0202 Reflection -- Luke 2:22-40

The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Friday 2 February 2018

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Luke 2:22-40 (NRSV)
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, Jesus’ parents brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

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I love this reading! It is the source of the Song of Simeon, one of the great canticles of the Church. This feast is a wonderful time to focus on Simeon and Anna, and to enter their praise. It is a wonderful time to share the ponderings of the Blessed Mother as she witnesses this praise. And what must Joseph thought? Oh how often we forget Joseph. All that this Gospel contains is fulfilling the Law. That doesn't mean a lot to us who are not of the Law. But for us who live under the Gospel, the praise offered to God in adoration of Christ is certainly something to embrace and show forth in our own day and generation.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0202 Reflection -- Hebrews 2:14-18

The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Friday 2 February 2018

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Hebrews 2:14-18 (NRSV)
Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

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In the Temple, it is shown that Jesus has fully entered as divinity into our humanity. He shares the fullness of human experience. And so this Epistle is very fitting for this feast, especially as by now we are well in a transition from Incarnation to preparing for the Paschal Feast. This reading links the whole of the life of Christ together.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0202 Reflection -- Malachi 3:1-4

The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Friday 2 February 2018

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Malachi 3:1-4 (NRSV)
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

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This is an odd reading for the feast of the Presentation. It speaks of the one who will prepare the way for Messiah to come. This feast marks the coming of Messiah and brings the celebration of the birth of the Christ to a close. There is, of course, that piece about finding the Messiah in the Temple. Nonethless, I can't see preaching on this at this feast.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0121 Reflection -- 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

                     Sunday 21 January 2018
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

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1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NRSV)
I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

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It feels like this reading ought to be in Advent and not in between Epiphany and Lent. And yet there is a message that is always good to hear in this reading. Paul is challenging our priorities. This reading is stressing a focus on the eternal things in the midst of things temporal. It reminds me of the reprimand of Jesus following the feeding of the multitudes in John 6 when he teaches: "Strive for the bread that lasts." What are we focused on and striving for that which lasts forever?

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0121 Reflection -- Jonah 3:1-5, 10

                     Sunday 21 January 2018
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

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Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

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I love the whole book of Jonah. This reading is wonderful. But this is not going to be a Sunday to even think of Jonah as a preaching option given the fact that the following week I will be starting a preaching series on a whole list of Old Testament Easter Vigil readings as Lent and the old pre-Lent are days of preparation to keep the Paschal Feast. So Jonah will appear soon!

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

B18 First Sunday of Christmas [31 Dec '17]

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                    •••••••••• John 1:1-18
                    •••••••••• Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7
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John never refers to the child Jesus, but he does speak of Jesus as Son of God. But the Evangelist does speak of children. And who are these multiple children? John tells us they are those who are born of the Spirit of God, out of the will of God, to be children of God. They have received the gift of the true Light of the World, Jesus Christ, God among us!

We are the children of God. This light has claimed us and revealed us as who we are according to the will of God. Paul speaks powerfully of this truth in the Epistle for this Sunday. He speaks of "the fullness of time" when the unique Son of God was sent by God into the world, born of a woman. And through this holy birth, the apostle proclaims, we as Christians have been adopted as children of God by being joined to Christ.

I absolutely love this imagery of adoption. Part of the reason why this speaks so powerfully to me is because even now as an adult, I cherish the memories of being adopted as a young teenager. The power of that experience is enhanced all the more by the realization that I am basically the same age now that my adopted parents were when they claimed me as their own. I marvel these days in that adoption from both the perspective of a child and of an adult.

The piece of this in which I marvel at the most as an adult is the aspect of grace. It's an element of our adoption as the children of God that often we forget, but never should forget. As sons and daughters of God, we loose sight of the fact that before God we remain as children. What is interesting, though, is that we don't forget this that easily when we think of our human families. I recently saw a television show in which one of the main characters, when faced with the illness and possible death of her mother, made the comment that "when it's your parent, no matter how old you are, it's like you are 6 all over again."

In these Christmas days, I tell you that when we are faced with the reality of being a child of God, it's like we are a newborn child all over again. And when we place ourselves in that manger with Jesus, we encounter something absolutely powerful.

