WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – March 29th – Fr. Thomas
Hello Friends,
As of now, all liturgical services, meetings, and other gatherings at St. David’s are still canceled until April 15th, but “who knows” beyond that date. Tonight and again next Friday, though, you can watch our Stations of the Cross on FaceBook, YouTube or the Church’s website, or click on the link that will be provided via email. The Sunday mass video will also be posted so you can stay as connected to our church as much as possible. Below are the scripture references and the accompanying commentaries for this 5th Sunday in Lent.
In case of a pastoral emergency, you can leave a message on our voice mail, and we will respond as quickly as possible. Please continue to pray for an end to the COVID-19 virus, for its victims, and for those who are working on preventative measures; and thanks for your continued financial support (check, automated bank transfers or electronic donations via www.myeoffering.com) to the life and witness our congregation in this community.
Please Pray – For the sick: Sandy, Kim, Joe, Steve, Bob, Linda, Francine, Timone, Donna, Ashlyn, Robin. For birthday celebrations: Eric Cohen, Laurette Bagley, Samuel Kalphat, Joe Mee, Lorna Lawrence, Lucas Webber, Victor Champagne, Beverly Wilson. For those celebrating a wedding anniversary: Baldwin & Violet Henry. For the faithful departed, and for our expectant mothers: Dani and Andrea.
5th Sunday in Lent 3-29-19 “The Resurrection and the life”
Ezekiel 37:1-14 To the faithful remnant in Babylonian captivity their nation seemed to be dead, a lost cause. They and their God had been defeated. The prophet’s vision and his message of hope to them was that God could and would breathe new life into the nation of Israel and it would live again.
Psalm 130 The psalmist speaks from depths of despair brought on by sin, and them is able to rise to levels of assurance of divine forgiveness and grace. He experiences in his soul the death-to-life experience of Lazarus.
Romans 8:6-11 St. Paul claims that the sinful nature of humankind is bound up in death, but the indwelling of the Spirit gives life unto eternity.
John 11:1-45 Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead and the subsequent discourse give dramatic emphasis to Paul’s words. “The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:23).
Challenge Questions
Refer to the Old Testament reading for today in Ezekiel 37 and consider what this passage meant for the nation of Israel at the time. What message do these words have for us today, especially in light of the Gospel passage?
Finally, I leave you with the words of this familiar but timeless poem.
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
you’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
