Vernon T. Jones MTS, Spiritual Consultant, Author - Vernon's Blog

A Canticle of Love for Maundy Thursday

4/17/2025

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God. All who love are born of God and know God; all who do not love do not know God.

Love does not insist on its own way, is not quick to take offense; it does not rejoice at wrong, but it rejoices in the right.

Love is patient and kind; love is not envious or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love bears all things and believes all things. Love hopes all things and endures all things. Love will never come to an end.

Prophecies will vanish; tongues will cease; and knowledge will pass away. For our knowledge and our prophecy are imperfect, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass way.

Now I know in part, then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. Now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

I John 4: 7, 8; I Corinthians 13: 4-10, 12-13

Holy Week and Easter

4/10/2025

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, and for some of the churches in American, (like ours) there will be a Palm procession. Many liturgical churches will be having a number of extra services next week leading up to Easter. For some Christians, Easter is the most holy day of the church year. Since I am married to a retired Lutheran (ELCA) pastor, I know how busy this week usually is.

However, I grew up in an American Baptist Church in Youngstown, Ohio, and for us Holy Week did not have a lot of extra services. But Easter morning was a huge deal for us. Jerusalem Baptist Church was made of persons of Color, who had mainly come from the Southern States to find work up North. They were mostly blue-collar working people, who loved getting dressed up for Sunday worship. However, on Easter morning, they took getting dressed up to another level. Most everyone, got something new and lovely for the worship service. The hats, dresses, and suits were so colorful, and often people tried to outdo each other. Looking back many years later, I wonder, if the resurrection of Jesus on Easter, took a back seat to the clothes worn on that day. I am sure we were not the only church to do this.

No matter what how your faith community celebrates Easter, I would encourage all of you, to try and realize that the resurrection of Jesus and the new birth that event brings into our lives---happens daily, when we are open to it. The love that our Lord God has for all of us as shown in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is still there, regardless of how we worship on Palm Sunday, during Holy Week, Easter or throughout the year.

Acknowledging that this is still a very stressful time for the entire world, please find time to reflect about the wonderful gift given to humanity by our loving Lord. Try to look for areas of love and hope around you so that Easter can come to you, in more moments/days than just March 20, 2025. May God’s love and grace, bless you and your families/loved ones at this time. Peace, Vernon T.

Copyright © 2025 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

During this Lenten Season Reflect upon your Old Self being created into a New Self

4/3/2025

During this Lenten Season Reflect upon your Old Self being created into a New Self

" . . . seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator." Colossians 3: 9b-10

Two months after my high school graduation, I started working in a steel mill’s open-hearth department near my hometown, Youngstown, Ohio. I continued to work full time for nearly nine years until I earned my undergraduate degree. I had many different jobs during my time there, and some of the jobs required me to either get really dirty or be around a lot of heat causing me to perspire quite a bit.

Thus, I normally had to take off the work clothes and shower before putting on my street clothes. It was a wonderful feeling to remove the dirty and smelly work clothes after my shift was over. After the shower and putting on the clean clothes I felt almost like a NEW person.

In this passage from Colossians, we have the image of being stripped of the old self (old clothes) and being renewed into a new self (new clothes). The reader is encouraged to leave behind the old practices that they were once involved in, and to be renewed with the knowledge of a new life in Christ.

As we take part in the spiritual pilgrimage and this Lenten season of prayer and reflection, the practices of the old self (old clothes) maybe something we do not feel like wearing any longer. Somewhat like when I could not wait to get my dirty clothes off after my shift was over. While striving to become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ, may you leave behind those old things that prevent you from being renewed. May you be clothed with your new self (new clothes) in the image of Christ! Peace---Vernon T.

Copyright © 2025 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Litany for Lent

3/27/2025

“O Christ, out of your fulness we have all received grace upon grace. You are eternal hope; you are patient and full of mercy; you are generous to all who call upon you.

Save us, Lord.

O Christ, fountain of life and holiness, you have taken away our sins. On the cross you were wounded for our transgressions and were bruised for our iniquities.

Save us, Lord

O Christ, obedient into death, source of all comfort, our life and our resurrection, our peace and reconciliation;

Save us, Lord

O Christ, Savior of all who trust you, hope of all who die for you, and joy of all the saints:

Save, us Lord

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us,

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace.

God of love, as in Jesus Christ, you gave yourself to us, so may we give ourselves to you, living according to your holy will. Keep our feet firmly in the way where Christ leads us; make our mouths speak the truth that Christ teaches us; fill our bodies with the life that is Christ within us. In his holy name we pray. Amen.”

“Book of Common Worship---Daily Prayer” Westminster/John Knox press

Personal Retreat

3/20/2025

During this Lenten season, some of us may be tempted to try and give up something for Lent. However, something else that could be done, is to DO something to enhance or develop our spiritual growth. One way to do this would be to take part in a retreat, which could be done in many different ways.

I have been very fortunate to be able to take several personal retreats in my life. One of them was when I was able to take part in a personal retreat at St. Augustine’s House, a Lutheran Monastery, in Oxford, MI. Part of the retreat was silent, and there were many opportunities for worship, as the Monks normally worship eight different times a day. I was able to make several of their worship periods each day, and I had time for my own prayer, reading, and reflection. The Monks were very welcoming and gracious to me while I was there.

