NOVEMBER NOBLESSE 1-7

November is a time to kick leaves, clear out garden debris and take brisk walks as the cold air pierces our skin.  Our clothing becomes thicker and we relish those heavier foods like acorn squash or pumpkin pie, potato casseroles or pasta with loads of meat sauce.  Chili anyone?

Attending football games may be the only reason to shiver in the cold air for several hours while your team does it’s best to win.

     November is also a time to linger by a fire once in awhile and, while doing so, spend time reading about the Saints who have dedicated their lives to drawing others into the kingdom of God.  

        On November 1st the Church celebrates all her holy ones in heaven, known and unknown, with the feast of All Saints. The solemnity originally began in the 4th century to commemorate all the Christian martyrs killed during those centuries of brutal persecution before Christianity was legalized. There were so many martyrs that a separate feast day could not be given to each one individually. The Church did not want to leave any martyr without proper veneration so a common feast day developed and was usually celebrated in the Easter season. In the 8th century Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to all the saints and moved the feast day to November 1st.

        Since the first day of November is All Saint’s Day, we begin with a short overview of one Saint.  He dedicated his life so that generations like ours have the opportunity to know Christ and grow more firm in our faith daily.

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 A.D.) was born in North Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother,  Monica.  His mother did her best to raise Augustine in the Christian faith but this brilliant and promising young student was carried away into worldly attractions, lust for women and pagan philosophies.  This put his faith and morals into a state of crisis for many years.  His waywardness gave his holy mother great pain and anxiety as she watcher her son pursue materialistic ambitions and keep company with heretical sects.

Through Monica’s constant prayers and the holy preaching of Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Augustine came to recognize the truth of Christianity; but only after several spiritually tumultuous years of seeking God through his philosophical studies.   

Augustine underwent a profound conversion and was baptized, after which he lived a holy life of purity, prayer, and penance. His life is one of the greatest sinner-to-saint stories in the history of the Church. Saint Augustine eventually became a priest, bishop, theologian, writer, and the founder of a religious order of priests. He was declared a Doctor of the Church and is considered one of the most influential saints and theologians to have ever lived, one whose writings are widely read to this very day.   

"Know this: just as the wood of the ark saved the just from drowning, so too, by the mystery of His wooden Cross, does Christ, the Church’s God and King, save us from drowning in the sea of this world. In the symbol of a thing made of wood He gave human beings a foreshadowing of both the judgment to come and the salvation of the just.”    Saint Augustine, p.137   Augustine Day by Day

November 1   ALL Saints Day

Daniel 7:1-3,15-18; Psalm 149; Ephesians 1:11-23; Luke 6:2-31

Ephesians 1:11-23 We have obtained an inheritance.  :13 Believing the gospel of salvation, the truth, you were sealed with Him in the Holy Spirit of promise.

We read about the life of Augustine and wonder how he ‘turned around’ from his worldly life to worship the presence of God in Christ.  A wild young man of wealth with a voracious appetite for the world does not seem a good candidate for believing the gospel of salvation.  Yet, the result of a persistent prayer warrior such as his mother, Monica, opened the door for Augustine to believe, trust and then be 'sealed as Christ's own forever' and filled with the Holy Spirit through baptism.  

God saw great possibility in Augustine but Augustine had to first say, “yes” to God.  The same zeal Augustine had for the world was turned into a zeal to know God in Christ and make Him known to the pagan world around him.  Persistent prayer not only brought Augustine into the kingdom of God but also enabled the world to benefit from his extraordinary gifts for generations to come.

Think about it:  When we hear a speech from one who has won a great race or a coveted honor, that person often thanks his or her mother.  “It’s because of my mother that I am where I am today.”   

     Perhaps Augustine made the same statement as he was giving his salvation testimony.  Indeed, Augustine’s mother was named a "Saint" for the mighty work she did in the name of Jesus Christ.  Yet, her steadfast prayer over decades drew her and her husband into Jesus' presence.  Persistent prayer was one of her greatest saintly actions.

If you are a mother who is still praying for even one of your children, your perseverance is indeed saintly.  Don’t give up.  Ask others to help in this endeavor if you get tired.  Be persistent.  It may take decades but the Lord hears you.

      Perhaps you are praying for one who who will make a major impact on the world like Saint Augustine.  If each of us prays for one soul to ‘turn around’ and embrace Jesus Christ by faith, just think of all the saints that would eventually end up in our Lord’s heavenly realm. 

