5IwBurSW-yxCfUeT2aA63savSrifPWTRt0KK7aWA1Z/s1600/Fra_Angelico_-_Resurrection_of_Christ_and_Women_at_the_Tomb_%2528Cell_8%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1009" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5jZjkafAYIq72Gl6mcKd8kj28YXqJuIXy0me9CcymGB0qVWkI7LxCHhHlyqUI9gkCS2sKxe4NtLflcGIbPUOw5Hi6KUKHqbTbsu5IwBurSW-yxCfUeT2aA63savSrifPWTRt0KK7aWA1Z/s400/Fra_Angelico_-_Resurrection_of_Christ_and_Women_at_the_Tomb_%2528Cell_8%2529.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Resurrection of Christ and the Women in the Tomb </i>(c. 1440-1442) by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><div><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><b><i>He Is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!! </i></b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">The liturgical greeting for Eastertide is one that goes back centuries. But my favorite Resurrection Day hymn goes back only to the eighteenth century. Written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley the English church reformer, I miss singing this hymn today with great gusto and joy as it is being sung at churches around the world. These words and the soaring music truly expressed my Easter joy in a Risen Saviour!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><i><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">1. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">2. Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">3. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Where's thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! </span></i><br />
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Last night's Holy Saturday Vigil was so powerful. Lighting the Pascal fire from flint and steel, then lighting the Pascal Candle which is embedded with five small nails representing the five wounds of Christ, then praying together before Father Acker and Alice processed into the darkened chapel singing "The Light of Christ! Thanks be to God!!" They stopped to sing this three times, each time lighting more candles; we at home on Zoom lit our candles, too. Then we prayed by candlelight as Father Acker sang the ancient Holy Saturday liturgy in plainsong--it's soooooo beautiful!! </div><div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPymi_onIZsTOn7Hz1_w1ZriueLZUkakLweIjnNrJXPIGoRwv8peGU_X3h-Epd7-F4ezkuu-gdv4jMNXRc8q4f3TNH95mWUrkvgkr1O68duams96L48EYXtlVXuPDgZMVeumND7AxPnWMf/s1600/paschal+candle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPymi_onIZsTOn7Hz1_w1ZriueLZUkakLweIjnNrJXPIGoRwv8peGU_X3h-Epd7-F4ezkuu-gdv4jMNXRc8q4f3TNH95mWUrkvgkr1O68duams96L48EYXtlVXuPDgZMVeumND7AxPnWMf/s320/paschal+candle.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Paschal Candle, with the Greek letters "Alpha" and "Omega", the year, and the nails representing the Five Wounds of Christ</td></tr>
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Then we read several long Scripture passages which tell our salvation history as God's people. We then re-affirmed our baptismal vows and celebrated the First Evensong of Eastertide!! With what joy did we greet the end of this amazing vigil, definitely my favorite service in the Anglican tradition. The candles, the incense, the Scripture passages, the vows, the prayers, and the joy of the Resurrection after the sorrow of Good Friday. Thanks be to God, indeed!! <br />
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The Good Friday liturgy was equally powerful, but it was filled with sorrow rather than the impending joy of the Vigil. To read the Passion of the Christ from the Gospel of Saint John aloud ... to be crying out "Crucify Him!! Crucify Him!!" with the crowd. My heart was so heavy as I imagined His suffering so greatly ... for us! For me! For those whom I love! For every person ever created on this earth and every person who will be created in the future! His Love is <b><u>that</u></b> big!! Alleluia!! Thanks be to God!! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G41DZY1nZFWsPjhzLt4TEHhJjg1PquS3JzmEMEX0wI3ZsM3zYTaPRZ24nUUh854Fhf5FBEOFZcmObhbhWVjs295SXSYpg6SzehZnJOMYOLTtLtV-JIke4pHIEOSzk4BynKJ6L6AdIquf/s1600/fra-angelico-crucifixion.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1066" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G41DZY1nZFWsPjhzLt4TEHhJjg1PquS3JzmEMEX0wI3ZsM3zYTaPRZ24nUUh854Fhf5FBEOFZcmObhbhWVjs295SXSYpg6SzehZnJOMYOLTtLtV-JIke4pHIEOSzk4BynKJ6L6AdIquf/s400/fra-angelico-crucifixion.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Crucifixion with Saints</i> by Fra Angelico (141-1442), fresco </td></tr>