It was a very good experience for me, and I came away with a few good insights for me and the ministry that I feel called to. I would encourage you to think about taking part in something like that, somewhere, some day, when moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. You could also do a mini retreat, by just going off to a park, a waterfront, the mountains, an empty church; basically, any place where you can feel calm and quiet in your inner core, where you are able to pray, read, and reflect. Any time is a good time to do something like this, but the Lenten season has been set aside for prayer and reflection. Peace, Vernon T.

Copyright © 2025 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Intercession for Lent

3/13/2025

“Jesus, remember us when you come into your kingdom.

Hear our intercessions.
For your church around the world,
we ask new life.
For all who carry out ministries in your church,
we ask grace and wisdom.
For people who have accepted spiritual disciplines,
we ask inspired discipleship.
For Christians of every land,
we ask new unity in your name.
For Jews and Muslims and people of other faiths
we ask your divine blessing.
For those who cannot believe,
we ask your faithful love.
For governors and rulers in every land,
we ask your guidance,
For people who suffer and sorrow,
we ask your healing peace.

Holy God, your Word, Jesus Christ, spoke peace to a sinful world and brought humanity the gift of reconciliation by the suffering and death he endured. Teach those who bear his name to follow the example he gave us. May our faith, hope, and charity turn hatred to love, conflict to peace, and death to eternal life; through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Book of Common Worship---Daily Prayer” Westminster/John Knox press

The Lenten Season

3/6/2025

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, during this Lenten Season let us reflect on how this New Jerusalem will be!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come; and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you,
though darkness covers the earth and dark night is over the nations.
But upon you the Lord will rise, and the glory of the Lord will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light; and rulers to the brightness of your dawn.
No longer will violence be heard in your land nor ruin or destruction within your borders.
You will name your walls Salvation, and all your gates Praise.
No more will the sun be your light by day, nor by night will you need the brightness of the moon,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”
Isaiah 60: 1-3, 18, 19

Even in the midst of some dark days in the earthly life, we have the promise of this New Jerusalem, and that the Lord will be our everlasting light!!! Peace and have a blessed and light-filled Lenten Season, Vernon T.

Let us to continue to pray for our Government Leaders and our Nation!

2/27/2025

“O Lord, our governor, your glory shines throughout the world.
We commend our nation to your merciful care, that we may live securely in peace
and may be guided by your providence.
Give all in authority the wisdom and strength to know your will and to do it.
Help them remember that they are called to serve the people as lovers of truth
and justice; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Book of Common Worship---Daily Prayer” Westminster/John Knox press

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Amos 5: 24

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6: 8

Disciples being Strengthened and Encouraged

2/6/2025

"There they [Paul and Barnabas] strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, ‘It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.’" Acts 14: 22

We have Paul and Barnabas traveling from city to city proclaiming the good news and causing many to become disciples of Jesus Christ, then they returned to Antioch and spoke these words. They wanted the disciples to be strengthened in their souls and to be encouraged in their faith. Think about the times when you have been strengthened and encouraged by some people around you, and when you were able to do the same for others.

This has happened many times in my life, and one of the major times was after my late wife’s second surgery to remove a brain tumor. After this operation she could not talk, walk, or move her right side. She spent twelve weeks in two different hospitals and a nursing home recovering from the effects of the procedure, having radiation, and relearning her life functions again.

Needless to say that was a very trying time for my family and me, for I was with her every day for some period of the day during that time, and thus grew extremely tired and became emotionally drained. Even though it was very demanding, we were nevertheless strengthened and encouraged by the many people who prayed for us, visited us, called us, sent us cards, gave us meals, and were there to support us and help us in any way that they could.

That experience certainly changed me and caused me to see so many things in life differently. I know that I am more empathic to others who go through something similar. I will always remember those who aided us and became God’s love for us. Without this love and compassion that time period would have been more challenging and lonelier. May you also be like Paul and Barnabas and our friends and family and strengthen the souls of others and offer encouragement in their faith, so that they can feel God’s love through you! Peace, Vernon T.

Copyright © 2025 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

Bearing Fruit

1/30/2025

"I [Jesus] am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you." John 15: 1–3

I do not claim to know much about farming or gardens; however, I have known many people who were really good at it. One such person was my late wife’s father, Vito, who knew a lot about growing things. He had a huge lot on his property in Ashtabula, Ohio where he generally put in a very large garden, until his health slowed him down.

He loved seeing things grow and of course grew more then he could use, thus always gave much of it away. When we were able to visit him during the summer, we always came away with wonderful fruits and vegetables from his garden. Every morning, before the sun got too hot, he would get out into his garden to weed, clear out, prune, and water his garden. He knew in order to have a good harvest much work was needed, which he was willing to do.

What Vito and countless other gardeners and farmers have done, is what Jesus is saying about branches (in him) that require pruning. As followers of Jesus we are like branches in need of pruning in order to bear more fruit. Jesus said that his disciples have already been cleansed (pruned) by his words. This removing of the unfruitful branches and the pruning or cleansing may at times be painful or cause us some discomfort, however, it is a necessary step for us to bear the fruit of God’s kingdom.

We may not fully understand about this process when it is going on, but generally later on during our pilgrimage we can see why the removal or pruning was needed. As you take part in the spiritual practices of prayer, Bible study, and reflection, may you be open to allowing God’s word and the Holy Spirit to remove, prune, and cleanse those parts of your inner being that will allow you to become the person that God wants you to be! Peace, Vernon T.

Copyright © 2025 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved