Holly Michael's Writing Straight

~ Connecting and Inspiring Along Life's Crooked Lines by Author Holly Michael

Holly Michael's Writing Straight

Tag Archives: Anglicanism

St. Patrick’s Breastplate

17 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

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1940 Hymnal, Anglicanism, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Holy Mass, Hymn #268, I bind unto myself, Kansas City, Kansas City Missouri, Saint, Saint Patrick, Saint Patrick's Breastplate, St Patrick, St. James Anglican Church, St. Patricks' Breastplate

This Gaelic poem is attributed to St. Patrick. Sang in our church, St. James Anglican Church, Kansas City, Missouri. (from the 1940 Hymnal)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMvQUClBtvo&sns=em

Saint_Patrick_(window)

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 16 – Last Chapter! – MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

24 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

And God, And God our source of peace will soon crush satan under your feet, Anglican, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Anglo-Catholicism, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Christmas, Christmas Challenge, Deacon Alfred Sturges, God, Greetings, HCCAR, Holly Michael, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Kansas City, Last Chapter of Romans, O Holy Night, our source of peace, reflection, Romans, Romans 16, Saint James Anglican Church, Saint Paul, Savior, St. James Anglican Church, St. Paul, St. Paul's letters, www.writingstraight.com

I’m a bit sad that this is the last chapter of Romans, but pretty excited about Christmas! Thank you Deacon Alfred Sturges for presenting this Christmas Challenge. I have enjoyed reading and contemplating on each chapter of Paul to the Romans and I can truly say that it has prepared my heart for Christmas. Incredible wisdom. Merry Christmas to all and thank you for following. In honor of St. Paul, here’s a stained glass window (St. Paul) from our church, St. Jame’s Anglican, where my husband serves as bishop and rector, followed by the last chapter and a short reflection:stpauls

Romans 16

Good News Translation (GNT)

Personal Greetings

16 I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who serves the church at Cenchreae. 2 Receive her in the Lord’s name, as God’s people should, and give her any help she may need from you; for she herself has been a good friend to many people and also to me.

3 I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in the service of Christ Jesus; 4 they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well.5 Greetings also to the church that meets in their house.

Greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first in the province of Asia to believe in Christ.6 Greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for you. 7 Greetings also to Andronicus and Junia, fellow Jews who were in prison with me; they are well known among the apostles, and they became Christians before I did.

8 My greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the fellowship of the Lord. 9 Greetings also to Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ’s service, and to Stachys, my dear friend. 10 Greetings to Apelles, whose loyalty to Christ has been proved. Greetings to those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.11 Greetings to Herodion, a fellow Jew, and to the Christians in the family of Narcissus.

12 My greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work in the Lord’s service, and to my dear friend Persis, who has done so much work for the Lord. 13 I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord’s service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son. 14 My greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and all the other Christians with them. 15 Greetings to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, to Olympas and to all of God’s people who are with them.

16 Greet one another with the kiss of peace. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

stpaull

Final Instructions

17 I urge you, my friends: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people’s faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them! 18 For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people. 19 Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel, and for this reason I am happy about you. I want you to be wise about what is good, but innocent in what is evil. 20 And God, our source of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet.

romans16

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21 Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings; and so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, fellow Jews.

22 I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, send you Christian greetings.

23 My host Gaius, in whose house the church meets, sends you his greetings; Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. 24 

Concluding Prayer of Praise

25 Let us give glory to God! He is able to make you stand firm in your faith, according to the Good News I preach about Jesus Christ and according to the revelation of the secret truth which was hidden for long ages in the past. 26 Now, however, that truth has been brought out into the open through the writings of the prophets; and by the command of the eternal God it is made known to all nations, so that all may believe and obey.

paulwriting

27 To the only God, who alone is all-wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever! Amen.

romans16.25

What more can be said, but the last line: To the only God, who is all-wise, be glory through Jesus Christ, forever! Amen! Alleluia! Merry Christmas and God bless us, everyone!