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</div><div>The Collect for Easter Sunday from <b><a href="http://www.bcp2011.com/">The Book of Common Prayer 2011</a></b>:<br />
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<b style="color: #000099;">EASTER SUNDAY or THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST</b></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">This Collect is prayed daily through the octave (Easter Week).</span></div>
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<b style="color: #000099;">THE COLLECT:</b></div>
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<b style="color: #000099;"><i>ALMIGHTY God, who through your only eternal Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life; Grant that, by your mighty power going before us, we may die daily to sin and live with him forever in the glory of his resurrection; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.</i> Amen. </b><span style="color: #000099;"> (References: Acts 2.24; John 9.25; 1 Peter 1.3; Hebrews 2.14-15; James 1.4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66;">He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!! </span><br />
<span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66;">Happy Easter!</span></span></div><div><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s106/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s0/1+signature.png" /></a></div><br /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-27163817562002960612021-02-20T23:45:00.000-08:002021-02-20T23:45:00.181-08:00Celebrating My Favorite Artist ... Who Is Also a Saint!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0xA3_nFn9KW2FTG48eScq03mAdjAMkm-e6doBlpDKEFH1NbIb9-_CbN514ddm3zSdYRCY_OpMFM2ktUCXimWmfW10dFqZHhgPbE2rEmtemSpTkYOSJENCzsa4qfX_YTm9EP_whTk233H/s1600/fra+angelico+tryptich.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="640" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0xA3_nFn9KW2FTG48eScq03mAdjAMkm-e6doBlpDKEFH1NbIb9-_CbN514ddm3zSdYRCY_OpMFM2ktUCXimWmfW10dFqZHhgPbE2rEmtemSpTkYOSJENCzsa4qfX_YTm9EP_whTk233H/s400/fra+angelico+tryptich.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Deposition from the Cross</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><i><span style="color: #990000;">Updated from the Archives...</span></i></span><br />
<span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">While the art of the Pre-Raphaelites remains my favorite period of art, I cannot narrow down all of their talent to a single "favorite artist." And considering that my Master of Arts in English from Catholic </span><a href="http://www.sandiego.edu/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">University of San Diego</a><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"> was in Medieval Literature (with many courses taught by an amazing nun with a Harvard Ph.D.), it's not surprising that my favorite artist would also be from the medieval period.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;"><b><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fra-Angelico">Fra Angelico</a></b> was born approximately the same year in which Chaucer died: 1400. Although he only lived fifty-some years, he produced an incredible body of artistic work.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">Today the Church celebrates his Feast Day, and the following is from the "Saint of the Day" e-mail from </span><a href="http://americancatholic.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #672799; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration-line: none;">AmericanCatholic.org</a><span face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-size: 14px;">:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1b3b66; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<tr><td><span style="margin-top: 45px;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"><span id="lblDate">Monday, February 18, 2019</span></span><br /><span style="color: #ec4710; font-size: 22px; line-height: 30px;"><span id="lblName">Blessed John of Fiesole</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span id="lblDatesLived">(c. 1400-1455)</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><br /><span id="lblSaintText">The patron of Christian artists was born around 1400 in a village overlooking Florence. He took up painting as a young boy and studied under the watchful eye of a local painting master. He joined the Dominicans at about age 20, taking the name Fra Giovanni. He eventually came to be known as <b>Fra Angelico</b>, perhaps a tribute to his own angelic qualities or maybe the devotional tone of his works. </span><br /><br />He continued to study painting and perfect his own techniques, which included broad-brush strokes, vivid colors and generous, lifelike figures. Michelangelo once said of Fra Angelico: “One has to believe that this good monk has visited paradise and been allowed to choose his models there.” Whatever his subject matter, Fra Angelico sought to generate feelings of religious devotion in response to his paintings. Among his most famous works are the Annunciation and Descent from the Cross as well as frescoes in the monastery of San Marco in Florence.