We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Commentary

Mary’s Song – the “Magnificat”

From Songs in Waiting

The Song of Mary – The Magnificat

Luke 1:46-55
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
“my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
“From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
“He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.
“He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly.
“He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty.
“He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
“The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.”

It is a song that speaks profoundly about being “childlike.” Luke focuses his entire Christmas narrative around the person of Mary, who was probably just a child, a young girl who was per­haps twelve to fourteen years old, as it was customary for Jewish girls to marry just after puberty. 

In this light, the Christmas story is of a child hav­ing The Child. 

When people begin to bring their children to Jesus for his blessing, the disciples send them away, seeing the children as a waste of his precious time. But Jesus rebukes them, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14), He is saying that the deep­est spiritual knowledge, while hidden from the wise and learned, is revealed to children. He even goes so far as to say that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must become like children: “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus often refers to us all as “children of God” 

The name Magnificat comes from the first word in the Latin Vulgate translation of this song, “magnify” or “glorify.” Most probably a compilation of phrases from the Psalms, various Old Testament prophetic books, and Hannah’s Song in 1 Samuel, the Magnifi­cat has been part of Christian liturgy at least since the time of Saint Benedict in the fifth and sixth centuries. 

The Magnificat has been recited every day for cen­turies by Christians, chanted by monks, and set to music by composers of every age, perhaps the most famous being Johann Sebastian Bach’s composition, which he wrote for Christmas Day 1725 

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Arts and Faith – Advent 2, Year C

Commentary is by Daniella Zsupan-Jerome, director of ministerial formation at Saint John’s University School of Theology and Seminary.

Mattia Preti’s St. John the Baptist Preaching shows John in the wilderness, sharing his message with a small crowd of captivated followers. He is surrounded by symbols that invite us into his story. The red garment that envelops half of his body brings to mind the martyrdom he will endure. The staff and banner are signs of his prophetic role heralding the coming of Christ, and the lamb at the bottom center of the scene echoes John’s announcement of Christ as the Lamb of God.

The broken tree stump that St. John leans on is also telling us a story. Its trunk is almost wide and solid enough to be an altar. This seen together with the red cloth and the lamb subtly evokes sacrifice: the story of Abraham and Isaac perhaps, but more clearly the cross itself, the ultimate tree of sacrifice. The trunk is dead and broken, its branches split and severed, but John’s body leaning on it gives it life. It is as if John’s torso and extended arm become the living extension of the tree, giving a seemingly exhausted trunk new life and purpose. In this, the image invites us to reflect on the power of the life-giving Word of God, which St. John is heralding.

Another interesting detail is the angel in the top right of the scene, directly engaging the viewer with his gaze. The angel’s direct gaze makes him the storyteller. This is by no accident, as in Scripture, angels are messengers of God. Luke’s Gospel for the Second Sunday of Advent tells us that the Word of God came to John in the desert, and Preti gives us an angel, a herald of the Word of God, to show this and the divine source animating St. John’s work. But as the angel looks at us square on, his presence is also a call to the viewer to both accept the Word and to share it. This Second Sunday of Advent, we do not simply hear about the prophet John; in hearing the Word ourselves, we are called to live prophetically and to prepare the way all around us.

Arts and Faith- Advent 1, relating art and scripture

Wassily Kandinsky’s The Last Judgment invites us into the Advent season with an emotional tour de force expressed in color, line, and form. An example of abstract art, The Last Judgment is not narrative or descriptive, but rather expressive. It shows emotion and force and invites the viewer to experience them visually.

The Last Judgement is a composition of bright primary colors, opaque black shapes, and heavy black lines. The lines overlap the colors rather than contain them. Throughout the image, the black lines and the flow of primary colors produce a composition of contrasts.

