Spirit of the Eagle – June 2020

Spirit of the Eagle
St. John the Evangelist ACC

Spiritual Tidbits & Rector’s Reflections for
June 2020 from Father Tim

As we finally begin to feel the warmth of summer in June, we can reflect on our celebration of the Ember Days of Whitsuntide (3rd, 5th, and 6th), Trinity Sunday (7th), Corpus Christi (11th), Saint Barnabas (12th), Sacred Heart of Jesus (19th), Saint Peter (29th), and the Commemoration of Saint Paul (30th). God is Love and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, present with us here on earth in the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion, is the human manifestation of God’s Love for men. This is why, although those of the world who are unbelievers are woefully unaware, June is considered the month for weddings where human hearts join and cooperate with the Creator in bringing forth new life. The family they create is a human reflection of the Holy Trinity. Following Whitsunday, or Pentecost, the Holy Church begins her slow descent from the glorious heights of the Easter Season to the flourishing valleys of the Trinity Season, the longest of the liturgical seasons. Like the lush June growth all around us, the green colors we use for most of the Trinity Season point to the new life won for us by the Redemption of Jesus Christ, the new life of Charity. For Our Lord came to cast the fire of His love on the earth, and to that end, sent His Holy Spirit at Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire. Let us contemplate in June the words of the English Christian Mystic Richard Rolle, the Hermit of Hampole, from his book, The Fire of Love. He writes, The nature of love is that it is diffusive, unifying, and transforming. It is diffusive when it flows out and sheds the rays of its goodness not merely on friends and neighbours, but on enemies and strangers as well. It unites because it makes lovers one in deed and will, and draws into one Christ and every holy soul. He who holds on to God is one in spirit with him, not by nature, but by grace and identity of will. Love has also the power of transforming, for it transforms the lover into his Beloved, and makes him dwell in him. Thus it happens that when the fire of the Holy Spirit really gets hold of the heart it sets it wholly on fire and, so to speak, turns it into flame, leading it into that state in which it is most like God…. The Trinity Season is the hour to “go out to all the world and tell the good news.” May the Sacred Heart of Jesus inflame our hearts the entire month of June, so that we may be worthy of our Baptismal call to holiness. ~ Father Tim

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Is there someone in your life who is depressed? Do they feel their life is going nowhere? June is the month of growth and love. It is a perfect time to speak with a lost soul about the Redemption of Christ, invite them to attend Saint John’s with you, and ignite the Fire of a Holy Love. This June could bring the new life of Christ into the heart of someone you cherish. ~ Father Tim

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Let him who can not be alone, beware the community….
Let him who is not in community, beware of being alone.
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Bible Study & Spirituality Class

Entering the Trinity Season, the class in June will attempt once again to complete the in depth study of Simon of Cyrene found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 27 verse 32. The study of God’s word is central to the life and mission of our parish church of St. John the Evangelist. Please join us after Holy Mass on the 21st of June (again – hopefully) for an engaging, dynamic, and informative exploration of the Holy Scriptures. All are welcome, but be warned: continued exposure to God’s word will change your life.

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A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it. ~ G.K. Chesterton

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St. John June Ordo Kalendar

Sunday, the 7th of June at 10:30 AM, Trinity Sunday
Sunday, the 14th of June at 10:30 AM, Trinity I, Jackson Bock Baptism & Coffee Hour
Wednesday, the 17th of June at 4:30 PM, Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, the 17th of June at 5:30 PM, Evening Prayer
Sunday, the 21st of June at 10:30 AM, Trinity II
Sunday, the 28th of June at 10:30 AM, Trinity III, Bible Study

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A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.
A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.
~ Martin Luther

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June Birthdays & Anniversaries

Rachel Barnett – Birthday – June 6
Peggy & Bill Minor – Anniversary – June 8
Rick Hanson – Birthday – June 9
Bill Minor – Birthday – June 25
Janet & Fr. Tim Butler – Anniversary – June 30

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The Athanasian Creed
Quicunque vult

Whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith.Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the Catholic Faith is this;

That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Person nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost.

But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal.

As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty.

So the Father is God, and Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three God, but one God.

So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lord, but one Lord.

For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone: neither created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.

So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other: none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal.

So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds: and Man, of the substance of his Mother, born in the world; Perfect God, and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting; Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.

Who although he be God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ; One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person.

For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, God almighty: from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting, and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.

This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and every shall be, world without end. Amen.

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The seeking of Jesus Christ, and the quest for chivalry combined, lead directly to one place only: Anglican-Catholicism. Courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help and defend the weak and the poor. Welcome to the Anglican Catholic Church. ~ Father Timothy Butler