Mathew 5:8
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
Prayer
Mothers….everyone has one, like it or not. The mother’s womb is a holy place where life begins. It is a place where God begins to know us and we begin to know him, well before human birth.
-
Even Osama bin Laden had a mother. Her name was Hamida, a beautiful 22 yr old Syrian woman who was known as “the slave” and he, the son of the slave. But, tragically, he never really got to know her. He never really knew what the love of a mother was like.
Even Osama bin Laden had a mother. Her name was Hamida, a beautiful 22 yr old Syrian woman who was known as “the slave” and he, the son of the slave. But, tragically, he never really got to know her. He never really knew what the love of a mother was like. -Mothers are our connection to life, even though our fathers are essential for the beginning process of egg fertilization. It is in the womb, though, that our mothers feed us with herself, her body fluids, her thoughts and cares, for roughly nine months.
Mothers are our connection to life, even though our fathers are essential for the beginning process of egg fertilization. It is in the womb, though, that our mothers feed us with herself, her body fluids, her thoughts and cares, for roughly nine months.-Giving birth is painful, but the joy of the child’s arrival is a mother’s delight. Today, you can read for yourselves in our bulletin for Mother’s Day a selection of prayers and verses about mothers, and often they bring tears to our eyes.
Giving birth is painful, but the joy of the child’s arrival is a mother’s delight. Today, you can read for yourselves in our bulletin for Mother’s Day a selection of prayers and verses about mothers, and often they bring tears to our eyes. -Listen to this verse about mothers that I received just yesterday on the internet. It began with these instructions to the recipients: “Re-post this if you have a Mom in Heaven.” And then it proceeded. “If flowers grow in heaven Lord, then pick a bunch for me, please place them in my Mom's arms and tell her they're from me. Tell her that I love and miss her, and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while ... and tell her it's from me...”
Listen to this verse about mothers that I received just yesterday on the internet. It began with these instructions to the recipients: “Re-post this if you have a Mom in Heaven.” And then it proceeded. “If flowers grow in heaven Lord, then pick a bunch for me, please place them in my Mom's arms and tell her they're from me. Tell her that I love and miss her, and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while ... and tell her it's from me...”-Wow!
Wow!Well, Jesus had a mother too and her name was Mary, Mariam in Greek, or Maria in Latin, and Miriam in Hebrew. Miriam was name of Moses’ sister. We don’t know much about Mary except that she remained faithful to the promise given her by the angel.
-When Jesus was born, she was perplexed by what the shepherds and others said about him, and she pondered these things in her heart for the rest of her life.
When Jesus was born, she was perplexed by what the shepherds and others said about him, and she pondered these things in her heart for the rest of her life.-At age 12, Jesus had wandered away from his parents and was found in the Temple, teaching the teachers. His mother was annoyed, but Jesus reminded her that he must be in his Father’s house. She filed that one too!
At age 12, Jesus had wandered away from his parents and was found in the Temple, teaching the teachers. His mother was annoyed, but Jesus reminded her that he must be in his Father’s house. She filed that one too!-But Jesus remained obedient to his parents and grew in favor with God and man.
But Jesus remained obedient to his parents and grew in favor with God and man.-At the Wedding of Cana, Jesus’ mother brings a complaint about the wine running out. Jesus asked her why was that a concern for both of them. She then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
At the Wedding of Cana, Jesus’ mother brings a complaint about the wine running out. Jesus asked her why was that a concern for both of them. She then told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”-Later at a festival, his mother and sisters and brothers were looking for him, worried about him. His comment to his listeners, when told that they were outside, was, “Who are my mother and my brothers and sisters?” He answered his own question: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and my mother. In another Gospel it said, “those who hear the word of God and do it are my mother and my brother and my sister.”
Later at a festival, his mother and sisters and brothers were looking for him, worried about him. His comment to his listeners, when told that they were outside, was, “Who are my mother and my brothers and sisters?” He answered his own question: “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and my mother. In another Gospel it said, “those who hear the word of God and do it are my mother and my brother and my sister.”-Finally at the Cross itself from which he was hanging in agony, he says to his mother Mary, “Woman here is your son; and to the beloved disciple, “Here is your mother.”