This is powerful because we know that such ones are completely dependent upon parental help. And the beauty of this is found in remebering that God has not failed us. God has not chosen us because of who we are but rather because of who God longs to be for us. God gives us everything that we need to grow day by day as the children of God.

There is great comfort in this. But what do we do with this comfort? Today we find both John and Paul sharing the good news of the adoption of the sons and daughters of God through Jesus. They share this as ones who know keenly that they have been adopted by God and called to share the Light that is Christ with the whole world. They share this light both with those in the faith to encourage the faithful as well as with those who have not yet encountered the light or those who have wandered away from the light and lost their bearings and the identity that God desires for them to embrace. And as they share this light, we are called to share Christ with the faithful, with those who have no faith, and with those who have lost their faith.

We pray for all these ones. The Prayer Book's Prayers of the People Form 5, which we are using at this Mass, include this petition:

       For those who do not yet believe, and for
        those who have lost their faith, that they
           may receive the light of the Gospel, we
                                            pray to you, O Lord.

It's a challenging petition! Simply put, to pray this makes us anxious. If we are honest, the anxiety about this petition is fear that when we pray thus, God will send us to be the ones who spread the light of the Gospel, the awareness of the loving presence of Christ, to these ones who have never heard the faith or who have lost their faith. How often we wish that God would simply send someone else.

But, my friends, where would we be today if we had not received the faithful witness not only of the saints whose names are recorded in Scripture but also those whom we have known face to face in this life who have in word and deed reflected the Light of Christ for us and so many others? Without them, our lives and our identity would be markedly different than they are today.

We know this to be true, and yet all too often we feel utterly unqualified and inept to witness to Christ and share our faith and the difference that Christ has made in us. Remember today that God really does give us everything that we need, especially what we need to be faithful to the will of God.

I have shared this with you many times, but it is worth repeating again. The very reason that I stand before you as a priest of the Church is because at a time when I had rebeled as a teenager and lost the faith, a new friend, another teenager, shared with me her love of her Church and her pastor, both the love she felt and the love she received. She did not intend to draw me in by her sharing, but Jesus did! And so by that faithful witness enabled by Christ the Light of the World, I was drawn to that light and amazed by the warmth and the grace I found in that light.

Friends, there are people all around us in dark places who need to receive the light, who need to be drawn to the awareness of a loving God who longs to adopt them also as children of God. And how shall they be drawn if we are not willing to invite and share.

These ones really do exist right here in Wilkes-Barre. Just a few days ago I spoke with a friend and colleague who is a pastor in a young church here in this city that has intentionally sought out those who have no faith or who have lost their faith. When I became your rector, this church did not exist. Today they average 350 people in worship!

That ought to inspire us to go into the world with confidence and boldness. We should rejoice in this growth even when it happens elsewhere. We should trust that Christ can accomplish this even in our midst. And then we should step out in the world to be the Light of Christ, for we are the children of God who right here and right now are the hands, the feet, the voice and the very heart of Jesus who loves and longs for all persons without exception.

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             ...  Father Timothy Alleman  ...
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NHL at Christmas Day

If the Stanley Cup Playoffs began TODAY...

EASTERN CONFERENCE
New York Islanders vs Tampa Bay Lightning
New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils
Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Washington Capitals

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Anaheim Ducks vs Vegas Golden Knights
Dallas Stars vs St. Louis Blues
Winnipeg Jets vs Nashville Predators
San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings

Oh, wow!  How exciting would these matchups be!

Just for giggles, my predictions...

Series 1
Lightning over Islanders in a long series...

Series 2
Devils over Rangers in a tough 5-6 game series...

Series 3
Maple Leafs outlast the Bruins...

Series 4
Blue Jackets shock the Capitals...

Series 5
Vegas gets a Series Win over the Ducks...

Series 6
Blues over Stars in a long series...

Series 7
Predators over Jets...

Series 8
Kings outlast Sharks...

