Enjoy these short lessons from our Rector, Father Timothy Matkin.

The Virtue Called “Patria”

An Emancipation Celebration

Pride Month, or Humility Month?

Ascensiontide Novena

Jesus on Cancel Culture

First Things First

What is Holy Water?

Can you be a “bad” Catholic?

Resources for your Lenten Rule

What are the Stations of the Cross?

 

(Click on the Rambling title to view a video version on Youtube.)

24 February 2019: “Make it a holy Lent”

Our long-time custom here in the parish is to have devotions on the Friday’s of Lent. This year, we have added quiet days in Advent and Lent. The one for Lent will be on the first Saturday, which is March 9^th. It begins with Morning Prayer and Mass in the church at 8am, followed by scripture meditations in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, wrapping up by noon.

In planning the year, we agreed that the first week in Lent is pretty busy, so our Friday program will begin after that first week on March 15^th. The evening begins with Stations of the Cross at 6:30pm, followed by the benediction of the blessed Sacrament. Then we will have a supper and study in the Parish Hall about 7:30, wrapping up the evening by 8:30.

For the last two years, I have offered a teaching program (on sharing our faith with Muslims and on King Henry VIII’s book Defence of the Seven Sacraments). This year, we’ve invited a slate of guest speakers to come talk to us on the over-arching theme of “Walking the Walk.” This is about putting the Christian faith into practice. I think we have a great line up. I’m looking forward to it.

To start us off, we have Deacon Michael Matkin on March 15. He’s the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Early Christianity and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Gnostic Gospels. He will share his experience about putting Christian spirituality into practice.

Next we have Aurelia Green on March 22, who has recently become a foster parent and will be sharing her inspirational story. Then Father Scott Wilson will talk about tips for sharing our faith with others on March 29. On April 5 Kyle Spardley will be with us to talk about his experience with men’s ministry at Ss. Peter and Paul in Arlington. Lastly, Father Christopher Cantrell will talk to us about pilgrimage, reflecting on his multiple trips to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It’s going to be a great Lent!.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

17 February 2019: “Before Lent arrives . . .”

Several years back, Father Allen reinstituted the parish observance of the pre-Lenten season, or what is sometimes called Shrovetide. It was abolished in the revision of the calendar with the new lectionary. Epiphany became the green Sundays of “ordinary time” lasting until Ash Wednesday. But Shrovetide has had a little revival of sorts. A pre-Lent scheme was put back into the calendar of Common Worship (used in the Church of England) as well the calendar used by the Anglican Ordinariates and in the new ACNA Prayer Book of 2019.

Pre-Lent begins with three “gesima” Sundays. Of these, only Quinquagesima is literally named—“fifty days” before Easter. As in Lent, the vestments are purple, the Gloria and Alleluias are dropped, and the dismissal is “Let us bless the Lord.” But Shrovetide is not quite Lent. Pre-Lent is actually the carnival season (or Mardi-Gras as they say in New Orleans). There is a certain festivity that attends to using up all the things to be abstained from during Lent.

However, when pre-Lent was removed, the character of Lent was altered. You might associate Lent with repentance above all, but that’s not how it was supposed to work. In the old arrangement, Shrovetide was the time to repent, the time to be “shriven” of your sins (to make your confession and be absolved), while Lent was the time to “do penance.” As Lent was the desert experience, pre-Lent was said to be the Babylonian captivity when you prayed to return to the Promised Land.

In searching for a fitting bulletin graphic, I found a set of shields for each season. The pictures and words on the shields are telling. For pre-Lent, they are tools for discerning and rejecting sin: “Law, Scripture, Prayer, Repentance.” For Lent, they are tools for making amends for our faults: “Alms, Fasting, Abstinence, Scourging.”

Pre-Lent is not redundant (just “getting ready to get ready for Easter”), but a unique time of transition to holy ground.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

20 January 2019: “Safety upgrades around the campus”

Last year, the diocesan Risk Management Committee advised every parish to put together an Emergency Action Planning Committee. Although the initial motive was active shooter preparedness, the task was to look at all areas of safety and security. Our committee gave the vestry a long list of recommendations (posted on the vestry bulletin board) and the vestry approved moving forward on those items bit by bit. The first three items we’re working on is exit doors (that’s why the crèche was in a different spot this year), fire extinguishers, and locking the narthex.

Some of these things have proved much more difficult than first imagined. After much investigation, a locking mechanism has been installed on the narthex doors. One of the things we insisted on was that parishioners should have access to the church 24/7.

During service times like Sunday morning, the doors will be unlocked. But for parishioners coming to pray at odd hours, you will need to enter the key code. Enter this data in your phone or pick up one of the little cards from the Annual Meeting to put in your wallet.

Our parish has been left open for most of our history (there are bolts on the doors from the past, but no one seems to remember if or when they were used). And we have had the challenge of our worship space being used as a shelter at times. For over a year, we have actively discouraged this, and it has dissipated greatly (security cameras helped). The main problem lately has been children skipping school and hanging out in the nave. In fact, two girls were found doing so the very morning our sexton came to finish the installation of the locks. This should resolve a liability we have had for some time, and be much less of a burden on our tremendously understaffed Dallas police being called to deal with this problem.

This will be a learning curve for all of us, starting with learning to open the side of the door with the lock on it. We want everyone to feel both welcome and safe here. I am happy to hear any feedback and discussion on this matter.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

6 January 2019: “Is it still Christmas?”

If you’re not ready to take down the lights and the tree just yet, you may be in luck. In his classic book on the liturgy, Fortescue notes that Christmastide runs from the first Vespers of Christmas to 13^th January inclusive. In many countries, Christmas festivities continue 40 days until Candlemas on February 2^nd, which is the customary time to take down nativity displays. This is still the practice in Rome. And it makes sense to end there since that is the last time we see Christ as a child in the gospel readings.

Epiphany is a part of the Christmas celebration in the same way that Ascension is a part of Easter. They have been historically and scripturaly stuck together from the beginning. Both Christmas and Epiphany were octaves in the 1928 Prayer Book. The octave of Christmas Day (January 1^st) commemorated the circumcision of Christ since Jewish boys were circumcised eight days after they were born. The octave of the Epiphany (January 13^th) commemorated the Baptism of Christ.

In the new Roman Missal and its revised calendar, the commemoration of Christ’s baptism is moved from a fixed date on the octave of Epiphany (January 13^th) to the First Sunday after the Epiphany. This is also the arrangement in the 1979 Prayer Book. However, it’s still not quite clear when Christmas is over.

