Advent: Come, O Come Emmanuel!

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture reading for Advent will reflect this emphasis on the Second Advent, including themes of accountability for faithfulness at His coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life.

In this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and a congregation, as they affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. That acknowledgment provides a basis for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that we live "between the times" and are called to be faithful stewards of what is entrusted to us as God’s people. So, as the church celebrates God’s inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a future consummation to that history for which "all creation is groaning awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and to "love your neighbor as yourself."


Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world, first expressed by Israelite slaves in Egypt as they cried out from their bitter oppression. It is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of injustice in a world under the curse of sin, and yet who have hope of deliverance by a God who has heard the cries of oppressed slaves and brought deliverance!


It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.


Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the "Day of the Lord" may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people.


Because of this important truth, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Season of Advent has been a time of fasting and penitence for sins similar to the Season of Lent. However, a different emphasis for the season of Advent has gradually unfolded in much of the rest of the church. The season of Advent has come to be celebrated more in terms of expectation or anticipation. Yet, the anticipation of the Coming of the Messiah throughout the Old Testament and Judaism was not in connection with remembrance of sins. Rather, it was in the context of oppression and injustice, the longing for redemption, not from personal guilt and sin but from the systemic evil of the world expressed in evil empires and tyrants. It is in that sense that all creation groans for its redemption as we witness the evil that so dominates our world (Rom 8:18-25).


Of course, there is the problem of longing for vindication from an evil world when we are contributors to that evil. This is the power of the images of Amos when he warns about longing for the "Day of the Lord" that will really be a day of darkness (Amos 5:18-20). Still, even with Amos’ warning the time of Advent is one of expectation and anticipation, a longing for God's actions to restore all things and vindicate the righteous. This is why during Advent we as Christians also anticipate the Second Coming as a twin theme of the season. So, while some church traditions focus on penitence during Advent, and there remains a place for that, the spirit of that expectation from the Old Testament is better captured with a joyous sense of expectancy. Rather than a time of mourning and fasting, Advent is celebrated as a time of joy and happiness as we await the coming of the King.


There will be time enough during the rest of the journey through the Church Year to remember our sins. It begins in Epiphany when we hear about the brotherhood of the Kingdom, and realize our failure to effect it. Then as we move toward and through Lent we realize that the coming of Jesus served more to lay bare our own sin than it did to vindicate our righteousness. There will be time to shed Peter's bitter tears as we realize that what started with such possibility and expectation has apparently ended in such failure.


It is only as we experience that full cycle, beginning with unbridled joy in Advent that slowly fades into the realization of what we have done with and to the Christ, that the awful reality of Good Friday can have its full impact. And in that realization we can finally be ready to hear the Good News on Resurrection Sunday! That is the journey that the disciples took. And so there is value in taking the same journey beginning with the anticipation and joy of Advent!


So, we celebrate with gladness the great promise in the Advent, yet knowing that there is also a somber tone as the theme of threat is added to the theme of promise. This is reflected in some of the Scripture readings for Advent, in which there is a strong prophetic tone of accountability and judgment on sin. But this is also faithful to the role of the Coming King who comes to rule, save, and judge the world.


Because of the dual themes of threat and promise, Advent is a time of preparation that is marked by prayer. While Lent is characterized by fasting and a spirit of penitence, Advent’s prayers are prayers of humble devotion and commitment, prayers of submission, prayers for deliverance, prayers from those walking in darkness who are awaiting and anticipating a great light (Isa 9)!


The spirit of Advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable.


Come, O Come, Emmanuel!

Christ the King ends the liturgical calendar today

Today the church's liturgical calendar concludes with Mass dedicated to Christ the King. Today’s celebration of Mass reminds us that no matter how prevalent evil may become in this world, it is still God and His goodness that will triumph in love and grace.

As we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ our King, let us always keep the message of Sunday’s Gospel reading in our minds. He is a King, yet aServant. He is Lord, yet identifies Himself with the lowly. He is a God who became like us so that we might enjoy more fully the dignity that we have as His children. He is truly different from so many leaders of our time. There are leaders who enjoy being “set apart” from others – enjoying the privileges that go with their position or rank. Sunday’s celebration gives us hope that one day the lowly will be exalted and the mighty and the powerful will be thrown out of their thrones.

Jesus Christ, our King and our God, show us the path to righteousness. Help us to seek you in our brothers and sisters, especially those who are the lost, the least, and the last.

Why being righteous and doing right matters.

Over the last few weeks I've been doing a lot of praying and reflecting on where righteousness has gone for Americans in their daily lives.  You know, doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do.  Everyone would agree that evil can succeed when people stand idly by in blissful self-created ignorance.  Nowadays it seems that many among us have entered into an equally abhorent and insideous mode of doing just the bare minimum required of them by law, regulation or rule and do so not as a point of righteousness, but rather as a matter of "cover my ass," sort of speak.


Yes, Joe Paterno is a good man who ran an honest, big-time college-football program, donated generously to his school and was active in the university community. He's idolized by his players and Penn State alumni alike.  Back in 2002 when a graduate assistant reported an apparent sexual assault in the team showers between a young boy and Jerry Sandusky, Paterno followed Penn State procedure and reported the allegation to the school's athletic director.  But that was it. No follow-up, no checking back to make sure the incident has been reported to the authorities.  He "covered his ass," but didn't really act righteously.  He fell well short of what many believe, rightly, was his a moral responsibility. 