SECOND ROUND
Lightning over Maple Leafs
Blue Jackets over Devils
Kings over Golden Knights
Blues over Predators

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lightning win Prince of Wales Trophy
Blues win Clarence Campbell Bowl

NHL CHAMPIONSHIP
Blues win Stanley Cup

B18 The Nativity of Our Lord [25 Dec '17]

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Christmas Day

Homily Text ……… John 1:1-14

I love the First Chapter of John's Gospel. For me, this is the true Christmas Gospel. The Evangelist John portrays a vision of the Christ that so wonderful and beautifully proclaims the identity of the one whose birth we celebrate on this holy day. And what is interesting is that John does this without any mention of the birth itself. For John, nothing is of greater importance than who Jesus is and why he has come among us.

Today I want to focus on a portion of this Gospel as proclaimed in this context of the Feast Day of the Nativity of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ that quite frankly I have never pondered on much until recent days.  In the midst of my reading and preparation to preach, I encountered the question, "Why does John the Baptist appear here in today's Gospel?"

We encounter John as Forerunner who prepares the Way for Messiah in Advent. After these Twelve Days of Christmas are complete, we shall encounter John as Baptist, or rather as Baptizer, who brought Jesus into the waters of Jordan and played a key role in the revealing of Jesus as the unique and eternal Son of God. But today we encounter John in the celebration of the First Advent of Messiah. Only today we are not faced with the Forerunner or the Baptizer. John has a different role on this day.

What then is this role? We encounter John as the Witness who points to the Christ and reveals him for who he is, has ever been, and will be forever. John the Evangelist does not mention the Christ child. And the reason he doesn't, I believe, is because the Evangelist and the Witness both known as John know that the infancy of Christ is but a piece of the story. They each remind us today that in Jesus, the child and the man, we are encountered by God who desires to be known and loved by us even as God has known and loved us long before anyone else.

I thought of John as Witness to the Christ, I could not help but think of the words of the prophet Isaiah that we have heard this day. Isaiah proclaims:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation..."

Isaiah is speaking of witnesses. The Evangelist John presents us with one such witness. And when these two passages are placed side by side, I cannot help but think that each of these men known as John are those beautiful feet. As witnesses, each of them stand among the people, on the place where the Scriptures of the Old Covenant speak again as the meeting place of God and humans; the mountain. Only this is no longer an actual mountain. The mountain is the whole world into which God the Word has been revealed as God clothed in our humanity, inviting us to enter into the Kingdom of God and rejoice in the nearness of God.

Only, dear friends, John the Evangelist and John the Baptist are not the only witnesses of this Gospel. They are not the only ones who have beautiful feet that take good news, the Word of God, throughout the world. Today these two legends of the Gospel are reminders for us that we who have received both the Gospel of the Birth of Jesus and the Gospel of the Eternal Word of God made flesh, are called to run with them and proclaim them for the sake of the world in our own day and generation. They challenge us to go forth into the world, guided by the Holy Spirit, to make Christ known in all the world, not just today but every day. They call us to share not just the child whose birth we celebrate but also the risen Lord of Lords and King of Kings who is still among us, and ever shall be. We are not merely to keep Christ in Christmas. We are to keep Christ in the world, not only on Holy Days and Sundays, but even on the most ordinary of days when the world might just think our daily celebration of Christ is proof that we have gone mad.

And how we need to speak that daily presence in the most ordinary of days. The celebration of the world, the occasional celebration, all too often leaves many wanting and empty. Perhaps I think of this more than most because again this year the final days of Advent leading up to Christmas have been days in which I have stood beside those overwhelmed with grief and loss, who find it difficult to embrace what the world calls the joy of the season.  For too many, that joy is unattainable. It is unattainable for these ones as long as what is meant by joy is blind happiness that ignores all other emotions and those who cannot express such a facade that is emotionally empty.

But today we do well to remember that Jesus has broken into our midst to be with us always, to laugh with us when we laugh, to cry with us when we cry, to lift us up and to hold us close to the heart of God. We are to witness to this presence of Christ. Our sharing is not merely about a child born to us. Our sharing is chiefly about a God who has come to us, to be with us always, in a way that mirrors the vows taken by a husband and a wife:

"in sickness and in health."