Although abstract art is generally non-representational, Kandinsky does offer a bridge into his work to help the viewer frame the experience with a narrative clue. On the right center of the image, we see a blue angelic form holding a yellow trumpet. This is an iconic image of the Last Judgment, or the end of days that we hear about in Luke’s Gospel. The angel is a unique element of the painting in which color, form and line converge in a traditional way. The black lines form the boundaries around the colors to give us the silhouette of the angel and the trumpet. An interesting detail about the angel is his wings. One is made of blue color, while the other is entirely made of black lines. Everywhere else in the image, line and color separate, overlap, or even clash. With dual wings, the angel unites within himself the two separate elements of the composition. Recalling Luke chapter 21, we are in a scene that is frightening but redemptive, tumultuous but glorious. We are invited to feel the tension that animates us toward hope.

The Last Judgment is meant to evoke feeling and emotion. The colors of the image, particularly near the center, resemble watercolor and have an ethereal, transcendent, and uplifting quality. The upward flow of the two forms left of center, red and blue as they reach into the bright white center of the image, represent this theme. By contrast, the two solid black shapes near the center have a harshness and heaviness that weighs down and overwhelms the viewer. The overlap of light transcendence and dark heaviness throughout the rest of the image is a visual expression of Luke’s passage and also demonstrates the complexity of the spiritual life.

As Luke reminds us, we are called to prayer and vigilance. We are called to resist that which weighs us down, and make way instead for that which elevates us to stand before the Son of Man.

Christ the King Sunday

 

Last Sunday in Ordinary Time -We celebrate Christ the King Sunday as the last Sunday of Ordinary Time just before we begin Advent. It is the switch in the Liturgy between Years A, B, and C. Year A focuses on Matthew, Year B on Mark and Year C on Luke. The Gospel of John is included in each year in the Easter time frame.

The readings for the last Sunday after Pentecost are full of references to the return of Christ, when evil will be defeated and Jesus will begin his final reign as King of kings. In Advent, the Church year begins with a focus on the final restoration of all creation to its original glory. In preparation, on the last Sunday of the Church year, we proclaim the advent of the Lord of lords and King of kings.

The earliest Christians identified Jesus with the predicted Messiah of the Jews. The Jewish word "messiah," and the Greek word "Christ," both mean "anointed one," and came to refer to the expected king who would deliver Israel from the hands of the Romans. Christians believe that Jesus is this expected Messiah. Unlike the messiah most Jews expected, Jesus came to free all people, Jew and Gentile, and he did not come to free them from the Romans, but from sin and death. Thus the king of the Jews, and of the cosmos, does not rule over a kingdom of this world.

Christians have long celebrated Jesus as Christ, and his reign as King is celebrated to some degree in Advent (when Christians wait for his second coming in glory), Christmas (when "born this day is the King of the Jews"), Holy Week (when Christ is the Crucified King), Easter (when Jesus is resurrected in power and glory), and the Ascension (when Jesus returns to the glory he had with the Father before the world was created).

The recent celebration of Christ the King came from the Catholics in the 20th century. Pope Pius XI wanted to specifically commemorate Christ as king, and instituted the feast in the Western calendar in 1925.  Pius connected the denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. Secularism was on the rise, and many Christians, even Catholics, were doubting Christ’s authority, as well as the Church’s, and even doubting Christ’s existence. Pius XI, and the rest of the Christian world, witnessed the rise of dictatorships in Europe, and saw Catholics being taken in by these earthly leaders

Pius hoped the institution of the feast would have various effects. They were:

1. That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state

2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ

3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies

Art

Art celebrates this Sunday with various symbols – Crown of Thorns
Crown,  Jesus on Throne,  Jesus holding scepter and orb,  Kingly attire/activities, Crucifix.

Scripture

Christ’s kingship is one of humility and service. Jesus said:

"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to become great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:42-45).

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?"… Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (John 18:33b, 36-37)

Christ the King, Last Pentecost, Year B

I. Theme –  Christ’s kingdom is one of truth and justice and not grounded in this world’s values of imperialism, coercion, violence, and oppression.

Christ the King - Memling

"Christ the King" – Hans Memling (1430-1494)

"Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here." Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."" – John 18:36-37

The lectionary readings are here  or individually: 

Old Testament –  Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Psalm –  Psalm 93
Epistle –Revelation 1:4b-8
Gospel – John 18:33-37  

Today’s readings celebrate the paradoxical kingship of Jesus Christ. What does "Christ the King" mean"?

