God will carry us

God will carry us

Surely, it is God who saves me

Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah
Isaiah 12:2-6 Ecce, Deus

Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Surely, it is God who saves me

Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah
Isaiah 12:2-6 Ecce, Deus

Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Morning prayers

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord 

Jesus Christ.    Philippians 1:2

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of 

the Lord."    Psalm 122:1

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 

be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my 

redeemer.    Psalm 19:14

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, 

and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. 

Psalm 43:3

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence 

before him.    Habakkuk 2:20

The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers 

will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the 

Father seeks to worship him.    John 4:23

Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, 

whose name is Holy, "I dwell in the high and holy place and 

also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to

revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the 

contrite."    Isaiah 57:15

Morning prayers

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord 

Jesus Christ.    Philippians 1:2

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of 

the Lord."    Psalm 122:1

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart 

be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my 

redeemer.    Psalm 19:14

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, 

and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. 

Psalm 43:3

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence 

before him.    Habakkuk 2:20

The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers 

will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the 

Father seeks to worship him.    John 4:23

Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, 

whose name is Holy, "I dwell in the high and holy place and 

also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to

revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the 

contrite."    Isaiah 57:15

The Rev. Peter M. Carey Sermon on the “Love Song of Isaiah 5” ~ 8 October 2017

The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Sermon on the “Love Song of Isaiah 5”

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

8 October 2017

Listen to the audio HERE

The poem begins as a pleasant “love-song” but builds in a crescendo of intensity,  finally leaving the listener with a message of divine justice and divine judgment.  

The prophet Isaiah describes the situation of God, the farmer, who is cultivating and planting a vineyard as his righteous people in the world.  However, the people had strayed, and become wild, stinking, worthless grapes, not the cultivated grapes that a vineyard owner would expect. In the 8th Century B.C.E, the reign of King Uzziah had brought wealth and prosperity to the wealthy and powerful in Judah.   In its historical context, this song is aimed at those oppressive leaders who benefited from this time of prosperity on the backs of the poor.  However, this poem has resonance for us as well, as we contemplate the ways that God has provided gifts for us, that we are called upon to care for, cultivate, and produce “good grapes” that God expects.

The audience of Judah is told of the beloved farmer who had a vineyard  on a fertile hill that is prepared by the beloved farmer, the work of digging, of clearing, of planting, of building, and hewing.   This intense work with the “fertile” ground would lead any good farmer to think that the vineyard would yield good fruit, and the farmer expects this result.

John Calvin, in his commentary on Isaiah stated, “The incessant care and watchfulness of God in dressing his vine are asserted by the Prophet, as if he had said, that God has neglected nothing that could be expected from the best and most careful householder.”  He expects it to yield good fruit.

The ground was fertile, and the farmer did excellent work.  No mention of animals that have attacked the crop.  They just don’t grow.

Why did these excellent, choice vines yield stinking, worthless grapes?  The audience and the reader is left wondering why, indeed did such a loving, careful, and diligent farmer have a vineyard with such stinking, worthless, and wild grapes.

Verses five and six switch to the words spoken by God; by the farmer - the judge(!).  This language of the removal of protection, which will bring about destruction of the vineyard by the hands of outsiders would be understood in the 8th century Jerusalem context as referring to the military invasions and destruction that would soon befall Judah, but also has a universal message.  How well have we cared for our vineyards?

Here the vineyard will be made a waste by neglect.  Just in case the audience and reader had not understood the point, verse seven makes explicit the referents in this allegory:  “the judgment is upon you!” -- the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Where the Lord expected holy justice, what grew was bloodshed; where the Lord expected righteousness, what grew was oppression and exploitation.  

Isaiah takes his audience through a journey of seven verses from a “love song,” to a description of loving planting, to a judicial defense for growing worthless crops, and finally to the message of judgment for Judah and Jerusalem for their stinking and worthless grapes/behavior.  

In musical terms, the prophecy is made in a crescendo, beginning softly and calmly and gradually grows in volume, precision, and violence until the audience and reader are left with the awesome and frightening message of judgment.

A main take-away for us, is the same message that is made for the people of Israel.  We are asked to to see that we are the vineyard, and have some responsibility for the type of fruit that comes to life.  Here, we are led to repentance and also to greater action in order to care for the cultivated grapes, to secure the boundaries, and to offer our work in order to care for and steward God’s garden.

We will all be judged, and we are given the opportunity by God to judge ourselves before the hedge is removed.    Just as the vineyard was the people of Judah, the vineyard is us as well.  We are called to respond with justice to the bloodshed that we see in this vineyard, so that God will respond with compassionate action..  We are called to hear the cries of distress and respond with righteousness, so that God will hear and respond to our own outcries with God’s righteousness.  Isaiah 5:1-7 was a prophecy and a call to action in the 8th century B.C.E. to Judah, and it is a prophecy and a call to action for us today.  

