The BreadCast

(Acts 15:1-6; Ps.122:1-5; Jn.15:1-8) "I am the vine, you are the branches." And within Him we must remain; nurtured by the Church He has planted we must always be. We must have His blood flowing in our veins and His Word inspiring our souls. There can be no separation from Him and from His teaching if we are to bear fruit abundantly, as is the Father's desire. Paul and Barnabas bear fruit abundantly. As "the church saw them off… they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling everyone about the conversion of the Gentiles as they went." And to each branch of the vine they went, "their story caused great joy among the brothers." Here is the vine's growth evident, the blood of the Lord coursing through its veins. "When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by that church," too, and there they "reported all that God had helped them accomplish" to the apostles. Why have they come here to Jerusalem? Because "in it are set up judgment seats." As great as their work had been, yet they knew the necessity to be obedient to the structure of the vine the Lord tends by His hand. And so when a controversial question arises, Paul and Barnabas "go up to see the apostles and elders in Jerusalem" to find answer. Why Jerusalem? Because the Church, the New Jerusalem, is "built as a city with compact unity," and still at this time the Rock, Peter, and the foundation stones, the twelve apostles, reside in this place. If one separates oneself from the roots of this vine, one effectively separates oneself from Jesus and becomes "like a withered, rejected branch, picked up to be thrown in the fire and burnt." "No more than a branch can bear fruit of itself apart from the vine, can you bear fruit apart from me," Jesus instructs His disciples. And Paul and Barnabas know the order that must be preserved if the vine is to remain whole, if their work is to be truly fruitful. So here as to the question of circumcision, the first major controversy in the early Church, "the elders accordingly convened to look into the matter." "If you live in me, and my words stay part of you, you may ask what you will – it will be done for you." The Lord's promise is great. But to receive such grace we must keep our feet firmly planted within the gates of the New Jerusalem, in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church He has founded. We should rejoice to "go up to the house of the Lord," for there we shall find Jesus, there we shall find His vine spreading faithfully to the ends of the earth – in it we shall always be nourished by truth. ******* O LORD, may your Church bear much fruit in you and in your Son; with you let us be one. YHWH, to your House let us come; in your City let us dwell – in the New Jerusalem let us make our home and we shall ever remain united to your Son and bear fruit in His Name. Apart from Him we can do nothing, and if we separate ourselves from the Church He founded, we separate ourselves from Him… and His blood does not course through our veins. O LORD, let us display the obedience of Paul and Barnabas to the rightful authority you set up to stand in the stead of your Son. If we listen to these, we listen to Him, and thus your will is done. If we take matters into our own hands, what hope have we of salvation, for what does man make but destruction? Let us not be unfruitful branches fit for the fire but be pruned of all uncleanness of heart by the Word your Son speaks through the apostles and elders of holy Church. Only in this way will we be one with one another and with you.

(Acts 14:19-28; Ps.145:10-13,21; Jn.14:27-31) "We must undergo many trials if we are to enter into the reign of God." "With this instruction" Paul and Barnabas "gave their disciples reassurances, and encouraged them to persevere in the faith." Their apostolic journey has been a witness that the road to the Lord is wrought with difficulties, but that it bears great fruit. These apostles are pursued from towns in which they have preached by those who would destroy them and their word. Paul is stoned, seemingly unto death. But their trials do not dissuade these apostles from retracing their steps through the very towns from which they have been ejected and installing elders, priests, in each one, "commend[ing] them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith." And so they arrived again at the place "where they had first been commended to the favor of God for the task they had now completed." Now they are able to relate in joy "all that God had helped them accomplish, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles," perhaps the greatest feat of the growing Church, the Body of Christ on earth. Of course, Jesus' words to His disciples are the same as Paul's: "'Peace' is my farewell to you, my peace is my gift to you," Jesus says, and adds, "I do not give it to you as the world gives peace." For the peace Jesus gives is deeper and abides eternally; it remains through any trial of the world for it is not dependent on the consolations that come from earthly things. And so He can assure them, "Do not be distressed or fearful." He can freely invite them into the peace He possesses and to which He returns, as He retraces His steps back to the Father from whom He has come, whence He had first been commended to the favor of God for His mission. He knows they will suffer, even as He is about to suffer death at the hands of "the Prince of this world." But He knows the devil's power "has no hold" on Him, and would have us know Satan has no power over us either. For we are with Jesus; we are with the Father in heaven. And though we be as Paul in his persecutions, though we be stoned and "dragged… out of town" and left for dead, the Lord's angels will surround us as Paul's disciples surrounded him – as they come to Jesus in the tomb – and like Paul, and like our Lord, "before long" we shall get up and return to our call; and ultimately we shall rise from the dead to eternal life with Jesus, coming to the home He now prepares. "I go away for a while and I come back to you," Jesus assures His disciples, and asks them to be joyful that He returns to the greatness of the Father, whose "dominion endures through all generations." And so, brothers and sisters, may our "mouth[s] speak the praise of the Lord" all our days; "may all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever." Let us do as He commands and "discourse of the glory of [His] kingdom and speak of [His] might," and that power will enable us to endure all things, and we shall be brought at last into His reign. ******* O Lord, though it mean we must die, let us be obedient to your command, that we might enter your reign. YHWH, let us discourse of the glory of your kingdom; let us carry your Word to the ends of the earth. Let us not fear the trials that must come to all who enter your reign but hold the peace Jesus offers ever in our hearts. Let us, too, come to you in Heaven. Though we be stoned and left for dead, we shall rise up again, for you, O LORD, are with your disciples, surrounding them with your grace and protection. As Paul returned even to the towns from which he had been cast out, so let us be ready to enter every battle this world presents, knowing the power you give us is greater than any of this earth, for it overcomes even the Prince of darkness. Let us give you thanks, O LORD, in all the works we do and so make known to all men your glory.