<br /><br />He also served in leadership positions within the Dominican Order. At one point Pope Eugenius approached him about serving as archbishop of Florence. Fra Angelico declined, preferring a simpler life. He died in 1455.<br /><br /><div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: #073763; font-size: small;">So let's take a look at some of his more famous works:</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNI98qvBU6-Ea7Sx8GwFRpvQzVn1cCA89RkOMDnFzSzzkDfYRghyphenhyphenGW32OnDLRq270lg3qrZ1UxNdUIdJkFpwMuiEGQyZJkLnu_JzbfTpI7WQbz9SqyuIbb3dFaosIHUHuDxN5b1_QsPIAS/s1600/FRa+annunciation.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNI98qvBU6-Ea7Sx8GwFRpvQzVn1cCA89RkOMDnFzSzzkDfYRghyphenhyphenGW32OnDLRq270lg3qrZ1UxNdUIdJkFpwMuiEGQyZJkLnu_JzbfTpI7WQbz9SqyuIbb3dFaosIHUHuDxN5b1_QsPIAS/s1600/FRa+annunciation.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;"><i>The Annunciation</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M5IPYnEQZTNNiH87DWt8rUtA8EwZDXLNF41r6-Dfd9HuwdlZx-GyXnPeIGCATAkjWNvaE1-gOg654vSfQHhQh5uE7xcY45kDpLnZRypFYBZDvwalGeIYXgaJGXHMntwLBIMSWWlV9zG6/s1600/Fra+Visitation.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M5IPYnEQZTNNiH87DWt8rUtA8EwZDXLNF41r6-Dfd9HuwdlZx-GyXnPeIGCATAkjWNvaE1-gOg654vSfQHhQh5uE7xcY45kDpLnZRypFYBZDvwalGeIYXgaJGXHMntwLBIMSWWlV9zG6/s1600/Fra+Visitation.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;"><i>The Visitation</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWl6Zf2PSei_NtsexHZdlXPt9h3bmUDAjYC_Ght4zYcBv5QlP8NO1_SxRk3L-nfBaJhK2jlNzrppxITaYYG3qACZNbDaYEa3_VXCEZXkUAa5Wle0Ft4xHDefDLPdoSTiv0cDZSYCTS8r_/s1600/fra+madonna.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWl6Zf2PSei_NtsexHZdlXPt9h3bmUDAjYC_Ght4zYcBv5QlP8NO1_SxRk3L-nfBaJhK2jlNzrppxITaYYG3qACZNbDaYEa3_VXCEZXkUAa5Wle0Ft4xHDefDLPdoSTiv0cDZSYCTS8r_/s1600/fra+madonna.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;"><i>Madonna and Child</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiZ7p070cpZCY5R05smSkoJuinE8jRsVNN4MY75h3nLZquAhmJOEQH_syJ7_pPHFelAdljLUZeYfxB17kFIARiuouwp6ge5_kuIRADPHF5yBQOJqkPNDsKZTzRy5jZN8__ZAYDXNf15cC/s1600/fra-angelico-crucifixion.jpg" style="color: #672799; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiZ7p070cpZCY5R05smSkoJuinE8jRsVNN4MY75h3nLZquAhmJOEQH_syJ7_pPHFelAdljLUZeYfxB17kFIARiuouwp6ge5_kuIRADPHF5yBQOJqkPNDsKZTzRy5jZN8__ZAYDXNf15cC/s1600/fra-angelico-crucifixion.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.2px;"><i>The Crucifixion</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2YuhGISDYYJdA0t93NYFC4ONHDTL2Z6slQg_BnBXqSC86xhAbVNKuMoKLtE7JOysDLdRG_e-gQTEsA2qKU4NBwMEfbOEH7H0gjX8cbwltqW1sVgKnPJHcZyOhBaTElRSsony96g-rCs5/s1600/Fra+Angelico+Resurrection_of_Christ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="804" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2YuhGISDYYJdA0t93NYFC4ONHDTL2Z6slQg_BnBXqSC86xhAbVNKuMoKLtE7JOysDLdRG_e-gQTEsA2qKU4NBwMEfbOEH7H0gjX8cbwltqW1sVgKnPJHcZyOhBaTElRSsony96g-rCs5/s400/Fra+Angelico+Resurrection_of_Christ.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Resurrection of the Christ</i> by Fra Angelico</td></tr>
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The last painting here was the one and only wallpaper I ever used on my first laptop computer. The colors, especially of the first three paintings, are still so vivid, and his figures are pre-Renaissance in their three-dimensionality versus the usual flat, two-dimensional work of the medieval period. </div>