And true joy comes to us, no matter what other emotions may be found alongside it, when we remember that:

"nothing shall separate us from the love of God, not even death."

The Incarnate Word, God of God, Light of Light, True and Very God of True and Very God, holds us in his arms, and will never let us go. Today and every day, may our words and deeds, indeed our very presence in the world, point to this Jesus, witnessing to the love of God that transforms all into what God has imagined that we and they should be before him today and forever.  And when we make that witness, how beautiful are our feet that take the Gospel into the world!

Father Timothy Alleman

B18 Vigil of Christmas [24 Dec '17]

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Christmas Eve

Homily Text ……… Luke 2:1-20

But the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people..."

These are the words with which the angel who appeared to the shepherds watching their sheep began the announcement of the birth of Jesus. Tonight, we gather in the darkness of this night to hear again the announcement of this birth, not as shepherds in the field but rather as sheep in the world.

There is something rather interesting in this greeting that we could easily miss. The Evangelist of this Gospel from which tonight's Gospel is rather unique. The other three Evangelists were beyond any shadow of doubt of the Jewish people. The Church has traditionally said that Luke was in fact a Gentile and not a Jew. And if in fact he was not a Jew, it seems that perhaps Luke might have some agenda for referring to the news of the birth of the Savior of the world as good news.

Luke paints for us a picture in which the power of God is made known in the birth of the Messiah precisely at a time when the Roman Empire was showing its power by demanding a count of all in the region whom they had forced to be under their authority. The Romans did not want the people of Palestine to forget who was in authority.

And here is where things get interesting. Perhaps Luke knew that the Roman Emperor, Caesar, was referenced as "the Savior of the World." The Roman Empire and Caesar spoke of their presence among the people that they had conquered as the salvation of these lands and peoples, and attempted to convince them that they were better off because of the Roman presence among them. So firmly was this believed, in fact, that any proclamation made by Caesar was first heralded as "Good News for All People."

Only, in fact, that proclamation was even stronger. The word used of Caesar's proclamation is the word, "Euangelion." This is the word that is translated in the Scriptures as "Gospel." The Romans truly believed, and wanted all others to believe, that the words of Caesar were Gospel truth from the Savior of the World.

Tonight the Evangelist Luke invites us, as in times of old when the angels invited the shepherds, to behold the true and sole Savior of the World; Jesus.  This invitation is the reminder that the true Gospel is always and only the Word of God known as Jesus, God Incarnate in human flesh, dwelling among us and calling us through his birth, life, death and resurrection, into the one Kingdom that never shall pass away; the Kingdom of God. And how we need to hear that reminder. We may not be under the same set of circumstances as the generation into which Christ was born. And yet tonight, let's be honest with the fact that even today our world is filled with persons who are acclaimed with various titles and praises that sound eerily like Caesar being proclaimed as the Savior of the World. And whenever their proclamations are ascribed to be Good News for the world in a way that sounds like what we say of the Gospel, we need to ask these ones the question of Jesus, who once asked, "Why do you call me good? God alone is good."

Indeed, the Gospel for this night reveals the goodness of God. I say that because this birth is the revealing of God in the flesh. If the son of Mary were just the human son of Mary and of Joseph, dare I say this world in which we live 2,000 years after the birth of that child couldn't care less about this child and wouldn't take the time to commemorate his birth. And whenever we find ourselves as Christians among those who couldn't care less about the Christ even as they rant about the "War on Christmas," we do well to remind them, as Linus did for Charlie Brown, that everything hinges on the birth of Christ, the true Savior of the World.

Only, we need to go even further than Linus. I say that because by this time tomorrow, the world around us, even those who have only a sentimental recognition of the birth of Jesus as a child, will have forgotten everything and put Christmas behind them. But the birth of this child, Jesus, is only the beginning of the Good News. The heart of the Good News lies in the fact that in his birth, life, death and resurrection, Christ fulfills the Law. And what is even more important is that Jesus did not do this for himself. Jesus is the one and only one born of woman who alone is without sin and is in fact not merely good but perfect.

