Newness of Life… What is it?

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

Many Christians are under the impression that the Christian life is begun in conversion and newness and that, over time, this newness of life leaves you behind. In other words, when beginning the Christian life, it is new, but after a while, it is old. This is a misconception. Saint Paul teaches us that the purpose of baptism is to incorporate us in the Death and Resurrection of our Lord. His Death and Resurrection result in His life being eternally new. His human nature, which had been subject to death, is no longer subject to decay and oldness. Saint Paul teaches that it is this newness of life to which the Christian is to cling.

Our Lord says: And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins. (Mark 2:22) In essence, the New Wine of the Kingdom of God is to be poured continually into and out of new wineskins, which are provided by lives which are continually renewed. But what does this mean? How does this work?

Since were not in the habit of putting wine into skins, few other analogies might help. There are things which we are constantly in the habit of replacing, from the bottle of shampoo in the shower, to our trash can liners, to the milk thats gone bad, to ink cartridges in our printers. We replace them constantly because they either run out or they become deficient over time. Snakes shed their skins. Our fingernails are constantly renewed, replacing what is old. These are very helpful in understanding the wineskin analogy. Regular renewal is the basis for living a life that is not stagnant.

One of the main enemies and barriers to living a fruitful and faithful life is congestion. Many people wake up the same today as they were ten years ago. They havent changed. They may work in a different career, or live in a new house, but on the interior, they are the same. The world tells us that people dont change. But, the Scriptures teach us that change (or conversion) are essential to this life. People are meant to grow in grace, experiencing afresh the goodness of God, leaving behind the life of sin and death and embracing the new life which Christ has given.

The Christian fights stagnancy and walks in newness of life after Baptism by making a regular confession of sin, daily examining his life, receiving the Sacraments, continually renewing the mind by the reading of Scripture and receiving good teaching, and by a life of daily prayer. If your life has become stagnant and congested, if you have found that you havent grown recently, embrace these disciplines. You will find yourself renewed.

Religion vs. Relationship: Why you have to have both to have either.

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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There’s a video floating around on the social networking sites, especially twitter and facebook. Its made by a young poet entitled “Jesus > Religion.”  There is a long list of complaints against religion. Among them, that religion is focused on the externals, never getting to the core, that it is responsible for wars and judgmentalism, that it’s “perfume on a casket” and “behavior modification.” He says Jesus hated religion and that religion is manmade, on the opposite end of the spectrum from Jesus. His emphasis on grace and the love of God is laudable, and he is clearly a very gifted poet. But, theologian he is not. Scripture scholar he is not.

Here’s my most basic response, on which I would like to elaborate:

My take on the hate religion, but love Jesus bit: “Folks, Jesus Christ established the Church, with rituals (Baptism the Eucharist), prayers (the Lord’s Prayer), Holy writings, authority structures, and clear teaching. Thats religion. You can’t just make religion a bad word because you don’t like those things. And – you can’t say that Christianity is just about loving Jesus – it isn’t. This sort of talk is just hyper-individualistic pietism taken to the nth degree. It has never done anything but make people into total snobs, not saints.”

First, Jesus Christ established His Kingdom on Earth. In the ancient era in which he inserted himself, every kingdom had a religio or a cultus. The prime example is that of Caesar. Caesar had a religion which surrounded him, requiring Roman citizens to worship him, and in a proscribed way. Jesus does not separate himself from this, for He, unlike Caesar, is actually worthy to be worshipped. (John 9:38, Rom 14:11, Philippians 2:10) Jesus established clear instructions to his disciples, including instructions regarding the making of disciples and baptism (Matthew 28:19), the celebration of the Eucharist (1 Corinthians 11:23-24), the forgiveness of sin (John 20:23), and many others. He is very clear that love for Him does not consist in the mind or the heart, but in action – in obeying His commandments. (John 14:15) That’s religion. If it’s not, what could we possibly call it?

