Devotion on "Those To Whom We Matter"

Greetings,

      Another devotion from William Barclay, entitled Those to Whom We Matter.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we know that you have rest for the tired.

Lord Jesus, we know that you have guidance for the perplexed.

Lord Jesus, we know that you have strength for the tempted.

Give us tonight your rest, your guidance, and your strength.

This we ask for your love’s sake.  Amen.

Read: Matthew 11:25-30

Prayer

O God, our Father, help us to remember that you know all about us.

Keep our thoughts so clean and pure that they may be fit for you to see.

Help us so to live that even our secret actions,

the things we do when there is no man to see,

may be fit to be open to your sight.

O God, our Father, we know that there are those who love us.

Help us never to do anything to hurt or disappoint them.

Help us never to do anything which would make us less fit to be loved.

O God, our Father, we know that there are those on whom we have an influence.

Help us never to do anything which would make it easier for them to go wrong.

Help us never to place temptation in their way.

Help us to remember that there are things in this world which cost too much,

and that there are pleasures which can be too dearly bought.  And help us

to live so that life may be ever stronger and purer and kinder day by day,

so that at the end of the days there may be nothing of which to be ashamed

and nothing to regret.

A Prayer of Muhammad

O Lord, grant us to love thee; grant that we may love those that love thee;

grant that we may do the deeds that win thy love.  Make the love of thee to

be dearer to us than ourselves, our families, than wealth, and even than cool

water.  Amen.

The Blessing

The love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and always.  Amen.

Yours & His,

DED

Advent: A Time for Reflection

Greetings,

      Thoughts on Advent. 

      William G. Storey wrote: Advent is both a beginning and an end, and alpha and an omega of the church’s year of grace.  Too often considered merely a season of preparation for the annual commemoration of Christ’s birth, this rich and many-layered season is actually designed to prepare the Christian for the glorious possibilities of the periostea [the coming of Christ in Glory].  It is a season of longing expectation—”Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

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      “Advents” is the exact Christian Latin equivalent of the Greek word “periostea.”

      St. Gregory of Tours wrote that one of his predecessors, St. Perpetuum, who held the see of Tours around 480, decreed a fast three times a week from the feast of St. Martin, November 11, until Christmas.  In 567, the Second Council of Tours enjoined monks to fast from the beginning of December until Christmas.  This penance was soon extended to the laity and was pushed back to begin on St. Martin’s Day.  This 45-day Advent was nicknamed “St. Martin’s Lent.”  From France the practice of doing penance during Advent spread to England as is noted in Venerable Bede’s history.  In areas such as Spain and Italy, there are records of five week Advent observances.  Eventually in the Roman church the season was reduced to four weeks, which became the standard. 

      The focus of Advent is the Comings of Christ – in Bethlehem, the Incarnation; into our own hearts and lives, our personal salvation; and in Eternal Glory, to raise all of Christ’s joint heirs, those who obey him, to Victory over sin and death and to living in the Glory of God for ever.  Advent is the Promise and Fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for all of creation.  Advent is our Hope, our Redemption, our Future, our Life.

      An early American hymn captures a large part of the spirit of Advent:

                        With inward pain my heartstrings sound,

                        My soul dissolves away;

                        Dear Sovereign, whirl the seasons round,

                        Dear Sovereign, whirl the seasons round,

                        And bring, and bring the promised day,

                        And bring the promised day.

Yours & His,

DED

Prayer Requests & An Old Faithful Witness Speaks to Us Today

Greetings,

      First, some prayer requests.  For those of you new to these e-mails or this blog, be aware that those who receive these e-mails are all people who are seeking to grow spiritually and who are aware that we are sisters and brothers in Christ, and share a real love and concern for each other, even if we do not “know” one another.  Therefore, we periodically share prayer requests which I or other of our brothers and sisters may have.  Whether it was Sarah Elliott and her as yet unborn twins after her automobile accident, or Dickens Warfield during her illness and her family at her death, I have seen the committed, faithful prayers of this community in the Body of Christ.

