Bread and Miracles

Rev. Stephen E. Stults

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

March 30, 2025

 

 

Sometimes, perhaps, do we ever think we have God “figured out? Yes, we use words like “Omnipotence or omniscient” to describe Him, but do we ever get too comfortable with God?  Maybe we have a warm, fuzzy picture of God as our benevolent Father in Heaven who loves and tolerates us. Perhaps.  Of course, He does, because His chief attribute is Love. Yet, perhaps we tend to lose sight of the concept of holy fear of God. Although, as mentioned, we vaguely think we have a “handle” on him, we do not have the slightest conception of His power.

 

We mention this because it is graphically illustrated in today’s Gospel. We have a wonderful example of it, as we consider one of the best known of Christ’s miracles.  It  confronts us completely with the enormity of Christ’s Kingship and of God’s immeasurable power.  From it, we recognize our role as humble penitents preparing for Christ’s Resurrection in our hearts and souls at Easter.

 

The portion of the Book of John from Ch. 2:1 through Ch. 12:50 has been called the “Book of Signs.”  Christ performs seven signs that clearly demonstrate both His divinity and His unique relationship to God the Father. Up to the point of the feeding of the five thousand, he had performed three signs: the changing of water into wine, the healing of the nobleman’s son, and the curing of the paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda.[1]  Each of these signs clearly point to His Lordship over natural events, as well as the universality of his healing message. This is clearly shown as the nobleman seeks him out, despite the vast differences in their social standings.  The message is plain: Christ’s healing is meant for all, rich and poor.

 

Let us examine this grandest miracle of all, just judging by its size and scope. Christ sees the multitude coming to him, numbering in the thousands. He purposefully asks Philip: how were they going to feed this vast crowd? Philip puzzles over this before admitting that "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little."[2] Christ has the answer and proceeds to the solution, performing one of the most noted events of all time.

 

There are at least three ways to view what happened on that grassy plain.  One view is that a miracle occurred in the hearts of those listening to Christ.  That is, those who had prepared unselfishly shared their provisions with the needy, and all were fed. Perhaps, but this is not likely, especially as Jesus notes that they have been with Him three days and acknowledges their need to buy provisions from the neighboring towns.

 

Another view is that this feeding should be seen as a precursor to the Holy Eucharist, in that each participant received a tiny bit.  This view strains the narrative and does not do justice to the plain sense of Scripture, because the passage clearly says that Christ gave to the disciples and they distributed to the people, “as much as they would.”  The Scriptures clearly say the people were “filled”, not tantalized with a mere morsel.  So, we discard this view.

 

The third view of this passage is that Christ performed a genuine miracle.  Jesus, as God, took gifts of his own bounty in the form of five loaves and two small fishes, and multiplied them beyond all measure.  He didn’t, like a magician, create an illusion that bread and fish appeared, but actually multiplied them. He also did not create something out of nothing, ex nihilo. No, The disciples distributed an immense amount of magnified food, completely satisfying the multitude. As such, this is the fourth great sign of the Book of Signs.[3]

 

It is at this point that two great insights should become apparent to us.  The first is very obvious but is also very profound.  This is simply the contrast of Philip’s perplexity with our Lord’s serenity.  Philip saw thousands of hungry people coming to them, with no solution in sight.  Our Lord saw a large flock of needy sheep (people) looking to Him the great Pastor for instruction and sustenance.  Our Lord chose this instance to not only perform an act of mercy and pastoral care, but also to manifest forth his glory.

 

Here then, is the simple and profound truth: how often do we, in our human finitude, see an overwhelming situation and grasp helplessly for a solution, when God, in His Omnipotence and eternal Wisdom, has already prepared a solution?  It’s been said that God has a solution prepared for the faithful even before they see a problem.  This is a  profound observation about faith.

 

The other insight is to consider the very act of the sign itself.  First, it demonstrates clearly Christ’s absolute Kingship over all Creation. That is a given. As the fourth sign in the Book of Signs, it is the greatest in magnitude. There can be no doubt who is the performer of this great sign; thus, this miracle is for those who see with the eyes of faith.  It is undeniable.  As such, it is also the only miracle, with the exception of the Resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospel accounts.[4] That is a testament to its significance.

