Trinity 12

 August 22, 2021

Trinity 12

(Joshua 24:1-2, 14-18; John 6:60-69)

Bread has always been an important basic food for people. Bread was made at home by wives and daughters. It was usually made fresh each day but, because it could last for several days without going bad, it could also be given to those setting out on a long journey. Bread was often offered to strangers who passed through the land and when God's people were disobedient, God warned them that their supply of daily bread would be taken away as punishment. 

Most bread was made in flat cakes on flat stones or in pans. Some was baked into larger, thicker loaves that were placed on a special table in the temple and offered to God as “sacred loaves of bread.” Only priests could eat this bread, but David and his supporters were once given some by the priests when David and his men were starving. God provided bread for the Israelite people as they were wandering through the desert of Sinai on the way from Egypt to the promised land. They called this bread manna, which in Hebrew, means “What is this?” This bread is also referred to as the bread from heaven. 

Ancient documents discovered in the 20th century known as the Dead Sea Scrolls revealed that Jews in the community at Qumran shared meals of bread and wine. These meals were both a celebration of good times in the present and a celebration of the day when God would defeat their enemies and send the Messiah. Jesus' followers believe that he was God's chosen Messiah and the true bread from heaven that gives life. Jesus told his followers to ask God to give them the basic food bread they needed to live from day to day. After Jesus was taken to heaven, they continued to celebrate their new life together as God’s people by “breaking bread” in ordinary meals and by sharing in the bread of Communion (Eucharist), which Jesus said was his Body. 

Let us listen to the previous verses to that which we have just heard in our Gospel reading this morning. We need to remember these words in order for our Gospel reading today to make sense. 

(John 6:41-51) The Jews murmured about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring[r] among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day.  It is written in the prophets:

‘They shall all be taught by God.’

Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.  Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

Jesus begins what scholars call the “Bread of Life Discourse,” or what some like to call the “Jesus mic drop!” Jesus drops a bomb of sorts. He says I am the bread of life. Full stop. Record scratch. Everybody in room turns to look…What did he just say??!!

“I am the bread of life….I am the bread that came down from heaven… I am the living bread…. The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh… Eat the flesh of the son of man….my flesh is food….my blood is drink…he who eats me will live…he who eats this bread will live forever.” As if he wanted to be sure that he was clear, he restates multiple times that he is the bread of heaven and he must be eaten! Oooooookay then! Seems pretty clear to me.

This indeed seems pretty clear. Each time he says something that seems inflammatory, he just doubles down and says it again in a different way. He doesn't want the crowd to go away thinking he's speaking in metaphorical terms (which is a mercy for the disciples, who as we know, gets thrown off by that kind of thing).

“I am the bread that gives life.” Jesus compares himself to the miraculous gift of manna that God sent from heaven. Just as God sent them manna, God sends Jesus to bring life.  

“This language is very hard,” they say. How could Jesus’ listeners believe that he, the “son of Joseph,” had come from God? And today how can we believe that we need the Eucharist? Jesus tells us why he came: The Son of God came down to us, so that later he would ascend to where he was before. He came from God to communicate to us the very life of God and to bring us to the bosom of God. 

The truth is that by Christ’s resurrection, our world has started its renewal. For when the Son of Man entered the Glory of his Father, he carried on his shoulders the whole of creation which he wanted to renew and consecrate. Clothed in our humanity, the Son of God has ascended to where he was before; the first of our race has achieved full union with God. 

Although, to all appearances, life goes on as before, we should believe that the renewed world has made been made present. The Spirit is at work with gigantic disturbances which continually agitate and shake the whole of humanity. Invincibly Christ is consecrating this world. He enables humanity to arrive at maturity by means of innumerable crisis and deaths that prepare for resurrection. 

Jesus’ listeners could not understand the mystery of the Son of God and his humiliations. Jesus wanted to dispossess himself of his divine glory by becoming human and dying like a slave and, so that later the Father would enable him to ascend to where he had come from. It is likewise a test of our faith to believe that God continually works among us in our world. In spite of the unresponsiveness of people, God still loves us; the Church is so unworthy, yet God uses it to fulfill his plan; history is so destructive, yet it is preparing us for the fullness of the Kingdom. 

Jesus spoke of giving us his flesh, but this should not be understood as a continuation of Jewish religion, in which the meat of sacrificed animals was eaten. In Hebrew culture, flesh and blood denote “the world below” where humankind move and where one has no access to communication with God. The Eucharist is different. This is the body, or flesh, of the risen Christ transformed by the Holy Spirit, which acts in us spiritually and brings us into communion with God. 

We must remember that Jesus also meant that to “eat his flesh” also had a spiritual meaning of trusting and believing in him, especially in his death for the sins of mankind. Similarly, to “drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death, which is represented by the shedding of his blood. 

The flesh, in example, human nature including emotions, will and intellect, is completely incapable of producing genuine spiritual life, for this can only be done by the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit works powerfully in and through the words that Jesus speaks, and those words are spirit and life in a sense that they work in the unseen spiritual realm - an awakened genuine spiritual life. 

Jesus’ divine omniscience is shown by the fact that he knew the status of everyone's heart and therefore he knew who those were who did not believe. He also knew the future because he knew who it was who would betray him. Only God could know these things.

Many of these early disciples were not genuine disciples of Christ, for they turned back. Their initial “faith” was not genuine and they were maybe following Jesus only because of the physical benefits he gave, such as healing and multiplying of food. 

The Holy Spirit gives spiritual life; without the work of the Holy Spirit we cannot even see our need for new life. All spiritual renewal begins and ends with God. He reveals truth to us, lives within us, and then enables us to respond to that truth. 

Why did Jesus' words cause many of his followers to desert him? 1) They may have realized he wasn't going to be the conquering Messiah-king they expected. 2) He refused to give in to their self-centered requests. 3) He emphasized faith, not deeds. 4) His teachings were difficult to understand, and some of his words were offensive. As we grow in our faith, we may be tempted to turn away because Jesus’ lessons are difficult. Will we respond by giving up or rejecting Christ? Instead, we should be asking God to show us what these teachings mean and how they apply in our lives and then have the courage to act on God's truth. 

There's no middle ground with Jesus. When he asked the disciples if they would also leave, he was showing that they could either accept or reject him. Jesus was not trying to repel people with his teachings. He was simply telling the truth. The more people heard Jesus’ real message, the more they divided into two camps - the honest seekers who wanted to understand more, and those who rejected Jesus because they didn't like what they had heard. 

We also should notice here that this is the first reference of the Twelve in the gospel. (On a side note, when the “Twelve” or the original “Apostles” are in written form, they are always capitalized due to their importance in our Christian faith.) Their existence and appointment are assumed in the other three gospels. 

After many of Jesus his followers had deserted him, he asked the 12 Apostles if they were also going to leave. In his straightforward way, Peter answered for all of us - there is no other way. Though there are our many philosophies and self-styled authorities, Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. People look everywhere for eternal life and miss Christ, who is the only source. We should stay with him especially when we are confused or feel alone. 

And so, in answer to Christ’s question, if they will leave also, Peter responds, “to whom shall we go?” which rightly implies that there is no other teacher who can lead people to eternal life and true fellowship with God himself. Many of Jesus' followers left but, in the name of those who remain, Peter pledged his fidelity. 

The words of Peter, “We have come to believe,” implies that Jesus’ disciples at this point had genuine, saving faith. Peter's confession of Jesus as “the Holy One of God” anticipates later references to Jesus being consecrated or set apart for service of God. 

Our faith as Christians, whether we're Catholic or Protestant, we need to understand that this is a powerhouse core teaching kind of thing. As Catholics we see this discourse as literal truth…. just like the disciples who stayed behind. This discourse is like the part in a movie where a character lays out the ideas that you see in action at the climatic scene toward the end (in this case, the Last Supper). When we Catholics get to the Last Supper, we understand we've moved way past metaphor. Our non-Catholic brothers and sisters haven’t cottoned to the idea yet. And it's okay, no nobody is perfect…. except this one guy…. Jesus! To whom shall we go? Jesus, the Bread of life! Amen. Drop the mic.

Let us pray.

In today’s Gospel we read that many disciples deserted Jesus because they found his teachings hard to accept. We pray that we, like Peter, be blessed with the faith to recognize that Jesus is the Holy One who will bring us with Him into eternal life. We pray to the Lord.             

We pray for those who have difficulty in believing in Jesus and in accepting his teachings that the Lord look down kindly on them and bestow on them the great gift of faith. We pray to the Lord.               

We pray for the followers of Christ throughout the world, that they be strengthened in their faith and invigorated with the love of Christ for family, friends, neighbors and, in particular, the poor, the lonely and the deserted in this world. We pray to the Lord.               

On today, the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence based on Religious Belief, we pray for all those who are being oppressed, persecuted and abused for their faith, just as Jesus was. We pray, Lord, that you welcome into your kingdom all Christian martyrs who have given their lives sharing your gospel and living out their faith. We pray to the Lord.              

We pray for religious tolerance in our world, where different races and cultures can live in mutual respect and where peace and justice reigns, built and guided by love. At this time we pray in particular for the people of Afghanistan. We pray to the Lord.                    

We pray for the people of Haiti, for those who died and for those who have lost loved ones in last week’s tragic earthquake. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.  

