Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wednesday in Holy Week.

"Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 70Isaiah 50:4-9aHebrews 12:1-3, and John 13:21-32

The betrayal of Jesus by Judas is a familiar story to us, and the Judas character is one that's been portrayed in many ways many times. Imagine, though, what it must have been like to be in that room with the disciples when Jesus declared to them, "One of you will betray me." The fear and anguish that they must have all felt would have been overbearing. Certainly there was the thought, "It won't be me; but what if it is me?"

Peter asks, "Who will it be?" Jesus says, "The one to whom I give this bread." And then he passes the bread to Judas, and he sends Judas away. We're told that the disciples didn't know why Judas was sent out, but certainly Peter was about to figure out what was happening. For those who didn't know what was happening and who were trying to make sense of all of the animosity being directed toward their leader, this couldn't be how they expected to have their Passover celebration go.

These disciples were being set up for what must have been a most disappointing festival. What was supposed to be a great celebration is quickly unraveling, and one of their own is about to betray Jesus. In the coming days their leader will be arrested, convicted, and executed. They have no way of knowing what to expect, and we cringe for them and what they must have been experiencing.

The coming days are supposed to unsettle us, too. Sometimes, though, we're so familiar with the story that we forget to allow this to happen. If we can open ourselves up, we might be able to hear these stories in a new way, a way that can reach inside of us and awaken us to God's glory. From the betrayal to the crucifixion to the resurrection, God is there. In the absolute uncertainty experienced by the disciples those last few days, God was there. These next days remind us of God's presence in all of those times that we think God is nowhere near. May we come together and remember God's presence in our own lives as we remember Jesus's last days here amongst us.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Tuesday in Holy Week.

"O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 71:1-12Isaiah 49:1-61 Corinthians 1:18-31, and Mark 11:15-19

We tend to think of Jesus as a relatively peaceful guy. It's hard not to think of him this way since we only know him by his stories, and most stories involve him healing someone or teaching some kind of a parable. Even the portrayals of his confrontations with the leaders seem low key. The image of a peaceful and loving Jesus is an easy one to perpetuate since there's not much else out there in scripture.

Then, though, we get the account of Jesus's visit to the temple after his entry into Jerusalem. If there's a single account of Jesus absolutely losing it somewhere in the Bible, this story has got to be it. There's not really any way to imagine his overturning the tables as a peaceful act or one that was meant to encourage peacefulness and stability. Instead his actions were meant to upset the status quo and to make the temple, once again, a place for worship and holiness instead of a place where money changers might charge an extra fee or the price of a dove gets raised is the salesperson realizes that someone really needs that dove for an upcoming sacrifice.

When Jesus overturned the tables in the temple he was making a statement about what was happening in his world; he saw a need for a change and sought to make that change happen. He recognized the injustice and the unfairness of his world, and he acted on it, even to his own peril. The turning over of the tables in the temple was enough of a slap in the face to upset the leadership, and they continued to seek out ways to kill him.

There are lots of folks who have given their life for causes that were just. I don't know if any of us will ever be called to such a life. Even if we're not called to give our life, hopefully we will have the courage to stand up for what is right and just when we're called to, even if it is upsetting to the status quo.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Monday in Holy Week.

"Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 36:5-10Isaiah 42:1-9Hebrews 11:39-12:3, and John 12:1-11


Even though our gospel for today is out of the chronological order of John's gospel, it's an integral part of our understanding of Jesus's ministry, the meaning of his death and resurrection, and our response to these things. As the gospel goes this story comes even before Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, but the symbolism of his being anointed for burial cannot be overlooked this week.

Within this passage I'm always intrigued by the line from Jesus in response to Judas when he says, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." This strikes me for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is the editorializing the evangelist takes on to remind us that Judas was a thief who didn't care about the poor. Another reason, though, is that it brings to light the tension we sometimes feel between worship and mission. More specifically, it makes us think about what it means to worship God and what it means to serve God's people.

There are people who have struggled mightily with this issue, and there are churches who struggle with it, also. I think the questions become, "Can we fully worship God if we're not doing the work of the Church?" or "What if we do good things, but we are not worshipping God?"  This can stir up some great conversation about what it means to be a Christian. Is it just about worship? Is it just about living how Jesus calls us to live? What kind of balance must we strike in order to have a more whole life?