            Now, we have some prayer requests to share.  Beth Cantrell sent this message: “Emily Balog was a member of my youth group.  After finishing Carolina she worked as a graphic designer.  Then she went to Paraguay with the Peace Corps. The mural Emily made for me is in my study at church.  Emily was extraordinary.  Emily died earlier today in a car accident. Her boyfriend (whose name I can't remember) is still in critical condition.  Please remember Steve and Susan Balog as well as Alan Balog (her brother) in your prayers.  Stay safe.  Much love & thank you for your prayers.”  Mark Waddell reported that a faithful worshipper at the Catonsville UMC evening service, Ann Baschanis (I do not think I have the spelling right, but God knows who we mean) had surgery some time ago, and then last week developed an infection which required more surgery.  She is in serious condition and very discouraged (I can certainly relate to that).  She would like our prayers.

            Scott Dyer, a college student who is very active in Young Life – working with high school students to help them know Jesus in their lives – and who has run marathons, is gong to have tests this week because of blood pressure problems.  Pray that they will be able to find the problem and that God’s perfect healing will occur.  On Monday my daughter, Brenda Ibutu, will have knee surgery.  As is typical with modern joint surgery, it will be “outpatient,” however, I always consider such surgeries as very serious.  You might pray also for my son-in-law, Timothy, who will have the more difficult task of getting Brenda to obey the doctor’s orders, and restrictions.  .    

      Now, to the reflection for today.  Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) was a remarkable preacher, pastor, writer, leader and person.  He attended Harvard and the Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal), and was a beloved pastor in Philadelphia and Boston until being elected Bishop of Boston in 1891.  While best known now for his hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” he wrote a number of other wonderful hymns, and was considered one of the best preachers in the USA.  While in England to receive an honorary degree from Oxford University, he preached in Westminster Abbey before Queen Victoria, a very rare honor for an American.  Many people have forgotten that he was also a serious theologian, and his “Lectures on Preaching” before Yale Divinity School in 1877 are still highly regarded. 

      As we enter into the Advent season this year, I would share again these thoughts on waiting.  The following is from Brooks’ The Candle of the Lord in 1881.

      The world, full of crude self-assertion and of feeble conformity, in this society where men invade each other’s lives, and yet where, if one man stands out and claims his own life, his claim seems arrogant and harsh and makes a discord in the feeble music to which alone it seems as if the psalm of life could be sung—how sometimes we have dreamed of a better state of things in which each man’s independence should make the brotherhood of all men perfect; where the more earnestly each man claimed his own life for himself, the more certainly other men should know that that life was given to them.  Must we wait for such a society as that until we get to heaven?  Surely not!  Even here every man may claim his own life, not for himself but for his Lord.  Belonging to that Lord, this life then must belong through Him to all His brethren.  And so all that the man plucked our of their grasp, to give to Christ, comes back to them freely, sanctified and ennobled by passing through Him who is the Lord and Master of them all.

      For such a social life as that we have a right to pray.  But we may do more than pray for it.  We may begin it in ourselves.  Already we may give ourselves to Christ.  We may own that we are His.  We may see in all our bodily life—in the strength and glory of our youth if we are young and strong, in the weariness and depression of our age or feebleness if we are old and feeble—the marks of His ownership, the signs that we are His.  We may wait for His coming to claim us, as the marked tree back in the woods waits till the ship-builder who has stuck his sign into it with his axe comes by and by to take it and make it part of the great ship he is building.  And while we wait we may make the world stronger by being our own, and sweeter by being our brethren’s; and both, because and only because we are really not our own not theirs, but Christ’s.

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      What was true in 1881 is certainly even more prevalent today.  And unfortunately, today so many of our youth and young adults are beset with the weariness and depression which he sees in the old and feeble.  As a true follower of Jesus, I expect that Dr. Brooks would be in sync with the folks at Occupy Baltimore.  He certainly would want to bring healing and perspective and honesty and faith  to our society.  His words are needed to empower us now.

