Texada Island United Church
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • History
    • Links
  • Focus on Spirit
  • Prayers for the World
  • Milestones
    • Births, Deaths & more
    • In Memoriam
    • Advent Bible Study >
      • Advent Bible Study
      • Advent & Christmas Candle lighting
      • Past Events
  • Photo Gallery
    • Karen May, New Legion Chaplain
    • Church Photos
    • Battle Services >
      • Battle of Atlantic service - April 2015
      • Battle Service 2010
    • Tea & Bakesales >
      • Dessert Tea & Bake sale April 2015
      • Church Tea & Bake Sale Dec 2013
      • St Patricks Day Tea and Bake Sale 2013
      • St Patricks Tea 2010
      • Bake Sale 2009
    • Christmas >
      • Christmas Dinner 2014
      • Christmas Concert 2014
      • Christmas Day 2013
      • Christmas Eve 2013
      • Christmas Concert 2013
      • Christmas dinner at Legion 2013
    • Music Events >
      • Chor Musica Powell River Mens Choir - March 2015
      • Chor Musica Video
      • Joyful Noise Photos - 2008-2010, 2013
      • Advent in Song, Dec 2008
    • KSE photos >
      • KSE Photos 2010
      • KSE Photos 2009
      • KSE Photos 2008
    • More Photos >
      • Certificate of Thanksgiving 2014
      • Doretta's 60th
      • Appreciation Service, May 2010
      • Bowen Island Weekend Sep 2009
      • Yard Sale March 2009
      • Earth Day 2009
      • Van Anda Days July 2008
      • Leban Wedding, 2008
  • Church Notes
  • Reflections
    • From Services
    • For Kids
    • Something to Ponder

Reflections for Sunday, June 2, 2019

2/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Reflections for Sunday, June 2, 2019
1st Scripture Reading:  Acts 1:1-11 & Psalm 93
Reflection:
          As I reflect on the whole Easter story, I wonder, as always, what are we supposed to learn from all this?  Not long ago it seems we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus as the Christ, and wondered at the empty tomb.
          Forty days later and now we contemplate the Ascension of Jesus, purportedly to sit at the right hand of God.  Think about this for a moment:  Jesus, a dead man, has been hanging out with his disciples for forty days, teaching and preaching to them about the meaning of all this, opening the scriptures to them to help these deeply Jewish people to understand.
          Clearly humanity has been given a gift in the being of this dedicated teacher. He taught us the importance of being cleansed of our guilt, of bringing our sins into the light of our own awareness and then asking for and accepting forgiveness and healing.
          He taught us the importance of the Golden Rule, that the Way of Love was and still is the only way to the Kingdom of God.  And always, he pointed beyond himself to the power, the limitless, unfathomable power of the Divine, the God he called Father.
          But I digress…. Hanging out with a dead man…what can we learn from that?  I believe we are to understand that Jesus hasn’t gone anywhere.  The essence, the Spirit of Jesus is as with us today as it was in those forty days.  “Wherever two or more of you are gathered in my name…”  or even better, “Abide in me as I abide in you”.  He said these things to the disciples.  He did not abandon them to their fears and their doubts – instead he assured them that the Holy Spirit would always be with them and would remind them of his teachings.
          Which brings us back to my question – what are we to learn from all this?   To learn something useful is to learn something that is applicable in your life or mine.
          Lets look for a moment at what Jesus did NOT teach or condone. He never that we know of committed any act of violence or hatred toward any person, and he didn’t allow his followers to do that either           He never spoke anything but truth to anyone.  He never pretended to be other than he was.  He never belittled or denigrated any other person, even those who persecuted him.
          Living a life that is true to your principles and beliefs – a life of integrity and compassion, that is the challenge of the Christian life.  We cannot change how others choose to live their lives, but we can respect their right to do so, and we can choose to be exemplary models of the Way of Love.
 
Solo:  “How then shall I live”  Linnea Good recording
 
2nd Scripture Reading:  Luke 24:44-53
Reflection: 
          I have chosen this morning to focus on the Ascension stories:  two versions, the one from Acts we read earlier, and this one from the Gospel of Luke.
          This one is more missional, having clear instructions to the disciples about what they are to do after receiving the power from on high, the Holy Spirit.
          Again we see the emphasis on repentence and the forgiveness of sins.  We are often called a Resurrection People.  We believe in the power of God to make all things new.  This might mean, people of God, that we are made new every day, as we bring our shortcomings to the light of day and ask for and accept forgiveness and healing.
          We are not meant to grovel in guilt and remorse forever for the mistakes we have made.  We ARE meant to accept responsibility for what we have done, and to humbly ask for forgiveness and healing.
          And we are charged with a very important mission:  to spread the word about this amazing gift of God, the gift of being born anew, as fresh as a new born baby, every single day- to spread this good news, far and wide to all the peoples of the earth.  
 
Hymn #21 MV “Open our hearts”
​
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.