The second problem comes from this, and it is an intrinsically postmodern contempt for the meaning of words as well as for institutions. This young man has made religion a category for all the things he turns his nose at. But, religion is actually a word coming from the re-reading of texts, as was done by medieval monastics. Hence re and legere, rereading. The other possible source for the word is the Latin religare, to bind fast. This meaning speaks to obligations of vows. From the earliest days, the Church has had the vows of Baptism and a great deal of clarity regarding the obligations of Christians, including the obligation and duty to know the faith, to keep the sabbath, to give to the Church, etc. This is not legalism, nor is it onerous duty. It is the wonderful privilege of each and every Christian as well as being the means of growing in Faith and the love of God. Practices cultivate virtue, religious practices specifically. This young man has, unfortunately, let contemporary postmodern distaste for such things infect him.

Further, postmodernism elevates relationship above truth. For instance is the insistence that relationship matters more than morality. If two men have a sexual relationship, this is more important than moral truth. In fact, what Aristotle says is the truth: “For though we love both the truth and our friends, piety requires us to honor the truth first.” I fear that contemporary Evangelicalism has elevated a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to the status of an idol, saying my relationship is the most important thing, when it is clear from the Scriptures that faith without works is dead and that love for neighbor is part and parcel with love for God.

But, the worst of all of it is that this young man displays what the Church has always called Gnosticism. Gnosticism, in its heyday, sought to be free of religion too. It taught that man must free himself from the shackles of this earthly and bodily existence and open himself to the knowledge of the infinite. Gnosticisms insistence on knowledge is the source of its name, gnosis being the Greek word for knowledge. Gnostics were suspicious of the Incarnation, preferring to say that Jesus actually intended to free us from our bodies, that he was not divine, and that he was primarily concerned with the spiritual and not the practical. Gnosticisms emphasis upon the evil of the flesh (most of them said that physical things were created by a malevolent demi-God) led them to fall into two camps. Some said that the physical outworkings of life were without benefit, leading them into licentiousness of the worst sort. Some, like the Manichees, believed that extreme asceticism was the cure for an overly-physical life.

The reason I say this is that many modern Christians, in their neglect of the Incarnation, have unwittingly slipped into this mode. Heaven becomes an entirely body-less existence filled with disembodied souls. Faith is about one’s own spiritual life, not so much about action. Sacraments are the object of suspicion and religious people are the bad guys. Christianity becomes about knowledge and relationship and neglects duty, ritual, practice, and charity.

Lastly, the Gnostics were snobs. They immediately created hierarchies of progress for their movements. Certain blessed people had more knowledge than others. And, of course, their knowledge was more the result of their enlightenment than their formation and instruction, which was basically non-existent. The Church did the opposite. No knowledge was hidden, any question could be asked, and the Church was passionate about catechesis and formation of Christians, the introduction of religious practices, rituals, and articles of belief.

At the end of the day, I am not against having a relationship with Jesus. In fact, I am quite in favor of it. But, it is a relationship of marriage, not puppy-love. Married people know that you show your love for your spouse by emptying the dishwasher, taking out the trash, remembering anniversaries, spending time together, paying the bills, getting up and going to work. This is maturity in marriage. I fear that a new generation, in their lust for eternal youthfulness, in their rejection of institutions, in their distrust of received practices, has been sentenced to immaturity. You see, religion and relationship have a symbiotic need for each other. I have witnessed, through the years, that the people with the most maturity in the faith were the ones who dragged themselves to Church Sunday after Sunday, who made regular retreats, who lived by a Rule of Life, who made their confessions regularly. They’re not snobby about their faith. They’re lights to the world. They’re mature. They’re saints.

In the meantime, I pray that this young man will come under the influence of mature Christians who can direct his passion and guide him to the fulness of the truth.

Sermon for the Feast of the Baptism

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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and a voice came from heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.

