St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Thursday – The people of Bondeau, Haiti, especially Pere Phanord, the school teachers and medical clinic volunteers, for our Cursillo community.

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

I had a whole other post ready for today, after I said Morning Prayer early this morning. But it disappeared into the cosmos somewhere. I would have said something about Pharisees and how we need to recognize in ourselves when we are “Pharisaic”. But circumstances of the day led me to reread Psalm 37 appointed for today, especially this part:

⁴Take delight in the Lord,*
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.
⁵Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him,*
and he will bring it to pass.
⁶He will make your righteousness as clear as the light*
and your just dealing as the noonday.
⁷Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.

This is about all I have to stand on today. I know it is enough. Some days it is just hard to see. If you are a praying person, your prayers for us are appreciated. I know God knows my heart’s desire and I am called to trust in him. Thanks for reading and praying with me.

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Wednesday – Paul’s Place after school program and the St. Paul’s Day School
Today I decided to say Evening Prayer for a little variety. Sitting on my balcony overlooking the intracoastal (yes I am blessed), trying to enjoy every minute I can as my time in South Florida winds down, and still reflecting on General Convention and the really good feeling I have about our church, I was thrilled to read tonight’s gospel from the 2nd chapter of Mark, which includes (hey, was this sentence long enough for you by the way?): 

22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”

Are you listening, people of God, people of the church? Fresh wineskins. Bring it.

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Tuesday – Seekers and other Young Adults, those in our community who are unchurched, our community and those in need, especially Family Promise and CROS ministries

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

I just love the book of Acts. These stories of the earliest Christians as they defy the authorities and preach so powerfully, heal so amazingly, spread the good news so wonderfully are truly inspirational – and at times hilarious. Today’s lesson from the 12th chapter has the miraculous escape from jail by Peter, led out by an angel. When he arrives at the gate to the house where the others are staying, the servant girl is so shocked to see him, she leaves him outside the gate to go tell the others! Can you imagine Peter, muttering to himself “an angel broke me out of jail and I can’t even get through the gate of my house!”? So my question for you today is – do you ever leave God outside the gate? Godly people? May we always be ready to welcome all in the name of Christ.

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Monday – Children, youth, and family ministries of St. Paul’s and those who teach and work with our youth. Our music program and choirs.

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

Today’s Gospel lesson continues in the first chapter of Mark. What a chapter! It takes your breath away. It begins with John the Baptist, then the baptism of Jesus, then the temptations in the desert, then healing Peter’s mother-in-law, then healing countless sick and demon possessed. That’s in the first 34 verses!

Does your life feel like that sometimes? Rushing from one thing to the next, always something else to do, someone else who needs you, some response to make, we can relate at least to the frenetic nature of Jesus’ life thus far in Mark’s Gospel. But the next part we seem not to relate to as much: “35-37While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”

Jesus needed to refuel, he needed some time alone with God. We see this repeated over and over in the Gospels. A secluded spot. Prayer. Even the Son of God needed such. Don’t we all?

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer – Sunday – Clergy, Staff, Wardens and Vestry and the Rector Search (click HERE to read the Rector Search prayer)

(click Prayer Instructions for links to Morning or Evening Prayer for today)

I was happy to notice this morning that the lesson from Romans chapter 10 appointed for Morning Prayer matches up so well with my sermon. 14But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

My original sermon which I had outlined while at General Convention focused on the gospel for today (Eucharist readings, not Morning Prayer) concerning the beheading of John the Baptist. But my experience at General Convention moved me to instead preach on Ephesians, with some Amos mixed in as well. Those who read this blog and will hear the sermon, I would appreciate your feedback between the Romans passage above and what I say in the sermon. For those who are not going to be in church at St. Paul’s, Delray Beach today, you can always watch videos of our sermons at our YouTube channel, found HERE.