 

Yet, there is another great spiritual truth for us today, that tells us about God’s magnificence and Man’s blindness.  This great truth is that Christ, in performing these mighty signs in John, did exactly what was demanded of Him by the Scribes and Pharisees in virtually every confrontation he had with them.  Recall that these self-righteous and pompous men demanded that Jesus give them a sign from Heaven in order to prove his Lordship.  Christ ignored these requests from the Pharisees, knowing their source and motivation.  He knew that even if He were to bring down fire from Heaven, similar to Isaiah, it would have no impact, or even be turned against him, as in the case where he was accused of casting out demons by the chief of demons. Thus, he refused to honor their spurious request, instead revealing His glory to the unlettered masses, or to specific individuals.  Why?  It is very simple.  The Scribes and Pharisees were not called to hear the message. Their hearing would not be mixed with faith.  Thus, it would not matter what Christ said or did, because these men, with some  notable exceptions, were not able to believe. They were truly blind guides

 

Contrast that to those whom Christ did reveal Himself.  These blessed sheep were called to hear Christ and to acknowledge His Reality.  Perhaps not all of them were prepare to call Him God or even Messiah, but many of them were. Many of them, such as Mary Magdalene, were able to see Jesus as the Christ, just as we are. Somehow, through the mystery and magnificence of God’s Grace, we are called, here, to receive that message of hope and salvation. 

 

Today’s Gospel gives us a message of bread, miracles and signs. For us, today, it is a message of hope, love and salvation.  That is, we hope, or look forward to, receiving the truth of Christ’s Kingship in our hearts. We pray that we love Him as much as He loves us, and that this love be translated to those around us, and finally, into eternal life with Him. We pray that we experience the salvation that His love calls us into.

 

Beloved in Christ, if you grasp one message from today’s Gospel, it is that of love.  God wants one thing from us, this Lent and for evermore.  He wants our love.  If we can love Him more than we love ourselves, we will satisfy God with our love.  That is what He wants. This is exactly what he did for us on Calvary.  He loved us to the exclusion of everything else, even to life itself.  He loved us with a love that is profound and eternal. He offers us a love that is ever-present and dynamic.  Not only did Christ show this by providing earthly sustenance to a hungry crowd, but he also allowed them to witness His Glory.  This He denied to the Pharisees and Scribes. 

 

Let this knowledge be a light in your Lenten Journey.  Let it fill your heart with joy.

For reasons only known to God, he has chosen us to receive the most glorious of all messages.  The message is this: Christ is King and Lord. Christ is God Almighty, who loves us with an everlasting and wonderful love that is meant for us, and for us alone.  Not for the high and mighty, not for the rich and pompous, but for us simple Christians.

 

To His everlasting glory, let us give thanks to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and forever.

 

AMEN.

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[1] http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

[2] John 6:7

[3] http://bible.org/seriespage/exegetical-commentary-john-6

[4] Ibid 

Words and Judgment

 Rev. Stephen E. Stults
St. Paul’s Anglican Church
July 7, 2024
 

“…whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.”[i]

 

Words have power.  Perhaps this is an obvious statement, yet it is true.  Words send men to war. Words inspire people to do great things. Words have founded cities, launched revolutions, and caused people to accomplish things they never thought possible. Words trigger thought and thought triggers action.

 

Words do other things as well.  They also reveal our thoughts, our feelings and even our motivations.  This applies to most people, except for that special class of people called politicians, who have learned how to say the exact opposite of what they are thinking, and what may be the truth.  In short, they have learned to lie convincingly.

 

For most of us, however, we usually say what we mean, most of the time. There are exceptions, of course, like when we tell a so-called “white lie” to safeguard someone’s  feelings, or perhaps to avoid doing something we do not want to do. Like times we may have pleaded ignorance, when we actually know more than we admit, or when we have said we have a commitment to avoid appearing somewhere we’d rather not.

 

Words and languages in general, are gifts from God.  We are blessed to be able to communicate one with another, although there are a multiplicity of languages.

 

At one time, this was not true.  According to Genesis 11, in early history, mankind had one language.  This one language led to a high degree of unity, for the people concocted a plan to build a great tower “whose top may reach unto heaven…” They wanted to magnify themselves, even above God; thus their hubris had no limit.  As we see consistently throughout human history, man always wants to be his own God. One source says: “The Tower of Babel narrative conveys important messages about human pride, disobedience, and the consequences of challenging divine authority. It teaches humility and emphasizes the need for obedience to God's will rather than pursuing self-glorification and independence.”[ii]  Well said, indeed.  Without being unduly negative, it could be said that the history of mankind in regards to God is a history of disobedience.  So it seems.

