Fr Peter Helman

Dear friend,

There’s no need to over-complicate faithfulness. With the day ahead, Saint Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus rise with the sun – “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (Eph. 2:10, NRSV). These words echo in the Post-Communion Prayer at the close of Holy Communion:

“And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.” (BCP 366).

So it is that at the end of every mass, we are sent forth with a question to hold together: “What then are the good works prepared for us today?”

Many decisions indeed take a good deal of time and prayer to discern, but much of life in Christ is simpler than that. Faithfulness is so much more sensible than we are known to make it out to be. The Spirit directs our path.

Hear, for instance, from the two psalms appointed for the Daily Office this morning – Psalms 41 and 52.

The psalmist begins, 

“Happy are they who consider the poor and needy!” (Ps. 41:1)

And of his professed enemies, the psalmist writes,

“… they speak empty words;

     their heart collects false rumors;

          they go outside and spread them.” (Ps. 41:6)

And a little further down,

“In my integrity you hold me fast.” (Ps. 41:12)

From Psalm 52:

      “You love evil more than good and lying more than speaking the truth.

You love all words that hurt, O you deceitful tongue.” (Ps. 52: 3-4)

And this,

            “This is the one who […] trusted in great wealth

                 and relied upon wickedness.” (Ps. 52:7)

And to read last of all,

            “I will give thanks for what you have done

                 and declare the goodness of your Name.” (Ps. 52:9)

The word of God shows us the good works that have been set out before us today:

To give our eyes to see the world clearly, and once seen to offer ourselves and what we have and all our lives in love for the well-being and safety of those in need. To guard our tongue from lying and deception and backbiting. To keep our word. To cling to what is good, honest, and true. To be above reproach. To trust in God and lean not on our own understanding. And what perhaps sets everything else aright: to offer God thanks, which is to say to behold life as a gift to offer back to God. This is where the joy comes in.

Faithfulness is not so much a riddle but a series of simple decisions that train our hearts to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.

This Monday morning, let us see the needs all around us and decide to follow what is right.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Peter