Holy Trinity

Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Holy Trinity
First Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
"O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!" Today we celebrate the name of God: holy blessed Trinity. There is no other day quite like this one in the church’s year. There is no other god like ours. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One,
and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith,
defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31

In the Bible, wisdom has many faces. It is portrayed in terms sometimes human and sometimes divine. Often, it is personified as feminine. In this passage, Woman Wisdom is depicted not only as the first creation of God but also as God's helper, rejoicing in God's creation, especially in human beings.

Does not wisdom call,
and does not understanding raise her voice?
²On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
³beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
⁴"To you, O people, I call,
and my cry is to all that live.
²²The LORD created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.
²³Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
²⁴When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
²⁵Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth —
²⁶when he had not yet made earth and fields,
or the world's first bits of soil.
²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
²⁸when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
²⁹when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
³⁰then I was beside him, like a master worker;
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
³¹rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the human race.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 8

Your glory is chanted above the heavens. (Ps. 8:2)

¹O ^| LORD our Lord,

how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth!—

²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens out of the mouths of in- ^| fants and children;

you have set up a fortress against your enemies, to silence the foe ^| and avenger.

³When I consider your heavens, the work ^| of your fingers,

the moon and the stars you have set ^| in their courses,

⁴what are mere mortals that you should be mind- ^| ful of them,

human beings that you should ^| care for them?

⁵Yet you have made them little less ^| than divine;

with glory and hon- ^| or you crown them.

⁶You have made them rule over the works ^| of your hands;

you have put all things un- ^| der their feet:

⁷all ^| flocks and cattle,

even the wild beasts ^| of the field,

⁸the birds of the air, the fish ^| of the sea,

and whatever passes along the paths ^| of the sea.

⁹O ^| LORD our Lord,

how majestic is your name in ^| all the earth!

Second Reading

Romans 5:1–5

Paul describes the life of faith with reference to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Even now, we have peace with God through Jesus, and our hope for the future is grounded in the love of God that we experience through Christ's Holy Spirit.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Gospel

John 16:12–15

Jesus' ongoing presence with the disciples will be borne by the coming Spirit, who will guide them and communicate to them Jesus' will and glory.

¹²I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Reflection

How good are you at dwelling in mystery? I would guess that if you thought about it quickly your initial response might be ‘not so good’. Yet given further thought you might agree with me that we dwell in mystery each day of our lives and while we’d love to know the answers there is some wonder to be found in the dwelling in the unknown. It would be tough to do all the time but from time to time it’s a good place to be.

This Sunday we celebrate the Trinity on a Sunday called by the same name. Could you explain the Trinity to me? Three in one and one in three? Is it like an apple; skin, fruit and core? Is it like water in different stages; boiling, frozen and in a glass to drink? No matter what analogy or picture we might throw at it or paint, it will come up short. For, when all is said and done, it’s a mystery.

Maybe we should just stand back and revel in it as opposed to trying to figure it out. We begin to understand its expressions in the three article of the Apostles’ Creed but once we start pushing those boundaries it gets a bit confusing.

This past Sunday we celebrated the gift of the Spirit as the disciples, waiting in Jerusalem, received it. Each Sunday as we gather we celebrate the Body and Blood of Christ in, with and under the bread and wine. And when we, like the psalmist, walk outdoors we are in awe and wonder at what that Father has wrought in creation.

How do we put the three together and understand them as an undivided unity yet separate in person? I don’t know, my tiny mind can’t explain. But…I believe it and I trust it and I have experienced it in all its grandeur and glory. And…I’m fascinated to dwell in its mystery!

Let Us Pray

For patience in understanding regarding those realities that escape us

For leadership and wisdom in the gulf coast in light of the ongoing oil spill

For whose lives and livelihoods are affected by the spill

That those who mourn may be comforted with the hope of the resurrection

That the unemployed would find meaningful work

Quote

The much-maligned doctrine of the Trinity is an assertion that, appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, there is only one God.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit mean that the mystery beyond us, the mystery among us and the mystery within us are all the same mystery. Thus the Trinity is a way of saying something about us and the way we experience God.

The Trinity is also a way of saying something about God and the way he is within himself, ie., God does not need the Creation in order to have something to love because within himself love happens. In other words, the love of God is love not as a noun but s a verb. This verb is reflexive as well as transitive.

If the idea of God as both Three and One may seem far-fetched and obfuscating, look in the mirror some day.