So why did Jesus come to fulfill the Law? He came among us to do what we have never been able to figure out how to do ourselves, and to do it in our place. And remember what the fulfillment of law entails. Jesus himself beautifully and powerfully explained what this fulfilment looks like in the Summary of the Law. Our Prayer Book reminds us of this:

"Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Jesus actually did this! In the fullness of the Gospel, we find that at all times Jesus who loves God and neighbor perfectly, even when that neighbor is one who hates him, who mocks and rejects him, who nails him on a cross and puts him to death. Jesus sets for us an example, knowing that without his help we will never be able to do so ourselves, and that without his assistance we will fail. And then Jesus, who is boundless mercy, calls us to go and do likewise, offering us the strength to do so and the forgiveness needed when we fail to do so.

As we give gifts to one another, marking these days of celebration, remember that charge: “Go and do likewise.” Show love for God to God by giving the gift of the love of God to neighbor, no matter who this may be. And when these Twelve Days have passed, keep giving in that way, remembering that our faith is not set on a child but on God. And if we are so bold as to do this, as Jesus has first done in the world and for us, we will be reminded again and again that the Good News of this Night is that Jesus is the Savior of the World, in whose words and presence are found Good News, Gospel, that changes us and the world forever!

Father Timothy Alleman

B18 IV Advent [24 Dec '17]

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Homily Text … The Gospel

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

This Gospel always reminds me of the “story” of a Protestant who died and went to heaven.  Upon his arrival, Jesus greeted the man, presented him to God the Father with the words, “I know you have met my father,” then turning slightly, said, “but I don’t think you have met my mother.”

The final word of Advent points to the Blessed Mother, Mary.  Of all that divides Christians, there is perhaps no greater point of division that separates Christians.  Oh, how well I know this!  I grew up in a very Protestant family in which to be called a “Catholic” was like being cursed at with an appalling, even offensive, degree of vulgarity. At the heart of this was the belief that “those Catholics worship Mary.”

As an Anglican, I know better now than I did then.  We who identify as Catholic don’t worship Mary.  We honor her.  This Gospel contains the very reason we honor this woman.

In these days of Advent, as we prepare to greet Christ at his second coming, we have heard weekly the prophets who foretold the first coming of Messiah.  In today’s Gospel, the message of the prophets reaches the beginning of fulfillment when the Archangel Gabriel pays a visit to Mary.  In this visit, and Mary’s embrace of the angelic message, she becomes the mother of Messiah.  This is the Gospel not only for this day.  It is the Annunciation Gospel, the feast kept on the 25^th day of March, 9 months prior to the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We honor Mary because she embraced the will of God in this moment.  And how incredible it is that she embraced the will of God.  There are plenty of reasons why Mary could have chosen not to accept the message.  Mary, we are told, was probably about 14 at this moment.  In addition to her youth, we are told that she had little that made her worthy of such an honor.  If we read on in the first chapter of Luke, we will find Mary list a whole litany of things in her song of praise while in the home of her cousin Elizabeth that could easily have made her respond with doubt to the angel’s message.  And yet despite all this, Mary did not doubt, but believed, and embraced the message, pondering it in her heart.

This embrace is even more amazing when we read on in this first chapter of Luke and encounter the priest Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth.  Like Mary, he too received a visit and a message from the Archangel Gabriel.  Unlike Mary, his first response was to question how this could be.  And we should note that the message he received should have been more believable that that given to Mary.  Zechariah was told that his barren wife would give birth to a child.  This priest surely would have known well the stories of Sarah, Hannah and other barren women in the Scriptures whose wombs were opened by God who made them mothers in such a way that no other explanation could be given than that this was the work of God.

But the point of this, my friends, is not merely that we would honor Mary for her amazing faith and her willingness to embrace the will of God and ponder the Message of God in her heart.  We honor Mary chiefly as an act of faith through which we are inspired to go and do likewise.

We likely have not received such a grand visitation, but make no mistake about the fact that we have all been given a message and a mission in our own day and generation from God.  In these Advent days, we have been reminded that we are to prepare both ourselves and the world around us for the coming Christ.  We have been called to embrace the truth that the best is yet to come, that the suffering of the world and all that seeks to distract us from God will someday pass away and be no more.  And as we hear these Gospel promises, we need to remember that for many in the world around us, these promises of eternal life free from suffering, sin and death seem to be a fairytale that is as foolish as the thought that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a human child who is both fully God and fully human.