(Acts 14:5-18; Ps.115:1-4,15-16; Jn.14:21-26) "May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth." "Anyone who loves me will be true to my word, and my Father will love him; we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him." Thus are we blessed, by keeping the word of the Lord. Thus we know His love, for thus we accept the love He offers by His instruction and by His presence. It is this blessing of "the living God, 'the one who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them'" that Paul and Barnabas would bring to the hearts of the Gentiles to whom they preach. It is in the name of Jesus, Paul brings healing to the lame man who "used to sit crippled, never having walked in his life." Indeed, the same healing he would bring to all the pagans before him who also have been crippled all their lives by the folly of worshiping "idols [that] are silver and gold, the handiwork of men" and the products of human imagination. Never have they walked in the true light of the Lord. In fact, their limitations are most evident in their desire to sacrifice to Barnabas and Paul themselves, as Zeus and Hermes; "even the priest of the temple of Zeus… wished to offer sacrifice to them," and Barnabas and Paul must shout at them "frantically": "We are bringing you the Good News that will convert you from just such follies as these"! "Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name give glory" is our psalmist's refrain today, and the same is exclaimed by Barnabas and Paul: "We are only men, human like you." Worship the living God! is their exhortation. And Jesus Himself speaks in the same humility and with the same deference to the Father: "The word you hear is not mine, it comes from the Father who sent me." All comes from the Father and must return to Him; and so we are all encouraged to make our home with Him alone. "Our God is in heaven; whatever He wills, He does." He wills to love all, to bless all, to make His home with all. To find our homes with Him, to know the blessed love the living God has for all His creatures, we must listen to the instruction of His Son, to the Holy Spirit the Father now sends in His name, and to the ones who are sent to preach the truth of the living God. May the light of His face shine upon you. ******* O LORD, let us keep your commands and so live in your surpassing love. YHWH, you come to all who love your Son and keep the Word He imparts to us. It is this Word that brings us love, and all who cherish love, cherish it, and so find your presence. May you be revealed to all souls in your only Son. Help all wayward people to turn from vain worship to know you, O living and true God. May all your creatures give you due praise, turning resolutely from the work of their hands. Glory abides with you alone; may we find that glory by obedience to your call to love. Let us dwell with you, O LORD; come, we pray, to dwell in us. Help us indeed to keep your commands, which are but life for our souls. Your Spirit be with us this day to lead us to all truth in your Son's Name, that we might do your will in strength, proclaiming the Good News of salvation to all men. O let us rise from the dust to live in your Heaven!

O holy apostles of the Lord upon whom the Church is established, your words go out to the ends of the earth, bringing the Gospel to all nations. You who were near to Jesus Himself, who were with Him all the time He walked among us… there is no greater witness to the way and the truth and the life of our God, our Savior – please pray for the Church in the world this day, that it shall be led by the Spirit of Truth and we shall all be as brothers of the Lord, living in His love and revealing the Father. As you have performed the works of the Son, so let us join in the work of redemption, that all the earth will come to see that Jesus is in the Father and we are made one in Him.

