StellarCross

The Fourth of July - Oh no, not again...

2008-07-04T10:26:00.001-04:00

In the United States, today is Independence Day, a day where almost everyone cowtows to Civil Religion - manifest in sparkly entertainment form.

Let use use this day - and every day - to declare our total dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ, and not on the state; for the state is not our source of freedom or liberation; only Christ can truly accomplish that.

Today, and every day, is a day to stand up and declare ourselves to be Citizens of the Kingdom of God. On paper, we may be citizens of a nation-state, and, Scripturally we must be obedient to the just laws of government, but in this day and age - especially in America - we spend far too much time worshipping the state, and giving it credit for freedom, justice, and peace. Neither the United States, nor any other nation, gives us such gifts. Only our Lord Jesus Christ can give us freedom and liberation.

It is time for the Church to be single minded... to focus on Christ.

It is time to remember that this coming Sunday is the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, or the whatever Sunday in Whatever Liturgical Season you are celebrating, not Independence Sunday. America the Beautiful is NOT an appropriate Eucharistic hymn, an American flag is not an appropriate adornment for the house of God, and and honoring parishoners who, following orders, have taken the lives of other Christians (who, after all, were just following orders) has no place in the Embassy of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the Church.

It's time to liberate the Church from Civil Religion once and for all.

Pity it probably won't happen any time soon.

:sigh:

End Rant.

Flash Review: When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions

2008-06-22T21:41:00.006-04:00

"When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions" is a six part documentary of the United States' manned spaceflight program. Billed as the definitive High Definition chronicle of the space program, the program doesn't even come close to living up to the billing.

Far from being an authoritative review of the space program, "When We Left Earth" is little more than NASA-porn: quite pretty, but lacking in depth and substance, and - at times - featuring some glaring errors or omissions.

Part of the problem is due to the fact that the series is attempting to chronicle over forty-five years of history in six televised hours (less, in fact, when you count out the commercials). There is no real way to chronicle the space program in such a short period of time, but to make matters worse (at least for a nitpicker like me) footage is played fast and loose, and key events in the life of the space program are essentially ignored.

I was shocked when the overview of the maiden flight of the Columbia (STS-1) was dismissed in under two minutes with no mention of the fact that mission controllers were concerned about re-entry from the missing tiles on the ship. Other glaring omissions include the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, Sally Ride's first mission, and the first Return to Flight of the shuttle era.

Sound clips and video footage was also featured from wrong missions (for example, External Tank, SRB, and vehicle footage from the post-Columbia era of retrn to flight shown in the early days of the shuttle).

Far from being a substantial history of the space program, it is little more than a titillating sketchbook-type overview of the space program, "When We Left Earth" is easily overshadowed by even older (outdated) series such as PBS' "Spaceflight".

Dorotheos of Tyre

2008-06-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Bishop and Martyr

Dorotheos was the bishop of Tyre in Lebanon during the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Lichinos; he endured many various sufferings and was exiled from his cathedral to the city of Odisopolis in Trakia, because of his faith in Christ.

When Lichinos was killed in the year 324, and Constantine succeeded him on the throne of Rome, the Church was free again, and Dorotheos returned to his people in Tyre. He was a prudent intellectual person, knew Greek and Latin very well, and left some valuable writings that reflect his love for God and his Church and his vast knowledge. He was killed during the persecutions of Julian the apostate in the year 362, and thus ended his life with the crown of martyrdom.

