CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION AND SAINT AGNES
  • Welcome
    • Newcomers
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to Find Us
  • Who We Are
    • Our History
    • Parish Staff
    • Vestry
  • Worship
    • Re-Gathering During COVID-19
    • Daily Office
    • A Compline Service
    • Sermons
  • Formation
    • Children's Formation
    • Adult Theology Upcoming
    • Adult Theology Archive
  • Connect
    • Pastoral Care >
      • Aging Gracefully
      • Prayer Requests
    • Stewardship >
      • Givelify Instructions
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
    • Dare to Hope Blog
    • From the Desk of the Rector >
      • Pastoral Letter
      • Weekly Letter
      • Annual Meeting
    • Contact us
  • Outreach
  • Upcoming Adult Theology
  • Baptism

children of light and children of the day

11/19/2017

0 Comments

 
 (I Thessalonians 5:5)
This Sunday's second reading (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)exhorts us to wakefulness and eagerness for the Second Coming of Christ, the final event, the culminating mystery for which we pray at every Eucharist ("We await His coming in glory"-Eucharistic Prayer B). My guess, however, is that, although participating in and encouraged by such prayer of the Church, the Second Coming is not always on the horizon of our concerns or wishes. I mean, really. We have work, relationships - both joyous and complicated, bills to pay, health issues to address, and everything on our activity and shopping list. I must admit that such can be the case with me. I secretly yearn for Christ's coming, but my yearning is not prominent every day.
 
St. Paul does invite us daily to "keep awake and be sober", reminding us, however, that such yearning is super-natural. It does not automatically position itself alongside all of the above: "Hmm. Let's see. Today's to-do list: clean the basement, bake a cheesecake, exercise, call Mom, and yearn for the Second Coming". "Put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation", St. Paul tells us. We have been given these three gifts - faith, hope, and love - to enable us to be in relationship with the One for whose coming we long. Yearning for the Second Coming is thus a gift - a gift, however, that does require our freely chosen participation. What St. Augustine and St. Catherine of Siena teach us regarding salvation really applies to all aspects of our relationship with God, including the Second Coming, "God will not save us without us". Simply dare to believe and hope and love each day, as you call upon the Holy Spirit, "awaiting his coming in glory" (Eucharistic Prayer D). Doing so will ensure that you are a child of light and a child of the day.
 
Yours in Christ Who is coming,
 
 
Fr. Dominique
Rector
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    From the desk of the Rector
    #12thandMass

    Picture
    If you are unable to read the notes, clear your browser's cache, reload the browser, and try again.  You can also try using Chrome for your browser.
    ​

    Author

    Father Dominique 

    Archives

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

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

✜ Contact ✜
Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes,
[Church]
1215 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
[Parish Office]
1219 Massachusetts Avenue, NW,
​Washington, DC 20005
202 347 8161
Email
​​✜ Social Media ✜
​Facebook
Twitter
YouTube

Newsletter
​
✜ Resources ✜
About Us
Directions
Giving
  • Welcome
    • Newcomers
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to Find Us
  • Who We Are
    • Our History
    • Parish Staff
    • Vestry
  • Worship
    • Re-Gathering During COVID-19
    • Daily Office
    • A Compline Service
    • Sermons
  • Formation
    • Children's Formation
    • Adult Theology Upcoming
    • Adult Theology Archive
  • Connect
    • Pastoral Care >
      • Aging Gracefully
      • Prayer Requests
    • Stewardship >
      • Givelify Instructions
      • Planned Giving
      • Endowment Fund
    • Dare to Hope Blog
    • From the Desk of the Rector >
      • Pastoral Letter
      • Weekly Letter
      • Annual Meeting
    • Contact us
  • Outreach
  • Upcoming Adult Theology
  • Baptism