On page 31, it outlines a Christmas season (the traditional twelve days) and a new Epiphany season. Yet in the collects, Epiphany is not treated as a season at all. The collects are for Sundays “after the Epiphany.” Of course, the collects before those are similarly described as “after Christmas Day.”

Does the 1979 Prayer Book envision the Christmas season ending with the Epiphany or with the commemoration of the Lord’s baptism? In the weekdays between the two, one may use either the collect and propers for the Epiphany or the Second Sunday after Christmas (see page 162 and 214).

Whenever you decide to take down the tree and the lights, be sure to leave the light of Christ shining in your heart.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

9 December 2018: “Why go to church?”

Before I address that question, we need to note two things. First is that people go to church for many different reasons, and some-times even the wrong reason can lead to a happy ending. Maybe you only came to church to get close to the pretty girl or the handsome guy, but in the meantime, God went to work on you and enabled you become a saint. As S. Paul put it, “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

The second thing to note is that, technically and theologically speaking, we do not “go to church.” Rather, we are the church, and the church gathers for worship. All of us are called to worship individually and we are also called to gather together for common worship. As the letter to the Hebrews puts is, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Like so many other things in our culture, church attendance has taken on a consumerist bent. People go to church to get something out of it. People go for insights of wisdom, biblical knowledge, to be spiritually uplifted, to meet people or be with friends, or for the programs that are offered in a church. But those are side benefits.

How many times have you heard someone leave a church because, “I just wasn’t being fed”? What about the opportunity to feed others? Or maybe they skipped a service because, “They weren’t going to have communion”? What about making prayerful use of the communion we already have through Christ?

S. Thomas Aquinas (always a reliable guide) would remind us that we should go to church because God deserves to be worshiped. In the Summa, Thomas classifies the virtue of religion as a subset of justice. He notes, “Since special honor is due to God as the first principle of all things, to him also is due a special kind of worship.” We should go to church because as a matter of justice, God deserves to be worshiped, and he especially deserves worship from his people.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

2 December 2018: “Advent in the Parish”

Advent is probably my favorite season of the church year. We have a wonderful opportunity to make the most of it here in the parish. To start the season, we have a festival of Lessons and Carols on the first Sunday. It’s a distinctly Anglican tradition begun at King’s College in Cambridge. As we hear the lessons that build a prophetic anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival, we sing those wonderful carols of Advent and Christmas.

The season is a great time for meditating on the mysteries of salvation. On the first Saturday, we commemorate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, one of the key moments in the unfolding plan of salvation, when the knot tied by Eve begins to be loosed through Mary. Our Walsingham cell usually meets for rosary on the fourth Monday, but since that is Christmas Eve, we’ll pray the rosary after the Mass on this great Marian feast. The next Saturday, December 15^th will be our Advent Quiet Day. After the morning Mass, there will time for silence and confessions interspersed between meditative scripture listening to the book of Revelation. Remember, as a parish of “full Catholic privileges,” confessions are heard each Saturday morning and also special time is set aside for confessions on Christmas Eve.

Each year, we have an opportunity “to adopt orphan angels” through the Angel Tree ministry. You can shop for Christmas gifts for one of these disadvantaged children and help make the season brighter. There is an Angel Tree party on the 16^th. We also have a fundraiser for ministries that aid unwed pregnant mothers in our annual Evensong for Holy Innocents on December 28^th. This is a season to remember the less fortunate and to be a blessing to others.

It all leads up to the celebration of Christmas. As always, we have a Mass at 6:30pm on Christmas Eve for those unable to make it out later that night. Caroling begins at 10pm and the “Midnight” Mass of Christmas follows at 11pm. A Low Mass for Christmas Day is offered at 10am. Make this Advent a holy season.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

18 November 2018: “The First, Ecumenical Thanksgiving”

Most of us learned all about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving in school growing up. They were Puritans who had left England because they deemed the (Anglican) Church of England to be too Catholic and wanted to live where they would be free to practice a pure Protestant faith (hence the term “puritan”). But did you know there was also a Catholic at that first Thanksgiving in Plymouth?

The Pilgrims struggled when they first arrived in the New World. A tribe of Native Americans called the Wampanoag helped them get through that first harsh winter when their tribal leader Massasoit discovered that their supplies from England would not be enough food to sustain the colony through the first winter. Imagine their surprise when one of those Indians, called Squanto, not only spoke English, but turned out to be a Catholic Christian as well.

In 1614, Squanto was captured by a lieutenant of John Smith who attempted to sell him and other Indians into slavery via Spain. However, some Franciscan friars discovered the plot and acquired the captured Native Americans. During this time, Squanto received instruction in the Catholic faith and was baptized.

As a free man, he traveled to London where he became a laborer in the shipyards. There he also became fluent in English. Squanto was able to return to his homeland five years after his kidnapping. Since he was fluent in English, Squanto became a valuable interpreter and teacher to the Pilgrims who settled at Plymouth.

During that first winter, half of the Pilgrims died of starvation, of sickness, or exposure. Squanto eventually contracted one of the diseases from Europe that were decimating his people. As he lay dying, he asked for prayers from Governor Bradford and bequeathed his belongings to his new friends in Plymouth. In God’s providence, a Catholic and a colony of Protestants had been brought together in the New World to help each other find God’s mercy.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

11 November 2018: “By Ballots, not by Bullets”

Each time an election day passes, I’m very grateful for two things. One is the fact that all the political ads come to an end. The other is gratitude that I live in a land where we fight our political battles by ballots, not by bullets. Even still, our civil discourse can become quite uncivil. And it’s always a tragedy to see friend-ships end over political disagreements.

That makes me think of the enduring friendship of two people who by all accounts never should have been friends in the first place—United States Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

One was a man, the other a woman. One was a Republican, the other a Democrat. One was a conservative, the other a liberal. In jurisprudence, one was a textualist, the other an activist. One was a traditionalist Catholic, the other a non-observant Jew.

Everything adds up to them being enemies, and yet they turned out to be the closest of friends. Because we so often tend to enjoy the company of those we have some similarity to (“birds of a feather flock together”) or end up spending our days alongside those who are engaged in similar pursuits in life, we have a tendency to see commonality as the essence of friendship. But this is a mistake. The essence of friendship is charity. Friends are those who love each other; enemies are those who refuse to love each other.

The English monk S. Aelred best known book was Spiritual Friendship. Aelred taught that it is both a gift from God and a creation of human effort. While love is universal, freely given to all, friendship is a particular love between individuals, of which the example is Jesus and John the Beloved Disciple. Jesus gave us an example to follow. God wants us to have friends.