Yours & His,

DED

Catonsville UMC Young People - Prayers for personal devotions. For the start of Advent, and Advent Information.

Prayers for Young People to Use in Daily Devotions                            November 27, 2011

Advent is the beginning of a new liturgical year for the Christian Church.  On the first day of Advent, which begins this year on November 27^th, the Church celebrates its New Year's Day.  The date for the beginning of Advent falls each year on the Sunday closest to November 30th - the feast day of Saint Andrew the Apostle.

Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking that Advent is part of the Christmas celebration. In fact, Advent is a separate time of preparation all its own.  For the Church, Christmas doesn't begin until the first service is celebrated on Christmas Eve and it continues until the "Octave of the Epiphany" on January 14th.

Advent is given to us as a time to prepare our souls for the coming of the Lord.  This season is very similar to Lent which helps us to prepare for Easter.  In modern times we are tempted to skip over the penitential aspects of Advent and focus on the joy of Christmas.  This is a great tragedy.  Focusing only on the joy denies the truth: the Christ Child is our Lord and Savior Who will suffer and die for our salvation.

The word “Advent” is Latin for “to come,” and refers to the comings of Christ.  We traditionally start by looking at and anticipating the glorious Coming of Christ in Victory, which will bring in the Day of Judgment and the culmination of this heaven and earth.  It is the great day when all who are one with the Lord will be brought by him into the Eternal Glory of the Almighty.

Secondly, we rejoice and anticipate the gracious Coming of Christ Jesus into our own life as our Lord and Savior.  This happens when we accept the love of God which sent Christ Jesus to die for our sins and to bring us salvation through his Resurrection.  We ask Jesus to live in us so we might live in him, and walk with him every day.

Thirdly, we anticipate the celebration of the wonderful Incarnation (which means “coming in the flesh”) – the coming of Christ to earth to be born in Bethlehem as a human just like us.  While there is a tendency to focus on the Coming of Jesus in Bethlehem, the first emphasis of the New Year of the Church is on the Coming of Christ in Glory, because it is that fact which gives meaning and purpose to everything else about Christianity.  It is that recognition that Jesus Christ is indeed the one who Creates all things, and who is the agent of the forgiveness and Re-Creation of all things, and who is our King of kings and Lord of lords, and whose love as the reality of the Triune God saves us from sin and eternal death, which is the reason for our faith in God and our obedience to God in all things.

The Scripture readings during worship remind us of all the prophecies that point to the Lord's coming again in Glory.  We are called to keep watch and to leave behind our sinful ways.  We also hear the recurring theme of a light shining through darkness.  In Isaiah 60:19 we are reminded of this promise: "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory."

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            This prayer for Advent is by St. Ambrose (339-397), the Bishop of Milan.

            O God, who looked on us when we had fallen down into death, and resolved to redeem us by the Advent of your only begotten Son; grant, we beg you, that those who confess his glorious Incarnation may also be admitted to the fellowship of their Redeemer, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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      A prayer for the first week of Advent.

      Almighty God, give all of us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

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      In the church we use an Advent Wreath for the Sundays of Advent, and many families use them at home for daily devotions during Advent.

Since circles have no beginning and no end, the circular shape of the Advent Wreath is used to symbolize God the Father and eternal life.  The wreath holds four candles which are lit over the four weeks of Advent.  The light of the flame is a visual reminder that Christ is "The Light of the World" (John 8:12).  There are three violet (purple) candles and one rose candle which, in addition to representing the four weeks of the Advent season, traditionally also each represent 1,000 years.  Added together, the four candles symbolize the approximately 4,000 years that humanity waited for the Savior.