In Daniel and in Psalm 93, the Reign of God is depicted as glorious and authoritative, but also as being manifest through a person who is “like a son of man”. In Revelation this one is seen as Jesus, who is revealed in glory and honor, and whose sacrifice is seen as the primary act in bringing God’s Reign into the world. Finally, in the encounter between Jesus and Pilate, the difference between human rulership and God’s Reign is starkly shown, as Jesus explains that he claims no human kingship, but is the king of a realm that is not of this world. It is a kingdom of truth and justice though not of "this world." 

The challenge of this week’s celebration is to avoid triumphalism. We are not to make God’s Reign out to be the same as human power systems, only stronger, more dominant, and longer lasting. Rather, we are to recognise God’s Reign in acts of compassion and justice, in service and sacrifice, and in the challenge to human systems to give up their obsession with war and conquest in order to build a world of peace and love for all.

On this day, we celebrate God’s reign, kingdom, or community of faith, that endures forever, beyond time and beyond this world, beyond life and death. It is tempting to view Christ’s Reign as a conquering, all-powerful, phenomenon that will violently destroy human power systems, but that would be to misunderstand it. Rather, what the Lectionary reveals is a Reign that is not of this world, that is a completely different reality, and that works within human systems, even as it subverts them toward justice, peace and love

We know that we can glimpse something of this reign here on earth, but whatever vision we have is incomplete. What we do know for certain is this: we have a role to play. We are important. We are treasured by God. And God wants us to be part of this, whatever it is, that is beyond our understanding. Following God’s ways of love, justice, and peace, we will surely be on the path to this kingdom—as Jesus told the scribe who asked him about the greatest commandments, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Our quest for the kingship of Christ in this world must begin by looking within ourselves. Does Christ reign over our lives and the conduct of our days? Or do we panic at every surprise, cling to false securities, dread change and worry incessantly about failures and flukes? If so, perhaps we have not enthroned in our hearts the One who cares for us intimately and longs only for our ultimate good. It is easy to point to a world run amuck. It is harder to admit that the tangled roots of systemic evils lie in our inertia or lack of belief.

One of the most poignant lines in today’s readings captures that personal culpability. As John envisions the second coming, “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.” That global lament suggests that Christ our King is present paradoxically in those whom we wound. In the bum we readily dismiss, the mousy secretary, the pompous cleric, the acned adolescent, the whiny child, the crack addict, you guessed it—in them, the King comes.

Facing that sorry lot, we wail: “If only I’d known it was you!” Salvadoran theologian Jon Sobrino poses a challenge relevant to this feast: “The reign of God presupposes the anti-reign of God, the reality of our planet today: poverty, injustice… We should look at the crucified peoples today and ask ourselves, ‘what have we done, so that they are on the cross? …and what are we going to do to bring them down from the cross?’”

May our worship remind us of this eternal, “otherworldly” Reign of God and enable us to open our hearts to receive it right here and now where we live.

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Ryland’s Papyrus – Oldest Fragment of New Testament from Gospel of John

From SALT Blog for Nov 24, 2024 -“this fragment is generally accepted as the oldest surviving piece of New Testament scripture (most scholars date it to the early or mid-second century). Its text? A few broken lines in this week’s reading from the Gospel of John. Think of it! Of all the passages possible, the oldest fragment of the Gospels we have is the famous exchange between Jesus and Pilate about “the truth” — with Pilate’s notorious question, “What is truth?”, just missing making it onto the fragment.

What is truth? Pilate asks. The answer, John proclaims, is standing right in front of him: graceful, truthful, dignified, free.

40 Old Testament Stories that every Christian Should know – #7 Abram changes his name

Pastor Vicki Zust was the rector of St. Paul’s, Clarence, NY. Having completed a 2 year cycle of reading the entire Bible she decided to try something different. As she writes, "So I went through the Old Testament and wrote down the stories that a lot of our theology and history depends on. It turns out there are 40 of them." I am excerpting them here. Read it here in Genesis Chapter 17:5.