From the Gospel According to Saint Mark, in NOMINE…

As I said Friday night, the plan of this Epiphany is to focus upon the three themes of Epiphany laid out in the three Gospel readings, for this past Fridays celebration of Epiphany, today, and next Sunday. In Latin, these are rendered as illuminatio, manifestatio, and declaratio. In these ways, the Divine Son of God, the King Jesus is shown forth to the world. The star illuminates his identity to the Magi of the Gentiles, the Divine Presence is manifested at his baptism in the Jordan, and he is believed in by the disciples for the first time after changing water into wine at the Wedding Feast at Cana.

Todays theme then is manifestatio. The word manifest comes from two Latin words manu and festus. Manu is the same word where we get manual. It means hand. The Latin word festus means struck. So, manifest means, literally, struck with the hand. It refers to being hit upside the head! And this is an appropriate word for today, in which we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, when in the most dramatic way possible, he is declared to be the beloved Son of God. The account from the Gospel of Mark does not contain the detail or the dialogue which the other Gospels contain, but it is dramatic nonetheless. At the core of the account is the very public revelation from God that Jesus is the very one whom John the Baptist has awaited, that He is the King who has come to rescue the world, and that He is the One who will, filled with the Holy Spirit, heal the sick, raise the dead, and preach the Kingdom.

Todays readings have nothing to do with the response of faith to the work of God, but entirely to the work of God. Note that today, we dont hear of crowds hearing the voice from heaven and henceforth worshipping and following Him. As dramatic as the account of His baptism is, it seems to have little effect on the multitudes gathered. Yet, Saint Peter looks upon it as the very beginning of Jesus ministry. It is almost as if this event is the Hand of God smacking the world back into reality.

For, as much as we try to delude ourselves into thinking that sin is the only reality, that the world is so bad, or we are so bad that there is little else to concern yourself with, the reality of God dwarfs anything we can even imagine. You see, we are very selfish people. Most of us, rather than accepting Gods grace do one of two things. We are either so presumptuous as to think that we are too good for God, or we are so horribly coarse and prideful that we think were too bad for God to do anything for us. This is the darkness sin and death made perfectly clear. We are so selfish that yes, a smack of the hand to the head is need to awaken us to the truth.
Some of you might be remembering the only liturgical smack to the head you have ever received. On the day of your confirmation, the Bishop gave you a gentle smack on the cheek. I have waited for a while to see a Bishop who does more than this. Ive only heard about it. Perhaps our new bishop wont be so gentle! But, the tradition comes from an initiation into the Roman military. The commanding officer or general would smack the new soldier across the face, saying something to the effect of let that be the last hit you sustain. It was meant to fill the soldier with courage and make him fight. It reminds me of the wonderful line from the baptismal rite from the old prayerbook, when the priest says:

We receive this person into the congregation of Christ’s flock; and do *sign him with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end.

Both events speak to the steadfastness and perseverance that come after someone has been smacked upside the head with the truth. The world looks different, it is seen through different eyes. My point this morning is not to smack you in a similar manner, but merely to recall you to how earth-shattering the truth of the Gospel that Gods Son has come into the world is. How that ought to change your life. How it is impossible to come to this truth and have your old assumptions and beliefs remain unchallenged.

No, the Gospel is very challenging. It calls us to a completely and totally renewed life. One cannot be the same after professing Jesus Christ and being baptized into Him. The words of the catechism stick in my head – that in baptism, you become a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven. To become this is to leave all selfishness behind, to turn from sin and death and embrace the reality of the divine life of God.

The reason I say all of this is that we readily disassociate from the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. Very few of us were baptized in rivers, let alone the Jordan. The one who baptized us what very likely wearing very nice vestments, and not camels hair. We were, for the most part, baptized in fonts and handed keepsake candles and anointed with oil. Not one of us heard God say as the heavens opened, Thou art my beloved Son; with Thee I am well pleased. Although, maybe if we were listening closely, we would have.

I want to challenge this disassociation. For, the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is the initiation of a whole new era in the world. It is the initiation of a world in which sinful men can become children of God, in which those destined to die can live the blessed life of God, and in which poor paupers can become inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, the very water into which you were baptized is that same water into which Jesus was baptized.

