Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.
For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance (Psalm 112:4-6).

Our stewardship campaign for this year is Shining our Light. “At its heart, stewardship is an invitation to journey into God’s abundance. And for most of us, the journey to generosity is just that — a journey. It is human nature to fear not having enough. Yet God’s story and our story collide and we experience something different. God invites us to taste and see what God is doing in our lives and to consider what God is entrusting to our care. In journeying to generosity, we are invited to become co-creators with God. When we move away from scarcity and self, we can begin to focus on what God has entrusted to us; we can see more fully how God is acting in our lives and in our world. In a culture that values our own enlightened self-interest over the needs of others, it is not always an easy journey, yet the gifts that await us when we truly step into community and into deep relationship with God are abundant.

“All of us are called to be stewards. We are stewards of God’s creation, stewards of our families, stewards of money, stewards of time, stewards of our churches, and stewards of the faith that has been handed down to us, the faith that so many generations before us have stewarded. As we travel with God, we begin to recognize those places in our lives where God is calling us, as God called the Israelites, to step forth in faith into new and unknown places. It can feel risky to let go of the familiar, the safe, the known. And yet, when we let go, when we invite God more fully into our lives, the journey cannot help but be one that transforms us, taking us out of our places of bondage, into new, generous and abundant life” (TENS). Psalm 112 speaks eloquently about our call to be merciful, compassionate, and to seek justice. This year our Stewardship Campaign will begin with several parishioners witnessing about what God is doing with their lives at St. John’s. Last week Dave Lasek talked about the wonderful community of St. John’s.

You will receive a pledge card in the mail this week and I ask you to prayerfully consider the gifts that you receive and ask you to give to St. John's on a proportional basis. If you have not received a pledge card yet, they are available on the table in the back of the church. We will collect pledge cards for the next two Sundays and bless them at the altar. Each week you will hear parishioners witness about what they love about St. John's. Please consider raising your pledge this year so that St. John's may continue to grow and flourish.

I am so grateful for you. Your faithful membership at St. John's and your generosity sustains our ministry and is a source of encouragement to me.

In Christ's love,
Fr. Duncan

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10

“Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill” (Matthew 5:13-14).

Loyalty Sunday is November 3rd this year. I invite you to give prayerful consideration to increasing your Stewardship pledge for the coming year. Our theme is: Shining our Light. When we give generously of ourselves we begin to change into the image of God. The transformation that occurs when we realize that we are unconditionally loved by God overflows to others without regret. First give of yourself and then shine your light to others that they may know the risen Christ through your love.

Next week I ask you to volunteer at St. John’s and to invite friends and family to the Harvest Fair on Saturday October 26th from 10:00-4:00. St. John’s has been doing ministry in Huntington for 274 years and we know that what Christ is doing here is vitally important. Our ECW will support Long Island Cares, Helping Hands Mission, Community Food Council, Family Service League, and many other vital local charities. Please participate in any way you can to this important event.

Listen to those who witness about their journeys at St. John’s. The hospitality and love that people feel when they make St. John’s their spiritual home is remarkable. My wife and I give generously because we believe in the ministry of St. John’s and we believe that we can make this community a better place through the love of Jesus Christ.

We need to continue to transform our growing congregation through an experience with the living God to an authentic faith which sends us into the world to be the light of Christ and to be the leaven that transforms the world around us. We will continue our work on racial reconciliation and justice. We need to continually grow our outreach to the poor, the sick, the lonely, the disenfranchised, and the powerless. We are the arms and feet of Jesus Christ to a hurting world.

I give my sincere thanks to everyone that gives of their time, treasure and talent to St. John’s. Your gift allows us to continue 274 years of service to this community and the world. Please drop your pledge card in the plate by November 3rd.

In a time of despair and worry, God offers hope and contentment. In a time of enmity and separation, God offers love and unification. In a time of uncertainty, God offers us eternal life. By the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we know that God’s unending love for us is real and that God’s promises are true. I urge you to see your life as a precious gift from God and to give of your time, talent and treasure accordingly. Let us Shine our Light so that everyone will know the love of God in Jesus Christ.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

Wild Geese (from Dream Work by Mary Oliver)

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers. 
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, 
are heading home again.  
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Jesus Christ is on his way to Jerusalem and a group of lepers called out, “Jesus, have mercy on us.” Jesus heals them and one returned to Jesus and thanked him. I believe that God calls us to give thanks for everything we have. With a thankful heart, we are able to be healed of more than our physical ailments. We are made whole when we realize that everything comes through the mercy and grace of God. Jesus Christ came that you may have life and live it more abundantly. Abundant life is a life lived in thankfulness. But that does not mean that our lives are perfect. At times, we need to share our despair with others and listen to their despair in return. We are created in the image of God to follow God’s path of mercy, forgiveness, and love. Let your love flow in your life in everything you do. Give thanks for everything you have and don’t worry about the nine lepers that did not return. The harvest is great and the laborers are few. Let your light shine even if you are surrounded by darkness.

