"In the first place, therefore, dearly beloved, those who are not good to others are bad to themselves and those who do not come to the aid of others as best they can do harm to their own souls." - Leo of Rome, (c.400-461)

My sermon for today: Ultimate Things

"When Love is grounded in communion with God, we know that even in death we are close to one another, and our hearts can be even more deeply united in the purpose and calling God created for us." - Mark Gornik, (b. 1961), "Sharing the Crust"

"Where Jesus is, this is church, not a collection of individuals, but something new that is already there by the call of God. The body of Christ." - Mark Gornik, (b. 1961), "Sharing the Crust"

“Little things are little things; but faithfulness in little things is a very great thing.” - William Temple, (1881-1944)

"In Christian faith, God trusts us, granting us the gift of our choices, the way we build and sustain our relationships. Trust is also a social practice; it is the way communities and relationships are held together. (1/2)

"Communion is everything - we are woven together in life, in beauty, in truth. Belonging, communion rooted in Love. Our presence, our service, our stories, alive in Love. Communion is all we have. Communion is all we need." - Mark Gornik, (b. 1961), "Sharing the Crust"

"The knowledge is small which we have on earth concerning things that are done in heaven; notwithstanding, this much we know even of saints in heaven, that they pray." - Richard Hooker, (1554-1600)

A brief homily for All Saints' Sunday: "Saints Aim Higher"

"For all the saints who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia! Alleluia!" - William Walsham How, (1823-1897) #AllSaintsDay

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. (Wisdom 3:1-3)

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. For great is the might of the Lord; but by the humble he is glorified. (Sirach 3:18-20)

O Lord, your word is everlasting; it stands firm in the heavens. (Psalm 89:1)

Our heart never turned back, nor did our footsteps stray from your path. (Psalm 44:18)

A short homily on the Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

This is a challenging teaching of Meister Eckhart. From ‘Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness and Light’📚

I will sing of mercy and justice; to you, O Lord, will I sing praises. (Psalm 101:1) #mercy #justice

Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

On the Feast of St. James of Jerusalem: God of revelation and reform, we thank you for James and his change from unbelief to knowing Jesus, his brother, as Savior, and dying for his faith. Grant that when we are wrong we may trust you enough to change. Amen. - A New Zealand Prayer Book

"Our only business is to be ourselves, to let God love us and save us with divine love and mercy. That's it." - Thomas Merton, (1915-1968)

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

"Just do what needs to be done. Let God take care of the results." - Thomas Merton, (1915-1968)

When you are empty From “Meister Eckhart’s Book of Darkness and Light”

On the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist: Jesus, the crucified, let not our feet take us from suffering to the other side of the road; keep us, with Luke, helpers, healers, and bearers of hope. Amen. - "A New Zealand Prayer Book"

“The times call upon thee to pray. For as the wind aids the pilot of a ship, and as havens are advantageous for safety to a tempest-tossed vessel, so is also prayer to thee, in order that thou mayest attain to God.” - Ignatius of Antioch, (c.35-c.108) #prayer

You, O Lord, are my lamp; my God, you make my darkness bright. (Psalm 18:29)

“Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life, which is short and has to be lived by you alone; and there is only one Glory, which is eternal. If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing." Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. (1/2)

"The road forward runs through the past." - Jason Bryan Silverstein

I cry to the Lord with my voice; to the Lord I make loud supplication. I pour out my complaint before him and tell him all my trouble. (Psalm 142:1-2)

"The fact is that our Present has become the very Past we desperately hoped we had outrun. History, as it turns out, has swifter feet than even the most alert of us could've expected." "The People's Project" @theferocity.bsky.social @maggiesmithpoet.bsky.social

Oh, how good and pleasant it is, when brethren live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

Out of the depths have I called to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice; let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication. (Psalm 130:1)

"The source of justice is not vengeance but charity." - Birgitta of Sweden, (c. 1303-1373)

"Christ is with us until the world’s end. Let his little flock be bold therefore." - William Tyndale, (c. 1494-1536)

My sermon for today:

"Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. (1/2)

Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come before you; hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble. (Psalm 102:1)

"If we were incapable of humility we would be incapable of joy, because humility alone can destroy the self-centeredness that makes joy impossible." - Thomas Merton, (1915-1968)

"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them." - Thérèse of Lisieux, (1873-1897)

“Begin now to be what you will be hereafter.” - Jerome, (c. 347-420)

My sermon for today:

"God does not consider the outcome of the good work undertaken but the charity that accompanied it." - Vincent de Paul, (1581-1660)

“Gratitude is the praise we offer God: for teachers kind, benefactors never to be forgotten, for all who have advantaged me, (1/2)

"The mystery of the poor is this: That they are Jesus, and what you do for them you do for Him. It is the only way we have of knowing and believing in our love. (1/2)

“People say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. (1/2)

In Times of Conflict O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, (1/2)

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. One day tells its tale to another, and one night imparts knowledge to another. (Psalm 19:1-2)