The matter became public with a graphic grand-jury report. Sandusky has been charged with abusing nine young boys so far, and it appears that his predatory behavior may have many more victims.


Suddenly there's apparent righteous outrage.  Following charges of perjury and failure to report the abuses against athletic director Tim Curley, he took a leave of absence, and a university vice president, Gary Schultz, then retired. Finally the board of trustees fired Penn State's president, Graham Spanier, and Paterno himself, even though he had asked to be able to finish out the season, his 46th as head coach.  Keep in mind that as this unfolded both Spanier and Paterno appeared to be more interested in "damage control" than acting righteously.


Even so, the trustees had no choice, but their actions perhaps weren't righteous.  It was yet again more "cover your ass" and "damage control" as the police investigation is ongoing, as is one by the U.S. Department of Education for possible federal offenses, and there will be the inevitable lawsuits.


Also, it is hard to escape the queasy thought that there are more revelations to come. Paterno's parting words to the students who gathered outside his house in support were typical: Go home, study, get some sleep.  He told reporters in a statement: "This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."


What's the lesson to be learned?  Doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do ought to be our paramount moral obligation.  Righteous action is our obligation.  Forgo it, and evil succeeds in ruining the lives of victims and those who stand by in blissful, self-created ignorance.

Snapshots of Alister McGrath's Christianity: An Introduction - Chapter 4

This short summary was prepared as part of my postulancy studies for the Anglican Order of Preachers.

The fourth chapter of McGrath’s text, like the third chapter, offers an historical look at the development of the New Testament, as well as broad summary of its’ contents with a focus on Christ Jesus being the fulfillment of the Old Testament for both the Hebrew people of Israel and the gentile people of the world.  Like the Old Testament, the New Testament was first presented as spoken word, and much was transmitted between people in that way at that time. 

These texts were written at the end of the first century of the Common Era (CE) perhaps as a response to the deaths of those who knew Christ Jesus personally.  The desire to collect and preserve the happenings of his life, to clearly identify him as the fulfillment of Hebrew prophecy and to offer concrete and specific methods whereby Christians could live their day-to-day lives being faithful to God is the reason for the New Testament.  The New Testament is divided into a number of categories useful in understanding both the nature and content of each individual text within a particular place and set of circumstances.  It’s important to realize that because these texts compile various stories shared in an oral tradition, they are not historical in our post-postmodern sense of that term, nor were these texts meant to be history by their authors.  Instead, they are an opportunity to hand down to future generations what was considered essential in understanding who and what Christ Jesus represents to mankind and how salvation is achieved through grace as an unmerited gift of God.

What’s remarkable is that the order of the books in the New Testament are not indicative of when they were written, but rather ordered in a way that reflects how they may be used to teach the congregations of Christians about the faith for generations to come.  The Acts of the Apostles were likely written in the late 50s or early 60s CE.  The Epistles likewise were written around that same time.  Only later were the Gospels compiled and written.  The Gospel according to Mark was the first to be written in the late 60s CE, followed by both the Gospel according to Matthew and the Gospel according to Luke in the 70s CE.  The last to be written was Gospel according to John in the 80s CE. 

This means that approximately thirty years passed between the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus and the creation of the New Testament as written scripture.  This makes sense, however, in that those who knew Christ Jesus personally were sharing by spoken word these same stories in various congregations as shown in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles.   Only as these evangelists died, either of age or as martyr, was there a great need to commit to writing the spoken word.  

It’s also interesting to note that the Gospel according to Mark may have been a primary source for the writers of the other Gospels along with various oral traditions known in the early church.   In regard to intended audience – meaning the time, place and persons to which these texts were written – content is also unique to each of the Gospels.  The Gospel according to Matthew was written for the benefit of Jewish Christians and stresses the continuity of between the Old Testament and the New Testament.   The Gospel according to Mark, however, was written for the benefit of Latin (Roman) gentiles and stresses that salvation is available to Jew and gentile alike.  The Gospel according to Luke is written for the benefit of Hellenistic (Greek) gentiles and stresses the ethic of caring for the poor and disadvantaged.  This fits with the lesser status of Hellenistic gentiles in the greater Roman Empire of that time when compared to their Roman overlords. 

The Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles are concerned with the congregations of Christians seeded through apostolic evangelism and missionary work of early evangelists.  Both Peter’s work to establish and grow the early church in Palestine and surrounding areas among the Jewish people is presented, along with Paul’s efforts to do the same among the gentiles in the Hellenistic east of the Roman Empire. 

The Epistles follow in order to provide encouragement, guidance, resolve disputes and establish a more robust theology for the early church.  Particularly important to the early church was Paul’s theology that by unmerited grace mankind is saved, rather than by action.  This isn’t to dismiss the requirement for righteousness, but rather makes clear that salvation is a gift given freely by a loving God to a sinful mankind apart from any act or work.  The importance of this was to open Christianity to gentiles as well as Jews. 

