Yom Kippur

http://usmalesf.blogspot.com/2011/10/yom-kippur-confiteor.html

Today is Yom Kippur, one of the Holiest of the High Holy Days of the Jews which we remember.  Our Lesson from Leviticus explains the preparations which the high priest had to make in order to offer the offering for the sins of the people.  First he had to wash, a symbol of purity. Then he had to put on the special clothes reserved to the high priest (clothing indicates our deeds).  Afterwards, he had to have a sacrifice to pay for his own sins.  Then and only then could he enter into the Holy of Holies and sacrifice for the sins of the peoples, which he did by sprinkling blood on the cover of the ark of the covenant.  Note even then, he had a rope tied to his foot just in case.  The hem of his robe had bells.  If the bells stopped ringing, they knew the High Priest had been struck dead for his sins and was pulled out. 

Jesus, by his death on the cross finished this sacrifice for ever.  Jesus was without sin, so no need to wash, or even sacrifice.  He was perfect man, without sin, so he needed no magnificent clothing to symbolize his good deeds, all his deeds were good.   Through his goodness and perfection, he was able to enter into that Holy Place, of which the Holy of Holies was only the palest of shadows.  Instead of offering the blood of a lamb, he offered his own blood to cover the mercy seat, once and for all, to cover our sins for ever.  When Jesus died on the cross, we are told that the curtain in front of the Holy of Holies ripped in two.  This symbolizes that we all have access to the throne of grace through the blood of Jesus.   

The Jews wore white on this day, to symbolize they were clean of sin.  The same in days gone past, Christians would don a white garment after their baptism, and wear it for fifty days to remind them that Jesus had paid for their sins and they were cleansed indeed.

Today, and every Friday is good to remember that Jesus, through his life and his death on the cross, provided for us a way to enter into God’s presence.   Join with me fasting on this day, so that we may join Jesus in his sufferings so as to remember the wonders he did for us. 

Lessons:  Leviticus 16:1-34, Jonah 1:1-4:11, Hebrews 9:23-28,  Mathew 27:45-51

Collect:  Heavenly Father, as we remember the day of atonement which prefigured Messiah’s death on the cross.  Separate our sins as far from us as the east is from the west, and grant that we may enter into the holy place where you now rein, one God, in glory everlasting.  (Lenten array or violet)

Rosh Hashana 5775

 Rosh Hashana 5775

Following the Jewish Calendar, today is Rosh Hoshana, the Jewish New Year. Last night we had a festive meal, and dipped our bread and apples in honey signifying that we would like God to give us a sweet year. The shofar will be blown today. The shofar is a ram's horn trumpet with a distinctive sound. Trumpets were used to announce the coming of the king. Our King of course is Yahweh Shabbaoth, the Lord the Lord of Hosts.

Following the lessons and collect is a short poem on my reflections celebrating Rosh Hoshanah in a Messianic Synagogue some years back.

Readings:
Numbers 29:1-6
Jer. 31:1-19
Genesis 1:1-31

Collect:
Father as on this day we commemorate the creation of human kind, help us to repent in truth from our many sins, and to learn to truly walk and talk with you as did Adam and Hava. Let the shofar truly call us to be with you, and may you grant us a sweet year to come. This we ask through Yeshua haMoshiach who lives and reins with you and Ruach haKodesh, one God in glory everlasting. (white)


What Does the Shofar Say

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
Letting the wolf in the door, to destroy, corrupt and more.
He’s in the music, promoting drugs,
He’s on TV promoting sex and rebellion,
He’s in the school teaching one to be a hellion.
Parents, do you love your children,
Then teach them, teach them.
At their rising, at their sitting,
Going out, coming in, at their eating,
Jesus Christ is Lord, He died for you, and many more,
And expects to be your Lord.

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Awake, sleepers arise!
Don’t be like sheep, so sound asleep,
False shepherds abound misleading the sheep,
Saying science, psychology is King.
If it feels good do it, if it hurts no-one, ‘tis not a sin, or so they sing.
Jesus is not Lord, he’s just one way, of which there are many more.
Stand up O sheep, flee from such shepherds, For at that last day, they shall flee, or
Be astounded, upon finding resurrection is true,
But alas they are blue,
For never having known Jesus, they have condemned themselves,
And those who followed them to a future so bleak,
That to think upon makes me weak

Listen to the sound of the Shofar, this Rosh Hashanah day,
What is it, what does the Shofar say?
Ti ra! Ti ra! Arise, charge, ‘tis time to fight the good fight,
‘tis time to show the adversary our might.
Put on the Gospel Armour, refrain from retreating,
It is time to gain souls, it is time to gain kings,
It is time to show the world our Lord and King.
We have been asleep, allowing Satan his will
And we have had to pay the bill.
The time is over, Satin take cover,
For the church is called to be on the move.
Blow the shofar, blow the trumpet, Good Christians, ATTACK!
You are the mighty hosts of the Lord, armed with his Spirit and Word,
The battle is yours, the war is the Lord’s.

