25 JULY 08

FRIDAY AFTER TRINITY IX

25 JULY 08

LECTIONARY READING

Morning Prayer: Psalm 22; 1 Samuel 17:28-40; Luke 19:1-10

Evening Prayer: Psalm 25; Micah 2; Roman 3:21-end

REFLECTION

The last couple of days I have spent time visiting with family in Tulsa, OK. My Aunt Betty had an operation to amputate the lower part of her left leg due to a severe case of the MRSA virus she acquired about a year ago. The doctor did everything he could to save the foot and leg, but the time arrived where we had to be realistic about the fact that the healing process had reached a plateau. All of the various antibiotics were not working satisfactorily.

Thoughout this past year there have been definite frustrations that my Aunt Betty has experienced. She has undergone a great deal of medication, several hospitalisations, has nearly been restricted to her house because of the IV medications and deteriorization of her ankle which caused her great difficulty in mobility. Even with the rough days, she has been a real trouper and has kept great hope in the midst of it all.

Even though the amputation is now complete, my Aunt still has great hope for the upcoming weeks and months. As my Niece, Miranda, has been saying, "Each hurdle that is crossed is a little victory." Well, there will continue to be a few more hurdles and victories to look forward to.

On my way back to our farm in the Ozarks this afternoon, I thought about how my Aunt's journey this past year is like our journey of discipleship with the Lord. There are very good patches of the journey where it seems progress is easily made, and then there are stretches of the journey that seem so very rocky and progress seems slow at best. Yet, like my Aunt, we can see these difficult parts of the journey with hope.

I also want to state emphatically how important family is. When a member of our family is going through difficult times, we should surround them with our love and support in whatever way we can. It is the same with the family of faith. When a member of our family of faith experiences difficulty, we should surround them with support, love, and mercy so that they might find healing even sooner. May we always strive to love with great mercy and healing compassion.

Fr. Greg

THE COLLECT FOR THE NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as are right; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE SAINT OF THE DAY

St. James, Apostle (1st century)

James the son of Zebedee and his brother John were among the twelve disciples of Our Lord. They, together with Peter, were privileged to behold the Transfiguration (M 17:1 = P 9:2 = L 9:28), to witness the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (P 1:29) and the raising of the daughter of Jairus (P 5:37 = L 8:51), and to be called aside to watch and pray with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before His death (M 26:37 = P 14:33).

James and John were apparently from a higher social level than the average fisherman. Their father could afford hired servants (P 1:20), and John (assuming him to be identical with the "beloved disciple") had connections with the high priest (J 18:15). Jesus nicknamed the two brothers "sons of thunder" (P 3:17), perhaps meaning that they were headstrong, hot-tempered, and impulsive; and so they seem to be in two incidents reported in the Gospels. On one occasion (L 9:54ff), Jesus and the disciples were refused the hospitality of a Samaritan village, and James and John proposed to call down fire from heaven on the offenders. On another occasion (M 20:20-23 = P 10:35-41), they asked Jesus for a special place of honor in the Kingdom, and were told that the place of honor is the place of suffering.

Finally, about AD 42, shortly before Passover (Acts 12), James was beheaded by order of King Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill the infant Jesus--Matthew 2), nephew of Herod Antipas (who killed John the Baptist--Mark 6--and examined Jesus on Good Friday--Luke 23), and father of Herod Agrippa II (who heard the defence of Paul before Festus--Acts 25). James was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom, and the only one of the Twelve whose death is recorded in the New Testament.

James is often called James Major (= greater or elder) to distinguish him from other New Testament persons called James. Tradition has it that he made a missionary journey to Spain, and that after his death his body was taken to Spain and buried there. at Compostela (a town the name of which is commonly thought to be derived from the word "apostle", although a Spanish-speaking listmember reports having heard it derived from "field of stars", which in Latin would be campus stellarum). His supposed burial place there was a major site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, and the Spaniards fighting to drive their Moorish conquerors out of Spain took "Santiago de Compostela!" as one of their chief war-cries. (The Spanish form of "James" is "Diego" or "Iago". In most languages, "James" and "Jacob" are identical. Where an English Bible has "James," a Greek Bible has IAKWBOS.)

***by James Kiefer at www. satucket.com***

THE COLLECT FOR ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE

O gracious God, we remember before thee this day thy servant and apostle James, first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that thou wilt pour out upon the leaders of thy Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among thy people; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.