The New Testament ends with the Revelation of John, which could be considered a mystic work whereby John shares his visions as a method to encourage believers to keep their faith even in the midst of growing Roman persecution.  To me, this is the most misunderstood and misused text of the New Testament and receives far more attention from some Protestant churches fixated on preparing for the “end time” rather than on living the Christian life of agape love and charity.

Snapshots of Alister McGrath's Christianity: An Introduction - Chapter 3

This short summary was prepared as part of my postulancy studies for the Anglican Order of Preachers.

The third chapter of McGrath’s text offers both an historical look at the development of the Old Testament and a review of its contents both in relation to the Hebrew people of Israel (and Judah) and those who claimed those Scriptures as Christians.  It’s interesting to note that in the time of Christ Jesus and for several centuries before and after, the Hellenistic Jews of the time used the Septuagint Old Testament; that is, the Old Testament written in the common Greek of that period.  Another version written in Hebrew was used called the Masoretic text, which became the preferred text as the Christian use of the Septuagint text became more prevalent.  Most striking is that the Masoretic text was ordered in a way to end with Jewish kingship while the Septuagint text was structured to suggest the coming of a messiah. 

The Chapter also provides a summary of the canonization of the Old Testament by both Jews and Christians.  What I found most striking is that the Jewish canonization of the Old Testament was the work of Pharisee rabbis in the first century of the common era.  Fundamentally, Christians adopted the Septuagint as their canon for the Old Testament while Jews adopted the Masoretic as theirs.

The Scripture of the Old Testament offers an understanding of the Hebrew experience with the Divine and their belief in a special relationship between God and them as a people (and later as a nation-state).  This special relationship is shared in three ways:  laws whereby the people live according to God’s will, prophetical works whereby the people are encouraged to keep living according to God’s will, and wisdom writings that express God’s will.  It is important to remember that these scriptures were committed to writing in a time of exile for the Hebrew people so that even when far from their homeland and dispersed into foreign society they could retain and live into their faith.  The Pentateuch seems to be the heart of the Old Testament in that it creates the theology of the Hebrew people through an understanding of their special relationship with God in creation and the subsequent events of human history in which God has a direct presence.  Particularly important to the Hebrew people is the Exodus story whereby with God’s direct assistance and through his chosen representative they are freed from slavery in Egypt and in a covenant unique to Israel made the chosen people of God.  The history of the Hebrew people then follows with an evolution away from prophets – emissaries of God who remind the people to live righteously and in accord with the covenant – to the creation of the nation-state of Israel with a royal house.  This history continues to show the demise of the Israel nation-state through sin and political fracture continuing through exile and return to Jerusalem.    It’s a brilliant, impressive and marvelous statement of how the Hebrew people see themselves and more importantly how they see themselves in relation to God.

An equally engaging and inspiring part of the Old Testament are those books know for their wisdom.  These books offer not only remarkable common-sense to questions of life then and now, but also see to apply the Divine to the mysteries of our existence.  This is to say that these works of scripture bring the reader to a place of thoughtful introspection and reflection on matters both quite serious and sometimes mundane.  In addition, the Psalter offers words of awe, celebration, praise, and wonder regarding the complexities of human understanding and the incomprehensible nature of the Divine. 

The understanding that the Old Testament offers centers on the nation of our existence from creation to our present time.  It offers an explanation of both creation and how sin came into the world.  In fact, it offers the very definition of sin as human beings making the conscious choice to exercise the gift of free will in a way that separates human beings from God.  The scripture also presents the call of Israel as the people of God first through Abraham then Moses in a special covenant unique among all the peoples of the world.  The cycle of sin, judgment, and redemption is presented, and this forms the relationship between the Hebrews and God, as well as later between Christians and God.  The evolution of priesthood is presented together with kingship, both of which become very important in the theology of Christian faith.  In fact, Christians would offer that the Old Testament sets the stage on which the New Testament is revealed in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Snapshots of Alister McGrath's Christianity: An Introduction - Chapter 2

This short summary was prepared as part of my postulancy studies for the Anglican Order of Preachers.

The second chapter of McGrath’s text provides a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the Christian Bible.  It explores first the meaning of the word itself and how this derivative of a Greek term has come to mean sacred or Holy Scripture for those in the Christian church.  The Bible itself is really a collection of Hebrew and Christian writings spanning four thousand years.  The Hebrew writings include religious law, history and revelation through prophetic works, as well as practical insights into life.   The Christian writings include the Gospels – the story of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the world – and writings of early Christians in the form of pastoral letters and letters about the faith generally ending with an apocalyptic vision.  This combination – Hebrew and Christian – of sacred or holy scripture offers mankind a continuing attempt among Jews and then Christians to understand mankind’s relationship with God.   It explicitly suggests continuity between the understanding of Hebrew experience of the Divine and that of those who encountered Jesus Christ in his earthly ministry and those whom he charged with sharing his Gospel.