 

What does God think about negative language?  Judging by the tenor of today’s Gospel selection, not very well. Thinking about the power of words, consider this: “The word “Raca” means a worthless, empty headed man; a brainless idiot, foolish, witless.”[iii] Jesus said calling someone this name could incur civil judgment. Yet, calling someone “Thou fool” could put one in danger of eternal judgement and punishment.  Considering the rather popular use of this word today among some people, it must give us pause as to its severity.

 

Thus, words have consequences.  Reading our Gospel selection certainly gives one pause. Does this mean that we are accountable for every casual or stray word that comes out of our mouth?  It would seem so.  Thus, St. Paul cautions us: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”[iv] St. James also warns us: “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  ⁹ Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”[v]

 

Not only should we be on guard for statements and words, we must monitor our internal state that produces such words.  Did not Christ tell us: ”… for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh”?[vi]  Obviously, when we speak evil of someone, there is a reason for it in our heart.  Is it envy? Hatred? Disapproval? Judgment? What is the reason we speak?

 

During the solemn ceremony called Extreme Unction, or Last Rites, The priest is preparing the soul for departure into eternity.  As part of this process, the priest anoints various body parts and prays for absolution for any sins committed or aided by that member.  One is the lips, where the priest prays that the departing soul may be forgiven for any sins done by speaking or tasting. How appropriate…

On the other hand, what happens when we utter good words?  Is it possible to leave a blessing?  The very word “benediction” is quite literally translated as “good speaking.”  So, the answer is yes.

 

The Book of Proverbs tells us that: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.  ² The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.”[vii] Just so.  Our gift of language can build up or it can destroy. It can enlighten or it can denigrate. It can cause feelings of great joy or it can cause feelings of great grief.  The choice is up to us.  Will we be trumpets of joy, or will we be drums of doom? Will we be known as spreading grace through our speech or will we merely leave blasted patches along our path, caused by our negative talk? Again, the choice is up to us.

 

A healthy spiritual condition produces speech that pleases God. As with all things good, we cannot generate the grace to do it ourselves. As history attests again and again, our own devices produce less-than-desirable fruit. 

 

Instead, let us pray that we produce fruits, “worthy of repentance”, yes, but also the peaceable fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  ²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” [viii]

 

If we, through our speech, show evidence of such fruits, how blessed shall we be?

 

 

 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.H

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[i] Matt. 5:22

[ii] Britannica, “Tower of Babel”

[iii] https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/raca/

[iv] Col 4:6

[v] James 3:8-9

[vi] Luke 6:45

[vii] Prov. 15:1-2

[viii] Gal. 5:22-23

Accept, Reject, Equivocate

 Rev. Stephen E. Stults

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Second Sunday after Trinity, 2024

 

Luke 14:16 Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many.”

According to the Gospels, Our Lord did not have “a certain dwelling place.”  We know that He was itinerate; that is, He moved from place to place and called no one destination “home.”  Perhaps one could regard his parents’ house in Nazareth “home”, but the scriptures never tell us He went there, specifically. Why do we care? For this reason. Jesus truly embraced holy poverty.  Although we know he had mastered a trade, carpentry, we never see him working at it in any of the Gospels. This differs from St. Paul, who very clearly labored at his trade, tentmaking, to provide for his needs. Christ did not.  Instead, he depended on the hospitality of friends and strangers, maybe even adversaries, to eat and to lodge.  How different from the preachers and pastors of our day! Jesus had no multi-room mansion or manor home.  He didn’t have a private jet or limo to carry Him about. No. He and his disciples walked, slept outdoors and probably were hungry a lot of the time. One must recall the scene from the cable TV series The Chosen, where the disciples return to their homes after a missionary trip.  They are questioned furiously by their wives and mothers about their diet, which seems to be very lacking.

 

Thus, our Gospel scene is typical:  Our Lord is invited to hospitality at one of the Pharisees’ houses for the Sabbath meal.  As usual in these situations, the Pharisees “watched Him closely”, not out of admiration, but that they might entangle him in His talk.