Finally at the Cross itself from which he was hanging in agony, he says to his mother Mary, “Woman here is your son; and to the beloved disciple, “Here is your mother.” Today we heard in the Second Lesson that we have been born anew, born again, through the living and enduring word of God. This is the very word of which Jesus spoke when he said that his mother, his brother, and his sister were the ones who hear the word of God and act upon it, who do the will of God.
-This word of God is nothing other than the Holy Scriptures that we have today called the Bible. Back then when Jesus spoke, it was only the Old Testament. These were the very Scriptures that Jesus told the two men about on the Road to Emmaus in our Gospel reading today.
This word of God is nothing other than the Holy Scriptures that we have today called the Bible. Back then when Jesus spoke, it was only the Old Testament. These were the very Scriptures that Jesus told the two men about on the Road to Emmaus in our Gospel reading today. -Jesus interpreted for them all the things about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with Moses and all the prophets. This was in effect a roadmap for the coming Kingdom of God. A “how-to” list.
Jesus interpreted for them all the things about himself in all the Scriptures, beginning with Moses and all the prophets. This was in effect a roadmap for the coming Kingdom of God. A “how-to” list. oDo you remember as a kid playing pirate where you’d have a map and you try to find the buried treasure. Our treasure is not buried; it is right under our own noses and the Bible leads us directly to it…Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, full of grace and truth.
Do you remember as a kid playing pirate where you’d have a map and you try to find the buried treasure. Our treasure is not buried; it is right under our own noses and the Bible leads us directly to it…Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, full of grace and truth.-Do your hearts burn within you when you hear the word as did those on the Road to Emmaus when the Scripture was opened for them? Are you on fire with the Holy Spirit as the word of God teaches you about the truth of life, Jesus? Listen to the words of the Lord from the prophet Jeremiah: “Is not my word like fire and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Do we tremble at his word?
Do your hearts burn within you when you hear the word as did those on the Road to Emmaus when the Scripture was opened for them? Are you on fire with the Holy Spirit as the word of God teaches you about the truth of life, Jesus? Listen to the words of the Lord from the prophet Jeremiah: “Is not my word like fire and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Do we tremble at his word?-Simply put, we cannot see without being illuminated spiritually, like those on the Road to Emmaus. The text said that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. Likewise, Mary Magdalene at the tomb on Easter morning thought Jesus was the gardener until her eyes were opened by his voice, “Mary!”
Simply put, we cannot see without being illuminated spiritually, like those on the Road to Emmaus. The text said that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. Likewise, Mary Magdalene at the tomb on Easter morning thought Jesus was the gardener until her eyes were opened by his voice, “Mary!”Today our eyes are opened each Sunday as we partake of Christ’s body and blood in accordance with his instructions: “This is my body that is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
-No, we don’t fully understand what is going on at this time, but we do know that Christ said to do it, and we call it the Real Presence of Christ.
No, we don’t fully understand what is going on at this time, but we do know that Christ said to do it, and we call it the Real Presence of Christ.-In the memorable words of Anglican priest and poet, John Donne, from his work, Divine Poems. On the Sacrament, we hear: “He was the Word that spake it; He took the bread and break it; And what that Word did make it; I do believe and take it."
In the memorable words of Anglican priest and poet, John Donne, from his work, Divine Poems. On the Sacrament, we hear: “He was the Word that spake it; He took the bread and break it; And what that Word did make it; I do believe and take it." oIn other words, it’s a divine mystery, but it’s real and it’s present, and it’s life changing!
In other words, it’s a divine mystery, but it’s real and it’s present, and it’s life changing! oOur eyes are opened, and we see Jesus; we see him in his Word, and in the people around us, and in ourselves.
Our eyes are opened, and we see Jesus; we see him in his Word, and in the people around us, and in ourselves.oAnd yesterday at the altar rail, the first couple to receive the Holy Communion were Rachelle and Logan Goddard, and we pray that their eyes too were opened and remain open to Jesus.
And yesterday at the altar rail, the first couple to receive the Holy Communion were Rachelle and Logan Goddard, and we pray that their eyes too were opened and remain open to Jesus. -What could be a better Mother’s Day gift to mother than to worship God in the manner he prescribed. Jesus’ mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
What could be a better Mother’s Day gift to mother than to worship God in the manner he prescribed. Jesus’ mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” oAnd mother knows best!
And mother knows best!AMEN
