15th Week of Pentecost

James 1:19-27
Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of a man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Luke 17:20-25
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ (or) ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in his day). But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.

Practical wisdom and end times prophecies are both a part of the Faith. We can not be only “practical” Christians or only “mystical” Christians, but are called to both. Love and truth, love in truth. We are not the charity society neither are we aloof spiritualists. Rather we are children of God in relationship with God and the world, proclaiming the kingdom while also mystically being there.

Praise, glory and honor to the sweet Fragrance emanating from the divinity on high;
the healing Balm that purifies the hearts of sinners;
the One known, praised and glorified in unity and Trinity.
To the Good One is due glory and honor this morning
and all the days of our lives,
now and forever.
Amen.