Father God, we too often want to turn away because of your “hard sayings.” We lack the courage to learn the truth. We lack the desire to find You in Jesus. We merely want to be fed and experience miracles. Yet, we can experience these very things in your presence each time we approach you in the Holy Eucharist. Open our minds and heart to your hard teachings that we may learn to love the way you love.

O Lord, how easy it is to turn away from portrayals of a world in which so many of your children exist in abject destitution alongside our colossal opulence. Break our hearts with that which breaks your own, O Lord. Till the unplowed ground of our souls with Christ's very hand, that we might become a living sacrifice of first fruits for all those who hunger and thirst. Empower us to be and bring manna amid the deserts of despair, through Jesus Christ, the bread of life.

Pardoned by God's abounding grace, empowered by God's constant love and protected by God's peace, let us go forth to serve God and others, always humbly aware of our own shortcomings, but always encouraged by the faithful and loving presence of God in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and power, now and forever. Amen. 

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

As a small parish, we come to you as beggars. As we go about our ministry to those who are not afraid of being progressives and the radical love of Jesus, we need your help to continue to keep the lights on and keep this vital ministry in an ever-hurting world. Please consider a gift, whether it be $1 or $1,000, you will be blessed equally in the Lord. Thank you and God Bless You! 

www.stfrancisucc.org then click the donate button in the upper right corner.

Assumption of Our Lady Mary

 August 15, 2021

Assumption of Our Lady Mary

(Revelation 11:19a, 12:1-6, 10;  Luke 1:39-56)

When it comes to teachings about the Virgin Mary, non-Catholic Christians are usually quite apprehensive of these seemingly wild claims that are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. This is largely because they adhere to a authoritative system called “Sola Scriptura,” which is Latin for “Bible Alone.” Given the tumultuous history of the church leading up to the Protestant Reformation and to the modern era, it is completely understandable why those who follow Christ would want to maintain a high standard of biblical authenticity reflected in church ritual and doctrine. But it seems to be a byproduct of Bible alone mentality of the last 500 years is the flippant dismissal of anything that isn't explicitly mentioned in the scriptures. Though it is worth noting that even the Bible itself quotes,

“But there are many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

This passage itself seems to imply the Bible in its entirety is only a small glimpse of what may be possible, namely with what Jesus had done during his earthly life. If God is omnipotent, then there is nothing on this earth that could limit him - not the Sacraments, nor to church or even the Bible itself. And yet, all of these things are accepted by Christians as God-given and inspired. This leads one to believe that Christians in general have a habit of compartmentalizing their idea of how God thinks by claiming if something isn’t in in the Bible, then it's not true!

But then again, who are we to decide how God thinks? If God is truly sovereign, then every one of his created beings is subject to his sovereignty, including the role of the Virgin Mary.

The Assumption of Mary is a Catholic dogma that claims the Virgin Mary was carried up into Heaven at the end of her life on earth. The first thing that often comes to mind regarding Mary's Assumption is that it sounds like she ascended into Heaven in the same manner Jesus did. This is often a cause of great criticism from non-Catholics, and where the importance of context comes in. The difference between the Ascension and the Assumption is Jesus went up to Heaven by his own power, (after all he is God). In Mary's case, she did nothing out of her own power, but rather it was God who carried her up into Heaven.

It is important to note that the Bible is not clear on Mary's fate. The consensus among non-Catholic Christians is all who are born of Adam have sinned, fall short of the glory of God, and are subject to die once before facing judgment. Granted this, non-Catholic Christians generally assume Mary had died like every other human born in original sin.

However, the Bible refers to a few persons who have been said to have been taken up into Heaven. Elijah was carried off by a flaming chariot into paradise, which would have been willed by the power of God. Enoch was supposedly taken up and not tasted death. The apostle Phillip was believed to have been snatched away from the earth. Enoch, Elijah and Phillip were faithful servants of God, yet were still born in Original Sin. Given what the Bible reveals about these people and lack of scriptural clarity, it is possible that Mary could have been raptured.

Many evangelicals are generally more inclined to give honor to patriarchs of the Old Testament as opposed to Mary as the mother of Jesus. It is especially evident when people claim that naming something after Mary such as a church building, an institution or event is considered elevating her above Jesus; yet will use the names like Elijah-fest and Calvin University (named after Protestant Reformer John Calvin) or First Baptist Church (easily a homage to John the Baptist). Provided that many non-Catholic Christians seem to have no problem honoring Old Testament patriarchs, I think it's worth pondering whether giving honor to Mary might stem from a misogynist view of women in the Bible. There appears to be an underlying fear of giving any sort of recognition of a woman living faithfully. Giving honor to mother of Jesus is vehemently condemned among non-Christians under the guise of giving glory to God alone. This is unfortunately at odds with the Jewish commandment of honoring our father mother in addition to the biblical verse, “… all generations shall call me blessed.”

As far as extra-biblical accounts of Jesus or the fate of the first Apostles, non-Catholic Christians generally don't seem to have a problem accepting the possibility of them being true. Jesus is said to have taken up clay from the ground and created living birds during his youth in the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas. It is also generally accepted among Christian scholars that the Apostle Peter was martyred in Rome by being crucified upside down. St. Andrew is believed to have been crucified on an X shaped cross in the city of Patras. These accounts of Peter and Andrew not mentioned in scripture, but are widely accepted by scholars and theologians as truth based on historical account, relics and tradition. Mary, on the other hand, did not have any relics associated with her from her time on earth. Some have theorized that the body of Mary might have been hidden or stolen by relic hunters. But since there appears to be no historical documentation over such a possibility, and no relics have materialized, maybe a supernatural occurrence should not be so readily dismissed.

It is also worth mentioning the Eastern Orthodox Church upholds a similar belief as the Assumption called the Dormition of the Mother of God. The major difference is the Dormition is defined as Mary having ‘fallen asleep’ or died an earthly death before being taken up body and soul into Heaven. While this account is not mentioned in the Bible, it is largely derived from written documentation by the Early Church Fathers. In one instance Saint John of Damascus wrote in the apocryphal work The Account of the Falling Asleep of the Holy Mother of God,

“Saint Juvena,l Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), made known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who wished to possess the body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that her tomb, when opened, upon the request of Saint Thomas, was found empty; wherefrom the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to Heaven.”

The Catholic teaching on the Assumption is silent on whether or not Mary died prior to acceptance into the Heavenly realm. Some have argued that she couldn't have perished if she had lived a sinless life, which relates to the teaching of her Immaculate Conception. But regardless of whether or not Mary's body perished, the outcome of the Assumption and the Dormition remains the same. They both imply that Mary holds a special position in Heaven with her son.

While most non-Catholic Christians would claim believing in the Assumption of Mary is not at litmus test for salvation, we would argue that it has more to do with whether Jesus is true to his word. Believing her acceptance in the glory of Heaven is viewed by some Christians as a symbol of Christ’s promise to all who endure through faith that they too will be received into Heaven. If Jesus meant what he said regarding the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, how little hope is there for us if it weren't true in the case of his own mother?

I tend to think that believing Mary is enjoying Heavenly peace with her Son is a safe assumption, pardon the pun.

Let us pray.

Today we celebrate the Assumption of  the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven and ask her to protect all in our parish and to beseech her beloved son, Jesus, to bestow on us the grace to love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly in our daily lives. We pray to the Lord.               

As we celebrate the Heavenly reward of Mary who answered God’s call and committed her life to His service, we ask that we, too, be given the grace to also accept the will of God in our lives. We pray to the Lord.               

On this great feast of the Mother of God, we remember all mothers and ask the Lord to bless them in their wonderful vocation. We pray to the Lord.               

As we celebrate this feast of Mary, we pray that our family homes will be places where we experience healing, peace and forgiveness. We pray to the Lord.                

As we reflect on today’s Gospel readings and the pregnant Mary, we pray for all young women who in their pregnancies were rejected by family and society.  We pray that they may share in the blessings bestowed on the Virgin Mary and that their shared experience with her be a consolation to them. We pray to the Lord.                     

We pray for those who in the past weeks have been affected by wildfires, particularly those who have lost homes and loved ones.  We pray also for an understanding and acceptance by all nations that we must urgently commit to protect our endangered ecosystem which is at the center of God’s wonderful creation. We pray to the Lord.

Holy Mary, Mother of our Lord, we honor you on this day because of the singular grace you received from God the Father. You were Immaculately Conceived in advance of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Because your son was to be God’s Son, you were preserved from the stain of sin so that God could grow in your womb in the person of Jesus. Because of this great honor, and due to your faithfulness, you remained full of grace throughout your life. And hence, Jesus would not allow your body to become corrupt. The ark of the new Covenant would be preserved and assumed into Heaven, so that you could be with your Son always and so you could continue to intercede for us, just as you did for the guests at the wedding of Cana. We ask you to stay with us in this day uncertainties and pray for us to be given the strength we need to persevere. 

Father God, You chose and blessed Mary with the singular act of making her the mother of Your Son. No average or corrupt human body would do for Your Son to come into the world, and thus you allowed Mary to receive the salvation of Christ in advance of his Crucifixion. We ask that we recognize this great miracle and how important it was – and is – to our own salvation. Help us each to come to greater understanding of the doctrine of the Assumption of Our Lady Mary and to venerate her for the great gift you gave her, and in turn she gave to us.

Let us all join in together and recite the Magnificat. I have inserted it in the bulletins for those who may not remember the words.

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him 

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

May our Lady pray for us always! Glory be to God.