The early Christian church didn’t quickly create the Bible as these congregations were dispersed over most of the Roman Empire.  Instead, a gradual consensus among those congregations, or perhaps more appropriately the Bishops of those congregations, regarding those writings to be considered sacred or Holy Scripture emerged.  First came agreement on that the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were sacred or holy because of their contents and as a result of their understood author being an apostle of Jesus Christ.  It wasn’t until the fourth century CE that the New Testament as we see it today was agreed upon by the Christian church.  Authorship, authority and use in worship determined the writings included.  In essence, the writings selected after three hundred years of discernment were those that edified and built the Christian church.  It should be noted that most of the writings were originally in Greek only later to be translated into Latin.  Not until Wycliffe’s English translation in the fourteenth century CE did it move into another language, and then it was only a translation of the Latin (and not the original Greek).  Translations of translations, if seems, can be prone to error both as a matter of poor understanding, purposeful or intended adjustment and the passage of time changing the vernacular of a particular language.  Perhaps one of the most wonderful outcomes of the Reformation in the sixteenth century CE was the desire to translate the Bible from the original Greek so as to remove any intended or unintended changes therein.

McGrath provides a very useful summary of the methods of Biblical interpretation – literal, allegorical, moral and anagogical – that I’m unfamiliar with and therefore need to study in more detail.  This “fourfold sense of Scripture” was a common methodology for Biblical study in the Middle Ages, and for me seems just as relevant and useful today.  He then moves into the use of the Bible as a source of Christian spirituality.  As someone who has used Lectio Divina as a practice for prayerful study of Scripture, his historical summary of this topic reflects in many ways what the current method used by many appears to be; that is, to study Scripture, reflect and ponder upon it, open one’s heart to contemplate it and then seek prayer through it. 

Learning about the Protestant introduction of Biblical commentaries was also something I didn’t realize was a result of the Reformation, but is likewise another wonderful outcome of the Reformation.  He ends the chapter with a discussion of Biblical imagery focusing upon “light” and “dark” in his summation of the topic.  It would be useful as a Dominican Friar to use this technique in preparing a homily that is more easily understood and useful to those listening.  It certainly made for an engaging expression of the concept regarding “light” and “dark” in the Bible.

Snapshots of Alister McGrath's Christianity: An Introduction - Chapter 1

This short summary was prepared as part of my postulancy studies for the Anglican Order of Preachers.

The first chapter of McGrath’s text explores Jesus as a person unique in history and in the religious life of the Jewish people, as well as non-Jews (gentiles).  His life, crucifixion and resurrection are according to the Gospels the fulfillment of the ancient covenant between the Jewish people and God from the time of Abraham to Moses.  Jesus, both fully human and fully divine, is God and thereby the bridge between mankind and God through redemption of humanity.  To live the Gospel, one must live as Jesus abiding in love of God and love of all others.  Redemptive salvation is open to all people who believe, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or any other difference among one another, that Jesus died and was resurrected in atonement for their sins to reconcile them with God. 

There is a rich, deep complexity to understanding Jesus as a historical figure and as God incarnate.  The Christological titles for Jesus of Nazareth demonstrate this fact most clearly, and this is the first time I’ve had a concise outline and explanation of the deeper meaning behind each title.  I would like to engage in further study of this manner of understanding Jesus as both person and as God. 

It is surprising and very interesting that in the time of Jesus’ ministry, there were apparently denominations among the Jewish people as various sects held their own understanding of their faith; that is, there were active sects including the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots and Essenes each having a set of core beliefs quite different from the other and acting upon those beliefs in how they lived their daily and spiritual lives. The Jews of the Diaspora who lived a more Hellenistic (Greek) way of life were even farther removed from those in Jerusalem.  Of particular note is that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection of all the dead at the end of time, while the Sadducees didn’t believe in any form of resurrection.  Learning more about these various sects would have value in better understanding the spread of the Gospel message among the Jewish people, as well as non-Jews. 

I appreciated the mention of Mary, the God-bearer, as a person of devotion and trust in God to be emulated, as well as the role various other women had in the ministry during the life of Jesus.  This is a topic that needs more attention in the universal church and is strong validation for equality among all the Baptized in the administration of sacraments and Holy Orders.   I would also like the opportunity to examine more thoroughly the parables shared by Christ Jesus with the apostles and those listening to his teachings.  These would be a good source for inspiration in teaching and preaching, especially as they apply to our contemporary challenges living as Christians in a postmodern world.

Vergers in the Episcopal Church

Emmanuel introduced the lay ministry of verger during Christmas 2009. While a new lay ministry at Emmanuel, vergers have been serving in the Church of England for hundreds of years.

The verger has its roots in the earliest days of the Anglican church's history. The lay ministry of verger dates back to the Middle Ages when the verger was the "Protector of the Procession." He leads the procession into the church or cathedral, clearing the way for the procession and protecting it from vagabonds and animals that tried to attack it.

As one of the minor religious orders of that day, vergers also became responsible for the order and upkeep of the house of worship, including preparations for the liturgy, the conduct of the laity, and grave-digging. Although there is no definitive historical survey of the verger, evidence from Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter, and Salisbury Cathedrals indicates the existence of vergers as far back as the 16th century.

A familiar sight in Anglican cathedrals, vergers have maintained the buildings and furnishings of the church for many centuries to the present day.