Violet (purple) is the liturgical color that is used to signify a time of penance, sacrifice, and prayer.  It is also the color of royality.  During the first two and the last weeks of Advent we light purple candles.  The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday.  On this day we celebrate that our waiting for Christmas is almost over.  Rose is a liturgical color that is used to signify joy, so we light the rose candle on the third Sunday of Advent.  The anticipated Joy of Christmas (symbolized by the color white) is so great, that half way through the white breaks in and mixes with the purple of penance and give us the rose or pink candle.

Traditionally, each of the four candles on an Advent wreath has their own meaning.  The first Sunday of Advent symbolizes Hope with the Prophet's Candle reminding us that Jesus is coming.  The second Sunday of Advent symbolizes Faith with the Bethlehem Candle reminding us of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.  The third Sunday of Advent symbolizes Joy with the Shepherd's Candle reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the coming birth of Jesus.  The fourth Sunday symbolizes Peace with the Angel's Candle reminding us of the message of the angels: "Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men."

When Advent Wreaths are decorated the materials often have symbolic meaning.  The use of evergreens reminds us of our eternal life with Christ, holly represents the crown of thorns from the Passion of Jesus, and pinecones symbolize Christ's Resurrection.

At the church there is a devotional booklet, Thy Kingdom Come, for your use each day during Advent.  Be sure to pick one up and take the few additional minutes each day from now until Christmas to draw closer to God.

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      Be in prayer that you may truly receive Jesus into your heart and life, and walk with him during this Advent season.  Pray that all of your family and friends may draw closer to God and that you may all celebrate with the real Spirit of Christmas.  Pray that God will show you how to bless others during this Advent.

      In the midst of your busy schedules, please be intentional about finding some time, even 15 minutes a day, to connect to God.  Please continue to do your reading and writing.  Remember, you can call Rev. Dennis E. Dorsch at any time if you have questions or want to discuss your reading at 410-744-5127, or e-mail at ded10@aol.com.

Advent & the Coming of Christ in Glory, in our lives, and in Bethlehem

Greetings,

      Advent begins; the first season of the new liturgical year of the Church, with its focus on the Comings of Jesus Christ.  We start with the reality of our anticipation of the glorious coming of Christ in victory, to bring all of those who have permitted him to come into their hearts into the Eternal Glory of God.  As we celebrate that Coming of Jesus into our lives, we also prepare to celebrate the Coming, the Incarnation of Christ as Jesus born as one of us in Bethlehem.

      As noted in past years, my years of attending the Roman Catholic Church with my father left a few pieces of Latin rattling around in the attic of my brain (along with a few German carols) and they tend to assert themselves at Christmas and Easter.  Creator of the Stars of Night speaks to the realities of those Comings.  This ancient Evening hymn for Advent was always one of my favorites.  The United Methodist Hymnal, # 692, has two of the verses.  The hymnal includes it under the “Evening” hymns, and I used it regularly when I had evening services.  It is especially the second, third and last verses (not in the hymnal) which emphasize the Advent.  If you don’t like the Plainsong, Mode IV setting for the hymn which is in the hymnal, and which certainly is a more “correct” setting, you can sing it for your devotions to the ever-popular and easier, but much later, “Tallis’ Canon” (#682 in The United Methodist Hymnal).  I do recommend singing it rather than just reading it.

(This is one of those hymns like Silent Night or O Come All Ye Faithful where you always sing the first verse in the original language - somehow it just sounds so much better that way.)

                  Conditor alme siderum

                  Aeterna lux credentium,

                  Christe Redemptor omnium,

                  Exaudi preces supplicum:

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                  Creator of the stars of night,

                  Your people’s everlasting light,

                  O Christ, Redeemer of us all,

                  We pray you hear us when we call.

                  In sorrow that the ancient curse

                  Should doom to death a universe,   

                  You came, O Savior, to set free

                  Your own in glorious liberty.

                  Come, Sun and Savior, to embrace

                  Our gloomy world, its weary race,

                  As groom to bride, as bride to groom:  

                  The wedding chamber, Mary’s womb.

                  At your great Name, O Jesus, now

                  All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;

                  All things on earth with one accord,

                  Like those in heav’n, shall call you Lord.

