Strengthening Our Spiritual Sight

The Gospel reading is Luke 16:1-13

Father Mark discusses the parable of the dishonest manager. We are both children of this age and children of light, and our default mode is to live as children of this age.

Can we see through the lens of worldliness and the lens of Spirit? Can we, as children of light, be as adept at maintaining and navigating our Gospel-based, spiritual life as well as the dishonest manager in the parable navigates the world of dishonest wealth? Can we get our priorities right?

Disciplined exercises, such as prayer, meditation, and spending time in nature, help us to strengthen our spiritual sight and enjoy enduring happiness.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Journey Forth in Faith and Trust

Father Mark addresses uncertainty, and the need for us to have faith and trust, and to let the life of the in-between time come into its own.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Cost of Discipleship

The Gospel reading is Luke 14:25-33

Reverend Wendy explains the Gospel in which Jesus speaks of the need to “hate” one’s family and even life itself, to be His disciple. What is needed, she explains, is to attain detachment from obstacles to our relationship with God, even if those obstacles are near and dear to us. Reverend Wendy says that this Gospel challenges us to ask ourselves “what can we detach ourselves from”, to experience the joy of being closer to Jesus, closer to God.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

New Light is Streaming

The Gospel reading is Luke 14:1, 7-14

Today Christ Church enjoyed a shared service with Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Father Mark spoke of the way in which the human ego, the need for opposition, influences our politics and even our religion. He explained how today, in this place today, all are included, and how siloed Christianity must be over in the living Church of Jesus.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Release From Bondage

The Gospel reading is Luke 13:10-17

Father Mark discusses the inner and outer aspects of the Sabbath, and the fact that God does not want us to live a life of unrelieved burden. God wants us to be released from whatever bondage we are suffering.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Peace Lovers and Peace Makers

The Gospel reading is Luke 12:49-56

Father Mark discusses the parable of the prodigal son, and the distinction between Jesus coming to bring peace and today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus says he came to bring fire and division. Father Mark explains the “fire and division” as Jesus speaking of the response his teachings will bring from those who are “peace lovers” who love the false peace of the status quo, rather than “peace makers” who “rock the boat” by challenging the surface peace of the status quo and bringing the deep peace of the Kingdom of God.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Open-Handed Waiting

The Gospel reading is Luke 12:32-40

In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples how to wait, how to be ready for the Son of Man.

Father Mark discusses “close-fisted waiting” and “open-handed waiting.” The former can lead to impatience throughout life, such as while waiting in a checkout line. We may tend to regard people and situations as impediments to our agenda and implicitly have the attitude of “my will be done.” The latter is open, not driven by agendas, looking to see Christ in all people and situations.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Participate in the Abundant Divine Life

The Gospel reading is Luke 11:13-21

We easily forget that the abundance in our lives is not our own. We are not our own. We have the opportunity to participate in the abundant Divine life. A spiritual exercise to help us to experience this is to imagine ourselves lying on the ground in a field of wheat, with the wheat growing up and through us, not even thinking of a barn into which we might stow the wheat.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Teach Us to Pray

The Gospel reading is Luke 11:1-13

Father Mark explains that prayer is not always answered, citing Jesus himself asking thrice that the cup of crucifixion be taken from him. Father Mark further explains that the Lord’s Prayer invites us into alignment with God in terms of being, and the world in which we live.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The One Thing Necessary

The Gospel reading is Luke 10:38-42

After the Gospel reading of the story of Martha and Mary, Father Mark explains the difference between ego-driven action, and action arising from our the indwelling Christ, divine love, deep within.

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.