Selah

Today's Psalm uses the word "Selah."  Apparently, no one really knows what it means, but by the best guess, it means to pause and praise, to give value.  This is apparently one of the root words in Hebrew (and it’s not like there are a lot – 323 at last count) that scholars disagree about.  However, it being in the Psalms 71 times and in Habakkuk 3 times, means that it is something relatively important.

So then the question becomes, when you’re reading those passages in the Bible and you come to the word “Selah”, do you actually say Selah, or should you say something in praise of what you have just heard?  Or should we pause and think about what we’ve heard, giving it the respect and careful consideration it apparently deserves?

So look at Psalm 62:8:

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

Is this a time to exemplify what you just read?

Moving Forward in the New Year

Holy Trinity has had its annual meeting, and we're in for quite a bit of work, change and growth.

The Bishop requested that we raise up a member of the congregation to attend seminary and serve as our priest.  We now have a candidate for that, and the discernment process will be moving forward.

We'll be getting a bit of a face lift with new carpets and repairs being made under the altar.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is contacting all the churches in the area to enlist the assistance of knitters, crocheters, organizers and hoarders of unused yarn - as well as names of people who need prayer shawls, caring covers, hats, scarves, etc. so that we can serve the broader community.

We have many ideas for utilizing the space in Parish Hall, from movie nights to game nights to seminars on a variety of topics to help the community.  We're also working with the other churches in Troy with the assistance of the ERD on setting up a workshop for Pastors and Disasters to organize the spiritual community in Troy for dealing with disasters from small to large.

So, keeping this (Philippians 3:13-14)in mind:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended it, but this one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We move forward...

Diocese of Montana Newsletter

The Diocese of Montana's January 2015 Newsletter can be found at the link.

4th Day of Christmas - Christmas for Grown-Ups

Tom Harbold pointed out an excellent sermon by Fleming Rutledge regarding the Nicene Creed and its appearance in a variety of places in both the liturgy and music today that led to a discussion on the nature of Christ.

From the sermon:  "The council of Nicaea in the year 325 determined that Jesus Christ was “God of God, Light of light, begotten not created” ... The Council of Nicaea taught us that Jesus was not just “like” God; he was God. He was “begotten, not created.” That is the one and only way that Jesus is not like us. He became one of us, and he was like us in every respect but this one: He was not “created” like us. He was “begotten” of the Father “before all worlds” and therefore “of one substance with the Father.”"

With just this information, the questions arise:   "God from God... begotten, not made." So was Mary simply a surrogate - carrying a child not of her body? Is this the reason that Mary is so revered by Catholics, that God provided only half of what begat Christ, and Mary provided the human half? If, as the Nicene Creed would indicate, Christ is begotten, He would not actually have been considered "human" per se, but rather went through the human experience without actually being human.

And yet, we know that Jesus was both fully human and fully God.  Fortunately, these questions were answered long ago.  Tom pointed out:  the Definition of Chalcedon (451) comes in, to answer just those sorts of questions that were raised in the post-Nicene years:  – as God the Holy Trinity is one divine Nature in three distinct Persons, so Christ is one Person in two Natures, fully human and fully God:

"truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance (homoousios) with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence."

The Definition was adopted in response to two extreme positions: the Docetist position, which was that Christ was basically an avatar, not really human but only seeming to be; and the Adoptionist position, that Christ was in fact a human being "adopted" by God to be His Son. Chalcedon affirmed that, no, he really is both fully human and fully God; the two natures, Divine and human, subsisting within one Person without division or confusion: because he was fully man, he truly lived and died as one of us, yet without sin; because he was also fully God, he sanctified and redeemed that humanness that he experienced – including death, but, again, excluding sin.

For us, accepting the Trinity on faith will also allow us to accept the duality of the nature of Christ in the same manner.  This is likely why Rutledge explained that this is Christmas for grown-ups, but if we used the universal language of math, it's equally as easy to explain to a child:  multiplication shows that 1x1x1=1.  Three separate numbers, yet only one whole.  Or in science, the states of being of H2O - steam, water and ice - three states, one substance.  The duality of Christ can be exemplified in the same way - and what can be such a complex and never ending exploration into the nature of God - can also be simplified so that even a child can comprehend.

Well, Merry Christmas, indeed!

Happy St. Stephen's Day and Other Miscellany

While the daily blogging for Advent is over, I've found myself used to creating a blog, so I thought I'd share a couple of things for today.

First, it is St. Stephen's Day, and the collect is:  "GRANT, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succor all those who suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Next, I ran across a blog that was posted on the Diocese of Montana's Facebook page that is a wonderful collection of "letters" that Mary might have written to her Aunt Elizabeth.  I highly recommend it.

Today is also Boxing Day in Great Britain.  This tradition dating back to the 17th Century is for gratuities to be paid to those who have provided you services throughout the year - they would receive a "Christmas Box" - although these days, it tends to be more monetary than items.  Think about saying "Thank you" to those who provide you services throughout the year.  Although we should always do this, something extra special would not go amiss.

And finally, there is an interesting story associated with St. Stephen's Day and hunting the wren.  Rather a gruesome tradition.

May today bless you with insights and clarity as you begin planning your projects for next year.

Jesus - 26th Day of Advent

Joy to the World!

The Lord Is Come!

Not quite the version you're likely used to, but finally one that truly expresses the JOY that Christ has come to this Earth.  

Merry Christmas to everyone!  We have finally reached the reason for Advent - both the first, and the present, although the latter continues as we are careful to be awake and ware, proclaiming to all who have the capacity to hear, that the long-awaited Messiah is coming.

Take all that you've learned this season, and apply every single day, for our present Advent continues, and we have a job to do - to make sure that each and every person knows it, and is prepared.

Almighty God, who hast given us thine only begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen!

Birth - 25th Day of Advent

Birth - If you type in "Birth of" in Google, you get quite a few concepts - Nations, Ideas, Beauty, Venus, Baby and Jesus.  Obviously, with the first Advent, they were anticipating the birth of the Christ child.  Our current Advent is slightly different - we're awaiting a birthday, so that we can celebrate that first Christmas today; we're also anticipating Christ's return.  Interestingly, only Matthew talks about the "birth" of Christ in Chapter 1:18:  "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost."

With the birth of Christ we also see the birth of nations and ideas.  The whole world changed because of this birth, so in the celebration of this momentous occasion, acknowledging just how huge an event it is would likely help you to find the presence of the Lord we talked about yesterday.  Put it into perspective - first, of a Jew of the time:  this was the long-awaited Messiah!  Think about how long since this birth that we have been waiting, and at least double the amount of time that they waited for His appearance.  Is it any wonder that He wasn't recognized by so many?

And now look at it from the perspective of knowing how the Earth has changed since Christ was here last; how many things are as a direct result of one man walking the Earth.  What else will we see change before the next Advent is finished?

Activity for the Day:  Sit down and make a list of all the things you can think of that are a result of God being born in the form of a little child.  Talk about it with someone else.  Share it here.