Easter Week Saturday

Prayer;  Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Saviour of the world,  with great delight we give  You our love.  Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Saviour of the world,  we ask for Your presence of peace. Holy Spirit,  You are light and life itself,  a living fountain of knowledge and wisdom.  Cleanse our sins so that we may shine the light and love of God the Father,  and Jesus Christ His only son,  and the Holy Spirit to those we meet this day and in the next.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Each of the Saturday’s  in Easter we will reflect upon the Apostles Creed.   The Apostles Creed was written over decades  as Christians gathered together and decided to put in writing what they believed.  This was not an easy task.  It took decades to write and re-write.  Yet the Christians did not stop because they got discouraged.  The Christians kept going because they knew how important it is for all Christians to be able to state what they believe.   

Reflection:  What do you believe?   Can you state in a paragraph what the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit means to you?

Repeat several times the Apostles Creed:  

I believe in God the Father Almighty,  Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ His Only Son our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost

Born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate

Was crucified, dead, and buried

He descended into hell

The third day He rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven

And sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead

I believe in the Holy Ghost

The holy catholic Church

The Communion of Saints

The Forgiveness of Sins

The Resurrection of the body

And the Life everlasting.

Amen.

Reflection:  What does it mean to believe in a God who creates?  Does God ever stop creating?  In Genesis,  it states that God created the world out of chaos.     Out of chaos came hope and love.  Does this comfort you knowing that God can create out of chaos and bring hope and love into the world?   How does God bring hope and love into a very chaotic world?

Sit in silence for a few moments.   Let what you have read today wash over your thoughts and your mind.

Prayer:  Thank You God that You are our Creator and Redeemer.  You take what we view as hopeless and destitute and make it into our lives filled with great hope and  with renewed life.  Renew our lives today O Lord with Your hope and Your great love.  Amen.

Easter Week Friday

Prayer:  Great God,  we are blessed that we can keep Your Word.   We rejoice that we can keep Your Word in our hearts, and minds, and souls and rejoice in Your glory.  Now and forever.  Amen.

Time of reflection….

“Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and keep it.”  St Luke 11:28

 Today we will focus on how to keep God’s Word.  What does it mean to keep God’s Word?   First we must understand that God gave us Jesus so that we might have eternal life.  The Easter Story of Resurrection!  Hallelujah!    God asks us for nothing in return.  How amazing is that.   Our gift that we can give to God is our love and gratitude and knowing God’s Word.     Second we must understand that we will only keep God’s Word by knowing what “the Word” means.   We keep God’s Word by reading the Scriptures daily and reflecting upon these Scriptures.   Eventually the Scriptures will become part of our lives.

Many years ago in Sunday School,  memorizing portions of the Scripture was a neat way to teach the Bible.   Now that method of learning Scripture is out of fashion as it just lead to memorizing Scripture but not making it a part of one’s life.   But sometimes  knowing several verses of the Bible is a good thing.    Being able to call up portions of the Scriptures when we are in a sticky situation is a good thing.  

Reflect for a moment:  what is your favourite Bible passage?   

What attracts you to this Bible passage?   For some people it is the image that the Bible verses portray.  For other people,  it is the message that comes from the verses.

Can you repeat your favourite Bible passage without looking up the verses in the Bible?

Each day this coming week,  try to memorize a portion of Scripture.   By memorizing the Scripture,  it becomes part of us – then the Word of God becomes alive.  

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it”  St Luke 11: 28  (NIV, Zondervan  1983).

Funny thing sitting in the Doctor's office today wondering what was up with my ol' body.  There were no other patients.   So what does a person do when they are all alone?  Sit and pray.  It was a wonderful hour of sitting and praying for family and friends and all those who hear God's Word and keep it.   Blessed.

Prayer:  Great God,  help us this day and every day to hear Your Word and to obey Your Word.   You are a fountain of living Water that when we are thirsty for Your Word,  Your Word is present.   We thank You that we can read and listen to Your Word each day.  Alleluia!

Easter Thursday

Prayer:  We have seen the resurrection of Christ; let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, who alone is without sin.  We venerate thy Cross, O Christ; and we praise and glorify thy holy resurrection.  For thou art our God; we know no other save thee; upon thy name we call.  Come, all ye faithful,  let us venerate the holy resurrection of Christ;  for lo,  through the Cross joy has come to all the world.  Ever blessing the Lord, we sing the praises of his resurrection;  for he endured the Cross on our behalf, and has destroyed death by death.  #662  Oxford Book of Prayer.

