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.

Voices from the Gospel, Pentecost 10

Luke 12:49-56 is a challenging passage that speaks of division and judgment, often surprising those who associate Jesus solely with peace and harmony. Here are four voices interpreting this scripture:

1. The Fire as the Holy Spirit and Judgment 

Author: John Gill (from his Exposition of the Entire Bible)

John Gill, in his commentary, interprets the “fire” in Luke 12:49 primarily as the Holy Spirit, which Christ came to send upon the earth. He connects this to the events of Pentecost, where the Spirit descended as “cloven tongues as of fire.” This fire is seen as having a purifying, illuminating, and consuming effect, bringing zeal and love to believers and consuming dross. However, Gill also acknowledges that this fire, in its application, would lead to division, as the preaching of the Gospel would inevitably expose and condemn sin, leading to a separation between those who accept it and those who reject it. The “baptism” Jesus refers to (v. 50) is understood as His suffering and death, which were necessary precursors to the outpouring of the Spirit. 

2. The Division as a Consequence of the Gospel’s Nature 

Author: Matthew Henry (from his Commentary on the Whole Bible)

Matthew Henry emphasizes that the division Jesus speaks of (Luke 12:51-53) is not a direct aim of Christ’s religion, which is inherently peaceable, but rather an unavoidable consequence of its opposition to human pride, lusts, and worldly ways. The gospel, by its very nature, demands a choice, and this choice will inevitably create rifts, even within families, as some embrace the truth and others cling to their old ways. Henry sees this division as a necessary part of the gospel’s wide publication and impact, shaking up existing societal and familial structures that are not aligned with God’s will. 

3. The Lack of Discernment in the Present Time 

Author: Adam Clarke (from his Commentary on the Bible)

Adam Clarke focuses heavily on verses 54-56, where Jesus rebukes the crowds for their inability to “discern this time.” Clarke interprets this as a critique of their spiritual blindness and lack of understanding regarding the significant epoch they were living in. They could read natural signs (weather patterns) with accuracy, but they failed to recognize the far more crucial spiritual signs of the Messiah’s presence and the in-breaking of God’s kingdom. This “hypocrisy” (v. 56) isn’t necessarily deliberate deceit but a practical inconsistency – an ability to discern in trivial matters while remaining oblivious to the profound spiritual realities before them. For Clarke, Jesus is urging them to judge what is right for themselves, implying a need for spiritual discernment and a proper assessment of the present call to repentance and faith. 

4. The Fire as a Purging and Refining Work 

Author: David Guzik (from his Enduring Word Commentary)

David Guzik views the “fire” in Luke 12:49 as a purging and refining work that Jesus came to bring. This fire represents the impact of His ministry and the truth of His gospel, which, like fire, reveals what is genuine and consumes what is dross. While it brings salvation and redemption, it also hardens hearts that resist it, leading to further separation. Guzik highlights that Jesus “wished it were already kindled” because He understood the heavy burden of His mission and the necessary suffering (His “baptism”) that had to precede the full unleashing of this refining work. The subsequent division within families is seen as a direct result of this purging process, where allegiance to Christ demands a radical reordering of priorities, even above familial ties.

Recent Articles, Pentecost 10, Aug. 17, 2025

Pentecost 10 – Fire!

Lectionary Pentecost 10, Year C
Commentary Pentecost 10
A Word or Two about each Reading
Visual Lectionary, Aug 17, 2025

The four readings from the lectionary are united by the theme of God’s presence, justice, and the challenging call of faith. Jeremiah 23:23–29 reminds us that God is not distant but actively involved, with a word like fire and a hammer that breaks rock—powerful and transformative truth that challenges falsehood. Psalm 82 reveals God standing in judgment over corrupt powers, calling for justice for the weak and needy, echoing the divine demand for righteousness. Hebrews 11:29–12:2 continues this call through the faith of those who endured trials and upheaval, urging us to persevere by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. In Luke 12:49–56, Jesus declares that he brings not peace but division, emphasizing how the gospel confronts and disrupts the status quo, forcing decisions about justice, truth, and faith. Together, these readings call believers to courageous, discerning, and enduring faith in a God who acts decisively in history and in our lives.