I don't know the answer, but it's one we should keep at the forefront of our thoughts as we continue through this week on our journey to the Cross and afterward.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Saturday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"O Lord, in your goodness you bestow abundant graces on your elect: Look with favor, we entreat you, upon those who in these Lenten days are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant them the help of your protection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 85:1-7Ezekiel 37:21-28, and John 11:45-53

Ah, another collect about baptism here in the final days of Lent. This one is a little less specific than the one we had on Tuesday. It addresses, though, what it is in the nature of God that makes baptism possible, and that is God's "abundant grace."

When I think about the rite of baptism, I can't help but think about the role of the people who are not being baptized, those of us who have already been baptized. We put a great deal of emphasis on the person or persons being baptized, and that's important. However, those of us who are witnessing the baptism also perform an important act on those days alongside the promise to support the newly baptized in their life in Christ.

In those moments before the baptism we renew our own baptismal vows, recognizing that somewhere along the way we've stumbled, too, and we've not exactly held up the end of our covenant with God. God's grace abounds, though, and we're able to renew our promises to God. This can be a humbling moment for us because it puts us into the position of receiving a second or third chance that we feel like we might not deserve. What's wonderful about God's abundant grace, though, is that we don't deserve it, yet if we're willing to open ourselves up to it even after we've gone astray, it is there to be poured upon us.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Friday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"O Lord, you relieve our necessity out of the abundance of your great riches: Grant that we may accept with joy the salvation you bestow, and manifest it to all the world by the quality of our lives: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 18:1-7Jeremiah 20:7-13, and John 10:31-42

The scenes depicted in John's gospel, and all the gospels really, of Jesus in the midst of crowds, especially hostile crowds, are always intriguing to me. The lesson for today makes me think of someone who is quick and sneaky when it states, "they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands." How did one man escape from the hands of many who wanted to arrest him? If we're too believe the account here, we're talking about a single person who resisted arrest from at least a few folks, and certainly he didn't just twist his arm to avoid them. I imagine the event that inspired this passage was much more energetic and intense than a simple reading can get across.

In this reading we have Jesus in front of a crowd that is prepared to stone him for blasphemy, and I can't imagine that being a low-key moment. Jesus asks if he'll be stoned for doing good deeds; he's told they will stone him for proclaiming to be God's Son. Of course this worried them; their world was being changed immediately before them by someone who was using their own texts to challenge them.

Even today, though, it can be easy to be hostile toward the teachings of Jesus. It's easy to pick and choose what parts we want to follow and how we want to follow them. Turning the other cheek, for example, is one that I'm willing to ignore; unfortunately, I can't.

Hopefully we can always find a way to be open to all of Jesus's teachings. If so, we just might realize that it will help to change the world around us.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"O God, you have called us to be your children, and have promised that those who suffer whith Christ will be heirs with him of your glory: Arm us with such trust in him that we may ask no rest from his demands and have no fears in his service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 105:4-11Genesis 17:1-8, and John 8:51-59

Of all the readings that we've had this season, these are some of the few that seem to revolve a clear and central theme. That theme, of course, is the ancestry from Abraham. Our Genesis reading tells of God's covenant with Abraham; the psalm implores the children of Abraham to seek out God always; and in the gospel reading we hear Jesus say, "Before Abraham was, I am."

Each of these can be reminders to us of the common heritage we share with our Jewish sisters and brothers. Today when I was at a nursing home communion I had a chance to speak with a resident there who is Jewish. We talked about her upcoming seder meal for Passover, and we talked about the Holy Week celebration of the Christian church. She told me about baking matzoh bread and hiding a piece for the children to find. In that conversation I remembered some of the seder meals I had participated in during high school, college, and seminary, and I remembered the powerful link that I felt participating in such a rich tradition that means so much to our own faith.

This weekend we'll celebrate Jesus's arrival in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and I'm thinking about all of my Jewish friends who are preparing for their own Passover celebration that will being on April 19th. In my mind it's pretty cool that we get to celebrate our great feasts at the same time

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Wednesday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"Almighty God our heavenly Father, renew in us the gifts of your mercy; increase our faith, strengthen our hope, enlighten our understanding, widen our charity, and make us ready to serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is one I remember from my days singing in the children's choir at my grandfather's church. I don't remember the song (if there even was one) that helped me learn it, or if I just remember the story because of the names of the young men in the story. It's a story, though, of their great faith in the midst of persecution and God's deliverance of them.

Canticle 13, which is one that we sing at St. Paul's each time we have morning prayer, is a song of praise that is attributed to them. The story goes that it was this hymn that they sang to God as the fires of the furnace burned around them. This is from an apocryphal book, and it's a great one to have included in our liturgy.