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

Trinity 8

 July 25, 2021

Trinity 8

(Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16; John 6:1-15)

When was the last time you considered the question, "What is my calling?" That's not a question of your job, although the hope is that any occupation we engage in becomes an expression of our deeper call. The same goes for our state of life: married, single, clergy – with or without celibacy vows – and any myriad of possibilities. Each of those commitments becomes the context through which we become who we are called to be.

St. Paul brings us this question today in the Letter to the Ephesians, a letter that scholars see as addressed to the worldwide church throughout the ages. We might imagine the great apostle looking directly at us — individually or as an assembled community — as he says with a booming voice, "I urge you to live a life worthy of your calling."

Now, look in the mirror and dare to ask, "What is he expecting of us?" or "What does he hope for us? What does it mean to really live our calling or vocation?"

Paul goes to the heart of the matter and says, "You were called to one hope."

That hope, he explains, comes through the Lord Jesus and draws as one body in the Spirit into union with the Father so that God dwells in and through all. Our call is to be exactly who we are, offering our own gifts to the one body we are becoming.

So far, this is theory about hope and unity and vocation. Some churches follow a three readings cycle for their Sunday services – one from the Old Testament, one from the New testament, and one from the Gospels. If we were to use the Old Testament reading assigned for today in the Revised Common Lectionary, we would read from 2 Kings 4 also. 2 Kings and John offer something more specific than Paul’s expectations.

The story about Elisha is one in a series of anecdotes in which the prophet worked life-giving wonders on behalf of individuals or groups of people.

In this case, someone came from pagan territory with a small sacrificial offering. Instead of saving the gift for sacrifice, Elisha ordered a servant to distribute what would have been the equivalent of 20 rolls and some raw grain to a group of a hundred hungry people.

The sensible servant protested that such a gesture was ridiculous, if not insulting. Who would present such a paltry amount to such a large group?

Of course, as in the other situations mentioned in this section of 2 Kings, Elisha's outrageous desire to respond to the need at hand found fulfillment. The people ate and there were leftovers.

In today's Gospel, we hear the most oft-repeated story in the New Testament, the miraculous sharing of bread. The same one we heard from Mark last week. Mark and Matthew each recount two versions of the story and Luke and John each tell one; every rendition has unique emphases. While John's is the longest and most theological, today we begin with the details of the incident.

Obviously, the evangelists capitalized on the parallels between this incident and Elisha's history. John adds special details including the fact that this happened around the time of Passover, the celebration of God's deliverance of Israel from slavery.

Then, even more than in Elisha's story, we hear of the preposterous disparity between the size of the crowd and the quantity of available food. Mark and John also add subtle details that reflect Psalm 23 by depicting people reclining on lush grass.

In each account, we hear echoes of the Last Supper as Jesus takes bread, gives thanks and distributes it to the people. Anyone steeped in the Hebrew Scriptures hears this as a story of one greater than Elisha offering bread as God did in the Exodus desert. Christians hear in it strains of a Eucharistic celebration.

Having relished some of the artistry and details of the story, we still ask what it says about our calling. Admittedly, the story seems preposterous to some. One can invent rational explanations for what happened, but none of the evangelists are interested in those. We are meant to see and believe in the miracle of the loaves. 

In spite of the way we often refer to the incident, no account ever says that the bread was multiplied. They only tell how a tiny amount was offered, that the multitude ate, and there was food to spare — in spite of the disciples' doubts. There is no scientific explanation, that is why it is called a miracle.

In the light of Paul's invitation to great hope, we can read the stories of miraculous sharing as a call to preposterous faith. The thought that humanity can learn to act as one or that we can "live in a manner worthy" of our call appears as ludicrous as the decision to satisfy the hunger of a multitude with a few rolls and some dried fish. It is also the hope to which we are called. We are called to the hope – faith of a God who can, and does, all things. Miracles are indeed real.

According to these Scriptures, faith calls forth unreasonable expectations. Our calling is to offer the paltry stuff of our lives and assume that God will do more with us than we could ask or imagine.

Maybe this is the calling for all Christians, to look for the miracle in what seems preposterous and ludicrous. To know in the end, that our calling, and life’s miracles are not our own. They are God’s. Maybe if we expected and thus were more open to miracles, more would be experienced. 

Let’s us follow Paul’s call to hope and live our calling in preposterous ways.

Let us pray.

In our Gospel reading we are reminded that there are so many in the world today seeking the true meaning of life, like sheep without a shepherd. We pray to our God in Heaven, who is father of all mankind, that He have compassion for all his flock and open our eyes to our calling and to the message of the true shepherd. We pray to the Lord.

For a sharper awareness of the hungers within our hearts. May we rely on your grace and providence to satisfy and fill us, and to give us direction. We pray to the Lord.

Bless all who bring food – our loaves and fishes - to our tables daily; farmers, harvesters, transporters, grocers and cooks. Renew their dedication with energy, perseverance and inspiration. We pray to the Lord.

That the Church may boldly and faithfully point to Christ as the true bread and sustenance for every human need. We pray to the Lord.

For those around the world and here in our country where cases of COVID-19 are seeing another surge, and for those anxious about the future. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.  

Wondrous and generous God, your gifts are overwhelming: Your sun lights the way for our journey, and your stars puncture our darkness. Your living water quenches our thirst, and your broken bread opens the door to eternal life. Your healing touch binds up our wounds, and your forgiveness washes clean our sin.

Wondrous and generous God, from the four corners of the earth, a chorus of praise erupts. The ocean roars and the trees shout their joy. From the deepest depths of our being, our prayer gropes to find words of adoration. For you are patient and kind, even as we wander, lured by the trivial and attracted by the quick solution. For you are full of compassion and truth, even as we stumble in relationships and hesitate at the doors of justice.

Come now, wondrous and generous God. Bring comfort to those who agonize over broken relationships, who mourn the death of what used to be. Touch those whose bodies need healing. Liberate those whose addictions warp their full potential. Surprise those whose days are filled with sameness and whose joy has ceased.

Come now, wondrous and generous God. Make this church a place where seeds grow, joy is shared, songs are sung, peace is shaped, dreams are born, sorrow is graced and ripples of love spread. May your preposterous ways permeate our lives so that we may see your miracles and what you are calling us to be. In the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

God Love you +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

We at St. Francis appreciate all of you who keep our ministry alive through your prayers and donations. There is much ministry to do, with ever so limited resources! Please consider adding St. Francis Chapel as one of your donors! Thank you, and God Bless+++

www.stfrancisucc.org then click the donate button in the upper right corner.

Trinity 6

 July 11, 2021

Trinity 6

(Ephesians 1:1-14; Mark 6:7-13)

You are social distancing, you have masks in the glove compartment, jacket pockets, desk drawers and on hooks in the hallway, and you’re afraid to go shopping. Yet, the Bible says you’re blessed. Excuse me? Well, okay, maybe California no longer has so many of these restrictions, however I am sure you get my drift.

The first verse of today’s Epistle reading mentions a form of the word “blessed” three times! Even those of the dimmest understanding will recognize this as a probable key to the entire reading.

Reading verses 4 through 14, however, is a daunting task. If one were to enumerate all the blessings mentioned therein … well, it would be like searching for the correct number of squares in a Facebook puzzle. If you are not familiar with the puzzle, you’re additionally blessed. Only the perceptive and spatially gifted can arrive at the correct answer. You uncover one blessing, only to find another … like Russian nesting dolls. Well, okay, maybe I am exaggerating – a smidge. 

Maybe we should count the blessings in the passage – and in our lives -  just as the old hymn “Count Your Blessings” advises us to do:

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your blessings, see what God hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

So, how many blessings are in the passage? Some might argue for a number between 20 and 28 blessings! Others might not see so many blessings, but can easily spot the big ones:

~ God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (v. 4).

~ God destined us for adoption as his children (v. 5).

~ In Jesus we have redemption through his blood (v. 7).

~ In Jesus we have … the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (v. 7).

~ In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance (v. 11).

~ In him you also … were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit (v. 13). 

Maybe blessings are not supposed to be counted. It may seem absurd on the face of it. Counting our blessings makes about as much sense as trying to count grains of sand at the beach or the number of hairs on your head. C’est impossible! Yet, counting and keeping track is what we humans do. We not only count our own blessings, but we count the blessings of other people and wonder why they’re blessed and we aren’t. We keep track of successes and failures, insults and awards, the good things and bad things. We like to have a balance sheet, or a P&L statement that shows just where we are in this experience we call life. We have egos, don’t you know?

So it’s natural to itemize our blessings, and one gets the feeling that the apostle Paul is just getting started — that he feels blessed in so many countless ways.

But we don’t often feel blessed these days, do we? 2020 and 2021 have not been easy. The three-headed ogre — Politics, Racism and Pandemic — is a fire-breathing monster that has kept the country on edge for a long time. Is it possible that like the ancient Israelites tramping through the wilderness of Zin, we have lost sight of our blessings and instead constructed a culture of complaint. If we’re honest, we can find things to complain about far easier than we can find blessings. 

That’s probably overstating the case, but still, to speak of one’s blessings is so … 1950s. It’s retro and nostalgic. Perhaps we used to feel blessed, but the thrill is gone. What happened?

Blessings? What blessings? 

We Are Blessed

This reading from Ephesians 1 is a much-needed attitude adjustment. But before going further, let’s look at the word “blessing.”

Grammatically, it can be both a noun and a verb. Used as a noun, we might say:

~ “She is such a blessing.”

