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Monday 12am - 11:55pm Tuesday 12am - 11:55pm Wednesday 12am - 11:55pm Thursday 12am - 11:55pm Friday 12am - 11:55pm Saturday 12am - 11:55pm Sunday 12am - 11:55pm

http://www.anglicancatholic.org/locations/48

Saint Mary's Anglican Catholic Church, 1677 Triplett Boulevard, Akron, OH (2026)

02/22/2026

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (St Matthew 4:4)

10/22/2025

Sadly, our outdoor statue of Saint Mary the Virgin was stolen overnight. The image was decapitated several years ago and skillfully repaired by our Senior Warden. At the conclusion of services for our late treasurer at noon it was noticed that it was missing. I am awaiting an officer from the Akron Police Department to fill out a report. The statue is about 18 inches tall and of solid concrete. Since this photo was taken, the statue has been repaired and painted silver. To those living in the Ellet area of Akron (or Massillon), please be on the lookout.

09/20/2025

Happy St Matthew's Eve & Day. I couldn't resist the image of St Matthew the Ethiopian dragon-tamer.

05/06/2025

Saint Mary's Anglican Church--The Angelus for Easter

https://www.accakron.com/angelus

02/13/2023

Heroes of the Faith:
Saint Valentine
Like St Nicholas of Myra & St Patrick of Armagh, St Valentine, or at least his name, has become part of modern popular culture. The calendar of the Church of England found in the traditional Book of Common Prayer (1662) commemorates Valentine as a bishop & martyr; that is, as one who died at the hands of unbelievers for confessing his/her faith in Jesus Christ. Anglican, Roman & Lutheran churches celebrate this feast on February 14th, the traditional date of his martyrdom. This is also the date of the pagan feast of Lupercalia, associated with fertility & s*xuality, which some suggest is the reason Valentine came to be associated with the courtly love of the high middle ages and the romantic love of more modern times. A number of other theories relative to Valentine’s association with romantic or erotic love also have been put forward.
There also is some confusion as to the precise identity of this early martyr (as is often the case). The Latin name Valentinus (based on the Latin word valens, meaning worthy, strong, or powerful), was very common in late antiquity. There are stories of as many as three Valentines martyred on February 14th, two of them, one a priest, the other a bishop, were killed along the Via Flaminia, where they also were buried. But, these men may be one and the same person. There are a number of conflicting traditions (as well as some rather fantastic tales) that are associated with one or more of these St Valentines. But the basic fact is that Valentine gave his life in witness to our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, during one of several persecutions of Christians that took place within the Roman Empire before the conversion of the Emperor Constantine.
As noted above, a number of explanations have been offered as to why Valentine came to be associated with what we call romantic love. According to one version of Valentine’s martyrdom, Valentine was a priest of the church in Rome during the time of the Emperor Claudius II Gothicus (reigned 268-270AD). Claudius spent most of his time at war with various Germanic & Gothic invaders. In order to keep his army well-manned & well-disciplined, Claudius ordered the young men of Rome to remain unmarried. But Valentine continued to solemnize Christian marriages and otherwise give aid & comfort to the faithful; and for that he was arrested. The Emperor at first took a liking to the worthy Valentine; but his opinion changed when the priest refused to renounce his faith, and even tried to convert the emperor to Christ. Claudius ordered Valentine to be beaten & beheaded.
In our day, the Christian faith and individual Christians are under attack. This is taking place not only in Muslim countries, but increasingly in largely secularized Western countries, including our own. Those who defend the biblical concept of marriage and the family are particularly scorned. The real St Valentine is best thought of as a defender of Christian marriage, rather than a promoter of the debased version of romantic love now prevalent. As the Scriptures tell us, God is love. (1 St John 4:8, 16) They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect. (Wisdom 3:9)

06/05/2019

Changing the Lord’s Prayer?

Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio), the current Bishop of Rome (commonly called “The Pope”), has changed the official rendering of the Lord’s Prayer into the various vernacular languages used in the worship of the Roman Catholic Church. Francis asserts that the common translation of the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer as found in the canonical Greek New Testament, “Lead us not into temptation,” is “not a good translation;” and that “Do not let us fall into temptation” is “better.” Francis asserts that God as our Father would not lead us into temptation; only Satan does that. (See Genesis 3:1-6; Job 1-2; St Matthew 4:1-11; 26:41; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Peter 5:8-10; also James 1:13-14) These controversial remarks touch on a number of important theological issues.

Article VI of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion printed at the end of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer states the following Anglican principle: “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.” The Article then lists the received and canonical books of the Old and New Testaments that comprise the Bible or Holy Scripture. These books are “canonical” in that they are the “canon,” or “rule,” or “standard,” or “measure” of any article of belief.
And so we must ask, what do the Scriptures say?

The Lord’s Prayer is found in St Matthew 6:9-19, with a slightly different version in St Luke 11:2-4. In both texts, the original Greek of the sixth petition is καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν; and the traditional English rendering, “and lead us not into temptation,” found in the Authorized or King James Version is quite accurate. It has been retained by the most recent scholarly translations, such as the English Standard Version. It is the wording used in both the English 1662 and the 1928 American Prayer Books. However, the 1979 book used by the Episcopal Church and the Ecumenical English Liturgical Consultation render the sixth petition as “save us from the time of trial.” But this is not what the original Greek text actually says; rather it is an interpretation of the text. It is true that all translations involve a degree of interpretation, but in this instance, interpretation is substituted for our Lord’s actual words as found in Holy Scripture. We are bound by canon or rule of God’s Word in the canonical text in the original languages; not by individualistic or idiosyncratic glosses on the text.

Temptation is often thought of as the desire to do, or the thought of doing, something we know to be wrong; to sin either by the commission of an evil act; or the omission or failure to do one’s duty before God. But the Greek word used in the Lord’s Prayer that is translated as “temptation” means to “prove” or “try” something, to put something “to the test.” Temptation as it is used in the Lord’s Prayer is a trial or test that proves or reveals who we really are and what we really believe. Temptation has two sides, objective and subjective. The objective side is the outward agent or situation that presents temptation or testing. The subjective side of temptation is either the inward struggle within us that includes the possibility of sinning; or yielding to temptation either through the desire to sin, or by committing the sinful act itself. As our Lord teaches us, to desire to sin is basically the same as committing the sin. (St Matthew 6:27-30)

Certainly Satan tempts mankind to sin against God. (See 1 Corinthians 7:5; Galatians 6:1; 1 Timothy 6:9; James 1:14-15) St James tells us, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:13-14) While God never tempts us to sin, He does tempt us in order to prove or test the integrity of our claim to faith; to nurture, expand, and purify our faith. To this end God tested Abraham; and He allowed Satan to tempt Job. (Genesis 22:1; Job 1-2) Jesus tested the faith of the Syro-Phoenecian woman and Philip. (St Mark 7:24-30; St John 6:6) And so James the Just tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience…. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:2-3, 12; see Romans 5:3; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:12-19)

We have our Lord Jesus Christ as our example; for He was tempted as we are, yet he remained without sin throughout His earthly life. (Hebrews 4:15) Recall that “Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The Spirit of God led Jesus to be tempted or tested; For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14) Recall also that Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane was tempted with the possibility of avoiding death on the cross for our sakes, to the extent that He sweated drops of blood. Though He asked three times that the bitter cup of suffering might be taken from Him, still He submitted Himself fully to the will of the Father; saying, “Thy will be done.” (St Matthew 26:32-42; St Mark 22:32-42; St Luke 22:39-46; Hebrews 5:7)

As we pray, “lead us not into temptation,” we also submit ourselves to the will of our Father in heaven; for we have the promise of God’s Word. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

