4-easter-2019-chester.md

Sun, May 12, 2019: St. Mark’s, Chester

Easter 4 05/13/2019

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Acts is read each Sunday (again by long tradition) instead of an Old Testament reading

Woman featured prominently in the reading from Acts
They had been the first witnesses to the Resurrection. Now here a woman is raised from the dead as an early sign of the power of the Holy Spirit in the followers after Jesus.

Revelation:

a powerful presentation of the “worship” going on in this book.
Imagine a church:

• walk in and a great multitude, a throne (God) and a Lamb, all dressed in white robes, waving palm branches
• “fell on their faces” and worshipped. n.b. the posture is the “original” form of kneeling. [cf. Easter as a time for standing, cf. Nicene/Constantinople anathema]
• A reading available for funerals:

• For this reason they are before the throne of God,
  and worship him day and night within his temple,
  and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Note Mother’s Day: ambiguous (our Mother’s Day or Mothers’ Day [what about non-mothers])

ABOUT MOTHER’S DAY
Mothers’s Day in the USA and many other countries (Australia, New Zealand, India) is observed on the second Sunday in May. It was established firstly as a secular holiday to celebrate and honour one’s own mother (it’s officially Mother’s Day, not Mothers’ Day) - but has evolved to include motherhood in general, and in some communities Christian ideas about Mary the Mother of God.
In some countries (eg Ireland, the UK, Nigeria) the 4th Sunday of Lent is observed - originally as Mothering Sunday but now more commonly as Mother’s Day. Originally Mothering Sunday was when people returned to their “mother church” for the Latare Sunday service, and while doing so met their mothers and other family member in an annual celebration. Over time, the “mother church” emphasis has fallen, and the day has come to resemble the USA’s Mother’s Day.

Saturday as Mary, Mother of Jesus day

For at least 1,000 years. Reason unknown.

• Saturday as day of rest – God himself rested on this day
• Day in-between death and resurrection

Traditions of passing out flowers to women in church, but I was conscious of many of them being women wanted a child but couldn’t.
I concluded over the years that the emphasis ought to be on the thing we all have in common – we all have a mother. We may not have known our mother. We have a sense of what mothers are (ought to be)

Prayers:

jesuit-resource

• A Prayer in Gratitude for Our Mothers
  • Good and Gentle God,
  • we pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women of theory who have joined with you in the wonder of bringing forth new life. You who became human through a woman, grant to all mothers the courage they need to face the uncertain future that life with children always brings.
  • Give them the strength to live and to be loved in return, not perfectly, but humanly.
  • Give them the faithful support of husband, family and friends as they care for the physical and spiritual growth of their children.
  • Give them joy and delight in their children to sustain them through the trials of motherhood. Most of all, give them the wisdom to turn to you for help when they need it most.

incl “mother earth”: 21c-prayer
cf. Sean’s letter, his mother clearly signifies unconditional love

Note:

lectionary

The Fourth Sunday of Easter Color: White Assigned Readings Lesson 1: Acts 9:36-43 Psalm: 23 Lesson 2: Revelation 7:9-17 Gospel: John 10:22-30
(Gr: Dorcas) – Tabitha raised from the dead by Peter.

• It was in Joppa that Peter encountered Cornelius – Christianity and Romans – and it was there he got his dream/vision ==> Kosher mixed with unclean (gentiles)

Revelation: a scene from heavenly worship

Hymns?:

• Firm Foundation
• King of love my shepherd is 645, 646
• Fairest Lord Jesus 383
• How firm a foundation 636, 637
• How lovely is thy dwelling place 517
• I am the bread of life 335

Possible Saturday observance

Visitation

• May 31 113 1 Samuel 2:1-10
  Romans 12:9-16b
  Luke 1:39-57

Annunciation

• March 25 45
  or 40:5-10
  or Canticle 3 or 15 Isaiah 7:10-14
  Hebrews 10:4-10
  Luke 1:26-38

St. Mary

• August 15 34
  or 34:1-9 Isaiah 61:10-11
  Galatians 4:4-7
  Luke 1:46-55