The older I get the more interested and fascinated I am by nature. Last week, Barb and I restored our souls through a quiet week at Saltaire on Fire Island. I love to watch the birds feeding as the waves roll across the shore and the seagulls standing on one foot staring at the beautiful view right next to me. It puts everything in perspective for me. I had a wonderful week with God in creation and my family.  We enjoyed long walks on the beach, visiting the lighthouse, healthy eating, puzzles, reading, and meeting old friends.

I often see twenty percent of the people giving eighty percent of their time and donations, but I don’t mind. I think that being the leper that returns is all that matters. I doubt you’ll win the lottery because you are a good person and I’m sure you are just as susceptible to disease as anyone else. But I believe that finding your place in the family of things is important. If you choose the path of Jesus Christ then you will be blessed with a thankful heart and abundant life. Robert Frost said, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference.”

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:5-7).

Paul’s letter to Timothy begins with a touching reminder of Paul’s deep love for Timothy and his appreciation for the faith that was passed down to him by his Grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Last week Fr. Anthony Jones talked about the presenters at his ordination. They were representatives of this parish who discerned a call in him, formed him, presented him, and willingly gave him to our sister church in Brooklyn into a new ministry. The lesson begins, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God” (2 Timothy 1:1). The term apostle is derived from the Greek word ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), meaning "one who is sent off." Today’s message is that we pass this love of God through our faith in Jesus Christ and we are sent into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s reign spreads from a spark to a wildfire when we hear, accept, and grow in God’s love. Even a seed as small as the mustard seed will flourish when it is sown in the ground. The mustard seed is the love of God that is sown in our hearts. For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that everyone that believes may have eternal life. Jesus’ love is sown into all of our hearts and each of us can, have, and will do amazing things. Today’s Gospel demonstrates God’s mystery and power in commonplace events and activities. When we come to church, we open endless possibilities through God. When we listen to the Gospel, we hear a perspective that is different from the negativity in newspapers, our iPhones, the television, and our computers. God is always creating new possibilities, even during difficult times. Our mistake is not having enough faith that God is good and that we have the power to change our environments. We need to have an expectancy of God’s love and grace. While many around us are cynical and skeptical we continue to be hopeful. Herbert O’Driscol said that we need to dream good dreams while so many are having nightmares. When we hear the Word of God, accept what it means for our lives and bear fruit, we are transformed into more than we could ever ask or even imagine. Like the mustard seed, our simple lives are incorporated into a much larger plan to bring everyone to unity with God and each other. 

I ask each and every member of St. John’s to participate in the ministry that God is doing right here. We need each and every seed to be nurtured into all God has created us to be. Pray for one another, love one another, visit one another, cook for one another, feed one another, cloth one another, teach one another, and experience the endless possibilities that God offers to those who love God with their whole mind, heart, soul, and strength. With the Harvest Fair coming on October 26th, we need the entire parish to help spread the faith and love of God through your participation in our largest event of the year. When you experience the love and mercy of God in community, you find the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field. Your life is changed forever when lived in the expectancy of God’s love and mercy. Think good thoughts, dream good dreams, do good things. God’s love is closer than you could ever imagine.

In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan

THE LESSONS
Lamentations 1:1-6
2 Timothy 1:1-14

THE PSALM
Pslam 137

THE GOSPEL
Luke 17:5-10

 

O Magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:3

There are moments, dates, and times in life that mark milestones and significant transitions.  Sometimes we know it in the moment but often times it is in reflecting back that we realize “that was the day.”  In early 2013, Bishop Provenzano and Father Shin, knowing I lived in Queens, asked me if Huntington would be too far for me to travel on Sundays.  I told them I would start walking on Saturday to get there if I had to!  April 21, 2013 was my first Sunday at St. John’s.  I did not know in the moment that it was the day I had been set on a new path. 