03/06/2019

Capital Punishment and the Bible—Part II

Introduction
This series on capital punishment or the death penalty is based on the basic principle of Anglican theology summarized in Article VI of the 39 Articles of Religion. “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.” As we noted in part one, after the Great Flood, the Lord laid down the following foundational principle with regard to both the sanctity of life and the propriety of and divinely sanctioned authority for the ex*****on of the death penalty in what is traditionally referred to as the Noahic Covenant. And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:5-6) This text provides the basis for the universal authority and responsibility of all human governments to justly take the life of one guilty the crime of murder. God is the author of life; and as such He retains the prerogative of defining the circumstances under which a life can be taken. God demands that mankind, made in His image, maintain a just social order for the protection of the innocent. Murder is the ultimate violation of or offense against the divine image for which death is the appropriate punishment.

Terminology
Many opponents of the death penalty point to the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17), which the Authorized or King James version renders into English, Thou shalt not kill. They tell us that all killing is forbidden, including capital punishment. The original Hebrew word for kill is ratsach. The context of the Sixth Commandment is the whole of Scripture. As we have shown above, and as we will show below, Scripture not only allows killing in certain circumstances, it also commands that killing be done in several specific contexts, including self-defense and the defense of family or the weak, warfare, and capital punishment for certain specified crimes, most notably murder. The earlier English version of the text of the Six Commandment used in The Book of Common Prayer more accurately renders it, Thou shalt do no murder; or in most modern versions, You shall not murder or You shall not commit murder. Thus, the commandment has unjust killing, not killing in general, in mind.

God the Ultimate Judge & Executioner
The Book of Genesis provides examples of the Lord Himself directly carrying out the death penalty on certain grievous sinners, both individuals and groups. The most obvious is the Great Flood that brought death upon the sinful world that then was, when murder and injustice were rampant; and only eight individuals were spared. (Genesis 7) Another famous example of God Himself carrying out the sentence of death is when He rained fire and brimstone on the cities of S***m and Gomorrah because of various outrages. (Genesis 19) The Lord also struck down the firstborn males of Egypt. (Exodus 12:29) Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and, by extension, the Lord; and order of worship and law God established through Moses. Moses declared to the people the Lord’s judgment on the rebels: (Numbers 16:30-34) The Lord’s ex*****on of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all who participated in their rebellion, is cited as a warning and a deterrent throughout the Old Testament. (See Numbers 27:3; Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalm 106:16-18; Ecclesiasticus 45:18-19) The Lord also smote thousands of men in Beth-shemesh for presuming to look inside the Ark of the Covenant. (1 Samuel 6:19) In an episode seldom referred to (and even omitted from most modern lectionaries) found in The Acts of the Apostles is the truly terrifying story of Ananias and Sapphira, who were struck dead for lying to God the Holy Ghost. (Acts 5:1-11) And so we see the Lord God directly carrying out the sentence of death against not only murderers, but those who willfully rebel against Him and His Law as well. The backdrop of all this is the coming Day of Judgment whereon the Lord with deliver His Judgment upon the living and the dead; and some will receive the sentence of eternal death. (See St Matthew 24—25; St Mark 13; St Luke 21; 1 Thessalonians 5; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 Peter 3; Revelation 20—22) We should ask, if it is a sin to kill in all circumstances, including in defense of and in the ex*****on of justice, do we presume to hold God guilty of sin? (I fear many today are indeed so presumptuous.)