S. Aelred noted: “There are four qualities which characterize a friend: Loyalty, right intention, discretion, and patience. Right intention seeks for nothing other than God and natural good. Discretion brings understanding of what is done on a friend’s behalf, and ability to know when to correct faults. Patience enables one to be justly rebuked, or to bear adversity on another’s behalf. Loyalty guards and protects friendship, in good or bitter times.”

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

2 September 2018: “From Thomas Becket to uncle Ted”

When I see the horrible stories about the cover-up of pastoral pederasty, my mind goes back immediately to S. Thomas Becket. Now Becket was not such an offender; he was a saint. What makes me think of him is the issue that led him to martyrdom—defending the rights and independence of the Church from the reach of secular law and the control of the state.

We look to Becket as a hero who gave his life defending the Church. His triumph was enshrined in Magna Carta—“the Church of England shall be free.” But the fallout was Becket’s curse—the officials of the Church shall be free from secular accountability. The controversy turned over whether some priests were to be tried in secular courts after ecclesiastical courts.

If the Church was diligent in enforcing its own laws (as it has in the past), it should be handing its priests and bishops over to the secular authorities along with boxes of evidence after they had been not just laicized, but formally degraded from Holy Orders.

In his recent statement alleging corruption and cover-up of the sexual abuse scandal in the Vatican, Archbishop Viganò claimed Pope Benedict censured Cardinal McCarrick to a life of prayer and penitence and that Pope Francis rehabilitated him. By the way, there are special places set aside for lives of prayer and penitence; they are called penitentiaries. But what about Cardinal Wuerl? Cardinal Law? Cardinal Mahony? Cardinal Bernardin? Cardinal Spellman?

Critics responded to the Viganò statement, Where is the proof? The Archbishop claimed in his statement, “All the memos, letters and other documentation mentioned here are available at the Secretariat of State of the Holy See or at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, DC.” Pope Francis told the press to check and see. But will we ever see such documentation? Not as long as the Church has the mindset that governed the actions of Thomas Becket.

When S. Peter said “we will obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), that was in response to those men who commanded them to stop preaching. It was not a claim for clerics to be above the law. After all, Peter also said, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution [e.g., to kings and governors] for the punishment of evildoers” (1 Pet 2:13-14).

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

 

29 April 2018: “Churchgoing by the numbers”

If you look at actual Sunday attendance, some of the figures about churchgoing and Christianity may surprise you. Some examples:

Would it surprise you to know that the largest church in our diocese is the Spanish-language congregation San Juan in Fort Worth? The largest Anglican province in the world is not the Church of England, but the Church of Nigeria, which has about 50 times the number of people in church on a typical Sunday and is still growing rapidly.

Across the “Bible Belt,” we may feel like a community where most people go to church, but did you realize that less than a third of people are in church here on Sunday mornings? And less that 20% of Americans go to church regularly in what is considered the most church-going nation on earth. In America, which is considered the “most Christian nation” in the world, churchgoing is increasing and shrinking at the same time—increasing in raw numbers and shrinking as a percentage of the total population.

Hawaii (of all places) is one of the few states where church attendance has been growing lately and at a rate faster than any other state (but it’s starting near the bottom in church attendance).

Would it surprise you to know that the number of Christians in Communist (and officially atheist) China is growing so steadily that by 2030 it could have more churchgoers than America? At a time when churchgoing is on a decline here, it is exploding in Africa and Asia in both adherents and attendees. Since the ending of Mao’s violent anti-Christian crackdown of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Christianity has been expanding in China at a steady and increasing rate. Even more astounding is that these figures really only account for China’s official recognized churches and do not include the wide numbers that attend underground house churches.

God promised that the gates of hell would never prevail against his Church. In these changes, we see the old adage being demonstrated about all things becoming new.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

15 April 2018: “What does the Church teach about ghosts?”

Jesus who appears to his disciples in today’s gospel is first thought to be a ghost. He convinces them that he is real and that it’s really Jesus by showing them his wounds—signs of his identity and of his physical reality. Given their mistake, it seems that they already believe in ghosts. What does the Church say? Except for the Holy Ghost, not much.

The Bible certainly does address the issue of dealing with evil spirits in that it explicitly forbids engaging in pagan worship, conjuring up the dead or spirit-guides (what we call necromancy—things like Ouija boards and mediums and séances), and anything that might be called magic (trying to manipulate the material world by spiritual means). And, of course, the Bible has much to say about Satan and the other fallen angels, usually called devils or demons.

There is only one curious incident in the Bible where a ghost is actually mentioned—the famous story of the witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28:2-25. In this event, a sorceress conjures up the soul of the dead prophet Samuel from Sheol at the demand of King Saul, who has been unable to obtain guidance by orthodox means. In a straight-forward reading, the spook really is the spirit of the dead prophet. Some Church Fathers argued that it was really a demon in disguise. Other commentators argue that while spirits do not really roam the earth and we cannot summon them, it happened as a special event in God’s providence.

The church has historically had a teaching about ghosts, although it is “unofficial” and you’d be pretty hard pressed to find anything about it in most Catholic or Protestant literature. Basically, the idea is that ghosts are (non-material) spirits of departed people (presumably those who are either “in” hell or “in” purgatory) who have an attachment to some material place or object. Many accounts seem to relate to an event of trauma, or being stuck in some “historical loop” which plays over and over in a particular place.

Today’s message is that Jesus is not a ghost. He’s not the walking dead; he’s back from the dead and lives and reigns for evermore.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

8 April 2018: “Legal update from the diocese”

On Thursday, the decision of the Fort Worth Court of Appeals from 2015 was finally published and the news is that we lost. To put it briefly, when the Episcopal Church sued the Diocese of Fort Worth in 2009 for all its property, TEC won at the trial court, then we won at the Supreme Court (which reversed the trial court), so then the trial court decided in our favor according to the high court’s ruling, and now the Appeals Court has reversed the trial court in the other direction (this time in favor of TEC). It has been a dizzying back-and-forth. One thing has always been clear, which is that the last word from the court is the only one that really counts.

Does this affect our parish? Not directly. That is, our parish land and buildings are owned by the Diocese of Dallas (from whom we rent them) and the contents and bank accounts are owned by the parish. None of these were a subject of the lawsuit brought against the Diocese of Fort Worth by the Episcopal Church and its local loyalists. But of course, we are part of a diocesan family, so it does affect us indirectly. The litigation has been draining over the years—emotionally, spirituality, energetically. It was hoped that we were nearly at the end, but this will probably add on a few more years to the process. Bishop Iker has indicated that the diocese will pursue its legal rights again in the Texas Supreme Court.