Read St. Luke 11: 14 -  28

This is one strong story.   A man has a demon  that kept him from talking.   Jesus healed the man and suddenly the man can talk. In fact,  the man is so excited that he can talk,  he talks a “blue streak”.        The crowd is completely surprised.    But some of the crowd was sceptical and thought that the healing of Jesus was from the devil.   Goodness!   How did they think that?   Hadn’t they seen the miracles of Jesus over and over again?   Did they not know the power of God?

But aren’t we often like the sceptical crowd?   We sit in meetings and an issue comes across that should raise a red flag but we let it pass.   Sometimes we let an issue pass because we don’t want to be the one to create a stink in the meeting.   Or sometimes we let an issue pass because we don’t think we have the wisdom to tackle the issue.   

What did Jesus do to those who had raised an issue?  Did he just ignore them and hope they would go away?  Nope,  Jesus tackled the issue right away by saying,  “Any country in civil war for very long is wasted.  A constantly squabbling family falls to pieces.  If Satan cancels Satan, is there  any Satan left?  You accuse me of ganging up with the Devil to cast out demons, but if you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil who kicks out devils,  doesn’t the same mud stick to your own exorcists?  But if it’s God’s finger I’m pointing that sends the demons on their way,  then God’s kingdom is here for sure!”  (St Luke 11: 17-20  The Message,  NavPress 2005).

Then God’s kingdom is here for sure.   Jesus continues to teach that there is no neutral ground.  If we sit and do nothing,  then we are just making things worse. 

And then from the crowd comes a voice of a woman.    Not a man as was the tradition in Jewish culture,  but a woman.  Speaking out in public.   A woman spoke up from the crowd.  She understood that to stand by and do nothing is worse than doing something.  She yells out over the crowd,  “Blessed the womb that carried you, and the breasts at which you nursed!”  This is a very traditional extravagant compliment.  This compliment is heartily meant as well as a compliment more to butter up a person.    The woman has a part understanding of what Jesus is teaching.    

Jesus then says to her, “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and keep it!”

Today,  how will you hear God’s Word and keep it?

Prayer:  Almighty God,  who through Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ has overcome death, and opened to us the gate of everlasting life.  We humbly beseech You, that as by Your grace preventing us You have put into our minds good desires, so by Your continual help we may bring the same to good effect;  through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,  ever one God, world without end.  Amen.  #663 Oxford Book of Prayer.

Wednesday evening of Easter Week

Sometimes the paperwork from Museum and Cadets builds up on the table, floor, sewing table,  bins until there is so much paper that one can't see the forest for the trees.    And then out of the paperwork comes a bit of hand stitching.    A mini retreat and sanity saver.   A time to refresh. As I plunk the needle into the fabric,  I begin to pray.   Aaaaah.

Christ is risen indeed!

Easter Wednesday

Prayer:  Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end,  Alpha and Omega.  His are all times and all ages;  to him be glory and dominion through all the ages of eternity.  By his holy and glorious wounds, may Christ our Lord guard us and keep us.  May the light of Christ, rising in glory, scatter the darkness of our heart and mind.  #656 Oxford Book of Prayer.

Read St. Luke 11:  10 – 13

These next verses are Jesus’ continuation on prayer.   Do not bargain with God.  Be direct.  Ask for what you need.        Every once in a while  the TV has a reflection on Christianity that surprises us.     In the Simpsons TV show,  there is one episode were little Bart Simpson has not completed his school homework.  In desperation,  Bart introduces himself to God and then asks that God may provide him with a snow day so that he can get his homework completed.    The next day,  Bart wakes up to find that it is indeed a snow day.  School has been cancelled.   But instead of doing his homework,  Bart runs outside to play.   It is only at night as Bart is going to bed that his younger sister Lisa says to him, “Bart,  don’t you  have something to do?  Didn’t I hear you last night ask God to make it snow so you could get your homework completed?”