The Law of Moses
Following the Exodus from Egypt and in anticipation in of the conquest and settlement of the Land of Canaan, the Lord revealed to Moses a code of law to govern the commonwealth of Israel. In keeping with the Noahic covenant, the Mosaic Law follows the general principle of “life for life.” There are three broad categories of capital offences: 1) violations of the sanctity of life; 2) violations against the sanctity of the family (the basic unit of human government); and 3) violations of the sanctity of God. Under the Law of Moses, the death penalty was required in all cases of premeditated murder. This included the accidental death of innocent bystanders, including children in the womb, during a fight. (Exodus 21:12-14, 22-23; Leviticus 24:17; Numbers 35:16-21) Accidental death or “manslaughter” is excluded. Included is the crime of man-stealing or kidnapping, which causes irreparable injury to both body and soul, particularly in the case of a child. (Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7) A person could be executed for striking or cursing a parent; or refusing to submit to parents or lawful civil authorities. (Exodus 21:15,17; Leviticus 20:9; see St Matthew 15:4; St Mark 7:10; Deuteronomy 21:18-21). Connected to these sins are various s*xual sins that were punishable by death (a most controversial subject today): r**e (Deuteronomy 22:25-27); adultery (Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 22:22); in**st (Leviticus 18:6-17; 20:11-12,14); premarital s*x (Leviticus 21:9; Deuteronomy 22:20-21); homos*xuality (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13); and be******ty (Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 20:15-16). With regard to the worship of God, it was a capital offense to offer sacrifices to false gods or idols; and human sacrifice was of course the most heinous form of false worship. (Exodus 22:20; Leviticus 20:2) Violations of the Sabbath were also punishable by death. (Exodus 35:2; Numbers 15:32-36) Blasphemy or cursing God warranted the death penalty. (Leviticus 24:10-16, 23) False prophets and those who followed them were also to be put to death. (Deuteronomy 13:1-18) Divination or the dabbling in the occult or magical arts was a capital crime. Consequently, under the Mosaic Law, witches, sorcerers, wizards, mediums, charmers, soothsayers, diviners, spiritists, and enchanters were to be put to death. (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:26,31; 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

Some argue that Christian societies are not bound to the laws of the commonwealth of Israel; and that may be true in principle. But as we have noted, the death penalty for murder established under the Noahic covenant is universal in scope; not limited to ancient Israel but applicable to all nations for all time. As we have noted, in the Noahic covenant with all mankind, God has commissioned man as his vicegerent, giving him the lawful authority of government to carry out the death penalty for murder.

01/17/2019

Capital Punishment and the Bible—Part I

[This article is part one of a series on capital punishment or “the death penalty” as it relates to the Christian faith.]

Introduction
In early August, the Vatican released a statement that Francis, bishop of Rome (commonly called the pope), had made a revision of the Roman Church’s catechism regarding capital punishment or “the death penalty.” Whereas Francis’ predecessor, John Paul II, was famously opposed to capital punishment in practice, in keeping with centuries of Church teaching the 1992 and 1997 versions of the Roman catechism allowed that capital punishment might be permissible in certain rare circumstances, the newly revised catechism issued by Francis declares capital punishment to be totally “inadmissible” given the “inviolability and dignity of the person” as understood “in the light of the Gospel.” The rationale for the change in traditional Church teaching with regard to capital punishment within the Roman church is that there is a “seamless garment” with regard to the sanctity of the whole of human life that forbids capital punishment as well as abortion and euthanasia. Francis presents this change from the traditional approach to capital punishment as a legitimate and indeed natural “development” in Christian doctrine.

The canon law of the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) addresses this issue from the perspective of Holy Scripture and church tradition in CANON 15.2. OF THE POWER OF THE CIVIL AUTHORITY: “Holy Church has universally upheld the sanctity of human life, and therefore this Church continues to condemn the wilful, intentional, and direct taking of innocent human life. Nevertheless such prohibition has never in Catholic Canon Law or Moral Theology disallowed, nor does this Church claim the power to disallow, the just exercise of the power of the Civil authority to “restrain with the civil sword all stubborn evil doers,” but admits that it “beareth not the sword in vain, for [it] is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” [Romans 13:4; 1 Peter 2:13-14] and St. Thomas Aquinas expressly says of capital punishment lawfully administered, “such killing is not murder”, allowing as the just cause for capital punishment “of an evil-doer” the fact that “it is directed to the welfare of the whole community” [Summa Theologica, IIa. IIae Quest. 64, art 2, art. 2.; Ia. IIae Quest. 96, art. 5.]....”

