Sunday, May 10th , 2026
6th Sunday of Easter
Sermon on John 14:15–21 — “Not Orphans, But Accompanied”
I want to begin by sharing with you a very significant verse from Epistle to the Ephesians (1:4-5)—a verse that is often overlooked.
It says: “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”
Before the foundation of the world.
Before creation.
Before history.
Before our earthly life.
And then, in Second Letter to Timothy (chapter 1, verse 9), Saint Paul says:
“He saved us and called us… not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”
So what does this mean?
It means that we did not come into this world as something random, or out of nothing.
We are not here by accident. Something about us—our calling, our identity, our purpose—has its origin before creation, before history, before our earthly life.
Now, this raises questions.
Were we already something before coming to earth?
Were we in God’s mind?
Were we part of a deeper reality that we do not fully understand?
These are not easy questions. I am not here to give a final answer. But I believe we are invited to reflect on them.
I remember a Christian scholar - he was also a poet. Before his faith journey, his poetry was about nature, about life, about struggles.
But later, his poetry changed. It became about God, about the spiritual journey, about salvation.
One day, in a gathering, he shared something very personal.
He said: “I had everything. A good life, no real needs, everything was in place. But I had no meaning. No purpose.”
And one day, he was simply walking - without direction. He found himself standing in front of a park. A gentle spring wind touched his face. And in that moment, something changed.
He said: “All of a sudden, I felt something deep within me.
I felt that I am here for a purpose.
That I am not going to stay here forever.
That my journey continues.”
And then he said something striking: “I felt that I have always belonged somewhere…that I have always been connected to something greater.”
He described life as a journey.
As if this world is like a school— a place where we learn, grow, and are prepared for something more.
And that moment changed everything for him. He began to see life differently. He began to understand his purpose differently.
If this is true— if our life begins in God, if our journey continues with God - then everything changes.
And this brings us to the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel.
Jesus says: “I will not leave you orphaned.”
Think about that.
God’s purpose is not to leave us alone.
God’s purpose is not to abandon us in this journey.
If our life begins in God,
then our life is sustained by God,
and our life continues with God.
And Jesus reveals something very important:
God is not distant.
God is not absent.
God is not silent.
God is present—as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit.
If Christ is with the Father,
then the Holy Spirit is given to us—
to remain with us,
to guide us,
to strengthen us,
to walk with us in every moment of our lives.
And there is something more.
Jesus says that this happens when we know His commandments, when we try to live them, and when we love Him for who He is.
And when that happens, the Spirit of God comes to dwell in us: to support us, to guide us, to strengthen us, to empower us.
So, no matter what happens in life— whether it is joy or sorrow, triumph or trial, gain or loss - we are not alone. We are on a journey. A journey that begins in God, continues with God, and leads us back to God.
But there are challenges in this journey. And one of the main challenges is something Saint Paul addresses in Acts of the Apostles, in the passage we heard today.
He speaks to the people of Athens about idols. He tells them that God does not live in temples made by human hands, and that God is not something we create and then worship.
Now we may say, “We don’t do that today.” We don’t build statues and call them gods. But the question is: do we still create idols in different ways?
And the honest answer is - sometimes, yes. Not always consciously. Not always intentionally.
But it happens.
There are people in our world—because of their fame, because of their wealth, because of their power— who begin to take a place in human hearts that belongs only to God.
And sometimes, human beings—even believers— can be drawn into that. The glow of fame, the attraction of power, the desire for wealth— these things can quietly become idols.
And you remember what Jesus says: “You cannot serve two masters at the same time. You will hate one and love the other, or you will be loyal to one, and not care about the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time (Matthew 6:24).
And, in the teaching of Jesus, Mammon becomes wealth treated as a false god — the power of riches, status, fame, or control that competes with our devotion to God.”
Jesus is saying to us: “You cannot divide your heart”. When worship is divided - when part of our trust is in God, and part of it is in something else— our journey becomes confused. It becomes disrupted. And we begin to feel it.