This is exactly what Jesus is saying to the disciples…. do not bargain with God.   Ask God directly for only what you need.  We must come to God in prayer first.  It is only as we come to God in prayer  can we ask God for what we need.    Not what you want but for what you need.      Each of our prayers to God must include the words “but not my will but Your will be done O Lord”.   

  

Jesus continues to teach that even an earthly father will give to his child what the child needs.     How much more will God provide for our needs.   Some people think prayer is an immediate response (rather like Bart Simpson and his snow day).    Some people get frustrated and say God is not listening to them when their prayer requests remain unanswered.     Remember that God hears all our prayers.  God is with us and within us loving us no matter what we do or say.  

Frequently the things we pray about that we think we need are really just wants.  For instance:  I want a job,  I want better pay,  I want that nice red shiny truck,  I want to preach like the best preacher in the world,  I want money to pay off my mortgage, I want to be healed from my sickness, I want more people to attend Church.     But these are all “wants”.    Jesus taught that God would answer our prayers for what we need.    

Today reflect upon these sentences.   Ask and you’ll receive.  Seek and you will find.  Knock and the door will be open. 

Prayer:    Christ is risen from the dead;  trampling down death by death; and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.  Though thou didst go down into the grave, O Immortal One, yet thou didst put down the power of hades and didst rise a conqueror, O Christ our God; thou spakest clearly to the myrrh-bearing women, Rejoice; thou didst bestow peace upon thine apostles, and to the fallen hast thou brought resurrection.  #658  Oxford Book of Prayer.

Easter Tuesday

Prayer:  Alleluia Christ is Risen.    May we live this day in Your joy and Your praise knowing that You love us beyond all comprehension.  Alleluia!   Great God,  we thank You that You can forgive us of our sins and give us new life. We thank and praise You O Lord.   Alleluia!

Read  St Luke  24:  13 - 32

Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed.  Many years ago at Essa Road Presbyterian Church in Barrie ON,  a young student intern was asked to do the Children’s story on Easter Sunday.     The young student intern thought what would make the greatest impression on children so that they never forgot the story of Easter.   The young student intern decided that candy was the way to go.   So the young student intern purchased red marshmallow easter eggs.   On Easter Sunday, as the children gathered around for the Children’s Story  the young student intern  said that we remember that Jesus died for our sins and forgave us all our sins through his sacrifice.  Jesus died and was buried and the third day he arose.  Jesus was raised from the dead.   To remember the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ wasn’t just for us but for everyone,  we would each take three red marshmallow eggs out of the bag and find someone in the congregation to share the egg.   We would give them an egg and say, “Christ is Risen”.   Then the person in the congregation would respond,  “Christ is Risen indeed”.     With great delight,  the children went to the congregation and began sharing their eggs by saying  “Christ is Risen”.    As each red marshmallow egg exchanged hands,  the egg would start to melt.  By the end of the Children’s story,  every single person in the congregation on Easter Sunday had a red hand from the dye on the egg.    The young student intern was mortified about the red hands but one very wise Elder (Albert Blom)  said, “You know that is the best illustration of Easter I’ve ever seen.   While we hear that Jesus died for our sins and then was risen,  this is the first time in my life that I’ve been physically marked in Church at Easter.  All day Easter Sunday,  I will look down at my red hand and think—Jesus died for me.  Hallelujah”.  

The red marshmallow eggs made an impression on this Elder but how often do we celebrate Easter on Sunday and then that is it.  We put the celebration of Resurrection out of our minds until next year and the next Easter.

We are not alone in our forgetting.   Two of the disciples were walking to the village of Emmaus.   They were mulling over in their minds all that had happened.   In the midst of the talking,  Jesus appeared to them but they did not recognize them.   Jesus asked them what was going on and they replied told him the story of Jesus.   Jesus asked them why they could not simply believe.   And he began teaching them from the very beginning about the love of God.   They were amazed and didn’t want his teaching to end.  So they invited the Teacher  to have supper with them to continue teaching.   As soon as Jesus blessed the bread and broke the bread,  their eyes were opened and they recognized that the man was Jesus. 

This day, reflect on the joy of the risen Christ.     Take time to reflect on the life of Jesus.   Reflect upon the teachings of Jesus.  Ask yourself how these teachings of Jesus apply to your life.     If you can’t find any connection at all,  take a red marker pen and colour on the palm of your hand (or better yet find red marshmallow eggs!).    Each time you look at the red splotch on your palm  say, “Jesus died for me.  Hallelujah.  Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed”.