~ “He said a blessing before dinner.”

~ “Dad gave our marriage his blessing.”

~ “We have received so may blessings.” 

And by the way, “blessing” is a countable noun.

But the word can also be a verb, conveying action.

~ “The pastor blessed the couple and sent them on their way.”

~ To cite today’s reading: “ … God … who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.”  Here, the word appears as both a verb and a noun.

I am amazed I can even remember all this from grammar school, however ….  

The point is that a blessing is something that one can both receive (noun) or bestow (verb). We can receive a blessing, and we can bless others.

In the Old Testament, blessings generally refer to material possessions, children, good crops, good health and long life. Ancient Judaism considered such things as blessing from God for living within His laws. 

When God blessed Job after his horrifying ordeal, the Bible says that “the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. … In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters … After this Job lived for one hundred and forty years. … And Job died, old and full of days” (Job 42:12-17). Notice he didn’t get a second wife? After all, his wife was not taken from him – in fact she even told him that he should curse God and die! (Job 2:9) Thus God didn’t give him another wife to match, because one Mrs. Job was quite enough, thank you very much! (There is more to this story also, but we will leave it be for today.)

Many people are familiar with the most famous blessing in the Hebrew Bible is the Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24-26:

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the New Testament, however, blessings generally refer to spiritual benefits. The text before us is an example of this, of course, but there are other well-known passages, too. The most famous of these are the so-called Beatitudes from the mouth of Jesus himself.

In the Beatitudes, traditional notions of what it means to be blessed are turned upside down. People, exposed to the Scriptures through the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, generally believed that:

~ The rich were blessed, but Jesus said the poor were blessed.

~ Those who were in mourning had been cursed or punished for their sins, but Jesus said that those in mourning were blessed and would be comforted.

~ The strong and mighty are the blessed ones, but Jesus said the meek would inherit the earth.

~ You are blessed if you have plenty to eat and drink, but Jesus said that those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness” are truly blessed. 

The apostle James speaks of the blessing that comes to the person who “endures temptation” because “Such a one … will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

But we’re not in Matthew 5 or James 1. We’re in Ephesians 1, and here we have blessings galore. Of course we are blessed! We’ve been “chosen” before the natural world came into being! God thinks of us as divine children. Our sins and transgressions have been forgiven through the blood of Christ. And — this is interesting — there is an “inheritance” awaiting each of us! Okay, yes, our inheritance in heaven is better than becoming a billionaire! Of course, asking for both is a bit outside of our message today.

In our roles as husbands, wives, sons and daughters, neighbors and friends, we have all experienced moments of mercy and forgiveness. How liberating it feels to be forgiven! We are blessed.

So, we understand the apostle Paul when he reminds us that God has forgiven us. God has no argument or beef with us. God’s cool. We’re cool. All God’s children are cool. What a blessing! Cool. 

Now, to the part where we bless others.

To bless, to be a blessing, is the verb form of the word. Followers of Jesus try to live in a way that blesses others.

As the apostle Paul says in our text, we have received “every spiritual blessing,” so now we try to offer others every tangible and emotional blessing that we can. In all we do, we bless others, and our lives are blessings in action – or we should be.

~ People who are blessed do not curse (see James 3:9-10).

~ People who are blessed do not listen to complainers and naysayers (see Psalm 1).

~ People who are blessed do not feel entitled; they feel grateful.

~ People who are blessed tend to pay their blessings forward; in other words, they are generous.

~ People who are blessed are vividly aware of their blessed-ness and are humbled by it.

~ People who are blessed see the sacred and holy in every aspect of their lives. 

This last thought is particularly significant. The apostle Paul had some incredible adventures that included shipwrecks, floggings, imprisonment, false accusations, the misunderstanding of colleagues, and illness. But Paul always regarded himself as blessed. He lived and breathed in the blessing of God!

Maybe this awareness of the providence of God came, in part, from his upbringing and education as a Jew. This cannot be understated because, as Rabbi Jennifer Singer notes, “Judaism is chock-full of blessings.” She references Rabbi Fred Dobb, who said, “We’ve got blessings for seeing heads of state, Torah scholars, and ugly people. Blessings over sunsets, meteors, rainbows, reunions, and bad news. Blessings for bread and baked goods and fruit and vegetables, all different.” Gosh – they sound just like Catholics! A prayer or blessing for nearly everything!

A blessed person perceives blessings when others are oblivious. In turn, a blessed person blesses everything! In the Talmud, Rabbi Meir suggests “reciting 100 blessings each day …  one every 10 minutes of our waking lives.” Which is to say that we “should be constantly aware of the world around us and should respond through gratitude and prayer.”

So, can we come up with 10 blessings a day? Absolutely! And let us pray that it happens! Meanwhile I will curb my sarcasm for a few minutes. 

Let us pray.

In today’s Gospel we read how Jesus sent out his disciples to spread his message among the people of Israel. Through baptism we too are disciples sent out to live the gospel. We pray that through the example of our words and actions we may in our own lives be witnesses of the goodness of God, our Father. We pray to the Lord.             

We pray that the Good Lord, who sent out the Twelve, would today look down with mercy on his Church and inspire young men and women to join in the good work of spreading his holy gospel. We pray to the Lord.

 For our companions on this faith journey. For our families, friends, co-workers and members of our parish community. Hold us together in faithfulness to each other and unify our commitment to Christian values during this time of polarization. We pray to the Lord.

Bring healing to all in need. Invigorate those who are saddened or having difficulty. Restore life to the sick, the dying and the grieving. Inspire the addicted and the destitute. Create life-giving pathways for immigrants and for all who are afflicted. We pray to the Lord.

Awaken with us, oh Lord, the blessings you have given us. May we open our hearts and minds to see the blessings we often ignore. We pray to the Lord.

For our LGBTQ brothers and sisters as they celebrate Pride this weekend here in San Diego, may they never fear to live in honesty by living as they truly are. May legislation be passed to protect and give complete and equal rights. God does not make mistakes, he creates all humanity and love us all equally regardless of the gender we are or know we should be, and that we all should be free to love whom we are drawn to, just as God has designed all of humanity. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.  

Holy God, weave praise into the fabric of our days so our lives become a blessing to others.

Weave peace into our words and deeds so hatred and anger are disarmed.

Weave love into our work so accomplishments are imbued with humility.

Weave kindness into our actions so the world becomes a joyous place to live.

Weave hope into every encounter so we may testify to God's continuing resurrection.

Weave songs into our worship so our morning might echo in praise to God. Amen.

God Love you +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

We at St. Francis appreciate all of you who keep our ministry alive through your prayers and donations. There is much ministry to do, with ever so limited resources! Please consider adding St. Francis Chapel as one of your donors! Thank you, and God Bless+++

St. Junipero Serra Sunday

 July 4 2021

St. Junipero Serra Sunday

Trinity 5

Independence Day

(2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13)

Do you ever wonder if God is giving you a nudge to begin something in your life, but the task seems impossible? Our patron saint for California, Junipero Serra certainly did – but he was successful in many ways, even if a bit controversial to some. So did our founding fathers of our nation – and they too succeeded.

In September 2020, Israel signed diplomatic pacts with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the first such agreements since Israel’s peace accords with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Neither of the new deals end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — which many believe is the greatest obstacle to peace in the Middle East — but both appear to be steps in the right direction, even with the past few weeks of unrest.

The pacts were brokered by the United States and dubbed the Abraham Accords in recognition of the biblical Abraham, who is the spiritual ancestor of both Jews and Muslims. The accords normalized relationships between the two Muslim countries and Israel and may have set a precedent for how peace in the Middle East will progress. In fact, Israel and Morocco agreed to normalize their relations in the months following the accords, with the United States recognizing Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara.

The biggest step toward Middle East peace would be to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, but that hasn’t happened, despite the many efforts of skillful, well-intentioned diplomats and others. The Abraham Accords, however, ignored that area and instead focused on how an accord could benefit those nations willing to be involved. Sometimes, doing what is possible is better than bemoaning a larger goal that can’t be achieved at present.

Something like that seems to be going on in today’s Gospel reading. Jesus was visiting his hometown — Nazareth — and when the Sabbath came, he went to the local synagogue and began to teach. His reputation as a miracle worker had likely preceded him, and Jesus’ teaching apparently wasn’t what that congregation was expecting. Yes, there was great wisdom in what he was saying, but who did he think he was? After all, he was a hometown boy, and some in the pews apparently thought he was getting too big for his britches. “And they took offense at him” is what we learn today. On the whole, they had no faith in him, and because of that, “he could do no deed of power there.” Faith on the part of the recipients was necessary for healings and the like, and since that wasn’t evident, the congregation missed out on what Jesus might have done for them. 

Remember, what I often say to many, God will not force himself upon you, he wants you to be a willing participant. Of course, that isn’t to say he doesn’t have the power to do so, for he certainly has and sometimes does – he merely wants you to agree to or be open to his miracles. There are times when there are two parties involved in a miracle, and one party is open to God’s grace, while the other is not. God could very well work a miracle for the accepting recipient and the other will be somehow be affected by it, but indirectly – vicariously. I suppose this can be viewed as a paradox.

Mark makes this comment while narrating the story: “And [Jesus] could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.” So, there must have been at least a few individuals present with enough faith to receive his help. We see the linkage to the Abraham Accords in Mark’s comment. When it turned out that Jesus could not accomplish in Nazareth what he had set out to do — what he was willing to do — he did what was possible, what the circumstances would allow, and healed a few sick people. He could have forced his miracles on them, but they still would not have accepted him, so there was no point.

