A Site Map...

I thought you might like to know where things are...

There are four sections in this blogsite:

1. “Saint Joseph-behind-the-Walls” – including everything from our gathering hymns to our Scripture lessons to my homily to the blessing. (By the way, the Fellowship of Saint Joseph-behind-the-Walls is the little fellowship of Anglican believers behind these walls, to which I am Vicar).

2. “Prayers-behind-the-Walls” – including the prayers updated and used each week by the Brothers (Inmates) of The Fellowship of Saint Joseph-behind-the-Walls.

3. “My Ministry-behind-the-Walls” – my personal reflections (as I attempt to be of use to Inmates, Staff, and Volunteers) on what it means to be a prison chaplain.

4. “My Memories-behind-the-Walls” – the Archive of all that I’ve written and posted on this blogsite.

Please feel free to e-mail me at fr.todd4you@yahoo.com with any comments or questions you may have. May God bless you as you read and as you pray with us!




A Word about Sunday’s Mass...

The Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 9, 2010

(Will be updated shortly...)

Father Todd Boyce, Vicar
The Fellowship of Saint Joseph
Sunday, May 9, 2010

Our Gathering Hymns...

“Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna!”
Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna! Celebrate this day of days!
Christ is risen! Hush in wonder: All creation is amazed.
In the desert all surrounding, see, a spreading tree has grown.
Healing leaves of grace abounding bring a taste of love unknown.

Christ is risen! Raise your spirits from the caverns of despair.
Walk with gladness in the morning. See what love can do and dare.
Drink the wine of resurrection; not a servant, but a friend. Jesus is our strong companion. Joy and peace shall never end.

Christ is risen! Earth and heaven nevermore shall be the same.
Break the bread of new creation where the world is still in pain.
Tell its grim, demonic chorus: “Christ is risen! Get you gone!”
God the First and Last is with us. Sing Hosanna, every one!


“Hosanna”
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
Lord, we lift up your Name, with hearts full of praise!
Be exalted, O Lord our God! Hosanna in the highest!

Glory! Glory! Glory to the risen King!
Glory! Glory! Glory to the risen King!
Lord, we lift up your Name, with hearts full of praise!
Be exalted, O Lord our God! Glory to the risen King!


“Gloria in excelsis Deo”
Glory to God! Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God; peace on his earth; good will to men!
Praises and blessing, worship and glory, be unto you,
O Lord our God, our heavenly King, Father Almighty!
Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory to God on high!

Only-begotten Son of the Father, the Lamb of God,
You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!
You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer!
You sit at God the Father’s right hand, have mercy on us!
Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory to God on high!

Glory to God! Glory to God in the highest!
Glory to God; peace on his earth; good will to men!
Holy are you! Alone you are Lord, with th’Holy Spirit!
+ You are most high in the Father’s glory! Amen! Amen!
Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory to God on high!

Lessons from Sacred Scripture...

A Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures
‘21Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! 22Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and vine give their full yield. 23Be glad, O sons of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord, your God; for he has given the early rain for your vindication, he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. 24The threshing floors shall be full of grain, the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 25I will restore to you the years which the swarming locust has eaten; the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter; my great army, which I sent among you. 26You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. 27You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame.’ Joel 2:21-27 RSV


Worshiping God with a Psalm: Psalm Sixty-seven
(musical refrain in italics: “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”)
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea; there’s a kindness in his justice, which is more than liberty.

May God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of his countenance and come to us. Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations.

There is welcome for the sinner, and more graces for the good; there is mercy with the Savior; there is healing in his Blood.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide all the nations upon earth.

For the love of God is broader than the measure of man’s mind; and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. The earth has brought forth her increase; may God, our own God, give us his blessing. May God give us his blessing, and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.

If our love were but more simple, we should take him at his Word; and our lives would be all sunshine in the sweetness of our Lord.


A Lesson from the Epistles
‘10And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 22And I saw no Temple in the city, for its Temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, 25and its gates shall never be shut by day – and there shall be no night there; 26they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 22:1Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him; 4they shall see his face, and his Name shall be on their foreheads. 5And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.’ Revelation 21:10-12, 14, 22-22:5 RSV


A Lesson from the Gospels
‘18[Jesus said,] “I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you. 19Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. 20In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe.”’ St. John 14:18-29 RSV

The Vicar’s Homily...

“The Journey to a Place called Joy: Where Joy has Withered, Love can Sprout Surprises”

Given the Sixth Sunday of Easter – May 9, 2010

(Will be updated shortly...)