We feel it in anxiety, in restlessness, in lack of peace.
But here is the good news. Our God does not abandon us. The Holy Spirit—the Advocate— continues to speak to us. Gently. Quietly. Persistently. Calling us back. Inviting us to return - Helping us to recognize what has taken God’s place in our hearts. And when we respond— when we return— something begins to heal.
Our hearts are restored.
Our direction becomes clear again.
Our journey begins again.
And just imagine this:
If we learn—through Christ, through His Church— to remain aware of the One we truly worship… If we give our hearts fully to God… Would there still be challenges? Yes.
But, would there be the same confusion?
The same emptiness?
The same inner division?
That is something for us to reflect on.
So today, we pray:
May the Holy Spirit guide us.
May the Holy Spirit sustain us.
May the Holy Spirit lead us back, again and again,
to the One who never leaves us alone.
And may we walk this journey
with clarity,
with faith,
and with hope.
Amen.
How to make the Anglican Rosary
Anglican Prayer Beads
A Form of Contemplative Prayer
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Anglican Prayer Beads are a relatively new form of prayer, blending the Orthodox Jesus Prayer Rope and the Roman Catholic Rosary. The thirty-three bead design was created by the Rev. Lynn Bauman in the mid-1980s, through the prayerful exploration and discovery of a contemplative prayer group.
The use of the rosary or prayer beads helps to bring us into contemplative of meditative prayer—really thinking about and being mindful of praying, of being in the presence of God—by use of mind, body, and spirit. The touching of the fingers on each successive bead is an aid in keeping our mind from wandering, and the rhythm of the prayers leads us more readily into stillness.
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Symbolism of the Beads
The configuration of the Anglican Prayer Beads relate contemplative prayer using the Rosary to many levels of traditional Christian symbolism. Contemplative prayer is enriched by these symbols whose purpose is always to focus and concentrate attention, allowing the one who prays to move more swiftly into the Presence of God.
The prayer beads are made up of twenty-eight beads divided into four groups of seven called weeks. In the Judeo-Christian tradition the number seven represents spiritual perfection and completion. Between each week is a single bead, called a cruciform bead as the four beads form a cross. The invitatory bead between the cross and the wheel of beads brings the total to thirty-three, the number of years in Jesus’ earthly life.
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Praying with the beads
To begin, hold the Cross and say the prayer you have assigned to it, then move to the Invitatory Bead. Then enter the circle of the prayer with the first Cruciform Bead, moving to the right,
go through the first set of seven beads to the next Cruciform bead, continuing around the circle,
saying the prayers for each bead.
It is suggested that you pray around the circle of the beads three times (which signifies the Trinity)
in an unhurried pace, allowing the repetition to become a sort of lullaby of love and praise that enables your mind to rest and your heart to become quiet and still.
Praying through the beads three times and adding the crucifix at the beginning or the end, brings the total to one hundred, which is the total of the Orthodox Rosary. A period of silence should follow the prayer, for a time of reflection and listening. Listening is an important part of all prayer.
Begin praying the Anglican Prayer Beads by selecting the prayers you wish to use for the cross and each bead. Practice them until it is clear which prayer goes with which bead, and as far as possible commit the prayers to memory.
Find a quiet spot and allow your body and mind to become restful and still. After a time of silence, begin praying the prayer beads at an unhurried, intentional pace. Complete the circle of the beads three times.
When you have completed the round of the prayer beads, you should end with a period of silence. This silence allows you to center your being in an extended period of silence. It also invites reflection and listening after you have invoked the Name and Presence of God.
Closing your Prayers
The following ending can be used with any of the prayers in this booklet. After three circuits around the prayer beads, you may finish as follows:
Last time through:
Invitatory Bead
The Lord’s Prayer
The Cross
I bless the Lord.
Or, in a group setting:
Let us bless the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Prayers
You may mix and match or put together your own.
Bless the Lord
The Cross
Blessed be the one, holy, and living God.
Glory to God for ever and ever. Amen.