(Acts 6:1-7; Ps.33:1-2,4-5,18-19,22; 1Pt.2:4-9; Jn.14:1-12) "Let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Peter tells us in his letter that we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own." Quoting Scripture, he calls us to "'announce the praises' of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonderful light." The house we become, the priests we are, and the sacrifices we offer are evident throughout our readings today. First, in our gospel Jesus tells the disciples very directly, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places" and that He is going "to prepare a place" for them, and so for us, there. And even now He draws us to that place He is with the Father, each to our own room, each with his own ministry. For, second, the priesthood all share in Christ is pictured in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. As the community of disciples grows in Jerusalem, so do the functions prescribed to its members. It becomes clear that the Twelve and their successors are to "devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word," so in order to care for the particular concerns surrounding such matters as the daily distribution of food, they ordain "respectable men" to "serve at table," thus instituting the ministry of the deacon. And, finally, the spiritual sacrifices all offer to God are sung of by David in our psalm: "Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting." As this humble servant "give[s] thanks to the Lord on the harp" placed in His hands by God, so all have their place in the kingdom founded on Jesus; all have their lives to offer in praise of God by the instruments He provides. "Whoever believes in me will do the works I do." Yes, the Lord's works in great abundance are given to us to accomplish through Him who now sits with the Father. The way to His heavenly kingdom has been made clear by the ministry and the sacrifice of Jesus, and we must follow in His footsteps, for we are now the Body of Christ here on this earth. In Him and through Him we offer ourselves and all we do to draw all to the House which He prepares in light, to proclaim with our beings that "of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full." Today we are encouraged to hear that "even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith," that the priests of the Old Covenant were now finding themselves true priests under the New. And so we should realize the manner in which we are all called to service in the Temple of the Lord as members of His own Body, giving praise to the Father of us all through His only Son. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Blood in My Palate" from Loving Spirit, third album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, let us live in your Son and so in you that we might do your works in this world and praise you forever in Heaven. YHWH, let us be built into and grow as the Body of your Son. Make us a royal priesthood, a holy nation – your Church. Into your House let us come and dwell, eternally praising your Name. Jesus is in you and you are in Jesus, and those who believe in Him and so in you become one with Him, and so with you, dearest LORD and God. O Father in Heaven, to Heaven let us come, to oneness with you. Let us do your works on earth and so find our way to your kingdom. Why should we be troubled when we have the promise from Jesus that He prepares a place for us? Why should we fear when He is near in the power of the Holy Spirit? Let us follow closely the way He leads, that indeed we might exult in your presence forever.

O defender of the faith in the divinity of Christ, bulwark of the Church of the One who is true God and true Man, upholder of the way in the face of all persecutions – pray that the shepherds of the Church will today be so staunch in the faith, never afraid to defend the truth from attacks from within and outside her walls. So many souls are led so astray by the teaching of false prophets; pray indeed that the Lord will raise up leaders, prophets of His true teaching, of His narrow way, which leads through the body He assumed, the death He took upon Himself for our sins, to His divine presence in Heaven.

(Acts 13:44-52; Ps.98:1-4; Jn.14:7-14) "I have made you a light to the nations, a means of salvation to the ends of the earth." In the preaching of Paul today is fulfilled the words of our psalm, "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God." Rejected by the Jews to whom he comes, he "now turn[s] to the Gentiles," and – fulfilling the words of our psalm which read, "Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands, break into song; sing praise" – our first reading tells us "the Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and responded to the word of the Lord with praise." Thus does the light of the Lord's salvation go out to the ends of the earth. And our gospel makes clear just how salvation comes to all. First Jesus declares with wonderful clarity the oneness of the Son and the Father. When asked by Philip, "Show us the Father," Jesus responds, "After I have been with you all this time, you still do not know me?" Notice that Philip's request refers to the Father but Jesus' response refers to the Son, as if to ask of one is to ask of the other. The Lord then states the truth of His oneness with the living God in plain terms: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." There is no separation here, and all that Jesus does is done by the Father, so the living Lord of the universe is at work in absolute fashion through the Son's words and works. In Him the Father's will of love, His desire to save His children from sin and death, is accomplished. But more than this is made evident of the working of salvation, for the Word must reach to the ends of the earth. How is this accomplished? The Lord again declares with absolute clarity the oneness now of Himself and His disciples. In order "to glorify the Father in the Son," He makes them the solemn promise, "The man who has faith in me will do the works I do." And the oneness of Jesus and His disciples is made more poignant in His definitive statement: "Anything you ask me in my name I will do." Who does these works of the Lord? Who brings His salvation forth? We do the works, do we not? We are those still on this earth with flesh and bone and voices. Yet He says "I will do" them to show how He works through us in all we do, to reveal our oneness with Him and the Father. Our first reading tells us, "Almost the entire city gathered to hear the word of God" when Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch in Pisidia. In this simple line is shown both that the salvation of the Lord is going forth to all, and that it is occurring through His disciples. For it is indeed "the word of God" that Paul the apostle speaks and not his own, and this Word is irresistible in its truth and love to all hearts open to hear the voice of Him who speaks, for this Word brings only joy. ******* O LORD, looking upon your Son we see you; when others look at us may they see Jesus. YHWH, you live in your Son, accomplishing your works, and He in His turn works through us. What grace and blessing you grant all your disciples, that we might share in your very life and work! Alleluia! And this grace and blessing extends to all throughout the earth; all may know the salvation wrought in men by the only Son. And so, what can we do but sing to you in joy, for your light is with us even in the persecution your Word brings. O let us be one with you, dear God, even as Jesus is one with you. To your side let us, too, come; this is your will now that you have revealed yourself to us in your Son. May we say in truth, He is in us and so we in you. No separation let us know from your surpassing glory. I pray, O LORD, even the words on this page be spoken not of myself but by you, that your work be accomplished in this poor servant.