The contemporary verger is experiencing a rapid expansion within the Episcopal Church. Differing from the Church of England, where vergers are often full-time paid employees of the church, American vergers are more often volunteers with a special calling to the ordering and conduct of the church's liturgy.

Today, in many Episcopal churches and cathedrals, you will see a verger ceremonially leading the procession. All vergers wear vestments of some sort – usually known as a verger’s gown – and carries a virge (staff of office) to help clear the way, and to ceremonially point the way for the procession. The basic vestment of a verger is a black cassock. In some places, especially cathedrals, the cassock may be of another color, and in some parishes the cassock is not worn at all. Over the cassock, when performing a ceremonial function, the verger wears a gown. One type of gown is sleeveless and resembles a bishop's chimere; the other is cut more fully and resembles a master's academic gown. The virge is the staff that a verger carries in procession. The name comes from the Latin "virga" which simply means a rod or staff; hence, a verger is one who carries a staff. The virge can trace its history back to the ceremonial maces carried before civic and ecclesiastical dignitaries. The Maces of State used in the House of Lords and the House of Commons of the British Parliament are examples of another modern use of this medieval symbol.

Again, the size and shape of a virge varies from place to place; but one end has a cross or other Christian symbol mounted on it. A longer variation of the virge is called the "beadle", originally used to lead academic processions.

At Emmanuel, vergers are parishioners expressing an interest in this lay ministry, appointed by the rector and trained in this important lay ministry for the purpose of assisting the clergy in the orderly celebration of liturgical services, especially in the marshaling of processions. Vestments for vergers at Emmanuel consist of a black cassock and blue chimere with the seal of the Vergers Guild of the Episcopal Church affixed to the left breast. The virge is a simple oak rod capped with a brass orb and cross.

Vergers, through their lay ministry, relieve the clergy of the burden of liturgical details so that they can concentrate on their priestly duties to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments.

Emmanuel’s vergers are foremost “masters of ceremony” who under the direction of the priest ensure all the actions of the Liturgy are done at the proper time and in the proper manner. It is a servant ministry centered on corporate worship, and hopefully if all is done well helps to create a prayerful worship experience for the body of Christ at Emmanuel.

Saint Dominic lived the apostolic life

There is so much more to the life of Saint Dominic, but this is a concise (albeit grossly incomplete) biography written for my postulancy studies. What I take from the life of Saint Dominic is that a Christian life is very much an apostolic life. That is, we should be patient teachers, passionate preachers and humble servants in Christ Jesus.

Dominic, who founded the Order of Preachers, was born in 1170 of a noble Spanish family. He was studying to become a cleric in the catholic church, and at a young age was appointed canon of the local cathedral by bishop de Bazan of Osma. He clearly loved learning and collected a number of religious texts, which in a time of great drought he sold giving the money to the starving for food. This was only one of many acts of charity made by Dominic. He was also very studious and prayerful, and at twenty-five was ordained.

After becoming ordained, he entered a religious house soon becoming subprior elected by his religious brothers of the house. The prior of the house, Diego de Azevado, become bishop of Osma in 1201 and Dominic was elected prior.

A few years later bishop de Azevado was appointed as an ambassador by the King to negotiate a marriage for the King’s son, and the bishop asked Dominic to accompany him. During the journey to France, they encountered many who were turning to the Albigensian heresy. Albigensian doctrine was based on a dualism of two eternally opposing principles, good and evil, all matter being regarded as evil and the creator of the material world as a devil. When spending the night at a inn, Dominic learned that the inn keeper was an Albigensian heretic. He spent the entire night in conversation with the man convincing him of the error in that belief and bringing him back to the catholic faith. This began Dominic’s apostolic teaching and preaching for which the Order of Preachers was found and continues today.

At this same time, many religious and ordained were living lives very different from the lay people of the day. That is, many in the church were living in very high standards, while much of the common folk were not. Those leading the Albigensian movement began to point out these differences and often lived very simple lives of poverty and asceticism, which many saw as both noble and holy. Dominic observed this himself, and understood the excesses of the religious and ordained to be a poor example of Christ. He took on a very austere life eating bread and soup, sleeping on the floor and wearing only his habit without shoes. He encouraged others seeking to fight the Albigensian heresy on behalf of the catholic church to do the same. He also encouraged his associates to use peaceful persuasion, well-formed dialogue and their personal example of simple living to bring there heretics back to the faith. They taught and preached with only moderate success, and soon the number of his associates dwindled.

Dominic came to understand how women influenced the lives of those around them, so he founded a convent at Prouille to help teach the faith. A religious house for his associates was founded soon after nearby. These two religious houses were to become a source of education and formation in the faith for the region. In the turmoil of what followed as armed struggle between those of the faith and the heretics, Dominic worked passionately in teaching and preaching to both the faith and sought peace in the name of Christ. He was offered a bishopric three times, declining each, so that he could continue his work.

He spent nearly ten years in the region of Languedoc directing the work of his order of preachers. He great desire was to revive the apostolic spirit in the church, specifically among the ordained clergy now known for their excesses rather than their piety. He also began to create formally his new order to be different from others in existence at the time. It would be an order for lay and ordained that used knowledge of theology, prayer and meditation to serve in the role of pastor and preacher while living a simple life. The order would provide the catholic church with expert and zealous preachers who could move from place to place to combat heresy and spread the Gospel wherever it was needed. He received episcopal approval for this new order, and then later papal approval after much delay.