Father Todd Boyce, Vicar
The Fellowship of Saint Joseph
Sunday, May 9, 2010

Our Communion Hymns...

“Open My Eyes, That I May See”
Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God thy will to see;
open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wave-notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God thy will to see;
open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God thy will to see;
open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!

The Blessing and Dismissal...

The Blessing
May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the + Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you now and for ever. Amen.


The Dismissal
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia.


“Sometimes a Light Surprises”
Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;
it is the Lord who rises with healing in His wings.
When comforts are declining, he grants the soul again
a season of clear shining to cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation we sweetly then pursue
the theme of God’s salvation and find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow we cheerfully can say:
Let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.

It can bring with it nothing but he will bear us through;
who gives the lilies clothing will clothe his people, too.
Beneath the spreading heavens no creature but is fed;
and he who feeds the ravens will give his children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit should bear;
though all the field should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there;
yet God the same abiding, his praise shall tune my voice;
for while in him confiding I cannot but rejoice.




Unfairly Tainted?

I sat in an office today, having a conversation with co-workers. We were laughing, exchanging the kind of news more often shared among neighbors than co-workers, and I cracked a joke that turned the mood in the room to unease. I made reference to my clerical collar, and, with a grin on my face, asked if it were possible to get into trouble while wearing such an outfit (because people so often stiffen and stifle any sense of humor around a priest, I often use self-deprecating humor to set them at ease).

As I did this today, a man I very much respect (one of our Officers) looked at me and asked a simple question, “Have you seen the news lately?” The smiles turned to gaping mouths. The laughter ceased, and the mood changed instantly. Of course, he was making reference to the irreparable harm done to so many children by certain Roman Catholic priests.

I immediately disavowed any connection with the Roman Church and stated my long-held belief that, while Rome gets many things right, celibacy for all priests is a violation of clear Biblical doctrine – a violation that has been visited upon countless children. I explained that I’m an Anglican or Anglo-Catholic priest, and that I am a very happily married man.

I shared with those present that, from time to time, when I go into public while wearing my clerics I do get the occasional “dirty look” from a passerby. It makes me want to wear a sign stating: “I’m not Roman Catholic, don’t blame me.” We all laughed a nervous laugh, and I left the room to attend to my duties.

Yet, as I passed through three gates to find my way back to the Chapel Library, my mind settled on something I hadn’t thought about. Nearly one third of all Inmates in American prisons are serving time for sexual crimes – including the Inmate population in Kentucky. These are men to whom I minister. These are men who, like all human beings, are grasping for hope and some form of redemption. And these are men who, again, like all human beings, are capable of great wrongs and have given proof of that capability.

Is my collar – my outward identity as a priest in God’s Church – unfairly tainted by its sad association with such a great evil? Should I writhe in indignation when I catch sight of that mistrustful glance? Should I point the finger of blame at brothers who clearly need help, or at the bishops who failed to get them the help they needed? (Please understand that I in no way seek to absolve of responsibility these or any other men judged guilty of sexual abuse – I mean only to ask the less obvious question: “Am I without sin?”)

My Lord was unfairly accused – he who knew no sin. When he hung upon the cross did he point at me and say, “There’s the culprit, now leave me alone”? Of course not. Yet, he also said that any man who leads one of his little ones astray will suffer untold agonies. I wonder if those agonies might not come in the form of feeling the effects of what they have wrought, just as Jesus felt it upon the cross? I wonder whether the mercy shown them in their contrition and repentance – if there be any – will involve the healing of the sexual abuse that so many abusers themselves have suffered.

Unfortunately, in the course of my duties, I often have to access information I would rather not see. Thus far, the Lord has given me the graces I need to not let it affect my work of helping, counseling, and walking with the men in my care. This much I know: I have read about the torments of hell and I have been placed among the demons to help sift out and save the souls of men created in God’s Image.

So, am I tainted – am I, along with my collar and my identity as a priest, tainted by association? Yes. Can I let it bother me? No. I work and pray and worship in a place where demons and angels contend continually and openly for the souls of men. I don’t have time to let it bother me. After all, the collar I wear is an outward and visible sign that I am a prisoner for Christ.

Please pray for the healing, restoration, salvation, and sanctification of all victims of sexual abuse – many have left Jesus because of what has happened to them. Please pray for the healing, restoration, salvation, and sanctification of all sexual abusers – many are unrepentant and many are trying to cling to Jesus without allowing him to transform them.

Father Todd Boyce, Vicar
The Fellowship of Saint Joseph
Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Father-heart of God...in Me?