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<br />So I hope that you will enjoy the work of this amazing medieval artist as much as I have and continue to do!<br /><br />Artistically yours,<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-64517434387656814502020-11-27T14:16:00.000-08:002020-11-27T14:16:02.252-08:00Getting Ready for Advent<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMpqXvUu0pvbTwVfyDsgFrWbX2VK7MeEpwXm-I6pA05jJUJOrVh0ZY6IjIPIoeE-d8sAItWU2RcvixgttwHedn1eoOUa_f3heVQMZ9ygsMizywjWttNoWzz9JcLX3IS9oCsW1a_OSRLMB/s300/Advent-FB+cover+300x111.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="111" data-original-width="300" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMpqXvUu0pvbTwVfyDsgFrWbX2VK7MeEpwXm-I6pA05jJUJOrVh0ZY6IjIPIoeE-d8sAItWU2RcvixgttwHedn1eoOUa_f3heVQMZ9ygsMizywjWttNoWzz9JcLX3IS9oCsW1a_OSRLMB/w446-h165/Advent-FB+cover+300x111.png" width="446" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>This post is quoted directly from Life for Leaders, written by Mark D. Roberts. To view this post on the website, please click here: <a href="https://depree.org/getting-ready-for-advent/">Life for Leaders; Getting Ready for Advent</a>.</p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" id="yiv5089962029templateHeader" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom: 0px; border-top: 0px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 600px !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029headerContainer" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnImageBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnImageContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnImageContent" style="outline: none; padding: 0px 9px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><a class="yiv5089962029" href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=83ea7bc2c4&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank" title=""><img align="center" alt="" class="yiv5089962029mcnRetinaImage" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgallery.mailchimp.com%2F26727d66b832057a931976970%2Fimages%2F37924ae3-98a1-4b2d-8d36-0f9a9ff8e069.png&t=1606514112&ymreqid=31e64212-8e02-b3f4-2f23-8a00ba013700&sig=Gs1l1Y1wEGMoLsaLRXjbUA--~D" style="border-radius: 0%; border: 1px none; display: inline !important; height: auto; max-width: 450px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: bottom; visibility: visible;" width="157.5" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center" id="yiv5089962029templateBody" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: center center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom: 0px; border-top: 1px none; outline: none; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029templateContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 600px !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029bodyContainer" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h1 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">LIFE FOR LEADERS</h1><h3 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 20px; line-height: 40px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Getting Ready for Advent</h3><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Written By <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=2deb0a1ef2&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Mark D. Roberts</a></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><em>For God alone my soul waits in silence,<br /> for my hope is from him.</em><div style="text-align: right;"><em><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=c993e14db0&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Psalm 62:5 (NRSV)</a></em></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextBlockInner" style="outline: none;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnBoxedTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="outline: none; padding: 9px 18px;"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="background-color: #efefef; border-collapse: collapse; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 18px; text-align: center;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">Focus</h4><div style="text-align: left;">The season of Advent is almost here. We’re coming into a time when we get in touch with our yearning for healing, justice, peace, and salvation. Most of all, Advent is a time for us to feel more strongly our yearning for God, even as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of the Messiah at Christmas.<br /><br />We have two online resources to help you have a rich celebration of Advent:<br /><br /><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=f0dc681ab6&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a>: Discover the meaning and spiritual value of Advent. I share my personal experience of Advent, including “My Greatest Advent Discovery.”<br /><br /><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=5412c36c07&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Devotions for Advent</a>: Five devotions, centered around the use of an Advent wreath. For individuals, families, or small groups.</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Devotion</h4>The season of Advent is almost here. In this devotion I’d like to help you get ready for a rich experience of God’s grace in this special season of the year. I have found Advent to be a time for deepening and enriching my relationship with the Lord. I’d love to help this be true for you also.<br /><br />Officially, Advent begins this coming Sunday, November 29<sup>th</sup>, the first of four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. The length of Advent varies a bit each year because Christmas Day moves around in the week. In 2020, with Christmas Day on a Friday, Advent lasts for 26 days, beginning on November 29<sup>th</sup> and ending on December 24<sup>th</sup>, Christmas Eve.<br /><br />As you may know, the word “advent” is derived from the Latin term <em>adventus</em>, which means “visit” or “coming.” During Advent, Christians focus on the advent of Jesus . . . actually on two advents. We remember the ancient Jewish longing for God’s salvation through the Messiah, the Anointed King. In this way we yearn for the first advent of Jesus. Also, we get in touch with our own longing for Christ’s return, when God will establish his kingdom and wipe away every tear. Thus, Advent stirs up our yearning for the second advent of Jesus.<br /><br />Many people I know—including me—feel glad about the approach of Advent, much as we might feel about the pending visit of a dear, old friend. Yet, many others among my friends don’t really pay much attention to Advent. These include quite a few of my Christian friends, by the way. They really aren’t even sure what Advent is or why anyone should be excited about it.<br /><br />Why do I love Advent? First of all, it is a season of preparation for Christmas. It helps us prepare our hearts for a truly joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent, though, isn’t just a kind of Christmas-lite. It has its own distinctive themes, moods, and colors. Christmas decorations feature red and green, backed up by white, silver, and gold. The major Advent color is, depending on your church tradition, either purple or deep blue, with pink as a secondary color. The distinct colors of Advent illustrate the fact that it isn’t only a time to get ready for Christmas. (If you want to learn more about Advent colors, check out <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=8b283a336e&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a>.)<br /><br />Above all, Advent is a season of waiting and hoping. Remembering what the Jewish people experienced as they waited and hoped for the Messiah, we also wait and hope for the two advents of Christ. Psalm 62:5 captures the spirit of Advent perfectly: “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.” Even the mention of silence is an Advent sort of theme. Whereas Christmas celebrations can be happily loud as we belt out “Joy to the World” and or the “Hallelujah Chorus,” Advent invites us into a time of quiet reflection.<br /><br />In a day where there is so much about our world that is broken, my heart is unusually eager for Advent. The pain in our lives stirs up my hope for God’s salvation. Plus, in this time, we are waiting. Yes, we are waiting for a vaccine that will stop the scourge of COVID-19. Yes, we are waiting for an improved economy and for a more just world. But, when we take time to reflect, we realize that we are waiting, most of all, for God. As we read in Psalm 62:1-2, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 18px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Reflect</h4>What is your experience of Advent? What, if anything, does Advent mean to you?<br /><br />In what way (or ways) are you waiting on God right now?<br /><br />In what way (or ways) are you hoping in God right now?</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 18px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Act</h4>If you have Advent traditions that you cherish, then make plans to invest in those traditions this year. If Advent is new to you, consider adding an Advent practice in your life. You can find lots of ideas in my <a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=5a5ec857a4&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Welcome to Advent</a> article.