Article VI of the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion printed at the end of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer puts forward the following key Anglican principle: “Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.” The Article then lists the received and canonical books of the Old and New Testaments that comprise Holy Scripture or The Bible. These books are “canonical” in that they are the canon, rule, standard, or measure of any article of faith and morals. And so with regard to capital punishment, or any other matter of faith and morals, Anglicans must ask first, what do the Scriptures say?

The Book of Genesis
The Book of Genesis begins with the words In the beginning. The earliest chapters of Genesis have been the subject of much debate since at least the nineteenth century with regard to history and science. Setting these debates aside, Christians find certain basic principles in Genesis that must be taken into account in any discussion of capital punishment or any other Christian doctrine. The first of these first or beginning principles involves the creation of mankind. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:2728) Man’s fall into sin at the instigation of a serpent (the devil or Satan) placed all mankind under a sentence of death. (Genesis 2:17; 3:1-19) Though physical death was deferred, Adam and Eve saw their sin bear very bitter fruit in the next generation.

As we read in the fourth chapter of Genesis, Eve bore two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain slew his brother Abel out of envy; he committed the first murder. Whether the first homicide was premeditated or a crime of passion, Cain was banished from God’s presence. And the Lord said, the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. (Genesis 4:10-11) Cain’s murderous act polluted the ground from which man had been formed and from which he drew his daily bread with his brother’s blood, the blood of one made in the image of God. (Genesis 2:7; 3:17-19; 4:1)

Cain was banished but not executed for his brother’s murder; in fact, the Lord forbade that anyone should take Cain’s life. (Genesis 4:10-16) Some speculate that Cain was spared because there were as yet too few people on the earth; others that Cain’s act was unintentional, a crime of passion. Whatever the reason, Cain’s descendents were credited with a number of technological and cultural advances. (Genesis 4:19-22) But the culture and society that developed was also characterized by tyranny, violence, and murder; for Abel’s murder left human society corrupt and polluted. (Genesis 4:19-24) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:5-8)

As we know, because of man’s wickedness and murderous social disorder, the Lord carried out the sentence of death upon the whole earth through the Great Flood; but He commanded Noah to build an ark that a remnant of man and beast might be saved and God’s creative purpose preserved. The Lord made a covenant with Noah that reestablished His covenant with mankind and all creation; and the rainbow became the sign of that covenant. (Genesis 9:1-17) “The Noahic covenant” included a specific provision with regard to the crime of murder. And surely your blood of your lives will I require: at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. (Genesis 9:5-6) In this verse, the principle of “a life for a life” (lex talionis) is established by divine sanction. What we call “capital punishment” or “the death penalty” is not a changeable societal or legal tradition. Rather it is established on the timeless truth that human life has intrinsic value because man was created in the image of God. Murder is a crime against God’s image-bearer; and so it is an affront to and crime against God Himself. It is an act that renders not only the perpetrator but an entire community, indeed all society, guilty and polluted or unclean in the eyes of God. Murder perpetuates murder, and indeed all manner of crimes and outrages against God and man as was seen in the world that then was before the Flood. (See 2 Peter 3:5-7) And so it is not surprising that both the Old and the New Testaments affirm this basic tenet of God’s covenant with Noah, mankind, and all creation as applicable not only to particular times and places, but universally. This basic principle will be expounded in the rest of this series.