Truly there are those in the world who think we are as foolish as Mary, maybe even more so than her.  Mindful of this, are we bold enough to embrace the wisdom of God that often appears to the world to be foolishness?  Are we courageous enough to step out in faith, pondering the ways of God in our hearts and believing that the promises of God will not fail, even if we have no idea how these things can happen?  The Blessed Mother’s witness should inspire us to embrace the Word of God and the promise of our salvation with her affirmation of faith:

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord;

let it be with me according to your word.”

It might seem difficult, even impossible, to embrace the will of God in our lives as did the Blessed Mother.  And the truth that we need to accept is that this will always be difficult for us as it was for Mary.  Today we look at the Annunciation and the Visitation to Elizabeth.  But remember when we honor Mary and seek inspiration from her living the faith and trusting in God that we look far beyond these moments.  The Gospels present Mary always as one who ponders deeply in her heart what she sees with her eyes and her soul.  We find her reflecting in this way as the shepherds adore her newborn son, as the Wise Men give gifts to the child, as her son sits with the teachers of the Law in the Temple when he is 12, as her son ministers to the multitudes.  We find Mary at the foot of the cross.  We find her among the witnesses of the Resurrection and Ascension, among those who wait for the descent of the Holy Spirit.  We find her as the mother of the apostles whose presence always points others away from herself to Jesus.

Mary could be present at all these moments and ponder all these things because she knew in her heart that God gave her the strength for such moments as these.  And the wonder of our faith is that God has not done this for the Blessed Mother alone.  God gives us the strength to embrace with faith what the world calls foolishness, to ponder the work of God, believing that God never fails us.  Today, as we honor the Blessed Mother, and as we continue to prepare our hearts and those around us to greet Christ with joy, let us point others to Christ and keep our focus on him.  And when we are so focused on Christ, we too will be able to embrace God always, accepting the will of God and moving forward by faith until that day when we shall believe no longer by faith but with sight restored and perfected by him who has trampled down death by death and who bestows upon us his own eternal life.

Father Timothy Alleman

0114 Reflection -- 1 Samuel 3:1-20

                         Sunday 14 January 2018
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

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1 Samuel 3:1-20 (NRSV)
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Then the Lord said to Samuel, “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. For I have told him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering forever.” Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” He said, “Here I am.” Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.” As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

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I love this reading! This is Samuel's first encounter with God. At first he thinks Eli is calling. Alas it is God. Eli realizes what is occuring and leads the boy to the understanding that God is calling. From a preaching perspective, I wonder who it is that has been the one who has guided us to be attentive to the God who speaks to us, and are we listening?

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0114 Reflection -- 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

                         Sunday 14 January 2018
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

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1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (NRSV)
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

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There are a handful of possible preaching paths in this.

All things are lawful, but...
This is a reminder that we are bound to one another. The greatest lesson that I learned from my 10th Grade English teacher had nothing to do with English literature or grammar. He told us again and again: What I do touches you and what you do touches me." As Christians, we need to remember that our freedom in Christ meets limits when it places a stumbling block in the path of someone else, anyone else.

Do you not know that your body is a temple...
We are a dwelling place for God. I'm always struck by the fact that there are things we think we cannot say or do within a sacred space such as a Church. Do you realize what we are saying is that in these places God is somehow more attentive and aware? Only we don't meet God only here. God is present everywhere, and fully aware of our words, deeds and thoughts at all times and places. God is with us always. The purpose of that eternal presence is not our judgment but rather our salvation, driven not by the desire to condemn but rather to love. So if there is anything we shouldn't say, do or think in Church, this should be true everywhere else. Likewise, if there is something we should do here, we should do so everywhere.