“Some time after the covenant conversation – and after Sarai, Abram’s wife takes matters into her own hands (more on that next week) God comes back to Abram and says, “If you will be trustworthy and walk in my ways, I will make you the father of many nations.”

” God identifies himself as either God Almighty or the God of the mountains. The Hebrew can be read both ways.

” God tells Abram that he is changing his name from Abram – which means exalted ancestor to Abraham – which means ancestor of a multitude.

” This time God sets some conditions on Abraham. His descendants must be circumcised (the male ones, that is).

” God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah. God tells Abraham that Sarah – who is now old – will give birth to a son who will be named Isaac.”

Pentecost 26, Proper 28, Nov. 17, 2024

I. Theme – Holding fast to faith in difficult times

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

“As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down” – Mark 13:1-2

The lectionary readings are here  or individually:

Old Testament – Daniel 12:1-3 Psalm – Psalm 16 Page 599, 600, BCP Epistle – Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25 Gospel – Mark 13:1-8

Today’s readings encourage us to hold fast to our faith, even in troubled times and persecution. Daniel speaks of a time of great trouble, through which the righteous will “shine like the stars.” As the Day of the lord approaches, the author of Hebrews tells us that our hard struggle with suffering will be rewarded.

In today’s gospel, Mark assures us that—even in chaos—God remains in control . This chapter of Mark begins with the destruction of the temple. Imagine how the early Christians must have felt, when Jerusalem was still in many ways their spiritual home. The Jewish heritage and tradition had probably been handed as carefully to them as a precious heirloom passed from parent to child.

All that was threatened by their new religion, then lost when Roman armies demolished the temple. It does not require a great leap of the imagination to see them feeling abandoned and without direction. To his community and to us, Mark issues a warning: watch. Be cautious of simplistic solutions, of the desire to cling to possessions and security. Beware of even well-meaning political reformers who simply replace one form of domination with another. Christ alone is our new direction, our liberation and only security.

How are we to respond when we face the violent upheaval of our world, or when others use mockery to dominate us in personal power plays? The temptation is to respond in kind, offering violence for violence and using force to overcome force.

What does it mean to trust in God’s grace and protection, to live out the peace and justice of God’s Reign in a world of war and injustice? The call to peace is always a difficult one to answer, both personally and collectively, but it is a call we must face in worship this week. This way is demonstrated in Daniel’s prophecy of the shining resurrected ones, in the Psalmist’s celebration of God’s protection and guidance, and ultimately in Jesus’ self-giving on the cross. It is interesting that, in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ warnings are associated with the disciples’ awe at the temple building, which represented wealth and power both of a spiritual and political nature. It is when we get absorbed in the trappings of power and wealth that we become violent and oppressive

We give thanks for God’s faithfulness. We give thanks for the ways God is at work in our world. Even when we are consumed by what is going on in our life, our own problems, our own worries, God is at work in the world around us, God is at work in the universe, and God’s steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. It may be hard to see that at times through our own narrow vision, when all we see is our own hardships and struggles, but we see in these scriptures the promise of resurrection, the fulfillment of God’s justice and mercy, and the hope of the future. From Hannah to Hebrews, we see that there is something greater going on than the struggles of one person or one people, and God hears our prayers, and desires to save the whole world.

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Ending our Trek through Mark’s Gospel

The Salt Blog reminds us this Sunday  we are ending our Trek through Mark’s Gospel this week Mark 13:1-8 , Nov 17. We began the year of Mark through 1st Advent, Dec. 2023 Mark 13:24-37 in the same chapter

Salt places Chapter 13 context –“ It’s Jesus’ final teaching to his disciples before the passion overtakes him, and in that sense is a kind of “farewell discourse.” The temple will be destroyed and desecrated, Jesus says. A time of great suffering will follow. But then (and here he clearly, intentionally echoes the voices of Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Amos) new signs will appear, and the Child of Humanity will arrive and make everything right