11-2   All Souls Day

Nehemiah 4:1-23; Psalm 55,138,139; Revelation 7:4-17; Matthew 13:31-35

Psalm 139:5  “You have enclosed me behind and before and laid your hand upon me.”

This is the third day of the ‘Triduum’ celebrating the lives of those who have gone before us.  The first day of celebration is the eve of All Saints Day, All Hallows Eve or what we now call Halloween.  Read the notes on October 31 to learn of it’s origin.  By scaring the pagan spirits away, Christians thought the souls of their loved ones would have a better chance of visiting them one day a year. 

Yet, All Souls, or the ‘Day of the Dead’ would not be celebrated until two days later.  November 1 is the celebration of those Saints who were martyred or who lived an illustrious life, like Saint Monica and Saint Augustine, so that future generations would be drawn into the presence of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Anglicans and other protestants view All Soul’s Day as an extension of the observance of All Saint’s Day and it serves to “remember those who have died,” in connection with the theological doctrines of the resurrection of the body and the Communion of Saints. 
     Thus, I chose to reflect on Psalm 139 from today's readings.  this just happens to be one of my 'life' verses. When I was single and a new Christian, I began to call upon the Lord to comfort me, hold me in the palm of His hand and remain close to me during challenging moments.  It was like the Lord was giving me a big, long hug when I recited these words quietly.  I continue to draw upon these words as a married, older Christian and embrace this verse as the Lord's warm blanket of eternal love that surrounds me as I go about my Father's business or when I grieve for the loss of my parents, a few of my siblings and many dear friends.

Think about it:  Ask yourself how this Triduum of days

affects you.  Do you see all Hallows Eve as a joy-filled cleansing away of the cobwebs of your soul in order to make room for wonder-filled memories of Saints who have made on impact on your life?  [Think of the Creed your recite or your church doctrine that has been developed over centuries by great theologians of the past.]  Perhaps All Souls Day has special meaning because of dear ones who are no longer present on this earth.
   Make a list of those souls who have gone before you, like your mother or father, your aunt or siblings, friends and acquaintances.  Give thanks to the Lord for those souls, who are now with the Lord, who helped you embrace the Lord, Jesus Christ, with all your heart, mind and soul.

11-3  21st Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 1:10-18; Psalm 32:1-8; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:5 Jesus said, “Zachaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today. And

Zachaeus was happy to welcome Jesus.”  :8 Zachaeus said to the Lord, “Half my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I’ve defrauded anyone of anything, I’ll pay back four time as much.” 

 :9 Jesus said, “This day salvation has come to this house . . .:10 For the Son of man has come to seek and save the lost.”

What a sight for those who had labeled Zachaeus a rich sinner just because his job title, Tax Collector,  was seen as sordid.  Yet, Zachaeus did not care what people muttered.  He’d heard it all and had been shamed, ignored or worse.  He wanted to see Jesus and the best way to do so was to climb a tree.  Zachaeus was suddenly filled with holy boldness, total focus on Jesus, and a need to be recognized by Him.  

Jesus noticed and shouted Zachaeus’ name loud enough for all around to hear.  Can you imagine the murmurs in the crowd, “Jesus is going to eat with a sinner?”  Indeed, Jesus knew Zachaeus was a ‘son of Abraham’ not only because he was a Jew but also because Jesus may have sensed Zachaeus’ benevolent heart in spite of his occupation.

Jesus’ intention is the same for anyone who would step beyond his comfort zone to connect with Jesus.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Zachaeus’ heart for Jesus meant that Jesus could embrace Zachaeus and change his life simply by connecting with him as they shared a meal together.

Think about it:  Sometimes we label people by occupation before getting to know them.  Becoming rich while others struggle to find food to eat does give one pause.  Yet,

both rich and poor may have an honest heart, open to the presence of God, if we made a personal connection with them.

What would you do if Jesus was in town?  Would you struggle through the crowds as you seek a good view of him?  Would you do anything to make sure you connected with Him in some way?   

We forget that, as Christians, baptized in the faith, Jesus IS with us through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  We don’t have to climb a tree to see our Lord.  We don’t have to wait for Jesus to invite Himself to our house.  All we have to do is spend a little time with Jesus daily as we read our scriptures or attend a worship service.

What would you do if some great theologian or evangelist called out to you and invited you to dine together?  What if your pastor asked you to ‘break bread’ together?  Would you be eager to dive into Christian conversation?  Would you feel as eager as Zachaeus to do what it takes to connect with one who has deep  insight regarding Jesus?  