I don’t know what it is that God is wanting from me. I’m being stretched in places that I never would have guessed at, and pushed in places that – until now – I would have left alone. While I know that God has a purpose for everything he puts us through, I’ve had a difficult time swallowing some of the things I’ve gone through recently.

Before the call to full-time prison chaplaincy came into my life – and let’s face it, it wasn’t my choice – I thought I was doing just fine as a pastor. In fact, after eleven years of building a congregation from three people to eighteen families with moderate to high involvement in the parish, I thought I knew something about parish ministry – so much so that I was ready to plant a new Anglican parish in Mt. Sterling.

Ha!!! “Pride goeth before the fall!” From the moment that Emily informed me of Chaplain Stilson’s impending retirement – and from the moment her flock lovingly encouraged me to look into the possibilities – I knew my dreams were dead. Grudgingly – even angrily – I submitted my resume and filled out the lengthy application. With a sickness in my heart, I went to the interview. And with a feeling that can only be described as grief, I heard the words, “You’ve got the job!” My plans had completely vanished.

After having gone through the first part of training and orientation, my first full week of being on duty in the prison came during Christmas of 2008 – I spent Christmas Eve and Day, as well as New Year’s Eve and Day at the prison. And while there is no earthly reason for it, I couldn’t wait to get out of bed and go to work! As I came to understand my remit from the Department of Corrections, I began to see challenges and opportunities that were previously invisible to me.

Having been a church member who was put to work – as a candidate for ordained ministry – in two large congregations – one with more than 900 members and another with more than 2,200 – I saw first-hand what a senior pastor does and what he has to juggle. I’ve said, over and over again, that I never want to be in that position. Surprise!!! I’m one of two Chaplains overseeing the spiritual care of 1,751 Inmates and 372 Officers and Staff. I’m one of two Chaplains overseeing a Volunteer Program that numbers 63 Certified Volunteers and 912 Non-Certified Volunteers. I’m one of two Chaplains overseeing 7 major religious events each year in our prison. I’m one of two Chaplains handling the day-to-day needs of the Inmates – death notices, emergency notices, and counseling. And, in a few months, I’ll be the only Chaplain doing this – due to the impending retirement of my lone colleague.

The challenges were nice – for a while. The rapid pace was nice – for a while. Rising to the challenge was nice – for a while. The amazing support from the administration for my celebrating the Mass and engaging in some of the Inmates in discipleship was wonderful – for a while. Even my supervisor’s amazingly generous assertion – he’ not a Chaplain, by the way – that it’s a God-thing for me to be a prison Chaplain was wonderful – for a while. But I still needed to see the whole picture.

You see, if we look at each of those nice/wonderful things as a mountaintop experience, there must needs be a corresponding valley experience. Over the past year and a half, I’ve had plenty of both. In addition to that, I volunteered to take on more and more of the administrative and pastoral duties, knowing that my colleague will be retiring. I had no other choice. I needed to know what I’m made of while he’s still there to help me. And in the process I discovered something that every man deeply wants to know about himself, and something he deeply fears.

I discovered that I’m up to the challenge. I’ve run the course in a couple of practice laps, and discovered that I can to do it. I can juggle the meetings, the grievances, the requests, the need for patient teaching – applied to both Inmates and Volunteers, the oddball situations, the shocking occurrences – I’ve been both mooned and flashed, the heart-breaking situations – telling a man that his little son has died and he can’t go to the funeral, the implementation of massive new programs – the Kosher program gave me the title of Rabbi Todd, planning and publishing on a weekly basis my own worship/discipleship material for the Fellowship of Saint Joseph, and much more.

The frightening thing has been something small, by comparison. Nevertheless, it shook me to the core over the past couple of months. It was this simple, little question: “Do I want to do this for the next twenty years?” It was all coming to a head one morning on my way into work. As I crested the hill to turn into the prison driveway, I looked up at the prison. There’s a ten story tower that dominates the facility – it’s amazing what you can see from up there! In an instant I realized that I had to see everything I’m doing from God’s perspective – looking down, if you will, from above.

Up to that point, I thought I knew – quite well, actually – the theological underpinnings of my priestly ministry. In that moment, however, I came to realize that I knew nothing if I did not understand the Father-heart of God at work within my ministry. If a priest is called “father” because he’s the head of a local family in Christ – not because he’s trying to be God – then hadn’t I better take that title seriously?!?