 

This particular dinner, however, doesn’t seem that hostile.  Christ relates several parables, whereupon one of the guests proclaims, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"[i]  St. Augustine thought that this exclamation was both worthy and unworthy.  First, it was worthy for it was expressed in the context of Christ’s excellent teaching, as we read in the Bible.  Imagine what it must have been like in person!  Thus, it was a worthy point to be made.  Yet, almost in the same instant, Christ recognized it as being unworthy, for the motive behind it was the very topic of his next parable.

 

Christ did not respond to the man’s exclamation directly.  Instead he tells the party assembled that a “certain man” gave a supper and invited many. Luke tells us: "and (he) sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.' But they all with one accord began to make excuses.”

 

Several commentators have noted how grievous it was to decline such an invitation in those days.  When a sheik or an emir made an invitation, the expectation for one to attend was great. These invitees, however, began to demur. The one had bought oxen; the other had just acquired a farm.  These two, notes Matthew Henry, could have done their testing and their inspection on another day.  As for the newlywed, this man evidently put more emphasis on pleasing his wife than on the invitation.  His excuse, at least on the surface, is the strongest of all.

 

Again Henry notes: “The cold entertainment which the grace of the gospel meets with. The invited guests declined coming. They did not say flatly and plainly that they would not come, but they all with one consent began to make excuse, v. 18. One would have expected that they should all with one consent have come to a good supper, when they were so kindly invited to it: who would have refused such an invitation? Yet, on the contrary, they all found out some pretence or other to shift off their attendance.”

 

The reaction of the ‘great man’ is both typical and atypical.  First, when told of his guests’ excuses, he becomes angry.  This is most understandable, especially when one of great importance does something for someone and the offer is spurned.  St. Augustine tells us that unrequited mercy stirs great wrath.  True enough.  For example, on a much, much smaller scale, how do we feel when we have kindly let another person in front of us in traffic, only to have that person fail to acknowledge our action, even with a wave of the hand?  Thus, the great man’s reaction is typical: anger.

 

His other reaction is atypical.  Instead of merely sulking and perhaps dining in solitude, he commands his servants to go out into the poorest parts of the city and bring in the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, in short, the most disadvantaged of society.  The rich and the favored were first invited, but they chose to decline the gracious invitation.

 

This being done, the lord is informed that his palace still has room.  Now, he commands his servants to go out into the highways and hedges and “compel them to come”, that his house may be full. The parable ends with a ominous note as the great man says, ”For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” It is significant when one considers the audience of the parable. Of course, Christ is talking against the Pharisees and the other Jewish religious leaders. They are sitting with their long-awaited Messiah but fail to see it.  They have been invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb but have chosen to disregard the invitation. In a perfect fulfillment of Isaiah as quoted by St. Luke: “that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. “[ii]

 

This is evidence of further hardness of heart that began soon after the Exodus from Egypt.  The Lord told Moses before his death: “Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me…”[iii]  Thus, the ominous tone of the great man’s statement: “That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”  Disobedience and separation go hand-in-hand.

 

Yet, the Jews did not see it that way. Having trusted in Abraham and Moses for their righteousness and thinking that scrupulous keeping the Law would ensure their favor in God’s eyes, they were bold, proud and impudent.  They were the Chosen People of God, a group set apart and wholly dedicated to God.  Yet, rather than spread the Law and the knowledge of God to all lands, the Jews built walls and fences, both literally and figuratively, to avoid contagion from the World. How telling are St. Paul’s last words in Acts 28:28: “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

 

St. Augustine saw the excuses as various forms of pride.  The first man’s excuse, that of having bought five yoke of oxen, is an examples of pride in great possessions, for why the emphasis on five yoke of oxen?  He is simply bragging.  The next man has bought a farm and thinks that he must see it now.  Again, this is the sin of concupiscence as he must inform the messenger of his new possession.  The last man has married a wife, thus providing for the needs of the flesh over the needs of the spirit.  The point is not that he could not attend, but that he would not. Our Lord is very clear; when called to the Supper, we should hastily attend.

Let’s bring this back to us.  With the depiction of the Jews in the Scriptures, it is too easy  to cluck our tongues disapprovingly. Yet, here’s the reality of it: we all act that way.  The Jews are God’s Chosen People, meant to be an example to all mankind.  While they were to exhibit righteousness and be a beacon to all mankind to follow God’s Law, so often in the Scriptures they do the exact opposite of righteousness; thus they are examples of our human-ness, merely reminding all of us of our common human nature.  God uses the His People as the great object lesson for all mankind, both positively and negatively.