The Rev. Peter M. Carey Sermon on the “Love Song of Isaiah 5” ~ 8 October 2017

Sermon preached at St. Mary's Church, Cathedral Road, Philadelphia

The Rev. Peter M. Carey, Rector

8 October 2017

https://soundcloud.com/user-214468201/revpetermcarey-october-2017-10-am

The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Sermon on the “Love Song of Isaiah 5”

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

8 October 2017

The poem begins as a pleasant “love-song” but builds in a crescendo of intensity,  finally leaving the listener with a message of divine justice and divine judgment.  

The prophet Isaiah describes the situation of God, the farmer, who is cultivating and planting a vineyard as his righteous people in the world.  However, the people had strayed, and become wild, stinking, worthless grapes, not the cultivated grapes that a vineyard owner would expect. In the 8th Century B.C.E, the reign of King Uzziah had brought wealth and prosperity to the wealthy and powerful in Judah.   In its historical context, this song is aimed at those oppressive leaders who benefited from this time of prosperity on the backs of the poor.  However, this poem has resonance for us as well, as we contemplate the ways that God has provided gifts for us, that we are called upon to care for, cultivate, and produce “good grapes” that God expects.

The audience of Judah is told of the beloved farmer who had a vineyard  on a fertile hill that is prepared by the beloved farmer, the work of digging, of clearing, of planting, of building, and hewing.   This intense work with the “fertile” ground would lead any good farmer to think that the vineyard would yield good fruit, and the farmer expects this result.

John Calvin, in his commentary on Isaiah stated, “The incessant care and watchfulness of God in dressing his vine are asserted by the Prophet, as if he had said, that God has neglected nothing that could be expected from the best and most careful householder.”  He expects it to yield good fruit.

The ground was fertile, and the farmer did excellent work.  No mention of animals that have attacked the crop.  They just don’t grow.

Why did these excellent, choice vines yield stinking, worthless grapes?  The audience and the reader is left wondering why, indeed did such a loving, careful, and diligent farmer have a vineyard with such stinking, worthless, and wild grapes.

Verses five and six switch to the words spoken by God; by the farmer - the judge(!).  This language of the removal of protection, which will bring about destruction of the vineyard by the hands of outsiders would be understood in the 8th century Jerusalem context as referring to the military invasions and destruction that would soon befall Judah, but also has a universal message.  How well have we cared for our vineyards?

Here the vineyard will be made a waste by neglect.  Just in case the audience and reader had not understood the point, verse seven makes explicit the referents in this allegory:  “the judgment is upon you!” -- the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. Where the Lord expected holy justice, what grew was bloodshed; where the Lord expected righteousness, what grew was oppression and exploitation.  

Isaiah takes his audience through a journey of seven verses from a “love song,” to a description of loving planting, to a judicial defense for growing worthless crops, and finally to the message of judgment for Judah and Jerusalem for their stinking and worthless grapes/behavior.  

In musical terms, the prophecy is made in a crescendo, beginning softly and calmly and gradually grows in volume, precision, and violence until the audience and reader are left with the awesome and frightening message of judgment.

A main take-away for us, is the same message that is made for the people of Israel.  We are asked to to see that we are the vineyard, and have some responsibility for the type of fruit that comes to life.  Here, we are led to repentance and also to greater action in order to care for the cultivated grapes, to secure the boundaries, and to offer our work in order to care for and steward God’s garden.

We will all be judged, and we are given the opportunity by God to judge ourselves before the hedge is removed.    Just as the vineyard was the people of Judah, the vineyard is us as well.  We are called to respond with justice to the bloodshed that we see in this vineyard, so that God will respond with compassionate action..  We are called to hear the cries of distress and respond with righteousness, so that God will hear and respond to our own outcries with God’s righteousness.  Isaiah 5:1-7 was a prophecy and a call to action in the 8th century B.C.E. to Judah, and it is a prophecy and a call to action for us today.  

Surely it is God who saves me...

Helpful to remember that our salvation, healing, wholeness, happiness, essence, is not dependent upon ourselves, but upon the lovingkindness of God!

Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah 
Isaiah 12:2-6 Ecce, Deus 

Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Draw water with rejoicing

9    The First Song of Isaiah    Ecce, Deus
       Isaiah 12:2-6

Surely, it is God who saves me; *
    I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
    and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
    from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
    Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
    see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
    and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
    for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Advent - Day 1 "leaning into Advent"

First Sunday in Advent, and First Day of Advent

Daily Readings

Psalm 146    Isaiah 1: 1-9    2 Peter 3: 1-10    Matthew 25: 1-13

Sunday Readings

Isaiah 2:1-5   Romans 13:11-14   Matthew 24:36-44   Psalm 122

Leaning into Advent

When we read the lessons for this first day of Advent in the Daily Office, we see that they each describe a state of leaning.  The image for me is one of leaning forward, leaning into the future, leaning towards something that we might not quite see or know just yet, but leaning nonetheless.  The lesson from Isaiah (1: 1-9) describes the beginning of his vision which describes the destruction of his time - "cities burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land" - but which also names the fact that God has left "a few survivors," there in that desolate place.  Even in the midst of turmoil and destruction, God has left a green shoot which will grow and thrive.  The image also points to our own time, time of trouble, time of turmoil, time of dissention, time of dividing differences.  But we should be reminded that God has provided a green shoot, a bit of hope even in the midst of chaos and change - and a bit of hope is all that is needed.  A bit of faith is all that is needed.

Also in the 2nd letter of Peter we hear words that offer the image of leaning, a leaning forward to a time when Christ will return.  The feet are firmly planted, but the body leans forward in hope and faith to a time of judgment, a time of reckoning, when God will return.  And this time will come "like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire."  All things will change, something new will happen, gloriously new, and we shall be filled with awe.  Our leaning forward in this time of Advent leads us into the deep understanding that God will break in upon this world in a new way, and also, incredibly, that God is always breaking into this world in a new way.

This new way of God breaking into the world should put us into a state of wakefulness, of mindfulness, of deep awareness.  The gospel of Matthew tells the story of the 10 wise bridesmaids who are ready, and are leaning forward into the future, they are ready for the groom who will return at any minute. The sense of waiting in anticipation, with expectation, is charged with the knowledge that God is always becoming known to us in new ways, are we really ready?  "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

These Advent readings help us to lean forward into a state of eager anticipation and expectation.  Get ready!

~The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Advent - Day 1 "leaning into Advent"

First Sunday in Advent, and First Day of Advent

Daily Readings

Psalm 146    Isaiah 1: 1-9    2 Peter 3: 1-10    Matthew 25: 1-13

Sunday Readings

Isaiah 2:1-5   Romans 13:11-14   Matthew 24:36-44   Psalm 122

Leaning into Advent

When we read the lessons for this first day of Advent in the Daily Office, we see that they each describe a state of leaning.  The image for me is one of leaning forward, leaning into the future, leaning towards something that we might not quite see or know just yet, but leaning nonetheless.  The lesson from Isaiah (1: 1-9) describes the beginning of his vision which describes the destruction of his time - "cities burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land" - but which also names the fact that God has left "a few survivors," there in that desolate place.  Even in the midst of turmoil and destruction, God has left a green shoot which will grow and thrive.  The image also points to our own time, time of trouble, time of turmoil, time of dissention, time of dividing differences.  But we should be reminded that God has provided a green shoot, a bit of hope even in the midst of chaos and change - and a bit of hope is all that is needed.  A bit of faith is all that is needed.

Also in the 2nd letter of Peter we hear words that offer the image of leaning, a leaning forward to a time when Christ will return.  The feet are firmly planted, but the body leans forward in hope and faith to a time of judgment, a time of reckoning, when God will return.  And this time will come "like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire."  All things will change, something new will happen, gloriously new, and we shall be filled with awe.  Our leaning forward in this time of Advent leads us into the deep understanding that God will break in upon this world in a new way, and also, incredibly, that God is always breaking into this world in a new way.

This new way of God breaking into the world should put us into a state of wakefulness, of mindfulness, of deep awareness.  The gospel of Matthew tells the story of the 10 wise bridesmaids who are ready, and are leaning forward into the future, they are ready for the groom who will return at any minute. The sense of waiting in anticipation, with expectation, is charged with the knowledge that God is always becoming known to us in new ways, are we really ready?  "Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."


These Advent readings help us to lean forward into a state of eager anticipation and expectation.  Get ready!


~The Rev. Peter M. Carey

Merely to resist evil with evil by hating those who hate us and seeking to destroy them, is actually no resistance at all. It is active and purposeful collaboration in evil that brings the Christian into direct and intimate contact with the same source of evil and hatred which inspires the acts of his enemy. It leads in practice to a denial of Christ and to the service of hatred rather than love.

- Thomas Merton
from Passion For Peace

They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord--
and their descendants as well.
Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent--its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain,
says the Lord.

- Isaiah 65:21-25