But wait, there’s more! Here’s a lovely Christmas song for you, my favorite! O Holy, Night. Merry Christmas to you and yours from Bishop Leo and Holly Michael, and Jake, Betsy and Nick!

 

 

 

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Evensong/Novena for December 23rd

23 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Anglican, Anglicanism, Bishop Leo Michael, Chants, Evensong, HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Novena, Steven White, Will Perry

Singing by Steven White. Prayers and readings by Father Don Holley. Chants by Will Perry. Put together by Bishop Leo Michael. Beautiful!

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 15

23 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Accept one another then just as Christ accepted you in order to bring praise to God., Anglican Church, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Anglo-Catholicism, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Christmas, Christmas Challenge, HCCAR, Holly Michael, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Kansas City, Merry Christmas, Paul, Paul visits Rome, Pauls letters to the Romans, Romans 15, St. James Anglican Church, Stained glass

Almost finished with Romans. Thanks for coming along on this Christmas Challenge, journeying into Paul’s letters to the Romans. Christmas eve is tomorrow and I can’t wait until the Christmas Midnight Mass! And Lessons and Carols in our Anglican tradition.

Here’s one of our beautiful stained glass windows at our cathedral, St. James Anglican Church (Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite) in Kansas City, where my husband serves as Bishop and rector (consider this my Christmas card to all of you wonderful blog followers.) Merry Christmas and God Bless you!

stainedglasswindow

 

Romans 15

 

New International Version (NIV)

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

friendupliftthesoul

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

romans 15.5.6

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15.78 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing the praises of your name.”

10 Again, it says, 

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

 

11 And again, 

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; 

let all the peoples extol him.”

 

12 And again, Isaiah says, 

“The Root of Jesse will spring up, 

one who will arise to rule over the nations;

in him the Gentiles will hope.”

 

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

romansmc

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Romans15_16

17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”

22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain.

illyricum-01I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

 

romans 32What a beautiful chapter. Paul encourages Christians to uphold and love one another, so that we may all glorify God the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then he speaks of his confidence in the gentiles, and of his upcoming journeys, asking for prayers. You can really feel the voice of Paul in this, and the love he has for followers of Christ.

Merry Christmas to all! May we uphold one another in love and prayers as we journey on this earth until we reach our permanent home in Heaven. Glory to God in the Highest! And Peace to His People on Earth!

 

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Evensong

22 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

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1928 BCP, 1928 Book of Common Prayer, Anglican, Anglican chant, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Anglo-Catholicism, Bishop Leo Michael, Evensong, Father Don Holley, HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Church, O Come Emmanuel, Steven White, Will Perry

Fabulous! Steven White singing, Father Don Holley reading Scriptures, and Will Perry on chants. Put together by Bishop Leo Michael  1928 Book of Common Prayer

Lovely, Anglican Evensong/Novena!

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Christmas Novena/Evensong: December 20

20 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

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Anglican, Anglican Chants, Anglicanism, Bishop Leo Michael, Chant, Christmas Evensong, Evensong, Father Don Holley, HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, introit, Jesus Christ, Novena

Lovely Anglican Evensong. Prayers and Bible readings by Father Don Holley. Chants by Will Perry. Put together by Bishop Leo Michael

 

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Christmas Novena: December 19

20 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

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Anglican, Anglican chant, Anglican Novena, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Bishop Leo Michael, Chant, Christianity, Christmas Evensong, Evensong, Father Don Holley, HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Jesus Christ, Novena

Christmas Novena: Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite December 19: Beautiful chants, sung introits. Anglican Evensong

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Christmas Novena: Day 3

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in Christianity

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1928 BCP, 1928 Book of Common Prayer, Anglican Chants, Anglicanism, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Book of Common Prayer, Christmas, Christmas Evensong, Christmas Novena, Evensong, Father Don Holley, HCCAR, Holly Michael, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, introit, Novena, Prayer, prayers, Will Perry, www.writingstraight.com

Day 3 of Christmas Evensong Novena. Beautiful voices, chants, prayers. The Evensong is based on the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is being lead by Fr. Donald Holley of the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Introits sung by Will Perry

