When the Worst Happens

Friday, March 29, 2013 -- Good Friday

[Go to http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html for an online version of the Daily Office including today's scripture readings.]

Today's Readings for the Daily Office
     (Book of Common Prayer, p. 956)
Psalms    95* and 22 (morning)     //     40:1-14(15-19), 54 (evening)
Wisdom** 1:16 - 2:1, 12-22 or Genesis 22:1-14
1 Peter 1:10-20
John 13:36-38 (morning)       John 19:38-42 (evening)
      * for the Invitatory
      ** found in the Apocrypha

When the worst happens. That's today.

When a good person gets run over by injustice.  When a friend betrays.  When the systems of religion and society fail.  When leaders make bad decisions.  When fear predominates.  When friends don't come through.  When love is returned with callousness.  When one who has healed is broken.  When violence erupts.  When compassion is absent.  When public humiliation is inevitable.  When there is nothing you can say.  When there is no way out.  When goodness counts for nothing.  When the wrong people are in charge.  When the mob starts to turn.  When everything you stood for is dashed.  When horrible pain is unavoidable.  When you wish it would end and it doesn't.  When evil triumphs.  When the taste for torture feeds.  When the strong oppress the weak.  When people entertain their lowest instincts.  When they lie.  When everyone abandons.  When the powerful attack.  When exhaustion hits.  When thirst is burning.  When you can't breathe.  When death is inevitable, slow agony.  When God is absent.  When there is no consolation.  When all is hopeless. 

That's today.  That's what Jesus faces today.  It's the worst that can happen.

This is the story.  This is the picture, the image that we look upon and say -- here is where the heart of God is most deeply revealed.  Here is where God is.  Wait.  Look.  See.

Lowell
__________

Audio podcast:  Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week.  Go to: http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html

About Morning Reflections

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.

Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html

Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location

-- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church

is to explore and celebrate

God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life: 

We aspire to...

    worship weekly

    pray daily

    learn constantly

    serve joyfully 

    live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Fayetteville, Arkansas