Message – Proper 25 – October 24, 2021

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Sundays towards the end of October each year indicate that we are moving towards celebrating All Saints and All Soul’s Day while at the same time coming to the end of our liturgical year, with the celebration of Christ the King.  As we come to the end of our liturgical year, we are reminded that the intention of the year is to narrate the history of salvation. 

It is intended to get us to grasp how God acts in the events of human life.  In a real way, the mysterious nature and character of God is being revealed to us.           It is however important that we understand that we will never fully comprehend who and what God is.  Our liturgy as stated in the Book of Common Prayer in its preface on page 5, “liturgy must be experienced in its connectedness to the lives of worshippers.”  Our liturgy, therefore is not what we read from a book, but a real life experience.

The prayer book provides us with a structure to offer worship to Almighty God “because of who he is, and giving thankfulness for his many blessings.”  (C.P.W.I. page 6).

May I suggest that our Book of Common Prayer is not something we use on Sundays, feast days and in the online morning, evening and night prayers, but part of our daily lives.  As we find ourselves confined to our homes, due to existing protocols, I invite us to explore a set of prayers found between pages 75 and 92 in the C.P.W.I.

The challenges and struggles of the present time provide us with an opportunity to deepen our faith and further our understanding of what God is calling us to be. While I agree that we might find the prayer book restrictive, its depth provides us with a tremendous opportunity to deepen the experience of our connection with God of our faith and being.

I encourage us, take up our prayer book and read it.  I assure us, we will be truly blessed.

Love Profound,

Fr. Eddie