What was to be a brief experience lasting just a few months transformed into an amazing journey of over six years.  Father Shin became Bishop Shin.  Father Duncan brought energy and new vision.  There are now exciting and life changing ministries that are visible examples of what members and friends of St. John’s are doing right here and around the world. 

During this time, you all have faithfully journeyed with me in discernment and formation to become a priest.  The moment from deacon to ordained ministry as priest happened on Saturday, September 14.  Words cannot express to you my gratitude, thankfulness, and love to each one of you for allowing me to explore God’s call in my life with you.  Your encouragement, support, and love not only allowed space for God to work in me, but also allowed God to work in you.  I truly believe this is, in part, because we have committed to magnify the Lord and we have exalted his name together. 

During the Ordination service at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, representatives of St. John’s and St. Augustine’s joined to present me to Bishop Provenzano for ordination to the priesthood.  This was more than a formality; it was more than symbolic.  The presenters literally presented a part of themselves and the congregations with me as being those who recognized God’s call in me, formed me, presented me, and then willingly receive me back in a new way for a new ministry.  It feels something like a parent releasing their child to live on their own as an adult.  It is exciting and joyful to transition to a new and different ministry, but with excitement and joy come some moments of discomfort as our relationship in this place shifts.  But God is doing and will continue to do more in us than we can ask or imagine. 

I am so happy and encouraged that the worship, work, ministries, and events we have begun with St. Augustine’s will continue.  I am grateful for the vision our congregations have to journey together in ministry and I am thankful to be with you in it!  Let us continue in what has already begun.  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

To God be the Glory!

Father Anthony

“A way of love that seeks the good and the well-being of the other before the self’s own unenlightened interest. A way of love that is not self-centered, but other-directed. A way of love grounded in compassion and goodness and justice and forgiveness. It is that way of love that is the way of Jesus. And that way of love that can set us all free”(Presiding Bishop Curry).

 I am still a little delirious from the beautiful ordination of Deacon Anthony Jones to the priesthood. Bishop Provenzano specifically thanked the parish of St. John’s, Huntington for raising up such a fine priest. Deacon Anthony is now Fr. Anthony. As I reflect on the service and the standing room only crowd that was filled with St. John’s and St. Augustine’s parishioners, I am filled with great joy and pride. Fr. Anthony will continue to serve at St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn as he finishes his Master of Divinity degree and continues to work as an attorney for the Veterans Administration. The Bishop promised St. John’s a Vocational Deacon in the near future and the possibility of a Curate.

Next Sunday, Fr. Anthony will be celebrating the Eucharist and preaching at both the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM services. Please plan to attend one of these services and show our appreciation for the love and ministry that Fr. Anthony has done at St. John’s. Please invite friends and family to the service. If you would like to donate to the gifts that we will give to Fr. Anthony, please write a check to St. John’s and put “Fr. Anthony’s gift” in the memo line. We will also be having a potluck brunch following the 10:00 service. Fr. Anthony has touched so many of our hearts that I ask you to show your appreciation by attending his Homecoming on Sunday September 29th. Pray for him in his new ministry that God will continue to keep him in the way of love and that he might bring others to God’s love.

As our culture becomes increasingly selfish and autonomous, I ask you to a life of self-giving love for the sake of others. In the hymn that we will sing after the Holy Eucharist we will be asked, “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?” God calls each and every one of us to the way of love. This path is a path of connection and relationship. We are called to this life of self-sacrifice that draws us closer to God and our neighbor. I am thankful for the service that Fr. Anthony has done at St. John’s and for all the connections that he has made with us.

Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel about the negative effect that money can have on our lives. Money can actually stand in the way between God and us. The dishonest manager was over charging his clients for the benefit of the rich man and himself. Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters, we can walk the way of love or we can walk the way of greed. I would have enjoyed having Fr. Anthony as our assistant priest, but I realize that being an attorney, a seminary student, and commuting back and forth to Suffolk County from the city is not in his best interest. So as with so many things in life, we must allow Fr. Anthony to follow God’s call at another parish. The way of love is to thank him for his generous time, talent, and treasure that he has shared with us and pray for him as he moves to his next ministry. Maybe we will be called in the near future to train another individual for ordained ministry.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Duncan 

‘How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height. (Browning)

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry. (Burns)

But we loved with a love that was more than love—I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven, Laughed loud at her and me. (Poe)

And the sunlight clasps the earth And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth If thou kiss not me? (Shelly)

Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; (Shakespeare)