O humble laborer in God's House who served to build up His Temple by the sweat of your brow and your careful concern to follow His will – pray that we shall embody the same obedience to the Word of God and His call to our souls, that we too will consecrate ourselves and our daily labor to service of the Lord and the upbuilding of His Church, and that we, too, might be built into the House wherein He makes His eternal dwelling. We are but poor creatures, simple and weak; pray the Lord our God and His Son for whom you cared will bless us with your dignity, O righteous man of God.

(Acts 13:26-33; Ps.2:6-11; Jn.14:1-6) "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you." This same verse appearing in both our first reading and our psalm is spoken also by Jesus in our gospel when He says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me," for such is the Son begotten of the Father. How comforting are Jesus' words in our gospel, and how enlightening Paul's speech. The disciples' hearts are troubled at the Lord's speaking of His imminent departure; that He must die begins to sink in to them. But the only Son tells them, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places," and, "I am indeed going to prepare a place for you." Not only this, He also promises, "I shall come back to take you with me, that where I am you also may be." The words come like a river of peace, like a wind of love breathing upon them, and upon us. And the same message is spoken by Paul to "the children of the family of Abraham and [all] others who reverence our God." His is "this message of salvation," that though the rulers condemned Him to death and "laid Him in a tomb," "yet God raised [Jesus] from the dead." And now His witnesses, those to whom He appeared thereafter, declare the Good News of His resurrection, and our own. "The words of the prophets which we read sabbath after sabbath" and "what God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, in raising up Jesus." This is the word Paul brings to the waiting ears of his Jewish brothers, and which should be heard by us all. "Do not let your hearts be troubled," brothers and sisters. The Lord is near and is calling us to His home. Even as we speak He is preparing a place for us. The death that you experience day to day is passing away, and all that will be known is the truth, the life of God the Father. The Lord declares, "I myself have set up my king on Zion, my holy mountain," and Jesus is that King for all ages and all peoples. With His truth He shatters kings, and so death itself, "like an earthen dish"; He takes "the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for [His] possession." He has died, but He is risen, and now all must "serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before Him." There is no breaking in to the place He prepares for us to dwell. The devil has been defeated by the Son begotten of the Father; his house has come crumbling down. We need but follow the way Jesus is to find our home in the New Jerusalem. Death no longer holds dominion, for the Son is now come. ******* O LORD, you have begotten Jesus and raised Him from the grave we have made that we might be saved, that we might dwell with you forever – Alleluia! YHWH, may we come to you through Jesus your Son; may we follow in His way, for His way is truth and leads to life, and leads to you. O may we be resurrected from the dead with Him that we might come to new life with you who are Life itself. Let us not be troubled, LORD, by the death Jesus had to die, and the death we too must know. What is this world and the things of this world in comparison with you? What can this world do to us if we have Jesus as our guide? For He shatters the powers of evil like an earthen dish and raises all the faithful from the tomb. Let us come to the dwelling He prepares for us in your heavenly kingdom. Though He has died, He has been raised, and we shall be raised with Him, all according to your will, Father God. And on Zion we shall find our home with your eternal King.

O Shepherd of the Church who led her through a difficult time, seeing to her reform in faith and morals, in teaching and prayer, that the foundation once established by the Lord Jesus Christ might be confirmed and strengthened, kept from decay – pray this day, too, MotherChurch will be blessed by the nourishing food of the Spirit, that she might be fed at the Lord's table and all might be encouraged to enter the gates of Heaven she guards and opens to all souls in communion with the Savior and His way… May Peter lead us unto His Day.