The Cold Springer - Week of February 24th
Sunday, February 24th, 2019 - Morning Prayer
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
No one ever said it was easy to be a Christian; to be in and of a community that seeks unity with God and one another. If it was meant to be easy Jesus might have just said, “Don’t be mean to others.”
But Jesus’ expectation for us is to be doers, not don’t-ers! Our faith is not passive and solitary, but calls is into active relationships with those around us, with our neighbors. This is a call to go one step further than simply not being mean, and these relationships with our neighbors are characterized by acts of kindness and generosity even when our neighbors may not be people we like.
To do things for others that we would like to have done for ourselves requires reflecting on our interconnectedness and stepping outside of our normal routines. Our behaviors and perspectives, despite the best intentions of those who nurtured us, have provided us myriad excuses to avoid such selfless behavior: “I don’t have time.” “What have they ever done for me?”
Jesus’ life (and death) is the ultimate example of the Golden Rule. He wants us to offer ourselves to him, as he did to us. And we do, every time we gather for worship. But there is a deeper and more mystical connection that we are to make, one that becomes a little less abstract in the context of the Epiphany season.
During this season, bookended by the Magi’s visit to the stable and next week’s Transfiguration, we discover who Jesus was and who he is with us now! But in this season of revelation - of ah-ha moments - we also come to believe that what we know of Jesus, we know of ourselves as the body of Christ.
When we direct selfless acts - born of humility and marked by kindness and generosity - towards one another (and all our neighbors, like ‘em or not) we are doing them unto Christ. And each act, free of the expectation of return, can serve as inspiration for others to behave in similar ways. The uncomplicated, yet challenging act of living out the Golden Rule (doing to others as we would like done to us) is the foundation for a radically love-filled life. This is how our faith, how we as the body of Christ, can transform the world.
Yours in Christ,
The Reverend Jesse Lebus
Children's Chapel
This week the young people of our church will be introduced to the Parable of the Mustard Seed. In it they will learn another way that Jesus helped his disciples understand the Kingdom of God. It's like a tiny seed that grows into the largest tree that becomes a home for all the birds.
I wonder if the seed was happy while it was growing? I wonder where the seed was when it stopped growing? I wonder if the birds have names? I wonder if they were happy to find the tree? I wonder what the tree could really be? These are all questions that our Godly Play Story teller will be asking.
Elements of Faith
The students in the Spillman Library will continue with their focus on the stories of the Epiphany season. Jesus continues his teaching with disciples from last week. Instructing them on what this new way of life, this new way of being means - the most popular take away is the Golden Rule. These are reversals and things that flip the current way of life on its head. As we near the end of Epiphany, we wonder what these reversals say to us. Students will revisit the story with the Sunday Paper and also add to our Epiphany banner, a collection of illustrations demonstrating the ways that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit can be known in the students lives.
Mardi Gras
Pancake Party & Burning of the Palms
Tuesday, March 5
Bleecker Hall
6pm - 8pm
Lent is coming so we've got to prepare...let's party! St. John's annual Fat Tuesday party is a festive parish wide event. All are invited. Pancakes, bacon, New Orleans beverages and a King Cake! Brought to you by the Vestry and this year's Confirmation Class. Evening ends with a brief liturgy as we burn the old palms for Ashes on Ash Wednesday.