The great poets describe love in ways that bend our minds into a deeper understanding of this human emotion that we experience in different ways. Jesus tries to explain to the crowd the steadfast love of God. He begins by turning the Pharisees world upside down. He eats with and preaches to tax collectors and sinners  The Pharisees see themselves as better than the common person and look down on anyone who does not live up to their lofty religious standards. But Jesus teaches the crowd that they may be despised by the religious leaders, but they are loved so deeply by God that there is no sin that they can’t be forgiven for. Jesus teaches that life is about relationship with God and our neighbor and not about the cultural standards of our time. So many people are told that they are not pretty enough, smart enough, or rich enough. We are told again and again that we do not live up to the unrealistic expectations of others. Jesus came to tell us that God’s mercy, love, and hope for each and every one of us is unbounded. “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19).

Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. In both metaphors, God is searching for you and me when we drift off the path. God is always reaching out to those who feel they are not perfect. Jesus comes to us with a message that God created us just as we are and we are loved by God so deeply that not even the greatest bards can describe the breadth and length and height and depth of that love.

I give thanks each and every day because God created this beautiful world and teaches us how to love one another. Last Sunday at St. John’s it was so nice to see people back from their summer vacations and worshiping together. I feel so blessed to serve the Lord with such a fine group of people. In both parables, when people return to the Lord, the natural reaction is to rejoice! We rejoice in the ordination of our Deacon, Anthony Jones to the priesthood. We rejoice in our prayers and in singing praise to God on Sundays. We rejoice in coming to the altar to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We rejoice by sharing a meal during the coffee hour and again at our parish picnic this Sunday at noon at the Centerport Senior Center.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:4-9).

In exceeding thankfulness,

Fr. Duncan

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper (Psalm 1).

If we are followers of Jesus Christ we have a decision to make. The Gospel tells us that if we are to be disciples of Christ, we must carry our cross. Jesus Christ is the incarnate Word of God. By this I mean that Jesus in the flesh, lives out the Word of God. We are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and love our neighbor as ourselves. Last week I mentioned that there is plenty of food, water, and shelter in the world, but we are not very good at sharing it with others. God asks us to welcome everyone to our table. This week Jesus asks us to give up ourselves and our possessions for the sake of others. Carrying our cross means that we need to live a life of self-giving instead of being selfish. Paul asks the church to do what God commands out of love. When we become followers we need to make a decision to follow the commandments of our Lord. Our lesson from Deuteronomy tells us that if we do this we shall live. Jesus tells us that if we believe in him, we will have abundant and eternal life. Both of these come with a cost. God’s grace is costly because it cost Jesus his life (Bonhoeffer). Jesus gave his life for us on a cross that we might be forgiven of our sins and have the only true life.

The beauty of loving God and our neighbor is that we feel the peace that passes all understanding, we receive the blessing of God, and we live a life that has meaning and purpose. As we begin another church school year at St. John’s, I ask you to give of yourself for the good of others. This can begin with prayer this Sunday for our loved ones, those on our prayer list, and those in need in the world. The Bahamas were devastated by the hurricane and they need our prayers and support. Families in Texas were devastated by two shootings and need our prayers and support. There is unrest and violence all over the world with refugees flooding our borders and countries all over the world. They need our prayers and support.

This week’s collect asks us to put our trust in God with all our heart.  Jesus tells his disciples that they must love God above all other things. God asks for us to passionately follow the Gospel. I ask each of you to become passionate followers of Christ. Give of yourself for the purpose of helping others at St. John’s and you will live in the grace, love, and mercy of God. Stay for coffee and introduce yourself to newcomers. Invite family, friends, and neighbors to our concerts, Harvest Fair, and our church. Invite newcomers to share the hospitality that St. John’s is famous for at the coffee hour after church. We have an amazing group of parishioners and it is time to refocus our lives on being disciples of Jesus Christ.

Next weekend, Deacon Anthony will be ordained to the priesthood. He served the parish of St. John’s as a Deacon and will continue to serve as intern at St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn. He has carried his cross to several churches and to graduate school. We pray that God may fill him with the Holy Spirit and that his life will touch others. Please join us in Garden City for his ordination on September 14th at 11:00 AM. On Sunday September 15th he will celebrate the Eucharist at 9:30AM at St. Augustine’s in Brooklyn. Rev. Anthony Jones will also celebrate and preach at St. John’s on September 29th at 8:00 and 10.00.