One of the greatest of the Church Fathers, Saint John Chrysostom taught that when Jesus was baptized, as he went down into the water, he sanctified all the waters of the earth so that you and I receive that One Baptism.

Chrysostom also believed that the newly baptized had special powers. He would routinely ask them to pray the Lords prayer over him, as he believed that this particular prayer was particularly powerful. What he knew, and what we have forgotten is that the gift of Baptism is a radically life-changing gift, getting to the very heart of who we are.

So, the message this morning is not that the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God is not some remote event in history, but a continual reality, shedding glorious light on our world even now, bringing many into the fellowship of the children of God the Church. Perhaps this will put evangelism into context.

This year, as in every year, I issue the challenge to you to be an evangelist for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your own world and life. I challenge you to consider one person in your life whom you can lead faith and new life in Christ. I challenge you to pray for them daily and look for opportunities to share the faith with them. Because the reality is this: you either believe the Faith enough to share it, or you do not do either.

If you are thinking to yourself, I dont really know enough to do that – there is no excuse. You need to be in my Catechesis class. If youre thinking, I dont have the courage – wake up! Do you not love your friend, your family member? If youre thinking, God couldnt use me to do that, consider the men whom Jesus chose – fishermen, a tax collector, a persecutor. None of them had skills, but they had grace. Pray for the gift necessary to be an evangelist.

For God is continually manifesting Himself to this world, drawing the nations to His light. Will you be a part of it? In NOMINE…

A Homily for Christmas

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.

From the Gospel according to Saint Luke, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

Every Christmas, a wonderful thing happens, and I think its my favorite part about Christmas. Its that every church, from the tiniest country parish, to the largest cathedral, no matter where it is in the world, becomes Bethlehem. Not like Bethlehem, but Bethlehem.

For Bethlehem is where God reveals His plan for the world, where Heaven and Earth meet, and where light shines in the darkness. And that is true right here in this church no less than on that very first Christmas. Here we kneel, just as the shepherds did, to adore the Christ-child. Here, we sing hymns of praise to God, just as the angels did on that first night. Not only that, but on this night, we should be particularly aware of the presence of the Holy Angels among us. I like to think of them, perched up in the rafters, filled with the same kind of awe that filled them on that first Christmas.

There, in the Christmas creche, is not merely a symbol of the meaning of Christmas, but a window into the message that goes out to all the world every Christmas – to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Every one of us can find him here – wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.

This was the reason that Saint Francis of Assisi started the tradition of placing Christmas nativity scenes in churches. He returned to Europe from pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the crusades and wanted everyone to be able to experience it more fully. Of course, Saint Francis knew that knowing it or not, everyone does experience Bethlehem on Christmas. The trouble is, we are often unaware of it. We are unaware that Angels join us in our worship of God made man on this day. We are unaware that He himself is right here with us. We are unaware that we are just like the shepherds who came to look upon Him on that night.

We need these icons through which we can see the very things that our eyes cannot, for if Christmas is about one thing, it is about the invisible being made visible in Jesus Christ. For in Him, the invisible God becomes known.

Bethlehem, is the Hebrew word for House of Bread. And, my beloved in Christ, Jesus is the Bread of Life. He who comes to Him shall not hunger. As Bethlehem is the House of Bread, so is every church on this night, as the Lord of Life offers himself to the world in the bread of the Eucharist. Yes, He is just as present here as he was then. Make no mistake – youre in Bethlehem. For in Christ, the invisible God has made Himself visible.

Saint John puts it this way: No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.

You see, our eyes have been clouded by sin. From the moment of the Fall, what humanity lost was the blessed vision of God. I dont need to prove to you on this evening that sin is real. I need no more to convince you of it than I need to convince you of the existence of cell phones and gas prices. Sin is a daily reality, from the friend who wrongs you to the emptiness in your soul. Sin is that horrible tragedy, that terminal disease, these two things yearning for a change in the plot, a cure to be found. We need to recover sight of God, and that is the very thing that happens on Christmas – God who has hidden Himself in darkness, in a burning bush, in a cloud, in a whirlwind – has made Himself visible again.