Now that the Order of Preachers was created, a small group that included French, Spanish and English gathered at the religious house in Prouille to begin the work of the order. They adopted the rule of St. Augustine as it seemed most fitting of those rules then in existence and was one of the existing rules from which papal approval allowed. This began the work of the order, and Dominic’s drive and zealousness for preaching and teaching continued taking him to Rome where he created a theology studies program for the Holy See at the request of the pope.

Dominic returned to Prouille and after a short time with his associates charged them to leave in pairs to preach and teach throughout Europe. This began the work in the world of the Dominicans, brothers in the Order of Preachers. To this day the Dominicans continue the work of teaching and preaching around the world.

Interested in learning more about Benedictine spirituality?

There are three different opportunities in the next weeks for anyone interested in learning more about Benedictine spirituality.  Two occur on Saturday, October 1st and the third occurs on Saturday, October 8th.  All three are open to anyone seeking to know more about the Rule of Saint Benedict, the use of Benedictine spirituality in daily life and the resources available in the greater Atlanta area. 

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit Grand Open House and Celebration

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit will host a free all-day Open House and Celebration on Saturday, October 1st from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  This event celebrates the new Monastic Heritage Center and the many other improvements made at the monastery for the visitor or inquirer alike.  They encourage us to attend, if possible, and the day will conclude with a 90 minute evening concert by the Atlanta Sacred Chorale in the Abbey Church (which may require tickets so contact the monastery for more information by phone at 770-483-8705).  All are invited to explore the newly opened Monastic Heritage Center featuring: Interactive Museum, Abbey Gift Shop, Bonsai Garden, Café, Bonsai Store and Bonsai Pottery Sales, Memorial Plaza and Prayer Walk.

Trellis of Saint Benedictine Spirituality

Building on the momentum and richness of a previous seminar offered by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta regarding author and speaker Jane Tomaine's St. Benedict's Toolbox, the Commission on Spiritual Growth in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, is offering a follow-up discussion on Saturday, October 1st from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church, 2160 Cooper Lake Road, Smyrna. A light lunch will be provided.  At this first "Trellis Group" discussion, participants will explore ways in which they can form supportive groups for accountability and reflection on the Rule of St. Benedict around the diocese. This opportunity will gather and share information that will enable participants to keep the conversation and the experience going forward.  Contact the Rev. Stuart Higginbotham, chair, the Diocesan Commission on Spiritual Growth, at Stuart@MySaintB.org or 404-788-9365 to make a reservation or for more information.

Ecumenical Lay Associates (Oblates) Monthly Gathering

Remember too that we will be gathering in community at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit the following Saturday, October 8th. Our Saturday gathering day schedule follows, but may vary month to month in content:
9:30 am-Begin to Gather in retreat house, the grounds.
10:00 am-Welcome, open with prayer-LAUDS, introductions and greetings
10:15 am-Discussion/study St. Benedict, assigned texts, guest speaker
11:00 am-Break: meditation, visit Abbey bookstore and Bonsai Greenhouse, walk grounds, pray, offer direction and hospitality to visitors
11:30 am-all, lectio divina in retreat house meeting room
12:00 pm-silent break, then make your way to the church
Noon Prayers (12:20) Abbey Church in Choir stalls
Those who wish may stay for lunch at 12:45.  If you want to stay for lunch (which is good), you need to make a reservation with me a week ahead.  Most everyone does stay for lunch.  It is $5.00.  There is also a cafe in the monastic heritage center (bookstore, museum, plant store).

Reflection on completing The Foundations for Christian Education course

The Episcopal Church is a member of the Anglican Communion, a world-wide communion of churches with more then 60 million members in more then 160 countries.

Episcopalians share a common belief that Holy Scripture contains the heart of our Christian faith.  These Scriptures are a living document providing insights through the teachings of Christ and his apostles that allow us to live God’s call to each of us through a shared life in community.  Every Episcopal church is a center of worship and faith formation drawing each of us together in community.   In these communities of the faithful, we share our story with others, seek God’s love through study and prayer, and give of our means and gifts in fulfilling our Baptismal covenant.

In worship, we are united, acknowledging the holiness of God, to hear God's Word, to offer prayer and to celebrate God's presence among us.  Everyone is welcome to participate in our worship because it is in worship that we live out our life as a Christian family together.  Scripture is the foundation of our worship. The service follows an order found in the Book of Common Prayer, two-thirds of which is scriptural, and is the tie that binds us as Episcopalians.  Every worship service includes the reading of Holy Scripture from the Old and New Testaments. Many of our prayers and hymns are filled with Scripture. The Book of Common Prayer includes a variety of ancient and modern prayers and worship occasions for times when the whole community gathers, and for individual use. The Book of Common Prayer allows everyone to participate, reminding us that each person is an important part of the worship experience, whether the service is a celebration or a solemn occasion. It is our model for daily Christian living. Music, both traditional and contemporary, is an integral part of uniting our prayers and scripture.