I bid your prayers for our legal defense team (Shelby Sharpe, Scott Brister, and David Weaver). Pray for wisdom, guidance, and protection for them as well as for the judges and justices handling our case. Pray for clarity of mind and thought.

When the case first began, Shelby Sharpe met with the bishop and clergy of diocese. Among the things he mentioned was that this would be a long battle with a lot of twists and turns. It is as much a spiritual battle as a legal one. He stressed that the legal team will fight for us in court, so leave that to them. Our focus instead should be on gospel ministry—worshiping, teaching, sharing, evangelizing.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

18 March 2018: “The veiling of images in Lent”

One of the things that a visitor would notice today is the veiling of images. In my seminary chapel (where a curtain was strung across the entire reredos behind the altar) one visitor mistakenly thought that construction work or painting must be taking place.

An old custom called “Lenten array” is to cover the cross and other images like icons and statues with uncolored cloth, with the cloth often bearing a black or dark red symbol of the item being covered.

A slightly later tradition (which we follow here) is to veil with purple cloth all crosses and images of the Lord during Passiontide, which is the last two weeks of Lent. Scholars believe this tradition is most likely linked to the gospel text for what used to be called ‘Passion Sunday’ (the Fifth Sunday in Lent), which speaks of Jesus hiding himself from the people (John 8:59).

Many of us have experienced this veiling over the years and perhaps never asked, Why? It can be a stark change. And like the disappearance of the Gloria and “Alleluia”, marks a special penitential character of the season of Lent. In this sense, the veiling functions like sackcloth and ashes—signs of mourning.

The veiling of images also dramatizes the separation caused by sin. Guilt and shame lead us to hide things that are precious. We have a tendency to cover up the things of God or to want to look away. We don’t want to be found out. We love the darkness. These veils remind us of our discomfort with the truth, the pain of looking God in the face, and our never-ending capacity for self deceit.

Perhaps the veils conceal a glory we are not yet able to bear. They are like the veil Moses wore over his face after he spoke with the Lord. Veiling reminds us that we are not yet ready to see some things, like the disciples who were not yet ready to recognize the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus.

In any case, the removal of the veils at Easter, gives us hope that we, with unveiled face, are being changed into Christ’s likeness.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

11 March 2018: “Finding a place of refreshment”

The priest celebrating Mass on this Sunday lays aside the somber and dark purple and wears a lighter rose color instead because it is a time of joy and refreshment in this penitential season. This is signified in several ways. The vesture is a lighter color than the other purple days of Lent. During this season, there is a  tradition in the Western church of returning to the older practice of acapella singing. If that is practiced, the organ may be played again on this day and flowers may be put on the altar.

Today is known as “Laetare Sunday” from the old Latin introit: Latare, Jerusalem—“Rejoice, O Jerusalem.” Today is a time of restrained joy even in the midst of sadness, mourning, and penitence. It is also known as Refreshment Sunday or the Sunday of the Five Loaves. It was also called Rose Sunday because the Golden Rose, sent by the popes to Catholic sovereigns. Those are blessed in Rome on the Fourth Sunday in Lent.

In England, it is also called Mothering Sunday. On this day it was custom to make a pilgrimage to the cathedral—the mother church of the diocese. On this day, it was also customary that posies would be collected and distributed to mothers and women in the congregation. Another tradition associated with Mothering Sunday is the practice of “church clipping” whereby the congregation form a ring around their church building and holding hands, embrace it. It became a day when domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. The Fourth Sunday in Lent it is generally celebrated as the British equivalent of Mother’s Day in America.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn” in the beatitudes. Lent is a time to mourn our sins. But within that time of mourning, there is also a pause for reflection, for hope, and even for joy. How do you find refreshment in the midst of sorrow? What lifts your spirits at a time of grief? What gives you the strength to endure the tough times in life with patience and with confident assurance? As Paul put it, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

4 March 2018: “When you give alms”

So far, we’ve talked about the Lenten disciplines of fasting and abstinence. Now let’s talk about another Lenten discipline—almsgiving.

One custom during Lent is to have a “fasting fund.” Take the money that you would have spent on those meals at home or those nights dining out during Lent and give it away to a charitable purpose, particularly toward relief of or ministry to the poor, who are especially close to the heart of our blessed Lord.

Although it may not seem like it at the time, almsgiving is also done for our own benefit. It is to teach us how to keep God first in our lives and how to be unselfish people. It helps us empathize with others and turn those sentiments into actions. Those who truly love God and their neighbor instinctively think of others first and want to share their blessings with those less fortunate. Almsgiving is by no means confined to Lent, but it is something we focus on during this holy season because we’re getting back to the basics.

Each year our congregation’s “fasting fund” will go toward our companion diocese of Northern Malawi—Anglican churches serving the poorest part of Africa. Even a small gift can have a tremendous impact in that country where every dollar goes so much further than it does here. We will collect these alms on Palm Sunday. You may bring cash or coins that you have collected or a check written to the diocese with “Malawi General Mission” in the memo. You can read more about our mission partnership with our brothers and sisters in Northern Malawi at fwworldmission.net.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus said, “When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you”(Mt 6:3-4).

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

25 February 2018: “The spiritual benefits of fasting”

Abstinence, or “giving something up” is the tradition most associated with Lent. The Barna research group reports that among those who plan to observe Lent, “the most common abstentions include food or drink, such as chocolate (30%), meat (28%), sugar (28%), soda drinks (26%), alcohol (24%), fruit (14%) and butter or cream (11%).” Many now also give up “social networks (16%), smartphones (13%), television (11%), video games (10%), movies (9%) and the Internet (9%).”

Yet, simple fasting is the older and original Lenten discipline.

1. Fasting opens us to God. It is about being mindful of our dependence upon God, and asking him to be at work in us. Jesus fasted before he began his public ministry. Moses also fasted forty days before receiving the Torah. The Church in Antioch fasted and prayed for direction and the Holy Spirit called out Barnabas and Paul as missionaries. Fasting prepares us for spiritual blessings. That’s why we also have the ancient custom of fasting from midnight before receiving Holy Communion at a morning Mass.

2. Fasting is also a sign of penitence or sorrow. In the Old Testament, we see people like David and Nehemiah fasting to express grief upon the arrival of tragic news. In the Church, we use fasting and abstinence as signs of sorrow for sin and to commemorate the passion of our Lord by the traditional Friday abstinence from meat (outside the Christmas and Easter seasons).