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The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
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The Cruciforms
Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord. You that stand in the house of the Lord, lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord.
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The Weeks
I lift up my eyes to the hills;
From where is my help to come?
My help comes from the Lord,
The maker of heaven and earth.
The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
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The Cruciforms
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon me (us).
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The Weeks
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Have mercy on me, a sinner.
Or, in a group setting:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy upon us.
*Trisagion means "thrice Holy"
Agnus Dei Prayer
The Cross
The Lord’s Prayer
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The Invitatory
"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
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The Cruciforms
Oh, Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us,
Oh, Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world
have mercy upon us,
Oh, Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world
give us Thy Peace.
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The Weeks
Almighty and merciful Lord,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless us and keep us.
Amen.
*Agnus Dei means "Lamb of God"
Julian of Norwich Prayer
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The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
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The Cruciforms
God of your goodness, give me yourself,
For you are enough to me.
And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory.
And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have I all.
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The Weeks
All shall be well, and all shall be well,
And all manner of things shall be well.
Or
In His love He has done His works, and in His love He has made all things beneficial to us.
This prayer was created by Sister Brigit-Carol, S.D.
www.solitariesofdekoven.org
A Celtic Prayer
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The Cross
In the Name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Invitatory
O God make speed to save me (us),
O Lord make haste to help me (us),
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
The Cruciforms
Be the eye of God dwelling with me,
The foot of Christ in guidance with me,
The shower of the Spirit pouring on me,
Richly and generously
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The Weeks
Pray each phrase on a separate bead.
I bow before the Father who made me,
I bow before the Son who saved me,
I bow before the Spirit who guides me,
In love and adoration.
I praise the Name of the one on high.
I bow before thee Sacred Three,
The ever One, the Trinity.
This prayer was created by Sister Brigit-Carol, S.D.
www.solitariesofdekoven.org
Come Lord Jesus Prayer
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The Cross
"Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."—Revelation 7:12
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The invitatory
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble."—Psalm 46:1
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The Cruciforms
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless God’s Holy Name."—Psalm 103:1
The Weeks
"Come Lord Jesus, draw us to yourself."—John 12:32
Saint Patrick's Breastplate
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The Cross
I bind unto myself today the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.
Of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
praise to the Lord of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord.
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The Invitatory
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
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The Cruciforms
I bind unto myself today
the strong Name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.
The Weeks
1. I bind this day to me for ever, by power of faith, Christ’s Incarnation;
2. his baptism in Jordan river;
3. his death on cross for my salvation;
4. his bursting from the spicèd tomb;
5. his riding up the heavenly way;
6. his coming at the day of doom:
7. I bind unto myself today.
1. I bind unto myself the power of the great love of cherubim;
2. the sweet "Well done" in judgment hour;
3. the service of the seraphim;
4. confessors’ faith, apostles’ word,
5. the patriarchs’ prayers, the prophets’ scrolls;
6. all good deeds done unto the Lord,
7. and purity of virgin souls.
1. I bind unto myself today the virtues of the starlit heaven,
2. the glorious sun’s life-giving ray,
3. the whiteness of the moon at even,
4. the flashing of the lightning free,
5. the whirling of the wind’s tempestuous shocks,
6. the stable earth, the deep salt sea,
7. around the old eternal rocks.
1. I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead,
2. his eye to watch, his might to stay,
3. his ear to hearken, to my need;
4. the wisdom of my God to teach,
5. his hand to guide, his shield to ward;
6. the word of God to give me speech,
7. his heavenly host to be my guard.
Words: attributed to St. Patrick (372-466)
translated by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1889
Adapted for use with Anglican Prayer Beads by Laura Kelly Campbell
An Evening Prayer
The Cross
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.
The Invitatory
Open my lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall proclaim
Your praise.
The Cruciforms
Guide us waking, O Lord,
and guard us sleeping;
that awake we may watch
with Christ, and asleep
we may rest in peace.
The Weeks
Jesus, lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, give us your peace.
