Saint Jerome, Biblical Scholar 420

Friends in Christ,

I am writing this on a Saturday evening from New Zealand and for me compared to many nations the week is well and truly over. How has your week been ? Mine could have been better as I was down with a good dose of bronchitis. Trying to get a doctor's appointment last Monday proved difficult and it does make me realise to how vulnerable one can get. As the only member family driving the car it also made other things quite difficult. I was thinking of " Meals on wheels", but we dont have this in this little country town of Oxford in New Zealand. I made another visit to the doctor last Friday, obtained more anti-biotics and thanks be to God today I have been up and about and on the pc. Here I do my work as a webdesigner and I also use it for my studies as a Postulant in the Traditional Anglican Church. I paused a while and realised how blessed I am in many ways, but blessings can only flow if we offer our lives to God:

"First give thyself to God: then to the work God gives thee to do" ( Saint Augustine )

"Take my life and let it be

Consecrated ,Lord to Thee.

Take my moments and my days
Let them pass in endless praise.

Take my eyes and let them see
Souls that may be saved for Thee.

Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my fee and let them be

Bent on works of love for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing

Prayers and praises to my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from Thee.

Thus my life will truly be

Consecrated, Lord to Thee"

"We offer and present unto Thee O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, Holy and Living Sacrifice unto Thee."

I pray that you , just as me, may be truly inspired by St.Augustine's words and the words of the hymn.

Pray for me as I continue my journey as a Postulant in the Church of God.

Yours in Christ,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Do we know who Jesus really is ? Herod was concerned about this ( Matt 9:7-9)He kept on trying to see Jesus.
We might ask ourselves the questions, "Why did Herod want to see Him?" and "Where did he look for Him?"
We might also ask ourselves why we want to seek Christ. If we do, is it for understanding, consolation, healing, love, reparation, etc.? Just why do we want Him?
And the second question is, where do we look for Him? Do we seek Him only in a church, the Blessed Sacrament, in others, in ourselves, in scripture, in the media? We are reminded that Jesus said whenever we do a charitable work for the "least of my brothers, you do it for Me." If we are not finding Jesus as much as we would like, maybe it is because we are looking for Him in the wrong places.

Peace be with you... Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

At times in our spiritual lives, we have probably been all the different kinds of seeds the Lord describes. We hear the Word and it dries up within us, not given time to sprout and grow and flourish. We hear the word and the worries of the day, week, month, year--all rush in to choke out any hope, any light it may give us. You hear the Word; and then with many doubts, fears, and misgivings about our understanding, the Devil swoops in and takes the Word away from us.
But ultimately, if we are faithful in attending Mass, and faithful to the Lord, even if we pass through these times, He is a good Shepherd and Keeper of a great vineyard. He knows just how to weed and prune and nurture. If we wait in patience, knowing that what is happening now is not the best, the Lord will come and help us. His Holy Spirit will move within us and the Word will come alive. We will hear the song the Spirit sings to Father and Son, and we will be saved. We are loved, completely, without restraint. If we persevere, continuing despite our misgivings, we will bear fruit in joy.

God bless... Ed

Saint Matthew, Apostle

Friends in Christ,

We imagine Matthew, after the terrible events surrounding the death of Jesus, going to the mountain to which the risen Lord had summoned them. "When they saw him, they worshipped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them [we think of him looking at each one in turn, Matthew listening and excited with the rest], 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:17-20).
Matthew would never forget that day. He proclaimed the Good News by his life and by his word. Our faith rests upon his witness and that of his fellow apostles.

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker

Blessed John Wollaston, Archdeacon in WA 1856

Fathers, Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

It is indeed helpful to the Spiritual Life to practive frequent Meditation. This can be done by choosing a few verses of Scripture, or some special subjects and thinking upon them, asking God the Holy Ghost to guide and enlighten us.

Some fruitful subjects of Meditation are: The Love of God; The Sacrifice of the Cross; the Life of Jesus; the Awfulnness of Sin; Worship, Faith , Hope and Charity, Humility, the beauty of Holiness.

All of us need to take time out to Meditate, may God help us in this busy life to set time aside for Him.

