A Thought...A Memory...

My drifting mind sometimes gets lost in the list of “to do” items on my plate and sometimes it floats away to a dream secretly harbored in my heart.  At other times it ponders the questions that, painfully, cannot be answered.  This morning, however, it went to a sweet place in my memories.

This morning I found myself whistling “Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”.  That, in turn, reminded me of the first time I was invited to receive Holy Communion by my parents.  For whatever reason, Mark and Paul were not with us in the sanctuary during the worship service.  When the time came to go forward to receive Communion, my Dad asked me if I wanted to go forward.

I’ll never forget the feeling within me.  A lump instantly came into my throat.  I felt that odd mixture of wanting to remain a child, but also wanting to go to the Altar.  It was too much for me to process.  I felt my myself shrinking.  I know I put my head down.  Ultimately, the issue was not shyness about receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, it was about my inner conflict with growing up.

This morning, as that memory came up, my first thought was, “Why on earth didn’t you go forward?  You love receiving Jesus in the Bread and Wine!”  And, almost as soon as that thought crossed my mind, one of the sweetest memories I possess flashed before me.  It was the picture of kneeling to receive Holy Communion with my Grandmothers on either side of me.

I don’t remember what the occasion was, but my Grandma Boyce joined my Mom and Dad and me (now an adult) for worship at my Grandma Marsh’s Church.  I was seated between them for worship, and, when the time came to receive Communion we went forward together.  We all three knelt at the Altar rail and received the Body and Blood of Jesus.

I still can’t believe how privileged I am to have had that moment with them…and with Jesus.

Father Todd

This Week at Bethany House...

Hello, Brothers and Sisters of Mary and Martha (and beloved friends, too)!

Isn’t it wonderful that we have the promise of God’s loving care and faithfulness?!  When we respond to his constant invitations of care, provision, and mercy, he gives us the grace to persevere no matter what is happening!  And I need his grace daily to make it possible to persevere!

This coming Sunday we have the joy of celebrating the Feast of Our Lord’s Baptism!  If you follow the readings for Midday prayer, you might notice that each of the homilies (from Fathers of the Early Church) focus in on that momentous and life-giving (for us) event in Jesus’ life.  What a treasure it is to hear the testimony of the saints who have gone before us (and, very often, drew closer to Jesus than we ever will).

And, on top of that, (if Mark Sadowski is able – please keep his Mom in your prayers!) we’ll begin our Discipleship Hour this Sunday at 9:00am!  Mark is going to lead us in studying the Word!  Yours truly is bringing some doughnuts (with sprinkles, of course!) and we’ll have a pot of coffee brewing, too!  If you plan on attending, please prepare by reading these Scripture passages: Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, and John 1:29-42.  This promises to be a very rich time of learning and sharing!

I’m also excited to share a new avenue for praying Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline!  You can now pray the Daily Office by going to www.dailyoffice2019.com!  Everything is laid out for you there: You don’t need to juggle between prayer book and Bible (unless, like me, you like making notes in your Bible and/or physically touching the books).  Since we are – first and foremost – a community of prayer, this is an amazing step forward for us!

Click on this link to go to the Daily Office online!

Finally, I’m able to share that Bishop John will be in Lexington (at Apostles Anglican Church) on Saturday, January 25.  He will be meeting with clergy in the morning/afternoon and in the evening will preside at Mass.  Some of you have expressed a desire to either be Confirmed and/or received into the Anglican Church – this is the time for that!  Let me know by Friday of this week if you’d like for that to happen (the Diocesan office needs to know so they can print the certificates next week).

As always, we'll send you a copy of this week’s “Our Life Together” if you send us an e-mail to mamachurch4you@yahoo.com.  And also as always, let’s stay in the Word each day.  There’s no better recipe for receiving God’s abundant grace than by listening to his beautiful heart!

Laudetur Jesus Christus, in saecula saeculorum!  Amen.  (Praised be Jesus Christ, for ever and ever!  Amen.)

Father Todd