 

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 10

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

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1928 Book of Common Prayer, Anglican Church, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Anglo-Catholicism, Christmas, Christmas Challenge, Faith, God, God holding out his hand, HCCAR, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Holy Spirit, Hope, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, Jesus Christ, Nicene Creed, Romans, Romans Ch 10, Romans Chapter 10, salvation, saved, Sinner's prayer, you will be saved

Thanks for joining me in Deacon Alfred Sturges’ Christmas Challenge to read a chapter of Romans, each day, until Christmas. Here’s Chapter 10. Let’s see what wisdom it carries for us today…

Romans 10

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.2 I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Salvation Is for All

5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say?

“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” 16 But not all have obeyed the good news;[c] for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for

“Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

19 Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

******

So, Paul begins by saying not to discuss who is going to Heaven and who to Hell, but to: “confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

confess

And Paul says there is salvation for all who believe. What a simple doorway to Heaven, to everlasting life, to God. Confess and believe! Could God make it any easier? Who wouldn’t do it? Who wouldn’t want it? Right?

I was baptized as an infant in the Lutheran church, and was confirmed in the same church, then later became an Anglo-Catholic Christian.

Several years ago, a Baptist gentleman asked me, “Have you been saved? Have you confessed with your lips that Jesus is Lord?” Though I believed I was saved at my Baptism and thought I’d personally confirmed that at my confirmation, and I truly did think Jesus was the Lord, I had to think for a moment. Had I said the words? Really meant them in my heart. Paul says we should do so. Is there a formula, a string of words we must say? While I’m sure it’s all about where your heart is when you say this prayer, why take chances? That evening, I got down on my knees and prayed the words, really meaning them in my heart. While I’m sure that prayer didn’t hurt my soul, later, I realized that I say the same words each Sunday during Mass. They’re in the Nicene Creed, found in our 1928 Book of Common Prayer that we use during our service, and are a part of many Christian services: 

I BELIEVE in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man: And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried: And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father: And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the Prophets: And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins: And I look for the Resurrection of the dead: And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

The words above truly seem to be a confession that Jesus is Lord. And if we say them, we should believe them in our hearts. God makes it all so easy. As the last lines of this chapter say, 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

IMG_7687

Who, in their right mind, wouldn’t take the hand of God when offered? I don’t understand. Whatever denomination or non-denominational Christian or seeker we are, the word is near us, on our lips and in our hearts. Say them!

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 2

10 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 5 Comments

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1 Chapters to Christmas, Alfred Sturges, Anglicanism, Baptism, Bible study, Christians, Christmas, Christmas preparations, Deacon Alfred Sturges, Faith, HCCAR, Holy, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Jesus, Judging, preparing our hearts for Christmas, Romans Ch. 2, Romans Chapter 2, Sacraments, Sin, Soul, Spirituality, St. Augustine, St. Paul's Letters to the Romans

Thanks for coming back today! It’s “DAY TWO” of Deacon Alfred’s Challenge: 16 Chapters to Christmas. The challenge is to read the entire book of Romans, all sixteen chapters, from December 9th until Christmas, based on St. Augustine’s conversion after reading the letters of St. Paul to the Romans. If you didn’t read the first chapter, you can do so at Biblegateway.com or by clicking here and reading yesterday’s blog post. Or, just take the challenge for today and read this chapter.

Here’s Romans, Chapter 2 (today I’m using the NRSV)

The Righteous Judgment of God

Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2 You say, “We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.” 3 Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 For he will repay according to each one’s deeds: 7 to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

12 All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, to which their own conscience also bears witness; and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God, through Jesus Christ, will judge the secret thoughts of all.

The Jews and the Law

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God 18 and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, 19 and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, 21 you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

25 Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. 29 Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.

*****

That’s a big chunk of holy wisdom to bite at once, so I’ll break it down.

scoldRomans 2:1-16. Go Paul! Way to rip into those self-righteous people in Rome, thinking they’re all holy n’stuff. Oh boy! God is going to judge you people by your hearts, and not by what privileges you all think you’re entitled to because of your social status. Shame, Shame, puppy shame! I’m glad I’m not one of them. Oops. Was I judging? Yikes. Better be careful. I think we were talking about this in yesterday’s blog, weren’t we?