None of us can really know what being in the presence of God will be like. This canticle, though, gives us an image of God that really can't be shaken, and I am filled with great hope every time we sing it.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tuesday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"Almighty God, through the incarnate Word you have caused us to be born anew of an imperishable and eternal seed: Look with compassion upon those who are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant that they may be built as living stones into a spiritual temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 102:15-22Numbers 21:4-9, and John 8:21-30

In the ancient Church there was a period of preparation that took place before the baptism at the Great Vigil of Easter. The catechumens would prepare for baptism before their actual baptism, and in some cases their education would continue even after the baptism itself. This collect hearkens us back to such a history, asking for God's compassion to be shown to those who are being prepared for their own baptism this upcoming Easter.

At Saint Paul's we don't have a tradition of celebrating the Great Vigil of Easter, but we do have baptisms on the night before Easter. Parents who have children born close to this time may choose to have their children baptized in our chapel on this holy weekend while in town with their family, or they may have a personal family connection with the little church that they wish to pass on to another generation.

As we approach Easter may we remember the children who will be baptized in our own community and all those preparing for baptism throughout the Church.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Monday in the Fifth Week of Lent.

"Be gracious to your people, we entreat you, O Lord, that they, repenting day by day of the things that displease you, may be more and more filled with love of you and of your commandments; and, being supported by your grace in this life, may come to the full enjoyment of eternal life in your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 23Susanna 1-9, 15-29, 34-62, and John 8:1-11

The Psalm appointed for today is one of the most well-known pieces of Scripture. At Saint Paul's we read the KJV version of the Psalm at almost every burial service, and I've grown to appreciate it more as I've continued to hear it. I appreciate the truth that is present in it, and I appreciate the hope that it presents.

In some of the prayers for our burial rite we pray for the continued life of the deceased, praying that they may go from "strength to strength" as they pass forth from this life. Thinking about saying this psalm within those services makes me think about how we might be saying it on the behalf of the deceased in many cases. Because death doesn't always come peacefully, and sometimes the deceased die with some of their own unresolved issues, we offer up our prayers of thanksgiving and intercession for them within such a service.

In saying this psalm for both ourselves and the deceased we are reminded of the Lord's loving nature and the ever-present hope of everlasting life. We proclaim that God is indeed with us in the depths of our grief, comforting us with the gentle strength of the shepherd's staff as we are guided back toward light, and we know that God's kingdom can await us.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Saturday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"Mercifully hear our prayers, O Lord, and spare all those who confess their sins to you; that those whose consciences are accused by sin may by your merciful pardon be absolved; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 7:6-11Jeremiah 11:18-20, and John 7:37-52

The Psalm for today is all about calling down God's righteous anger, and how many times have we all wanted to do just this while stuck in traffic on Airport or McGregor or somewhere else when we're just trying to get home? As I read this psalm it seems like a bit of a selfish prayer, and we're all guilty of sometimes looking out for ourselves in our prayers. Here the psalmist wants for God to judge him based on his righteousness and to end the malice of the wicked, who happen to be his enemies.

One of the reasons that I enjoy the psalms so much is that they are so human. These psalms are written from the depths of human emotion to God, and we have passed them on for ages because they work and because they capture how we may feel at a given moment in time. When you're stuck without words for a prayer, the psalms can help you enter into a place in history, praying the same words to God that many folks have prayed before you. In those moments we see that we're not the only ones who have (attempted to) call down God's wrath, and we're not the only ones who wonder where God is. We also can see that generations before us have also celebrated and marveled at God's presence in their lives, and we can, too.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Friday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"O God, you have given us the Good News of your abounding love in your Son Jesus Christ: So fill our hearts with thankfulness that we may rejoice to proclaim the good tidings we have received; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 34:15-22Wisdom 2:1a, 12-24, and John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

The Gospel reading for today is chopped up a little bit, and that takes away some of the power of the reading itself. Jesus is having to go to Jerusalem in secret because his life is at risk, and he's having to do this during one of the great festivals. His works are known; his teachings are known; and his life is wanted.  Instead of traveling subtly and being cautious about drawing attention to himself, Jesus goes to the temple and begins teaching. The leaders become angry, and they question him.

In the temple Jesus didn't just teach, though. He challenged their understanding of what Moses's law meant, and he challenged them to understand Moses's law in a new setting. In vv 22-23, he says that if a man can be circumcised on the Sabbath, then a man can be healed on the Sabbath. He challenged the leaders in questioning whether they actually believe the law they were supposed to uphold.