On the other hand, you may be the one others connect with because of your love of Christ Jesus.  Ask yourself if you are willing to be a messenger of salvation to others and become part of an evangelism team who can seek and save the lost. There are many like Zachaeus who may be waiting for an invitation to dine with you and hear about the love, grace and mercy of God in Christ.

11-4  Nehemiah 6:1-19; Psalm 56,57,64,65; Revelation 10:1-11; 

           Matthew 13:36-43

Matthew 13:37  Jesus answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one.”  

I still love to drive by huge fields with perfectly shaped wheat waving in the breeze, their golden grains glistening

in the sun.  Inevitably there is an odd shoot every few feet sticking straight into the air, disrupting the beauty of this field of gold.  Those ugly shoots are not touched until harvest time when all is gathered and the bad parts are separated and destroyed.

Jesus taught in parables because they were like word puzzles.  The curious, those choosing to glean more of Jesus’ wisdom,  would have to ask what Jesus meant and that is just what his disciples did.  So Jesus took his chosen team aside and explained to this curious crew what he meant.  

God is in charge.  Christ-followers and pagans will continue to grow in the same world but at the end of time God will send His angels to clear out “all causes of sin and evildoers.”  

Think about it:  Can you recall your ‘growing spurt’ when

you made the decision to drink in all of the nutrients our Lord has to offer?  Did you spend more time reading scripture, attending Christian functions and dedicate your Sunday mornings [or more often] to the Lord?  Did ‘interlopers’ wonder why you were growing in a different way when you declined a Sunday morning invitation to breakfast with your friends?  

All of this is good but instead of changing friends, we are called to be with our non-Christian friends as we grow in Christ.  All we have to do is re-arrange our meeting times with friends so that our time with the Lord comes first.  God will amaze you as you continue loving that person the same way you always have.  The Lord will either draw your friend into your Christian world or separate you in His timing.  

It’s a struggle to stand strong in Christ when our friends want to draw us into a lifestyle that causes us to deny our Lord or live in unholy ways.  It’s that struggle that makes us stronger in our faith.  We are not called to isolate ourselves in our ‘perfect’ Christ-centered world but to be a transformative figure in the life of one who might be struggling between worldly ways and Godly ways.

As “children of God” we are called to grow strong and steadfast. God will do the rest.

11-5  Nehemiah 12:27-31, 42b-47; Psalm 61, 62, 8; Revelation 11:1-19; Matthew 13:44-52

Nehemiah 12:27 “Now at the dedication of the wall of

Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgiving, and with

singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.”

We near the end of a great story.  Yet, it is only the beginning of Israel’s return to worshipping God.  The daily scripture readings offer the highlights of the story.  Find some time to read Ezra and Nehemiah to enjoy their intertwined stories.  It really does read like a novel.  Brave ones chose to leave Babylon and return to a pile of rubble where God’s city, Jerusalem, use to stand.  

In today’s story, the people celebrate the completion of the building of the Jerusalem wall which was no easy task.  The intrigue, skirmishes and participation of whole families to keep the wall-building from being delayed and the city safe is riveting.  During the building of the wall, entire villages surrounding Jerusalem sprung up.  People from all over Judah were drawn into this exciting venture.

And now to CELEBRATE!  Notice that celebration is

music, like a heavenly choir.  Song and stringed instruments and joy-filled participants created a grand sight.  Of course the Levites, gathered from villages all over the area, led the way as two circles of leaders and a grand choir walked around the entire city on top of the wall.  One line circled one direction and another line of joyous lovers of God circled the other direction. 

“And the priests and Levites purified themselves and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.”  The rubble was rebuilt and blessed to glorify God and to remain God’s own for these people. 

What a glorious sight to those present.  The sounds could be heard for miles and the double-circle parade on top of the wall must have been a heavenly sight.  Oh to be there!  As we all know, the Jerusalem wall is still walked upon to this day. It is high and wide and can easily accommodate crowds of celebrants.

Think about it:  Can you imagine yourself on the Jerusalem wall as you celebrate the building of a new ministry or mission or even a new church body!  As we

participate in the growth of our church or the growth of a ministry, it is important to celebrate the progress of that journey.  

Think of a ministry in your church that few know about.  Has that ministry, with all its participants, been dedicated to the Lord in front of the entire congregation?  When you celebrate major feasts throughout the year, does each ministry represent themselves by parading hand-made banners around the church?  Do they process behind the leaders, elders and choir with the congregation join in with song?  Are there tambourines scattered randomly in the pews so people can join in with musical instrument?  