Focus on the Gospel

Gospel, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! “
Voices from the Gospel, Pentecost 10


Remembering
Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), Aug. 11
Jonathan Myrick Daniels (1939-1965), Aug. 14
Virgin Mary, Aug 15

Commentary Pentecost 9, Proper 14, Year C

I. Theme – Understanding our Heritage and Putting our Trust in God

The lectionary readings are here or individually: 

First Reading – Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm – Psalm 33:12-22
Epistle – Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Gospel – Luke 12:32-40 

This week’s readings help us to understand our heritage of faith and to strengthen our trust in God. In Genesis , Abram puts his faith and his family’s future in God’s promises. The psalmist sings the praises of the sovereign Creator God. The author of Hebrews gives examples from salvation history of the faith that pleases God. There is a sense of urgency about the parables in the gospel for today. Jesus admonished his followers to be ready for action: “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; — Luke 12:35 . Jesus cautions his disciples to live in a manner that reflects the imminent possibility of his unexpected return.

This would have reminded them of the instruction for celebrating the feast of the Passover. At the time of the exodus, when they escaped from slavery in Egypt, they had been told to be ready to move without notice. This urgent readiness was then remembered in the way they celebrated these great events in the Passover every year: so we have the instruction on how the Passover meal was to be eaten hurriedly, in the book of Exodus:

This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. — Exodus 12:11

The Jewish people were used to recalling these directions in scripture every year and would easily have recognized the same idea in the teaching of Jesus about the coming to the Kingdom of God:be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. — Luke 12:36

Today’s readings remind us to seek God’s realm in and beyond our daily responsibilities, and to consider constantly the need to give up certain types of security to be faithful to God’s presence in the persons in front of us and across the globe. We may have an uneasy conscience at times and this is good news, for such uneasiness invites us to mindfulness and intentionality, and reflection on what is truly important in the course of a day and a lifetime.

“See, the eyes of the lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness” (Psalm 33: 18). The Spanish-speaking and Native American peoples have a lovely yarn craft called “Ojos de Dios” or “God’s eyes.” It symbolizes God’s beneficial watchfulness over us.

However, God’s all-seeing, ever-present eye is not a comforting thought to everyone. In order for this to be a soul-warming concept, we must have an understanding of the true nature of God. As the psalmist says, we must be among “those who hope in his kindness.” To those who await only God’s judgment, the thought of God’s eye upon them is threatening rather than comforting.

The opposite of faith is fear. Jesus’ exhortation, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,” is really an appeal to trust God. Trust and love go together. In our human relationships, we know that we trust more where mutual love exists and trust the least where there is no love. We are told that, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love” (1 John 4:18).

It has been said that every human being responds to God’s existence, either in fear or in love, that is, to judgment or salvation. When we have grasped the good news of God’s steadfast love towards us, the lord becomes our help and our shield. That God’s eye is upon us is our most supportive thought. We can never be lost or alone because God sees us in all times and places. God’s love will provide for us and reward us as we seek God’s will.

We seek God’s will because we are certain that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. We trust God’s perfect love, and this casts out our fear. We have confidence for the day of judgment. When the lord returns, our lamps will be burning brightly for the celebration that will be like a marriage feast. Hearts that have held the treasure of Jesus’ saving love will tremble with joy at his appearing.

Seeking the kingdom is a tough road and we cannot get caught up in our own world, We are reminded that we may not see the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lifetime. All too often, we put our own worldly hopes and dreams in front of God’s promises, believing that God fulfills promises by blessing people with wealth, health and happiness. This could not be further from the Gospel of Jesus, who told the rich to sell all they had, who told the disciples not to take more than they could carry and to rely on the generosity of others, who told us all to become first we must become last of all and servant of all. This is what Jesus has called us to do—to seek eternity, we must not be wedded to the wealth and success of this world, for it will fall away. Our lives are a witness to the future: did we seek to live for Christ by living for others, or did we seek to live for ourselves?