Amen

Ed Bakker, Postulant TAC New Zealand

website: http://www.crossspot.net/ststephenstac/

Amen.

Feria

Fathers, Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

The four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the Saints.

( Revelation 5:8)

Consider this..... the only footprints on the sands of time, that will really last, are the ones made after knee prints!

Have a good week,

Ed Bakker - Postulant TAC New Zealand

Saint Ninian, Bishop in Galloway, 430

Fathers, Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

On this Saturday afternoon I want to offer a prayer for all my friends with whom I have contact via e-mail and internet, my Bishops, the Priests I know, my family spread out through the world and all my friends:

O God, who has infused in the hearts of Thy faithful the gifts of charity by the grace of the Holy Ghost: grant salvation of body and soul to Thy servants and handmaidens for whom I implore Thy mercy; that they may love Thee with all their strenght, and fulfil with all their hear all that is pleasing to Thee. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May you have a blessed weekend,

Ed Bakker

Feria

Fathers, Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

Yet we stand again at the end of another working week. For most of us it is just a rat race from Monday to Friday and as Catholic Christians we seem to have little opportunity to have a break and reflect on things, which are eternal and not of this world. Blessed Saint Mark covers this point so well, see Saint Mark 6 verse 31 And He said un them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.

Would you not agree with me that " Come ye yourselves apart .... and rest a while" is a must for every Christian. If you don't come apart, you will come apart - you will go to pieces. Take the opportunity if you can... and rest a while, go to a weekday Mass and in the quiet of your Parish Church or Cathedral come into the presence of the Lord. Forget the weekly tv programs for a while and open the Holy Scriptures and reflect, or open a book on the life of the early Church Fathers. You need to recharge your spiritual batteries. I pray that this weekend may give you the opportunity to just do that. " Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while"

AMEN

Yours in Christ,

Ed Bakker - Postulant TAC New Zealand

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The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Fathers, Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

As the Holy Cross is so central to our Christian Faith, I thought it to be appropriate to share a few thoughts on this feast with you today.

The Cross is the throne from which Jesus Christ teaches us humility, patience, obedience and brotherly love. Jesus Himself said ( John 12 31-36 ) “ Yes, if only I am lifted up from this earth, I will attract all men to Myself.The crowd to which He preached saying these words offcourse questioned them :” What dost Thou mean by saying that the Son of Man must be lifted up? What Son of Man is this? Jesus’ response to this is very moving: “The Light is among you still, but only for a short time. Finish your journey while you still have the light, for fear darkness should overtake you; he who journeys in darkness cannot tell which way he is going. While you still have the light, have faith in the light, that so you may become children of the light.
The people at that time still had the opportunity to give their lives to Christ and in fact become children of the light. There is definitely a message for us in this Gospel for life in 2006. We must be aware from the turmoil of this world around us, which portrays misery, sin , heresy and death, that so many are walking in darkness and don’t know where they are going at all. While we are on this pilgrimage, we might still have a little time left to shed away the works of darkness and become as Jesus so rightly puts it “Children of the light”

Can we make once again the sign of the Cross, a sign of our own? We can, because the sign of the Cross delivers us from evil and from our enemies. Every time we go to Mass we are fed with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord by whom the standard of the Cross was sanctified. Through the Cross we have been accounted worthy to worship Him, so we may forever enjoy the effect of His salutary Glory.

Let us therefore acknowledge the Mystery of the Cross of Christ, so that we may attain the rewards of His Redemption in Heaven.

If you have to not done so , claim the Cross of Christ, there is still time, if you have wondered away into the darkness, return to the Light and re-claim the Cross of Christ.

AMEN.

