The Story for the Feast of the Reign of Christ
Nov 21, 2021

John 18:33-37

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”  

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Something to Do

… listens to my voice

There are many ways to listen to Jesus’ voice and yet it is also very easy to avoid. Make some time this week to pay attention in whatever way feels right to you.

• Make a date with a wise friend or guide to have a faith conversation.
• Spend time in deep silence.
• Listen to music that feeds your soul.
• Read this week’s Gospel passage every day.
• Read the whole story around the passage (i.e. the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection as recounted in the gospel according to John).

What do you hear?

Lord of the Dance

The Feast of the Reign of Christ is the last Sunday in the liturgical year, drawing our attention to the whole of Jesus’ story and pointing towards the kingdom of God. This Sunday, we will sing the story with the hymn Lord of the Dance. Get a head start with these versions:

The Dubliners

The Heath Mount School Choir

Jean Watson

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Something to Wonder

So…you are a king?

Pilate was incapable of understanding who Jesus was because he was incapable of thinking beyond his own experiences and assumptions. The Feast of the Reign of Christ meet Pilate where he is – “you say I am a king” – and then pushes beyond it by challenging what is means to have power.

In what ways do your assumptions – whether about power or love or God or anything else – limit your understanding of Jesus?

Everyone who belongs to the truth

What does it mean to belong to the truth?

That’s all – just sit with that.

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Something to Learn

Politics in the time of Jesus

The Gospels name a variety of political leaders – kings, governors, prefects. Who were these people and how did they relate to Rome and to Judea?

The Encyclopedia Britannica offers a fascinating overview and PBS’ “A Portrait of Jesus’ World” offers bite sized insights from a variety of scholars.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost
Nov 7, 2021

Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”  

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Something to Do

Not one stone will be left

We build great buildings and monuments to honour the people and institutions we revere – and perhaps to defy the passing of time. The reality is, of course, that nothing lasts forever and keeping things in perspective helps to guard against idolatry, complacency, and hubris.

Go to a building or monument that is significant to you and read this story there, in attempt to see from God’s-eye-view.

Make an omelette

At the risk of trivializing matters of great importance – you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. I think that Jesus is pointing out the truth that the birth of the Kingdom of God on earth is going to create a great upheaval. There will be many who oppose this transformation and many will rise up against it. Watch for such signs but do not be alarmed – they are not the end of the story.

Break some eggs and make an omelette.

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Something to Wonder

Beware that no one leads you astray

What (or who) can lead you astray from attending to God’s will?
Why can it do that? What has happened in the past when you have followed it on the path?
How have you found your way back?
How can you guard against it?

…the beginning of the birth pangs

Bringing something of significance to fruition is rarely a straightforward, painless process – whether that is a creative project, a relationship, a life (re)direction, a degree, or a baby. When have you experienced birth pangs? What did they feel like? Were they worth it?

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Something to Learn

The Destruction of the Temple, 70CE

The Temple that Jesus knew was the Second Temple, built around 515BCE. It was destroyed by the Romans during the siege on Jerusalem in 70CE, in retaliation for the Jewish uprising. Mark wrote his account of Jesus either shortly before or shortly after this time.

Read the wikipedia article on these events here.

Read a short essay on the impact for ancient Jews from MyJewishLearning.com here.

Read excerpts from the only historical document we have from this time, written by the Jewish scholar Josephus, on EyeWitnesstoHistory.com here.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story for the 24th Sunday after Pentecost
Nov 7, 2021

Mark 12:38-44

As Jesus taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” 

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Something to Do

Give

Can you give enough of something that you notice the cost?

You could give money or things or time or attention or labour.

You could give to the church or to another organization you know is doing good work.
You could give to a neighbour or a friend.
You could give to a stranger, if you can figure out the logistics.

If you have kids in your household, talk to them about what you are doing and why giving is an important part of your faith (see below).

Beware the scribes…

As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) gets underway, pay attention to the ways in which people – leaders, others, and ourselves – prioritize gestures over meaningful action to care for creation.

Pay attention, also, to the ways in which people are striving to make meaningful contributions. If you haven’t already, read the new Caring for Creation section in our Thursday e-newsletter and consider submitting your own thoughts and examples to that conversation.

We need to give all we have to live on to the critical work of climate action – otherwise we won’t have anywhere left to live!

How might you give to the earth?

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Something to Wonder

The Spiritual Discipline of Giving

What are your practices of giving? Do you have standard procedures or is it ad hoc? How much do you give each year? Where do you give? How do you give? How has that all changed over the course of your life so far?

Where did you learn about giving? Who were your teachers? What were the core lessons?

How does giving relate to your faith life? To your understanding of who God is and what is means to follow Jesus?

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Something to Learn

Anglicans at COP26

To respond to the climate crisis, we need a spiritual and cultural transformation. Hearts and minds must shift in order to change the way we see the world and how we relate to it.

The above quote comes from the materials prepared by the Anglican Consultative Council for submission to COP26.

Learn more about how the Anglican Communion is engaging in this critical global conversation on our behalf

From the Anglican Communion News Service: Indigenous and youth at the heart of Anglican engagment with COP 26

Policy brief, press releases, videos, and more on the Anglican Communion website: Anglicans at COP26

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story for All Saints’ Day
kept on Oct 31, 2021

Isaiah 25:6-9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 

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Something to Do

Feast!

Anticipate the glorious day of the Lord with a feast. Taste the goodness of God in the goodness of your favourite food. Rejoice in the generosity of God by sharing it with someone else – whether by eating together, by giving someone food-to-go, or by making a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank.

What would your mountain look like?

The vision of a feast on a mountain is Isaiah’s way of describing the perfect joy of the world where we are completely and properly in God’s presence. How would you describe such a joy?

Go beyond thinking about it and create a piece of art – draw, write, dance, sing. Whatever you do, so it with joy!

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Something to Wonder

All Saints’ Day and New Life

The readings for All Saints’ Day this year all call our attention to the promise of new life in the presence of God. This new life is already enjoyed by those who have died but we don’t have to wait until death to begin living it. Perhaps this is one way of thinking about saints – they are people who help us see this new life in the midst of this one.

Who has helped you see this new life?
Have you drawn near to it in your own experience? When or where?
How might you help someone else see it for themselves?   

All Souls’ Day and New Life

People don’t have to be “saints” to be beloved by God or by us – or, happily, to enjoy new life in God’s presence! Set aside the question of whether someone revealed God to you or led you to a holy life and simply remember the people you love who have died. Your love for them does not depend on their usefulness or their goodness – it simply is. Rest in that love.

You may like to light a candle in remembrance of them. Tell someone a story about them. Come to one of the All Souls’ services – at the church or on Zoom – to give thanks, to be a little sad, and to be assured once again of God’s love which reaches beyond what we can possibly know or imagine.   

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Something to Learn

What is heaven?

Looking to the life that is at the end of life raises an obvious question: what is heaven?

Grace Pritchard Burson answers that question in an essay for Earth and Altar magazine’s Christianity 101 series, starting from the answer provided by the catechism of the Episcopal Church in the USA:

Q. What do we mean by heaven and hell?
A. By heaven, we mean eternal life in our enjoyment of God; by hell, we mean eternal death in our rejection of God.

Read Grace’s article here.

 

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story for 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Oct 24, 2021
(a rerun Story at Home from 2018)

Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

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Something to Do

Eyes and Ears

Although this is a story about someone regaining their sight, it is mostly about hearing and being heard.  Spend some time this week focusing on what you can hear.  What are the first sounds you hear in the morning?  What are the sounds of your house in the evening? Whose voice do you hear most often during the day? What kind of noise do you make as you move about your home?  Where can you hear God in the midst of your day?   

Raise your voice

Say your prayers out loud this week. If you usually say your prayers out loud, say them louder. What does it feel like?

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Something to Wonder

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet…

Bartimaeus kept calling out for Jesus, insisting that his needs be heard, even when the people around him were trying to make him be quiet.   

Have you ever felt silenced?  When?  What did you do?

Have you ever been in the position of silencing someone?  If so, why did you do it?  What happened?     

Take heart; get up, he is calling you

Jesus heard Bartimaeus calling and responded with an invitation for Bartimaeus to come closer.  Can you imagine how Bartimaeus felt?  

Have you ever heard God calling you to come closer or to make a change in your life or respond to an opportunity? What was that like? What did you do?

What do you want me to do for you?

It is important to be careful with stories of people receiving the ability to see or hear or walk so that we don’t make assumptions about all people who may be deaf or blind or unable to walk.  Not everyone necessarily wants their bodies and abilities to be changed.  

Perhaps this is why Jesus takes the time to ask Bartimaeus what he wants and doesn’t just assume it’s his sight.   After all, the need for healing is not necessarily tied to issues of ability.  Sighted people and blind people alike need Jesus’ healing presence.  

Are you in need of healing?  
Is there something in your life that feels broken or incomplete?  
What would you like Jesus to do for you?

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Something to Learn

Speaking and Silencing

The question of who is heard and who is silenced is at the heart of justice.  The Scriptures are filled with praise for God as the One who hears the cry of the oppressed and the broken hearted, even when no one else is listening.  

Rebecca Solnit, the writer and activist, may not have had Jesus in mind when she wrote this piece but we can have him in mind when we read it!

“Who is heard and who is not defines the status quo. Those who embody it, often at the cost of extraordinary silences with themselves, move to the centre; those who embody what is not heard, or what violates those who rise on silence, are cast out. By redefining whose voice is valued, we redefine our society and its values.”  From Silence and Powerlessness Go Hand in Hand, The Guardian, 8 Mar 2017

There can also be a great cost to those who choose to break silence when that silence serves the interests of people in power – or even just preserves the comfort of the majority.

Breaking the Silence is an an organization of veteran combatants who have served in the Israeli military since the start of the Second Intifada and have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the reality of everyday life in the Occupied Territories. 

Leopoldo López is an opposition leader in Venezuela who was arrested in 2014. After three years and seven months in the Ramo Verde military prison outside Caracas, López was released to house arrest last summer on the condition that he remain silent.  He worked with Wil S. Hylton, a reporter with the New York Times, to report his story.

Read the article hear:

“Leopoldo López Speaks Out, and Venezuela’s Government Cracks Down”

Listen to the audio documentary, including interview footage, here.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.