08/06/2018

Transfiguration & Resurrection
On August 6 the Church celebrates the Transfiguration of Christ, an event referred to in several places in the New Testament. (St Matthew 17:1-8; St Mark 9:2-8; St Luke 9:28-36; 2 Peter 1:16-18) Jesus performed many miracles in the course of His public ministry; but the Transfiguration was a miracle that God the Father performed on Jesus on Mt Hermon in the presence to the Apostles Peter, James, and John. Jesus was “wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistering” in the midst of a cloud of light representing God’s presence in glory. (BCP, 247-248; Exodus 24:16-18; 34:5; 40:34-38; 1 Kings 8:10-11; St John 1:14; 2:11; et al) The word transfiguration refers to a change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. Christ’s Transfiguration represents a major stage in the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, along with His Baptism in the Jordan River (St Matthew 3:13-17; St Mark 1:9-11; St Luke 3:21-22); and on both occasions, the Father’s voice was heard to say, This is my beloved Son: hear him. (St Mark 9:7)

In addition to the three apostles that represent the New Testament, Christ’s Transfiguration was also witnessed by a manifestation of Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament as witnesses of Christ, the only begotten Son of God, before His Incarnation. Moses and Elijah were also types of Christ’s Transfiguration, Resurrection, and Ascension. A type in theological terminology is a sign or figure of something that is yet to come. Moses and Elijah each had a vision of the glory of God on a mountaintop. (Exodus 24:15; 1 Kings 19:8) Neither left a known grave; indeed Elijah ascended into heaven in a fiery chariot. (Deuteronomy 34:6; 2 Kings 2:11) In addition, two angels stood as witnesses at Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension. (St Luke 24:4; St John 20:12; Acts 1:10; see Revelation 11:3)

James Mason Neale (1818-1866) was a priest of the Church of England, a promoter of the 19th-century gothic revival, and a hymn-writer and translator. Neale paraphrased the Advent hymn O come, O come, Emmanuel; and he translated St Theodulph’s ninth century hymn as All glory, laud, and honor that is commonly sung as part of the Palm Sunday liturgy. A collection of Neale’s sermons for black letter days was published after his death. (3rd Edition, 1872) Neale preached on St Peter’s later reminiscence on the Transfiguration. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (2 Peter 1:16-18) Neale speaks of Christ’s Transfiguration as a type of both Christ’s Resurrection and our own.

“Our LORD'S Transfiguration was a type of our own Resurrection; and there we also have the act of each Person of the Trinity. These bodies were the work of GOD'S Hands; they were fed with the Body, and Blood of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, (according to that saying, "Whoso eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up again at the last day") and they were the temples of the HOLY GHOST. Therefore the Trinity was manifested at CHRIST'S Baptism and Transfiguration, because each of Its Three Blessed Persons is concerned in the work of our Baptism and Resurrection….

“But now what is this? The Disciples fell on their faces: JESUS touched them, and said, Arise! And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save JESUS only. Here is a great mystery. They fell on their faces to the ground: there the time is signified when we must lie down in the grave. JESUS touched them, and said, Arise!--there is set forth that day when all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the SON of GOD, and they that hear shall live. And in that they saw no man save JESUS after they were raised, we are taught that, after our own resurrection, He will be All in all. There will be no Law then,--no Prophecy then: we shall see JESUS face to face, beholding Him as He is. He will remain, when all else is passed away….

“And we, if we now desire to see His glory, must do as the Disciples did. They went up into a high mountain apart. We must try and get above this world, apart by ourselves, at a distance from the troubles and cares of the earth, and fix our hearts on that land where He now is. I saw this morning, soon after sunrise, that all the hollows and valleys of the country round were filled with thick white mist, but the hills were clear and bright in the sunlight. We are too much like men living in such valleys, surrounded with the fog of this world, unable to lift up our eyes to the brightness of the everlasting hills. It ought not to be so: above all, it ought not to be so with you, who cannot have much longer, in the very nature of things, to dwell in this world. Rather, let that be true, by the grace of the HOLY GHOST, of which S. Paul writes:--But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the SPIRIT of the LORD: that so, as He was transfigured, while He dwelt here, in heavenly glory, we, while we are yet in the flesh, may be transfigured to His image!”

Saint Mary's Anglican Catholic Church

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