3. Fasting is a way of training in righteousness. This is the practice we call mortification. S. Paul wrote, “If you live according to the flesh you shall die, but if by the spirit you mortify the flesh, you shall live” (Rom 8:13; cf, Col 3:5; Gal 5:24). The idea is that we should train ourselves to control our appetites, lest we grow lazy and our appetites control us. God wants us to flex the muscle of our will, so that it can grow strong for the day of battle. If we are able to deny ourselves a small and legitimate indulgence, it will help us be practiced in the art of saying “no” for the day when a sinful temptation comes along. Fasting builds a will like Jesus’ will—always obedient to the Father.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

18 February 2018: “Silence and stillness during Lent”

Silence and stillness is a big part of the spirituality of Lent. Of course, it is not unique to this time of year, but it is a tool that many people will use during this special time.

There’s a long history of this discipline in the Christian tradition going back to origins of monasticism in the desert fathers of Egypt. I’ve been participating in silent retreats since seminary. An annual silent retreat is required for clergy in our diocese, and most of us attend the diocesan silent retreat each January at the secluded Jesuit retreat center in Lake Dallas.

It is no secret that some priests just can’t stand it. They hate silent retreats. I like them alright, but I have to admit how jarring it can be at the beginning. It’s not just about turning off the TV and the computer, etc. The silence can be quite . . . loud.

When the hum and buzz and talk of everyday modern life goes silent, all you hear the traffic way off in the distance, the birds chirping, the wind blowing, the sound of the floor and the carpet, and the sound of your own breath. The idea is that the only sound we make is the voice of prayer and song or the edification of the guest preacher. It is a time for listening.

The trouble is (metaphorically speaking), if we can’t even hear the sound of the birds or the wind, how can we expect to hear the voice of God? The discipline of stillness and silence is an exercise in helping us learn the art of listening.

Consider this Lent how the practice of stillness and silence might be a part of your spiritual journey. It could be a short quite time each day, an hour or an afternoon or a day each week. Find something that can work for you and nourish your soul. It could be an investment that will pay dividends.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

11 February 2018: “Resources for your Lenten Rule”

The church has a long history of seasonal traditions to help us develop a personal plan or “Rule” for spiritual growth. These are:

Fasting and Abstinence. Above all, Lent is a time for doing penance by fasting. There are two strict fasts on the Christian calendar—Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. And the Prayer Book also says that the weekdays of Lent and Holy Week “are to be observed by special acts of discipline and self-denial.”

Traditionally, that means the days of Lent are observed with fasting (i.e., one full meal with meat and up to two snacks) and on Fridays in Lent (as on other Fridays) we add the total abstinence from flesh meat. Fish has not been considered meat in this sense, hence the tradition of fish on Fridays.

Most people also like to give up something else for Lent. It can be abstinence from any food that is a treat, such as coffee, sodas, chips, or desserts. Or it can be some indulgence we give up, such as tobacco or alcohol.

Almsgiving. Many families collect the money they would have spent on meals they fasted from and give that money to charity. On Palm Sunday, we will collect those funds to send to our companion Diocese of Northern Malawi, located in one of the poorest regions on earth. Your alms will greatly benefit our brethren.

Worship. Another Lenten tradition is to increase our acts of piety and devotion. Consider committing to praying one or more of the Daily Offices from the Prayer Book at home with your family. Consider adding one (or one more) daily Mass during the week. Start new spiritual habits.

Spiritual Reading. Disciplined reading from the Bible or from a Christian spiritual writer is a perfect devotion for Lent. You are welcome to borrow one of the books from the church library for your spiritual reading. Just return in when you are done.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

14 January 2018: “Our 2018 Annual Meeting”

Plan to join us next Sunday for lunch and our Annual Parish Meeting after the 10:15am High Mass. This is the first time we’ve held it in January to comply with the Fort Worth canons (the Diocese of Dallas holds annual meetings in November).

Reports are given at the meeting on various matters in the life of the parish and we talk about our future plans for ministry in the new year. Elections are held for vestry (3) and for delegates (2) and alternates (2) to diocesan convention. If you recall, we are in the process of transitioning from a 12 to a 9 member vestry, so we elect 3 new members each year now, rather than 4 as we did in the past.

Another difference from previous years is that we received nominations from our nominations committee and from the parish at large for the past month so that the ballot could be published in advance of the meeting. This is for several reasons: to help us be better organized and not to throw everything together at the last minute, to give time for nominees to be vetted, and to make sure we have a full slate of candidates to consider. I am very pleased with the candidates we have to choose from and thank them for being willing to serve as a part of the leadership team of the parish. Please look over the list and contact any for whom you may have questions.

Delegates (and alternates) represent the parish at the diocesan convention in mid-November and at quarterly Deanery meetings. Vestry members form a leadership team with the rector, overseeing the facilities and serving as liaisons to parish groups and activities.

An annual meeting is always an occasion to celebrate the past and look to the future. We want to recognize some of the servants among us. I want to personally thank all of you for such dedication and devotion—in worship, in prayer, in giving, and participating in our various ministries. You are a treasure! We also want to prayerfully consider how each of us might serve the Lord in this place in the coming year. Find your ministry; find your apostolate. What part will you play in the life and ministry of our parish?

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

25 December 2017: “Did Christmas begin as a pagan holiday?“

One of the most common misconceptions is that Christmas began as an attempt to Christianize the pagan festival of the winter solstice, which the Romans called the “Birth of the Unconquered Sun.” The idea goes back to two scholars from the late 17th and early 18th centuries—Paul Ernst Jablonski and Dom Jean Hardouin. But they had made a mistake. The actual history was somewhat different.

There was actually no celebration of the solstice in Rome until the year 274, when the emperor established the festival. It seems he did this in an attempt to unite many of the pagan cults of the empire—an empire which was falling apart and wanted a rebirth of the glorious days of old. And it appears as if it was an attempt to co-opt a Christian holy day at the same time—a promising new religion that was gaining ascendancy in Rome.

It was commonly held in the ancient world that great figures of history died on the same day that they were born or conceived. The Bible tells us that Jesus was crucified on 14 Nisan (in the Jewish lunar calendar), which was believed to have fallen that year on the 25th day of March. So the early Christian came to be of the opinion that he was conceived after the angel visited Mary on March 25th. This became the feast of the Annunciation. With a pregnancy of nine months, that put Jesus’ birth in December.

