Bryan Sherwood

Lectio Divina: Advent 4 - Tuesday

Luke 1:26-38

This passage from Luke 1 really is amazing. Gabriel, an angel from heaven, appears to Mary with some pretty exciting/frightening news. I can’t really imagine what this must have been like for Mary. As a young teenage girl, I’m guessing she wasn’t expecting an angel to come visit her and inform her of this special role she would play in God’s plan. She had found favor with God and now she would be the young woman who would give birth to the Messiah. Wow. I wonder what was so special about Mary that she would be given this awesome responsibility?

After hearing the angel’s message, we read Mary’s response: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Mary’s very response shows she had a heart that was open to God. She basically says “Let’s go. I’ll trust you with whatever happens. I’m here to be a servant of the Lord.” I think I can learn a lot about Mary’s deep faith and willingness to totally trust the Lord with her life and future. Mary had to know this would be no easy road to walk. She knew Joseph’s response would most likely be less than favorable toward her at the news that she was pregnant. What great faith she had. May I learn to trust God that much. “Let it be to me according to your word.”

Lectio Divina: Advent 4 – Monday

Luke 1.18-19 (ESV)

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this?” For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.”

I found Gabriel’s statement pretty interesting. “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God . . . “. All I can say in response to that is “Wow.” I often wonder what that will be like – to stand in the presence of God. I can’t even really fathom how perfect that will be. Gabriel has done what we will one day do.

Advent reminds me of Jesus’ second coming and it reminds me that I too will one day stand (or maybe kneel!) in the presence of God. How wonderful is that?

Lectio Divina: Advent 2 - Thursday

Revelation 2:9-10
9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

I know your tribulation . . . Do not fear what you are about to suffer . . .

It’s easy for me to forget that Christians have suffered and died for their faith throughout the church’s history. It only takes a cursory reading of church history to realize that countless scores of people have been martyred for the faith we profess. This persecution goes on today in our world (although it doesn’t seem to garner much attention from the media).

What’s this mean to me? I can’t help but feel convicted to pray for the persecuted church. They need our prayers and I need to remember that there are people dying for the faith.

Lectio: Advent 1 - Tuesday

 
Today's readings are listed here.

2 Peter 1:13-14

I think it is right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

I couldn't help but think about Peter's statement here. There seems to be two certainties that Peter talks about in this passage. Peter was quite aware of his own impending death. And we know that like Peter, there is the certainty of our own death when we too will put off this tent, our body. In the Rule of Saint Benedict, Benedict writes "Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die." This kind of remembering helps us to have a sense of urgency about our own salvation as well as the salvation of the world.

The other certainty that Peter writes about is the certainty of the Lord's Second Coming.

2 Peter 1:16

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

If we had to face death without the hope of Christ's Second Coming and our own resurrection, life would be full of darkness and despair. Yet, Advent reminds us that His return is certain as is our resurrection.

Lectio: Advent 1 - Monday

A few thoughts on today's appointed readings from our church's Advent blog.

Lectio: Advent 1 - Sunday

Happy Advent!  Feel free to check out a few of my reflections on today's office readings over at my parish's Advent blog.  I plan to try and write some kind of reflection each day in Advent.  (I said I would TRY).

How Scripture Changes Us - A Quote from Saint Aelred

I love this quote by Saint Aelred.  His language is a bit "flowery" but he says many good things about how the Scriptures change us.

Brothers, however cast down we may be by harassment or heartache, the consolations of the Scripture will lift us up again . . . I tell you, brother, no misfortune can touch us, no situation so galling or distressing can arise that does not, as soon as Holy Writ seizes hold of us, either fade into nothingness or become bearable.  This is the field where Isaac walked in the evening meditating, and where Rebecca came hurrying towards him and soothed with her gently charm the grief that had befallen him.  How often, good Jesus, does day incline to evening, how often does the daylight of some slight consolation fade before the black night of an intolerable grief?  Everything turns to ashes in my mouth; wherever I look, I see a load of cares.  If someone speaks to me, I barely hear; if someone knocks, I scarcely notice; my heart is turned to stone, my tongue sticks fast, my tear-ducts are dry.  What then?  Into the field I go to meditate.  I reread the holy book; I note down my thoughts; and suddenly Rebecca comes running towards me and with her light, which is your grace, good Jesus, dispels the gloom, puts melancholy to flight, disintegrates my hardness.  Soon sighs give way to tears, accompanied in their turn by heavenly joy.  Unhappy are those who, when oppressed in spirit, do no walk into this field and find that joy.  (De oneribus 27; Matarasso 193)

Lectio Divina: Help Me Out

I've written about the practice of Lectio Divina before.  (If you haven't read my post on lectio, naughty on you!) 