In our worship service, we celebrate God with us through water, bread and wine. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us through Baptism we are united with God. The Episcopal Church believes through baptism – in any Christian denomination unlike many of our contemporaries – we become brothers and sisters in God's family.  Jesus shared bread and wine with his first followers and is with us today in this family meal we call Holy Communion. Through it we receive the forgiveness of our sins and a strengthening of our union with God and one another as we remember Christ's life, death and resurrection. Any baptized person is welcome and encouraged to share in this meal.

We believe there is One God who creates all things, redeems us from sin and death, and renews us as the Children of God.  As Episcopalians we promise to follow Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We believe the mission of our church is restoration of all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.  We are enriched by all those with whom we worship.

The Book of Common Prayer is our guide to worship and devotion used in our daily relationship with God.  Our current Book of Common Prayer, revised in 1979, was originally compiled by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, in 1549.

Scripture is the foundation of our worship.  Two-thirds of the Book of Common Prayer comes directly from the Old and New Testaments.  The primary service is the presentation of our Lord's last supper with his disciples, a service we call the Holy Eucharist.  The Book of Common Prayer also has services for weddings, baptisms or at funerals in the Episcopal Church.  Other personal devotions, prayers for certain time of the day, special prayers of praise or thanksgiving, requests for others and for special occasions are also in the Book of Common Prayer.  All 150 Psalms, or poems from the Old Testament, are contained in the Book of Common Prayer. A calendar for reading through the entire Bible every two years, as well as an outline of the Episcopal faith and Church history is also included.

The Book of Common Prayer is meant to compliment daily individual prayers, not to replace them. Every service in the book includes time for personal prayer requests, either silent or aloud. The Book of Common Prayer to be a source of comfort, joy and inspiration, and a unique treasure in Christian worship for more than 400 years.

In the Episcopal Church we take part in certain regular acts of worship. These are called sacraments or reenactments of Christ's ministries on earth. The two primary sacraments are Baptism and Holy Communion.  We believe that God is actively present in the world and in us. In the sacraments we realize his presence and his favor towards us. Through the sacraments, which are freely given to us by God, our sins are forgiven, our minds are enlightened, our hearts stirred and our wills strengthened.  These sacraments are contained in the worship services found in the Book of Common Prayer

Baptism is the means by which we become members of the community of believers, defined in the New Testament as the Body of Christ. Just as Jesus was baptized with water by John the Baptist, we include people in the community of faith by baptizing them with water. Following a series of questions, responses and prayers, the priest pours water on the candidate. The sign of the cross may be made on their forehead with blessed oil. In the Episcopal Church, a person is baptized only once.

Holy Communion is a reenactment of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his death on the cross.  Unlike many other denominations, any baptized person is welcome to share in this meal of bread and wine.

Confirmation is when a baptized person, who has been instructed in the Christian faith, makes a mature commitment to God within a worship setting and receives a special blessing and prayer from a bishop.

Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which two adults enter into a life-long union and make their promises before God in a worship service.

While private confession of sins is not a requirement, anyone may request the reconciliation of a penitent from a priest and receive assurance of God's forgiveness. The confession is always made in private and kept in strict confidence.   

Unction is a special blessing for those who are sick or desire special prayers. A sign of the cross is made on their forehead with blessed oil.

Ordination is the sacrament where God empowers trained persons for special ministry as deacons, priests or bishops. The service always includes the laying on of hands by bishops.

The word "Creed" comes from the Latin word "credo" which means "I believe." The Creeds are the statements that contain a summary of our basic beliefs.  In the Episcopal Church we say both the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed in our worship.  The Apostles Creed dates from the early years of the Christian Church and was used as a statement of faith at Baptism.  The Apostles Creed is included in the services of daily Morning and daily Evening Prayer that may be used both at church and in private devotions.  The Nicene Creed was written in the year 325 by early bishops meeting in Nicaea in modern-day Turkey.  It is a statement that summarizes the Christian faith and is said in unison during services of Holy Eucharist.  We say the Creeds because we are a community of faith, and we openly declare our beliefs in this way to unite ourselves to Christians in the past, present and future.

In the Episcopal church, we are called to live out our faith on a daily basis, whether we are at home, school, work or recreation. The cornerstones of our faith are Scripture, tradition and reason.

Scripture is the word of God contained in the Old and New testaments of the Bible. The 39 books of the Old Testament contain the story of God's love from creation to the birth of his son, Jesus Christ. They contain God's laws as He gave them to the Hebrew people. The 27 books of the New Testament contain Christ's teachings, the accounts of his life as told by his followers, and the beginning of his church. Within an Episcopal worship service, Scripture is read in the lessons, the Gospel reading, the recited Psalms and other prayers.

We are not Christians in isolation but are part of a living community of faith that spans 2000 years. Tradition is the embodiment of our experience as Christians throughout the centuries. The heart of our tradition is expressed through the Bible, the Creeds, the Sacraments, and the ordained ministry passed on by Christ to his Church. Our tradition is expressed with many voices, among which are a variety of worship styles, languages, cultures, architecture and music. Our tradition encourages this diversity. We seek to value the life and story each person can bring to the community of faith.