The choice of December 25th is the result of attempts among the earliest Christians to figure out the date of Jesus’ birth and had nothing to do with pagan festivals. And the pagan feast which the Emperor Aurelian instituted on that date in the year 274 was not only an effort to use the winter solstice to make a political statement, but also almost certainly an attempt to give a pagan significance to a date already of importance to Christians in the Roman Empire.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

17 December 2017: “Annual Meeting and Elections”

Our Annual Parish Meeting will be on Sunday, January 21, 2018 after the 10:15am High Mass. This is the first time we’ve held it in January to comply with the Fort Worth canons (the Diocese of Dallas holds annual meetings in November).

Reports are given at the meeting on various matters in the life of the parish and we talk about our future plans for ministry in the new year. Elections are held for vestry (3) and for delegates (2) and alternates (2) to diocesan convention. If you recall, we are in the process of transitioning from a 12 to a 9 member vestry, so we elect 3 new members each year now, rather than 4 as we did in the past.

Members of the parish (baptized and confirmed) who are adult (at least 18 years old) communicants in good standing are eligible to vote as well as to nominate and be nominated for office. Communicant means not just that you have received communion three times in the year, but also that you are active in the parish—faithful in worship and in working, praying, and giving to the kingdom of God in this place. The rector and financial secretary will have a list of those who are active communicants and givers of record.

It is expected that nominees be willing to serve and be a part of the leadership team of the parish. Delegates (and alternates) represent the parish at the diocesan convention in mid-November and at quarterly Deanery meetings. Vestry members form a leadership team with the rector, overseeing the facilities and serving as liaisons to parish groups and activities.

In the past, we have had nominations from the floor at the meeting. Last year, we were in a transition, and this time we have a nominations committee of the outgoing vestry members (Bob Davis, Catherine Rogers, and Mitch Bramlett) who will receive nominations from the parish in advance of the meeting. The deadline for nominations is Sunday, January 7^th. Nomination forms are in the narthex and may be turned in to the nominations committee or to the church office.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

10 December 2017: “Entering the Mission Field”

I hope you have noticed a recent addition to our campus. There’s a little sign that says “Welcome” as you turn in to the parking lot. But when you leave, the other side is visible to you, with the reminder: “Now entering the mission field.”

God himself entered the mission field. He got involved through his prophets. He started a family with Abraham who became the father of a nation. He intervened in history with the Exodus. And he came to earth himself when the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that the world outside the church is God’s mission field, and as Jesus said, the field is white for harvest. God wants us to go gather what he has planted and grown for the kingdom. A great Archbishop of Canterbury named William Temple was famous for saying, “The Church is the only organization that does not exist for itself, but for those who live outside of it.” Disciple-making is a part of our DNA, but we too often forget that.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to invite people to church. It’s a great time to talk about Jesus openly (after all, he is the reason for the season). We have our caroling service at 10pm on Christmas Eve in addition to a wonderful concerted Mass from Hayden. People are generally more open to coming to church events during this time of year than they might otherwise be. God is always making a move in people’s hearts and we want to be a part of what God is doing. Take one of the little invitation cards next to the bulletins in the narthex and keep it with you to give to a friend or a stranger that God might put in your path.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

26 November 2017: Thy Kingdom Come?

On this Christ the King Sunday, I want to address the sometimes confusing issue of the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer. You might have noticed that sometimes the Our Father ends with “deliver us from evil” while more often it continues with the doxology “for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.”

How do you know when to use each one? If you look through the various Prayer Books throughout the Anglican Communion, you will notice a pattern about this. Typically, when the Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy upon us . . .”) precedes the Lord’s Prayer, then the short version is used. When it does not, the longer version with the doxology is used.

Originally, the longer version was not used in the Western liturgy. In the first Prayer Book of 1549, the priest said the prayer up to “lead us not into temptation,” and the people responded “but deliver us from evil.” In the next Prayer Books of 1552 and 1559, the prayer is not printed, so we assume the doxology was not added. The rubric directs that the people are to repeat the prayer, line by line, after the priest. Starting with the 1662 Prayer Book, the Lord’s Prayer is said at the beginning (short version) and then the longer version with the doxology is said after Holy Communion.

The Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, though the prayer was used daily long before those gospels were written. But it may surprise you to learn that the doxology is not original to the prayer and does not appear in most Bibles. The doxology first appears historically in the Didache (8:2), called the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” and seems to be inspired by 1 Chronicles 29:11.

Although it is not in the oldest manuscripts of Matthew’s gospel, it was appended by a pious scribe at some point and ended up in some later copies, including the one from which the King James Version was translated. The Byzantine rite includes a Trinitarian version of the doxology: “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

19 November 2017: “Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest”

In my home church growing up, there was a scripture verse inscribed in fancy gold lettering over the main entrance door from Habakkuk 2:20, which reads: “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” It was a little reminder that in entering a sacred space, we should behave appropriately.

Here at S. Francis, we have an orange laminated print-out on the bulletin board, which reads: “Silence! ‘Be still and know that I am God’ Psalm 46:10. Please talk to God before Mass and to each other after Mass.”

I couldn’t help but compare the two and think that we could do a little better. I’m grateful that a parishioner has offered a memorial gift to make that possible. This week, the vestry approved the design from our signage committee (and haven’t the new campus directional signs been wonderful, by the way!) for scripture verses to be inscribed with calligraphy at three thresholds to the church building. Much like the three sections of the ancient temple of Jerusalem, these passages greet the worshiper at the entrance to the narthex, the entrance to the nave, and the entrance to the sanctuary. The first two will be written above the doors, and the last on the final cross-beam that goes over the altar rail.

The outer entrance has Psalm 42:1, often used at baptisteries, which is where one enters the Catholic Church. The entrance to the nave has Psalm 43:4, which is used by the ministers to prepare their hearts for worship as they enter the church. The crossbeam at the sanctuary has 1 Peter 2:24, which is a reminder of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, which makes our peace with God.

The design has been worked up in Photoshop so we can see it before it goes into place. I posted the images on the narthex bulletin board next to the orange sign I mentioned earlier. Have a look. We anticipate them to be in place in the next several months.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

29 October 2017: “Trick or Treat?”

Many Christians have an understandable concern about Halloween, pointing to its pagan origins and emphasis on evil. However, what many do not realize is that the pagan origin of Halloween is a myth. Many claim that it was an attempt by early Christians to “baptize” the Gaelic harvest festival of Samhain. But this is simply not the case. In fact, the reverse is true: Halloween (that is, “Hallow’s Even”) has always been a Christian celebration that neo-pagans attempted to “baptize” and claim as their own a few decades ago.