Do you not know ... you are members of Christ?
Christ has claimed us for himself, to be his beloved. As a wife is faithful to her husband, and a husband to his wife, so also we are called to be faithful at all times to Christ.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0121 Reflection -- Mark 1:14-20

                     Sunday 21 January 2018
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

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Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

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Jesus calls the Andrew, Peter, and the Sons of Thunder, and they follow that call. They give up a comfortable and familiar way of live to set out on an adventure filled with the unknown. Are we willing to drop the ordinary and familiar in response to the call of Jesus that is for us? We all have multiple callings. Like these four who became apostles, we are called to witness to Christ, to make Jesus known to the world. And the kicker for us as Episcopalians, who believe we don't witness, is that at every Baptism and every Affirmation of Baptism, we say we do. So perhaps today is a good day to ponder on the Baptismal Covenant as persons called to fishers who humans who bring the world to Jesus.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

B18 III Advent [17 Dec '17]

The Third Sunday of Advent

Homily Text … The Gospel

John 1:6-8,19-28

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

For the second week in a row, the Gospel introduces us to John the Baptist.  Last week’s introduction was from Mark.  This week’s introduction is from John.

We hear this on the Rose Sunday in Advent, the Sunday that marks that we are over halfway through the time of preparation that precedes Christmas.  It might seem then that there is a shift in focus in these Advent days away from the last things and the Second Coming of Christ to the First Coming, the birth of Jesus.  We know, after all, that in the Gospel, John the Baptist is put forward as the Forerunner to the Messiah, the one who prepares the way for the Lord to come.

John fills this task wonderfully and with a spirit of humility.  At one point in this Gospel, the religious leaders of the day question John as to who he is and why he is acting as he is among the people.  They ask him if he is the Messiah.  When he denies this, they ask him if he is Elijah.  That question is driven by the Old Testament prophecy that Elijah would return to prepare the way for the coming of Messiah.  John comes out and denies that he is Elijah.  He even denies the fact that he is a prophet.  The leaders are completely lost as to who John is because of his denial of being Messiah, Elijah, or a prophet.

But what does Jesus say later about John?  Remember that at one point the disciples bring up the question of Elijah and his coming.  Jesus tells them outright that Elijah has come, and by his description of what their generation did to Elijah upon his return, it is perfectly clear in the disciples’ minds that he is speaking of John.  These same disciples who often don’t understand what Jesus is saying when he speaks bluntly understand from the subtilty of Jesus’ words that John the Baptist is Elijah come to prepare the way.

But why, if we are not yet turning out focus to celebrating the birth of Christ from preparing for the coming of the victorious Christ who shall come a second time, are we hearing about John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Jesus?  There is a good reason.  John inspires us and shows us both the importance of preparing the way for Jesus and the need for us to go and do likewise.  Right here and right now, in this generation, we who are the baptized children of God, who have been clothed in Christ and who long for his coming, are called to be like John.  We are the forerunners to the Christ at this precise moment in history.  You see, in these Advent days, it is not enough that we simply prepare ourselves to greet Christ at his return.  We are called to prepare the world.  We who have received the Great Commission to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel, to make Christ known, are called to prepare the world to meet Jesus, whether that meeting happen at the end of each person’s life or on the Last and Great Day, the Day of Resurrection.

So how are we doing at preparing the world to greet Christ?  This, my friends, is a question of Evangelism.  Remember that those four saints who have shared the Gospel with the Church in every time and place are called the Evangelists.  Only, these four are not alone.  All Christians are to be Evangelists who make Jesus known, who share the story of faith and speak of the transformation that has happened in our own lives and in the world about us because of the awareness of the loving presence of Christ in our midst.

Let’s be perfectly blunt about this fact: Episcopalians are not very good at this calling!  All too often our Christian faith and identity is our “dirty little secret.”  I remember one moment in my own life and ministry that spoke this unfortunate truth.  In November 2013, I walked into Grace Church Kingston for a regional confirmation liturgy.  At some point after my arrival and vesting for the liturgy, I ran into a friend of mine who works at the hospital.  Both she and I had the same response when we saw each other.  We both said: “What are you doing here?”  And we were both surprised when we heard each other’s responses; that I am a priest of the Diocese of Bethlehem and she a member of Grace Church.  In the years that have passed since that night, our friendship has been strengthened and deepened by the awareness that we share a common identity and faith.