We're challenged, too, in the season of Lent. We're challenged to walk to Jerusalem with Jesus. We're challenged to hear the shouts of "Crucify him!" as we read together the Passion narratives. We're challenged to believe in the power of the Resurrection. Lent challenges the very foundations of our faith because of the crippling pain we witness and the glorious resurrection we proclaim. May we recognize the grace of this challenge and respond with open minds and hearts to this challenging message.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"Almighty and most merciful God, drive from us all weakness of body, mind, and spirit; that, being restored to wholeness, we may with free hearts become what you intend us to be and accomplish what you want us to do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 106:6-7, 19-23Exodus 32:7-14, and John 5:30-47

The patience that God has with the people of Israel seems to be about up in today's reading from Exodus. After delivering them from slavery and feeding them with bread from heaven and giving them water from a rock, they can't remain faithful even for a moment. They take the time that's available to them; melt down all of their possessions that remain; and they create a golden calf for worship and veneration. With a white-hot anger, the Lord vows to be done with all of them.

Moses, though, intervenes on their behalf. Moses pointed out the relationship that God had with these people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the promises that God made to them. Pleading for God to realize that these are the same people he loved enough to take out Egypt and care for in the wilderness, God's anger subsides.

Clearly, we all have the capacity for weakness in our lives. As our collect states this weakness can happen in body, mind, or spirit. In these moments of weakness we act in ways that make us a whole lot like the people of Israel there at the bottom of the mountain. We find ways to put something up between us and God or we might even put something up in place of God.

Fortunately, we, too, have an advocate for us. In Christ we have someone who's says, "This is how humans are; this is how they live" while also giving us a marker or a way to know how to point to God. As we draw closer to Holy Week, may we remember what it means to have such an advocate so that we might reconciled to God and such an example so that we might know how it is God calls us to live so that we might be saved.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 145:8-19Isaiah 49:8-15, and John 5:19-29

I have a friend from high school who I don't stay in contact with nearly as much as I once did. We still talk occasionally and chat online, but we don't speak to one another as frequently as we once did. A few years ago, after we had lost frequent contact with one another, he started dating someone who he eventually married and now has a great family with. Before that, though, when we'd chat I could never remember his girlfriend's (now wife's) name, nor could I remember what she did for a living. I was always embarrassed to have to ask, and I'm sure he was mildly annoyed that I couldn't remember.

One of the things that we want is to be remembered, and I'm betting some of our fears include being forgotten. If you're like me you've forgotten a birthday or other significant date for a close friend or family member, or you've had your own forgotten by folks around you. It's a bad and embarrassing feeling either way, and I think that memory might always be there along with it.

The reading from Isaiah today, though, calls forth the mindfulness of God. It calls forth the idea that God will not forget us, no matter what. The reading deals with the restoration of Israel in spite of their shortcomings and downfalls. When they cry, "But the Lord has forgotten me", the response is "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Even if she could, I will not forget you."

God cannot forget us; God cannot put us away. We may forget God; we may forget God's presence; and we may forget God's actions. God, though, will not forget us.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 46:1-8Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12, and John 5:1-18

Every Wednesday at 10:30 AM we have a healing service here at St. Paul's. Sometimes we have as few as 3 people attend, and sometimes we'll have as many as 10. Each time, though, this is a very intimate and holy time. We don't share the things that we are seeking healing from; we don't take about the pain that we may be carrying around or seeking to offer up. Each week, though, people come forward for a laying on of hands and a healing prayer.

This service begins with a litany of prayers, and one of the closing petitions is, "With you, O Lord, is the well of life, and in your light we see light." I love those words, and I love the images that it conjures up. I love the idea of the deepness of God going as deep as a well and the light of God emanating from the depths of that well. I feel like it's such beautiful imagery, especially in a liturgy for healing.

Like I said, I don't know what the people are seeking healing from or if they're seeking healing on the behalf of someone else. We sometimes think that naming the thing that hurts us can help it be healed, and that's true. In some cases, though, it's nice to know that it can be something just between us and God, and we can toss that thing into the depth's of God's presence, knowing that God's response back will be the warmth of love, letting us know that there is a place that we can offer up those things that cause us grief and anguish.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Monday in the Fourth Week of Lent.

"O Lord, our God, in your holy sacraments you have given us a foretaste of the good things of your kingdom: Direct us, we pray, in the way that leads to eternal life, that we may come to appear before you in that place of light where you dwell with your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Psalm 30:1-6, 11-13Isaiah 65:17-25, and John 4:43-54

In our confirmation class yesterday we spent a some time talking about the sacrament of Eucharist, and we had some conversation about Baptism along with it. As I read today's collect, I'm struck in thinking about the ways that those two sacraments give us a "foretaste of the good things" of God's kingdom.