Evening vigils lave long been held on the day before a feast and so Halloween falls on October 31 because it is the vigil of All Saints’ Day, and not because the Church wanted to co-opt a pagan celebration. In fact, Samhain was not a pagan “Festival of the Dead.” It was a harvest festival that marked the beginning of winter in Ireland, and historical evidence does not support the idea that it involved jack-o-lanterns, witches, ghosts, or religious ceremonies.

Of course, whatever the origins, we should avoid the temptation to give too much attention to dark things at this or any other time of year. It is a time to honor the saints, to remember the departed, to pray for their souls, to be mindful of our own mortality, and to celebrate the life we have been given. Halloween is spooky (and rightly so) because death scares us (and rightly so). But our joy as Christian people is that Jesus has overcome death, hell, and the grave. He doesn’t enable us to avoid it, but to come through it to something better and more wonderful.

These evening vigil parties have always had wide secular appeal (think Halloween, Christmas, and Mardi Gras). The original Puritan attack on Halloween was also accompanied by a similar effort to suppress Christmas and Ash Wednesday. Ironically, one of the most popular modern Christian alternatives to celebrating Halloween is a secular “Harvest Festival,” which actually has more in common with the Celtic Samhain than it does with All Saints’ Day. We have to remember that these popular customs and celebrations give us an inroad into the broader secular culture. So let’s make the most of it.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

22 October 2017: “Dying suddenly and unprepared”

Just a few days ago, I received word that one of my old seminary professors, Fr Daniel Westberg, died very unexpectedly. He went sailing on upper Nashotah lake and did not return. Father Westberg started teaching at the seminary 17 years ago while I was a student. He was just about to retire.

Last summer, I was able to return to the seminary for the first time for a sabbatical. When I was filming the “Saint Francis and the Winged Christ” video by the dean’s chapel, Father Westberg was up in his office organizing for the Fall semester. I visited with him and got caught up on old times. I think if there was one professor I would have wanted to see again, it would be him. He was a good man, great teacher, and a dear priest.

One of the lines in the Great Litany that has always caught my attention is the petition that concludes: “. . . and from dying suddenly and unprepared, good Lord deliver us.” Death certainly comes for each one of us. For some, it may be sudden and unexpected; while for others it will be clearly seen in advance. For the most part, that reality lies beyond our control. But we do have a role to play in being prepared for death whenever it comes.

The ancients had a saying—memento mori (“remember that you must die”). To be mindful of our own mortality is to be preparing for our own death. One of the greatest graces of life is a holy death. So how do you prepare for death? Put these on your bucket list:

1. Make a will—to provide for your family and for your church.
2. Practice virtue day by day. Jesus called this heavenly treasure.
3. Examine your conscience regularly. Go to confession.
4. Do not let words of forgiveness and love go unspoken.
5. “Do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26).
6. Ask for God’s grace—for the grace of final perseverance for yourself and for grace for others. Don’t enter heaven alone!

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

15 October 2017: “A love letter from a Father”

A friend of mine once showed me a love letter he wrote to his children. He wanted to make sure that such an important message did not go unshared. So he sat down and composed exactly what he wanted them to know about his feelings for them, his hopes and dreams for them. What a gift! As I looked the letter over, it occurred to me that this is essentially what we have in the Bible.

Could we not characterize the holy Scriptures as the love letter of our heavenly Father for his children? Even those passages not written directly to us are still written for us. The Apostle Paul noted in his letter to the Church of Rome, “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). We have been given a precious gift indeed. So we must ask ourselves the question: “Is it precious to me?”

That love letter can sit on the shelf collecting dust, an honorable memento that has nostalgic value but does nothing to shape our lives. Or that love letter can be read, pondered, and remembered. If it is, the love letter will shape the way we see the world. It will change the way we see our Father and our brothers and sisters. The love of the Father toward us can nurture love returned to the Father and love shared with others. His love letter gives us insights into the Father’s heart and mind, teaching us gradually to think the way he thinks, to feel the way he feels, and to will what he wills.

You have a love letter from our heavenly Father in the pages of holy Scripture. Don’t just let it collect dust on the shelf. Don’t let the gift be given in vain. The best gifts are put to good use. Take a moment each day to read and ponder a little more of the love letter from our heavenly Father.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

8 October 2017: “Nine choirs of angels”

Last Sunday, I talked with our children about guardian angels. In the hymn “Ye watchers and ye holy ones,” Athelstan Riley gives us an exposition of the hierarchy of heaven with the traditional arrangement of “nine choirs” of angels in addition to the faithful departed.

In theology, these hosts of heaven were determined to be ordered in three triads (that is, three groups of three). The first angelic triad continually worships God in his immediate presence. These spirits consist of the exalted love of the fiery Seraphim (seraph literally means “fire”), the complete intuition of the Cherubim, and the perfect power of the Ophanim, or “Thrones.” The primary function of their being is to be present in the heavenly court and to attend to the perpetual adoration and praise of the divine Substance.

The second triad extends this divine praise and love to his creation. The spiritual Dominions, Princedoms, and Powers execute the love, knowledge, and power of God relative to the general structure, order, and governance of the cosmos.

The last triad serves the divine love towards humans when the Virtues, the Angels, and the ruling Archangels, come to serve and care for people on earth.  Angels then truly become “messengers” of divine favor. These are the angels we find making appearances on the pages of the old and new testaments.

Overall, the God-centered hierarchy moves from the freedom and might of contemplative adoration (by the Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones) through principled order and sovereignty  of creation (ruled by the Dominions, Princedoms, and Powers) to active service toward others in a spirit of compassion and care (by the Virtues, Archangels, and Angel choirs).

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

1 October 2017: “Unity in the Anglican Continuum”

This week, four continuing Anglican jurisdictions will be having their provincial synods in Atlanta. At the conclusion of those individual meetings, they will meet together and sign an historic statement recognizing full communion among them.

The specific jurisdictions involved are: the Anglican Church in America (ACA), the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), the Anglican Province of America (APA), and the Diocese of the Holy Cross (DHC). The latter two are “ministry partners” of the ACNA. These four Churches represent 300 congregations in the United States as well as larger memberships in countries around the world. It has been a long journey to reach this agreement.

