by Bishop Mariann | Dec 12, 2024
Rejoice in the Lord always… And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7
We’re near the end of Advent now, the brief season that gives us all permission to acknowledge how much of our lives we spend waiting, perhaps longing for what lies beyond our grasp or fearful of what might happen next.
It can also be a time when we’re reminded how much is beyond our ability to predict or control and that there are some things we cannot fix or make happen on our own, no matter how hard we try.
Yet for reasons we will never fully understand, God chooses to work in and through us for good in this world. Whatever it is we are waiting for, chances are we ourselves will play a part in bringing it to pass. Not the primary role, for that belongs to God. But as St. Teresa reminds us, Christ has no body now on earth but ours.
I’ve been heartened this Advent by the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It is a surprisingly joyful letter, given that Paul wrote from a first-century prison. Every word communicates his love for those in the Philippian community, and his desire to strengthen their capacity for peace and joy.
Bookend passages from Philippians have been part of our Sunday lectionary readings. Last week we read from the first chapter:
I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ… And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best. (Philippians 1:6;9)
This Sunday you may hear these words as part of worship:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)
I hadn’t thought of Paul as a biblical companion for Advent before, but as I spend time with this brief, powerful letter, I find myself almost in tears at the power of his witness. By his example, he demonstrates that peace and joy are possible even in times of great struggle, not because we will it to be so, but through the love and mercy of Christ.
At the same time, Paul is clear that we have far more agency than we often realize, in mysterious partnership with the divine. “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling,” he gently admonishes the Philippians, “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12)
And always, he points us to Christ:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness…(Philippians 2:4-6)
While I cannot know the particular circumstances you are facing now, let me suggest that if in any part of your life you are feeling weary or spent; if you are waiting for important news or for something to happen; if you feel as if the weight of the world rests squarely on your shoulders, now would be a good time to spend in prayerful reading of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Hear his words as a wise elder, addressing you in love.
Feel how his spirit is sustained by the abiding presence of Christ, and be open to receive that same presence in you. Dare to believe that God is, indeed, with you, through all that you are holding in your heart, and actively working through you for the good.
As Paul gave thanks to God the faithful of Philippi, I give thanks to God for you. I am confident that the one who has begun a good work among you will see it through to completion. May joy come as the gift that it is, regardless of circumstance. And I pray that the peace of God that surpasses human understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, this Advent and always.
by Keely Thrall | Dec 9, 2024
A time to pause and pray for those who have gone before us and reflect on the meaning of Advent. After the service, all are invited to light a candle (in memory of a loved one or in a prayer of hope). The sanctuary will remain open for quiet reflection until 6:30.
by Keely Thrall | Dec 4, 2024
Join St. Monica and St. James at 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 8 for Advent Lessons and Carols. Come and enjoy the music and scripture that lead us on our Journey through Advent. This service will last about an hour and is a wonderful way to celebrate the season of Advent and prepare for the birth of Jesus. All are welcome!
St. Monica and St. James is located at 222 8th St. NE, Washington DC 20002.and
by Bishop Mariann | Nov 25, 2024
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility.
Collect for the First Sunday in Advent
This week the Thanksgiving holiday converges with the beginning of Advent, the brief inaugural season in the Christian year that beckons us into darkness to watch for the light of Christ.
For many, Thanksgiving is a welcome time of reconnection with family and friends, and a much-needed respite from outside responsibilities. For others, this weekend is among the most demanding, particularly those who work in hospitality or retail, in hospitals or care facilities, and in other trades that do not get a break for the holidays.
Whatever your life asks of you now, may this Thanksgiving afford you moments of grace and opportunities for gratitude. For those who work while others rest and feast, please receive our thanks for all you do, often invisible to others, that holds our world in place. I’m thinking of those in our churches who will offer prayer services for Thanksgiving, ensure that those living with food insecurity have provisions for the holiday, and then pivot immediately to create a beautiful atmosphere for Advent. I am grateful for you.
I’ve heard and read a lot in the last few weeks of the need many are feeling now to step back from public engagement and refocus their energies on personal relationships, self-care, and the spheres of life in which they feel they have actual influence, in contrast to all that seems beyond their control.
I understand those impulses and in many ways I share them. Yet I’ve also wondered what impact such a wide-scale realignment of energy might have. Is this really a time to withdraw? Or is it perhaps a call to depth and renewal from which to begin again?
In what felt like grace, I had a conversation last week with the Rev. Peter Nunnally, whom some in the Diocese of Washington know from his offerings of Water and Wilderness Church, an experience of worship in the beauty of nature. Pete, as he prefers to be called, mentioned a book that he and 19 other people read together entitled Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth. Pete explained to me the ecological concept of refugia—small pockets of safety where in times of environmental disaster (e.g. floods, earthquakes, volcano eruption) plants and animals hide from destruction. Refugias in nature provide shelter in which life persists and out of which new life emerges.
In the book’s introduction, author Debra Rienstra writes, “The earth teaches us that extreme disturbance can be survived and even bring renewal—and one way this happens is through refugia.” She then asks the question, “How can people of faith become people of refugia, not only in the biomes of the earth, but simultaneously in our human cultural systems and in our spirit?”
Refugia Faith will be part of my Advent reading this year, as a way to honor this deeply embedded practice of renewal in all ecosystems, from which we all might learn. Jesus himself was deeply rooted in the natural world, drawing much of the inspiration and his parables from what he saw around him.
In what reads like classic Advent spirituality, Rienstra makes the connection to faith:
I know from the broad sweep of Scriptures, from history and from my own experience that God loves to work in small, humble, hidden places… The refugia model calls us to look for the seed of life where we are, concentrate on protecting and nurturing a few good things, let what is good and beautiful grow and connect and spread. Trust God’s good work.1
As we enter the season that reminds us to watch for the One who comes in great humility, I will be learning more about this notion of refugia, staking my life once again on the promise of faith. “Sometimes,” Rienstra writes, “what seems impossible is exactly the place to begin, because divine powers are at work far beyond our ability to perceive.”
1Debra Rienstra, Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2022) Kindle Edition, 101.
by Keely Thrall | Nov 18, 2024
At a time of year when so many experience feelings of grief, loss, and hardship, this service of prayer, music, and reflection invites us into hope and healing. This service includes Holy Communion; all who seek a deeper relationship with God in Christ are welcome to receive Communion. ASL interpretation is offered for this service.
In-Person: Passes not required.
Online: Livestream available below.