What can we take from this? Sometimes, doing what is possible is better than giving up if solving the larger problem is beyond reach.

We know of no Bible verse that commands, “Do what is possible.” In fact, when the Bible uses the word “possible,” it is sometimes to contrast what God can do versus what human beings cannot do, such as in Luke 18:27, where Jesus said, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” 

Nonetheless, there is an underlying theme in Scripture advocating and praising effort, diligence, perseverance and “bearing fruit,” which points us toward doing what is possible in the realm of good works, healing, peacemaking and other virtuous undertakings.

There is also Mark’s account of the woman who intruded into the house of Simon the Leper, where Jesus was a guest, and anointed Jesus’ head with costly ointment. She was soundly criticized by some of those at the table for the extravagant “waste” of the ointment. But in her defense, Jesus (knowing he was soon to die) said: “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial” (Mark 14:8), suggesting that she had accomplished what was possible.

Saint Francis of Assisi once advised, “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” In some difficult circumstances, the possible may be all that’s ever accomplished, but doing it can still be a godly thing. And Francis’ statement does suggest that there’s a momentum that may be unleashed by doing the necessary and the possible, and that it may carry over regarding the more difficult.

How can we apply this “do-what’s-possible” principle?

One place might be when you have offended someone, and that person has rebuffed your attempts to make amends. While the offended individual may remain intransigent, others who were less directly affected by your offense may be open to giving you another chance or putting the matter behind them. So, do what’s possible and make peace with them. Turning the other cheek sometimes means forgiveness and accept the amends being offered.

Another place might be in gift giving, where you have the “perfect” gift in mind for a loved one, only to find out that it’s no longer available or is beyond your reach budget-wise. What’s still possible, however, is some other genuine expression of your affection for that person (which may mean more than the gift anyway).

Kitty Harris, director of the Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery at Texas Tech University, gives us another application of this principle from her journey to recovery from alcohol addiction: “As we begin the journey of recovery, we are capable of doing only the necessary. We don’t drink and we go to meetings and we live our lives in hourly increments. Slowly, as hours turn into days and days into months, the fog lifts and we begin to recall our forsaken dreams and goals. One day we realize it might be possible for us to achieve what we abandoned. As our dreams are reclaimed, we become the people we were intended to be and suddenly we realize we are doing the impossible. That is the story of my recovery …”

This principle also applies to projects or missions you may be feeling called by God to undertake, but seem impossible to you (I feel this way frequently as I have too many irons in the fire sometimes). Doing some part of the project that is possible is likely to give you an indication regarding whether you are really feeling the call of God or only entertaining an idea of your own.

A larger point behind this “do-what’s-possible” principle is that Christianity is not just a set of beliefs, but also a set of practices (think, for example, of the golden rule, the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments). Religion writer Karen Armstrong puts it this way: “Religion is not about accepting 20 impossible propositions before breakfast, but about doing things that change you. It’s a moral aesthetic, an ethical alchemy. If you behave a certain way you will be transformed.” 

Thus, doing what is possible puts us in a position where God will transform us from people who think real change is impossible, to people who are doing the work of God — even when it looks like the odds are against achieving anything.

In that Nazareth synagogue, Jesus “could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.” More would have been possible if others had some faith, but Jesus did what he could, and it meant the world to those few sick people who were cured. And for them, it was the will of God the Father being done by God the Son.

Let us pray.

In today’s Gospel we read how Jesus was rejected as a prophet in his own town, by those who knew him as the carpenter’s son. We pray that we, who through our baptism are brothers and sisters with Christ, remain faithful to him and grow daily in faith nourished by the Word of God and his gift of the Bread of life. We pray to the Lord.               

As we reflect on today’s Gospel, we pray that, in our own lives, we do not allow familiarity to breed contempt for others and that we treat all God’s children with love, honesty and respect. We pray to the Lord.               

We pray for those who reject Christ, his Gospel and his Church that they may understand that Jesus requires just one commitment from us, that we love one another and our neighbor as ourselves. We pray to the Lord.

That the Lord will bless our nation as we celebrate Independence Day, and that we will remain always grateful for the freedom we have as a country. We pray to the Lord.

For the men and women in our military at home and abroad, and for all the public safety personnel who serve our nation; that they be kept safe and rewarded for their generosity and sacrifice. We pray to the Lord.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We pray to the Lord.

For those burdened by poverty, hardship, oppression, and persecution; that God will rescue them and lift them up. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.  

Father God, you created all the eye can see – the entire universe and cosmos – and we, yet part of the same creation, we do not welcome you into our lives and world. We often to not let you work miracles even though we so desperately need them! Use your divine power, we pray, to open our hard hearts to let you in and to listen to all you would have us know.

O God, you call us into agreement with one another. You urge us to end the divisions among us. How is this even possible? With fists clenched and jaws set, we grip tightly our perspectives and opinions, ready for battle with any who would challenge us.

We worship the god of Being Right. Desperate to belong somewhere, we claim allegiance to tribes of our own making — tribes of doctrine, of politics, of social location. Our quarrels reach your ears, and even as we stammer out our excuses, we know it is not your way.

Your way is excellent. Your way is relationship, discipleship, neighborliness, servanthood. Your way transcends the dim truths we might fashion from earthly assets. And your way seems impossible for us to imagine.

Help us to imagine it, O God, as we come to the table. Let the fellowship we have while at table continue when we leave the table. Help us to imagine sitting down together and breaking bread. Let the magnanimity we feel and express there go with us as we leave the table.

Imagine it for us, gracious God. Imagine it within us. Show us how to drop the nets, filled with our meager catch, which we clutch to ourselves, our paltry security, our self-made identity. Teach us to share. You have a better identity in mind for us. Make us into your fishers of people. Or perhaps we must simply allow ourselves to be caught by you first. Let us be one community, a tangle of faults and foibles, yet held in your net of grace. This is your way. We long for it, too. Amen.

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

We at St. Francis appreciate all of you who keep our ministry alive through your prayers and donations. There is much ministry to do, with ever so limited resources! Please consider adding St. Francis Chapel as one of your donors! Thank you, and God Bless+++

 June 6, 2021

Corpus Christi

(Hebrews 9:11-15; Matthew 14:12-16, 22-26)

Today, in lieu of a sermon, I thought we would explore the Eucharist a little bit, by taking a look at a handful of miracles. As some of you may remember, we had a “mini” miracle here with presence of human blood on a purificator I used for Mass a couple of years ago on which I discovered some dried blood. I have reserved it in the tabernacle with the Body of Christ.

There are over one hundred purported Eucharistic miracles that have been recorded and venerated since the earliest days of the Church to the present. 

When we think about Eucharistic miracles, we may be tempted to think that most of them are unsubstantiated stories that only happened in the “old days” and couldn’t happen today in our age of science. 

The last few decades, however, have seen a slight increase in Eucharistic miracles which cannot be explained by science. And in most of these recent miracles, the Eucharist turns into human flesh and blood.

Let’s begin with the oldest-known verifiable case of the Eucharist transforming into physical flesh and blood—the Miracle of Lanciano, which took place in 750 AD and underwent testing in the 1970s. 

In 750 AD, a priest experienced a terrible temptation to doubt the True Presence while he was saying Mass. As he pronounced the words of consecration, the bread and the wine transformed into what appeared to be flesh and blood. 

In 1970, more than 1,200 years later, scientists began a thorough examination of the miraculous substances, and in 1973, the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations began their own barrage of five hundred tests, which took fifteen months. The scientific tests revealed:

~ The coagulated substance is human blood, AB blood type, with the same protein distribution as found in normal, fresh blood.

~ The Host is human muscular striated tissue of the myocardium, left ventricle (heart); arteries, veins, the branch of the vagus nerve and adipose (body fat) tissue all can be identified.

~ Like the blood, the flesh is also fresh, living tissue, because it “responded rapidly to all the clinical reactions distinctive of living beings.”

~ Most remarkably, the blood is divided into five unequal-sized parts, and yet each part weighs exactly 15.85g, and all parts together also weigh the same 15.85g.

After their tests, the Medical Commission of WHO and the UN reported:

“Science, aware of its limits, has come to a halt, face to face with the impossibility of giving an explanation.”

It’s hard to imagine that the UN would get involved with a religious miracle nowadays, let alone admit defeat in explaining it away.

Until the 1990s, Lanciano was the only proven case of the Eucharist turning into human flesh. Other cases have not been tested with modern scientific equipment, nor have the many dozens of bloodstains on corporals and chalices that have been preserved and are venerated as having come from bleeding hosts. But in 1992, the miracles started happening again.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: In 1992, consecrated particles left on the corporal were put into water to dissolve and locked in the tabernacle. One week later, they had changed into a red substance. Then again in 1996 after a consecrated host fell to the ground and was also put in water to dissolve, it was found a few days later to have turned into a bloody substance. Both cases were sent to be tested by the archbishop of Buenos Aires, who was none other than the future Pope Francis.

2006, Tixtla, Mexico: During a retreat, a religious sister who was distributing Communion looked down and noticed that one of the Hosts had begun to bleed and transform.

2008, Sokolka, Poland: A consecrated Host fell to the ground during Communion and was put in water and locked in a tabernacle to dissolve. A week later, most of the Host was dissolved except for a red “clot” that remained.

