January 22, 2012. Jonah selected verses

Today’s readings capture the main points of the Jonah story.
This fantastical tale is set in the 8th Century B.C.E. It is a teaching tale set at the time when the mighty Assyrian Empire was threatening the borders of Israel.

Scholars tell us that the book of Jonah was actually written 300 years later, in the 5th Century B.C.E. It was written at the time of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple after the Exile in Babylon. The story deals with the issue of re-establishing Judea in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

We know it is always safer to set a tale in another time period other than your own when you are questioning the control system.

Remember Ezra and Nehemiah show up after a few years of re-occupying Jerusalem and say to the early wave of re-builders, “Come you out from among them and keep yourselves pure.”
In other words get rid of your Samaritan wives and children and marry only the daughters of Judah, who are coming in the second wave of resettlement.

Such harsh requirements caused some to ask,

“What kind of God is guiding the re-construction era?”

So in this teaching story, this cautionary tale, Jonah is presented as a prophet of old.
He knows God.
He can talk with God.
In fact, he has been a little worried about God lately.
God seems to be going a little soft on crime.
The ‘eye for an eye’ of Exodus isn’t so pronounced these days.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm. Join us for a special Friday evening opening.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!  We have had a very busy fall and need to restock our shelves!  Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.

January 18, 2012
1 Samuel 3: 1-10

The word of the Lord was rare in Eli’s day;
visions were not widespread.

Eli himself had lost more than his eyesight.
His own, sons abused their priestly office and thought life was only about them. Eli just could not see it. But God could and had a stern message for Eli and Israel.
The Word of the Lord was rare in Eli’s day;
visions were not widespread.

So what exactly did one hear as the Word of the Lord?
What did one see in a vision from God?
How was one to know?

Samuel certainly didn’t know.
He was a kid, just an apprentice. He had been dedicated to God but had not yet experienced God.

The Word of the Lord was rare in Eli’s day;
visions were not widespread.

But the lamp of God’s presence had not gone out in the sanctuary at Shiloh. It had not gone out as a new generation slept there, and learned how to listen, how to attend to God’s call. So God calls to Samuel as he lies down to sleep: Something we all do 99.9% of the time each night of our lives.
I can remember only a few times actually staying up around the clock. One was a high school graduation party and the other was an all night Easter vigil with the youth.
How about you?

Now we don’t necessarily fall asleep easily every night.

Jan. 8, 2012. Epiphany.
Isaiah 60:1-6. Matthew 2:1-12

The Christmas story is told in the gospel of Luke.
It is the story of angels, shepherds and an overcrowded Inn.
It is a story of a stable and the humble birth of the Christ child.

The gospel of Matthew tells the story of Epiphany.
It is the story of a star, Wise men and prophecy fulfilled.
It is the story of gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh offered at the birth of Wisdom’s child.

Epiphany: God made manifest.
Epiphany: Revealing what God is up to in our lives.
Epiphany: The shining light of God’s Presence revealed to the nations as prophesied long ago.

Matthew presents Wisdom’s child born in King David’s town of Bethlehem.
The same Wisdom Isaiah sees shining on his people one day.
The same Wisdom Isaiah sees enlightening the nations and eliciting gifts of gold and frankincense.
So with the bright star’s help, let’s look at Divine Wisdom, as God’s Presence revealed first in Jesus and made intelligible for us today.

Over the past decade, many scientific disciplines and belief systems have come to realize that we each have an outer manifestation, or physical body and an inner spirituality, or presence. While this is expressed in different ways, we see this understanding in the story of Epiphany. It is the inner light of God’s presence that shines forth, through the infant Jesus.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!  Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!  We have had a very busy fall and need to restock our shelves!  Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!    Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!   Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.

Boutique 24 serves the community with nearly new clothing, small household items, books, toys and more, at bargain prices on Thursdays from 11:30 to 3:30 pm.  We support a myriad of community organizations such as food banks, women's shelters, and school breakfast programmes. 

Donations are always welcome.  If you have been putting off cleaning ourt your closets, dusting off your knickknacks or going rhrough your drawers, NOW would be an ideal time to do it!  We have had a very busy fall and need to restock our shelves!  Need more information?  Please contact the church office at 514-457-5819.