Prayer of the Day
Father,
you call your people to stand fast in the faith
in spite of the hostility of the world.
As we recall the example of Dorotheos of Tyre,
grant your Church the strength of conviction
to always speak the truth,
live by the imperatives of the Gospel,
and advocate for justice and peace in the world.
We make our prayer through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Boniface of Mainz

2008-06-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

Bishop and Martyr

Boniface, whose name means ‘good deeds’, was born in Britain. He was a Benedictine monk who, at the age of thirty, was called to missionary work among the Vandal tribes of Germany. He led large numbers of his fellow Benedictines –men and women alike – in establishing churches, schools, and seminaries. Boniface was also a reformer. He was instrumental in calling two Synods that put an end to the practice of selling Church offices to the highest bidder. Following in the footsteps of Willibrord, he was preaching in the lands of the Frisians as his life drew to an end. While preparing a group of Frisians for confirmation on the eve of Pentecost in the year 754, he and his companions were killed by Vandal warriors.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God,
you called your bishop Boniface
to be a witness among the Germans and the Frisians,
raising up though his life a people for your own possession,
and through his death an example of selfless service.
Pour forth your Holy Spirit upon the Church in every land,
that by the service and sacrifice of many
your holy Name may be glorified
and your kingdom enlarged.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Martyrs of Uganda

2008-06-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. In the following months many other Christians throughout the country died by spear or fire for their faith.

These martyrdoms totally changed the dynamic of Christian growth in Uganda. Introduced by a handful of Anglican and Roman missionaries after 1877, the Christian faith had been preached only to the immediate members of the court, by order of King Mutesa. His successor, Mwanga, became increasingly angry as he realized that the first converts put loyalty to Christ above the traditional loyalty to the king. Martyrdoms began in 1885. Mwanga first forbade anyone to go near a Christian mission on pain of death, but finding himself unable to cool the ardor of the converts, resolved to wipe out Christianity.

The Namugongo martyrdoms produced a result entirely opposite to Mwanga's intentions. The example of these martyrs, who walked to their deaths singing hymns and praying for their enemies, so inspired many of the bystanders that they began to seek instruction from the remaining Christians. Within a few years the original handful of converts had multiplied many times and spread far beyond the court. The martyrs had left the indelible impression that Christianity was truly African, not simply a white man's religion. Most of the missionary work was carried out by Africans rather than by white missionaries, and Christianity spread steadily. Uganda now has the largest percentage of professed Christians of any nation in Africa.

One African clergyman, born of pagan parents, tell of his conversion. He said: “One afternoon I was bicycling along a road and met a young man about my own age bicycling in the opposite direction. He promptly turned about and began to ride beside me and to talk. He spoke with great enthusiasm about Jesus, whom I had never heard of before, and how He had destroyed the power of death and evil by dying and rising again, and how He was God become man to reconcile man with God. I heard what my companion had to say, and before we parted I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Now, the young man who preached the Good News of Jesus Christ to me that afternoon had himself heard of Jesus for the first time that morning.”

Renewed persecution of Christians in the 1970's by the military dictatorship of Idi Amin proved the vitality of the example of the Namugongo martyrs. Among the thousands of new martyrs, both Anglican and Roman, was Janani Luwum, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda

Prayer of the Day
Good and gracious God,
as we celebrate today the faith and sacrifice of the Martyrs of Uganda,
grant that we may,
at all times and in all places,
be constant in our witness to your Son,
regardless of the cost.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Martyrs of Lyons

2008-06-02T00:00:00.003-04:00

In Gaul, there were missionary centers which had drawn many Christians from Asia and Greece. Persecution began in 177.

At first, Christians were excluded from the public baths, the market place, and from social and public life. They were subject to attack when they appeared in public, and many Christian homes were vandalized. At this point the government became involved, and began to take Christians into custody for questioning. Some slaves from Christian households were tortured to obtain confessions, and were induced to say that Christians practiced cannibalism and incest. These charges were used to arouse the whole city against the Christians, particularly against Pothinus, the aged bishop of Lyons; Sanctus, a deacon; Attalus; Maturus, a recent convert; and Blandina, a slave. Pothinus was beaten and then released, to die of his wounds a few days later. Sanctus was tormented with red-hot irons. Blandina, tortured all day long, would say nothing except, "I am a Christian, and nothing vile is done among us." Finally, the survivors were put to death in the public arena.

