FRIDAY, April 23 (George)

Colossians 2:8-23. ...holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

Paul is using one of his favorite metaphors, comparing the body of Christ, the church, to a human body. You might compare yourself, as a living member of Christ's body, to a little toe, or, if you are humbler in your self-estimate, to a single tiny cell. Rudolf Virchow, the great pioneer pathologist, defined the human body as "a cell state in which every cell is a citizen." Every cell of Christ's body is a human being of infinite importance--and value--to Christ.

In any body, the mutual interdependence of the cells is such that each cell is important for the body to grow and flourish.

When the church--even a small part of it--is growing in Christ-likeness, it is experiencing the only growth that is from God. Other increases may develop from this, such as growth in numbers, in assets, in influence for good. But the only growth that comes surely from God is growth of the members in the likeness of God's Son, our Lord. Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke the whole truth in these words: "What matters in the church is not religion but the form of Christ, and its taking form amidst a band of men." (1989)

PRAY for the Chapels Royal, Royal and Religious Peculiars, and Westminster Abbey (Church of England)

Ps 105:1-22 * 105:23-45; Exodus 24:1-18; Matthew 4:12-17

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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Apr 23, 2010 at 7:10 am

Written by Mike Patterson,

Today's meditation hit me upside the head. As a senior warden, I do focus my attention on growth, numbers, budget, etc. What I never think about is how we are growing members in Christ. This is something I've always left to the purview of our priest. This author woke me up to the truth that lay leaders are as responsible for this as ministers. The question we lay members need to answer is, How? What can we do better to grow members in Christ? This is certainly a meditation worth pondering today, tomorrow and in the weeks ahead.

Giving Permission

Apr 23, 2010 at 8:12 am

Written by Steve Doutt,

Mike,

Thank you for starting the conversation.
We have to be given permission; and, we have to feel safe.
Stay with me for a moment. Everyone is programmed. We've all been conditioned in all that we do. (Insert nature vs. nurture debate). Christianity can be a very dangerous profession. When we profess our faith we draw attention to ourselves while at the same time feeling ignorant and vulnerable.
This meditation uses the words "church" and "religion" very precisely, and I feel, accurately. I am a cell in the church. The church is not a building or a denomination. I practice religion, but that is not what Jesus the Christ (messiah) primarily wants me to do when he sends me out.
Now, about permission --- someone needs to flip the switch that changes me from a "sheep" in the "flock" to a self-actualized minister by virtue of my baptism.
Jesus, help me.

Editor, Forward Day by Day

Apr 23, 2010 at 10:20 am

Written by Richard H Schmidt,

Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful comments. I was once rector of a large parish in a well-to-do neighborhood of a major city. For several years I had had the sense that my parishiones had "hired" me to do the ministry of the church, rather in the way some of them hired a gardener to tend their yards or an attorney to do their legal work. One day a picture came into my mind of myself standing behind a large moving van full of furniture trying to push it 300 miles to Chicago, with my parishioners standing to the side and commenting on my efforts. They did not offer to help drive or provide gasoline. I was expected to push the van along the Interstate by myself. Fortunately, I was later rector of a parish where I felt like part of a team, not a hired hand. You will not be surprised to learn that when I retire from Forward Day by Day, my wife and I will move back to the community where the second chruch is located. This meditation brought all that to mind for me. Dick Schmidt

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Apr 23, 2010 at 10:24 am

Written by Mary kier,

When I read this meditation I interpret it and the verse to mean we are - every cell of us-
a part of Christ. As we grow and develop in Christ our relationship to him deepens. While on the ouside the church grows in numbers and pupose. if we start from the inside using his analogy (water the roots, sunshine and prune)
the tree will grow in strength and new branches willgrow and bud.

Cell to cell connection

Apr 23, 2010 at 11:25 am

Written by Gaye Anne McWade,

I love knowing that the connecting element we share is our Lord's own life and divine self — His heart of love for the Father and US.

"Royal and Religious Peculiars"

Apr 23, 2010 at 3:11 pm

Written by JohnN,

The meditation was helpful and thoughtful and sorry that my question/comment doesn't have to do with it and is instead about the people we are supposed to pray for today. Does anyone know what/who are "royal and religious peculiars"? I tried googling but the only results were 7 links that say that is who we are supposed to pray for on this day in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer without explaining what royal and religious peculiars are. Thanks.

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Apr 24, 2010 at 8:11 am

Written by Andrea,

John: I had the same question and saw this on wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Peculiar. Basically, Royal Peculiars are churches that are not part of a diocese, but instead are directly under the British monarch. There are also non-royal peculiars that are not directly under the monarch but are also not part of a diocese - I guess these are the "Religious Peculiars."

When First I Saw His Face

Apr 25, 2010 at 6:36 am

Written by Lois Costa,

When I joined the Episcopal church it was in some part due to the history of a particular church in my community. At the time I joined they had started what was then a feeding program for the poor participated in by 16 churches. It had all begun at a church pot luck dinner. Four hungery people showed up with no pot. My fear is that I would have said, "No pot? On your way." Or, at least that I would have felt that way. But they were fed and welcomed. They came to the next church dinner with their friends, and more dinners, more hungry people. The church members asked themselves, "What is God calling us to do?" And the 16-church feeding program was the ultimate result. Rev. Schmidt's comments reminded me of this wonderful body of Christ. Hopefully today because of my connectedness to this living body of Christ my desire is to feed His sheep.

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