 

When we see those in this parable, rejecting God’s gracious invitation, or following their own way rather than the Will of God, or rejecting Christ in general, we need to ask ourselves, “How often have we done the same?”  How often have we ridden roughshod over the Spirit’s gracious invitations to be Lord over our lives?

How often have followed our own sinful inclinations, usually to our detriment?  In short, have we spurned God’s grace, thinking that we have a better way? 

 

The answer to this is rhetorical.  We must answer this in our most meditative and introspective moments. These moments can yield the most spiritual progress. For it is in these times that God speaks most clearly to us, if we will just be still and listen.  Listen to that small, still voice calling you to Him. Listen for those quiet, peaceful suggestions that lead you to greater knowledge of God and, at the same time, smooth the path before you. Seek to quiet the unruly condition of your souls by putting the bridle of the Holy Spirit upon them.

 

Then, be still and know that God is God. Amen.

 

 

 

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[i] Luke 14:15

[ii] Luke 8:10

[iii] Numbers 32:11-12

Restoration and Life

 Rev. Stephen E. Stults

St.  Paul’s Anglican Church

Trinity Sunday

May 26, 2024

 

Maya came out of the religious house confused.  She had just attended a “meeting” where everyone there had spoken. In fact, they had all given their opinions about the nature of God. Some of them couldn’t use the word “God”, but made reference to “My Higher Power”, “my Eternal Friend”, “Great Parent”, and so on.  While interesting perhaps to the quizzical, it was all a  bit much to Maya.  In fact, some of it, she thought, was downright comical.

 

Maya had been raised in a nominal Christian home.  Her folks, Baby Boomers, were not particularly religious.  After all, THEIR parents had been part of the so-called “Great Generation”.  Her grandparents grew up in the Great Depression, voted for FDR, fought World War II, and then came home to build businesses and careers as if nothing had happened to them. But something had.  Many men and women came home from WWII with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome).  It was largely untreated, except for self-medication through the three Martini lunch and maybe a snort or two when they got home.  Many of them had lost their faith in the war, as well. 

 

As a result, although many members of the Great Generation became successful, their family and spiritual lives suffered.  Their children, now part of the great Baby Boom after the war, got into sex, drugs and rock-n-roll.  Many of them took part in anti- Vietnam War demonstrations and became hippies.  Morality became a lot more “fluid”, shall we say and the old religious forms lost much of their appeal.

 

This, in turn, flowed down to the next generation(s) such as the Millenials , Gen X, and Gen Z, where we find Maya puzzling about the nature of God. Sure, she had heard about Jesus.  Wasn’t he the guy they crucified, who claimed to be the Son of God?  Didn’t those Christians claim he rose from the dead?  Who was this Jesus guy, anyhow?  Also, Maya knew kids that claimed to have some kind of Holy Spirit around them.  What’s with that? Some of her friends actually claimed to know some spirit called the Paraclete, or Holy Ghost or something. It seemed a bit superstitious to her. After all, can’t see, can’t prove, right?

 

Wasn’t God sort of a heavenly grandfather, who looked down from His cloud form heaven, to watch what was going on?  She remembered from her 18^th Century history class about a group called the Deists.  They thought that God was like a great Watchmaker, who constructed the World and then just let it run, like a watch.  He didn’t intervene.  Instead, God made the rules and let His Creation operate according to those rules. Was that who God was?

 

So Maya had a lot of questions. She especially puzzled about the “proof” question.  How could anyone believe in something they couldn’t see?  Luckily for her, she ran across an article on the Internet by a Bishop that made some sense to her.  It was entitled “Proof and Faith”.  As she read, she reckonized the very same objection she had to Christianity.  The Bishop asked the question, “How do we know atoms exist? We surely cannot see them, can we?” The Bishop went on to lay out the physics behind it, in simplified language. He also mentioned the tragic use of applied physics in building bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.  If atoms weren’t real because we cannot see them, how come the bombs worked?

 

Maya mentioned this to a friend.  Although they hadn’t been close lately, somehow this girl ran into Maya at a local coffee shop and they began to talk.

Maya’s friend laughed and said, “How cool is this? I felt exactly the same way until about a year ago.  Then, a couple of things happened.  Somebody gave me a Bible and told me to read the Book of John first.  I did that. It was wonderful, but I needed more.  The same person who gave me the book told me to read Matthew as well.  He said, “When you get to Chapter 3 pay particular attention to what goes on when Jesus is baptized by John.  This will help you know who  God  is.  So, I did.  Do you know what I found? Here, I have a Bible. Let’s look at it together.”

