Today's service at Washington D.C.'s National Cathedral online was excellent. Lent will begin very soon, and this week was all about how to stop worrying. Stress relief is always a popular "quality of life" topic.
The sermon by The Rev. Jan Naylor Cope, who has incidentally earlier been a Deputy Director in the White House, and President of an executive search firm, had the excellent idea that "you can't be generous and grateful and greedy all at the same time." What a wonderful "theme of the week."
The sermon by The Rev. Jan Naylor Cope, who has incidentally earlier been a Deputy Director in the White House, and President of an executive search firm, had the excellent idea that "you can't be generous and grateful and greedy all at the same time." What a wonderful "theme of the week."
One suggestion by Cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III is to take ten minutes to read the text from Matthew 6: 24-34 (below) every day and think about it, and it will help our worries disappear completely, even sleep problems. Great idea! Read it and believe it!
Here's the text:
Matthew 6:24–34The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.You cannot serve God and wealth.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
As promised almost a year ago, I've finally listed my favorite hymns of all time. They strengthen us Christians and give us hope when we hear them. To me they are an essential part of a satisfying religious service...love organ music. As with all hymns, the version, the occasion, and how well they are sung are all-important.
- Hyfrydol - Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
- Cwm Rhondda - Guide Me, O Thou Redeemer
- Praise Ye The Lord, the Almighty
- Lauda Anima - Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus
- Be Thou My Vision
- Abide With Me
- All My Hope on God is Founded
- Come Ye Thankful People
- Holy, Holy, Holy
- Greensleeves - What Child is This?
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today
- Amazing Grace
- God is Our Refuge and Our Strength
- Lasst Uns Erfreuen - All Creatures of Our God and King
- Thine Be the Glory
- This is my Father's World
- Repton - Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
- Silent Night
- It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
- Joy to the World
- O Come All Ye Faithful
- O Come, O Come, Emanuel
- Wareham - O Wondrous Sight
- All Glory, Laud and Honor
- For the Beauty of the Earth
- Holy Father, Great Creator
- Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
- Rockingham Old - When I survey the Wondrous Cross
- We Gather Together
- My Song is Love Unknown (updated 4.22.11)
- Jesus Christ is Risen Today (updated 4.23.11)
- The Strife is O'er, The Battle Done (updated 4.23.11)
- O Praise Ye the Lord, Laudate Dominum (updated 5.1.11)
- St. Magnus: The Head That Once Was Crowned With Thorns (updated 6.5.11)
- Richmond: Awake, Arise, Lift Up Your Voice (updated 6.5.11)
- Jesus Shall Reign Where'er The Sun (updated 8.14.11)
They are so beautiful. I have many, many more, but that is a list of my top favorites. My preference is definitely for very old hymns. These are not in any particular order. (Next, the CD?!...just kidding.) A quick way to get the tunes is to link, for example, to the website, cyberhymnal.org, and openhymnal.org (I recommend the mp3 version). I'm sure to have missed more. Which of your favorite hymns have I missed?
