Saint Paul’s Pod

What if poverty and wealth were honest with each other? Could they find riches in one another? Poverty has bounty in community while wealth has bounty in gifts and talents. Jesus lacked nothing in life, but he did not possess worldly wealth.
In honesty with one another, we find a space of transformation. The space in between is a place where we grow. We must allow our Lord to navigate us to a transformative life of purpose.
 

False evidence appearing real…FEAR. The world bombards us constantly with negativity. We are challenged by fear morally, ethically and spiritually. Fear will attempt to control our thoughts, words and emotions. Proverbs tells us not to lean on our own understanding. But to trust in the Lord. In all our ways, acknowledge him. The word of the Lord must stay in our mind and serve as a compass to guide us.
In the Gospel of Luke we see Jesus heal a severely crimpled woman. Often chronic illness hinders us from engaging and seeing one another. Leaving us feeling left out, oppressed and unvalued. Jesus sees through that and restores our identity and community.
As God's people and a body of believers, we are called to remember not only whose we are but also that our neighbors are His as well.
Prayer: Dear Lord,
We turn to you in our need. You are worthy of our complete trust. When our lives are filled with confusion and angst, fill our souls with hope and belief.
Amen

Before he dies, Jesus asks for unity among all people. This is usually how we see Him in hymns and stories—a peacemaker, gentle, meek and mild. While his heart remains pure, we see a different side of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. Here Jesus yearns for fire on earth and embraces division among people.
While we aren’t called to set fires of destruction or glorify division between neighbors, we are called to recognize oppression and cruelty that have no place in God’s kingdom. The fire we desire is the cleansing fire of repentance fueled by love. The unity Jesus is looking for requires us to roll up our sleeves and aid the hungry, the sick, the lonely and the outcast.
Prayer: Lord, give us humility to see our faults and the grace to forgive one another. Unite us in love through the cleansing flame of your mercy. Amen
 

In the Bible, many followers are acknowledged for their faithfulness and suffering, even unto death, for their beliefs. Today, we may not be called to death, but we can still make our lives a witness to the gospel. We can give our lives away to others. By giving to others, we can live more deeply and fully than before; mysteriously renewed in joy.
It is God’s pleasure to give us the kingdom. Jesus calls us to not be afraid and jump into faith with the assurance of God’s promises.
 

The Parable of the Rich Fool, tells the story of a wealthy landowner whose crops were so abundant that he lacked storage space. He decides to tear down his existing barns and build larger ones to hoard his wealth for his own comfort and enjoyment. However, God calls him a fool.
God has created us in community to care for and lean on one another. When we are more interested in our possessions than our community, we are missing the point. We have been made by God to live together and share, not to be alone with our worldly possessions. Everything belongs to God. Wealth is a dangerous good, that can only remain good when shared.
 
 

This week we hear about what it means to be "in" Christ. As humans we desire to belong. Paul tells the Galatians that as converts, they have been transformed "in" Christ with blessings of peace, protection, provision and providence. 
 
This transformation also brings us together and allows an intimacy with the holy trinity. As we pray together each week, we can reshape our faith together, praying beyond our selfish needs and desires. We can pray together for those who have no voice and together celebrate the fullness of salvation found in Christ.

This week we look at the book of Luke and the story of Jesus visiting Martha and her sister Mary. Martha is busy with hosting responsibilities while Mary sits with Jesus. Jesus acknowledges this and encourages Martha to focus on her spirit rather than the worldly tasks that consume her.
 It is easy to compare the sisters and say one is right, and one is wrong. It is easy to say those who are active should pause and be more contemplative.
But lets look at how our good intentions can sometimes distract us from what really matters. Sometimes we go the wrong way, not by evil intent but by our best intentions.
Take a holy pause. Set down your tasks. And remember the only thing that is necessary: provide a way to love God, each other and your neighbors.
 

God has given us compassion. He has also given us empathy. The gospel of the Good Samaritan teaches us to love all, regardless of their background or social standing. May we walk in God's love and see all as our neighbor.
There is no qualification to receive God's love. We are made in the image of God; therefore we should share His love openly.

Having loyalty to God and our loyalty to the nation are not identical. How do we navigate this? How do we see God’s perfection as inspiration? We follow Him by loving our neighbor. God cares how we live together and care for one another, but from what we can tell, God’s love for us is equally fierce no matter our nationality. Our primary citizenship is the Kingdom of God.
PLUS NEW BONUS CONTENT
A conversation between Father Eric and Mother Kimberly reflecting on this message. They discuss a hymn we sung, “O God of Every Nation”.
“Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease, when hatred and division give way to love and peace, till dawns the morning glorious when truth and justice reign and Christ shall rule victorious o'er all the world's domain.”
 

For freedom, Christ has set us free. The way to maintain our liberated lives is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts crave God’s message: the way of redemption and freedom can only be found in Christ.