Anyway, what I think Paul is saying here is that each time we knowingly screw up, we disrespect God’s goodness and that’s well…not good. It all boils down to not loving God enough to do the right thing. So we have to be sorry, and I mean really really sorry. And don’t just tell me your sorry because I told you to say it! You’d better mean it! And I mean, really, really mean it! I’m not seeing that you mean it! (oops, the mom in me is coming out).

puppy_im_sorryAs I was saying…we have to be truly sorry, sorry enough to actually make a change based on pure motives to change and nothing else.

Stuff like “wrath, fury, anguish, and distress” is just not happy stuff. Best to be avoided. Those words above can’t mean anything good, whether a Jew, Greek, Black White, Latino, or whatever your color. God won’t care about our skin tone when he judges. Wrath, fury, anguish, and distress will rain on everyone. So, regardless of our race, social status, or size of our bank account, our conscience should guide us and help us avoid a downpour that we don’t want to be caught up in on judgment day.

bad weather

On December 25th, we celebrate the coming of Christ as an innocent baby.

baby_jesus_5When Jesus comes again, he’s not coming like an innocent baby. He’s coming as the just judge. If we do good in secret, we will be rewarded, and all those sins that we think we got away with, guess what? They’re coming back like those crazy candles you blow out on cakes that re-ignite. Oops!

candles

And my thoughts on Roman’s 2:17-24

Did we not learn anything since the time Paul ripped into the people in Rome? This passage ends with, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that people don’t go to church because of the so-called “Christians” that they know. I’m probably one of those Christians.

better-than-youI’m a church-goer who hasn’t always and doesn’t always act like a Christian. I say the “creed” each Sunday, I know the ten commandments, I listen to The Word. Do I really follow all that Jesus commands? Hmm…. This so not an excuse, but a good friend told me once, “Church is a hospital for sinners and not a hotel for saints.” Okay, but if that’s the case, I kind of want to get well and not die in that hospital.

No wonder people are disillusioned with church. They get that sitting in a pew each Sunday doesn’t make people better Christians. But why doesn’t it? It should, right? We need to ask ourselves what we can do about this epidemic. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. The last thing Christians need to do is blasphemy God. Makes sense, right?

Finally, the last passages: Romans 2:25-29. What do they mean to me. 

These scripture passages talks about circumcision, but consider any Christian ritual and what it should mean. Now, as an Anglican, I’m all for the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. These Christian rituals and others should change us. Real Christians are Christians outwardly and inwardly. A person whom I know, baptized as an infant, was church-shopping. She told me, “I got saved in church last week, then when out and committed probably the worst sin I’ve ever committed.” This person ended up getting re-baptized at three different churches. She said she was told her first baptism, in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” didn’t count because the name, “Jesus,” was not said. Another church had issues with sprinkling versus dunking. And I can’t even remember what the other issues were. Sheesh! C’mon people! In the end, it’s going to be all about “if” the rituals really changed our hearts. Let’s not make a mockery of our Christian rituals and sacraments.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on what this chapter means to you. Thanks for sticking with me through Day 2. See ya tomorrow!

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Holly Michael

Holly Michael

Done this: Regular freelance ghostwriter and online editor for Guideposts for Teens/Sweet 16 Magazine, creator/editor of a magazine for Wal-Mart Corp., journalist, newspaper features writer, published in a variety of national magazines and local newspapers, script writing/editing for corporations. Doing this now: author of fiction and nonfiction, blogger, and editor of Koinonia Magazine. I’m the wife of Rt. Rev. Leo Michael, an Anglican Bishop in the Holy Catholic Church-Anglican Rite. Mom to three great kids: Nick (#81 Rajin Cajuns), Betsy (Super cute professor) and Jake (T1D & NFL player) Also, enjoy my travels extensively across the United States and internationally.

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