Pax et Bonum
The Online worship resource for St. James Parish

The Cross is the only ladder high enough to touch Heaven’s threshold.
- G.D. Boardman

Christ and his cross are all our theme:
The mysteries that we speak
Are scandal in the Jews' esteem,
And folly to the Greek.

But souls enlightened from above
With joy receive the word;
They see what wisdom, power, and love
Shine in their dying Lord.

The vital savour of his name
Restores their fainting breath;
But unbelief perverts the same
To guilt, despair, and death.

Till God diffuse his graces down,
Like showers of heavenly rain,
In vain Apollos sows the ground;
And Paul may plant in vain.   Anonymous

Holy Cross Day
Tomorrow is Holy Cross Day, called the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross in the Orthodox Church. This day we commemorate the finding of the true cross in 325 by St. Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. The Church of the Holy Sepulcre was then built on the site in Jerusalem. It is a day to remember the crucifixion and triumph of Christ over evil on the cross.


For us, it is a precursor to the theme of the readings this Sunday: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will safe it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?" This reading from Mark’s gospel challenges the disciples to follow Christ to and through the Cross, picking up their own cross in order to be like him. What does that mean for us today? Crosses come in many shapes and sizes, and in many aspects of our lives: sometimes we are asked to bear the cross of suffering, in order to conform us to the image of Christ, who suffered on our behalf. Mostly, we are called to pick up the cross of self-denial, in the sense of putting the needs of others before ourselves, just as Jesus did.

Holy Cross Day gives us another opportunity to examine our priorities: whom do we serve? Who receives the first-fruits of our labor, our finances, our energy? How do we live out those priorities on a daily basis, recognizing Christ in those who come near us? Can we accept what each day brings, knowing that God is in charge? Take some time to ponder on the Cross today.

Lachrimae Amantis
What is there in my heart that you should sue
so fiercely for its love? What kind of care
brings you as though a stranger to my door
through the long night and in the icy dew

seeking the heart that will not harbor you,
that keeps itself religiously secure:
At this dark solstice filled with frost and fire
your passion’s ancient wounds must bleed anew.

So many nights the angel of my house
has fed such urgent comfort through a dream,
whispered, "your lord is coming, he is close"

that I have drowsed half-faithful for a time
bathed in pure tones of promise and remorse:
"tomorrow I shall wake to welcome him."
- Geoffrey Hill

Debra’s Midweek Meditation
He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”
Mark 8:29

When a person prays with the Ignation exercises, she spends a lot of time experiencing Jesus.

Prayer begins with scripture and moves into image.
As I am quite a visual person, this kind of prayer comes easily to me.
It was with the above scripture from Mark that I found myself surprised and dismayed.
As I prayed this passage I was asked by Jesus," who do you say that I am?"

I had no answer.

Well- I had the standard answers-Son of God etc. but the one from the heart simply would not come.

So-on to butterflies---


Here is a clue for us about what it means to follow Christ. This is a question mark butterfly. One side of the wings are bright and the other side look like dead leaves-same creature, different visions!

The side with the bright pigment only really becomes beautiful through the refraction of light upon the wings.

It must be illuminated to be seen in its true beauty.

Jesus can be seen through scriptures, within the eyes of others, but the true beauty of the living Christ comes from illumination and looking and continual openness to His coming into my heart.

I am willing to grow into the question,
"Who do you say that I am?"
With God's help my heart will answer, and I will join with Peter:

"You are the Messiah,
the Anointed One,
the One coming into the world."

Blessings,
Debra

O consuming fire, Spirit of Love,
Descend within me and reproduce in me,
As it were, an incarnation of the Word,
That I may be to him another humanity
Wherein he renews his mystery.
- Elizabeth of Schonau

Daily Morning Prayer
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/morning_prayer.htm

This week at St. James
Thursday: SJA Parent-Teacher night
Friday: Newsletter deadline
Saturday: 9:00 Social Ministries, Parish Library; 4-6 Set-up for Ministry Fair
Sunday: Ministry Fair and Welcome Lunch for The Callahams
Tuesday: Middle School parent breakfast
Wednesday: 8:30 Healing Liturgy

Prayers, Etc.
Dot; Sue; Lori; Bill; Sarah; Joel
Toni; Anna; Philip; David; Brooke; Brian G.
Leib & Carlyn Lovisah; Jeffrey; Miriam F.; Pat E.
Traskey family; Harold F.; Walter R.; Bob D.
Matthew D.; Sharon C.; Gage C.; Auds; Avery
Joan L. and family; Tom & Kathy H.; Annabelle; Linda T.
Allison Louis; Don & Leslie D.; Matt S.; Nancy

Our seminarian, Laura Brecht and her husband, Lyle.

All who are deployed and their families.

The Episcopal Church of the Sudan, The Most Rev’d Joseph Biringi Hassan Marona, Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan & Bishop of Juba.

Who but you, Lord, could bring
Sweetness in the midst of bitterness,
Pleasure in the midst of torment?
How wonderful are the wounds of my sou,
Since the deeper the wound,
The greater the joy of healing.
- St. John of the Cross

In Closing:
O Jesus, crucified for man,

O Lamb, all glorious on thy throne,
Teach thou our wondering souls to scan
The mystery of thy love unknown.

We pray thee, grant us strength to take
Our daily cross, whate’er it be,
And gladly for thine own dear sake
In paths of pain to follow thee.

As on our daily way we go,
Through light or shade, in calm or strife,
O may we bear thy marks below
In conquered sin and chastened life.
And week by week this day we ask that holy memories of thy cross
May sanctify each common task
And turn to gain each earthly loss.

Grant us, dear Lord, our cross to bear
Till at thy feet we lay it down;
Win through thy blood our pardon there,
And through the cross attain the crown. Amen
- W.W. How, 1871, from The Hymnal 1940

The blessing of God whose breath gives life
Be with you always.

The blessing of God whose
Love is forgiving
Set you free from guilt and despair.

The blessing of God
Who sanctifies your living
Be with you this day,
To lead you to a new life
Of hope, peace, love and service.

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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