Why is this significant? “Continuing” Anglican churches are those who left the Episcopal Church in the 1970s in protest over changes in theology, the Prayer Book, and the ordination of women. One jurisdiction (the APA) traces its history back to the 1960s when some parishes left over the lack of discipline for the heresy of Bishop Pike. When these parishes left, they organized into dioceses, but their attempt to organize as a province (ironically intended to be called “The Anglican Church in North America”) failed because of disagreements over canon law and over personality conflicts. Their statement of principles can be found in the “Affirmation of St. Louis,” named for a congress of Anglicans that met there in 1977.

Petty differences and hurt feelings kept them apart and created even more splits. It is a sad lesson in how our personal faults keep the church from fulfilling her calling. Many of those involved in those disagreements have passed on. These churches have grown and attracted new generations and have now determined to get their own house in order. Let us pray that such an endeavor may be successful and that the call to unity may bear fruit among them and among all traditional Anglicans. Our bishop has been invited to participate as a guest and observer. Perhaps we are seeing our future.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

24 September 2017: “The new iconoclasm”

Back in Comanche, people seemed to take great pleasure in referring to the Historical Society as the Hysterical Society. And of course, each of the country churches I pastored was built in the 1800s and had its own hysterical marker, I mean, historical marker. . . . Or do I?

When history turns into real-life hysteria, it’s no joke. I know that many have been distraught over the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee from Lee Park and similar occurrences around the country. Lee’s story is a great irony. He was against slavery, against secession, and against the war. Yet he prolonged all of them by fighting for what he called “my country.” And we sometimes forget that his memory, as well as that of other Confederate dead, have been used by evil men to intimidate and oppress our neighbors in the past.

It is no wonder that such a reaction as we have recently seen would come along, rightly or wrongly. It feels more like the latter the more that history is replaced with hysteria. We see such hysteria at work in the ignorant attacks upon statues of Abraham Lincoln, and Joan of Arc in New Orleans, and Junipero Serra in California.

What many do not realize is that the history is not really the driving force. Rather, we have entered into a new iconoclastic era. The word comes from “image smashers” and was made famous by the destruction of icons and church statuary in the Byzantine Empire of the 8^th Century and again during the Reformation and the French Revolution. All were spawned by a cultural movement to divorce the culture from the past and refashion it. That’s what we see in our society today. Remaking the future involves changing the past, and our memorials are crushed by that revisionism.

Human nature is that we tend to destroy those things we refuse to look at—things that make us afraid or ashamed or stand in the way of our agendas. But when making such important decisions, we need to keep our eyes wide open.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

17 September 2017: “Family Sundays”

Last month, I met with some of the men of the parish to talk about getting men’s ministry started again. We’re blessed to have men and to have women; we just need to be organized and active as male and female groups, which has been a staple of strong societies in history.

Since many of our members are spread out (and generally, the younger we are, the more spread out we are) it occurred to me that getting together during the week could be difficult and discouraging. What if we set aside a Sunday to meet as groups of men and women? I presented the idea at my meeting, and everyone agreed. I think we should give it a try and see how it goes. It could be something we do temporarily, just to give us an opportunity to organize and plan when everyone can get together. Or it could be an ongoing feature of our common life.

So this is how it will work: since we already have the first Sunday of the month as the occasion when I give a children’s sermon, let’s make that our “Family Sunday.” Instead of adult Sunday school on that first Sunday, I’m asking all of our men to get together and all our women to get together for a fireside chat. We have two fireplaces in our Parish Hall. The men can gather at the far one and the women can gather at the near one (with the Last Supper over it).

Our initial goal will be to organize ourselves and plan for our common life. If we wish to continue the pattern, they can be regular times of planning, study, and fellowship. I’m asking each of you to participate. Pray for leadership and direction and encouragement. Our first gathering will be on October 1^st at 9 a.m. See you then.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

10 September 2017: “ACNA and the ordination of women”

This week, our provincial college of bishops met to consult about the issue of the ordination of women. At the formation of the Anglican Church in North America in 2009, many diverse groups came together to form one province. Some dioceses ordain women as deacons and priests; others do not. It was decided at the time that the province would have no female bishops and that the issue of women’s orders would be theologically studied and prayerfully discerned by the bishops.

That five year study was recently completed. It did not present a conclusion or recommendation, but only a report on the issues and arguments involved. One significant thing it did acknowledge was that the two positions on the matter are incompatible. The bishops released a statement after this week’s consultation acknowledging that the ordination of women is a theological innovation and that there is no scriptural warrant for expanding the practice throughout the province. They also noted that individual dioceses continue to have the right under the constitution and canons to ordain women as deacons and priests.

As far as I can discern, the reality behind the bishop’s brief statement (copies in the narthex) is that the traditional view has the majority among the bishops (including the archbishop) and it appears to be the emerging consensus if trends continue. There is a strong commitment to provincial unity among the bishops and there is not the desire to force a purge of the practice of ordaining women, especially when it seems that the issue will resolve itself over the course of a generation or so. That will require patience.

It appears to me that the orthodox bishops, who had the numbers to force the issue and the likely schism that would result, would rather let the innovation die a natural death. One thing that is certain is that whatever decision came forth would be met with hurt and outrage and disappointment. Let us pray that they have chosen the wise path and that the Lord’s will may be done.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

16 July 2017: “Back to ringing the church bell”

Since we recently replaced the solenoid cell in the bell tower, we’ve begun to use the large church bell in the cross-shaped tower on our lovely church campus. I’ve heard many of you remark what a joy it is to hear it again. It’s been a number of years since we heard it, and it may be new for others, so a review of its main use in the Angelus may be helpful.

The Angelus is a devotion to mark the day (morning, noon, and evening) with a reminder of the incarnation of Jesus. It is three Hail Mary’s, introduced with words from the gospel, and ending the collect for the Annunciation:

V. The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary;

R. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Hail Mary, etc.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord;

R. Be it unto me according to thy word.

Hail Mary, etc.

V. And the Word was made flesh;

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, etc.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God;

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts: that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion, we may be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same, Christ our Lord. Amen.

We ring the Angelus before the daily offices during the week and before the 8am Mass and at noon on Sunday. When you hear the bell sound, the customary response is to stop, stand, and bow your head in prayer (men remove hats) even if not in church. You may say the prayers along with the bell either silently or aloud.

Perhaps you have seen the beautiful work by French painter Jean-François Millet called L’Angelus. It shows a woman and man out in the field with heads bowed. Off in the distance, you can see the church steeple, sounding out its bell across the land. The next time the bell sounds, please join us in this precious devotion.

Your pastor and friend, Father Matkin

 

4 June 2017: “What does the Holy Ghost do?”