Prayer of the Day
Lord,
hear the prayers we offer today
on the feast of the martyrs of Lyons.
May we, like them,
be rooted and grounded in our love for you and one another,
so that we may endure the sufferings of this life
with confidence in the glory of the life to come.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Justin and his Companions

2008-06-01T00:00:00.001-04:00

Martyrs

Justin was the son of pagan parents. While living at Ephesus, he was touched by the stories of the Christian martyrs, and eventually came under the influence of an elderly Christian man he had met there. Justin described his conversion thusly: “Straightaway a flame was kindled in my soul and a love of the prophets and those who are friends of Christ possessed me.” Justin was a teacher of philosophy and engaged in debates about the truth of the Christian faith. He was arrested and jailed for practicing an unauthorized religion. When he refused to renounce his faith he was beheaded, together with six of his students.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty and everlasting God,
your servant Justin began his search for you
by wandering from teacher to teacher,
and through the faith of one of those teachers
you revealed to him the sublime wisdom of your eternal Word.
Not squandering the precious gift he had received,
he in turn shared it with a world in desperate need of your love,
and was, together with his students,
willing to die rather than deny you,
the source of true love and peace.
As we celebrate the martyrdom of Justin and his companions,
hear our prayers,
and grant that all who seek you,
or a deeper knowledge of you,
may find and be found by you.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Vincent of Lerins

2008-05-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Presbyter and Monk

Vincent of Lerins was born into a noble family of Gaul (which is located in what is now France). He began his life as a soldier, but gave up that profession and instead elected to dedicate his life to God as a monk at a monastery on the island of Lerins. He was ordained there and in about 434 authored his famous work the Commonitorium. This work offered a guide to orthodox teaching and included his famous maxim, the Vincentian Canon, by which he hoped to be able to differentiate between true and false tradition. In it he states that the true Catholic faith consists of “what has been believed everywhere, always, and by all”. He believed that the ultimate source of Christian truth was Holy Scripture and that the authority of the Church was only to be invoked to guarantee the correct interpretation of Scripture.

In addition to his defense of the primitive Catholic faith, Vincent opposed the definition of Original Sin that Augustine of Hippo was developing. Vincent, instead, supported what became known in theological circles as Semi-Pelagianism. Where Augustine taught that mankind was unable to seek God at all, Vincent and the other monks of Southern Gaul taught that it is necessary for humans to make the first step toward God and then God will complete salvation.

Vincent is considered, by many, the patron of the Primitive Catholic movement.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God,
your Holy Spirit gives to one the word of knowledge,
and to another the insight of wisdom,
and to another the steadfastness of faith.
Today, as we celebrate the feast of your servant Vincent,
we praise you for the grace that led him
to a fuller knowledge of the truth.
Grant that we, who today live out our faith,
may cling to what has been believed always, everywhere, by all
who have followed the path of your Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ.
To him, to you, and to the Spirit
be glory, honor, and praise,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Martyrs of Mesopotamia

2008-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today the Church commemorates the Martyrs of Mesopotamia. In the year 303, in the midst of a mass persecution orchestrated by Galerius, Christians from throughout Mesopotamia (located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq) were rounded up and sentenced to death. They were hung upside down from rods as slow-burning fires were kindled under them, choking them with smoke. After their deaths, the fires were stoked and their bodies were burned away by fire.

Prayer of the Day
Loving God,
the fire of your truth and compassion
blazed in the hearts of the Martyrs of Mesopotamia,
kindling fear and murder in the hearts of the civil rulers of their day.
May we, like them,
always be found constant in our love for you,
and stedfast in our faith and convictions,
even when faced with difficult trials or a painful death.
We make our prayer through your Son,
Christ Jesus our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Martyrs of Cappadocia

2008-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mesopotamia wasn’t the only part of the Christian world impacted by the persecutions of Galerius in the year 303. In Cappadocia (located in what is now west-central Turkey), a group of faithful Christians who were forced to endure torture before finally being murdered on account of Christ.

Prayer of the Day

Good and Gracious God,

you nourish the Church through the witness of her martyrs.