Prayer: Jesus,  you died for me.  Alleluia.  Jesus,  you died to give me eternal life.  Alleluia.  Jesus,  you died to make me brand new in You.   Alleluia!  This day,  I ask for  forgiveness to  those that I have hurt and caused pain.  This day,  O LORD,  I forgive those who have caused me hurt and pain.  I leave their lives and their pain with You knowing that You can heal them and make them whole.  Alleluia!

Easter Monday

The prayers this month come from the George Appleton (General Editor)  Oxford Book of Prayer.  Oxford, 1989.  Prayers from this book are noted with the Prayer number at the end of the prayer.  These are ancient and modern prayers...  prayers prayed by centuries of Christians to the fullness of life in God.   Alleluia.

Monday April 1     Easter Monday

Prayer:   Christ is risen from the dead.  Alleluia.  Christ is risen to forgive our sins.  Alleluia.   Christ has risen so that we have new life in God.  Alleluia.   Today may we live this day knowing that we are made new.   Alleluia!

Read St Luke 11: 5 – 9

Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed! 

In the stores today,  Easter items and candy are now on the 50% off tables.  In the Churches,  the season of Lent and Easter is completed for another year. Easter bulletin covers are put back into storage until next year.    

Is Easter only the one day long?  Do we only celebrate the Resurrection of Christ for one day and then that is it?    For Christians,  we continue with the Easter Season for another seven weeks!    We continue learning about the life and teachings of Jesus, the Apostles,  and those who have created the Church as it is today. 

In our readings,   Jesus continues teaching the disciples about prayer by telling them this story of a friend  who asks another friend for three loaves of bread because yet another friend has journeyed to the first friend’s house.  Out of hospitality,  the first friend must  provide his travelling friend with food… yet he has none.    But when he knocks on the door of his friend,  the friend will not open up the door and won’t share his food.  So the first friend stands at his friend’s  door late at night,  knocking until the friend comes to the door.    The friend answers from his bed and yells, “Don’t bother me.  The door’s locked, my children are all down for the night;  I can’t get up to give you anything” (The Message  St Luke 11: 7  NavPress, 2005)  

Jesus says that the first friend should continue knocking on his friend’s door to help him in his plea for hospitality.    Don’t give up.  Keep knocking on that door.  Knock so long that you will wake up the neighbours,  who in turn will rouse the friend from his comfortable bed to help out his friend with three loaves of bread.  

What is Jesus telling the disciples about prayer?    Not to give up in prayer.  To keep on praying.   To ask for love and peace.  To seek forgiveness.   To come back to God each and everyday in prayer.   

For those who work in Military Museums,  Easter Monday is always a reminder of the WW1  Battle of Vimy Ridge.  The Battle of Vimy Ridge began on 9 April 1917 at 5:30am on an Easter Monday.    The infantry had been in place since the evening before and were instructed to not cook,  not smoke,  minimum talking,  and to not attach their bayonets to their rifles.    And so for many long hours into the night,  the Canadian Infantry sat in the mud waiting for morning to come so they could go to battle.   

While Battles are always horrid,  out of the horridness of war always will come stories of  forgiveness and compassion.

The Commanding Officer of 78^th Battalion,   LCol James Kirkcaldy,  was a Presbyterian.  In reading over his War Diary notes  from the Battle of Vimy Ridge,  we are always struck by the fact that he never called the Germans by name nor would he ever call the Germans derogatory names.   LCol James Kirkcaldy would write the words “the enemy”.     By doing so,  he left the Germans with dignity.

With this day,  Easter Monday,  remember in your prayers to ask for love and peace within  your community and world…. remember  in your prayers to seek forgiveness…  remember in your prayers to ask God to give you the wisdom to leave those who confront you and get angry with you with dignity so that they too can see the love of God proclaimed.

Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed.

Prayer:  Almighty God,  through Your only begotten Son,  You have forgiven us and given us eternal life.   Hallelujah. Hallelujah.  We thank You for this tremendous gift.  We humbly ask You to put into our minds and hearts a desire to share the Good News of the forgiveness of sins and the life everlasting to those we meet each and every day.  So that together with everyone in the whole world we can declare:  Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed.   Amen.