I'll be teaching a session on lectio soon and I'd like to hear about your experiences with "sacred reading."

• What does this practice look like in your life?  
• Is there a particular resource on lectio you've found particularly helpful?
• What helpful hints would you give someone who is new to the idea of lectio?

I guess that's it.  Comment away! 

Peace to you all!

John 6 - The Bread of Heaven

It struck me last night while reading John 6 and 7: Jesus talks a lot about bread. Bread is mentioned some twenty times in the Gospel of John and over half of those instances occur in chapter 6.

Jesus first feeds the thousands who have gathered around him with five loaves of bread and two fish A true miracle. Not only does everyone have something to eat, “they all ate as much as they wanted.” (v. 11). This miracle should remind us of Numbers 11 where the Israelites were fed with manna from heaven. Through Moses, the Father fed his children with manna. Now, Jesus is “the true bread from heaven.” This bread from heaven “gives life to the world.” (v. 33). The manna only met physical, temporal needs; the bread of life nourishes people spiritually and eternally.

Just like in the days of Moses, the people grumbled.

(John 6:41) So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." (John 6:42) They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

Jesus rebukes them and not only calls himself the bread of life but Jesus explains that he is “the living bread that came down from heaven.” He goes on to say “Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.” I wonder if these words rang in the minds of those who heard them when Jesus is later crucified?

Now, we move to the section of Scripture that is regularly discussed and debated.

John 6:53-59 (NLT) So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. (54) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (55) For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. (56) Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. (57) As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. (58) This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." (59) Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

What does Jesus mean when he says “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you?” Some would say that Jesus is asking for people to fully “consume” him by believing in him. Others would say that Jesus is speaking specifically of the Eucharist: this bread is Christ's literal flesh broken for us and the wine is his literal blood shed for us.

Perhaps it's both? At this point, those who heard this teaching cannot literally partake of the Eucharist but they can believe in this bread of life. The message is clear: there is life in Jesus. Eternal life. We see it played out each time we gather for the Eurcharist. As the liturgy instructs us:

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our
Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks
to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take,
eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the
remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given
thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you
and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink
it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.

The Celebrant continues

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in
this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death,
resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the
Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new
and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully
receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy,
and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints
into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and
with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor
and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

What we find in John 6 is very good news. Jesus brings life to those who would believe in him. He meets our greatest need by his own sacrifice. We eat his body and drink his blood and recall the sheer wonder of his grace and love toward us.

1 John and Love

1 John is one of my favorite books in the New Testament.  I enjoy the Apostle John's writing and teaching. 

He writes this letter late in life.  One would expect his words to be important - he's not at a stage in his life to mess around.  His life is drawing to a close.  With that in mind, what would you have written about?  John picks up  his pen and writes a lot about . . .  love.  That's right, love.

Here's a sampling:

1Jn 2:10  Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.

1Jn 2:15  Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

1Jn 3:1  See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know Him.

1Jn 3:10  So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

1Jn 3:18  Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1Jn 3:23  And this is His commandment: We must believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

1Jn 4:7  Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

1Jn 4:16  We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.

1Jn 4:19  We love each other because He loved us first.

1Jn 4:20  If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

1Jn 5:1  Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves His children, too.

That's not all of the verses where John specifically mentions love but there's enough there to keep us busy for a while inwardly digesting these thoughts.  What many people would pass right over when reading the text, John is trying to hammer on.  He doesn't want us to miss it.  Over and over he writes it.  Love one another.  Love God.  Love each other.  The Father loves you!  Jesus loves you!  Do you see it?

Perhaps this "basic" thing called love isn't so basic after all?  Maybe we Christians don't really do a good job understanding it and practicing it?  So, I point you to 1 John. . . to the Apostle John who knew Jesus intimately . . . he has much to teach us about love.