Church of the Epiphany

Saturday, April 11, 2015

The Collect

Second Sunday of Easter
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery hast established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Acts 3:12-15,17-26
¹² And when Peter saw it he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ¹⁷ "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. ²² Moses said, `The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' ²⁴ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, `And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' ²⁶ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness." - OR -
Isaiah 26:2-9,19
² Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in. ³ Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee. ⁴ Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. ⁵ For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. ⁶ The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy." ⁷ The way of the righteous is level; thou dost make smooth the path of the righteous. ⁸ In the path of thy judgments, O LORD, we wait for thee; thy memorial name is the desire of our soul. ⁹ My soul yearns for thee in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks thee. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. ¹⁹ Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For thy dew is a dew of light, and on the land of the shades thou wilt let it fall.

Psalm

Psalm 111

^{Confitebor tibi}
¹Hallelujah!
     I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, *
     in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
²Great are the deeds of the LORD! *
     they are studied by all who delight in them.
³His work is full of majesty and splendor, *
     and his righteousness endures for ever.
⁴He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *
     the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
⁵He gives food to those who fear him; *
     he is ever mindful of his covenant.
⁶He has shown his people the power of his works *
     in giving them the lands of the nations.
⁷The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
     all his commandments are sure.
⁸They stand fast for ever and ever, *
     because they are done in truth and equity.
⁹He sent redemption to his people;
     he commanded his covenant for ever; *
     holy and awesome is his Name.
¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; *
     those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
     his praise endures for ever.

- OR -
Psalm 118:19-24

¹⁹Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
     I will enter them;
     I will offer thanks to the LORD.
²⁰"This is the gate of the LORD; *
     he who is righteous may enter."
²¹I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
     and have become my salvation.
²²The same stone which the builders rejected *
     has become the chief cornerstone.
²³This is the LORD'S doing, *
     and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴On this day the LORD has acted; *
     we will rejoice and be glad in it.

New Testament Reading

1 John 5:1-6
¹ Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. - OR -
Acts 3:12-15,17-26
¹² And when Peter saw it he addressed the people, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, ¹⁵ and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ¹⁷ "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. ¹⁸ But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ²¹ whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. ²² Moses said, `The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. ²³ And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' ²⁴ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, `And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' ²⁶ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness."

Gospel Reading

John 20:19-31
¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." ²⁴ Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." ²⁶ Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." ²⁸ Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" ²⁹ Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." ³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

The Collect

Easter Day
O God, who for our redemption didst give thine only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection hast delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Acts 10:34-43
³⁴ And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

- OR -

Isaiah 25:6-9
⁶ On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. ⁷ And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. ⁸ He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. ⁹ It will be said on that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

Psalm

Psalm 118:14-29

¹⁴The LORD is my strength and my song, *
     and he has become my salvation.
¹⁵There is a sound of exultation and victory *
     in the tents of the righteous:
¹⁶"The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! *
     the right hand of the LORD is exalted!
     the right hand of the LORD has triumphed!"
¹⁷I shall not die, but live, *
     and declare the works of the LORD.
¹⁸The LORD has punished me sorely, *
     but he did not hand me over to death.
¹⁹Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
     I will enter them;
     I will offer thanks to the LORD.
²⁰"This is the gate of the LORD; *
     he who is righteous may enter."
²¹I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
     and have become my salvation.
²²The same stone which the builders rejected *
     has become the chief cornerstone.
²³This is the LORD'S doing, *
     and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴On this day the LORD has acted; *
     we will rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵Hosanna, LORD, hosanna! *
     LORD, send us now success.
²⁶Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
     we bless you from the house of the LORD.
²⁷God is the LORD; he has shined upon us; *
     form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
²⁸"You are my God, and I will thank you; *
     you are my God, and I will exalt you."
²⁹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; *
     his mercy endures for ever.

- OR -

Psalm 118:14-17,22-24

¹⁴The LORD is my strength and my song, *
     and he has become my salvation.
¹⁵There is a sound of exultation and victory *
     in the tents of the righteous:
¹⁶"The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! *
     the right hand of the LORD is exalted!
     the right hand of the LORD has triumphed!"
¹⁷I shall not die, but live, *
     and declare the works of the LORD.
²²The same stone which the builders rejected *
     has become the chief cornerstone.
²³This is the LORD'S doing, *
     and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴On this day the LORD has acted; *
     we will rejoice and be glad in it.

New Testament Reading

Colossians 3:1-4
¹ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

- OR -

Acts 10:34-43
³⁴ And Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation any one who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷ the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses to all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him manifest; ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that he is the one ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that every one who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Gospel Reading

Mark 16:1-8
¹ And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ² And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" ⁴ And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; --it was very large. ⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. ⁶ And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." ⁸ And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.

Saturday, March 21, 2015

For Reflection – Being UnCertain

1) Where do you see the dangers of certainty in your own life and faith? Which of your certainties has begun to feel rigid and counter-productive?

2) For millennia, Christians have understood Jesus death as a sacrifice to appease God, and assumed that some will be within the saving power of his death and others will be outside. Where have you seen this theology expressed? What are its implications for your own faith and that of the community where you see it lived out?

3) In the film American Beauty, the protagonists are isolated and incapable of relying on other people for support, even when they are falling apart. When have you experienced this challenge to need others and attempted to “pull yourself together” rather than reveal your struggle to others?

4) In his poem “The Place Where We Are Right,” Yehuda Amichai presents the hope that we can draw near to God and each other via our pain, failure, and doubts. Recall a time that you experienced failure but found yourself closer to God and others.

