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September 29, 2008
I Believe in Angels: Feast of St. Michael & All Angels
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12
One of our Christmas pageants had the role of Angel Gabriel announcing the message to the Blessed Virgin. The role was assigned to 2-yr-old Ruby. Her part was: “Fear Not.” Whenever Ruby appeared, even when it wasn’t her turn, she would in her little voice say “fear not.” I can’t think of Angel Gabriel without thinking of Ruby’s, “Fear Not.” Children are adorable indeed.
Our remembrance of angels could be from a pageant, movie or story told by someone of their encounter with angels or someone who saw angels in action through humanitarian outreach. The thought of angels is so comforting. We read about them in the Holy Bible—of Cherubs and Seraphs and hosts of angels in service of the Divine Majesty. We see them in churches in adoration before the throne of God, or before the mercy seat. They are more than a figment of imagination. They are spirits and they are real. How wonderful it is to know when in some dire need we come across an unforeseen person coming to our rescue. Could it be an angel?
Years ago long before the age of tubes and you tubes, when pictorial presentation was in vogue, I used to wait for my communion /confirmation preparation class. The parish sexton Antony, used to be our catechist and we better get our answers right, lest there was a cane. He was a good man, putting the church family before his own, living behind the quarters of the church at beck and call of the Parish priest or any family. I have not seen the busiest man like him. He would be prompt to ring the angelus bells, including the toll on the passing away of members of the parish. The parish where I grew up comprised of over 60 villages and around the church were novitiates, philosophates and Christian schools. The peel of the toll bell would remind us of the passing away of a dear soul. From across the parish hill was my own little church surrounded by cemeteries, the place where I was born.
Tony would instruct us and we better be present to learn our lessons every Saturday; that we had to walk to the parish church on our own was another story. The much awaited part of the lesson was the pictorial essay. One picture that I saw is afresh in my mind, apart from the stories of Genesis.
This was the picture of judgment, where our Lord was seated. To the right, was the depiction of the great cloud of witnesses and the scene of an angel accompanying a person to Heaven. The angel’s face was of a happy countenance and so was the soul that the angel accompanied, of course the picture of the devil was very sad and he looked disappointed. To the left it was an opposite scenario. The devil was accompanying a person to hell and the person’s angel was disappointed. Of course the devil was happy over his accomplishment. Jesus’ own words on our angels interceding before God’s throne confirms this scenario: “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)
How important it is then to treat the children with utmost care. Especially those that commit atrocities against children should beware of this stern punishment from our master: Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:5, 6)
Our Lord himself makes reference to Angels: To treat the children with utmost care for their angels are in constant adoration before the Father in heaven. Wish those who abuse children for whatever reasons; be aware of what the Lord thought: It would be better for the millstone be ….
The New Testament speaks of Angel Gabriel (God’s strength) on a mission to Nazareth to young virgin named Mary to deliver the good news of the birth of our savior. Which indeed take place: And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us as John the Divine testifies. The apostle John also testifies to the great war took place in heaven and how the devil was defeated by Archangel Michael (God’s semblance) Revelation 12.7-12 In Tobit of the Apocrypha we read of Raphael (the angel of healing) who is on a mission to heal Tobias a God fearing man of his blindness.
Angels are real and they are at our service appointed by God to lead us towards Him: Here is a song that reminds us of angels.
Today we celebrate the feast of the
Guardian Angel please watch over me
Wherever you go where I be
I know you’re there though you cannot be seen
You are my God’s greatest gift to me
My sweet little child I will watch you today
When you are speaking and when you’re awake
I’ll be there beside you when you’re tired
I’ll be your shepherd and heav’nly guide
O my good angel whom God has appointed you to be my guardian, enlighten, protect, direct and govern me, who have been entrusted to you by the Divine Mercy.