There is (a) the interior life known only to yourself and those you choose to communicate it to (the Father). There is (b) the visible face which, in some measures, reflects that inner life (the Son). And there is (c) the invisible power you have in order to communicate that interior life in such a way that others do not merely know about it, but know it in the sense of its becoming part of who they are (the Holy Spirit). Yet what you are looking at in the mirror is clearly and indivisibly the one and only You. Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking.

Day of Pentecost

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Day of Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Ken Klassen

INTRODUCTION

Pentecost is a day of promises fulfilled. The promised Spirit of God is poured out. The baptized have become "children of God" and "joint heirs with Christ." By the power of the Spirit we have seen the face of the Father in his only begotten Son and been saved by him. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

God our creator, the resurrection of your Son offers life to all the peoples of earth.

By your Holy Spirit, kindle in us the fire of your love, empowering our lives for service and our tongues for praise, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading Acts 2:1–21

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now, surrounded by signs of fire, wind, and a variety of languages in their midst, the people were amazed and astonished at Jesus' promise coming true.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

5Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

14But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

17'In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,

and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams.

18Even upon my slaves, both men and women,

in those days I will pour out my Spirit;and they shall prophesy.

19And I will show portents in the heaven above

and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

20The sun shall be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.

21Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Psalm (ELW) Psalm 104:24–34, 35b

Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30)

24How manifold are your | works, O LORD!

In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full | of your creatures.

25Yonder is the sea, great and wide, with its swarms too man- | y to number,

living things both | small and great.

26There go the ships | to and fro,

and Leviathan, which you made for the | sport of it.

27All of them | look to you

to give them their food | in due season.

28You give it to them; they | gather it;

you open your hand, and they are filled | with good things.

29When you hide your face, | they are terrified;

when you take away their breath, they die and return | to their dust.

30You send forth your Spirit, and they | are created;

and so you renew the face | of the earth.

31May the glory of the LORD en- | dure forever;

O LORD, rejoice in | all your works.

32You look at the earth | and it trembles;

you touch the mountains | and they smoke.

33I will sing to the LORD as long | as I live;

I will praise my God while I | have my being.

34May these words of | mine please God.

I will rejoice | in the LORD.

35Bless the LORD, | O my soul.

Hal- | lelujah!

Second Reading Romans 8:14–17

Here Paul speaks about the mystery of baptism: through the Holy Spirit we are claimed, gathered, and welcomed into Christ's body, the church. And we receive new names in our adoption: brother, sister, child of God.

14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Gospel John 14:8–17 [25–27]

Though the disciples struggle with Jesus' nature and identity, they receive the promise that they too will be identified with God and God's mission. Though he must leave them now, Jesus promises the coming of the Advocate whom God will send to comfort and enlighten them.

8Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

15If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

25I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

Reflection

Our First Reading is from the book of Acts and it describes the Day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. A picture is sketched of a sound like a violent wind, tongues of fire, and a general sense of bewilderment. Everyone at this event is speaking in another language “as the Spirit enabled them.” As I read verse 12, I too ask “What does this mean?” Perhaps I’m not amazed, but I am perplexed. Then Peter explains that it is the fulfillment of a prophecy from Joel. Aaaah! So I read the prophecy and I understand a little more, but I’m still confused.

I believe Verse 12 is there for a reason. Not only does it tell me that on that Day the question was asked, “What does this mean?”, it also tells me that it’s OK that I don’t understand everything from the Holy Spirit. If we take a step back and look again at the sketch, we see that even the full introductory presence of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost didn’t give everyone that was there a complete or even a common understanding. The Holy Spirit spoke and to some it wasn’t in their language. To others the words were heard, but not everyone understood the same exact meaning. Today I can hear the Holy Spirit and I don’t always understand what it means, but that’s OK because I recognize the Spirit and it’s a comfort just to hear it.

Prayer

Lord we give thanks for God’s amazing grace and pray for:

• Grace and calm to accept that not everything is understandable
• continuing wisdom for President Obama
• all those who serve our country and work for peace
• the sick, the suffering, and those in need

Quote

The "problem" with life is always, "What does this mean?" And that, in a nut shell is what the last 2,000 years have been about. David Ewart

5th SUnday of Easter

Sunday, May 2, 2010
Fifth Sunday of Easter

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
Easter initiates a new day. It anticipates a new heaven and a new earth. The risen Lord is making all things new. In the mystery of holy baptism God has made new people of us. Today the Lord Jesus invites us to see everyone in a new light—through the lens of love.

Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, died 373
Best remembered for defending the teaching that Christ was fully God against those who taught otherwise, Athanasius was an influential church leader around the time of the Council of Nicea. He was banished from Alexandria five times for his forthright views.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord God, you teach us that without love, our actions gain nothing. Pour into our hearts your most excellent gift of love, that, made alive by your Spirit, we may know goodness and peace,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

FIRST LESSON Acts 11:1–18

In defense of his earlier baptism of pagan believers, Peter demonstrates to the members of the Jerusalem church that God's intention to save Gentiles as well as Jews is revealed in Jesus' own testimony. In this way the mission to the Gentiles was officially authorized.
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. ²So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, ³saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" ⁴Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ⁵I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. ⁶As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷I also heard a voice saying to me, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' ⁸But I replied, 'By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' ⁹But a second time the voice answered from heaven, 'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' ¹⁰This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. ¹¹At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. ¹²The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. ¹³He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; ¹⁴he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.' ¹⁵And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. ¹⁶And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' ¹⁷If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?" ¹⁸When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, "Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life."

PSALM 148

Hallelujah! Praise the LORD ^| from the heavens;

praise God ^| in the heights.

²Praise the LORD, ^| all you angels;

sing praise, all you ^| hosts of heaven.

³Praise the LORD, ^| sun and moon;

sing praise, all you ^| shining stars.

⁴Praise the LORD, heav- ^| en of heavens,

and you waters a- ^| bove the heavens.

⁵Let them praise the name ^| of the LORD,

who commanded, and they ^| were created,

⁶who made them stand fast forev- ^| er and ever,

giving them a law which shall not ^| pass away. R

⁷Praise the LORD ^| from the earth,

you sea monsters ^| and all deeps;

⁸fire and hail, ^| snow and fog,

tempestuous wind, do- ^| ing God's will;

⁹mountains ^| and all hills,

fruit trees ^| and all cedars;

¹⁰wild beasts ^| and all cattle,

creeping things and ^| flying birds;

¹¹sovereigns of the earth ^| and all peoples,

princes and all rulers ^| of the world;

¹²young ^| men and maidens,

old and ^| young together. R

¹³Let them praise the name ^| of the LORD,

whose name only is exalted, whose splendor is over ^| earth and heaven.

¹⁴The LORD has raised up strength for the people and praise for all ^| faithful servants,

the children of Israel, a people who are near the LORD. ^| Hallelujah! R

SECOND LESSON Revelation 21:1–6

John's vision shows us that in the resurrection the new age has dawned; God dwells with us already. Yet we wait for the time when the tears that cloud our vision will be wiped away. Then we will see the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
"See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
⁴he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away."
⁵And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." ⁶Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

GOSPEL John 13:31–35

Jesus speaks of his glorification on the cross. As Jesus loves, even to death on the cross, so ought his disciples love one another. Indeed, love shall be the distinctive mark of Jesus' community.
³¹When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³²If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. ³³Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' ³⁴I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

REFLECTION

In recent years the nomenclature of the church has changed a bit. In days of old we often measured success by the number of ‘members’ that belonged to the church that were confirmed, communing and contributing. It was an easy mark. Nowadays we have shifted to the word ‘discipleship’ only the understanding of success in that realm is a bit fuzzier. How do we note that and measure it?

Members tends to be a exclusive word, disciples a bit more inclusive. The use of the word Members tends to qualify, disciples tends to quantify. A couple of years ago I began to use the phrase the ‘community of God’s people gathered’ to describe Atonement because at any given time those who are present are not always members and membership tends to fluctuate at any given moment.

Back to disciples and discipleship. It makes more sense to me especially in light of our New Testament understandings. Disciples were those who followed Jesus and grew along the way. You and I are followers of Jesus and hopefully we are growing along the way yet how do we measure success?

John’s Gospel gives us a clue that is pretty specific: ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." If you have love for one another... The love that Jesus talks about is a love that is freely given. It is love that is exhibited in the midst of anger and sometimes hatred. It goes the extra mile, shares the last bit of energy and gives until there’s nothing left to offer. It is, finally, life-giving.

I know that if I hold myself up to that model I have a long way to go to meet the expectation yet I also know that when I fail Jesus stands ready to forgive and start anew with me. That’s what his love is all about, exhibited on the cross for the entire world to see.

Love one another. There’s the bar that’s been set. And know that when you fail to reach the bar, should that happen, you are forgiven and given a chance to start again.

LET US PRAY

That we might love one another as Christ has loved us

For hearts open to newness

That we might forgive as we have been forgiven

For our enemies and those who hate us

To be open to the power of the Spirit

QUOTE

Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy desire,--that thou mayest be stripped of all selfishness, and with entire simplicity follow Jesus only. --Thomas à Kempis