 

Maya and her friend huddled over the Bible, open to St. Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 3. She ran her finger down the page to verse 13, where she read: “Matthew 3:13-17  ¹³ Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  ¹⁴ But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  ¹⁵ But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him.  ¹⁶ And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;  ¹⁷ and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  After that, Maya’s friend turned to Luke and Mark to show her the same passage. She said, “See, God is One Being in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It’s hard to understand, but it’s supported by Scripture:  One God in three Persons.  Maya, the Church figured this out in an early big council, called the Council of Nicaea in 325 a.d. There were a lot of questions about the nature of God then, too.  Listen, I want you to read a couple of things and then we’ll talk again.” She fished in her purse and took out an old Book of Common Prayer, leatherbound and very well used.  She said “Read page 71 first.  Then, here, write this down.  Read what’s called the Athanasian Creed.  It really reinforces this first one. Look up a copy on Google.”

 

Over the next couple of weeks, it was not unfair to say that Maya’s life changed.  She read the following from the Athanasian Creed and it shook her to her core:

 That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,
    neither blending their persons
    nor dividing their essence.
        For the person of the Father is a distinct person,
        the person of the Son is another,
        and that of the Holy Spirit still another.
        But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one,
        their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.

She read on:

What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.
        The Father is uncreated,
        the Son is uncreated,
        the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

        The Father is immeasurable,
        the Son is immeasurable,
        the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

        The Father is eternal,
        the Son is eternal,
        the Holy Spirit is eternal.

            And yet there are not three eternal beings;
            there is but one eternal being.
            So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings;
            there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Maya’s mind reeled. Could it be?  Then she came to the part about Jesus:

Although he is God and human,
    yet Christ is not two, but one.
    He is one, however,
    not by his divinity being turned into flesh,
    but by God's taking humanity to himself.
    He is one,
    certainly not by the blending of his essence,
    but by the unity of his person.
    For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh,
    so too the one Christ is both God and human.

    He suffered for our salvation;
    he descended to hell;
    he arose from the dead;
    he ascended to heaven;
    he is seated at the Father's right hand;
    from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
    At his coming all people will arise bodily
    and give an accounting of their own deeds.
    Those who have done good will enter eternal life,
    and those who have done evil will enter eternal fire.

This is the catholic faith:
one cannot be saved without believing it firmly and faithfully.

Maya was still; stunned. Somehow, this made sense to her. She didn’t know why. but it did.  She was quiet. Then, she did something she hadn’t done in a very long time.  She prayed.  As she did, she found herself giving thanks in a way new to her. Maya said, “Thank you, Father for showing Yourself to me. I think I’m beginning to know a little about who You are. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

As she put her computer to sleep, she chuckled to herself... “There really must be a Holy Spirit after all.”

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

Humility and Awe

 

Rev. Stephen E. Stults

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Good Friday

 March 24, 2024

 Today is Good Friday.  Today is the awesome day of the Lord. Jesus made payment today, once, for all sins, trespasses, and negligences against God the Father and the His complete, absolute holiness.  In the most incomprehensible act of overwhelming generosity, God Himself pays the debt for sin’s “due and payable” debts against God.  The act itself is colossal, incredible, and as the old plainsong hymn named  it, the “conflict stupendous”. If we have any spark of faith in us, the Holy Spirit should lead us to our knees in utter adoration and worship.

 This is the day of atonement, which literally means “at-one-ment.”  In a mighty, yet humble act of supreme obedience, Jesus offered Himself us, for us, despite all our nastiness, filthiness, pettiness and sheer ungodliness.  He who knew no sin took all sin unto Himself for our sakes.  What this means, in the most terrible terms, is that Christ, while he hung in unspeakable physical agony on the Cross, also suffered unspeakably in His soul and spirit as well.  Imagine the sinless Christ taking unto himself the nasty impulses of a pedophile, or a child abuser, or a murderer or a torturer.  Imagine the sinless, pure Jesus feeling every stinking, putrefying, dirty, nasty bit of sin as He hung helpless, yet purposeful, on the Cross of shame and death.  It was the most heroic act ever done, or that ever will be done in the history of the world.  As one old hymn puts it, “what stands between our sins and their reward is the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord.” And so it is.  Only Jesus and His obedience, resulting in our atonement with God the Father shields us from the natural and ultimate consequence of our sins: death and Hell.