Two of themes of Mark Gospel ‘ – 1. Mark records more miracles of Christ than any of the other Gospels. Jesus proves his divinity in Mark by the demonstration of miracles.  2 The Gospel of Mark also reveals Jesus the Servant. The overriding theme of the Gospel of Mark is to show that Jesus came to serve. Mark 10:44-45 …”and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many

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Veterans Day: War on Every Shore (Mark 13:1-8)

Link to the video

By Shively Smith, Professor at Wesley Theological Seminary

"Mark 13:1-8 does not gloss over the likelihood of turmoil. In fact, it is so attentive to the possibility of conflict and danger, it shifts the Gospel’s language, style and content to address it. Up to this point in the Gospel, the author has had a singular focus—namely, telling the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. In our passage, the Gospel turns to telling the story of others.  

"What will happen to everyone when the Second Temple is destroyed?  

"Historically speaking, Mark appears to focus on the events leading up to the First Jewish War with Rome in the mid-first century in Palestine (66-70 CE). Literarily speaking, however, Mark’s goal is not to capture a historic moment, but offer warnings and encouragement. Mark cautions his readers to be suspicious of teachers, recognizing that not all are proclaiming what is true and real (Mark 13:5-6, 7-8, 21-23). Jesus tells his readers there are many uplifted voices in the world, but they are not all going the way of Christ. They are not all going the way of love and acceptance (Mark 9:42; 10:14).  

"For Mark, Jesus’ messiahship is characterized by suffering and death (Mark 8:31, 10:45). Trauma and calamity are unavoidable realities, even for those who understand themselves as “insiders” of the Christian community. True to its apocalyptic character, Mark 13 offers comfort by balancing honest assessment of present circumstances with a vision of what is possible for followers of Christ.  

" On one hand, Mark’s images of war and catastrophe echo prophetic announcements of conflicts between world powers (2 Chronicles 15:5-6; Jeremiah 4:15-16) and natural disasters (Isaiah 13:13; Daniel 9:26) in the Old Testament. No doubt, Mark 13 forewarns readers of what lies ahead in the not so distant future.

" But what if Mark is not just broadcasting what could be? What if Mark 13 is describing the situation for what it is right now? Right now, there are bodies in our midst that brace everyday for experiences of micro-aggressions, oversight, and erasure. Everyday bodies enter so-called “safe public spaces” such as college and university campuses, knowing that these spaces just aren’t so safe anymore. As an elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, rarely does a Sunday service or weekly bible study pass that I do not think about the heinous mass shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015. We have unsafe spaces right here on our shores because hate and prejudice lives. Just like the soldiers who spring into action abroad, there are heroes who spring into action among us fighting for justice and the safety of all.

" I also recognize that everyday a military family laments the death of a loved one. Daily, a mother, father, child, and sibling pray for someone in active-duty abroad. Everyday rumors of war bring real transition and an entrance into the unknown for segments of people we may not be in the habit of thinking of and considering in the church.

" The voice of Mark 13 enters the conversation and takes a specific platform. It urges readers to endure present distresses (Mark 13:9-23) and future ordeals (Mark 13:24-27). It reaffirms an essential confession of Christianity, which is that Jesus Christ has already suffered in obedience to save others. As such, discipleship is cast as obedience and service in spite of difficulty.

" In our current context, that form of service and obedience is visible in the lives, actions, and sacrifices of service-oriented people. Mark 13 raises a flag for communities of faith. It is not okay to forget about the people who are facing danger so that others can be safe and at peace. As this Sunday falls immediately after Veteran’s Day, we should encounter Mark 13:1-8 with a degree of sobriety and thankfulness for those who live out the vision of the way of Christ through how they serve us. In faithful response to their actions, we should be compelled to do something to help their lives be a little easier.

" After all, when wars initiate, conflicts ignite, and earthquakes hit our service members and veterans act. ALL those who serve for justice, whether under the uniform of military or under the “uniform” of personal choice and moral code help make “the end” still be able to come (Mark 13:7).