Here is a Youtube on Guardian Angels:
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Posted by frleo at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2008
Forgiveness: 19th Sunday after Trinity
For two years I used to commute on a train for my Masters degree at Madras Christian College, while being an associate pastor of a parish in Chennai (Madras). The daily commute by train was from Parry’s Corner to Tambaram. Invariably every day I would run into a blind man who would be evangelizing in the train. He had no tracts nor visibility for that matter. He just preached God’s word from memory. Whenever I hear the following passage of Isaiah 40:6-8, it reminds me of his conviction in the mercy of our Lord which He savored. In today's context, we know that we are comfortable with accepting the handicap of blindness as part of life and have come up with several coping mechanisms. And yet, the fact cannot be denied as to how in the world, one could fathom reality in all its details, having been born blind. It is in this context that this man's clarion voice rang a bell and upon hearing this passage, he looms large, the conviction with which he proclaimed, regardless if those around him paid attention or not, exactly like the parable of the seeds, some falling on wayside, rocks, thorny bush or good soil.
All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8
In nature's own analogy, the season of fall is not only reminiscent of the inevitability of the life cycle in the natural order but also synonymous of our own nature. This reality is reminiscent of the inevitability of impermanency of human existence upon this planet earth. All flesh is grass. And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass wither, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. At the same time that we are fallible human beings (fallable human beings) who are in need of God's loving mercy.
And in the prologue of the Gospel of John, which we refer to as the Last Gospel in the Anglican tradition, as it comes at the end of the Holy Eucharist, we read: The law was given through Moses; but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. This Jesus offered us grace, God's richest mercies, so that we would live in a loving relationship.
In the Gospel story of the day we witness to one of the miracles wrought by the Son of God, who came to save us, who came to forgive us, who came to restore the lost relationship through sin, who wanted to change the course of ultimate destiny of mankind, which is only prone to sin. He paid a heavy price for all the sins that we have committed and will commit. We are forgiven, you are forgiven and I am forgiven. If only we could fathom the depth of forgiveness that our savior brought and the gruesome death that our sins cost, sin would be shunned from our life and from the face of the earth. In the Gospel last Sunday, in calling Matthew, Jesus was very clear. "Only those who are sick need doctors; I have come not to call the righteous but the sinners. Our Lord in the parable of the lost sheep was able to leave the 99 in the field and went after the one that was lost. How wonderful it is to know that our sins are forgiven, our shame is removed even if they be as crimson as blood, they will be made white as snow, even they be as far as east from the west, He wipes them all away.
Understanding and embracing divine forgiveness will determine our lifestyle: a lifestyle of grace or sin. Way of the Lord or the way of the world. Today's epistle invites us to live a life in the Lord, so that when the Lord returns He will still find us faithful. Those who have been forgiven by the Lord need to live accordingly. St. Paul tells the Ephesians and us: "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart."
The life of and in the spirit demands a lot more conformity with a life of grace, which is what holiness is all about. Don’t let your anger lead to sin. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, No corrupt communication, foul word proceed out of your mouth, only words that bless and good for the edification, So do away with bitterness, anger, evil speaking. Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
The Psalmist prays 'make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart” If only we would remind ourselves that All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
The forgiveness that the son of God has extended to us, needs to be passed on. He prayed on the cross:"Father forgive them for they know not what they do". That was the prayer of the Son of God. We need to forgive people, even when they know what they do. For the Lord desires mercy and not sacrifice. In a spirit of faith and Christian charity we need to take our neighbors to the Lord in prayer. As the Lord rewarded the faith of those who brought the man with palsy, will hear our prayer. When we make intercessions, our prayers will not go unanswered. We are called to be healed, to be forgiven and reciprocate the same to others.
The contemporary Christian song "I'm forgiven" reminds us of the forgiveness that Christ brought.Watch this song combined with scenes from the "Passion of Christ".
Posted by frleo at 12:43 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2008
Introducing Bp. Tony Rasch - the Coadjutor, Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest
The Right Reverend Anthony Frank Rasch was born August 18, 1939 in Los Angeles, California. Bishop Rasch is celibate and an Oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict. He was baptized and Confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church and did his undergraduate study at California State University, Los Angeles. At age nineteen he left the Roman Church and became an Episcopalian.
He experienced a Call to the Episcopal priesthood in 1961 and did his first two years of theological training in England during 1963-1964 at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Yorkshire (a theological college operated by the monastic Community of the Resurrection). He did his third and final year of preparation in 1965 at the General Theological Seminary, New York city.
He was ordained deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles on September 10, 1966 and a priest in the same diocese on March 11, 1967. He served first as Curate then as Associate Rector at St. Luke’s of the Mountains parish in La Crescenta, California. Beginning in March of 1969 he relocated to Orange County to first serve as Vicar and then as Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Placentia, California.
Following the unfortunate General Convention of 1976, Father Rasch made his decision to leave the Episcopal Church. He attended the Congress of St. Louis where he swore his allegiance to Bishop Albert Chambers and was one of the first nine priests to formally leave the Episcopal Church, officially tendering his resignation from the parish, the diocese and the national Church in December of 1977.
In March of 1978 he founded the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Orange, California, then within the Diocese of the Holy Trinity of the Anglican Catholic Church. Nine years later he resigned and moved to Los Angeles, and began assisting at two parishes of the Province of Christ the King, with the knowledge and consent of Bishop Mote of the Holy Trinity Diocese and Bishop Robert Morse of the Province of Christ the King. (After twenty years, he still provides an early morning Sunday Mass alternately for the two parishes).
In January of 1989 he accepted the Call to serve as Rector of Saint Mary the Virgin Church in Chatsworth, California. He subsequently moved his residence to Van Nuys, California. During his tenure at Saint Mary the Virgin, Bishop Arthur David Seeland named him Dean of the Deanery of Los Angeles, of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest.
On March 11, 2006 he celebrated his fortieth anniversary in the Priesthood.
In March of 2008, Bishop Seeland asked Father Rasch if he would allow his name to be placed before the College of Bishops for consideration as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese. At a meeting in Wichita, Kansas, on June 10, 2008, Bishop Henry Joseph King was elected by the College to succeed Bishop Arthur David Seeland (retiring for reasons of health) as Diocesan and
Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest and Father Rasch was elected as Bishop Coadjutor on the same day.
At a joint ceremony on Saturday, September 20, 2008, in Riverside, California, Arch-bishop Thomas Kleppinger enthroned Bishop Henry Joseph King as Diocesan and Ordinary of the Diocese of the Pacific and Southwest, and the Archbishop together with Bishop Leo Michael and Bishop Henry Joseph King (and a gracious Letter of Consent to Consecration, by Bishop Seeland) consecrated Bishop Anthony Frank Rasch as the first-ever Bishop Coadjutor of the diocese. The new bishop will continue to serve Saint Mary the Virgin Parish, Chatsworth.
Posted by frleo at 7:22 AM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2008
By God's Grace
Divine Providence has been gracious to the Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite with the wondrous gift of the enthronement of Bp. Henry King, who succeeded Bp. David Seeland as the Bishop Ordinary, by Archbishop Thomas Kleppinger. The consecration of Bp. Anthony Rasch as the coadjutor of the Diocese by Archbishop Thomas Kleppinger, Bp. Leo Michael and Bp. Henry King, thereby insuring the Chambers' Succession. A great celebration of fellowship followed thereafter.
Bp. Rasch has been very active for 42 years as a priest on the West Coast, especially helping out two of the parishes of the Anglican Parish of Christ the King for the many years.This is another example of how at the grassroots level the people and the clergy have been working and collaborating together, when some hierarchy claim there is no communion. In fact, at Bp. Rasch's consecration there were several members of the APCK congregation who received Holy Communion. There were others from various jurisdictions of the Chambers' succession, It's interesting to note that while the UECNA has been speaking on behalf of APCK and dismissing any commnunion with HCCAR, the defacto relationship proves otherwise, thanks be to God.
The HCCAR is very active and well with bishops who are faithful to God and His flock and continue the work entrusted to their care. By the way, true to the Affirmation of St. Louis all of our churches are and always have been owned by the individual congregations, contrary to those false tabloid story on St. James in Kansas city, especially on VirtueOnline, the Anglican Continuum website and the UECNA website. All that one has to do is to check the local county or state records of incorporation or speak with the founding and long standing members who are very much present.
