Here and now — Living into the new heaven and new earth

Dear St. Augustine's 'ohana,
Isaiah paints God's vision that shimmers with possibility: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.”

This isn’t a promise for someday; it’s an invitation for now. Creation is still unfolding—through our hands, through our prayers, through every small act of love that ripples outward. What Isaiah saw in prophetic poetry, we live out in our daily choices.

When we look around, it can feel as if everything is unraveling—wars, storms, divisions, and exhaustion. But Isaiah and Jesus both remind us that what looks like chaos to us can also be the labor of new life. Even if we can't see it, God transforms disorder into divine order. The old structures must crumble so that something truer, more compassionate, and more loving can rise.

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus warns that even the most beautiful temples will fall. The disciples are stunned; they’ve been conditioned by society to place their faith in stones and systems. But Jesus calls them—and us—back into relationship with Spirit. God’s dwelling is not limited to buildings or institutions. God lives within and among us, steady in the swirl of change for all of time.

The early Christians described two kinds of time: chronos and kairos. Chronos is clock time—our schedules, our deadlines, the rhythm that keeps us moving in harmony as community. Kairos is sacred time—the spacious moment when Spirit whispers, helping us discern right action at the right time. We need both. chronos helps us organize our lives; kairos helps us listen for the pulse of God beneath it all. Every day invites us to balance the two: to coordinate in collaboration as community and also to pause long enough to sense when the Holy is nudging us toward a new way of being.

At St. Augustine’s, we practice that balance through our shared work. We create a safe and inclusive spiritual home. Through our Thrift Shop, we offer relief from financial uncertainty and recycle what can be renewed. We feed our neighbors. We gather in unity to enjoy one another's company and make meaningful connections. We come together through art and music. These aren’t just tasks to keep us busy; they are the living edges of Isaiah’s vision—where heaven and earth meet in ordinary acts of love and care.

Through our shared work, we listen for the whispers of the Holy Spirit to help us discern how love can flow through our next actions at just the right time. I think this is what Paul meant as he reminded the Thessalonians not to grow weary in doing what is right. Faith is not passive waiting for rescue; it is the daily choosing to embody love. As our community lives this out, Christ’s coming isn’t a distant event but a reality already unfolding through us.

When life feels uncertain, remember the words we've said throughout this season in our Prayers of the People: "In the beginning, God was. Here and now, God is. In the future, God will be." This holy thread runs through every moment! What matters most is not predicting what comes next but practicing mindful presence in the here and now and trusting that even in the chaos, the Creator’s love is moving through us, renewing all things.

Blessings,
Vicar Jennifer

P.S., Mahalo for reading this message! I send my thoughts on the coming Sunday's scripture lessons in our weekly e-newsletter. If you'd like, you can sign up here to receive it. My e-message is usually a sneak peak of the coming Sunday's sermon, so if you're curious to hear more, head to our Facebook page for our livestream or go to our YouTube page to view past services. As always, I would love to see you in person on a Sunday! And please let me know if you'd like to talk about anything I've written here.

Please feel free to pass along this message or use what I've written. Please ensure proper attribution to the author, whether that's me or another writer. I often quote folks whose wisdom I admire! Blessings on your explorations in Spirit, and I look forward to walking with you on your journey!