My text for this evening is from:
Ephesians 2:19 King James Version (KJV)
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;As a former Immigrant from the Netherlands to Australia via New Zealand I read this text fequently in the course of my life. The reason being is that I have always find it very difficult to settle somewhere as the pullback to the homeland has always been there. The course of it could have been that I left home for good at 17, had never been further then Germany and had to live with strangers overseas. As I said before changes are unsettling, but even if you stay your whole life in one country there are many changes in the world around you. Politically and socially and let me not forget technologically. Even in the Church of God , just when we thought we were settled in a spiritual home of our own , someone comes along and makes all sorts of uncesssary changes and quite often the word "heresies" comes on a our lips. Some of my Glory years when it comes to keeping the Catholic Faith were in the nineties in the sanctuary of Christ Church Anglican Brunswick, Melbourne. It was such a joy, but it is never coming back. Blessed Saint Paul tells us that our journey often through a valley of tears in this world is only temporary.
If we keep the Faith inspite everything that goes against us then our future is mapped out as a citizen in Heaven. Blessed Church Father Saint Augustine, in his " confessions " tells us we are restless until we rest in Thee and so it is. On earth we shall never find that perfect peace, which Christ can only give us. There is one particularly prayer, which is often said during Evensong and I think that it is a good one to close this little blog for Sunday evening :
John Donne (1571 - 1631)
Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral
Our Last Awakening
Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven, to enter into that gate and dwell in that house, where there shall be no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light; no noise nor silence, but one equal music; no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity: in the habitations of thy majesty and glory, world without end.
Amen.
I pray that if you feel a bit restless like me this evening, that this prayer and also the text of my blog may bring you comfort and peace.
Blessings for the new week.
Father Ed Bakker,
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Launceston
Tasmania
Australia
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