Our Concert Series resumes next Sunday at 4pm with a performance of French Baroque music by the Briarbird ensemble of voice, flute, violin, viola da gamba, and harpsichord. I urge you all to attend and enjoy fine musicians in our acoustically brilliant Chapel.

With the resumption of our Bible study, it’s a good time to consider why and how we approach Holy Scripture within our reformed Catholic understanding. Risking absurd brevity on such a deep topic, we can say that through Holy Scripture God is telling us His story with us and our story with Him.

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In last Sunday’s Propers both Our Lord and St. Paul teach and remind us that it is Almighty God and His Son crucified that saves us and provides for us. Our correct relationship to the Triune God is that of subject to the King. He rules and we serve. This is very hard for our contemporary materialistic minds to grasp. We can get really nutty about how in our own strength we might bargain with God. But God does NOT bargain. There is no dealing with God … no negotiations or mediations or constructive conversations.

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Our Sunday Epistle can give a distorted impression to our contemporary ears. It seems to say that our material flesh and material world are somehow evil in their materiality. (more…)

“I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm cxxii. 1.

A  Bible memory verse: Luke x,

“He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”

Wednesdays:  Summer Break Schedule, No evening activities until September 30th when Evening Prayer, Low Mass, and Bible study will resume. Details below.

Next Sunday September 13th, Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity.  Morning Prayer at 9:30am; Choral Mass at 11am.

Our “summer break” from the Wednesday evening activities will conclude on Wednesday September 30th with resumption of Evening Prayer 5:45, Low Mass 6:00, and Bible study at 6:45. I encourage everyone to attend mid-week Mass if possible. It is a wonderful spiritual refreshment.

Biblical parables are powerful and forbidding mirrors…

Whichever way you turn them they reveal some inner truth about ourselves. This Sunday’s parable of the Good Samaritan packs a wallop. What is God’s mirror showing you?  Is there someone laying broken on the other side of the road while we pass by safely and unsoiled? Is there someone taking refuge in our Church inn of beauty and Holiness? Is there someone here or on the way who needs the oil of kindness and the wine of cleansing?  Are you lying wounded and broken while others pass by on the other side? Look around and see. And there is that representation of someone broken and hurt hanging full in our sight. Just gaze at the Crucifix there ….  and your heart will be pierced through with the heavenly sword of love. That wound of love will prepare us for true and laudable service. With broken and contrite hearts we will approach the Throne of God. With sacrificial joy we will receive Him into ourselves.  And then, having been refreshed, do our best to “Go and do likewise.”

“I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm cxxii. 1.

A  Bible memory verse, 2 Corinthians iii:

“… giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask.”

Wednesdays:  Summer Break Schedule, No evening activities until September.

Next Sunday September 6th: Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity,  Morning Prayer at 9:30am; Choral Mass at 11am.

We are taking a “summer break” from the Wednesday evening activities at St Ann starting Wednesday 24 June until September.  I will be spending Wednesday afternoons and evenings during July and August working with the Archbishop at St. Thomas’ in San Francisco, focusing on planning for St. Ann’s. I look forward to our resuming our Wednesday evening worship and Bible study in September.  Watch here for details.

In our Collect and Propers this past Sunday, we are reminded that we are utterly dependent upon the mercy of Almighty God to even be able to pray to Him. To even approach His presence, we have to be united with His Son so that Almighty God only sees His Son … and not us in our sins and fallen nature.

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