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Blessings of the Backpacks in 2019

This was our first separate backpack service, a chance for a more informal service in the late afternoon before school begins the next day. We had one family with 4 eager children ready to go back to school. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with mild temperatures for Aug. 11.

Everyone showed off their new backpacks with all the gear. The service was a shortened communion service with a reading from Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, Verses 4-8 and Luke Chapter 2, Verses 41-52, Jesus as a student

Links:

1. Story

2. More Photos

3. Bulletin

Schools to begin, Mon., Aug. 11, 2025

Local schools begin on Aug 11, 2025

School supplies are thought of a pencils, pens, paper and the like but prayers and blessings should be part of the supplies as well. From BuildFaith:

“Blessings and prayers are practices that help ground and guide us. Prayer reminds us that our community extends beyond what we see in front of us, connecting us to something bigger than ourselves. Blessing reminds us of God’s love in our lives. During times of transition and change, establishing a pattern of prayer and blessing can offer space to express worries and joys, hopes and dreams, and a time to both accept God’s love and peace, and extend it to someone else.”

Here are two prayers from Buildfaith:

A Prayer for the New School Year

“God of all wisdom, we praise you for gifting us with curiosity and learning. Give to all students, teachers, and caregivers a clear sense of your love. May they feel your presence throughout this school year. Guide their choices, their quest for knowledge, and their relationships. Use their successes and failures as opportunities to grow in understanding of who you would have them to be. Continue to shape them, that they may walk in the way of Christ, grow strong in Spirit’s love for all people, and know the complete joy of life in you. In the name of Christ our Great Teacher, we pray. Amen.” Linda Witte Henke, adapted, “From the Vine,” in Marking Time: Christian Rituals for All Our Days, Moorehouse Publishing 2001, p. 63.

A Prayer for Parents

“Loving God, We confess some days the worries of parenthood are as abundant as the joys. Guide us through the valleys, so we may be present for our children in their valleys, until we are all brought again to the the mountaintop. We ask you to bless our children with hearts of compassion and courage, and keep them safe from harm. Fill them with the knowledge that they are loved and beloved. And may we always remember to pray: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.” Meg Bucher, adapted, www.sunnyand80.org; Reinhold Niebuhr, “The Serenity Prayer”

A downloadable resource

Finding Joy in Life

“7 short, simple, science-based ways to add joy to your life” -The Washington Post” By Richard Sima

Summary
To incorporate more “joy snacks” into daily life, commenters suggest engaging in simple, joyful activities such as walking a dog in nature, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying gardening or houseplants. Other suggestions include taking walks without technology, reading, and cultivating a sense of awe in everyday experiences.

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With the stresses of daily life, it can often seem difficult to find moments to smell the proverbial roses.

But you don’t necessarily need a lot of time or effort to experience meaningful joy, a recent study reported.

The study, which researchers dubbed the Big Joy Project, enrolled more than 17,000 people across 169 countries to receive one daily joy-boosting activity for a week via email.

Each activity was based on scientific research and — importantly — was accessible and brief, requiring only five to 10 minutes.

Despite the low time commitment — past online intervention studies lasted multiple weeks — the researchers were “surprised” by the effect the program had in sparking joy across the world.

Compared with how they felt before the program, participants said they saw meaningful improvements in emotional well-being, increases in positive emotions and a better sense of control over their own happiness afterward. Participants also said they felt more willing to help others.

The benefits extended to other aspects of health: Participants also reported feeling less stressed and generally healthier, and sleeping better after the week.

“You can make small changes in your life that have big effects,” said Darwin Guevarra, an assistant professor of psychology at Miami University and an author of the study.

The Big Joy Project was meant to show people that “joy is a skill they can build,” Elissa Epel, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California at San Francisco and a study co-author, said in an email.

Here are seven, short, science-based practices you can try — think of them as joy snacks.

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