February 1st message from our Rector
A Message from your Rector:
Dear Saint Matthew's Parish family:
It is with great joy I report that I will be returning home later this week. I am pleased that within 30 days after surgery, I am walking well enough on two new hips to begin working while continuing my physical therapy.
As the sun finally comes back out from the past few dreary days, many people in the Northeast are digging out of a horrendous snowstorm, and others are anxious to see if Puxatony Phil the groundhog will see his shadow or not.
More importantly though, today is a Holy Day in the Church. It is known as The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40). There is not much recorded in Scriptures of Jesus' early childhood after the Magi's visit. We remember the three days Jesus went missing from his parents who found him in the temple "sitting among the teachers, listening and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers."
My dad, when he referred to wisdom gained from people or from Christ, he would end his recollection by saying: "Don't you know?" to which I usually replied as a young boy..."No I don't!"
Safe to say only the Author of the book of life knows.
Many people are skeptical about the historical Jesus for the mere fact that here's the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and the Christ falls off the radar screen after Herod's bloody infantcide until he shows up by himself in the Temple? Really?
"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:8
Yes, really!
Jesus, being fully God and fully man grew up and as we follow his short public ministry life of three years, we often wonder about the time he was out of the spotlight so to speak.
We do know he was obedient not only to his earthly parents but to his heavenly Father, and as we study how Jesus responds to the religious authorities, it becomes even more clear that whatever occurred in those unwritten years, we can be assured he lived a perfect and sinless life.
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)
Whether you grew up with Godly parents like Jesus did or not, your heavenly Father loves you and you are adopted as sons and daughters of the living God. You are a child of God and Jesus founded the Church so that we too would increase in wisdom and stature because God found favor in His Son, and His Son finds favor with you! (We call this Grace!).
Remember the Nunc Dimittis or Song of Simeon we often say in Evening Prayer? (BCP p.46)
Today is the reminder found in Luke's Gospel of how Jesus was revealed as the Messiah, even as a child:
...and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he (Simeon) took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:27-32)
In our Church, one of our stained glass windows depicts Jesus on the throne. To refer to Jesus as a good man or a good teacher falls far short of reality. Jesus came to save people from falling short (Greek word harmatia which means sin) as originally promised. He came to grow up as a boy, to minister, to suffer and die, to rise again, and rule and reign forever as Lord. This was God's plan from the beginning, and it is very good!
The next time you see me in the pulpit at St. Matthew's and my eyes look up to my left or your right, you'll know that I am reminding myself where the risen Christ is: seated on the throne. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith...such a great salvation to look up to!
God's Peace and Blessings to you all!
Rags+