Theodore of Tarsus: 19 Se[tember 2014

Theodore of Tarsus

http://www.allmercifulsavior.com/icons/Icons-Theodore.htm

St. Theodore of Tarsus was sent by Pope Vitalian of Rome to take the place of the Anglo Saxon candidate for Bishop, Wighard who had died in Rome.  Theodore, already 65, a monk, but not yet presbyter turned out to be an excellent man for the job.  He worked out differences between Roman and Celtic traditions, filled vacant Bishoprics and organized the very first council of the Church of England.  He was, according to Bede the first Archbishop whom all the English obeyed.  He organized dioceses, set boundaries and basically organized the English church.  One of his organizational details is still used by our church.  Twenty five percent of the offering to the poor, twenty five percent to maintaining the church, twenty five per cent to the clergy for maintenance of the altar and clergy and twenty five per cent to the bishop for his expenses and misson.

He also founded a school which was attended by Celts and English, helping to unify the traditions, and which taught Greek, Latin, poetry, astronomy and calendar calculation.

When Theodore arrived, things were a mess.  When he died,  twenty three years later at the age of 88 on 19 September, 690, the church was organized and ready for mission.

http://satucket.com/lectionary/Theodore_Tarsus.htm

Psalm 71:18-23
Malachi 2:5-7
2 Timothy 2:1-5,10
Matthew 8:23-27  

Collect:  Heavenly Father, you sent Theodore to organize and put right the church of England and to reconcile the church of the English with the Church of the Celts.  Raise up among us, clergy and laity, who will help organise the church today so that it would be an effective means of evangelising the world in which we live.  This we ask in the name of Yeshua, who lives and reigns with you and Ruach ha Kodesh, one God in Glory everlasting.  Amen.  (white)

Miriam, Martha and Eleazar of Bethany

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Mary_of_Bethany

Miriam (Mary), Martha, and Eleazar (Lazarus) of Bethany

Mary &  Martha of Bethany were sisters, who together with their brother Lazarus were good friends of Yeshuah.  Mary or Miriam would sit at Yeshua’s feet listening (rather controversial this as women were not disciples, and sitting at the feet of the Rabbi was a sign of discipleship) while Martha served.  Martha was somewhat disgruntled that Miriam left her the housework, but Yeshua tells her that Miriam has chosen the better part.  Martha also is the one who comes to Yeshua after the death of her brother, and expresses faith in the resurrection from the dead and Miriam expresses faith in Yeshua (If  you had been here my brother would not have died).  Miriam is also the one who pour expensive ointment over Yeshua’s feet to prepare him for his burial.  After Yeshua raises Lazarus from the dead, the family apparently continues on in Bethany until the persecution following Stephan’s death.  They fled Judah and ended up in Cyprus, where Lazarus became Bishop (appointed by Paul and Barnabus) of Kition (Lamaca) where Miriam and Martha continued helping him in his ministry until his death.  It is said that he almost never smiled after his resurrection, thinking about the unredeemed souls he saw in Hades while dead.  He would smile when he saw someone stealing a pot, when he would say with a smile, “the clay steals the clay.”  Legend also has it that he became Bishop of Marseilles, which is more unlikely.  Most probably, likes James in Spain, relics were transferred to Marseilles and became the root of legend. In passing too, some people think that Lazarus may have been the disciple Yeshua loved, and if so the author of the 4^th Gospel. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Bethany

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Mary_of_Bethany

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_of_Bethany

Romans 12:9-13
Luke 10:38-42
Psalm 36:5-10 or
Psalm 33:1-5,20-21

Blessed Father, you raised up Mary, Martha & Lazarus of Bethany to serve our Lord, each in their own way.  Grant that we may serve you directly and though others with the same love that Mary and Martha had, this we ask through our Lord and Saviour, Yeshuah, who lives and reigns with you and Ruach haKodesh, one God in Glory everlasting.  Amen.  (white)