In the wonderful books by J.K. Rowling, we have been invited to see that there is a world of invisibility. Just because you cant see Platform 9 and 3/4s doesnt mean its not there. Just because muggles cant see Hogwarts, it is no less there and real. Yes, the Christmas moment is just as though God has taken off His invisibility cloak, and in an even better way – for in Jesus Christ, the moment of His birth is an unveiling in a way that taking off an invisibility cloak is not. For, the Birth of Jesus shows us that God is not content to remain hidden, but must shed His glory over the whole world.

This is the reason the angels proclaim: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!

It is the reason Isaiah proclaims: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

You see, we are often too timid in our faith regarding the things God has done in Jesus Christ. On the one hand, we err on the side of history, looking upon Christmas as an historic event, and not the night on which God continually reveals Himself to the world, not merely then, but now.

On the other hand is the terrible injustice done when Christmas is turned into the very thing it is not – at best a time for gift-giving, hot chocolate, and parties, and at worse – materialism, the latest and greatest toys, and family squabbles. Dont be afraid – youre not alone!

The suggestion should be made to every Christian for Christmas – make this season of twelve days a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, a pilgrimage to look upon the face of God in His Incarnate Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! To see God – what a blessed thing that is!

Not even Moses was allowed to see the face of God.

But you can see Him, because Jesus Christ has made Him known. With child-like wonder, open your eyes of faith to see Him. Ask Him to come to you, just as He did to Bethlehem. Come to receive Him in the Eucharist this night – not because its the thing to do on Christmas, even if you dont the rest of the year. If thats true – dont bother. No – come to him like the shepherds did, filled with awe and wonder, too see the thing that God has done, and to worship and adore Him.

In NOMINE…

Five Advent Traditions for Your Family

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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It seems like this time of year, people are so excited for Christmas to come. As soon as the turkey is put into ziploc bags, its off to pick up a Christmas tree, and put lights up on the house. The decorations are pulled out of storage. All the stores play Christmas music.

A friend of mine, a systematic theologian, loves it. She says that its the only time of year when Jesus is treated like a total rock star. Shes right – is wonderful to see the festive way in which our increasingly secular culture greets this season, even if they dont acknowledge the deep theological significance. Trouble is, in jumping the gun, and celebrating Christmas too early, we miss out on the entire season of Advent, which the Church has given us as a means of building this anticipation properly. Advent is a season of penitence and preparation for the great twelve-day-long feast of Christmas. So, I give you five Advent traditions for you and your family.

  1. Light up an Advent Wreath and have a family dinner.

    2. Have as many sit-down family dinners as possible, and each evening, prior to the meal, light the candles on the Advent Wreath. Kids, especially, love the romanticism of this tradition. Romantic is exactly the right word! God is romancing this world to embrace the Bridegroom He has sent us. God loves the world, and seduces us to love Him in return.

  2. Do family devotions based on the Jesse Tree.

    3. The Jesse Tree tracks the history of the salvation of the world, starting with Jesse, the Father of David and culminating in Jesus. There are a good number of online resources for this. Have the father of the family read the Scripture readings for each day and talk to the children about the meaning of each reading.

  3. Make Christmas gifts for each other.

    4. In the not-so-distant past, American families used to spend this time of year industriously making Christmas gifts. Fathers would carve wood, mothers would knit, and children would make all kinds of things for their parents and siblings. Avoid the materialism of the modern age by having beloved things repaired for loved ones. I heard last week about a company that will repair your favorite pair of jeans! It may be that drawer that doesnt open or that appliance that needs a new motor. Maybe some jewelry needs to be repaired.

  4. Choose a charity to support.

    5. If your mailbox is like mine, youre getting inundated with requests from charities this time of year. There are many worthy ones. Consider a gift to a family you know struggling from unemployment. Also – consider a gift to charities like Heifer International, WorldVision, Food for the Poor, Anglican Relief and Development, or Anglicans for Life.