May we, who today celebrate the Martyrs of Cappadocia,

be ever faithful to the Gospel:

clinging to the knowledge of your truth,

enduring all persecutions and hardships,

and coming at the last great day to eternal life.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God,

now and ever,

and unto ages of ages.

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

2008-05-18T00:00:00.002-04:00

Prayer of the Day
Almighty and ever-living God,
it is truly good and right for us to give you thanks for your kindness,
and to praise you day and night.
Grant that we may always hold fast to the faith that is able to save,
and, in proclaiming the healing name of Jesus,
allow us to triumph over every pain
of body, mind, and spirit,
and draw ever closer to you and to one another
by the working of the Holy Spirit.
To you, O Holy Triune God, be glory,
now, always, and forever.

Readings
Acts 5: 12-16
Psalm 92: 1-2, 4-5
John 14: 1-14

Martyrs of Sudan

2008-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Christian bishops, chiefs, commanders, clergy and people of southern Sudan declared, on May 16, 1983, that they would not abandon God as God had revealed himself to them through the Scriptures, even though they were under threat of Shariah Law imposed by the fundamentalist Islamic government in Khartoum. The Christians of the Sudan suffered from persecution and devastation through twenty-two years of civil war. Two and a half million people were killed. Many clergy and lay leaders were singled out because of their religious leadership in their communities. No buildings, including churches and schools, were left standing in an area the size of Alaska. God, however, always has a plan when his people endure persecution. When the Martyrdoms began, only five percent of the population of southern Sudan was Christian. Today, more than eighty percent of the same area has converted to the Christian faith. This faith in Jesus, rooted deeply in the message of God’s mercy and love, has renewed their spirits through out the years of strife and sorrow.

Prayer of the Day
Lord God,
you who will not be defeated
and who is steadfast in the midst of persecution,
by your providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.
Grant that we
who remember before you the blessed martyrs of the Sudan,
may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ,
whom they refused to abandon,
even in the face of death.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Me and Liberation Theology

2008-05-16T10:49:00.004-04:00

"I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the Police, and the garrisons. Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given by a man, the law of God should prevail that says: Do not kill! No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God. No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is time now that you recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the command of sin. The Church, defender of the rights of God, of the law of God, of the dignity of the human person, cannot remain silent before so much abomination.

"We want the government to seriously consider that reforms
mean nothing when they come bathed in so much blood. Therefore, in the name of God, and in the name of this long-suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven every day more tumultuous, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you in the name of God: Cease the repression!"

+Oscar Romero

Archbishop of San Salvador

Many of my faithful readers know that I have a fairly strong position against the Church getting involved in the state through means like elections, jury duty, holding public office, etc. So why, oh why, would I post these words from the final homily of Archbishop Romero - words so politically charged, if I didn't agree with the notion of Christians interfering in secular matters.

Well, I suppose that the reason is that I believe that the Church should interfere in secular matters all the time, just not using the means of this world to do it.

Okay... wipe the "huh" look off your face.

One of the most powerful means of communication in the world is the sermon. Words spoken with the power of God's own word, and with a passion of conviction, can truly change the world. Look at the ancient Church; her pastors preached with great confidence in God and great love for the world around them - pagan and Christian - and would often preach against the horrific treatment that their brothers and sisters (of whatever persuasion) went through. We are called to do the same.

Do I support every element of liberation theology? No. I can't say that I do. I can say, however, that +Romero's words and his courage to stand up for the people committed to his care, a people who were being slaughtered by the government because of their identity, should inspire us, today, to speak openly and vocally from our pulpits and ambos about the muffling of the faith in America, and the constant degradation of religious liberty (for all faiths!) that we are experiencing in North America.

The Church must excite her members to holiness, and must serve as a vocal conscience for the human community... even when those outside her walls do not wish to hear what she has to say.

Just some offhanded thoughts on this Friday morning.

Martyrs of Kaskhar

2008-05-16T08:06:00.002-04:00

Today the Church commemorates the Martyrs of Kaskhar, who died on May 16, 366 in the midst of a severe persecution orchestrated by the Persian ruler Shapur II. Two bishops, Abda and Abdjesus, together with sixteen presbyters, nine deacons, six monks, and seven sisters were placed between heavy slabs to crush their bones and were later beheaded. These forty martyrs are among the many generated by the Syriac Church well after the major persecutions had stopped in the west.

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God,
you have given to your Church
the example of the Martyrs of Kaskhar
so that we might be encouraged to cling to our faith
even in moments of great trial and pain.
Grant that we may find
in the presence of the Spirit
the strength to endure the changes and chances of this mortal life,
so that, together with all your chosen ones,
we may complete our journey through this life
and arrive at the last in everlasting joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Brendan of Ardfert and Clonfert

2008-05-15T11:39:00.003-04:00

Presbyter and Monk

Brendan of Ardfert and Clonfert is better known by his popular title “the Navigator”. Brendan, was the son of a noble family, but elected to give his life to God through service to the Church as a monk and a presbyter. Together with a group of monks, Brendan set out to share the Gospel message far and wide, and a traditional tale of his journey out into the Atlantic was told for centuries. These tales were generally believed to be fanciful legend, that is until Celtic Ogam writings were discovered in various parts of North America. These Ogams include very clear and direct statements about Christ and Mary. A tale, once thought legend, now has much more credibility. It is entirely possible Brendan and his band of monks were the first from the European continent to visit North America. Upon his return from his voyage of seven years, Brendan founded more monasteries and may have been consecrated as a bishop (though the evidence to support this is spotty). Brendan died peacefully in the year 577.

Prayer of the Day

God of land and sea,

you endowed your servant Brendan

with a bold and adventurous spirit,

to occupy himself for your business on the great waters,

and revealed to him your wonders in the deep.

Make us,

who recall with thanksgiving his life and ministry,

zealous to be pioneers and pilgrims for the faith.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Matthias

2008-05-14T10:36:00.004-04:00

Apostle

We know little about Matthias, the 'replacement apostle', though his selection to replace Judas is one of the foundations of the belief among Catholic Christians in the doctine of apostolic succession.

With the exception of the details of his election, the New Testament is otherwise silent about his life and work. Some legends claim that he went on to Ethiopia and was martyred there, while others state that he died peacefully at an old age after engaging in ministry in Cappadocia and near the Caspian Sea.

Prayer of the Day
Father,
you chose your faithful servant Matthias
to be numbered among the twelve.
Grant that your church may always be taught and guided by faithful and true pastors,
whose hearts and minds are set on you.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Readings
Acts 1: 12-26
Psalm 56
Luke 24: 44-49

Pachomius

2008-05-09T10:40:00.003-04:00

Monastic

Today the Church commemorates one of the Desert Fathers, Pachomius. He was born around the year 290 in Egypt, and converted to the faith while he was serving as a soldier. In the year 320, he left civil service and went to live as a hermit in Upper Egypt where a growing network of hermitages was forming. Pachomius organized them into a religious community in which the members offered prayer together and shared of their own goods. His rule for monastic life eventually influenced both Eastern and Western Christianity, serving as the base for both the Rule of Basil and the Rule of Benedict.

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God,
we praise you for your servant Pachomius
through whom you brought unity and direction to the monks of Upper Egypt.
Raise up in our own day men and women
who, with willing hearts, will offer themselves to a monastic vocation.
May their voices intercede for the world,
and may their example give strength to your Church.
We make our prayer through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

The Psalter Search

2008-05-08T13:56:00.005-04:00

Trying to find a good Psalter is such a pain...

As I continue work on various liturgical projects, I continue to lament the lack of a halfway decent, contemporary English, Psalter that is worth anything.

My preference, to this day, remains with the 1963 Grail Psalms... but getting permission to use these Psalms in a local-use liturgical book has been a nigh-on-impossible three year journey that I am pretty much on the verge of abandoning. (Of course, the use of the Grail would also be a bit of a personal comfort... as I grew up on a diet of the Grail in the Roman Liturgy of the Hours.) The Grail is, of course, not without its faults... but for my money, when Psalm 4, 91, or 141 is sung, I only want to hear the Grail.

