The Church of the Advent of Christ the King

Latin Vigil Mass,The Eve of All Saints’ Day.

Suffering ~ Parish clergy walk with people through many ups and downs. The ups are easy. Explaining the downs is a challenge. People suffer many things: grief, illness, death, uncertainty, money problems, depression, and anxiety. Suffering is hard to understand, because everything in our culture entices us to avoid it. We are consumers seeking to escape any discomfort or deprivation. Look at the pharmacy and grocery store shelves. Christians regularly reflect... on the meaning of suffering because it’s through suffering that God in Christ redeemed us. In our baptism we die to self and rise with Christ. But we should never suffer for suffering’s sake making an unhealthy piety of it. We embrace it in order to overcome it. As we lose our life for the sake of the Gospel, we find the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. We want to run from suffering, but what if we faced it and walked through it? Christ walked through it and showed us the road to redemption. Theologian Karl Barthe wrote this about how suffering is transformed for the Christian, Our tribulation, without ceasing to be tribulation, is transformed. We must suffer, as we suffered before, but our suffering is no longer a passive perplexitybut is transformed into a pain which is fruitful, creative, full of power and promisethe road which is impassable has been made known to us in the crucified and risen Lord. See more

October 30, Evening Prayer

October 29, Evening Prayer, James Hannington and his Companions, Bishop and Martyrs, 1885. Psalm:103.

Evening Prayer & Low Mass for the Feast of Saints Simon & Jude

Please join us at 6.30 pm for Low Mass after Evening Prayer at 6.00 pm. Live stream here.

October 27, Evening Prayer

Evening Prayer Wed Oct 26th, 2020 Psalm 44

Sunday, October 25, Sung Mass

October 24, Latin Vigil Mass

Preposition Power ~ In the second chapter of Galatians St. Paul writes, A person is justified not by the works of the law but by faith IN Jesus Christ. An alternative reading from the original language is, A person is justified not by the works of the law but by THE faith OF Jesus Christ. Faith IN Christ and the faith OF Christ point to two different stages of the Christian life. To have faith IN Christ is passive. To have the faith OF Christ is active.... To have faith IN Christ is the first stage. We lean on Christ for answers and assurance. Many get stuck in this stage and decide it is their mission to MAKE others have faith IN Christ. This breeds pridefulness and self-assured security. Many Christians feel safe staying there. The next stage is when we start practicing the faith OF Jesus Christ. We begin to mature in Christ. Pride is replaced with humility as we compare our faith to that of Jesus in his earthly life. We have very little time to evaluate the faith of others because we are using our spiritual energy to grow into Christ’s way of relating to God. This is the faith of Jesus: thank and adore God no matter what life is throwing at you. Trust in God not the opinion of others. Seek the Kingdom of God not human power. Gaze upon God more than you gaze upon your problems. The faith of Christ draws us out of ourselves toward God and others. We become active disciples not patrons waiting for Jesus to save us. Our faith transforms us and make us well. [Update: My sister Joyce is recovering and hopes to return to work soon. My whole family appreciates all your prayers and well wishes. Peace.]

10/23 St. James of Jerusalem Evening Prayer, 6 pm Low Mass, 6:30 pm

Oct 22, Evening Prayer. Eve of the feast of Saint James of Jerusalem, Psalm 84&150