Each one of us, with God's help, makes a decision about how we use tradition and Scripture in our lives. A personal relationship with God allows us to realize and celebrate our lives to the fullest. The gift of reason, as a complement to Scripture and tradition, leads us to seek answers to our own questions and to grow spiritually. Being active in a community of faith strengthens us to carry our faith into the world. Weaving scripture, tradition and reason together, we strengthen our faith and grow as children of God.

I have discerned from my Foundations experience that Christianity is a continuation of an ancient covenant between God and humankind.  From the time of Noah to the Resurrection of Christ, God has offered his love to humankind.   This covenant offers grace to humankind, unmerited due to our imperfect love of God and one another, beginning with Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and finally through Jesus Christ.  

The cycle of sin and redemption is repeated throughout history by humankind.  Sin, judgment, repentance and redemption define our imperfection as humankind in our relationship with God.  Even in that imperfection, God loves us beyond our understanding.  It is and continues to be a very one-sided covenant where God gives to us far more than we discipline ourselves to give to him due in part to our free will as his creations.

Our faith is a sacramental one of proclamation, belief, commitment and understanding.   While Jesus Christ sanctified two actions – Baptism and Eucharist – by his own earthly ministry, our tradition of faith has found great meaning in other actions that have likewise become sacraments:  Confirmation, Marriage, Reconciliation, and Unction.   Each of these sacraments proclaim our belief in God and our understanding of Christian faith while demonstrating our commitment to one another.   The sacraments collectively make real what is True.

So many of our instructors and the information shared made clear that our relationship with God is expressed both personally and corporately.  That is, we have individual relationships with God and with one another through God.  Our personal relationships with God are a matter of prayer, study and reflection.  Our relationship with one another through God is a matter of worship, service and shared belief.  As Christians, we are formed in our faith by participation and practice.  We are educated in our faith through critical reflection and communal life.  We are instructed in our faith through deliberate, thoughtful inquiry.  For a Christian, faith is learned and lived according to the Baptismal covenant. 

James Fowler and John Westerhoff both offer a description of the stages whereby faith is formed in an individual.  Both agree that faith formation is a life-long process whereby a personal relationship continues to evolve with God.  This concept of a continuum of faith formation is very important as we seek to best minister to others in ways that are most meaningful and beneficial.

As I reflect on my experience in Foundations through the lens of the Catechism, I find myself very mindful of the meaning of ministry and the fact that all the baptized are called to ministry as their individual gifts allow.  That is, ministry has for me become more broadly defined.  It is no longer the narrow set of activities in which I engage in support of Christian education at my home parish, but rather my being as I interact with others at all times.  More clear and perhaps more poignant in my understanding is that the sacrament of Baptism – one of two ordained by Jesus Christ through direct action – is more than a confession of faith believed.  Baptism is recognition of personal responsibility to and as a part of a broad, diverse Christian family.  With the Eucharist, these two acts form the core of our sacramental understanding from which all others arise.   These two acts are a witness to my faith and my celebration of both acknowledges and proclaims my belief in God the Father, Christ the Redeemer and Holy Spirit the Sustainer.  My individual gifts are not for my own being, but rather for service to others in faith.  In other words, my Baptism is an ordination to ministry as a member of the Body of Christ.

A number of practices were offered that are useful for faith formation apart from classroom education.  These perhaps are most helpful to my continuing ministry with young adults as they are prone to avoid a classroom environment. 

Young adults ask most about prayer as a formative practice they wish to explore.  In response to those conversations, I have shared the kinds of prayer – adoration, confession, thanksgiving, intercession and petition – that form a good practice.  This often leads to a conversation about the methods of prayer.  Prayer takes many forms including silence, mediation, chanting, Rosary, centering, and others. 

The method of Lectio Divina seems a good formative method of prayer for young adults, and once shared appears to be very helpful.  In fact, this method of prayer – reading Scripture, meditation upon what is read, prayerfully considering the text and contemplating what comes to mind – is my preferred method.  It is a method I have come to through Foundations and now as a lay Cistercian with the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

Young adults also seek structure in their personal faith.  I share the concept of a rule of life with them.  Foundations introduced this concept to me, and it has been an instrumental part of my own continuing faith formation.  We talk about the basic construct of a rule:  spiritual direction, study of sacred texts, regular worship, personal prayer and service in community.  Each individual has natural temperaments that affect their views, perceptions, learning and sense of self.  The joy of a rule is that it can be made very personal, and there are many examples of various approaches to creating and keeping a rule.  This too is a method I have come to through Foundations and having experienced a Cursillo weekend followed by my fourth day.

Foundations impart so much information over my experience that I will be referring to that information for my own faith formation and to use in my ministry to others for the days I have remaining in my life.  The rich tapestry of the Episcopal tradition become real to me, and I have come to appreciate that each of us are in a journey of faith individually, but we are all united in community.  And that brings me to my concluding thought about Foundations.  The greatest gift of Foundations for me was coming to know each of my fellow students and those who made Foundations possible.  This community of ours, each one of us like believers drawn to ministry and a stronger relationship with God, are the Body of Christ.   The gracious gift of love each one of us have given freely and without judgment to one another has reaffirmed for me that Jesus Christ is truly alive today and within each of us.

Peace be with you.