2013, Legnica, Poland: A consecrated Host fell and was put in water and locked in a tabernacle. Two weeks later a red spot covered one-fifth of the undissolved Host.

(On a side note, in our denomination, if a Sacred Host should fall or otherwise become damaged after it has become the Body of Christ, we do not dissolve it in water, we dust it lightly and consume it. We wash our fingers in small bowl of water and drink the water.) 

Each of these occurrences received intensive study with highly advanced technology. In several cases, doctors did not know the source of the material. And yet, in all the cases, the same results were found, and are consistent with the results of Lanciano, providing even more details due to more advanced science.

The blood is human, AB blood type; human DNA was found; white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and indicating fresh blood present; in the Tixtla miracle, the blood clearly emanated from within, because the blood on the surface had begun to coagulate but the interior blood was still fresh, as with a bleeding wound.

The flesh is human myocardium tissue of the left ventricle of an inflamed heart; in the miracles from Argentina and Poland, there was evidence of trauma from the presence of thrombi, indicating repeated lack of oxygen; lesions present showed rapid cardiac spasms typical in the final phases of death.

In the Sokolka miracle, the remaining host is tightly interconnected with the fibers of human tissue, penetrating each other inseparably – as if the bread were transforming into flesh. “Even NASA scientists, who have at their disposal the most modern analytical techniques, would not be able to artificially recreate such a thing,” affirmed Dr. Sobaniec-Lotowska, who was one of the examining experts.

Dr. Frederick Zugibe, a forensic doctor at Columbia University who examined the Argentinian miracle, did not know the source of the sample and told the doctor who brought it to him:

“If white blood cells were present (in the heart tissue), it is because at the moment you brought me the sample, it was pulsating.”

When he learned the source of the sample, he was shocked and deeply moved.

Why has the Lord suddenly multiplied Eucharistic miracles in the last few decades? Are we, like Doubting Thomas, refusing to believe unless we see, touch, and feel for ourselves? Jesus in His love for Thomas condescended to let him see, touch, and feel His wounds in order to believe. Maybe He is now doing the same for us.

So many young people have rejected religion as “unscientific.” But, here’s the science to prove our faith. Others say they don’t believe in religion because it’s just opinion or contrary to “reason.” Here’s quantifiable, measurable, physical evidence.

But more is going on here. The Church teaches has nearly always taught that in the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.

Scripturally, we see this in John 6:48-58 and 1 Corinthians 10:16 and 11:27. Yet the Eucharist is transforming into human heart only. 

It’s as if Jesus, by transforming into a human heart, is crying out to us, “I’m here! I love you! My heart yearns for you! Was not my crucifixion enough to prove my love for you? See, then, and believe. I have remained hidden in the Eucharist for these two thousand years that I may remain close to you. Please, approach me. Receive me. Quench my thirst for your love.”

If our Lord has condescended to make himself so evident to us in order to be heard above the noise of our modern world, gratitude alone should impel us to respond. 

We should understand that we believe this is a miracle that is without a doubt hard to understand and must be taken in faith. One could go so far to say that the Eucharistic miracle that takes place each time Mass is said, that it is metaphysical! 

Archbishop Bekken often said that he felt the energy went he entered our humble parish, where in other churches there was an empty feeling. I have felt it. Some of you have felt it. It is because Jesus is really and truly present in the tabernacle here on the main alter. The Blessed Sacrament mike look like merely an unleavened wafer, but by the miracle of God, through the words of and actions of the priest, with the help of the Angel of the Mass, those “mere wafers” become the actual Body of Christ. It isn’t hocus pocus. It is a miracle that only faith can accept.

So, we receive Him in Communion. Spend time in Adoration. Learn more about the Mass and the Eucharist so that you may appreciate Him more. On the Cross, Jesus cried out, “I thirst.” As many saints have told us, it was not water He was thirsting for. It was humanity. Those of you reading this online, I say come! Come to our humble chapel and feel energy emanating from Christ during Mass and also from the tabernacle before and after and always! 

Let us pray.

Today, the Feast of Corpus Christi, we celebrate the great gift which Jesus has bestowed on us, the spiritual nourishment that is His Body and Blood. We pray that in uniting His Body and Blood with ours in the Eucharist we are strengthened in our faith and love of God and neighbor. We pray to the Lord.               

The Church, which includes all men, women and children, is the Body of Christ. We pray for a Spirit of unity among all Christians. We pray that God will destroy all the divisions that separate the Christian family and help us to recognize God’s love as the common source of life. We pray to the Lord.               

On this Feast of Corpus Christi, we recognize that Jesus offered His life for all mankind. We pray for enlightenment in Church practice on the reception of the Eucharist, and that all of good faith may be welcomed to the table of the Lord without discrimination. We pray to the Lord.               

We pray for peace in the Holy Land where Jesus blessed its very soil with His presence and message of love of neighbor. We pray for a peace that will dispel all fear and hatred, a peace that will bring justice to both sides. We pray to the Lord.  

For those who do not have access to the Eucharist, that Christ’s presence and love may still enter their lives and their communities. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.

Divine Father, we come before You as children, seeking Your Divine Spirit and life in the Holy Eucharist. Help all present to open their minds, senses and soul to the miracle that we are about to receive.

Holy and redeeming Savior, Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, we your people are preparing to join with you again at that Last Supper you had with your disciples. Help us hear again the full power of your words. Help us feel again the full power of your grace, given in these elements. Lord Jesus, call us once more to the foot of your cross so we might again understand the length and breadth you’re willing to go so we can share in this meal. Bring us together, as the church united by your loving sacrifice. Call us together again so we can praise you with our full voice. And may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

Please help if you can, we are open for services and bringing the message of the Gospel to our troubled world! God Bless You +++

The Third Sunday after Easter

 April 25, 2021

 The Third Sunday after Easter

(World Day of Prayer for Vocations)

(Acts 4:8-12; John 10:11-18)

I am sure many of you have heard someone say that their dog looks like its owner. Oddly, one can go online and see some “evidence” of that theory. What about long married couples? Yes, they too sometimes look alike after many years of marriage. At the very least, their various habits and thought processes have become that of their partner. 

We tend to naturally imitate some traits of those we are close to. Our beliefs and attitudes. Our allegiances. Our hobbies. Favorite brand names. You get the idea. The more we truly see and contemplate one another with love, the more our lives become intertwined. Choosing to love one another molds us together such that we become who we never could have become without one another.

Jesus, today, tells us the story of the “good shepherd.” “A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” This can be a troubling statement to our modern ears, but it shouldn’t be. Long married couples would do this. Dogs tend to be so loyal, they would do the same. (Except Mickey. He would run in opposite direction! He must be the “hired hand” Jesus mentioned!) Of course, as we know, Jesus was speaking metaphorically of himself and what would take place at Golgotha later. 

Though this story represents Jesus’ willingness to suffer on the cross for us, it also harkens to God’s relationship with humanity since the beginning of time and that He will continue to be our shepherd to the end of time.

A hired hand will not stick around to help us when the “wolf” comes to the field – when the devil comes into the field, the hired hand runs. But the good shepherd does not run. He stays and protects the sheep and keeps the wolf at bay. The sheep know their shepherd, more by smell than anything else. The shepherd smells like one of them, because he is around them and sheers their wool and thus his clothes smells like them. 

Jesus’ story came to pass. Jesus was no hired hand. Jesus laid down His life for all of us. We know this to be true from the Scriptures and historical writings. Jesus knew His sheep and gladly laid His life down for all of us. Rebellious sheep that we are, we are chased by the wolf toward the cliff, but our Good Shepherd comes and saves us before we get to the cliff.

When we think of the perception that we look like our pets, or that long married couples look and act alike, it is good to remember that this isn’t the only instance. We were created in God’s image. In fact, Genesis says we were made in “their” (our [Genesis 1:26]) likeness. We were made in the image of the Trinity.

John says in his first epistle, “what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (John 3:2) The Trinity was before we were.

The combination of Jesus’ description of what can happen because He is our Good Shepherd and John’s promise that “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is,” may seem somewhat esoteric, but we need to remember that the Word became flesh. God decided to smell like us so that we could take on the characteristics of the Divine image in which we were created. As such, we move more deeply into what has not yet been revealed through every relationship that draws us more deeply into the love of others.

Friends pick up one another's gestures, and couples who have loved long do begin to resemble one another. That's because they have been given one another what is most precious - they've spent their time on and with one another. In doing so, they have become more whole. 

Today, Christ comes to us in the image of the Good Shepherd. It's important to note that everything He says about being a Good Shepherd is addressed to us in the plural. He doesn't invite us to be His exclusive lamb, but the sheep of His flock. 

Jesus introduces us to God as Trinity, God who is a community in an ever-growing relationship. Jesus invites us to be His communal sheep, smelling like one another, growing in Him, giving our lives to and for one another. Doing that, we become ever more related and thus more like God in whose image we were fashioned.

Isn’t it amazing how our God, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, created us in His image? Isn’t also amazing how we often do not reflect Him in our daily lives? We have been given the greatest gift – life. Life in the image of God. 

Because we treated this gift with such callous indifference, God came down to mankind in the person of the Son. God becomes man to save us, to be close to us, and to show how to live as He intended us to live. To bring us back – all of us are lost sheep. Christ came and beckons us back to the fold. 

He laid down his life that we might have it again after losing it. He comes not just to those who already know Him; he comes to all of mankind. He comes to anyone and everyone. All the sheep of the fold and those who are not. No one is too far for Him to seek and find and bring them to the fold.