My translation of choice for public proclamation of the Scriptures, the New Living Translation (Second Edition) has the advantage of being well-laid-out for chanting, but its verbiage is awful when it comes to trying to sing... right from the very first verse...

"Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in
the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night."
Psalm 1: 1-2 (NLT)

Compare this to the Grail:

"Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night."
Psalm 1: 1-2 (Grail)

Another entrant could be The Liturgical Psalter that was used in various Church of England publications; most notably in The Alternative Service Book 1980. It has been placed into (essentially) a public domain status by the copyright holders (see: http://www.aquilabooks.co.uk/noframes/psalms.htm#1). Psalm 1 fares better here:

"Blessed is the man
who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly:
nor followed the way of sinners,
nor taken his seat amongst the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord:
and on that law will he ponder day and night."
Psalm 1: 1-2 (TLS)

This winds up sounding pretty good... but fast forward to Psalm 23 (among others) and the fact that it is accurately translated begins to matter far less than the fact that the Psalm sounds awful.

We tend to forget, but the Psalms are poetry, hymnody... and they deserve a better effort than they seem to be given these days. Pardon my side-rant... back to my main point.

For chantability and accuracy, the ESV is actually a really good option (though I might get concerned about the use of two differing translations of the Bible in use in a parish setting).

"Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night."
Psalm 1: 1-2 (ESV)

So, is there anyone out there in the blogosphere with a better idea for a local liturgical psalter? I'd particularlly like to hear from folks who are using Psalters on a daily basis.

John

2008-05-06T07:50:00.004-04:00

Apostle and Evangelist

Prayer of the Day
Father,
shed upon the Church the brightness of your light,
that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John,
may walk in the light of your truth,
and come at last to the fullness of eternal life.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 92: 1-2, 11-14

Readings
1 John 1: 1-9
John 20: 1-8

Liturgical Color
White

Inspiring Words from Christians in Palestine

2008-04-25T08:47:00.004-04:00

Recently, while searching for a totally unrelated item, I came across the website the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah, Palestine (or, if you insist, Israel). In it they were discussing their worship services... and I find it interesting to read what they wrote (added emphases are my own):

Worship services are held each Sunday morning at 10:30 am, and Sunday School is held at 9:30 am in the parish hall. Even during occasional times of curfew imposed by the Israeli military, the Lutheran church bells ring announcing worship and people come to pray. A curfew is the total closure of a town, a time when people are forbidden by the Israeli soldiers to leave their homes. Pastor Ansara and the Lutheran church members have decided to hold worship services regardless of a curfew. People leave their homes to sing, pray, hear God’s Word and partake of the Sacraments in the church.

One Date for Pascha/Easter

2008-04-25T08:30:00.003-04:00

This weekend, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Pascha... over a month after their Western counterparts have done so. This continued division between East and West is a grave sin against the witness of the Christian faith in the world today. I share the belief, as do many others, that we need a better way to calculate Pascha (Easter).

Some ideas:

Celebrate Pascha in the Sunday immediately following the Jewish Passover

Celebrate Pascha on the last Sunday in April

Celebrate Pascha on the first Sunday in April

Celebrating on the Sunday after the Jewish Passover helps maintain a continuity with the foreshadowing of the Paschal Mystery. Celebrating on the last Sunday in April allows for warmer (somewhat) weather in order to celebrate baptism outdoors in a natural setting (stream, creek, river, etc...). Celebrating on the first Sunday in April is probably the ecumenically-sensitive option, since that is what most folks would seem to prefer.

You can register your support for a single day to observe Pascha by visiting onedate.org.

Mark

2008-04-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

Evangelist, Bishop, and Martyr

Prayer of the Day
Father,
you have enriched your Church with Mark’s proclamation of the Gospel.
Give us grace to believe firmly in the good news of salvation
and to walk daily in accord with it.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and ever,
and unto ages of ages.

