I Hope. "We" Can Do This!
The 8th Sunday after Pentecost
The 8th Sunday after Pentecost
July 23, 2023
Romans 8:12-25
Good morning and welcome to Proper 11, the 8th Sunday after Pentecost. “I hope that…” How many times a day do we say that to ourselves and others? In today’s Epistle reading Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome, Verses 24 and 25 say: “For inHope we were saved. Now, Hope that is seen is not Hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Heresy Alert! A widely used statement is: “God will never give us more than we can handle.” It is an incomplete sentence; I spoke about leaving God out and being self-reliant in an earlier reflection. In our Book of Common Prayer in The Baptismal Covenant is the response, “I will with God’s help.” God will never give us more than He can help us with; that’s the sentence.
I am starting another new chapter in my life. We have a motto in military medicine: “This we do so others may live.” I have attempted, responded to, and dealt with the effects on those left behind from suicide. IT MUST STOP! I’m starting a Chaplaincy education program and using my American Legion Post and District positions to promote a program to STOP Veteran suicide. I am also decerning Monastic Orders with the Hospitallers of St. Martin, and in the Fall, I am training at Faith Episcopal Church in the GriefShare program to become a leader. I retired on December 31st, 2021, sort of. “Geez, you’re busier now than when you were working.” I hear that a lot. I retired, I didn’t die, yet. I will with God’s help. God is Hope, I know He’s Love too, but His Love gives us Hope; for me, that’s in the form of never being alone. The Season of Pentecost celebrates the Ascension of Christ and the indwelling of The Holy Spirit. I can’t see all this falling into place. OJanuary 1st, 2021, this was nowhere near my thought process. “I hope you can do all this.” I will, with God’s help, or WE can do this.
Our FAITH in the LOVE of God, the sacrifice of his only Son, the resurrection and ascension leading to the end of death, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in those who have FAITH. FAITH gives us HOPE, HOPE for ourselves, HOPE for our neighbors, and HOPE for our Future. When Deacon Babs dismisses us later, “Go in peace to LOVE to serve the Lord!” That LOVE message is HOPE. That HOPE is God being with us through the Holy Spirit, being present with us, guiding our actions, words, and thoughts. Evangelism is best done through Christ-like activities, not thumping people with the Bible.
Amen