Sometimes we forget, or maybe rather not think about the fact that this life we are in now is but glimpse of what it to come. This life is finite, but the life to come is infinite. As followers of the Good Shepherd, we will have everlasting happiness and be transformed even more into the image of God. 

Let us pray.

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells us that He is the Good Shepherd who was prepared to lay down His life for us. We pray that we may be forever in His care and be worthy of the love He has bestowed on us. We pray to the Lord.               

Jesus tells the Apostles “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice”. We pray for our Church that it be an inclusive and a welcoming home for all those it has wrongfully alienated in the past. We pray to the Lord.              

We pray for all those in our church, men and women, ordained and lay, who have been called to the role of shepherd, that they may follow closely the example of Christ and bear witness to His goodness. We pray to the Lord.               

At this time when our Church has a crisis in the priesthood, we pray to the Lord that He inspire both men and women to answer His call to proclaim His Gospel and minister to His flock. We pray to the Lord.               

We pray for an understanding among God’s children that we are all brothers and sisters in the same human family. We pray Lord that you open our ears to the cries of those wounded by discrimination and their passionate appeals for change and that we seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities. We pray to the Lord.

We pray that as we see unprecedented violence in our nation and that of many countries of the world, that we remember Christ’s words that those who “live by the sword, shall die by the sword,” and that the same Christ may inspire all to live in diversity without bloodshed. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.

God of justice, in your wisdom you create all people in your image, without exception. Through your goodness, open our eyes to see the dignity, beauty, and worth of every human being. Open our minds to understand that all your children are brothers and sisters in the same human family. Open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviors, and speech which demean others. Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination, and their passionate appeals for change. Strengthen our resolve to make amends for past injustices and to right the wrongs of history. And fill us with courage that we might seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities.

Help us to reflect Your love for us with the love we have for each other. Thank You for Your love and mercy shown to us. Thank You that we can comfort another with the same love and mercy that has comforted us. Praise be to You, our Shepherd. We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. Help us today to understand more fully how You have made us to live together and serve each other. Help us to understand Your plan for your flock and to give You praise. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

Please help if you can, to keep our ministry alive and vibrant so that there is a place for the those needing respite from a troubled world! God Bless You +++

Low Sunday

 April 11, 2021

Low Sunday

(Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday)

(Acts 4:32-35; John 20:19-31)

In June 2017, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg said that the social media platform with more than 2 billion users is like a church in that users feel part of "a more connected world." But is a virtual community known more for animal videos and political rants really a substitute for what the church is supposed to be? The book of Acts calls us to reconsider what a real church community looks like -- a community with a purpose.

American culture's retreat from traditional in-person social networks like civic groups, service clubs and even churches toward the more isolating kinds of entertainment and interaction made possible by technology.

Mark Zuckerberg founded the social media platform Facebook while a college sophomore at Harvard in 2004. Originally designed as a platform for college students to check one another out, Facebook is now a worldwide network of some 2 billion users who interact with many "friends," some of whom they have never met in person. What was originally a chance to connect and reconnect with new and old friends has morphed into a global phenomenon that purportedly shrinks the distance between people and gives them an opportunity to interact and share themselves with one another.

Studies show that for decades, membership in all kinds of groups has declined by as much as one-quarter. That's a lot of people who now need to find a sense of purpose and support somewhere else. For Zuckerberg, that somewhere else is Facebook, which he sees as a postmodern, post-traditional form of "church." "People who go to church are more likely to volunteer and give to charity," says Zuckerberg, "not just because they're religious, but because they're part of a community." I am not sure I would equate Facebook with being a church, but the later part is true.

Comparing a virtual church of billions of isolated individuals tapping on keyboards to the real thing will cause most church folk to laugh. But we have to ask the question: What is the church missing that would allow Zuckerberg and millions of others to want to substitute wading through political rants and vacation selfies for real interaction with a living, breathing, worshiping community? 

Maybe part of the answer is we need to reach back to the church's roots, and there's no better place to do that than by reading the book of Acts. Almost nobody worships or evangelizes alone in that book and all the interaction is face to face.

This is what the church does. While Facebook's innovation has had an amazing impact in the world by bringing us faces (of friends and family) right to our screen, the church allows us to experience faces -- the faces and lives of people in a community of faith, a community in which we act, serve and work together for the glory of God. We are physically able to share our pains and joys together.

From the very beginning of the book we learn that God, via the Holy Spirit, created this community called church not for the purpose of people merely checking one another out, but for introducing people to the good news of what God had done through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The very premise of the community was that God had come in person in Jesus and hadn't settled for sharing a tweet or posting our latest photos of making fools of ourselves. Jesus would form a real community of disciples, complete with their own quirks and flaws, and train them how to interact with others in order to bring them into God's kingdom. The Spirit empowered them for this work and, as a result, the community platform grew by leaps and bounds.

Immediately, this community began connecting in person around tables in their homes, in the temple and through sharing their goods with one another. In our reading, we get a more detailed window into how the community functioned, and it was a lot more about selfless service than selfies!

What we see in someone's Facebook profile is precisely what they want us to see and no more. Those vacation photos, pics of new cars and beautiful selfies are all designed in some way to show everyone else that we're doing quite well, thank you very much. For some people, the goal is to attract more "friends" and receive more "likes," which can make even the most mature adult begin acting like an insecure and self-obsessed seventh-grader. There's even evidence that using Facebook can cause depression in some who see the lives their "friends" present online as being much better than their own.

The church, on the other hand, was designed as a community where people focus on others more than themselves. It was created as a group centered on belief in the God who had saved them because they were all in the same situation -- they were all sinners in need of grace. They had no impression to manage because they were all outsiders to their culture. Instead, they were "of one heart and soul," completely focused on what God had done for them in Jesus. They modeled their lives after Him by voluntarily and sacrificially caring for others to the point of seeing their own personal possessions as being available to everyone else in the community.

At this point, someone might post a rant that this was an early form of communism or socialism, but rather than being compelled by an external force, the early church gave out of the internal resources of compassion made possible by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Coupled with that deep sense of community was a central narrative that drove the church's action and mission. The church was centered on the story of the apostles' testimony that Jesus had risen from the dead, which had enabled them to receive God's grace in its fullness and compelled them to share that good news with the world. The story became the motivating and uniting factor in the church's life and work -- indeed, it's what made them a "church" in the first place. 

Facebook, on the other hand, has no overarching narrative other than the collective stories of its users and no authoritative testimony other than the individual's opinion and worldview. Facebook’s vision of community doesn't include a central focus other than the human desire for self-elevation, which ultimately leads us back to what the Bible calls "sin." Instead of a central narrative, the social media platform often presents a constant mishmash of personal stories, silly videos, and angry screeds that are designed to draw like-minded people to one's page, with a few exceptions, of course. Granted, many Facebook users enjoy the ability to stay in touch with family members who are elsewhere in the country, and if friends are posting angry political posts or other offensive ideas, they can be easily unfriended.

It was this need for community that led the early church to be generous with one another. As God had been generous with His grace in Jesus, so they would be generous with one another, believing that their lives were part of something much bigger than themselves. Luke says that there was "not a needy person among them" and that members of the church community sold property and gave the proceeds to the apostles to distribute to those who were in need. 

The early church's social platform was driven by generosity developed out of a sense of gratitude to God. People gave out of their scarcity so that others could have enough. Just as a few help me keep St. Francis’ lights on and the insurance paid!

It's interesting that Luke lifts out one name as an example from his description of the early church. A Levite from the island of Cyprus (from the priestly tribe) was named Joseph, but he received the nickname "Barnabas" from the apostles because he was constantly encouraging others in the community. This "son of encouragement" had sold a field and given the proceeds to the Apostles. He didn't need the real estate anymore because he was about to join another convert who underwent a name change (from Saul to Paul) and head out on a mission to spread the good news about Jesus Christ. The church viewed 

While Facebook has launched a revolution in the way people relate to one another in a technological age, it can never replace the church and its real life impact. This assumes, of course, that the church gets back to its primary message and "business" model! 

Maybe if we took seriously the way of community in the early church we wouldn't be competing with a virtual substitute. We can once again be people of the Book who share with others face to face! After all, the lesson isn’t about selling everything you own (which would not be as practical today) - it’s about being a community of faith and support. What can we do for others today?

Let us pray.

In today’s Gospel, we read how Thomas doubted the resurrection of the Lord until he himself could see the wounds in his hands and side. We pray to our Father in heaven that He bless us with faith and that we, without seeing Jesus’s wounds, would be firm in our belief and loyalty to Him. We pray to the Lord.               

That the Church will rededicate herself to living and proclaiming Christ’s compassion, love, mercy and forgiveness in all our dealings with our family, neighbors and particularly those who may have injured or offended us in the past. We pray to the Lord.  

That the sacrificial love of Jesus may inspire everyone to sacrifice some of themselves for anyone in need. We pray to the Lord.

We pray for our young people that they reap the positive benefits of social media while treating their fellow brothers and sisters with the respect and love which Christ has shown to us in His mission on earth. We pray to the Lord.

We pray that You will be with the friends and families of the 11 people shot and killed in our country this past week and those injured from these same shootings. We further pray that our legislators will be inspired and encouraged to create laws to protect people from those who should not carry guns and to eliminate assault weapons from the hands of the regular citizen. Senseless shootings must stop and we ask Your intervention. We pray to the Lord.