We as their Bishops are there to protect our flock and our bishops have had the guts to stand up for the rights of the faithful people. Our College of Bishops have and will continue to stand up for what is right.
We hope and pray that those who have published falsehoods would consider undoing the damage they have done to the body of Christ and move forward in tending to the care and cure of their flock. Any talk about collaboration becomes a doublespeak, while actively engaging in slander against one of the legitimate bodies in the Chambers' Succession or remaining silent at such talks.
HCCAR is faithful to the affirmation of St. Louis, with 1928 Prayerbook, ownership of the property and the apostolic tradition of the male clergy as the core essentials. Many of our bishops and bishop emeriti have participated in the Congress of St. Louis and they are aware of the core principles and the defence thereof. The College of Bishops has never wavered from these principles. There have been no instant ordinations or preferment within HCCAR. We stand strong in Christ as a Province in the Chambers' Succession and Anglican Tradition, to the greater glory of God. Here is the testimonial from the retiring bishop of the Diocese of Pacific and Southwest.
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. AmenWe, David, by Divine permission, Lord Bishop of the Church and See of the Pacific & Southwest, send greetings to all the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese. Tomorrow We shall be retired and you shall have a new Lord Bishop, Our well beloved brother the Right Reverend Henry Joseph King, and a Coadjutor, our equally beloved brother the Right Reverend Anthony F. Rasch. Looking back over the fifteen and a half years We have been your Bishop, Father Charles Wesley”s great spiritual song And are we yet alive, which has been sung by the Clergy of the Diocese to open every Clericus for many years comes to mind. The second and third stanzas are appropriate. “What troubles have we seen, What mighty conflicts past, Fightings without, and fears within, Since we assembled last ! Yet out of all the Lord Hath brought us by His love; And still He doth His help afford, And hides our life above.” Truly a picture of our experience together.
Many of the fightings and fears of the past are over and gone. The threat of the four lawsuits to take control of the Diocese or some of our Parishes or assets is over, the statute of limitations on the New Jersey lawsuit having run, seven of the opposing Bishops being dead, and the eighth in a nursing home outside the country, it appears that our Churches and property are safe from this threat. Nevertheless, Satan never sleeps. There are and will always be other, more subtle and deadly, as well as well as more comprehensive dangers to be faced.
The present economic and financial disaster engulfing our nation and the world is almost certain to continue and become much, much worse. This will provide a tremendous challenge to the faith and love of all Christians. Will we hold together as brothers and sisters of one another, sharing whatever resources we have with other members of our congregations as they have need, and reaching out to others with aid as we are able? We should also be preparing for this by establishing Parish food pantries and stocks against the day of need. Regular “pot luck” and parish common meals should be established, for fellowship as well as practical reasons.
The political climate is not much, if at all, better than the economic and financial one. It seems likely that we may see the election of a President and Congress which are fanatically devoted to an anti life agenda. The continued slaughter of innocent babies through abortion, the increase of “assisted suicide” and “euthanasia” legislation, and the preference for animal and even plant life over human life as well as the continued destruction of marriage and the family, are very real and grave possibilities if this happens.
In spite of all this the Lord still “doth His help afford,” and we can be confident that whatever life brings we can be “more than conquerors “ through Christ our Savior and Lord. So, as We lay down the burden and privilege of being your Bishop We bless you in the Name of the Lord and pray his guidance and protection for you and your new Bishops now and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Given under Our hand and seal Episcopal, this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Eight, and of Our Consecration the sixteenth.
Faithfully,
+David
Pacific & Southwest
Posted by frleo at 9:37 AM | Comments (0)
September 18, 2008
Good to be back
Glad to update the episcoblog. Check out all the blessings that we as Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite have been experiencing, by God's grace.
Thanks to Hillspeak, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, we were able to have Anglican Youth Camp in Eureka Springs under their hospices and in Wyoming. The youth had a wonderful experience with learning the Sermon on the Mount. The theme was "For me to live is Christ". They had a wonderful experience of the Passion Play and the Tour of the Holy Land and also lots of fun, like a visit to Branson. The youth are the future of our church and they can not be sidelined.