Psalm of the Day
Psalm 57
Response: I will confess you among the peoples, O Lord!

Readings
Isaiah 52: 7-10
2 Timothy 4: 6-11, 18
Mark 1: 1-15

Liturgical Color
Red

Organ and Tissue Donation II

2008-04-23T18:27:00.003-04:00

In response to my post yesterday concerning Organ and Tissue Donation, I received an interesting comment. I posted it, somewhat reluctantly, but wish to actually expound upon why I don't believe that the suggestion made in the comment is appropriate.

Dave Undis is the Executive Director of LifeSharers, a Nashville, Tennessee based organization that promotes an idea of prioritized donation on the basis of the recipient's donation status (i.e., if they are or are not a donor). His comments follow, with my comments interspersed:

Over half of the 98,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year. Over 6,000 of our neighbors suffer and die needlessly every year as a result.

I agree with Dave; as a proponent of Organ and Tissue donation, I definately am not thrilled that so many people do not elect to give the gift of life. That being said, why do people choose not to donate? In fact, how many people have truly rejected donation? Simply asking "Do you want to be an organ donor" at the license branch isn't sufficient. We need education. We cannot blame those who do not know about donation for going to their graves with their organs.

There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage -- give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors.

I doubt it. People use the same justifiction to support captial punishment. The United States executes, per capita, the largest number of criminals in the western world, yet we have one of the highest violent crime rates on the planet. People won't have a clue about this idea - just as many have no real clue what donation is all about. Then, they will find out about it and it will be too late.

It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.

Again, what about a lack of education and knowledge? You are going to have to do better, Dave, in convincing me that this is a good idea. Until there is effective, universal education on this issue, your plan makes no sense. It excludes people who have bought into the lies about donation (i.e., they take organs from black folks and kill them and give them to white folks... or... if they know I am a donor, they won't try to save my life). Look at the country we live in, Dave... do you REALLY think we have the knowledge in this nation to make your dream a reality? I don't. Also, I am not willing to write off those who are ignorant of donation, just as I am not willing to write off God's gift of eternal life among those who have never heard of Christ. To do so would be, in my mind, a betrayal of my Christian principles.

So, in short, Mr. Undis, thanks... but no thanks. Our Organ Donation system is flawed, needs help, and could stand to use a massive infusion of people... but it works far better than singling people out because of a lack of knowledge or because they have been taught all their lives that Donation is one group's way of being a modern-day succubus off of another group.

When and if (and I do mean if) the United States passes a presumtive consent law concerning donation (you are a donor unless you opt out) then it will make sense to classify people based on their conscious decision to opt out of participating in the system. Until then, I am absolutely uncomfortable with any move to restrict donation in the fashion that LifeSharers suggests.

The Liturgy of the notices - from the Naked Liturgist

2008-04-22T22:30:00.001-04:00

My friend, Fr. Bosco, an Anglican priest from New Zealand, has posted the first episode of his new web-series "The Naked Liturgist", and it is worth a look-see.

Organ and Tissue Donation

2008-04-22T13:57:00.004-04:00

April is Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month in the United States. In my local health-care facility, we are celebrating this week with programs intended to raise awareness among our staff. I wanted to take a moment, though, to share the donation message here on the blog today.

Organ and Tissue Donation is an imperative in our society today. Thousands of people are on the waiting list for hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, skin, cornea, valves, bone, and other donations that they need to either improve the quality of their lives or to simply survive.

Each of us can make a difference by signing up to be an organ or tissue donor, and by making your choice known to your family and friends. In many states, you can make your wishes known -as I did - by designating your donation decision on your driver's license. You can also register on the Internet with the donation registry for your home state. A listing of these registries can be found at http://www.organdonor.gov/

For those outside the United States, consult your local health department or medical facility for full information on how to become an organ donor.

Please join me in making a commitment to Organ and Tissue Donation in this month, and share in putting out the message about the urgency of donation!