Up to that point, I had been looking at all the jumble of duties as – at worst – distractions from my real purpose for being in prison and – at best – the price to pay for ministry there. The fact is, those are the duties of a father in Christ. A true father tends to the needs of his family – however odd-ball or sorely needed. My preaching and disciple-making must flow out of my family-tending. My celebration of the Sacred Mysteries in the holy Mass is meaningless if I have neglected the needs of the family to whom I am ministering. In fact, such celebrations actually mock God’s redeeming purpose if I find myself ignoring the daily needs of his children placed in my care.

As I drove up the long hill to Post One, to enter the parking lot, the breath was taken out of me. I knew what I had to do. I had to make the choice to see my work in that prison as an integrated whole. Only then could I serve, as “Father Todd”, the men and women in my care; only then could we receive the wholeness God has in mind for us. Please pray for us!

Father Todd Boyce, Vicar
The Fellowship of Saint Joseph
Saturday, April 17, 2010




Sunday, April 11, 2010

Archived Homily: “When the Past Pops Up: Why the Lord Reminds Us of His Call, Watches Our Reaction, and Helps Us Deal with It”

Well, Brothers, I’ve done it now! The events of the past week in my own life provide the backdrop for today’s homily. Evidently, the Lord painted a bull’s eye on me and said, “Okay, son, here’s the message; now preach it!” So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to share with you what’s been going on and what the Lord is trying to say. But first, there’s something you need to know about me. I have a past, and every so often the Lord brings it up that I might deal with it, learn from it, and both give and receive healing and forgiveness. You see, from the moment I was old enough to apply for a credit card, I’ve had trouble with spending money and not meeting my obligations. That little problem continued well into my twenties and wasn’t finally fixed until I married a wonderful woman named Emily. But the damage that was done was deep and it was profound. For whatever reason – and I can honestly tell you that I’m still not sure why, I found it easier to run away from my debts, even though it was ruining whatever shred of a good reputation I may have had. The fact of the matter was this: I had a very deep character flaw. My behavior and attitude were not matching my words, let alone the image I projected of myself to others. I was living two lives, and I didn’t want people to see the side of me that looked very much un-saved and un-caring. Over the years – especially the last nine years, Emily has gently, lovingly, and consistently helped me clean up the mess I made. Never once has she condemned me for what I had done. Yet I knew, by her steady witness and commitment to the Lord, that the secrets I had kept and the actions I had undertaken were wrong. Bit by painful bit, we’ve cleaned up the effects of my past. We’ve sought to undo the damage that I had done. And all the while we’ve clearly understood that the motivation for doing so is the realization of my forgiveness in the Lord. Out of gratitude for his forgiveness – and for my wife’s patience and gentleness – I have sought to “do right” by those I had harmed. I guess that’s why the events of this past week were so hard to swallow. You see, my past popped up and bit me; and not only that, it did so in an area that I thought had been completely cleaned up and made right. It turns out that I have some more restitution to do. I’m ashamed to tell you that I reacted very bitterly. I threw around threats of taking my business elsewhere, I demanded explanations, I felt hurt and vilified – even justified in my bitterness. When Emily did some digging, we found out that the money I owed to this business originated from a debt created more than eleven years ago. This debt of $280.00 had somehow gotten lost in my attempts to make things right. Even more importantly, it’s sudden appearance revealed another work that the Lord wants to accomplish within me: He wants me to be more humble. He wants me to receive his messages with maturity and grace. He wants me to rejoice in his correction of my soul. The day after I received word of this hidden debt, I began to feel uneasy about my self-righteous response. That night – as I began looking at Scripture lessons for today’s Mass – I saw how wrong my response had been. I began to see myself in the crowd that wanted to hurl Jesus over the cliff. I saw his eyes looking at me, wanting me to “get it” and to continue growing up. I immediately sent an e-mail to the person most hurt by my self-righteous response and I told her how very sorry and embarrassed I was. I also knew – at that moment – what I would be sharing with you today. Yes, I’m forgiven; and yes, the Lord has put away my sins as far as the East is from the West. But the effects of those sins still abide in this fallen world, and even when our past pops up in front of us – as it will from time to time – the Lord graciously steps in to make use of a teachable moment. So, let’s take this teachable moment from my life and learn from it what our Lord has in mind. We read in the Gospel according to Saint Luke that Jesus had some difficult things to say to the congregation in Nazareth. He grew up among them and he is God, so he knew – from two different perspectives – the pasts of his listeners. He knew their pasts from the perspective of one who would have heard the rumors and seen the attempts to cover them up while a boy in their midst; but he also knew their pasts from the intimacy of a much deeper perspective – that of God. And so, as he reminds them of their sins and hardened hearts – by making reference to the God-led actions of Elijah and Elisha – they