In Christ’s love,
Fr. Duncan

Our Church has agreed to the five marks of Anglican Mission:

1. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

2. To teach, baptize and nurture new believers

3. To respond to human need by loving service

4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society

5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

I want to thank Coral, Fr. John Morrison and everyone that filled in for me at church these past couple of weeks for my vacation. I am deeply thankful for the dedication and service of all our parishioners that take the mission of the church seriously and passionately follow Jesus Christ. The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other. At St. John’s our mission is to know Christ and make him known.

After two weeks of sailing, golfing, and relaxing on Long Island and celebrating at the wedding of my son Andrew and his wife Pauline, I am excited to continue the mission of the church with focus and passion. I think it is good to reflect on our purpose before starting another church season at St. John’s. I hope each of you have relaxed and enjoyed this beautiful island that we live on this summer! My goal in the next few weeks is to get you focused back on being followers of Jesus Christ and carrying out the mission of the church.

Our first priority is to love God. That requires us to get our families back into the practice of worshiping on Sundays and praying to God on a daily basis. In today’s collect we pray, “Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.” God reaches out to us at all times that we may love God with our whole heart, soul and mind. When we turn back to God our next priority is to love our neighbor. I noticed during my vacation that there is a lot of anger in the world today. People shooting each other and blowing each other up is just the tip of the iceberg. Many people in the world are just not nice to their neighbor. In this week’s Gospel from Luke Jesus says, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” I think we should all consider a ministry at St. John’s that provides loving service to our neighbor. Our biggest event of the year for this is our Harvest Fair and I would like 100% participation this year. Join our ECW in making this year’s event on October 26th another fabulous success. The money we raise will help our neighbors, but more than that will bind us together in our mission to make our community a better place.

Sunday school starts again on September 8th and we could use at least one new teacher. Please contact me if you are interested in assisting Barb Burns in the pre-K class. Please bring your families to the Canterbury Corner at 9:40am on September 8th for registration and a fun family project.

Deacon Anthony will be ordained to the priesthood on Sunday September 14th at 11:00 am at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City. Please keep Deacon Anthony in your prayers as he continues to prepare for the priesthood.

In Christ's Love,

Fr. Duncan

In the very early morning, I wake up at times with an idea for a sermon or a piece for The Chalice and I think about it; I toss and turn as I think about it; I can't get back to sleep as I think about it. And then I remember my little note pad that Sue placed on my night table next to the bed more than 20 years ago—and I still just lie in bed and think about it as the minutes fly by, sometimes until the alarm goes off. But, at last, not this past Monday, and so, as I am prone to do at this stage of my life, I hoisted myself out of bed, walked down the hall into my office, and began to write this rambling little piece, interrupted just once by Susan who asked, “What are you doing?” I thought it best not to reply; that could wait. So let us back up to a day earlier.

Last Sunday, after the baptism was over and the table had been set, I stood at the altar, drenched in perspiration in spite of the A/C, Gatorade near, and listened to the choir sing “Journey to Freedom.” I could not help but join in, though not obtrusively, so thoroughly immersed was I in this song about the call of God, this extended invitation by Jesus to “Come with [him] on a journey” into light, into loving light. And then I made the leap to this morning's Old Testament lesson and Jeremiah being known in the womb before he was born, and the gospel and a woman in pain then a multitude of songs erupting at once, all between 1:15 and 1:30, all insistent, and for once I wrote. Little more than a decade ago, Lucy Beckett, a wonderful British writer, wrote In the Light of Christ that literature and art and music have a way of inspiring for the Christian a meaning that is richer and deeper than the meaning found in them by those “for whom God is an empty word.” Just one quick illustration. The rest will be in the sermon.

Andrew Lloyd Webber burst on the scene of my sleepy and incurably romantic imagination with a piece from Aspects of Love: “Love, Love Changes Everything.” Romantic love, a love caught up in the raptures of whatever it was when Webber first heard the music inside him. But what if, what if just one word was changed in the song, what if love was changed to God? I came to the line in the first stanza, “Love, love changes everything, how you live and how you die.” I believe that's true, but I believe that it is also more deeply true that “God, God changes everything,” that God redefines life and death as we come to know him in Jesus Christ. Answer the call of Jesus and he will “turn your world around and that world will last forever.” Indeed, the risen God we know in Jesus Christ will “never ever let us be the same.” Just a snippet; try it sometime—just not at 1:15 am.

With all blessings for the journey into the joy of the risen Lord,

Fr. John+