                  Come in your holy might, we pray,

                  Redeem us for eternal day;       

                  Defend us while we dwell below,   

                  From all assaults of our dread foe.

(By The Way: I don’t mind sharing seasonal material again, as I love reading much of the material every year, or at least every other year.  Of course, if you mind getting it again, you can let me know.)

Yours & His,

DED

Devotion: The Thanksgiving & Advent Connection

Greetings,

      The time of Thanksgiving through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany is always for me a time of celebrating the wonderful new things God is doing every day, while also celebrating the wonderful things God has already done in our lives.  It is a time of remembering, a time of traditions, and a time of new experiences, all interspersed and rolled up into one marvelous season.  I will repeat my self from years past in these e-mails, but will also seek to touch on the new and wonderful things God is doing this season.

      As we approach Advent I always think of one of my favorite hymns, Creator of the Stars of Night, which in England is considered an Advent hymn, though here is treated as an evening hymn.  More about that tomorrow.  I mention it today because I want to share an interesting piece by Macrina Wiederkehr which I presume is at least somewhat inspired by Creator of the Stars of Night.

                        Creator of the Stars

                        God of Epiphanies       

                        You are the Great Star

                        You have marked my path with light

                        You have filled my sky with stars

                              naming each star

                              guiding it

                              until it shines into my heart

                              awakening me to deeper seeing

                              new revelations

                              and brighter epiphanies.

                        O Infinite Star Giver

                        I now ask for wisdom and courage

                              to follow these stars

                              for their names are many

                              and my heart is fearful.

                        They shine on me wherever I go:

                              The Star of Hope

                              The Star of Mercy and Compassion

                              The Star of Justice and Peace

                              The Star of Tenderness and Love

                              The Star of Suffering

                              The Star of Joy

                        And every time I feel the shine

                              I am called

                              to follow it

                              to sing it

                              to live it...

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      An interesting mix of thanksgiving and Advent.

Yours & His,

DED

Devotion for "Black Friday"

      We come to the end of Thanksgiving Day.  The Macy’s Parade safely delivered Santa Claus to Harold Square.  Many football games have been played and watched, including the annual “Turkey Bowl” between Calvert Hall and Loyola (the long-standing traditional other half of that event, the Poly-City game was moved to an earlier date some years ago, for reasons passing understanding).  The “Harbaugh Bowl” has ended with victory for John and the Ravens.  In a scene repeated all across the country, our family and friends feasted and enjoyed each other’s company.  (Brenda & Timothy did another masterful job of our very traditional turkey dinner (26 pound bird) along with delightful Kenyan additions.) 

      There were even the now traditional feeding of the poor and homeless at many locations, including the annual Bea Gaddy dinner in Baltimore.  A few people even found time to go to a worship service of Thanksgiving on Wednesday evening or, more rare, on Thursday morning.  This year, however, there were many store openings either Thursday night or from midnight Thursday/Friday on into the early morning hours to enable the all-important holiday shopping, known as “Black Friday” to begin sooner than ever.

      Thus the National Day of Thanksgiving came to an end.  While Christians certainly participate in the holiday, and often bemoan the ever growing commercialization of the day, it is perhaps useful to remember at for Christians, we do not have a day of Thanksgiving: we have a year full of days of Thanksgiving – every new day is the occasion for giving thanks to God for the abundance of God’s blessings to us.  First and foremost we give thanks to God for our creation and, in an amazing gift of love and mercy, our forgiveness and re-creation through the Eternal Christ, Jesus our Lord.  Over and over I commend to you the daily practice of Thankfulness Prayer (five minutes of just giving thanks to God for the people, circumstances and things of this world which have blessed us). 

      Therefore, I offer this prayer for you on Friday, the day after the National Holiday.

We pray that you and those you love

will have a very Happy Thanksgiving

and  that the blessings of God

will continue to be with you

even as you rejoice in all

that God has already done for you.

Yours & His,

DED