Fr. Paul's Meditations for Church Year A

Life is what happened between our old and our new plans. It is an opportunity for a “Time Out”. How many of us need a time out. We perhaps could use a time out in our personal life. It seems to be headed down not up. There are time outs needed in our relationship at times. When was the last time we took a time out with our spouse, or with our children or with our parents? Our problem is we do not have time to take a time out. It is frivolous to think we can do it. Too many things to do, places to go, people to meet. And, yes, we are about to take on some more busy work. We believe the wise old warning that “the Devil is in the details.” We just do not have time to check out the details.  Read more

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Literal Religion: Believes they are full of gladness because His Presence is in us. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” Spiritual grace: Believes they are full of gladness because they are in the Presence of God. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “you will make me full of gladness with your presence.” Did you feel the Grace?  Read more

Easter is all we expect it to be. There is the large choir, the outstanding music, the color of the robes, the flowers, even some hats. Yes, and even the sermon. Most of us are used to it. Whether we believe or not, we still have come to expect the expected. Then there is the unexpected. Suddenly, there is no body, just a cloth folded and lying on the ground. But where is the body? It is too much to wrap your head around.  Read more

OLD TESTAMENT: Acts 10:34-43 Literal Religion: “God shows no partiality,” conditionally. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality.’” Spiritual grace: “God shows no partiality,” unconditionally. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality.’” Did you feel the Grace? Legalism is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted from grace!  Read more

Matthew 26:14-27:66: “Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, Lema sabachthani?", that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. There are Christians who are confused with the death of Jesus and some angry and fearful that God would do such a thing to His Son. How can anyone understand this? This scripture is one of the most difficult to understand in a worldly way. It must be understood spiritually, in a godly way. We are rationally looking at the same thing in the same way. To understand it, we must look spiritually at the same thing in a spiritual way. We need to spiritually wonder what difference the death of Jesus on the cross makes when we are out of the Love of His Spirit and when we are in the Love of His Spirit.  Read more

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 50:4-9a Literal Religion: God helps us not to be disgraced by others. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced.” Spiritual grace: Not being disgraced is feeling God’s grace no matter what others have done to us. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced.” Did you feel the Grace? Legalism may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort!  Read more

John 9:1-41 “Open wide the eyes of my soul.” John got grace. Now, all of us got grace in the eyes of the Lord. Our issue is to let grace get us. John got grace spiritually. He also “got” grace rationally; that is, he understood the difference being in or out of grace makes in our life by moving from the rational physical to the conscious spiritual. This chapter is one of the best of his exercises. It is tricky in that for the first thirty nine verses we are talking about physical blindness, then in the last three verses he jumps into writing about spiritual blindness. The purpose is to find out if the reader can make the shift. It is good practice to see if you can get the Grace.  Read more

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Literal Religion: “The Word of the Lord” is following the Law. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” Spiritual grace: “The Word of the Lord” means loving others in the Love of Jesus. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD.” Did you feel the Grace? Grace is being able to raise your eyebrow instead of your voice! PSALM: 130:1-8 Literal Religion: “Hope” is depending on God to do for us what we want. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “in His word I hope” Spiritual grace: “Hope” is how we feel in His Presence. No matter what happens we never know what God will do next. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “in His Word I hope” Did you feel the Grace? Legalists have the right to remain silent, but they do not have the ability!  Read more

John 9:1-41 “Open wide the eyes of my soul.” John got grace. Now, all of us got grace in the eyes of the Lord. Our issue is to let grace get us. John got grace spiritually. He also “got” grace rationally; that is, he understood the difference being in or out of grace makes in our life by moving from the rational physical to the conscious spiritual. This chapter is one of the best of his exercises. It is tricky in that for the first thirty nine verses we are talking about physical blindness, then in the last three verses he jumps into writing about spiritual blindness. The purpose is to find out if the reader can make the shift. It is good practice to see if you can get the Grace.  Read more

OLD TESTAMENT: Samuel 16:1-13 Literal Religion: “See” and “Look” are physical. Read this scripture literally for its religious meaning. “The LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Spiritual grace: “See” and “Look” are spiritual. Now quietly move into God's Presence and read this scripture again. “The LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Did you feel the Grace? Legalists are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see fall down the stairs!  Read more