Prayer:

Gracious God, save us from the hardness of heart that blocks our knowledge of you. Open our eyes to the fullness of this world, and our hearts to the abundance of your love. Amen

Sunday, March-22-2015
Fifth Sunday in Lent

The Collect

Fifth Sunday in Lent
O Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men: Grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Old Testament Reading

Jeremiah 31:31-34
³¹ "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ³² not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. ³³ But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴ And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

Psalm

Psalm 51

^{Miserere mei, Deus}
¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
     in your great compassion blot out my offences.
²Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
     and cleanse me from my sin.
³For I know my transgressions, *
     and my sin is ever before me.
⁴Against you only have I sinned *
     and done what is evil in your sight.
⁵And so you are justified when you speak *
     and upright in your judgment.
⁶Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
     a sinner from my mother's womb.
⁷For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
     and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
⁸Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
     wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
⁹Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
     that the body you have broken may rejoice.
¹⁰Hide your face from my sins *
     and blot out all my iniquities.
¹¹Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
     and renew a right spirit within me.
¹²Cast me not away from your presence *
     and take not your holy Spirit from me.
¹³Give me the joy of your saving help again *
     and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
¹⁴I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
     and sinners shall return to you.
¹⁵Deliver me from death, O God, *
     and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
     O God of my salvation.
¹⁶Open my lips, O Lord, *
     and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
¹⁷Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
     but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.
¹⁸The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
     a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
¹⁹Be favorable and gracious to Zion, *
     and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
²⁰Then you will be pleased with the appointed sacrifices,
     with burnt-offerings and oblations; *
     then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.

- OR -
Psalm 51:11-16

¹¹Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
     and renew a right spirit within me.
¹²Cast me not away from your presence *
     and take not your holy Spirit from me.
¹³Give me the joy of your saving help again *
     and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
¹⁴I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
     and sinners shall return to you.
¹⁵Deliver me from death, O God, *
     and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
     O God of my salvation.
¹⁶Open my lips, O Lord, *
     and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

New Testament Reading

Hebrews 5:(1-4)5-10
(¹ For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. ³ Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. ⁴ And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. )⁵ So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; ⁶ as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchiz'edek." ⁷ In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. ⁸ Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; ⁹ and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchiz'edek.

Gospel Reading

John 12:20-33
²⁰ Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. ²¹ So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." ²² Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. ²³ And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵ He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. ²⁷ "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? `Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." ²⁹ The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." ³⁰ Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; ³² and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." ³³ He said this to show by what death he was to die.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

For Reflection

1) What grievance do you wish you could forgive, but cannot? What are the circumstances? What holds you back?

2) Identify some practical ways that you could “give your hurts to God”.

3) Is there any situation in which you believe people should not forgive those who have harmed them? Have you seen forgiveness backfire or not bring about healing?

4) Have you ever hurt someone and not been forgiven? What was the impact on you?

The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.
St. Augustine -

Sunday, March-15-2015
Fourth Sunday in Lent

The Collect

Fourth Sunday in Lent
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which giveth life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Preface of Lent

Old Testament Reading

2 Chronicles 36:14-23
¹⁴ All the leading priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. ¹⁵ The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place; ¹⁶ but they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, till the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, till there was no remedy. ¹⁷ Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chalde'ans, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged; he gave them all into his hand. ¹⁸ And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. ¹⁹ And they burned the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels. ²⁰ He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, ²¹ to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years. ²² Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ²³ "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, `The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.'"

Psalm

Psalm 122

^{Laetatus sum}
¹I was glad when they said to me, *
     "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
²Now our feet are standing *
     within your gates, O Jerusalem.
³Jerusalem is built as a city *
     that is at unity with itself;
⁴To which the tribes go up,
     the tribes of the LORD, *
     the assembly of Israel,
     to praise the Name of the LORD.
⁵For there are the thrones of judgment, *
     the thrones of the house of David.
⁶Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
     "May they prosper who love you.
⁷Peace be within your walls *
     and quietness within your towers.
⁸For my brethren and companions' sake, *
     I pray for your prosperity.
⁹Because of the house of the LORD our God, *
     I will seek to do you good."

New Testament Reading

Ephesians 2:4-10
⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God-- ⁹ not because of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Gospel Reading

John 6:4-15
⁴ Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. ⁵ Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" ⁶ This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. ⁷ Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ⁹ "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?" ¹⁰ Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹² And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." ¹³ So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. ¹⁴ When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!" ¹⁵ Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

During the Lenten Season we will be posting some questions for reflection.

Gracious Lord, as you call us to yourself, you call us into companionship with all your people. Turn our hearts and our affections toward one another in charity, and let our prayer answer your own, that we may all be one. Amen

St. Augustine’s Prayer Book

For Reflection

1) How would you answer the query put to the early catechumens:

“How has your life been transformed by Christianity?” Is this a more difficult question than the alternative: “What do you believe?” Why or why not?

2) Can you think of an instance where the practice of Christianity has helped you more fully understand a doctrine?

3) How have you approached Lenten Disciplines and practice in the past? Consider the words of Evelyn Underhill: “ As to your Lent – no physical hardships beyond what normal life provides – but take each of these serenely and gratefully as you can and make of them your humble offerings to God.” How could this advice shape your Lenten journey?

Navigating through this site

This website uses a "blog" format rather than the typical web page format. This means that all of the articles on the wide left-hand column are in chronological order, with the most current issue always on the top. Each article is interactive, which means that you can post comments, or forward it to others as an e-mail. Each article has a "label" at the bottom. By clicking on that label, you will find other articles with that same label. This narrow right-hand column contains useful information about Church of the Epiphany and corresponding links.

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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Sunday, March-15-2015
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Thursday, February 26, 2015

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Navigating through this site

Inside Epiphany

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Saturday, April 11, 2015

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Sunday, March-15-2015Fourth Sunday in Lent

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Sunday, March-15-2015
Fourth Sunday in Lent