St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Kansas City - weekly talks

A Homily written by St. Theodore the Studite, A.D. 759 - 826.

Delivered by Rod McNeall.

Icon painted on 9 separate sections by 9 artists of St. Aidan's Anglican Church.

Total size: 4' X 5'.

The next four Sundays we are considering St. Paul's most extensive treatment on the Resurrection, of Jesus and of his people, in I Corinthians 15. Some in Corinth have rejected Paul's teaching on the overarching story of redemption, the story of the crucified and risen Messiah; Some have turned away from the apostolic teaching on the resurrection. And the implications of turning away involve one's eternal destiny ... having believed in vain.

Paul seeks to lay another firm foundation on this most climatic event in all of human history. The death of Christ means nothing without his resurrection from the dead. Thanks be to God, Christ has died, Christ is risen and Christ will come again!

St. John 20:1-18

Jesus appears amid despair, failure, and disillusionment. While we despair, he is glorified; while we fail, he is victor; while we are disillusioned, he is the Light of the world. Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today and forever! Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Apologies for audio recording ... Fr. Michael's mic was not picking up so there's more room sound than usual.

Palm Sunday:

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Fr. Les reflects on the Lord's Prayer as a model for Christian prayer, commencing with the greatness of God before the greatness of our needs. "Our Father" provides the foundation as a beloved child spends time with her father.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is saying fundamentally, prayer is communication between a safe, secure, fully loved and accepted child and her heavenly Father. So, if we know the Father knows what we need beforehand, why should we ask? What's at the heart of prayer?

Unlike the many pagan gods, who might be manipulated and appeased by many words, the Father's love is perfect and complete. He longs for us. So we're asked to come before him knowing he already knows all our needs.

And our own sense of need may not be what we actually need. Often I'm caught up in petitions that really aren't the point. Apart from all the many sources of anxiety which often populate my prayer, perhaps the true need is to simply be in his presence ... in silence and solitude.

Prayer is closing the door on those distractions to be with the Father. The chapter ends with addressing our disordered way of striving through life, anxious and fearful of lack ... "What shall we eat? or 'What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things (those who are hooked in the bondage of sin and death and have no sense of being loved by the ONE TRUE Heaven Father ... even heretical attempts at distorting God's heavenly FATHERHOOD as mere misogynistic Patriarchy). He repeats, "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. The mission of Jesus was to show us the FATHER. Heavenly Patriarchy brings freedom to the captives.

BUT seek first his kingdom (the Father's Kingdom) and his righteousness (alms, prayer, fasting as a means), and all these things will be given to you as well. It doesn't say don't seek them, don't attend to them ... but priorities them under God's Reign. First of all, seek God then attend, in communion with Him, the issues of life.

He knows you need them but do we know that we need HIM far more than such needs? Look at your priorities and you'll know the answer.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own.

Jesus is saying prioritize your life or your life will be disordered and filled with anxiety. Jesus is not saying never plan or think about the future ... short and long term planning is essential. He says take no ANXIOUS thought about tomorrow ... don't let your thoughts entertain worry and fear ... DELIVER us from evil ...

So, in light of knowing we are beloved children of a loving Father who already knows our true need - reconciliation with God and humanity - he says that we should pray ...

OUR FATHER in heaven ... prayer is secret is never alone ...

Bonhoeffer, p. 77 Let him who cannot be alone beware of community ... Let him who is not in community beware of being alone. (Life Together)

Silence and Solitude is the soil condition for receiving the Word implanted.

We continue in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6 as Jesus addresses the interior life of almsgiving ... not as an outward display before others. Almsgiving in the ancient world was very different than our modern Western notion of one-way gift giving. We explore the reciprocal nature of ministry among the poor, bearing in mind that we who have resources always have much to affirm and receive from those with less material capital. The ancient Greco-Roman world viewed gift giving in more relational terms, embedded with reciprocal elements. How shall we then give?

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus moves from speaking about his follower's public identity and purpose as the light of the world, a city set on a hill to the hidden place of motives. His followers are to "practice their righteousness" in such a way as to not be noticed. Acts of mercy, such as providing for the needy (alms), prayer and fasting are not a means of display before others, but holy expressions of a heart set before an audience of One.

During this Lenten season, we will work through Matthew 6, exploring how Jesus calls his followers to practice their righteousness.

Last Sunday in Epiphany

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 17:1-9

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany:

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Lev. 19

Psalm 71

I Cor 3:10f

Matt. 5:39-49