In baptism we celebrate the new birth of a person coming into our community; with open arms we welcome an outsider who has come into our midst. At St. Barnabas (where I served before St. Paul's), all children who were baptized were given a baptismal banner with an image of water and their name on it. At St. Paul's we give a towel monogrammed with the newly-baptized initials. In both instances it's a gift lovingly crafted and freely given to a new member of the Church, whether this person is a member of a founding family or someone who has moved into the community. All are made welcome at their baptism.

In the eucharist we share a meal together, all of us coming forward as equals in the eyes of God. It's a lot like a family meal over the holidays, only no one is left sitting at the card table on the back porch. Sure, we don't all make it up to the rail at one time, but no one walks away without being fed. One hopes that this remembrance of the meal Jesus shared with his disciples foreshadows a heavenly banquet that is available to all in due time.

These sacraments reveal God's grace to us, and they are but a simple way to experience God's grace here. They give us a glimpse, though, of the grace that awaits us all.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Saturday in the Third Week of Lent.

"O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 51:15-20Hosea 6:1-6, and Luke 18:9-14

I love when I feel good about something that I've done. I love the feeling of accomplishment, and I love the feeling of recognition that comes with it. I think that's something that we all appreciate, too. I think we like when our actions and our works are recognized. They don't have to be rewarded, necessarily, but it sure it nice when they're at least noticed. To do good work and to have that work held up is nice and comforting. It gives us something to lean back on in those times when things are great. We look back at something that noticed, and we think, "I did it once, and I can do it again."

What feels better than this, though, is when someone gives me a break for really messing something up. Whether it's because I drop a plate, respond to an email really late, or say something I really shouldn't have said, being forgiven is quite a feeling. I know I've written a lot about that, but it really seems to keep coming up again and again. Whether it's seeking forgiveness from God, from others, or from ourselves, it keeps coming back.

The man in the Gospel for today says to God, "Be merciful on me, a sinner." That man had probably seen many dangers in his life. As a tax-collecter he lived on the margins of society. He did what he was supposed to do, and no one like him for doing it. The stress and anxiety of being cast out from his own community may have made him behave in ways he wished he hadn't. We don't know the story of his life, but we know that he recognized himself as a sinner.

To recognize oneself as a sinner in the eyes of God is to open oneself up to God's overwhelming grace. Making space for that grace in our lives allows us to share that grace with others. May God give us all, present company included, the strength to admit our sinful nature in order to make room for His love in our life.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Friday in the Third Week of Lent.

"Grant us, O Lord our Strength, a true love of your holy Name; so that, trusting in your grace, we may fear no earthly evil, nor fix our hearts on earthly goods, but may rejoice in your full salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 81:8-14Hosea 14:1-9, and Mark 12:28-34

I was thinking this morning about a professor of mine from college. Before he was a professor of mine he was a frequent customer of ours at the sporting goods store where I worked. Before he was "Dr. Slater" to me, he was simply, "Thomas". He'd come in, check out the club selection, tell us of his latest round, and we'd all share a few laughs. He'd be on his way, and he'd come back a few days later with some wisdom from the golf course, check a few more clubs, and the routine would continue. He was a great customer to have, and we were always excited to see him.

As a religion major at UGA, I took a few classes with Dr. Slater. He loves teaching, and he loves his students, to the point that he had no problems noting to the whole class the coincidence of me and my girlfriend (now my wife) both being absent one day. Because of his physical stature, Dr. Slater could be an intimidating presence to folks who did not know him well. His love for his students, though, made us want to do well in his class. Taking the class with a few friends, we were terrified that if we didn't do well on a test or paper, then his disappointment in us would have been worse than receiving a bad grade.

In class he'd ask a question. Sometimes he'd call on someone; sometimes he'd wait for someone to answer. If the answer was what he was looking for, his response would be, "You are not far from the kingdom." To receive that blessing from Dr. Slater was like an anointing. I have a friend who I'm sure would still say that's one of his proudest moments from college. As I think about it, though, that friend may have actually gotten "in the kingdom."

Jesus says those same words to the man in the Gospel reading for today, even though it's Jesus's own answer that the scribe is affirming. He says these words to the man, though, because the man recognizes that loving God and living how God calls him to live is more important than sacrifices and burnt offerings. Loving God and loving neighbor as we love ourselves draws the kingdom of God closer than any sacrifice or offering ever could.

Because of the love that God has for us, we want to do what's right. We want to do good because we know that God loves us. We want to please God. When we do these things, the kingdom of God draws ever closer, and we are not far from the kingdom.