Things I’m Certain of that I learned from the Prayer Book (Part 2)

Fr. Tony’s Mid-week Message

August 22, 2012

Things I’m Certain of that I learned from the Prayer Book (Part 2):  

III. You cannot fool God, or hide anything from God.  There are no secrets in God’s presence.   God knows every human heart in its fullness, and prayer is merely an act of voluntary self-disclosure to a Deity who already knows all our wants, desires, fears, joys, and shames.  Trying to deceive God, yourself, or others is a fool’s errand. 

--“O God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid.  Cleanse the thoughts of our minds by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name.  Amen.”  (Collect for Purity, p. 355; this collect from the Sarum Missal rephrases several ideas from Psalm 51.)

IV.  God does not hate anything or anyone that he has made. God’s good intention in creation includes love for all his creatures.  

         -“Almighty and Everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:  Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever.  Amen.”  (Collect for Ash Wednesday, pp. 166, 217, 265.)

V. God’s love, acceptance, and salvation of the dead are far greater and broader than we imagine or can define by our delineations of “the righteous” or “believers” and “the wicked,” or “unbelievers.”  

         -“For all who have died in the communion of your Church, and those whose faith is known to you alone, that, with all the saints, they may have rest in that place where there is no pain or grief, but life eternal, we pray to you, O Lord.”  (Prayers of the People Form V, p. 391;

More to come…  

Grace and Peace. 

--Fr. Tony