Dear St. John’s community,

This is my final Chalice article and I wish to express to you all my deepest gratitude and love for all of you. It has been a wonderful two years of being your curate and I have been honored and blessed to journey alongside you. As I move on from here, I exhort you as Paul exhorted the Colossians in this weekend’s reading, “continue to live your lives in Jesus, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith…abounding in thanksgiving.”

St. John’s is a special place and as we near the 300th anniversary of its founding, I know that it may seem like the next 300 years is near impossible to fathom. I can’t predict the future, but the church universal has continued to exist for the past 20 centuries that I trust that our Lord will bring the church along in the coming centuries as well, if He doesn’t return before then. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. He will provide for the church, whether our local parish or the universal church, “for everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

As Christians, we are to know Jesus Christ and make Him known to the world. I pray that this church continues to have the passion and clarity for preaching Christ crucified in a world full of human philosophies and deceits that lead to distractions, sufferings, and longings. We are to be the place where people come seek solace, peace, and hope. The love and care you show the neighbor as well as the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are both key to a flourishing Christian community. Remember, it is the Holy Spirit that guides and grows the church. I pray that you continue to live your life guided by the Holy Spirit, giving all thanks and praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In Christ,?

Fr. Zach

A few months ago, I was with a good friend as we went to a worship event in the city. We went, worshipped, and on our way back I remarked to him how much I was thinking about what I needed to do and how to do it. He responded, “You’re not supposed to think about yourself, ya know?” In that moment, I realized he was right! I had sat through that entire service thinking about me, me, me. But not sitting in silence, allowing the music, silence, and the experience overall to wash over me, waiting on a word from God. You see, even us clergy can get caught up in our own ego and need to be reminded that to be in relationship with God requires us to check ourselves and be aware that God might have something to say.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, a short little pericope with Jesus and sisters Mary and Martha (the only time outside of the Gospel of John we encounter these two sisters). We have Martha, doing busy work, and her sister, Mary, who is sitting at the feet of Jesus hanging on to every word. Martha is questions Mary and why she isn’t helping her, egging on Jesus to do something. But, in fact, Mary has done the correct thing, by paying attention to the guest. The work that Martha is doing is work that distracts her. The language being used implies that Martha is putting this all on herself and allowing herself to be distracted, when she should be listening to the logos.

The world today is distracting enough without having to blame ourselves for it. We are bombarded with distractions each day. Yet, Jesus offers us a word in order to regulate and exhort us to do what is right and just in our lives. Are you listening? Do you sit at the feet of Jesus? Or, do you, like me some months ago, come to church and think about all the stuff you did last week and all the stuff you have to do this week? Surely, we need to place our anxieties and frustrations at the feet of God. But then, we need to listen to God. We need to remind ourselves that we come to church, not as a social club or nonprofit service organization (as good as those things can be), but as a community of believers who seek God’s Word and comfort in our lives and giving Him praise and thanksgiving for what He’s done for us.

I pray that each of us listen and through listening experience God speaking to your heart. Amen.

In Christ,

Fr. Zach

In this weekend’s Scripture readings, we read a few times of the intimacy of God in our lives. How close He is to us and how much His word and presence can be with us. This also shows in the Gospel reading, which is the very famous parable of the Good Samaritan where Jesus asks of his disciples, both then and now, to show mercy. “Go and do likewise,” he instructs. To be an ambassador of God in the world, we must know our God and what He speaks to us and places on our heart. But how can we do that if we are not listening?

Theologians Jacques Ellul and Gabriel Vahanian both wrote about God’s silence in the world today. Both decried the “God is dead” philosophy because it leads to nihilism and hopelessness. It isn’t that God is dead, both argue (they were compatriots and peers), it’s that we have turned our back on God. We no longer listen to him. We are even forgetting to how to listen to him. The Deuteronomy reading instructs us to, “turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” This is the only way we can truly hear from our God. Our God is not silence because His Word is always speaking.

One of my favorite Ellul quotes says that we must, “demand God be God.” We need Him to speak to us. And He wants to! Many of our hearts are yearning for something new. We are waiting on a word from God. I know I am. My prayer is that we can always be turning toward God. Contemplating with a silent and open heart and ever knowing that our God is here and now waiting to show us his mercy and truth, so that we may live mercifully and in truth. Amen. God bless!

In Christ,

Fr. Zach

Brothers and sisters of St. John’s,

As we move forward into July and today celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, we tend to get ourselves in “vacation mode”. This usually means taking this slower and soaking up the heat and sun so we can store it up for winter. Relaxing on our patio or in the pool. Making sure our kids are safe yet enjoying their time being kids.

The Year C Lectionary, however, definitely seems to have other plans. The readings last week and now this week make us think as Paul continues to exhort the Galatians to do what is good and live into the freedom Christ offers us. But not just the Galatians of course, but all of us today.

So in the reading from Galatians 6, we see a very famous phrase that “we will reap whatever we sow.” How is your spiritual and faith life going? Are you living into the Spirit so that you may have abundant life? The summer is a good time to rest and take stock of what God might be calling each of us to do and who to be. Maybe summer isn’t a slower season for you so how might you incorporate silence, prayer, and rest in your schedule?

My friends in Christ, there is much to reap from the Spirit-filled life. Much to discover about who we are and who we are called to be when we take a moment and listen for a word from God. This is imperative if we wish to be a church that knows Christ and makes Him known. Notice that Jesus has the disciples take almost nothing into their ministry. Christ calls each of us not to bring books and paper and props to show others who He is but knows that our very selves can be enough to bring others into relationship with our God.

My prayer for you all is that each of you know that you are enough and if you don’t feel like you are enough then come to Jesus and place your burdens and anxieties on Him and let the Spirit sow onto your heart the love and peace of God. Amen.

In Christ,

Fr. Zach