  5. Prepare for Twelve Whole Days of Feasting.

    6. Put a little money in your budget for saving for the Twelve Days of Christmas. Make plans for a very merry Christmas. Stock the wine cellar and bar. Make candy together. Scour the cookbooks. Discover the joys of homemade toffee, sticky toffee pudding, roasts, and christmas cocktails. Put together gift baskets. Make plans for decorating your house with a Christmas creche, a tree, garlands, wreaths, and lights. Leave everything up until Epiphany (January 6th). To some, this may seem luxurious, but if you cut back during Advent – youll have plenty of savings for a very merry Christmas.

How to Say Grace at Thanksgiving

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For this Thursday’s edition of the Stockton Record, I was asked by a reporter how to say grace at a Thanksgiving meal. Having to respond got me thinking: how should a Thanksgiving Day prayer go? Very often, they’re completely awkward – think the Griswold Family at Christmas saying the Pledge of Allegiance. But, the Thanksgiving prayer doesn’t have to be awkward. What it should be is sincere. So, I offer five tips for your Thanksgiving Dinner prayers:

1)  Don’t cater to the common denominator. We all know that, from time to time, there will be a guest at the table who doesn’t share our faith. Rather than praying in a manner that would make them comfortable, simply pray with sincerity, from the heart. Think of it as writing a personal letter to God on the fly, thanking Him for His blessings. The benefit is that no one can be offended by a sincere prayer. More importantly – it keeps in mind that the audience of our prayers is God Himself.
2)  Involve Others. One of the best of Thanksgiving traditions is to go around the table and ask people to talk about the things that have made them thankful in the previous year. I would offer one more suggestion – a blessing for the meal which includes versicles and responses:
V: The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord,
R: and thou givest them their meat in due season.
 V: Thou openest thine hand
 R: and fillest every living thing with blessing.

Bless us, O Lord and these the gifts
which of thy bounty we are about to receive;
through Christ our Lord. Amen

3) Sing Together. There are wonderful hymns of thanksgiving you can sing together. The tunes are very easy, and the words are splendid. Examples from the 1982 Hymnal include: #135, #410, #411, and #437. Here’s an excerpt from Hymn #411, St. Thomas:

“Then bless his holy Name,
whose grace hath made thee whole,
whose loving kindness crowns thy days:
O bless the Lord, my soul.”

4)  Tell A Story. Story is often left out of Thanksgiving celebrations, and there’s no reason for it. Before the time for blessing the food, someone should tell the family story. The matriarch or the patriarch should, as the Turkey is carved or the wine is poured, tell a story that includes: how Mom and Dad met, the story of their engagement, the stories of how all the kids were born, how they found the house they’re living in, the story of a tough year when money was short or the business wasn’t doing well, the story of newcomers being welcomed and even about the funny things that happened in Thanksgivings past. Telling stories is an essential part to prayer.
5) Remember the Dead. Don’t forget to give thanks to God for the people who have been a crucial part of your lives and who are no longer with you. Remember them at the meal, and pray for them. For many people, Thanksgiving begins a season which isn’t so merry as it once was. Give them the opportunity to thank God for good wives and husbands, friends, and children who can’t sit at the table with them.

On Thanksgiving…

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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Thanksgiving is a uniquely American creation in the traditions which we keep, but we are far from unique in turning to God to give thanks for all of His blessings. In the very opening chapters of the Book of Genesis, man turns to God to give thanks. Cain and Abel, with vastly different motives, give thanks to God by the offering of the very best of the produce of the land. The Scriptures are, in fact, filled with examples of thanksgiving being offered. In the Temple period, there was a specific kind of sacrifice called the Sacrifice of thanksgiving. The Psalmist refers to this saying: Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me.

Jesus himself offers us a perfect example of thanksgiving. In the accounts of the Feeding of the 5,000, we see Him take the bread and fish and give thanks for them. Thanksgiving is the means of blessing and Jesus calls upon it to bless the gifts He offers. This was a very Jewish means of blessing. Many of the ancient Jewish blessings begin in thanksgiving.