 Let me share a telling episode of the modern mind with you. Several years ago on a business trip, I was having a discussion with a co-worker.  She was a mature woman, and very intelligent and articulate.  The discussion turned philosophical.  We started talking about life and death and this person voiced the opinion that when one dies, one just ceases to exist.  She believed there was no heaven, no hell, just sweet, blissful nothingness, a complete void.

 Beloved, for the sake of those pagans, both willful and unwillful, knowing and unknowing, I wish that is were not so. I do wish that those folks who know not God could just slide off into eternal silence and anonymity. But sadly, in “ain't” true. Jesus Himself tells us that there will be a vast separation, where the Judge (Christ Himself) will sort between the sheep (we followers of Christ) and the goats (the pagans or non-followers of Christ.)  Those who know not Christ will be cast into “outer darkness”, where there will “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  Beloved “outer darkness” and “weeping and gnashing of teeth” doesn’t sound like fading away into nothingness. In the words of one world religion, to “slip like a teardrop into the simmering sea.” Rather, sadly, those who know not Christ will have an active afterlife, just will the Redeemed, whom are blessed through Christ.  The loss of bliss forever make me tremble.

 This is why Good Friday must be seen as the holiest day of the year for Christians.  As a boy, I wondered, “Why is it “good” if they killed Jesus today?” As an adult, I understand.  It’s all for us.  Good Friday is “good” for us.

 Thus, the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews has it exactly right.  In today’s Epistle, he says, “for it is not possible that the blood of bull and goats should take away sins.”  That is, the old system of sacrifices was incomplete.  It couldn't do away with sins completely, because every year (even every day), new sacrifices must be offered. However, Jesus, quoting Hebrews, “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” 

 The writer of Hebrews goes on to say, “For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”  Thus, there was one sacrifice for all people, for all time.  Imagine the Reformer’s revulsion to the medieval idea of “making Christ” on the altar, which meant the repeated re-sacrifice of Christ each time Mass was offered, as well as bleeding hosts and other extra-natural phenomena.  In light of this passage from Hebrews, it cannot be true. 

 Also, in light of what we know about Good Friday and the truly stupendous, universal consequences of what Christ did, two questions arise.  The first is “why?”  The  other is, “how?”

 First, why was it necessary?   We who are mature Christians already know the answer.  Our sins put Jesus on that cross!  Our sins so offended the Father that only one Payment would suffice.  That payment was the Son of God Himself. But, the deeper question is why was man created to have the capacity to sin?  Why did God create a being with the tendency towards evil?  Couldn’t an omniscient, omnipotent God create a perfect Universe, without sin, without evil?  The answer, of course, is “yes.”  God’s Power is absolute.  The point for us is that He didn’t.  He created a universe filled with good. He also allowed, for some divine and mysterious purpose, evil to corrupt a portion of His Creation. Do not be fooled, however. It must be understood that good and evil are never in equal proportion.  Good always outweighs evil by an infinite degree, even when all we see around us is a sea of corruption and sin.  Yet, on a cosmic scale, Good wins.

 My own guess at this mystery parallels what the Church teaches us, that God gave us both intellect and free will so that we could choose Him out of love, not by coercion or even by preprogramming.  After all, God could have set us up that way.  But He didn’t.  He wants, to quote St. Peter, a “peculiar people”, a “royal priesthood” of those who set Him above all other things.  Now, none of us possesses that perfect love yet.  Some day, however, we will.  In heaven, we will grow in grace and God’s love and service.  Since Gods’ love is infinite, so will be our progress, our growth, and our eternal sanctification in Him. 

 So Jesus suffered for us.  He suffered in every way imaginable.  His closest disciples deserted him.  One of them actually sold him out for a little bag of silver.  None of them, save one, watched his die in agony. His own mother had to watch him fight for every breath in a sea of pain.  Crucifixion was so brutal, so sadistic in every way Imagine first, the flogging.  Done with a flagellum, it was designed to inflict the most pain and damage possible.  It had sharp pieces of metal on each whip end. The whipping was so extreme that even cruel Romans had set a legal limit on the number of lashed that could be administered.  That number was 39.  Any more than that and the subject would lapse into unconsciousness, or even death.  That relief was denied by bringing the criminal right up to that point and then ceasing the punishment.   His back flesh and muscle would hang in ribbons.

