Readings and Reflections

 "The world is changed by your example not by your opinion!" —Paulo Coehlo  

 

 "It is not that we keep His commandments first, and that then He loves; but that He loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud." — St. Augustine of Hippo 

 

2026 Easter Message

to the Diocese of the West

“Because upon the first glad Easter day,

The stone that sealed His tomb was rolled away;

So, through the deepening shadows of death’s night,

Men see an open door…beyond it light.”

Ida Norton Munson

I would encourage you to take a few moments to consider just what is that

“light beyond”. What was it, what is it, and what could it be?

Initially, that light meant to the disciples that Jesus had triumphed over death. He had survived the brutal journey to the cross. They had witnessed his death. They had experienced the end of their hopes and dreams, a complete destruction of their ideals and religious certainties.

And yet, at their darkest time, from the garden came the almost unbelievable

news: THE LORD IS RISEN!

The most amazing news is that we, too, may witness and experience His triumph in our lives when each of us commits unreservedly to Him. When we begin to share in His light, that wondrous victory of Easter, we can find the strength and courage to daily embrace Him and live in that “Peace which passeth all understanding”.

HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

May God Bless you this Easter Season with the joy of His Resurrection.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

The Right Reverend Robert M. Hammond

 

 

WHITSUNTIDE

 

Whitsunday.
The Collect

O GOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending* to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen

For the Epistle Acts 2:1

WHEN the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilæans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, where in we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome. Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

The Gospel St. John 14:15

JESUS said unto his disciples, If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us. and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you be fore it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.