We pray that you will intercede in the genocide taking place in Ethiopia and protect the citizens from the atrocities taking place there. We pray to the Lord.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.

Father, as we reflect today on your great mercy, we thank you for the confidence and encouragement we have gained through the resurrections of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We pray that we sinners may be made worthy of your promise of salvation. Mighty God, with grateful hearts we welcome you on this Second Sunday of Easter, joyously repeating the ancient Christian greeting: "Christ is risen!" "He is risen indeed!" Accept now, we pray, our homage for the forgiveness and the promise of newness, in this life and beyond, which in Your amazing grace, You extend to us, through Him. 

Father God, as we go through our new week ahead, give us the courage and inspiration to live in the example of our community of believers who helped the Apostles, and do likewise in the various ways that today’s society affords us. We ask all these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God Love You +++

The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San Diego, CA

Please help if you can, to keep our ministry alive and vibrant so that there is a place for the those needing respite from a troubled world! God Bless You +++

Easter 2021

 April 4, 2021

Easter Sunday

(Colossians 3:1-11; John 20:1-9)

She checks her social media around 10 times a day. Twitter and Facebook are her main sites, but she also looks at Google for news. Since the start of the pandemic, her habit has increased significantly.

“I’m a doom-scroller,” she admits to the Healthline website. Yes, this 26-year-old speech therapist confesses that she has a problem. Doom-scrolling is a new term used to describe the act of endlessly scrolling down news apps, Twitter, and social media, reading all the bad news. “The pandemic has exacerbated these habits in many ways,” says a New York psychologist, “including the fact that there is no shortage of doomsday news.”

If doom-scrolling is part of your daily routine, you are not alone. Twitter use has jumped 24 percent since the start of the pandemic last year, and Facebook is up 27 percent.

The problem with this habit is that it can lead to higher stress. We think that keeping up with the latest news will lessen our anxiety, but it increases it. Doom-scrolling is an “unsatisfying addiction,” says one clinical psychologist. Instead of making us feel safer, it raises our level of fear, anxiety and stress.

But we are not the first to experience this. Journalists admit that they have been doing it for years, and the three women who visited the tomb on Easter morning were some of the very first doom-scrollers.

Mark tells us that when the Sabbath was over, “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint [Jesus]. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.”

What were they feeling? Doom and gloom. Their Messiah had been killed in a humiliating death on a cross. His body had been laid in a cave-like tomb, and a large stone had been rolled against the door. They were feeling grief over the death of Jesus, stress about the future, and anxiety about how they would remove the stone.

As they were walking along, they had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” Anxiety is a feeling of fear or apprehension about what is to come, and that’s exactly what the women were experiencing. Many of us have felt this way over the past year. Minute by minute, their mental health was eroding. But when they arrived, “they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.”

Their doom-scrolling was met by an act of stone-rolling. Finally, some good news!

But as “they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.” They didn’t expect to see anyone, (other than their dead Messiah, of course) so they were startled. The man said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised.” Their doom-scrolling had been focusing on bad news, but the words of the young man gave them reason to hope.

Then the man told them to go “tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” The young man changed their focus from doom and gloom to a new possibility for the future. He promised them that Jesus was going ahead of them, and that they would see Him in Galilee.

So the women fled the tomb, filled with terror and amazement. Since negative emotions can be hard to overcome, Mark admits that “they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Yes, the fear that had been gripping them was not easy to throw off. It took time. And what was true for them is also true for us.

You can turn off Twitter with the flip of a switch. But escaping doom and gloom is not always that simple.

Experts say that the solution to doom-scrolling is to break out of the “vicious cycle of negativity.” That’s the message for the women and for us, when we see large stones in our path and feel alarmed. The good news of Easter is that God has acted in our lives to break the cycle of negativity. We are invited today to see that the stone has already been rolled back, to believe that Jesus has been raised, and to focus on the future where our risen Lord is ahead of us and waiting for us.

And so, the stone is gone, the barrier has been broken down. Most of us have fears about the future, and we often focus on worst-case scenarios. This was what the women were doing as they approached the tomb, fixating on the enormous stone that they feared was going to block them from entering the tomb and anointing the body of Jesus.

However, fear is always worse than reality. “Our brains are crazy,” writes Tyler Tervooren in HuffPost. “Every day they lie to us about how terrible things are or how bad they’re going to be, but when we finally ignore the fear [we] realize everything’s pretty much okay, the world will keep turning, and we’re going to survive.”

Yes, the world will keep turning, and God will keep working. The women were so afraid of the stone that they never dreamed that God would take action to roll it away. Their brains were lying to them about how terrible things were and how bad things were going to be. But then God replaced their doom-scrolling with stone-rolling. (I bet that scared the posted guards! Must have, because they were no longer there!)

God will do the same for each of us. So, don’t let your brain convince you that the stone you fear will always stand in your way. Don’t let your brain lie to you. Since God is always at work, fear is worse than reality.

We need to open our eyes and see that Jesus is no longer dead. The young man in the tomb sensed that the women were not going to believe what he was saying, so he invited them to see for themselves. Jesus “is not here,” said the man. “Look, there is the place they laid him.”

Jesus is not here, dead in the tomb. See for yourself. Instead, He is alive in people who are showing His grace, His love, His forgiveness, His healing and His justice. Jesus is alive and well whenever a stranger is welcomed, a child is loved, a friend is forgiven, a patient is healed and an injustice is made right.

Resurrection is not stuck in history, but a reality at every time. The risen Christ, is saving and healing, here and now, and touching every place and time. Jesus comes into contact with human suffering whenever it is experienced. In the face of today’s racism and violence, Jesus suffers still, yet loves the more. 

Jesus is not dead in the tomb. Instead, He is found in His followers who act with justice, love and praise. Open your eyes, and see that Jesus is alive and well in you, and in the people around you.

We are challenged to look to the future, not to the past. Our risen Lord Jesus is not simply with us — He is ahead of us as the man told the women, always ahead of us, calling us into the future that He is preparing for us. Our job is to figure out where Jesus is leading us, and to follow Him there. Something we need to seek urgently in a time of sorrow and unknown.

Doom-scrolling traps us in a vicious cycle of negativity that fuels our anxiety. “Our minds are wired to look out for threats,” says Dr. Amelia Aldao, who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. “The more time we spend scrolling, the more we find those dangers, the more we get sucked into them, the more anxious we get.” But what if we replaced a vicious cycle with a virtuous cycle? What if we turned away from threats and looked for possibilities? This is what Jesus was doing by moving ahead of his disciples to Galilee, and what He is doing by going ahead of us today. Jesus is rolling away stones and calling us forward.

I like to think that my daily hour of prayer each day, mixed with Lectio Divina, is a way of setting my mind in a more positive set of thoughts. I have always recommended some form of daily structured prayer. You would be surprised how the Holy Spirit interacts with you!

Let’s move toward new possibilities for deeper connections with family members and friends, new possibilities for vital ministry and mission in the church, and new possibilities for justice and righteousness in our community and nation.

We don’t have to focus on doom and gloom. Not with the stone rolled away and our Lord calling us forward.

Let us pray.

That the joy of Easter will infuse the church with energy to proclaim God’s good news. We pray to the Lord.

That all nations of the world will act to protect the precious gift of life. We pray to the Lord.

That all for whom this Easter is not joyful will know they are not alone and will experience Christ’s compassionate presence. We pray to the Lord.

That all gathered here will be filled with the strength of Christ’s Spirit and will seek out creative ways to witness to the resurrection. We pray to the Lord.

That those who seek justice may find it in the transformation of hearts, minds, and our institutions. We pray to the Lord.

That we maintain the patience, vigilance, and understanding necessary to keep us safe during the pandemic, and for a speedy and equitable distribution of the vaccines. We pray to the Lord.

For all those who give of themselves so that others may be helped – doctor, nurse, healthcare worker, EMT, police officer, firefighter, grocer, trucker, store clerk, mail carrier, takeout cook, hospital and building cleaner, teacher, childcare worker, mental health professional, and countless others.  May they receive your protection as they serve. For those who have died and whose names are listed in this week’s church bulletin. May they celebrate everlasting life in Christ Jesus. We pray to the Lord.

We gather, O God, in your presence to rejoice in the light of the empty tomb. The stone has been rolled away, both from the mouth of the tomb and from the depths of our hearts. During this difficult time, we have been trying to live in the power of the risen Christ. We also have tried to grow daily in the presence of our risen Savior.

For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.                    

We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.

Some of us, too, have suffered a long winter of the soul. We have struggled to breathe in the chill wind of adversity. We have been unable to grow anything in the barren fields of doubt and fear. We have trembled and shivered as we have struggled to sense the warmth of your love. We come to the empty tomb with an expectant hope in our hearts and the prayer of faith on our lips. We are confident that you are about to do a new thing, O God. We believe that the stone, which we struggle to move ourselves, is about to be blown out of its ruts. We look for an encounter with the risen Christ, and to that end we bow in worship, and worship in wonder, and wonder in faith, and have faith in you. We ask all these things, as we always do, through Christ, Your Son and our Lord. Amen.

Happy Easter! God Love You +++

++ The Most Rev. Robert Winzens

Pastor – St. Francis Chapel

San. Diego, CA

Please help if you can, to keep our ministry alive and vibrant so that there is a place for the those needing respite from a troubled world! God Bless You +++