Celebration is important to mark turning points in the growth of the church body.  Perhaps you are the one God chose to talk to the leaders if you are not already celebrating Christ Jesus in special ways throughout the year.

11-6 Nehemiah 13:4-22; Psalm 72, 119:73-96; Revelation 12:1-12; 

         Matthew 13:53-58

Nehemiah 13:14  Nehemiah prays,”Remember me, O

my God, concerning this and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.”

Eliashib, the temple priest, had provided Tobiah living quarters in a chamber of the temple that use to contain the tithes of grain, wine, oil and other items that should have been divided among the Levites, the caretakers of the temple.

     Tobia, an associate of Sanballett, an archenemy of Nehemaih, was thrown out when Nehemiah returned from Babylon.  

Nehemiah then restored the offerings and the utensils to their rightful places and called the Levites back from the surrounding villages to care for the temple.  The Levites  were commanded to purify themselves and be as gate keepers on the sabbath so no merchant could enter to sell food and wares.  No longer would the temple be desecrated as the Levites would help to keep the sabbath day holy.

:22b  “Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.”  Each of three times [chapters 10,12,13] Nehemiah restores the communally ordained regulations

of the temple he prays, “Remember, O God.”  Remember is more than not forgetting.  A prayer to “Remember” is meant the same way as the Jewish people “remembered” the building of the wall.  “Remember" the purification and proper use of the temple to worship You, O God.  
      This is another time of celebration but the celebration is in Nehemiah’s heart.  It’s as if he is saying, “Don’t forget, O God, that I’m doing my best to restore your Precious Presence into the hearts of Your chosen people.”

Think about it:  Have you observed the way people walk into the Holy Presence of God when you worship?  Do you walk into silence when entering the worship space?  Do you immediately find a seat and open your heart to God, perhaps in a prayer of thanksgiving?  Or is the space filled with chatter?  

When you look at the front of the church are there

people straggling about or do you see the altar, free of excess, free of distractions so that you can recollect the empty altar of sacrifice now that the sacrifice of the ‘blood of the Lamb’, Jesus Christ, is shed once, for all?  

In the same way, is your own ‘temple’, your soul, cluttered with unforgiveness, frustrations, worries or simple distractions when you come into the precious presence of our Lord?  Nehemiah used his authority to return order to the Jerusalem temple.  We have the authority of God in Christ planted in us at baptism, the Holy Spirit.  All we have to do is call upon the Holy Spirit to help us cleanse our heart, our soul, so that we can be wholly attentive to what the Lord has in store for us when we worship and adore Him.

Next time you attend a worship service, be observant, especially before the service begins.  Are you walking into a holy and sacred space filled with the Lord’s presence or is it like a marketplace where each is selling empty chatter instead of focused prayer?  Observe, pray, ask the Lord what should be taking place.  Go to your leaders and ask how you can be part of the solution if there is a need.   The Lord will remember the actions of your heart.

11-7  Ezra 7:11-26; Psalm 71-74; Revelation 14:1-13; Matthew 14:1-12

Psalm 74:21 Let the afflicted and needy praise your name.

As you read Ezra and Nehemiah, you will note the various celebrations during the long period of time that each part of Jerusalem is rebuilt.  The people knew many of the psalms by heart because they were passed down from generation to generation, even while they were in exile.  

I’d like to imagine that God’s chosen people may have sung psalms while working long hours to rebuild the Jerusalem wall and temple.  Life was hard and entire families sacrificed much to restore Jerusalem.  On some long hot days, spontaneous song may have begun with one person while others chimed in.  It would be a joy to behold.

      Today we pass around video taken with our smart phone held high in the air.  We notice others spontaneously doing the same as someone begins to sing in the middle of an indoor Mall.  One person sings soft, tentative phrases and then another chimes in.  Soon five others join in harmony and before we know what is happening we have the Hallelujah Chorus sung by dozens in front of hundreds of spectators.   Even the ardent non-Christian can’t help but be enamored by the sense of celebration, the community effort, the beauty of collective song.  

Think about it: Words of praise are like sweet incense to the Lord.  Words sung to glorify our Lord are like a prayer said twice.  Spontaneous praise is good for the soul.

Do you know a psalm that is set to music?  You might be surprised how many psalms you’ve sung at church.  Do you sometimes surprise yourself by spontaneously singing a phrase or two of a psalm or Christian song while going about your daily business?  

     Music that emerges from our soul spontaneously delights the heart while it delights the Lord.  Take some time to memorize a scripture that you can sing.  Tuck it into your heart.  You might be surprised when the words and notes come to life spontaneously when you least expect it.