 Next, the unfortunate criminal would be forced to carry his cross to the place of execution.  In Jerusalem, it was not a short walk.  Whether it was the entire cross or “merely” the transept beam, it had to be excruciating, as the heavy wood was pressed by its own weight against the shredded flesh of the whipped. In Jesus’ case, it was even worse, because He Was wearing a crown of thorns so thoughtfully jammed upon His head by the cruel, mocking soldiers. His blood loss was extreme.  How He even managed to walk after his beating is incredible.  Yet, He did.

 His journey to Golgotha was not without incident.   He fell to the pavement three times, each time being goaded and whipped by the soldiers walking with Him.  During this long and painful procession, he was followed by some women of the city, who wept and wailed for him.  Christ said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your childr0n.”[i] This was a prophetic word indicating the future siege and destruction of the city in 60 a.d.  How terrible a time that would be!

 Now, we come to the place of execution. Jesus, still bleeding and weak, is stripped of his garments.  The crucified were denied any garments to complete their humiliation. Exposed, His mangled back is laid on the  rough wood as future torments begin.  The criminal’s hands or wrists were secured by a large nail or spike that was driven through cartilage, nerves and flesh. Probably the wrist was used, in the place to cause the most pain.  Next, the feet were place one upon the other and another large spike was driven through both. The angle was such that the legs would constantly cramp and the muscles knot in endless agony. 

 Next, came the elevation and struggle to breathe.  The cross was pulled to an upright position and the criminal hung there in pain and isolation.  Yet, the agony was only beginning.  Since the human body is not designed to breathe well in this position, with arms stretched our and back flat against a hard surface.  Also, the diaphragm does operate well.  The crucified must actually push up on their wounded feet and grab a breath before sinking down again.  It is a state of near asphixiation.  Each breath is a struggle, accompanied by pain.

 And so the torture continues, hour after hour, until death occurs.  Consider also that Christ’s thirst would have been immense.  We do not know whether he had any water  prior to his scourging, but we can be certain that none was given him during the long trek to Golgotha.  One movie depicts a kind woman offering Jesus a bowl of water that is abruptly kicked away by the brutal Roman guard.  No doubt this is true.

 Despite his agony, Jesus somehow spoke from the Cross.  He forgave his torturers and betrayers. He commended his blessed mother to the care of St. John, and He assures the repentant thief of eternal life in Paradise.

 As he hangs upon the Cross, Jesus saves the World.  He becomes sin for us.  According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus cries, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”).  This is the cry of desolation, as Jesus, blessed Jesus, is alone in a sea of pain, isolation and fear.  He who had never known one moment of separation from his Father, was alone.  It was all for us.

 Finally, the final act is played. Jesus has accomplished His mighty mission to save mankind.  To fulfill the prophecy, he says, “I thirst.”  A pot of sour wine is nearby, like vinegar.  This is tiven to him to fulfill the words of the psalmist: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”[ii]  After this is done, Our Lord commended his soul to God the Father and “gave up the ghost”.  He died.

 It was customary for the Romans to hasten the death of the crucified by inserting a spear behind their legs and pulling hard enough to break them.  This would cause death very quickly as the subject could not achieve a breath.  Otherwise, it could take many hours for the condemned to die.  Jesus was spare this last indignity and to fulfill the prophecy that not one of His bones would be broken.  By the time the guards came to him, he was physically dead.  Thus ended the greatest ordeal in history.

 This brings us to the final question: HOW.  How could God do this?  How could God witness His Son’s titanic sufferings?  How could He permit this to happen to His beloved, only and eternal Son? How many of us would be willing to give our son up for the sins of mankind?  For example, would I be willing to give up Justin or Alex?  I know I wouldn’t, I couldn’t.  I’m not capable of that kind of love.  Only God is.

 So, here’s where the “why” and the “how” come together. They come together to form a “nexus” of love: a love so compelling, so encompassing, so complete that it will take us an eternity to understand it.  As one of my favorite hymns, Hyferdol, puts it, “love divine, all loves excelling.”  This is the love that Jesus Christ has for us. This is that sacrifice that God demanded and permitted to show how much He loves us.  This is the love that conquers all, even pain, death and hell. And, this is the love that underscores the “good” in Good Friday.  Praise be to God! Amen.

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[i] Luke 23:28

[ii] Ps. 69:21