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><h4 class="yiv5089962029null" style="color: black; font-size: 18px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Pray</h4>Gracious God, as we come upon the season of Advent, I would love to draw near to you in a special way. I’d like to enter into this time of hope and waiting in a way the renews my relationship with you. I’d like to prepare my heart for a more meaningful celebration of the birth of Jesus. So I ask you to help me reorient my heart in the coming season. May I be more attentive to you and more in touch with my soul’s longing for you.<br /><br />For you alone, Lord, my soul waits in silence; from you comes my salvation. You alone are my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken. <em>Amen</em>.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed !important; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerBlockInner" style="min-width: 100%; outline: none; padding: 18px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnDividerContent" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-top: 1px solid rgb(100, 100, 100); min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="outline: none;"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlock" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockOuter"><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextBlockInner" style="outline: none; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top"><table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContentContainer" style="border-collapse: collapse; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td class="yiv5089962029mcnTextContent" style="color: #646464; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: none; padding: 0px 18px 9px;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Forwarded from a friend? <br /><strong style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://depree.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=26727d66b832057a931976970&id=3efc005d5a&e=b7184f0cc6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #cc8e32; cursor: pointer; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Subscribe to Life for Leaders</a></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQZXLnHV5Tc-ynCLYuskW6e4GMLo3vpkpMeBea4hyttejzwusbeyghTRA3RYUlNSHmMD8i2gI4a3DE4O2APbnHu3I6vRYVfYNlYnLr6Nf36aFZnHIowwAmmUVS9Cxc9EbcL9jgJVqP7BN/s352/advent-wreath-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQZXLnHV5Tc-ynCLYuskW6e4GMLo3vpkpMeBea4hyttejzwusbeyghTRA3RYUlNSHmMD8i2gI4a3DE4O2APbnHu3I6vRYVfYNlYnLr6Nf36aFZnHIowwAmmUVS9Cxc9EbcL9jgJVqP7BN/s320/advent-wreath-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wishing you all a blessed and holy Advent season,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s106/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqY7HJtcYslPA5CSg79c-cVprC0kF25qthza3hcq2gXmjOwABb9UKqoaAPivBO2Wi6W4_S1SyI-Xrpi4pe0Aa7FWOXFyE2D_nssQymBdPPgQoNSXkVNPyUmJNpwZOTiASjcmZ9rRB4Dpi/s0/1+signature.png" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-14448155938149000422020-11-02T19:58:00.001-08:002020-11-02T20:01:23.513-08:00Day 1 and Day 2 of 30 Days of Gratitude<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHphrK0eWyeDZhGkE6O_kfTgEPwpLdDrh8hyZFAeyEDc6qeoEbHk-Qf64LDi9B3OHdmtNv3nVKXDvFDpR-5gCxzHvx0PZmYxz_1CREpwWFGHjrD-rxHkYok_vCW7pdvCEO9uD7mMfFtbiu/s1128/30+days+of+gratitude.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="564" height="849" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHphrK0eWyeDZhGkE6O_kfTgEPwpLdDrh8hyZFAeyEDc6qeoEbHk-Qf64LDi9B3OHdmtNv3nVKXDvFDpR-5gCxzHvx0PZmYxz_1CREpwWFGHjrD-rxHkYok_vCW7pdvCEO9uD7mMfFtbiu/w457-h849/30+days+of+gratitude.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have stolen--um, I mean <i>borrowed</i>--this set of daily gratitude prompts from Maria Grace @ <b><a href="https://randombitsoffascination.com/2020/10/31/30-days-of-gratitude/" target="_blank">Random Bits of Fascination</a> </b>with the grand idea of trying to respond to each post during the month of November. Now seems to be an excellent time as we have sold our home of 19 years in our beloved little town of Pine Valley, California (population 1600 souls), and we are taking a HUGE leap o' faith as we wait to see where God will put us. The kids and I are hoping for Oregon since we have so many friends there, but it will need to be a special house in a special price range--in other words, pretty much a miracle. But God is indeed the One Who Does Miracles, so we are trusting Him for this miracle and for His clear direction if He wants us to go elsewhere. It may be a wild ride, friends!! :D</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And as I was just jotting down quotations on gratitude from Ann Voskamp's amazing book on gratitude,<i> One Thousand Gifts</i>, it seems that God is working on me, developing a heart of gratitude rather than a heart of anxiety considering our move, the election, the pandemic, family relationships, etc. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimviPcQkNek_giyZGM9qhhnRQy-dK5RUZC7yzm8PwZ3EMK1aQ6II7c-NqplZSguWEWrBx1Cc98nGC0o53hQm3-wha5PCf66BS2BqTEjm7fgR_AK463TTkks2bcdx2k6omNg6ApitKHOHfk/s239/1000+gifts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="164" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimviPcQkNek_giyZGM9qhhnRQy-dK5RUZC7yzm8PwZ3EMK1aQ6II7c-NqplZSguWEWrBx1Cc98nGC0o53hQm3-wha5PCf66BS2BqTEjm7fgR_AK463TTkks2bcdx2k6omNg6ApitKHOHfk/w221-h320/1000+gifts.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So I will be responding to the first two questions above in this post:</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. What made you smile today? </span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I so enjoy laughing with my Bible study group from Blessed Trinity Anglican Church on Zoom. We meet each Monday evening to get an overview of a book of the Bible and discuss it, and so far we have discussed several books including Psalms, Genesis, Jonah, Philippians, Isaiah, and tonight was Colossians; next week we'll be discussing Esther. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Father Gregory always makes us laugh, and we can be as silly as we like. We almost always add the Zoom video effects, so I was wearing my halo, and Father Gregory and his grown daughter Ashley were wearing little green leaves sprouting out of their heads. We also use the responses, including the heart, the thumbs-up, the party blower, the applauding hands, the thumbs-up, the laughing-'til-you're-crying, etc. We had a wonderful time gaining an overview of Colossians, and I read my favorite verses from this "prison epistle" written by the Apostle Paul: </span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Colossians 3.12-17 (ESV):</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span class="text Col-3-12" id="en-ESV-29513" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">12 </span>Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Col-3-13" id="en-ESV-29514" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">13 </span>bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Col-3-14" id="en-ESV-29515" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">14 </span>And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Col-3-15" id="en-ESV-29516" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">15 </span>And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Col-3-16" id="en-ESV-29517" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">16 </span>Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Col-3-17" id="en-ESV-29518" style="background-color: white;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">17 </span>And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.</span> </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">These verses make me smile, too--they describe our life and our joy in Christ so perfectly!! </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdACTIivQ71nb6BDDF2E2xt0Tx2-6yU4Pzb3rjpT5jgL7iNGFTUs2w5i1KV7_bMzzZ_pX6zNz4t5LLwRXu04TDY2Lvj7TtVclpBQYfvVw1xb7A8MsY3ZAPQlZBf6ceLYSz8JHUQVR9nUsZ/s605/bcp2011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="605" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdACTIivQ71nb6BDDF2E2xt0Tx2-6yU4Pzb3rjpT5jgL7iNGFTUs2w5i1KV7_bMzzZ_pX6zNz4t5LLwRXu04TDY2Lvj7TtVclpBQYfvVw1xb7A8MsY3ZAPQlZBf6ceLYSz8JHUQVR9nUsZ/s320/bcp2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">2. Who are you grateful for?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many people I could list here: the members of my family, our </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">priests/</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">pastors (both current and former), my women's Bible study at Pine Valley Community Church, I am grateful for my friend, mentor, confidant, and former neighbor Judith. She is in her mid-80s but has the spirit and overflowing joy of her early 20s. (She says that she feels like she is in her teens, but she's a bit too wise for a teenager!😂) Judith has been my friend for about seventeen of our nineteen years in Pine Valley; our mutual friend Kitty introduced us, and we've been bopping over to one another's houses, texting and emailing, giving gifts and tech help and editing help and advice on poems and prose and being part of the same writers' workshop which meets monthly at our county library branch (and on Zoom during COVID). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Judith tells the truth gently, but she tells the truth. She has such insight--truly she's a prophetic spirit--and I find her advice and help so grounded, Biblical and TRUE. She's an incredibly modest woman as well as an extremely talented one; not only is she a gifted poet and writer of prose, but she is also a musician and an artist. Talk about a real triple-threat!! But Judith is as far from a threat as a human could possibly be. She is infused with joy even when having a rough Lupus day; her eyes sparkle with mischief, and she is a woman truly "after God's own heart" as she speaks His Truth while His Love flows from her every pore. Her lovely face is so animated with her love for our Savior that she can't help but inspire all whom she speaks to, whether they are Believers or not. And her compassion, her righteous anger, her love for people, and especially her passion for saving God's Creation inspire all who hear her speak on these vital topics. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Before I met Judith and Kitty, I had never met strong Christians who were Democrats, and, at first, I wondered how they could support the other political party. Now, nearly two decades older and a bit wiser, I can see why, and I have joined them in desiring to be compassionate, to help the poor and the helpless precisely as Jesus commands, to seek common ground with people rather than dividing them with any wedge that can be found. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZYSmyJiaDqs7O037tSx2mDk0SzZDlC0Uu38NfMa5FEkX47-eiJV-eLMJpNnvsB_mfcW1CUlQPINMjbKRzHLdxIQ96ohRegsbTSX-ndqD-5gmdEYnlj6ysuVCLHT7REAR040OL8396Qvo/s3066/Writers%2527+Workshop+11-2015.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="3066" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZYSmyJiaDqs7O037tSx2mDk0SzZDlC0Uu38NfMa5FEkX47-eiJV-eLMJpNnvsB_mfcW1CUlQPINMjbKRzHLdxIQ96ohRegsbTSX-ndqD-5gmdEYnlj6ysuVCLHT7REAR040OL8396Qvo/w400-h133/Writers%2527+Workshop+11-2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Writers' Workshop writing together on a NaNoWriMo "Write-In" <br />at the Pine Valley Library; Judith is second from the right.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So many more reasons exist for why I am thankful for Judith, so consider this post a mere beginning!! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Soli Deo Gloria,</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s106/1+signature.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s0/1+signature.png" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-5739525676458266372020-10-04T00:05:00.004-07:002020-10-04T00:05:52.603-07:00Quotation of the Week<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZt3wLVexRAueprg5zD4IdVMPq8jhDlJTcorTQ0nte16yZqKlGbqqNda1AhlK1LHP6ZOqE860DJf8PJu76K2DJIai3H4oJjFfYLvabib-6PnkySTBtq9jMkY3x760Q2R-RXgWI9PHQa4J/s453/Quote+Chis+Stepien.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="453" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZt3wLVexRAueprg5zD4IdVMPq8jhDlJTcorTQ0nte16yZqKlGbqqNda1AhlK1LHP6ZOqE860DJf8PJu76K2DJIai3H4oJjFfYLvabib-6PnkySTBtq9jMkY3x760Q2R-RXgWI9PHQa4J/w400-h399/Quote+Chis+Stepien.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Have a lovely week, everyone!! I am buried in grading preliminary drafts of MLA research essays, so I will post more when I'm done with class. Until then, enjoy this quotation from my Commonplace Book!! </p><p>Soli Deo Gloria,</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s106/1+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWwuyC5j94xf0dGoxV5li7n4vvn0mdVoz1FqUX_TzqRYEmHxU26Z9TjBg80pr8FWooUUwBedZIC38yX2MLdYKVTAs2uBvNR9b1LAR2LJ_ZhuzmjbSQblF0XCjrhfRwiKBSEVL4yHhpB1l/s0/1+signature.png" /></a></p><br /><p><br /></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299773562524402730.post-18097775350105332020-09-27T00:59:00.005-07:002020-09-27T01:02:47.188-07:00Collect of the Week: Sixteenth Sunday After Trinity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUJtzQt8Wj9n9NZn9XQk0hUW1qLnpFaY6Cw8ORdLrb9uioNaC_jRBGFsEdtS_Jz-klsVfJBrBgA_3ImrlG6MzTh2hC9RMzetX5NjXDRedyKgwVhAOdNkhJZLgbAUmSGgdxR3-qlAUHuFw/s965/sixteenth_sunday_after_trinity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="768" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUJtzQt8Wj9n9NZn9XQk0hUW1qLnpFaY6Cw8ORdLrb9uioNaC_jRBGFsEdtS_Jz-klsVfJBrBgA_3ImrlG6MzTh2hC9RMzetX5NjXDRedyKgwVhAOdNkhJZLgbAUmSGgdxR3-qlAUHuFw/w479-h601/sixteenth_sunday_after_trinity.jpg" width="479" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Susanne Barretthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12773089562677921118noreply@blogger.com0