By God's grace, HCCAR has also had its significant moments in its dioceses. Bp. McNeley's retirement and my succeeding him. Bp. David Seeland's retirement from the Diocese of Pacific and Southwest. Bp. Henry King and his bishop elect The Very Rev. Anthony Rasch. We have a lot to accomplish for His kingdom. We march onward, Serving the Lord as Anglican's stemming from the Chambers' Succession.
In my letter to my diocese I wrote:
With profound gratitude to God, and to you my flock, I write this first letter as your bishop. My sentiments of gratitude go to our Bishop Emeritus, Rt. Rev. James McNeley for his hard work in caring for the flock in the Diocese of Holy Trinity and Great Plains. Our appreciation goes also to his beloved spouse Ms. Madelyn McNeley for her meticulous service to the diocese and to all the Diocesan officers, especially to Lynn Baxter.
My appreciation and thanks to your loving presence and representation at the Synod in Wichita, Kansas and especially at my enthronement. When Anglicanism itself is at crossroads today, we are called to be faithful in the Anglican way as it has been the via media, embracing both the ends of the spectrum, the evangelical Protestantism and the Roman Catholicism. Our diocese and province will continue to serve the Lord and His kingdom. It was John the Baptist in prison who sent his emissaries to Jesus asking “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them”.(Matthew11:3-5) That is the sign of God’s Kingdom.
The sign and presence of God’s kingdom is when everyone in our congregation is cared for spiritually: the sick are visited and administered sacraments, the flock is taken care of: “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you”. (Isaiah 35:3ff). God bless all our clergy for taking care of our flock after the heart of the Good Shepherd. When the Lord comes, may we be found worthy, may we be found still serving.
Beautiful things have happened. St. Joseph’s in Wichita, Kansas has its own place of worship, thanks to Fr. Beaver and Dn. Arnie Wood. How marvelous this is! St. Peter’s Albuquerque has a new Rector in Fr. Scott Lay. Their long patient waiting has been finally rewarded with a wonderful priest. St. Gabriel’s (Arkansas) has been blessed with Fr. Don Pendergraft as their Rector and Fr. John Slavin, their curate. Fr. Rafael Carbajal has been faithfully serving the Spanish congregation of St. Gabriel’s. Bp. Kinner has been relentlessly serving the flock including the American Indian people in Wyoming together with Fr. Crawshaw and Dn. Jimmy Dean. Fr. Lawrence Kern has been at St. Gabriel’s, Greely CO and has been reaching out to the Hispanic congregation. We have postulants who are studying for Holy Orders and I’m glad to serve you as your shepherd. The congregation of St. James has weathered a storm and has had their bishops’ full support when they needed to maintain their ownership of their church, as always has been. Those who claim something else, need to check sources. All Saints, Pittsburg, KS has Fr. John Hunter faithfully serving as Rector and extending his service to the Cornerstone Chapel in Pittsburg. Fr. Paul Trentham has been his assisting priest. The church is young and alive. This summer brought two youth camps; one in Wyoming and another at Hillspeak, Eureka Springs. There are young and new altar servers. Above all there is joy and peace in all our congregations! You are the wonderful people who are the body of Christ. This diocesan newsletter, Koinonia, and the website are to be commended. God bless all of those who are responsible. We do hope and pray that St. John’s, Lander and St. Andrews, Montana would have their own pastors soon!
Together with you we will march forward in serving the Lord. We have plenty of work to accomplish for the Lord. There is still hope in Anglicanism. We as a diocese and province are still growing. As long we do what is right in the sight of the Lord, we will see His blessings “25And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee”. (Exodus 15:25 ff)
We have only one person to be accountable to and that is our Lord and Master. We have missions to be opened and people to be nourished with His Word and Sacraments through our Anglican Tradition. Keep up your good work! Let’s never forget our identity as in Transfiguration, of who we are and whose will we serve.
To the greater glory of God and in His service,
+ Leo Michael
Posted by frleo at 8:28 PM | Comments (0)