Ed Bakker - Postulant TAC New Zealand

Saint John Chrysostom, Abp of Constantinople 497

( picture : High Mass - the laying on of incense )

Friends in Christ,

The old cliché says, "Good things come to those who wait." The thing is, many times I find this cliché hard to believe. For instance, when I am waiting in line at the bank, waiting for a colleague to complete part of a large project so we can move ahead, or waiting for word that I have gotten the new job I applied for. In these instances I have found that the waiting, or what follows it–usually unwelcome news–is not all that good.
I also find it hard to find the good in poverty, hunger, crying and persecution. These seem to be things that we should cure and tackle head-on to eliminate suffering in our world, and in many cases we DO that. But here is where the old cliché comes back into play. Our Lord promises that good things will come, and for all eternity in his kingdom.
The Beatitudes are difficult to understand and I admit that I sometimes struggle with them. But I know for certain that the Lord’s promises are true and in times of pain we can be sure that a better future awaits.

Yours in Christ,

Ed

Feria

Friends in Christ,

Above is a picture of the undersigned when he was serving as Thurifer at Christ Church Anglican Church,Brunswick, Melbourne. This photo was taken about 10 years ago on Passion Sunday and I was preparing the light the charcoal in the thurible before High Mass. When you look at this picture you do ask yourself " where has the time gone" and indeed today when I am celebrating my birthday I am asking myself the same question. Although it is probably not much good to dwell too much on the past and at the same time it is not too good to be too much concerned with the future, you cannot help reflecting on your past life on a day like this.

When comes foremost in my mind that in spite of the fact that my road through this life over the years has been a rocky one and there are wounds of the past, which now have healed, I guess like so many other people as well, I seem to have the courage to plough ahead because of my Catholic Faith. My parents showed me the way and thank God I continued to walk in this way, in spite of the fact that it often was the narrow way. In full assurance of Faith I now look forward to a new year in my life.

John Newton, who lived from 1725-1807 wrote a wonderful hymn " How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds" and this hymn does reflect our journey through life, but with Jesus Christ on our Side. I pray that this hymn might be a reality for you as well:

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrws, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the trouble breast;
"T's is manna to the hungry soul,
And to the wear rest.

Dear name! the rock on which I build,
My shield and hiding place,
My never-failing treasury filled
With boundless stores of grace.

Jesus my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Wy, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,

And cold my warmest thought;

But when I see thee as thou art,

I'll praise thee as I ought.

Till then I would thy love proclaim

With every fleeting breath;

And may the music of thy name

Refresh my soul in death.

Yours in Christ,

Ed Bakker

Postulant TAC New Zealand

The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Friend in Christ,

The Church has celebrated Mary's birth since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 (nine months earlier).
Scripture does not give an account of Mary's birth. However, the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James fills in the gap. This work has no historical value, but it does reflect the development of Christian piety. According to this account, Anna and Joachim are infertile but pray for a child. They receive the promise of a child that will advance God's plan of salvation for the world. Such a story (like many biblical counterparts) stresses the special presence of God in Mary's life from the beginning.
St. Augustine connects Mary's birth with Jesus' saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. "She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed." The opening prayer at Mass speaks of the birth of Mary's Son as the dawn of our salvation and asks for an increase of peace. Comment:
We can see every human birth as a call for new hope in the world. The love of two human beings has joined with God in his creative work. The loving parents have shown hope in a world filled with travail. The new child has the potential to be a channel of God's love and peace to the world.
This is all true in a magnificent way in Mary. If Jesus is the perfect expression of God's love, Mary is the foreshadowing of that love. If Jesus has brought the fullness of salvation, Mary is its dawning.
Birthday celebrations bring happiness to the celebrant as well as to family and friends. Next to the birth of Jesus, Mary's birth offers the greatest possible happiness to the world. Each time we celebrate her birth we can confidently hope for an increase of peace in our hearts and in the world at large.

Thanks be to God.

Ed...

Feria

Friends in Christ,

The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God ( 1 Cor 3:18-23 )This is also reinfored in Psalm nr 24:"To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it."We do not own our talents.We are merely, but importantly, stewards of our body. We can do nothing of lasting value ourselves,but so much more if we work to develop our talents let God work through us for the betterment of His Kingdom.It requires an ongoing, day to day commitment, based on strong faith!Then only then things can happen, which are of a lasting value.

"Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven"

Amen.