What is even more disturbing than this is that while we keep our secret, we tend to mock those who wear their faith on their sleeves, especially those who are willing to go door to door to share their faith and invite others to consider God and faith.  There are two groups that we think of most along these lines.  And while I have serious concerns about the faith that these two groups proclaim, even to the extent that I would tell you that much of what they have to say is heresy and not authentically Christian, I nevertheless respect their willingness, desire, and commitment to share their faith with the world in the hopes that others will embrace their faith.  In fact, to be perfectly honest, I often wish that we who are uneasy with doing such things would be bold enough to stand up and share the faith that we say amongst ourselves has radically transformed us and will do likewise for others.

Ultimately John the Baptist was put to death because of his boldness.  In like manner, the martyrs whose blood was the seed of the faith in their generation died because of that boldness.  And by their bold sharing and proclaiming the loving presence of God, their witness inspired others to embrace the faith.

Today, my friends, we live among a generation who needs Christians to step forward as forerunners to the Christ who share the faith in the hopes that the transformation of the Gospel will change lives in our own day.  Are we bold enough to step forward?  Is there enough evidence of this faith that we could be both accused and found guilty of being a Christian, of belonging to Jesus Christ, and expecting that we shall stand before him in eternal life?

As we finish out these last eight days of Advent, let us ask Christ for the words and actions necessary to prepare the way that Christ shall choose to break into our midst today, at the hour of our death, and on the Day of Resurrection, to transform the hearts of those who as of yet have not come to know the love of God and embrace relationship with Jesus, who desires that all the world would find life eternal in his embrace that brings true joy to our hearts.

Father Timothy Alleman

0107 Reflection -- Genesis 1:1-5

Sunday 7 January 2018
           The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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Genesis 1:1-5 (NRSV)
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

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This feast of the Lord's Baptism marks the beginning of his earthly ministry. As this is about new beginnings, it makes sense that the Old Testament takes us to the beginning, the First Day. I must admit, though, it feels a bit odd here to only hear of that day and have no mention to the remainder of the "week of creation, of beginning." But then again maybe it isn't about beginnings. It's about light. The First Day points to the light given by God. The Lord's Baptism shows him who created light with Father and Holy Spirit to be the true light which casts out darkness. From his baptism, which has become our own, Jesus shines in the world to be the light that guides our way and warms our hearts.

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                                          Fr. Timothy Alleman

0107 Reflection -- Acts 19:1-7

 

 

Epistle

7 January 2018

 

 

 

 

    The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ                           Acts 19:1-7

 

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— altogether there were about twelve of them.

 

This Epistle reading for the Feast of the Lord’s Baptism references our own baptism as well as that of Jesus.  It speaks of the Baptism of John and the Baptism of Jesus, recalling the fact that we have been baptized into Christ, into his baptism, into his death and resurrection.  And from the Day of Pentecost, the Church has proclaimed that in Baptism the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the faithful who are baptized.  And why is this so important and so vital for us?  Today would be a good day to recall the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church and on the Christian.  This recollection reminds us that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us boldness to live, words with which to witness, wisdom to know how to serve, the ability to pray.  And when we do not know how to do so, or struggle to do so, the Holy Spirit teaches and acts on our behalf to bring us to do the very thing our faith demands.

 

 

 

Father Timothy+

 

 

 

0106 Reflection -- Ephesians 3:1-12

 

 

Epistle

6 January 2018

 

 

 

 

   The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ                         Ephesians 3:1-12

 

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles – for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

 

Paul’s message is a reminder that the Gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews.  That should be rather obvious given that Paul is writing here to Gentiles.  It is a fitting message as Epiphany is the feast of the Manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles.  That is where the connection to this day ends.  There is something to this reading that may be lost in the midst of Epiphany.  Paul pays a price for taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.  In today’s world in which we don’t speak of “Jews and Gentiles,” we should remember that what all this means is that in the Epiphany, the revealing of Christ, all persons have access and a divine invitation to the Kingdom.  And when we say that all persons are welcome, or rather than God has revealed the Kingdom for the purpose of the salvation and inclusion of all, we mean it, chiefly because God means it first.

 

 

 

Father Timothy+