Thus, in the ultimate blessing of bread, the Holy Eucharist, we see blessing by thanksgiving. For, the term eucharist is simply the Greek word for thanksgiving. The Church gives thanks to God for the mystery of redemption by a wondrous mix of remembrance and blessing. Remembrance, however, means much more than our modern American understanding. It means to make present again or to know again. This was the meaning of the Greek word anamnesis. The Eucharist is the means by which the Church experiences the mystery of redemption afresh, not in a crude parody, but in a real and substantial way, for it is Christ who gives Himself to us under the accidents of bread and wine. Blessing, as well, is not so much a pat on Gods back, but the attitude of the humble – a recognition that we are not responsible, that everything is a gift. What gift could be greater than the salvation offered to the world on the Cross?

In this way, the American celebration of a Thanksgiving is rather inferior. But, I would submit to you that it is profound nonetheless. The reason is that Thanksgiving, in all its forms, is accomplished by what we have already mentioned – remembrance and blessing.

This Thanksgiving, remember all the goodness and kindness of God in your life and bless Him for it. For God is the author of every good and perfect gift. He is responsible not only for employment and checking account balances, but for even the mundane things like turkeys in the oven and every little cranberry and potato. This is the inescapable truth of human life – that we are born into this world with nothing – everything comes from God. Thanksgiving is a great day to call that to mind and bless the name of God for it.

On the Importance of Daily Prayer

Posted on by Father Lee Nelson
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Daily routines are important. It seems that one little interruption in our routine will throw a whole day off track. It can be as little as the coffee maker malfunctioning, or running out of toothpaste, or not being able to listen to our favorite radio show on the way to work. The reason is that the whole creation operates in a daily rhythm – sunrise and sundown, breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are flowers that open during the day and close at night. The ocean has tides and animals like chickens retreat to their coops when the sun goes down.

What we see in the created order is Gods plan of an ordered life, divided into days and hours, with seasons and times of year. This is reflected in the Churchs calendar, but also in the grand vision which the Church has for daily prayer. Many times, people get the impression that the Gospel is about God creating a well-rounded human being. In fact, it is about God inviting man to share in His divine life. Will this make a better man? To be sure – but at the end of the day the Christian life is not primarily about morality or virtue. It is about the practice of the presence of God, or as Abbot Dom Marmion put it – the Sacrament of the Present Moment.

The Christian is bidden by Saint Paul to pray without ceasing. (1 Thess. 5:17) This may seem to many to be an impossibility, yet the consequence of the indwelling Holy Spirit is that the presence of God is a given in the life of the Christian. It needs to be practiced. This begins in a routine of daily prayer. For instance, the key to keeping a kitchen clean is the discipline of loading the dishwasher every evening and emptying it every night. The key to keeping your car running well is regular oil changes. You see, the discipline initiates and maintains the continual practice.

Thus, the best suggestion for learning to pray is to start with the commitment of time in the morning and time in the evening for prayer. I would suggest about 15 minutes. It should include some form of adoration, confession, intercession, and scriptural reading. It should also include the most important feature of daily prayer – that of listening. Written prayers serve as the backbone of daily prayer. To some, this may seem insincere. But, how many poets learned to write poetry without reading good poems, and feeling their power? We learn to pray from others. It should be no surprise that Jesus gives his disciples a written prayer – the Lords prayer, and they remember it and pray it.

The best practice for this time of prayer is the use of a designated space. It should be comfortable, not bed comfortable, but a chair or a place suitable for kneeling. Objects of devotion should be placed in view to keep your attention. Icons, crosses, and statues are the best ways to do this.

Next, add prayers throughout the day. Begin the practice of prayer before work tasks, meals, and other routines. The Celtic Church had a practice we know as sweeping prayers. These were the prayers of women as they swept the floors. You see, the life of prayer binds itself to even the most mundane of activities. Why? Because again, the Christian life is about binding the life of man to the life of God. This is prayer. Saint Teresa of Avila said this: Prayer is loving intercourse with God. If daily prayer is not part of your routine, start today!