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

This picture above, I found on the internet somewhere and it depicts an English Church scene. Over the years I have been quite blessed with trips to England , which enabled me to worship in places such as St.Paul's Cathedral, London, Canterbury Cathedral, Chichester Cathedral and a number of churches in London, such as St.Mary's in Bourne street. The beauty of some these buildings is magnificient and you feel moved to think to how many generations of worshippers have come to praise the Lord Sunday after Sunday.

During a working holiday in the UK, I was a member of St.Mary the Virgin in Great Chart, which is near Ashford in Kent. The Church goes back to 1625 or so, the history there is truly amazing. I had a blessed time there.

No matter where you worship, in a Cathedral or a little Country Church here in rural New Zealand, never forget you are in the House of the Lord and worship Him always in the beauty of Holiness.

Thanks be to God.

Ed Bakker

Feria

Friends in Christ,

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strenght, and honour, and glory, and blessing. ( Revelations 5:12)

Amazing words from Revelations in relation to the worthiness of the Lamb of God. Such power, such wisdom, strenght, glory and blessing. We are, as Catholic Christians aware of the Love of God for us, but admist the turmoil of this world, we get side tracked and we get muddled up in our thoughts and cares of earthly things. We almost get seperated from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Last Sunday I fully experienced the love of God at Mass and then again when invited by a couple of Parishioners to spend morning tea with them. Then in the afternoon went into country New Zealand and enjoyed the scenery - still that love, that peace travelled with me. Comes money Morning and some-one, who I deal with in business really upsets me, all of a sudden I feel this emptiness. Focussing this evening on the words from Revelation make me realize and... thanks be to God... that because I have , and offcourse we have the Lamb of God as our Almighty Shepherd and our faithful keeper does indeed make it possible for the thoughts and cares of earth not to prevail and seperate us from His love.

I pray this evening, that these words may not only comfort me , but all those, who read this short meditation at the beginning of this week.

May God bless us all in our endeavours.

Yours in Christ,

Ed Bakker

The New Guinea Martyrs 1940-1945

Friends in Christ,

Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea;and there was great calm. ( Saint Matthew 8:26 )

How strong is our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ? A question I am asking myself, but am also asking you the same question. It is easy to have a strong faith when everything goes reasonably well with us, but when there is suddenly going to be a crisis in our lives, then would our faith stand the test of the time?

If we look back on the lives of the Saints and the Martyrs, then we come to the conclusion that when they were in crisis mode, their faith did sustain them and their confidendence in the Lord Jesus Christ was not broken. That is why we observe Saints and Martyrs, so that we can learn from their experiences and be strenghtened by their Faith.

And yet... there are so many Saints around us, whose names we shall never know and whose names will never go down in the history of the Church. Yes.. ordinary men and women, who have learnt all their lives to worship God and trust in Him and when they come to a crisis point, they do not loose their confidence. Where do you find these people? I got to know a few of them in my former Parish in Melbourne, I recently visited a very sick friend in hospital.. and I mean very sick, and yes I found another one. If you are reading this short meditation today and you are in crisis mode and your faith is not strong enough to uphold you, you do not need lenghty prayers and bible readings to come through. Just use the Orthodox Jesus prayer and say it loud and repeatedly:" Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner" And again " Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner."And suddenly as Saint Matthew reported in 8:26 " There was a great calm."

Would you join me today and pray for all those, who are in crisis mode around the world, may their Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ sustain them and bring them to everlasting life. Amen.

Ed Bakker - Postulant TAC New Zealand

Saint Giles, Abbott - 720

Friends in Christ,

Yet, we have reached the end of another working week and the weekend is upon us. How has your week been?Yesterday I talked about Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne and what a great exemple he has been to us. Today we remember Saint Giles, but I do want to touch briefly on another subject. I was talking to a Priest this week, who had give instructions to the young in relation to the preparation for Holy Communion. He told me that so many young people have no concept of sins. They dont think that they commit any sins themselves.
Why is this? It points to a lack of teaching by the parents, but also to a lack of teaching in the Church. How often do we hear a sermon about sin and not sinning? Not really that often. Teaching the young from the beginning the difference between right and wrong is essential and I pray that we may take stock and do something about this issue.

A blessed weekend everyone,

Ed Bakker

Postulant TAC - New Zealand