respond with self-righteousness. The reason that Jesus could not do a mighty work in his hometown – according to Jesus – is the same reason that Elijah and Elisha weren’t able to do their mighty works in and among God’s chosen people: The hearts of the people in Nazareth were hardened by hiding and secret-keeping and self-justification. We know that by the virulence of their reaction to Jesus’ words. In order for Jesus to work in the human heart, sin must first be dealt with. In fact – Biblically speaking, the removal of sin is the first and greatest of Jesus’ miracles within the heart of each believer. But when we – like those in Nazareth – put up the defense of outrage and indignation when Jesus points out our flaws, no miracle is possible within us. No fervent prayer – except that for a softened heart – can be answered in our lives. No hope can be entertained for a brighter future. No, indeed. For anything good to happen in the ‘Nazareth’ of our hearts our defenses need to be down and we need to listen willingly. Just look at what happened when Jesus began to point out the pasts of those in the congregation – and remember, he did so in the context of announcing the Good News of healing, restoration, and freedom. They responded in a rage of self-defense. He forced them to think about their sins. He forced them to remember their imperfections, and rather than trying to destroy their own sinfulness, they tried to destroy the One – the only One – who could help them. The first lesson that comes to us in this teachable moment is that we were created for more than our fallen human nature permits us to see. Just like the people of Nazareth, the purpose for which we were created involves so much more than self-justification of our self-centeredness. We were created to give glory to God and to enjoy him for ever and to share him with all the world! We were created for a higher purpose than our flesh – in and of itself – permits us to see. In today’s lesson from the Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord speaks to him and says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you (set you aside for a holy purpose); I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Imagine that! The Lord – even before Saint Jeremiah was conceived in his mother’s womb – already knew what he wanted Jeremiah’s life to be about. His gifts and talents were created for a purpose. The Lord knew that his fears and doubts would be answered by faith alone – not self-justification and running away in anger or fear. Indeed, our Lord graciously answered Saint Jeremiah’s doubts with words of promise. Does that mean we’re all called to be prophets? No. But it does mean that there’s a calling on each of our lives – a calling that’s hindered, and even destroyed, by the hardness of our hearts. There’s a calling on our lives that can only be discovered when we willingly and humbly respond to the Lord’s teachable moments. If we strike a defensive posture when he approaches us, how are we going to learn. Likewise, if we try to cover up our failings by declaring the truth that our sins are forgiven, never more to be dealt with – which is quite true – then we risk closing off an avenue of God’s grace and growth. It’s not up to us to decide when our Lord is done teaching. Saint Paul reminds us today that if we make the Gospel a creature of our own comfort and pleasure – without remembering the broader purpose of the Gospel – then we have become like children in our thinking. He reminds us that behaving as mature believers not only involves intimacy with the Lord – the kind of intimacy that allows his teachable moments to happen – but a godly concern for those around us. One of the things that distresses me about the state of the Church today is the hording to one’s self of the spiritual riches of God. There are all kinds of preachers who teach about God wanting us to be rich in material things, in spiritual gifts, and in self-indulgent – and even unbiblical – behavior. They make the pursuit of God into a hedonistic adventure in which we answer to no one; for in the subjectification of our relationship with the Lord we accomplish nothing but the loss of teachable moments. The truth of the matter is that we are given spiritual riches and right thinking as a tool to prod us along and edify those around us. And so, as I think about my missteps this past week and the teachable moment that arose out of them, I begin to see that God’s call on my life – as a believer – is to become a transparent vessel of his love. Why transparent? Because my family in the Lord and those who surround me in the world need to see how great is the grace of God. I no longer need to have any shame at the work taking place within me. My work of reparation – of cleaning up my mistakes and repairing the damage that was done – is evidently not over. The truth is it won’t be until the day I die. As long as the Lord is showing me my mistakes and the damage caused by them, and as long as his call on my life is to be open to him and to freely share the truth about his work within me, I can’t throw him over the hill. So, how is it with you this afternoon? Are there places in your life where the Lord is trying to share a teachable moment? Are you trying to throw him over the hill by telling him – like Saint Jeremiah did – that you can’t endure the lesson, even though you were created for that purpose? Perhaps you recognize the teachable moment and are listening, but – like some in the Corinthian Church – are focusing on just Jesus and you, forgetting the Church and the world around you? Brothers, if the past is popping up in your life, give some serious thought to letting the Lord teach his lesson. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Father Todd Boyce, Vicar - The Fellowship of Saint Joseph - Sunday, January 31, 2010