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

Prayer for you -- "an intensifying thirst for divine intimacy"

1/24/2016

0 Comments

 
​This Sunday we consider Jesus in the beginning of his ministry according to Luke (4:14-21).  Jesus ministers “filled with the power of the Spirit”.  But, as St. Cyril of Alexandria states, “Jesus performed miracles not from any external power, and from having, as it were, the acquired grace of the Holy Spirit, as other saints; but rather, as being by nature the Son of God, and partaking of all things which are the Father’s, He exercises as by His own power and operation that grace which is of the Holy Spirit.” “But”, continues St. Cyril, “it was right that from that time He should become known, and that the mystery of His humanity should shine forth among those who were of the seed of Israel.”    

Our lives are really about celebrating and engaging and falling ever more deeply in love with this mysterious God-(hu)man, Jesus, Who, in humbling himself, communicates to us the fullness of God.  In reading this Sunday’s gospel, St. Ambrose comments: “The Lord in every thing so humbled Himself to obedience, that He did not despise even the office of a reader. As it follows, Jesus rose to read, and there was delivered to him the book. He received the book indeed, that He might show Himself to be the same who spoke in the Prophets, and that He might illumine those who say that there is one God of the Old Testament, another of the New; or who say that Christ had His beginning from a virgin. For how did He begin from a virgin, who spoke before that virgin was?”  How privileged we are to be called to relationship with Jesus, and given the Holy Spirit so to be able to respond “with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind”.  (Luke 10:27)
 
My prayer for you, as we approach the blessed season of Lent, is an intensifying thirst for divine intimacy, for this privileged relationship with Christ, a relationship which spills over into the relationships between us, making us His Body.  Let us bear in mind, in all situations, our calling, knowing that Jesus Himself takes the initiative and that Jesus makes it possible.  Let us bear in mind that we are His Body, Sisters and Brothers, not because of affinity, but because of His loving doing.  

Yours in Him,  

Fr. Dominique
Priest-in-Charge
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